Philippians: Lights in the World

STOP — Philippians 2:12-18

Summarize

Paul wanted the Philippians to obey him in this teaching of humility. It wasn’t enough for them to do what is right when he was there, it was even more important to do it when he wasn’t there. When they lived a life of obedience they continued the work of salvation in their life. God would join them in this work. To live in humility and to work out their salvation meant they needed to quit grumbling and arguing, but live as holy people. Their good lives should make them stand out in the world around them. Paul wanted them and him to find joy in their humble obedience as they grew in their spiritual formation.

Truth

Our lives can be a light in the darkness when we follow the example of Jesus.

Observations

1. The Philippians obeyed when Paul was around. They wanted to please him. Now Paul wants to emphasis that they need to obey even when he wasn’t there. Our obedience should not be dependent on who is watching us. True faith leads us to do the right thing even when there is no immediate benefit to us.
2. We miss out on spiritual formation when we neglect living with humility and being obedient. We need to take this seriously, fear and trembling, and not just treat it as a nice optional thing to do.
3. God is at work with us to transform our lives. So our transformation isn’t just about our effort, it is God working in us. We need to trust that He is at work.
4. Two things we need to avoid, things that will effect our unity, are grumbling and arguing. It is our unity and working together in one purpose that helps us stand out, to shine like stars, in this world.
5. Their continued spiritual formation is confirmation that Paul’s efforts are not being wasted. He needed to know that his sacrifice was making a difference.
6. The Philippians should find joy in their spiritual formation, just as Paul did. We need to be joyful in the positive change that happens to those around us because of their faith.

Prayer

Lord God, help me to be obedient. I want to experience the transformation you have for my life.

Tomorrow: Philippians 2:19-30

Philippians: Have the Attitude of Jesus

 

STOP — Philippians 2:5-11

Summarize

For unity to exist there must be humility. The example for humility the Philippians are to follow is that of Jesus. Jesus is God, but when it came time to rescue the world for evil and destruction, Jesus didn’t think he needed to hold on to his rights as God, but he freely gave them up so he could become a servant, a great act of humility, so he could do what was best for his creation. His humility lead to the humiliation of death on the cross. Even though Jesus freely gave up his rights as God, God, because of Jesus’s humility, exalted Jesus above everything else in all of creation. This reveals God’s loving and gracious character and will lead all of creation to worship Him.

Truth

The humility of Jesus shows us that we will not miss out on blessing if we humble ourselves and let others go first.

Observations

1. This connects back to Paul’s teaching that we should consider others better than ourselves and to think about their interests as well as our own interests. Paul wants us to know that this call to humility is us following the example of Jesus.
2. Paul taught that Jesus is God. We may not understand all the mechanics of things, but what can understand is that Jesus voluntarily gave up rights due to him as God to rescue his creations from sin and evil.
3. Jesus’s humility led him to the humiliation of the cross and death. Our humility will, most likely, be a lot less costly.
4. “For this reason...” God exalts Jesus back to his status, gives him all authority, because he put the interests of others ahead of his own rights. God’s promise is that our sacrifice will not be in vain, that he will restore to us, and expand, all that was lost.
5. The humble obedience of Jesus, along with our humble obedience, leads to God receiving the worship that He deserves.

Prayer

Lord God, give me the wisdom, faith, and love that I need to follow the humble example of Jesus.

Tomorrow: Philippians 2:12-18

Philippians: Think of Others

  STOP — Philippians 2:1-4

Summarize

As citizens of God’s Kingdom the Philippians are to evaluate their lives. If they find that their lives are better, that they have encouragement, love, fellowship, mercy, then they are to take the next step and work for unity. They are not to think about themselves and their desires, rather they are to consider how they can love and serve each other.

Truth

God has given us good gifts so we should seek to honor Him by being united in love and purpose with each other.

Observations

1. “If, then...” should have us looking backwards. Paul previously mentioned that he wants the Philippians to live as citizens of heaven, which means they are to live lives that are worthy of the Gospel. How do they know if they are living that type of life? They are to examine themselves: do they have encouragement in Christ or consolation of love?
2. The first evidence of a life that is worthy of Jesus is the presence of encouragement, love, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the feelings of affection and mercy. The second evidence is the choice to work for unity, to share the love God had given them, and to work with the same purpose of bringing God’s grace and love into the world.
3. The focus of our lives needs to shift for being selfish to humility. What does it mean to consider others better than ourselves? Maybe we see a vision of this with Abraham when he let Lot make the first choice of land. We can let other people go first because we are confident that God has enough blessing that we will not be left out.
4. We need to an interest in the lives of other people. It is easy for us to be consumed with what is happening to us and therefore we miss out on the ways we can serve and love those around us. It is important that we choose to pay attention to the lives of other people.

Pray

Lord Jesus, I ask for the faith to trust that You are able to bless everyone, so I don’t have to be stingy with my time, attention, and love.

For tomorrow: Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians: Living is Christ

STOP — Philippians 1:21-30

Summarize

Paul mentioned that his hope (verse 20) that whether by his life or death he would have the courage to bring honor to Jesus. He saw that he had two paths before him. If he continued to live he would be able to continue the work Jesus gave to him to do. If he died he would go to be with Jesus. Paul did not know which to desire. To live meant that he could continue to teach and encourage people to follow Jesus, but to die meant he could experience the delight of being in heaven with Jesus. 

As Paul waited to see what would happen he urged the Philippians to live as citizens of heaven (not just as citizens of Rome) so they could live lives that were worthy of the Gospel. To live this type of life required that they live united as they lived and proclaimed the Gospel. They would need unity and courage because they too would face suffering because of Jesus.

Truth

We need the commitment and courage to live by faith because of the hardships that will come our way.

Observations

1. The dilemma for Paul was real. He loved people and wanted to see them become part of the Kingdom. He also was tired of the suffering he had experienced and was ready to be with Jesus. 
2.  As long as we are alive in this world we need to remember that we have a job to do: make disciples. No matter what we need to continue to do what we can, that includes giving, praying, and living a faithful life.
3. Paul urged the Philippians to live as citizens of heaven. As residents of Philippi they were also citizens of Rome. That was an honor, but Paul wanted them to understand their greater citizenship was to Heaven. They were to live the way God wants His people to live: with love, joy, peace, gentleness...and the rest.
4. The Philippians were granted the privilege of suffering for Jesus. Why is this a privilege? It means that they were living in such a way that the powers of the world wanted to oppose them. When we live as citizens of Heaven, the powers of this world will oppose us. They do not want the light of our lives to shine in the darkness they have created.

Prayer

Lord, grant me the courage and the faith to live a life that is worthy of Jesus.

Tomorrow: Philippians 2:1-4

Philippians: The Advance of the Gospel

STOP — Philippians 1:12-20

Summarize
Paul transitioned to updating the Philippians about his life. The main point that he wanted them to know was that being in prison did not stop him from sharing the Gospel. Two important things happened as Paul shared the Gospel. First, the guards learned about the reason for Paul’s imprisonment and other believers gained confidence to proclaim the Gospel. Along with this was a group of preachers who proclaimed Jesus for financial gain and to cause Paul trouble while he was in prison. This doesn’t bother Paul because he is grateful that the truth of Jesus was being taught. Paul’s concern was that he would continue to bring honor to Jesus and not do anything that might bring shame to Jesus and the church.

Truth
We should find joy anytime the truth of the Gospel is rightly taught, because God is honored and people have the chance to believe.

Observations

1. What we may see as obstacles to sharing the Gospel may actually turn it a benefit. The key is being faithful where we are. Paul did not let the reality of being in prison prevent him from sharing the Gospel.
2. Our faithful example can have a powerful impact on the life of others. Paul’s continued ministry while in prison gave confidence to other people to share the Gospel which allowed for the continued growth of the Church.
3. We should not let the bad motivations of other people bother us if they are sharing the Gospel. What should bother us is bad behavior and not representing Jesus well. Paul found joy in the sharing of the Gospel, even though the motivations of the preachers were bad.
4. 
   
   Even after all his faithful service, Paul was still concerned about representing Jesus well. He did not want to do anything that may bring shame on the name of Jesus and the Church.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, increase my faith so I can have the confidence of Paul, who was able to continue with his ministry of sharing the Gospel even in prison.

Tomorrow: Philippians 1:21-30

Philippians: Continued Prayers

STOP — Philippians 1:7-11

Summarize

Paul continued to explain to the Philippians why he is grateful for them and why he has so much affection towards them. They have partnered with him through out his ministry, including his imprisonment. Paul let them know that his pray for them is for their love will grow through the wisdom and discernment that God gives. They need this so they can be spiritually mature and ready for the return of Jesus.

Truth
It is crucial we continue on with spiritual formation so we can be ready for the return of Jesus.

Observations

1. Relationships are very important. Apparently, Paul was held in high regard in Philippi and they had helped him throughout his ministry. Paul was touched by there care and generosity and he admired their faith in proclaiming the Gospel. Both Paul and the Philippians valued the relationship they had with each other.
2. The Philippians responded to the Gospel, not only by receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but also dedicating their lives to proclaiming the Gospel. Part of the dedication is seen in their support of Paul and his ministry.
3. Paul not only prayed for the Philippians, but he let them know what his prayer was for them. He prayed that they would experience spiritual formation as their love grew. This growth was due to an increased wisdom, understanding, and discernment about who God is and His will for their lives.
4. The way we can be filled with righteousness is to have our love for God and people grow. We cannot grow in righteousness if we are not growing in love.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, may Paul’s prayer for the Philippians be true for me. I want my love to grow as the result of having a better understanding of your truth.

Tomorrow: Philippians 1:12-20

Philippians: Greetings and Prayer

STOP — Philippians 1:1-6

Summarize
Paul, along with his student Timothy, wrote a letter to the church they helped start in the city of Philippi. It is addressed to all the saints in the city, including the recognized leaders of the church. Paul told them that he thanked God for them and was joyful because of them. Not only did Paul have fond memories of them, but he was grateful for their help in proclaiming the gospel. He encouraged them by reminding them that God would mature their faith so they would be ready for the return of Jesus.

Truth
Philippians 1:6 (CSB) I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Observations

1. Paul identifies himself and Timothy as servants of Jesus. This means Paul realizes that he is not doing his work, but he is doing the work of Jesus. Paul saw himself under the will and authority of Jesus.
2. Saints in Christ Jesus are anyone who has placed their trust in Jesus. Saints are God’s holy people. Overseers and deacons are those who have been set apart by the church to do the work of the church.
3. Grace (the common Greek greeting) and peace (the common Jewish greeting) come from one sources: God through Jesus. Paul is not just offering them cultural niceties, but he is giving them a blessing that comes from God. He wants the Philippians to experience grace and peace.
4. Paul, and Timothy, had history with the Philippians. There would have been good reason for Paul to thank God for the Philippians because they had showed him kindness.
5. There is joy Paul when he thinks about the Philippians, not only because of their kindness, but because they had been at work to proclaim the Gospel. They supported Paul in his ministry in Philippi, they had continued to follow his example, and they supported him in is teaching ministry/mission work. Even during his time in prison.
6. Paul knew that the Philippians, for all the things they were doing well, still needed to grow in their faith. He wanted to reminded them that the work of spiritual formation/discipleship was not entirely on their shoulders, God would carry on that work, so they could be ready for the return of Jesus.

Prayer
Father in Heaven, help me to be like Paul, who was concerned with the spiritual well being of those who he taught and led. May I remember that it isn’t just about what I say and do, but it is also about trusting You to continue to work in their hearts and minds.

Tomorrow: Philippians 1:7-11

Lo$t: Where Am I?

Money is necessary for life. It is what we use to get the food, clothes, shelter, transportation, and everything else that we need for life. Because of its prevalence in our lives most of us have done something dumb with our money. It is easy to do. The reality is most Americans are lost financially. We have too much debt and too many obligations which lead to experiencing significant financial pressure each month. We need help when it comes to money. The Bible says too much about money for us to be lost financially. God cares about how we use our money, which means that money is a spiritual issue. The first step in getting unlost financially is to discover where we are. We need to understand that everything belongs to God and that we are His stewards managing His resources. When we remember this truth everything else begins to fall into place. Text: Matthew 6:19-21 and Luke 16:10-13 Big Idea: Christians are to be good stewards of their finances. Challenge: Figure out how much money comes into your bank account and where it goes each month.

Our Purpose and Our Healing

God created humans to bear His image. To bear God's image means that we are to demonstrate God's character: His love, grace, mercy, and kindness in the world around us.

How do we do that?

It starts with love. Jesus taught that our greatest responsibility is to love God and to love people.

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” (Matthew 22:37-40; CSB)

The best way we can live this life of love is to be kind and caring to those around us. In a word we are to serve. Serving is the foundation of the purpose that God created us to do.

It is logical that our purpose is wrapped up in serving others, but it doesn't make sense that our healing is too?

In fact, it seems contradictory to say our healing and our wholeness are found in giving our lives away. 

Conventional wisdom teaches that we need to take care of ourselves first before we have the capacity to help other people. Some Christians even teach that we need to love ourselves before we can truly love others. 

The truth that our healing is found in giving ourselves away is another example of the upside down nature of the Gospel. Wholeness is found in sacrifice and healing is found in serving others.

One of the reasons why our healing is found in serving is because we are are broken by our sin and selfishness, which leads to broken relationships. Our sin has led to a damaged relationship with God which leads to a damaged relationship with other people. Since we are created to live in relationships, to have damaged relationships means we cannot be the people God created us to be.

We lack wholeness when our relationships are not what they should be.

So how do we build relationships? 

It begins with reaching out to people in love. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught:

Matthew 5:23-24 (CSB)

“So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.”

We are to take the initiative for reconciliation happen. Even if we have been wronged it is up to us to do what needs to be done to make things right. There is no guarantee that broken relationships will be repaired, but our relationships will remain broken if we do nothing. We find healing and wholeness when we do what is in our power to make things right in a relationship.

Not only do we need to reach out to people in love, but we also have to stop following our flesh. Paul gave the Galatians this warning:

Galatians 5:13-15 (CSB)

For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

Our flesh will lead us to be selfish, which in turns destroys relationships and holds us back from pursuing our purpose to love. To find wholeness and healing we need to be led by the Spirit. How do we know when we are led by the Spirit? We know the Spirit is leading when we experience the desire to help, serve, forgive, and encourage people. 

In our journey to become the people that God created us to be we need to know what we can do, those things that are under our control. How we follow Jesus is under our control and that is what I focused on here. There are times in our pursuit of wholeness when we need more help. This is when we should get counseling. A good counselor will help you to find the path of healing that you need.

The thought I want to leave you with today is that healing isn’t discovered in more self-care, but it is found in reaching out to people in love. Healthy relationships have a healing effect on our lives.

Progress Not Perfection

 One of the things that I would like to share on the blog are my sermons, since they are the result of a significant amount of pondering each week.

This is the sermon that I preached on January 1, 2023.

A new year brings with it a hope of a new start. All of us have at least one area in our lives that we would like to see changed.

The issue we face is that we have failed in the past and we don’t know why now would be any different. Our hope of a new start quickly turns into discouragement.

Thankfully, God isn’t after our perfection, but our progress. Our faithfulness to Jesus is seen in our continual transformation day by day and year by year.

Text: Philippians 3:12-14
Bottom Line: Our faith helps us make progress in our journey to become more like Jesus.
Challenge: Write down one goal for your spiritual formation and think of the step needed to accomplish it.

Is That the Real Reason for Deconstruction?

Ever since Donald Trump’s election as president, and especially since the pandemic, deconstruction has been a topic of conversation within Christian circles.

Deconstruction, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, “is the analytic examination of something (such as a theory) often in order to reveal its inadequacy.” 

Deconstruction, for the Christian, is the process of breaking down the beliefs and doctrines held by a church, denomination, or theological framework because the teachings and practices don’t seem to line up. 

When done in pursuit of truth deconstruction can be an admirable work. 

In fact, I went through a period of deconstruction in the years of 2007-2009 (though that wasn’t the term being used then), as I questioned many of the things I believed both religiously and politically. The one truth I held on to in this process is the resurrection of Jesus. I knew it was not possible to have answers to all my questions, but since I was confident about the resurrection, I trusted that to be my anchor point to help guide my life in pursuit of what is true.

Deconstruction, when done to reveal the inadequacies of your former belief system, is less about discovering what is true than it is creating justification for why you changed. This is why, even though I believe deconstruction can be a healthy part of our journey of faith, I am skeptical about all the deconstruction that is happening across the different faith traditions in the United States.

Take this tweet by Zach Lambert:

Because we are tribal creatures we want to be part of a group. If we feel like outsiders with our current group we are going to find a new one and we are going to adopt the practices of that new group. That is partially what is behind the deconstruction movement. People have found a new group to belong and they are joining in on this thing everyone else is doing. In this sense it is the “sexy” thing to do.

I would agree with Zack that people aren’t deconstructing to have an excuse to sin. This is a weak argument given by morality police to make it seem like deconstruction is all about emotions and feelings rather than real intellectual questions that need to be thought through.

My main problem with the tweet Zach's proclamation that people are deconstructing because the Christianity and Christians that they know are unlike Jesus. It is a subtle jab towards conservative Christians because he doesn't like their politics or their belief about Jesus.

What Zach is saying is that people are deconstructing from the Donald Trump supporting, LGBTQ+ hating, racist, and Christian nationalist Christianity of the political right, because that is not the Christianity of Jesus.

But is that true? Are people leaving conservative Christian circles to discover the real Jesus?

I pastor a church that is made up of conservative Christians who for the most part supported Donald Trump for president, hold to a traditional sexual ethic, and are very patriotic. There are certainly issues that we don't see eye to eye on, especially in areas surrounding politics and patriotism, but I don't question their love for Jesus or their sincere desire to faithfully follow Him.

The real issue isn't that conservative Christians are so unlike Christ, rather, it is a difference of opinion about who Jesus is.

We live in a culture where virtually everyone wants to claim Jesus their own. Jesus gets distorted as a result. If Zach is going to claim that people are deconstructing because the Christians they know and the Christianity that they have been handed are unlike Christ, then we need to know what he means by Christ.

From my perspective it seems that progressive politics may have influenced his understanding about Christianity and Jesus as much as conservative politics have influenced much of evangelicalism or libertarianism has influenced my perception of Jesus and his teaching.

The reason behind much of the current trend of deconstruction is the influence of progressivism into American Christian. This influence gives them a different lens to see Jesus, interpret Scripture, and evaluate the traditions of Christianity. Rather than deconstructing to a truer version of Christianity and Christ, they are adopting a Christianity that is more in line with the progressive thought they have adopted.

With the support of a new tribe they feel supported and safe to lob accusations and mischaracterizations towards those who hold their former way of thinking.

I understand the need to critique the current state of Evangelicalism, and other branches of conservative Christianity, in the United States. We need to talk about the unhealthy alliance of Christianity and politics, the lack of true discipleship, and admitting the flaws of those who came before us. 

What is not helpful in that discussion is the accusation that Christians who are loving, helpful, generous, and faithful are unlike Christ because they see the world through a conservative lens rather than a progressive lens.

Deconstruction has less to do with truly finding Jesus and more to do with finding alignment between faith and a new worldview.