At this point in his life, Paul is in
Rome in prison, toward the end of his life. Although Paul is unable to see into
his own future, he sees all that is going on around him and is beginning to
question whether his trial will turn out in his favor or not. He is wondering
whether or not he has much time left.
What we have before us this morning
is a passage which is toward the beginning of a letter he wrote toward the end
of his life, to the Christians in the Church at Philippi. The Church at
Philippi was probably his favorite church. Now we all know “Fathers” (which very
was how Paul saw himself in respect to the churches he started), should not
have favorites, but Paul definitely did and it was the Church in Philippi. As
he writes this letter, he is wondering out loud, so to speak, about whether or
not this is his final imprisonment. Final imprisonment can mean one of two
things. It could mean he will be released and he can once again travel back to
see the people he loves in the Churches he has started, that also means he can
get back to the business of starting new ones. At the same time, “final
imprisonment” could also mean this is the end of it all. He could be found
guilty and be sentence to death. He could also be looking at his own end.
Even as he is contemplating his own
end, he is also thinking, there is so more good he can do for the spread of the
gospel and the growth of the Kingdom. Yet, death seems almost certain. What
will happen? Will he will be released, to continue the work he has begun, or will
the gain of dying is worth the cost. If it were up to him, which would he
choose? He is hard pressed to make such a decision. If his opinion were taken
into account, what would he hope for? On
one hand he has the strong desire is to just give it all up, to throw in the
towel, to allow the Romans to destroy his body, so that he can depart this life
and live fully with Christ. This seems like a very good option to him, but in
the end he does not see that as the as the better choice (as if he really has
any choice in this matter). Tempting as it might be for his suffering to come
to an end, to give up this life of imprisonment, to put all the many trials he
has lived through behind him and to finally be united with Christ, he does not
think this is best path for him, for the work Jesus has given him to do, for
the sake of the Church, or specifically for the Church at Philippi. If he truly
had the choice, he tells the Christians at the church in Philippi, he would
choose to continue to live, for their sake and for the sake of the continuation
of his ability to participate in the spread of the gospel.
Although dying and gaining completely
communion with Christ sounds really good, he chooses to live. He chooses to
live for the sake of other Christians. He lives for them. He lives for others. This
after all is the way Christ lived his life. Jesus lived, and ultimately died
for the sake of us, for the sake of others, for the sake of the gospel, for the
sake of the kingdom. Paul’s deepest desire, in continuing to live, is to be
able, in all things, to live in such a way as to be a living example of how
Christ lived. Christ lived for the sake of others, for the sake of us. Paul
also desires to live for the sake of others, to live for the sake of the people
at Philippi whose faith would be strengthened but also for all the others who
the people of the Church at Philippi represent.
Living a life worthy of the Gospel,
that is living as a true follower of Christ’s example as a Christ-ian, for Paul,
is first and foremost a communal life, a life lived for the sake of “the
other,” lived to give value, encouragement, instruction, help, guidance,
support and joy to others. Paul knows that his life will go on so that he might
be all these things for them, so that their faith in Christ may grow, so
much so that they will be able to boast in their faith in Christ when they see
him next.
Being and living as a Christ-ain,
that is living as one whose life is a living example of that of Jesus, means living
in such a way that the lives of those around us are valued, each and every one
of them. As we go about living our lives we, just as Christ did, live in such a
way that what we do, what we say, the attitudes which we hold, and the values
we espouse, in all arenas of our life, are aligned with those of Jesus Christ.
We live in such a way that all of who we are and how we show up in this world gives
help and support; strength and encouragement, guidance and instruction, joy and
peace to the people who encounter us throughout our daily lives. We do not live
solely for ourselves. The gain we experience in our life is not to be
experienced simply for “me”. The Christ-ian life is a life of sharing, of
contributing, of giving and receiving, it is a life of community.
When most people in our culture think
about living the best life, it takes on a very different shape than the best
life of that of a one seeking to live as a Christ-ian. It is a life of big
houses, for me; a life of fancy fast cars, for me; a life of money and fame,
all for me. It is a life of luxury for me and for mine. As Christians this is
not the kind of life we are called to seek. If you asked Paul, a life lived for
me and mine, cannot be the life of a Christ-ain, in fact it is no life at all. The
only true form of living is a life which is a living example, a living
testament to the life of Jesus Christ, a Christian life. A Christian life is a
life lived for and with others. To be a Christ-ian is to live a life lived in
community, among, with, and on behalf of others.
When I think of community, I think of
my neighborhood and I think of Mr. Rogers. We all remember Mr. Rogers, right. “Who
are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, who are the people
in your neighborhood? . . .” Mr. Rogers’ kids show influenced and encouraged children
to be a part of their communities, to think about and live amongst the people
whom they lived among.
Mr. Rogers taught children to think
about others, to think about the people around them, to see them as valuable,
to see their concerns and their situations as things which should matter to
them, even if what affects others did not directly affect them. The kind of
life, Mr. Rogers promoted on his show was a life lived in community, where
neighbors take care of one another and look out for each other. In many ways
Mr. Rogers promoted the very things Paul calls for Christians to promote as
well (this is not surprising considering that Mr. Rogers was a
Presbyterian minister). Paul’s understanding of life as a Christ-ian is a life
lived in community, for and on behalf of others.
As Paul declares, should the choice
be his, he would choose to continue to live, for the sake of others. He calls
for the Christ-ians in Philippi, to live likewise, in a manner that is worthy
of the gospel of Christ. Whether Paul is with them or not, whether Paul remains
in this life or continues on to the next, since even if he would choose to
live, that may not be the choice of the courts who hold power over his life, he
wants them, no matter what occurs, no matter what inevitably happens to
continue on, to live the life of dedicated Christ-ians whose lives are given
over to of the Gospel together, in community. As Paul instructs the Christ-ians
of Philippi he lists for them three aspects of a life worthy of the gospel,
which he thinks are key.
First he calls for them to be standing
firm in one spirit. When we as Christians, think about standing firm we usually
think about the stand I make for my faith. We can envision ourselves
feet firmly planted on a mound or hill, taking a strong stance, solid,
unmovable, come what may. It is a picture of me standing on the solid
rock of the Gospel, with my sword of the Word, my helmet of
salvation and my shield of my faith. It is a picture of me,
hair, waving in the wind, chest pushed out, firm strong, unbreakable, a super
hero ready to take it all on.
Paul does not call for each of the
Christians of Philippi, (and us by extension) to stand on their own hills, each
making our own stand. He calls for us all to join together and stand firm in
one spirit; to join together, to make a stand. And the stand we are to make is
one we make together.
Paul is telling the people of the
Church of Philippi, they are also to be of one spirit. They are not simply to
be together, but they are to remember the One who is within them is ONE and
they are united by that One. And being united as such they are to stand firm
together.
I am reminded of that parable about
the old man who had six sons. As he grew old, he noticed his sons were always
arguing and fighting. They were always competing with each other to be the best,
who was the most worthy, who should matter most. The man saw that he was about
to leave this life and realized that it would not do to leave the family farm
to them. He could not go with any peace of mind knowing he was leaving his sons
to fight and argue. He knew if things remained as they were, all he, his father’s
and his father before had worked for, would be destroyed. He could not leave it
all to these bickering sons who would tear each other a part and tear the farm
to pieces as well.
So he called all his sons together
and handed each of them two sticks. He asked for them to each in turn break one
of their sticks. He made note that each of them were able to break their own
stick with little difficulty. One stick is easy to break. One stick can be
destroyed easily. Then he gathered up each of their remaining sticks and tied
them together into a bundle.
He then gave the bundle to each one
in turn and asked each one to break the bundle of sticks. Not a one of them was
able to break the bundle of sticks, once it was joined together. He told them
that likewise each of them on their own was weak, that each one was able to be
broken and destroyed by this world, but if they united together, bound
themselves one to another and worked together like a bundle of sticks, that
they would be able to withstand the trials and hardships of this life. Together
they were better, stronger, smarter than any one of them could be on their own.
Paul tells Christians that we are to be
bound to one another, united together like the bundle of sticks. Here in this
passage Paul is not calling for individuals to stand firm, but instead is
calling for Christians to stand firm together, in one spirit. In truth, to be
entirely literal, a stand, a military stand that is, cannot be made by one’s
self. A stand made alone is really no stand at all. A single warrior cannot
make a stand. A stand is made by a body of people, united together, determined
not to fall. (When you think of a last stand, or a final stand, it is one in
which the united group gives it all, and as a unit will not back down.) A stand
is made together, a group of people united by a cause, with a purpose. Every person is not there on their own,
standing for their individual cause. Each one is there supporting the others. A
stand is made when a group of people unite their strength and together hold
back the enemy. Not one of them can do it alone. Not one of them is the hero in
the battle. In a stand they are heroes together or they all fall together. The
battle is won, the stand is made BECAUSE they stood together, linked their
strength and held the hill, the ford, or the valley as one unit. We are called
to unite ourselves in this manner, and become one, a body united together; our
purpose is the spread of the gospel and our uniting cause is Jesus Christ.
Paul also calls for them to strive
side by side, like workers in a field, working together to bring in a harvest. Many
of you have probably never lived in a farming community, but in Kansas when it
comes time for the wheat harvest, everyone goes into the fields together. Not
each one to their own field but in a community of farmers the farmers will all
take their equipment into ONE field. They will all work together side by side,
bringing in the harvest together. They will strive side by side, they will work
together to bring in ALL the crops. They have found they all benefit, they all
get their harvests in on time, if they join forces. They have figured out that
really not one of them is able to bring in as much as quickly or as efficiently
as they all can together.
As Christians we strive together,
working for each other, alongside of each other. If we are all out there
working, striving for our own good, attempting to do this on our own, if that
was the way we went about it many of us will not succeed. But striving together
we are able to do better work, we are more efficient.
In truth we are better Christians
when we undertake life’s journey together; striving alongside of one another. This
means that we are supporting one
another, that we are not leaving anyone to go it alone. We are working together
for each other’s good. Like farmers bringing in the harvest together. When one
has a need we work together to support and encourage that one, do what we can
to bring the help we can. We, when one is struggling, bring all of our strength
to that struggle. This means that we are there for each other through thick and
thin, in good times and in bad, working together, laughing together,
encouraging one another, helping and supporting each other in all things. Paul
expects that as Christians living lives worthy of the gospel, we are striving
alongside one another in all things.
Lastly, Paul tells the Christians at
Philippi that they are to be of one mind, one that is focused on the faith of
the gospel. They are working together, standing firm, striving side by side for
one reason and one reason alone, which is to spur on greater faith in each
other and to carry the faith of the gospel with them where ever they go. One
mind, one mind together eternally focused on Jesus Christ and the faith they
have together in Christ. Paul ends this passage where it began, calling for
Christians to be living a life, together, that is worthy of the gospel.
As people seeking to live lives as
living examples of Jesus Christ, that is being Christ-ians, means living lives
which are lived together; lived in community. Living the Christ-ian life is
standing firm, striving alongside one another, of one mind, together, living in
community for the sake of one thing and one thing alone; the gospel.
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