Sunday, September 20, 2020

Being Christians: Philippians 1:21-30 - Living is Christ

 



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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