Meditation for Mission Fest on Philippians 2:1-13
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If then there is any encouragement in
Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion
and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same
love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish
ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than
yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests
of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ
Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality
with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the
form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human
form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even
death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him
the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father. Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me,
not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you
both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
The apostle
Paul had his favorites, when it came to the many people he nurtured in the
faith. And the church at Philippi was definitely a favorite. Paul writes in
Philippians 1:3, “I thank my God every
time I remember you.” And in 4:1, “My
brothers and sisters whom I love and long for; my joy and crown in the Lord.” Paul prided himself that he never asked for
money for his own support, but rather worked as a tentmaker or leather worker
wherever he carried the message of the Risen Christ. But he did accept gifts
from the Philippians, lovingly given out of sincere concern for Paul’s wellbeing.
The church was enduring persecution, just as Paul had endured persecution on
his first journey there in 52 A.D. This
would be the first time people in Europe would hear the gospel.
Acts tells of
the conversion of the woman from Lydia in Philippi, a well-to-do dealer of
purple cloth. She hears Paul’s preaching and believes, and she and all of her
household are baptized. But the persecution begins when Paul and Silas cast a
demon out of a Greek slave girl, a fortune teller, which angers her owners, who
had been making a great deal of money off her demonic abilities. Paul and Silas
are publicly beaten and illegally jailed. But the Lord has a plan even to use
Paul and Silas for His purposes during their imprisonment, sending an
earthquake and releasing them from their chains as they pray and sing hymns in
the night. Then God uses them to bring their Roman jailer and his entire
household to the faith.
Paul writes his letter to the Philippians in 63 or 64 A.D. while he is on house arrest in Rome. This is a letter of thanks to the church that has once again
given him a gift. And it is an appeal for the church to treat kindly Epaphroditus,
whom the congregation sent with their gift to be Paul's personal servant. Epaphroditus
became ill and Paul sent him back home to be cared for. The apostle writes to
encourage the church in their trials and help them to stay united in their faith and
purpose. He writes so they will keep on keeping on, allowing God to use them
for His work, just as God has used Paul and the other apostles to lead people back
to Him, embracing salvation through Christ the Lord.
In Phil.
1:27-30, Paul says, “Whatever happens,
conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I
come and see you or only hear about you in my absence I will know that you
stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to
them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him,
but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you
saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”
In today’s
passage, Paul reminds the Philippians—and the generations of people who will
read this letter—it is by God’s grace and for God’s glory that we have been
saved! And the right response to being chosen to be Christ’s followers, as Paul
says in 2:3, is humility, love for one
another and obedience to God. “In humility,” Paul says, “consider others better than yourselves.” For in Christ, God did
not choose to exalt himself, but revealed His self-giving love by humbly
“emptying himself” of His power and glory, taking on the fragile human form—to
be like us, to show us the way back to Him! Jesus became God’s slave. The Greek word is doulos. Sometimes it is translated servant, but it doesn’t mean a person
who receives pay for their job and has the freedom to choose their own life; doulos means one who surrenders one’s
whole self and gives one’s whole life to serve another.
Doulos is the same word Paul uses in the
first line of his letter, identifying he and Timothy as doulos or slaves of
Christ Jesus. So that every person
may be saved! So that every creature in heaven and on earth would bow before
God’s throne. And every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
So what does
Paul mean when he says, “Let the same
mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” ? Paul is saying, “Be humble.
Be loving, giving and forgiving. Be united in your calling to be a slave to
Christ, giving your whole self, your whole life to Him.” And most of all, “Be
obedient to God, caring for others more than we care for ourselves, just as
Christ became obedient to the point of death on a cross.”
We read
Philippians today on Mission Fest as part of our introduction for Lisa Mitchell
of Small Change 4 Big Change, a
ministry to the people of Guatemala, and Bill Shirbroun, a member of First
Presbyterian Church of Fort Dodge, Iowa, who serves on the board of directors
for the ministry. Our conversation with them now is just a small taste of the
ministry and the people behind it. More is on its way! Please stay for Lisa’s
presentation in the fellowship hall after our meal when she will be showing
pictures and describing hers and Jessalyn Waddell’s work in Guatemala these
past 2 years.
We read Paul’s
advice to the Philippians as an introduction to our ministry guests—not because
they are perfect human beings, perfect examples of Christ’s self-giving love.
We read God’s Word so that you will be stirred to see the perfect Christ
working in and through ordinary people,
with ordinary lives. And Christ will continue to work through all of us as long as we, too, seek to be of one mind, to have the same mind that is in Christ Jesus. Let us have the same humble, loving, obedient attitude that leads us to do God’s work—sharing the gospel through our kindness and by helping people in
need.
We have faith
that God has plans to mold and use us
ordinary people living in a small town in rural Minnesota. He will use us to carry His love and
His light to the world, to bring people from all nations closer to Himself. But
let us remember that this work is not our own! As Paul says, “for it is God who is at work in you,
enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Let us pray. Holy One, thank you for your promise to use
us for your loving purposes and for your good pleasure. We trust in you to mold
and shape us as you will. Forgive us for wanting sometimes to keep our
resources for ourselves, for some future need we worry we might have, and not
always wanting to share what you have given to us—and all that we are—with
people in need right now. Build up
our faith. Change us into your humble, loving and obedient slaves—in the image
of and with the mind of your Son, who humbly gave all of himself so that others
might be saved. Move our hearts to compassion for our needy neighbors living
amongst us and for those living in poverty across the nation and around the
globe. Guide and empower us by your Spirit so that we may lead others into your
light, so that new souls may be saved. And we pray a blessing upon the ministry
of Lisa and Jessalyn in Guatemala—may they never grow weary of doing your work.
May they walk always in your will and your loving ways. May they—and our congregation—still be
working for your kingdom and your glory until the day our Savior comes again to
gather His Church. In His name we pray. Amen.
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