The Take-Away

A common expression these days is to ask, “What is the take-away?” at the end of a meeting, session, or conference. By this we mean to say, what is the lesson to take with me as I go? The implications have to do with how I will be changed, and consequently, how will my life be different. Nearing the end of his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul begins to summarize his take-away message of love and joy to them:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7

Paul seems to be saying: “Here is the take-away: Always rejoice. I can’t say it enough: Rejoice!” Certainly joy in the Lord (different from circumstantial or self-focused happiness) is the predominant theme of the letter. Circumstances change, we even let ourselves down, but the love and grace of Jesus Christ is unchanging. Our promises in him are sure and, we can count on him. In him we have relationship now and for eternity! Looking forward to seeing him face to face overshadows our trials, conflicts and problems here below.

The implications of such joy include the ability to demonstrate gentleness (controlled strength). A lack of gentleness is evidence of a need to control things and people. When we are mindful that Jesus is near and coming to bring everything under his benevolent control, we can relax and be gentle. Gentleness is patient and its goal is restoration, as in Galatians 6:1 where Paul taught that if we find someone in a sin, a spiritual one should go to that person in order to restore him gently, taking care not to fall into sin (such as pride) himself.

Another implication of rejoicing is that we do not go on being anxious as the tense of the verb more accurately describes in the Greek. Of course we will experience some anxiety, as did Paul and every human before and since. As with lust, we can’t keep a bird from flying over our head, but we can keep it from building a nest in our hair. When we become aware of anxiousness we can pray and petition (ask) for God’s help, with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving blesses God and it changes our perspectives and hearts. We are reminded of all we already have in God through Christ, and our focus shifts from the perceived empty half of the glass. We realize that our glass is not even merely half full…it overflows!

Paul has a little more to say in terms of the take-away, but for today please grab hold of this. These principles (joy, patient gentleness, peace) arise from an eternal perspective which leaves behind the petty differences we allow to build walls between us. We are reminded of the view from above and, from there, standing shoulder to shoulder, we see indescribable and inexplicable peace!

 

Something to Boast About

Boasting is everywhere. Last weekend, as Billy Crystal puts it, there was a huge gathering in Hollywood, where millionares gave one another gold statues. Hollywood is a rather easy target for conservative Christians, but what about the country music industry (indeed the Christian music industry), and even local artists (wherever you may be)? It is all to easy to fall into self congratulatory patterns. I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 13 which states, among other things, "love does not boast." Jesus' words, in contrast to  his currently politically correct repackaged image, were harsh on the matter: "How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?"(John 5:44) This kind of self-congratulatory praise is not in accordance with the love of God which is freely given, freely recieved and freely passed on to others. A self-oriented focus is an enemy of intimacy with God and others (even if the focus is negative).

All that being said, it may come as something of a surprise in Philippians 2 that Paul comes out and says that he longs to boast. After all, he is the same apostle who penned the words "love does not boast." As is often the case in Scripture, there is a time for everything...even boasting!

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. (Philippians 2:14-16)

Paul's labor, which he goes on to describe as an offering, was on their behalf and to the glory of Jesus. Yet, he is motivated to boast that these labors created lasting ripples for the Kingdom. As he states elsewhere, every soldier wants to please the one who enlisted him. He was enlisted by Christ on the road to Damascus. He longs to hear--well done, good and faithful servant, come enter into your reward.

I think it is safe to conclude that it is not a selfish thing to think in terms of eternal rewards. Whatever they are, they are tossed at the feet of Jesus anyway. But the words well done are ours to keep even as we remember it is God who works in us, both to desire and to do the good works he has prepared for us.

There is another aspect here that needs mention. Those who came before us and invested in us deserve our best--they count on us to do everything without arguing or complaining and to shine like stars holding out the word of life--so that their labors on our behalf will not be in vain. So much rides on our attitudes, and Paul focuses on the eternal ramifications of them here. Jesus will tell many "performers" to go away because he never knew them (there was no loving abiding relationship, only deeds). Here, Paul focuses on the heart of the matter: Christlike humility and love flowing through us for the benefit of others. As we serve others and see this heart duplicated in them, we definitely have something to boast about!



I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.  3 John 1:4

Being One

Think of  how a team works. Diverse people with a variety of skills, backgrounds, and talents come together with a common goal. The members are not identical. In fact, the more varied the better. The thing that needs to be shared is the goal, whether delivering the ball to the basket or selling a predetermined number of widgets. As Paul continues his introduction to Philippians 2 he speaks of that kind of oneness in the church:

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." Philippians 2:1-2

I used to look at this and other passages on unity and think that this is an ideal the church has just not lived up to. In my stint as an elder, I was disillusioned by the level of concerns that people divided over: church furnishings, music style and volume, loyalty to this leader or that one. I would think, frankly, that Jesus prayer at the last supper was in vain, that the free-will of his unruly bride kept him from this one blessing he asked from her. While it is true that Jesus must not be pleased with such petty divisiveness, I now believe that, in general, the church does function in unity with diversity. The members, though diverse, seek to fulfill the ultimate mission: go, teach and baptize. The methods are as diverse as the vegetation that clothes the earth, but the mission of unity is to bring ourselves and others into fellowship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In so doing, we bring ourselves into fellowship with one another. We are on in purpose.

Key passages on spiritual gifts support this view. Ephesians 4 and Romans 12 point to the diversity of the body and the different spiritual gifts. We understand the varied personalities given to different members drive the things we do and even the way we do them. That is God's design. The hand cannot say to the foot, "I have no need of you." We are interdependent if we want to accomplish the mission. Rather than judging one another for our differences, what if we embraced and even thanked God for them? The charge here in Philippians 2 is not so much about producing "Stepford" Christians, who look, act and talk alike. It is more about remembering the goal.

Which end of the court are you driving toward? Our thoughts, meditations and actions take us toward one or the other. One end of the court is the flesh, with its unending desires and insatiable lusts. This is the way of the world, the passion of our culture aided and abetted by the advertising industry. The other end is the direct opposite. It is fueled by the encouragement of being united with Christ, the compassion of his love, the fellowship of his Spirit, and by tenderness and compassion. The team mates are clothed in the fruit of the Spirit and motivated by him from within.

Keep your eye on the goal. Let go of the thousand petty distractions. We win because we function as a team. Press on!

Comforting Love

When I imagine examples of comforting love, I tend to think of movies and TV more than childhood memories. That being said, a child who is hurt or frightened instinctively turns to the nurturing embrace of a parent. Whatever the pain is, it is more easily borne or forgotten in the arms of comforting love.  No doubt many of you have such memories, and from this you draw great comfort, even as adults.

As we continue to look at the second chapter of the book of Philippians, Paul refers to such a love. The source of this love is Christ:

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Philippians 2:2

Paul has reminded the Philippians, in chapter one, of his love for them, his thankfulness for them, and his faith in them (Christ in them). Now, in Chapter 2 he has begun to build a bridge between that foundation and a supernatural challenge. In the last post, we looked at the first phrase (encouragement from being united with Christ).  Today, we look more closely at the second: comfort from his love.

I spend many hours with hurting people. Most of the time, it is beyond my ability (and theirs as well) to remove the source of their pain. Terminal illness, grief, betrayal and bewilderment are a few recurrent themes that parade through my modest offices, an ever-revolving kaleidoscope of pain. For whatever reasons, people find comfort and healing in being cared about and truly heard. And from the ashes, beauty emerges.

The comfort that comes from the love of Christ has many levels. We find comfort in his sacrifice on our behalf, in humble obedience to the will of the Father.  He comforts us as a compassionate high priest who has been tempted in every way. We experience his comfort through the ministry of his Holy Spirit and through the words and actions of gifted believers who serve on his behalf.  We are encouraged by Scripture to give it away as freely as we receive it.

The problem or the pain in your life may not be instantly healed or removed today. But the comfort of his love is with you. Don’t push him away. His heart is broken for you. There may be many unanswered questions for now. Trust him in the meantime. He will comfort you. He laid it all down for you once, and he promised to never leave you. Take his hand. Touch the hem of his garment. And find comfort.

 

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

 

Worthy

A really bad comedic movie from the 80s featured a couple of hapless guys who fawned over their hero, chanting, “I’m not worthy. I’m not worthy.” When it comes to being worthy of the love of God, of our place in his family and service in his Kingdom, let’s face it. We could all be chanting, “I’m not worthy!” Paul, the Apostle of grace, nevertheless encouraged the Philippians to conduct themselves in a worthy manner:

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 by those who oppose you. Philippians 1:27-28a

The “whatever happens” phrase carries life and death import for Paul. He has just described the two possible paths he is facing: to live (opportunity to serve God and others); to die (to be with Jesus face to face). So his encouragement to the Philippians says something about its dearness to his heart.  His legacy, the torch he would pass, is their unity for the sake of the faith (trust in) the gospel. To Paul, of course, the gospel is not a set of homilies or rules to live by in order to be good enough for God—the gospel according to Paul is acknowledging that none of us is good enough, repenting of our old way of life, accepting the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, resulting in walking in newness of life. By his own example, this gospel is worth dying for. Everything else is trivia.

It is so easy for us to turn on one another when we are meant, as fellow believers and brothers and sisters in Christ, to have one another’s backs. Your fellow believer is not the enemy, though you will certainly differ in many preferences and probably even some doctrines. Jesus said the defining characteristic of his followers should be love. It is true that abounding love finds its roots in deep knowledge of the Word (and God’s heart). But knowledge without love is like a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal—so much noise.

Believers united in purpose (in spite of millions of less important differences) are an unstoppable force. Jesus said of such a church, that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. When the enemy can lob a grenade into the church and get us to throw one another onto it, he walks away smiling. When we love one another as Christ loves us, he quakes in his proverbial boots.

Come what may, let’s conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Let others know that we stand firm on one spirit, contending fearlessly as one man for the faith of the gospel.  In so doing we will be salt and light in a dark and tasteless world.  And Christ will be honored. Isn't that a worthy cause?

Abounding Love

I like words. When studying languages, I enjoy learning about the origins of words. This helps me with learning the words and gives me a deeper understanding of them. In every culture, language changes over time. Words, like everything else, come in and out of style.

Abound is a funny word. When was the last time you heard someone use it in a conversation? You are more likely to see it on the cover of a romance novel than to hear someone talk about how they wish their crops, business or church might abound. However, Paul uses it to bless the Philippian church in Chapter One of his letter to them:

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…” (vs.9)

Abounding may be easier to grasp if we think of Jesus declaration of his own mission when he said he came that we might have abundant life. Abundant is excessive, more than enough and overflowing. So the idea Paul conveys here is that he prays for the church in Philippi that their love may be extravagant, spilling over on one another and all they encounter. They are not the source of such love, but it comes through Jesus Christ (vs. 11). I am reminded of Jesus metaphor in John 15, where he explains that he is the vine and we are the branches. If we remain in him, he promises, we will bear much fruit. The secret of abundant fruit is an abiding relationship with Jesus.

When I first discovered verse 9 (above) I remember being a little surprised by the phrases that go on to describe this abounding love. Paul does not here emphasize warm fuzzy emotions (though he has expressed his own in verses 7-8). Rather, he describes a love deeply rooted in knowledge and depth of insight. The reason this surprises us today is that we think of emotions and knowledge as separate tracks frequently arriving at very different destinations. Paul here is teaching that the tracks to agape love are nailed into the beams of full knowledge (epignosis) and deep insight.

If our love is emotion based, it is about as permanent as morning dew. When exposed to the light of day (disappointment, conflict and hurts) it vanishes. But when it is rooted in what we know to be true, and we have opened our hearts to the instruction and challenge of the Spirit, love endures. One does not have to read between the lines here to see once more the principles of grace and truth, and speaking truth in love. If it’s all about grace and love, we have missed half of the gospel. If it’s all about truth and knowledge, we become full of ourselves and overlook the importance of love and grace (our only hope). True knowledge coupled with Spirit inspired depth of insight will root our love into something far more permanent than our feelings.

When I think about it, this is how God loves us. Our daily stumbling, our fickle feelings, and our occasional straying from the path do not surprise him. He has already made his commitment to those who receive his Son. He will never leave them or forsake them. So, his love is steadfast, longsuffering, enduring. Jesus parting prayer with the disciples on the night of his betrayal was that we would love one another as he and the Father love. Big shoes to fill. Fortunately, we do not have to muster this love from our self-centered human hearts, but it flows through us from him. The question to consider today might be:

What am I doing to increase my knowledge and insight so that the love of Christ may abound in me?

Paul’s prayer does not call for an apathetic response. God did not design the body of Christ (his church) to be passive. Let’s be diligent to dig into his Word, asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten us, seeking Godly counsel and instruction so that our love may abound, being deeply rooted in full knowledge and deep insight. That is my prayer for all of us.