Messengers of Joy

Throughout history, there have been people who have stood out for their vision and self-sacrifice on behalf of future generations.  Small towns and great cities sometimes honor such people with parades and speeches. Even Jesus said there is no greater love than to lay down one's life on behalf of others. We call people who do such things "heroes," and rightly so.

In his thank you letter to the Philippians, Paul highlights two such men. He has just commended Timothy, saying "I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare." Timothy's concern for them was extraordinary in that he had no personal relationship with them, yet was highly motivated on their behalf. Next, Paul speaks of Epaphroditus, a messenger they had sent with financial support for Paul and, who will now return to them with this letter:

But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not only him, but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give. (Philippians 2:25-30)

Paul called him brother because they were both adopted into God's family by faith in Christ. He was a fellow worker who did whatever was needed for the ministry of the gospel. He was a fellow soldier in that he put his life on the line, not only  for the Philippians but for the message of Christ everywhere. As the messenger of the church in Philippi, he brought not only financial support but, also joy. It is this same (now deeper) joy that Epaphroditus will bring back to them. Everyone can stop worrying about him, and Paul exhorts them to receive Epaphroditus with joy and honor. As a soldier of Christ, he laid it all down for Christ on their behalf. He deserves a hero's welcome.

We cannot honor too highly those who lay down their lives for the message of joy in the Lord. Some go to other countries to do so and, others do so in their own communities. Take joy in their examples. They are not sitting by passively while the nation sinks into depravity. They are poking holes in the darkness with the sword of God's Word.

There is another inevitable homecoming. Each of us who follow Jesus will enter a gate. Beyond the gate, a throng of joyous people will welcome us. Above the crowd, there is One, even more radiant than the rest. He is eager to greet us and say "Well done good and faithful servant! Come, enter into your reward!"

Nothing else matters. Lay it all down for the joy of the Lord. Be salt and light; be messengers of joy. As we go out on his behalf, he is with us, even to the end of time.


Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:2-3)


 

Being Confident

People come to me every day to find confidence. Some have lost it along the way due to apparent failures, lapses in courage, or circumstances beyond their control. Others seem to have never known it.

Confidence means many things. The secular therapist will ask an insecure client to list his accomplishments or to recount the compliments she receives from others. The idea is to remind them of the strengths and abilities they do possess. Lacking self confidence, they are focusing on the half empty part of themselves versus the full half. This critical focus, in turn, undermines their self confidence as they forget their assets.

Paul speaks of another kind of confidence in his brief statement in Philippians 2:

"And I am confident in the Lord that I will come soon." (vs. 24)

His release is beyond his control, and he chooses to believe "in the Lord" that he will be released soon. Lightner states that the phrase translated in the NIV "in the Lord" can also be interpreted as "Lord willing." It makes little difference, I think, because if the Lord wills it and it is in his hands, it will come to pass. Indeed, Paul's release must have occurred, since we know he was imprisoned again in Rome, where he wrote his last letter, 2 Timothy. This is in no way a contradiction of his earlier dilemna about whether he shouild live or die. In that schema he was weighing the hypotheticals, ending with a similar statement of confidence that he will remain on earth for a while in order to be of service to the kingdom of God.

So what kind of confidence is Paul referring to? It is not in his own ability to argue his case. So how can he state that he is confident about it? I believe Paul was so in tune with the Holy Spirit and God's will for his life (to further the Kingdom) that he had little (or no) doubt that he had more to do. Having seen God overcome circumstance after circumstance (in around and through suffering at times) for his mission, Paul was as certain of God's ongoing providence as he was that the sun would rise day after day.

What if our confidence truly rested in the Faithful One? We cannot be confident that things will always go the way we think they should. Nor can we expect that things will be easy or comfortable. But if we want what God wants and trust his means and methods (even when they make no sense to us) we can be sure that He will be glorified, come what may. He will open doors, part seas, prop us up and propel us forward as we lean into him. Of that we can be confident.

Torn Curtain

What do the words "torn curtain" mean to you? Perhaps they conjure images of some trouble you (or the cat) got into when you were younger. Maybe you remember an old Hitchcock movie by that name. To those of us who know and follow Jesus, the words carry a strong mix of emotions and meanings. Mark's gospel tells the story of what we now call "Good Friday" like this:

At the the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, " Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthoni?"-which means, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah."...

With a loud cry. Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this is the Son of God!"

While this brief and action packed passage is ripe with opportunities and meanings, this Good Friday I want to highlight the torn curtain. In the Jewish Temple, covering the most sacred area known as the "holy of holies", hung a thick curtain. Only the ceremonially clean priests were allowed to enter this area, as they offered temporary atonement for the sins of the people. It is my understanding they tied a cord to one of their ankles so that if they fainted in God's presence, they could be safely pulled out without peril to a non-priest bystander. We have lost sight of the awe of God, throwing around the words "awesome" and "God" as common slang. In those days, the holiness of God was considered serious- dead serious!

The tearing of the curtain at the exact moment of Jesus' death would have caused a Jewish reader of the gospel to gasp in amazement. The passive form of the verb and the complete tearing "in two" from top to bottom mean this event can only be seen as an act of God. The priests would have been, at that very moment, offering the evening sacrifice. The torn curtain was a sign that Jesus death ended the need for repeated sacrifices for sins, opening a new and living way for free and direct access to God (Hebrews 6:19; 9:6-14; 10:19-22).

No longer would people have to rely on another human being as a go-between for them to God. No longer would we need to repeatedly offer animal sacrifices for atonement (payment as a penalty) for our sins in order to be justified (pronounced not guilty) before God. Jesus paid it all. He made all things new.

Usually we think of Good Friday (aka Black Friday) as a melancholy day in contrast to "Easter" Resurrection Sunday. Friday is the day Jesus died. The disciples hopes were dashed. It appeared Satan had defeated him. But see mingled with the dark threads of this tapestry, threads of bright hope: a declaration of faith- "Surely this is the Son of God!" And a torn curtain.


 

Faithful Friends

As I count the considerable and undeserved blessings of my life, faithful friendships inevitably make the top 10. These are people who understand reciprocity, the give and take of relationships. More importantly to me as time rolls on, they share the common bond of faith and purpose that motivates my life. They are not only faithful to me, but are also full of faith.

With what might at first be a personal aside (we are tempted to skim over) Paul speaks of such relationship when he refers to Timothy and the Philippian church:

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me... (Philippians 2:19-23)

Paul speaks so highly of Timothy as he "has proved himself" a true partner in the gospel who has a genuine interest in the well-being of others (not just himself). It is absolutely biblical, if we follow Paul's example, to evaluate relationships in such a manner. This proving, of course, goes way beyond saying the right (flattering) words when it suits us. We prove ourselves by staying the course of the furtherance of the gospel even when it seems no one is looking. There is no room for facades or divisiveness in it. We honor one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)

I love the realistic undertones of these verses. Even Paul knew the loneliness that comes with the realization that such friends are a rarity in this world (I have no one else like him...everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ). Nevertheless, his overarching message in this letter is one of relentless joy, as he focuses on the true friend in the Lord that he does have in Timothy.

If we bring this passage home to our hearts, we might evaluate, first, the quality of friendship we offer others. Honestly, whose best interest are we invested in? What is our common mission (recreation, ego, competition, or the gospel)? As we look around in our lives, who can we be thankful for? Do we thank God for them? Do we thank them?


God, please, make me such a friend to others. Help me to notice those in my life who follow hard after you, shoulder to shoulder, for the sake of your Kingdom. Amen

Joyful Sacrifice

How often have you said to someone, "it's not so much what you say as how you say it"? Somehow, a critical or offensive attitude comes through in the words spoken. Words otherwise received as constructive or even helpful result in defensivenes and are rejected. Attitudes of the speaker and of the listener change everything. Similarly, when we do things begrudgingly or with an attitude of being put out, it comes through somehow.

Possibly this is why Paul has gone to such great lengths to admonish the Philippians to have the same giving, self-sacrificial, submissive and obedient attitude that Jesus demonstrated when he left heaven to die on the cross for us (Philippians 2:1-11). More specifically, he has commanded them to do their acts of service without grumbling or complaining. and shares with them that this is one of the fruits that will determine the validity of his own ministry to them (Philippians 2:14-16). Now he turns the mirror around and asserts that even if he should give his life in their service, he will rejoice.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:17-18)

The possibility of his own death is on his mind here. Earlier he has mentioned the options of his release and of his death, saying that he is torn between loyalty to them and his own desire to be face to face with the Lord (Philippians 2:19-24.  He then expressed his belief that it is probably God's will that he remain to serve them. Now he looks at the opposite possibility and sees it, too, as reason for rejoicing.

How often our prayers are directed toward our own comfort and what we see as a positive outcome?When we send out missionaries, do we ever pray that if they are die in service that we and other believers will rejoice? The concept of death as a joyful outcome rarely crosses our minds, much less our lips. We want to remain together on this earth, at best to serve the Kingdom of God. Paul's remarkable perspective is that even if he should die, he will rejoice for the priveledge of being poured out on the sacrifice of their service. Paul used the same word for sacrifice in Romans 12:1 when he encouraged them to present their lives as living sacrifices (being no longer conformed to the image of this world).

From our perspective, it usually seems as if there is more to be done here. We want to remain, if we are kingdom minded, to continue in the good works of the Kingdom. If we are still self-orientated, we long to experience the remaining pleasures this life has to offer. In either case, we tend to ignore, rather purposefully, the possibility that our departure may actually bless others. For example, as we grow older, generally our sphere of influence shrinks. The number of lives brought face to face with the gospel by our departure diminishes. Bottom line, I would gladly sacrifice some years to touch some lives.

Jesus taught that if we want to follow him, we must be willing to give up anything (including our own lives) for his sake. If this raises anxiety in us, it is because we have not yet come to trust that he has our backs and that he has our (eternal) best interest at heart at all times. He will never slip up or drop the ball where we are concerned. He is not indifferent to any detail of our lives, but his priorities are eternal ones. As we are renewed, so will ours be. Then we will say, as Paul did, even if we die in his service, we will rejoice. Let's rejoice together in any and every circumstance, trusting Jesus to redeem everything in season. He is trustworthy and soveriegn. In him is joy, no matter what.

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Visiting Countries for “Milestones” Website

Posted by STEVE WARNER

 

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Thanks to you all, and thanks to God for spreading his message through “Milestones: On the Road Home”!

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