17 Brothers and sisters,* join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ;
I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.
19Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.
20But our citizenship* is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21He will transform the body of our humiliation* so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,* by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
41Therefore, my brothers and sisters,* whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved
----
Let us Pray
Heavenly Father, take my words and speak through them, take our minds and think through them take our hearts and set them on fire with love for you, through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen
In the New Testament, many images are used to show how Christians are to live out their lives – Disciples, that is Learners, friends of God, household of faith, servants of God.
In our Epistle reading this morning we see two others
Imitators and Citizens of Heaven. By using these two images Paul is speaking into the culture of the hearers.
In Chapter 2 of this epistle Paul has gone to great lengths telling his readers about the humility of Christ, Verse 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit rather in humility value others above your selves not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had. In other words we have to imitate Jesus
It is with this background, this living out of faith with the example of Jesus, Paul is portraying the best example of how to live – modelling Jesus – He is the source of our lives.
What does that look like? … he says look at us.
Paul is content that he is living up to the mark, that his life, though not perfect is enough of an example to show the believers in Philippi how to live, and not only his life but the others who are living as he does.
What does Paul's life look like? What makes him so special? Well from this letter we know
Paul was asking the church to live as he is living, knowing what he knows … through the good days and the bad days knowing God and living in God's power is the way to live. He know's the the power of imitation.
In our day imitation is not popular we don't like people to copy us but when we think of the apprentice in a trade, a skill is past on when someone who knows what they are doing shares the secrets of their trade with someone who is starting off, the life of a disciple is about picking up tips and tricks, of making mistakes and correcting them.
Personally I know that there are certain things which I have picked up from people who are living out their Christian journey and who have taken time to share with me some of the things they have put into place to ensure that they continue staying close to God. It might be Bible reading, it might be priorities of finance, it might be praying for each other … whatever it may be are there things that you would like to imitate from others in your life.
How many times have we said .. I would love to do that but I would never be able to do it or she is such an example, I would never be able to do that. We do so often put limitations on ourselves and our faith which are of ourselves.
Perhaps we might say I would love to know the Bible better … well what is stopping you?
I would love to have the faith of such and such, he's gone and done something for God somewhere … well could that not be God speaking to you?
I would love to be able to chat to my friends about God … why not do it? Imitate Paul, Imitate people who are living out the teachings of God in this place … in this generation.
We are called to be imitators of Christ and imitators of those who are living out faith in him.
We are called to be imitators, we are also called to be citizens of Heaven
Chapter 1 verse 27 says
Whatever happens, as citizens of heaven live in a manner worthy of the gospel Christ.
Citizens, whatever the country ancient or modern have rules to live by, they have rights and they also have responsibilities, they can be identified with their citizenship.
Our identity is linked to our citizenship. Living in 21st Centry Belfast we all take our citizenship for granted. I know my passport is filed in the cabinet in the office, it only comes out if I need to travel , it proves for others who I am and allows me to travel and gives me rights should I need them.
As Christians, we are citizens of heaven … how does that affect our every day life? … I suspect that for most it is something which like my passport is tucked away in the cupboard for someday that we might just need it. But actually that is not the way Paul speaks about Citizenship of Heaven, Citizenship of Heaven for Paul is a way of living every single day, it is about living out our lives everyday, living with the joy that we are citizens of heaven today, we are called to live every single day whether we have good news or bad, whatever decisions that need to be made, we are called to let our citizenship of heaven affect our decisions.
When we think of it citizenship is much more than a passport to get somewhere, or to get help. Good citizenship in our world is about interacting with government, on the street it is about looking out for the poor, it is about informing the police of suspicions, about looking out for the common good.
Heavenly Father, take my words and speak through them, take our minds and think through them take our hearts and set them on fire with love for you, through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen
In the New Testament, many images are used to show how Christians are to live out their lives – Disciples, that is Learners, friends of God, household of faith, servants of God.
In our Epistle reading this morning we see two others
Imitators and Citizens of Heaven. By using these two images Paul is speaking into the culture of the hearers.
In Chapter 2 of this epistle Paul has gone to great lengths telling his readers about the humility of Christ, Verse 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit rather in humility value others above your selves not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had. In other words we have to imitate Jesus
It is with this background, this living out of faith with the example of Jesus, Paul is portraying the best example of how to live – modelling Jesus – He is the source of our lives.
What does that look like? … he says look at us.
Paul is content that he is living up to the mark, that his life, though not perfect is enough of an example to show the believers in Philippi how to live, and not only his life but the others who are living as he does.
What does Paul's life look like? What makes him so special? Well from this letter we know
- He is a person full of joy
- He is a person who has learnt to be content whatever comes his way
- to live in need and in plenty
- He is ready to rest in God's Strength
- He considers everything loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ
- He is living in the power of the resurrection.
- He is pressing onwards knowing that the future is sorted and living each day for Christ.
Paul was asking the church to live as he is living, knowing what he knows … through the good days and the bad days knowing God and living in God's power is the way to live. He know's the the power of imitation.
In our day imitation is not popular we don't like people to copy us but when we think of the apprentice in a trade, a skill is past on when someone who knows what they are doing shares the secrets of their trade with someone who is starting off, the life of a disciple is about picking up tips and tricks, of making mistakes and correcting them.
Personally I know that there are certain things which I have picked up from people who are living out their Christian journey and who have taken time to share with me some of the things they have put into place to ensure that they continue staying close to God. It might be Bible reading, it might be priorities of finance, it might be praying for each other … whatever it may be are there things that you would like to imitate from others in your life.
How many times have we said .. I would love to do that but I would never be able to do it or she is such an example, I would never be able to do that. We do so often put limitations on ourselves and our faith which are of ourselves.
Perhaps we might say I would love to know the Bible better … well what is stopping you?
I would love to have the faith of such and such, he's gone and done something for God somewhere … well could that not be God speaking to you?
I would love to be able to chat to my friends about God … why not do it? Imitate Paul, Imitate people who are living out the teachings of God in this place … in this generation.
We are called to be imitators of Christ and imitators of those who are living out faith in him.
We are called to be imitators, we are also called to be citizens of Heaven
Chapter 1 verse 27 says
Whatever happens, as citizens of heaven live in a manner worthy of the gospel Christ.
Citizens, whatever the country ancient or modern have rules to live by, they have rights and they also have responsibilities, they can be identified with their citizenship.
Our identity is linked to our citizenship. Living in 21st Centry Belfast we all take our citizenship for granted. I know my passport is filed in the cabinet in the office, it only comes out if I need to travel , it proves for others who I am and allows me to travel and gives me rights should I need them.
As Christians, we are citizens of heaven … how does that affect our every day life? … I suspect that for most it is something which like my passport is tucked away in the cupboard for someday that we might just need it. But actually that is not the way Paul speaks about Citizenship of Heaven, Citizenship of Heaven for Paul is a way of living every single day, it is about living out our lives everyday, living with the joy that we are citizens of heaven today, we are called to live every single day whether we have good news or bad, whatever decisions that need to be made, we are called to let our citizenship of heaven affect our decisions.
When we think of it citizenship is much more than a passport to get somewhere, or to get help. Good citizenship in our world is about interacting with government, on the street it is about looking out for the poor, it is about informing the police of suspicions, about looking out for the common good.
Bringing these things together, this is the second Sunday in Lent, a time when we think about our lives and our walk with God. Paul throughout the epistle is at pains to show practically how to live out faith in Christ, to not only talk the talk but also to walk the walk. The two images, of imitation and as citizenship of heaven do not allow us to simply talk the talk. It wasn't just about the people of Philippi listening to paul he wanted them to put into practice what he was saying and showing them.
Let us live as citizens of heaven, let us imitate christ's attitude, let us not be afraid to chat to each other about what resources we have found helpful in our walk with Christ. And let us remember that here in St Columba's we are all disciples, living, working, learning and making mistakes together but what we are striving together to do is to reach out with the same love which Christ had, to make a difference to others. And let us also remember that it is by grace through faith alone that we can be called citzens of heaven let us rejoice in that fact.
Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment