Loving God, you invite us to humble ourselves just as Jesus did, living not only for ourselves, but for you and for others.  Empower us by your Holy Spirit as we gather together today, that in all things we might give glory to you through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

 It may or may not come as a surprise to you that even in the earliest churches, there were disagreements.  While it’s not explicitly stated in the reading that we heard today from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, it’s pretty easy to read between the lines and know that at least a few of them were having trouble getting along.  That’s not so hard to fathom whenever human beings are involved.  However, that’s also not the way it has to be.  In fact, God has the power to transform both our hearts and our minds; and God can and will work through people just like us in order to love and to bless the world.

 To return for a moment to the people from Philippi – which is a place in Greece, by the way – we can tell by what Paul is writing to them that there were disagreements happening.  Paul says,

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 (Phil. 2:2-3).

 

It sure sounds like something was going on, doesn’t it?

 While we don’t really have any details, we do know that Paul asks them to do everything “without murmuring or arguing” (Phil. 2:14), and we know that later in the same letter Paul encourages two women named Euodia and Syntyche to be “of the same mind in the Lord” (Phil. 4:2).

 I can almost hear you asking, “Can this actually happen?  Can two people who are at odds with each other actually be of the same mind?  Can people actually learn to love one another when they disagree and drive each other nuts?”

 Truthfully, it would sure help things in our world if they could.  Practically every day right now we hear about a fight, or somebody getting stabbed, or incidents of road rage, with people just waiting to explode at a moment’s notice if they don’t get their own way.  I even heard about a fist fight at Tim Horton’s this week, as two guys started beating each other up, all because they couldn’t agree over who was next in line.  So many people simply want their own way – and want it now!

 Selfish ambition? – We can find lots of it.  Looking out for number one, right?  I’m going to get as much as I can for myself.  Otherwise, somebody else will get to it first.  People who think they’re better than others? – I’ve met a few of those – have you?  How about people who are constantly arguing and complaining? – I’ve met a few of those, too!  You put all of this together, and we start to think that there is no other way.  However, God says that there is another way, and his name is Jesus.

 In a number of places in the New Testament, Paul writes about being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2) – in other words, changing the way that we think.  And today in Philippians we heard about having the same mind as Jesus.  While that might sound kind of freaky to us at first, we’re not talking about some sort of bizarre mind control here.  In Jesus there is always freedom – freedom to make our own choices, and freedom to respond in love.  And so, when Paul writes about us becoming more like Jesus, it all starts with understanding how Jesus became more like us.

 Has it ever occurred to you how many of us would never have done what Jesus did?  We are reminded today of how Jesus was equal to God and was with God from the beginning - and could have simply stayed that way.  However, instead, he “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness” (Phil. 2:7).  In fact, not only did Jesus become human – he also lived a humble life while he was here on this earth – teaching and healing and having compassion on those who needed it the most.  In the end he suffered the ultimate humiliation, being put to death on a cross.

 However, because Jesus had humbled himself in this way, he was also lifted up and exalted – raised from the dead, taken into heaven and appointed ruler of all things in heaven and on earth.  These things not only confirmed Jesus’ identity as Son of God and Saviour, but also enabled Jesus presence and power to spread all over the world through the sending of his Spirit to those who believe in him.  It is because we have the gift of God’s Spirit that it is possible for us to have the mind of Christ, as we continue to learn from him and to become more and more Christ-like.

 We do not have to live self-centered lives and add to the world’s problems.  God is ready and willing to work through us, giving us both the desire and the energy to love and to bless the world.  And why would we want to do this?  Perhaps we have realized the depth of God’s love for us through Jesus Christ and want to respond.  Perhaps we want to take hold of the gift of salvation that God has prepared for us.  Perhaps we have caught the vision of what the kingdom of heaven is all about and want to be part of it.

 And so, what might it look like if we participate in loving and blessing the world?  What might it look like if we are working out our salvation “with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12)?  What might it look like when God is working through us “to will and to work for his good pleasure”?  What might it look like if we actually live as if the gospel is true?

 It might look something like this: Imagine actually being honest in our work – refusing to take things that don’t belong to us and helping others to keep what is theirs.  Imagine treating those who are no longer able to care for themselves with dignity and respect.  Imagine befriending and standing up for those who are bullied or outcast – letting them know that there is somebody who is for them rather than against them.  Imagine sharing your food with the hungry, and refusing to keep things when somebody else needs it more than you do.  Imagine living as if the future is in God’s hands – trusting in God rather than in things that give us a false sense of security.  Imagine willingly and joyfully serving others and allowing others to do the same for us.

 These are just some of the things that might happen when we work out our salvation and live as if the gospel is true.  And it is God who gives us the desire and the energy both to do these things and to love and to bless the world.  Humanly speaking, it may not be possible for two people who strongly disagree to be of one mind.  However, with God all things are possible.  May God continue to work in each one of us, helping us to grow up into Christ both in our thinking and in our actions.  For it is God who is at work in us, transforming our minds and our hearts, and bringing us life in all its fullness through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

Lectionary 26(A)        Philippians 2:1-13
September 25, 2011
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2011 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved

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