Archives: Pastor's Table Blog Entries

 

The History of Father’s Day

I’d like to ask a question: What does it means to be a good father? If you don’t know, the history of Father’s Day is quite fascinating. The inception dates to December 6th, 1907 when a massive explosion decimated a coal mine in Monongah, West Virginia and 362 miners were killed. It was the worst mining disaster in U.S. history. Several months after this disaster, a local church held a special service to honor the 362 miners lost—most left behind wives and children. It was the first public event on record specifically honoring fathers. This all led to a public campaign to establish a national Father’s Day, which President Woodrow Wilson began in 1916. It was finalized in 1972.

Why would people do this? Why would people launch a public campaign to honor fathers?

I think they knew something: When a father is present he makes a huge difference in the life of his kids. Pastor Jon Tyson writes this in his book, “The Intentional Father”: “When a father is present, emotionally healthy, and involved in his child’s life, the child has a tremendous advantage in the world to navigate its complexities and challenges with joy and confidence.”

Let me state the obvious: when a father is absent—he can leave a huge hole. When a father is not fully present in the life of his kids, or if he misuses his power through abuse of some type, or if he is lost due to illness and death, a father wound is created.

Marks of an Intentional Father

The Barna Group recently did a study asking men if they felt prepared for fatherhood and here is what they found: 52% of all U.S. Dads and 44% of practicing Christians felt “somewhat prepared,” or “not prepared at all” to become a father. That is A LOT of men who don’t feel prepared to become fathers. What does it mean to become a good dad? How do we get there? Paul has been giving us clues in this letter to the Philippians. It’s the way Paul has been speaking to the Philippian Church—as an intentional, spiritual, father figure. He wants them to grow in their love of Christ Jesus. Then we get to Philippians 4:8-9, some of my favorite verses—verses we should commit to memory.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9, ESV)

These words, offered to the church of Philippi, are instructive for all Christians and especially fathers or future fathers. As a spiritual father, Paul writes to his children and says, “Let this thought pattern dominate your life … then put it into practice. Become a 489 Christian; become a 489 Father! Then the church and the world will be blessed! What does Philippians 4:8-9 call us to?

People of Virture

First, we should be people of VIRTUE. What is a virtue? It is a kind of moral excellence. Morals and ethics form the framework for how we should live our lives. If you will remember, much of the letter up

until this point has focused on creating a unified environment of peace. In vv. 8-9, Paul is showing us how to rearrange our life and thought so that the peace of God can freely work.

This sums up the section of scripture where he has told us to rejoice, to not be anxious, and to pray. Then he offers some parting words. These words are applicable for all Christians, but I think they are strikingly poignant for dads. What virtues should embody our lives?

Truth. Honor. Justice. Purity. Beauty.

If we live out those virtues our lives will be commendable; people will speak well of us. Do those virtues dominate your thought life on a daily basis?

People of Action

Second, we must be people of ACTION. Too many people THINK but don’t ACT. Other people ACT but don’t think. We need to be both. Paul writes this in v. 9:

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9, NIV)

Look at the language he uses: what you just heard … DO IT! Put it into practice. He is not providing a contrast to verse 8; it is a complement. Take notice of that word, “whatever.” It refers back to the end of v. 8 where Paul said, “think about such things.” This refers to that list of moral virtues, but it also points to more. It points back to other teachings in the letter that are excellent and praise worthy. It points back to the humble work of Christ on the Cross we are called to emulate. Jesus did not just think about saving us: he was a man of action. He came to earth, lived a sinless life and died a brutal death on the cross. What does this tell us about God the Father?

The Love of God The Father

God the Father embodies the 489 life. He is a calm in the storm. He lavished his love on us by sending his own son, the prince of peace himself, to die on the cross and bring us the peace of God, which will guard our hearts and minds. What does the Apostle John tell us in his letter?

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! […] Dear friends, now we are children of God […] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3, NIV)

Church, God the Father loves you! Whatever our experience has been on earth—you have a Heavenly Father who has made a way for PEACE with him. And now, just like the prodigal son, he wants us to run to his open arms and experience his deep love. Will you do that today? When you experience that love it will transform you from the inside out. Then, then … the 489 life will flow from you: truth, honor, justice, purity, beauty. We can show the world, and our families, the beauty of Jesus every day. We love, because God the Father first gave his deep, deep love to us. What does it mean to be a good father? It means reflecting the love of God to our children … and the world. Amen.

 

This is Pastor Dave writing to you from before taking my Sabbatical. I wanted to leave for you all a few blog posts to read while I am away this summer.

 

Why is Love so Important?

Shea was a good kid. He was young boy who had Down’s syndrome. He was walking down the street with his dad one day when he saw some boys his age playing baseball. Shea asked his dad if he thought they would let Shea play. His dad, thinking, “No, probably not” but also thinking, “It would be great if he could,” decided to ask. So he asks and the kids say, “Sure.” They explain to Shea, “We’re in the field now. You can be on our team. Come on, it’s the top of the ninth inning, Shea can play in the outfield with us, and hopefully get a chance to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning.”

So Shea ran out there and played out in left field, grinning from ear to ear, but not a ball came his way. It didn’t matter though, he was just happy to be there. Then his team came up to bat, and it was time for Shea’s turn. It was the bottom of the ninth inning, there were two outs, and it turns out that the bases were loaded and Shea was lined up to be the winning run.

You can imagine some mental scenarios happening about now. The boys on Shea’s team might be thinking, “Oh, no, we had a chance to win, and now we’re not gonna win.” The boys on the other team might think, “Alright! Now we’re definitely gonna win, this is great!”

Then something amazing happened. When Shea got up to bat, the pitcher, who could have easily struck Shea out, took two huge steps toward home plate and lobbed him a slow underhand pitch. Unfortunately, Shea missed completely. Then the pitcher did something amazing again. He took two more giant steps forward, even closer, and slowly tossed him another pitch.

This time Shea hit the ball, but he had barely made contact and the ball just kind of dribbled beyond the plate right toward the pitcher. The pitcher could have easily just walked home toward Shea and tagged him out, effortlessly, or thrown it to first base for that matter. The point is that he could have gotten him out easily. But he didn’t. Instead, he fielded the groundball, and then threw it in a very high arc over the first baseman’s head. Then he turned to Shea and said smilingly, “Run, Shea, run!” Shea ran to first base. It was the first time he’d ever been there in his life! The ball ended up way out in right field. But when the right fielder got the ball, he threw the ball in a high arc over the second baseman’s head out into left field. Shea was pointed to second, and then third, and the third baseman pointed him home.

Shea hit a grand slam and he won the game for his team! Now that is a great story. But think about what makes this story good. What’s most moving about this story is not that Shea hit a grand slam. It is that those boys got outside of their clique and decided to accept and love someone who was not like them. Instead of rejecting Shea, they showed him intentional, purposeful acts of love. They embraced someone who needed love as much as they did.

Take the story one step further. Remember, Shea’s dad was watching this amazing scene unfold from out on the bleachers. What was that like for Shea’s dad? Did those young boys just love Shea, or did they also love Shea’s father in the process? You see, the Bible teaches that when we love those around us, we actually love God. [5] After all, they are His children.

Now ask yourself a question, who is it in your life who is difficult to love? Certainly, you would agree that for those young boys, Shea was neither an easy, nor a natural candidate for them love. Who is it that is difficult for you? Who is it that has lied to you? Who is it that is so annoying you think you can’t love them? Who has rejected you? Who has betrayed your trust?

Now imagine that person up to bat in Shea’s place. Where are you on the field? Are you in center field, with your glove thrown down, because you’re so upset that you didn’t get your way? Or, are you the pitcher, who is purposefully and intentionally taking steps toward the batter?

Ask God to give you the opportunity to be like that pitcher. What if we all did this? What if we all committed to love one another? Would it make a difference? Would anyone notice? Are people looking for this kind of church? We believe they are. Missional pastor Ed Stetzer says,

 

“People are not looking for a friendly church, they are looking for friends.” [6]

 

Who could you be a friend to? A withdrawn neighbor? An isolated family member? An arrogant co-worker? You might be thinking, “That will be really hard.” You are right, it is. We have the hardest time believing that God would put the greatest rewards on the other side of something difficult. Our entitled culture tells us that we should have everything we want whenever we want, with little or no effort on our part, but this is not God’s reality.

The beautiful thing is that when we take that step of faith into something difficult, God is waiting and empowers us, literally carrying us through the difficulty. Consider this as you think about loving someone who you have written off as so unlike you. Think about the amazing reality of God working through us and the blessings that follow.

 

Would that be a vision worth pursuing?

 

I want to speak for a moment about the passing of Pastor Tim Keller. Many of you know he has had a great influence on both Pastor Dave and myself as it relates to preaching and ministry. Tim had so many great quotes and insights I see floating around Facebook and the like, but the thing I have found most impactful about Tim Keller was the way he lived his life. Person after person who knew him well would simply say, “Tim Keller was the real deal. He really lived what he preached. He loved Jesus. He encouraged me—he saw me when no one else did.”

There is an account of FaceBook called, “The Daily Keller.” The guy who runs the account puts up Tim Keller quotes everyday. When Tim passed, the account holder (also named Tim), made a post about the first time he met Tim Keller at a conference. He spoke with him for a few moments, but right before Keller had to go on stage, the younger Tim who runs Daily Keller said this, “Thank you for making Jesus beautiful.” Tim Keller paused, choked back some tears, and simply said, “That’s the point.”

Tim Keller offered, not just words, but a pattern to follow in life and in death. He lived, and passed, with the ENDGAME in mind. What will people say about you? Are you making Jesus beautiful in how you live? So, pursue the right prize, choose the right pattern, but the last thing is that hard part which is to Stay at the right post.

 

Stay at the Right POST (Philippians 3:20-21)

The right post is where you are RIGHT NOW! God has placed you here, with unique circumstances and abilities to build his kingdom. He wants you to bring heaven to earth in all your spheres of influence. Paul starts by reminding us who we are in verse 20:

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Philippians 3:20, NIV)

We are citizens of heaven. This phrase came up back in chapter 1. You may remember that Pastor Dave highlight the Greek word, “Politeuma,” which is used for citizens/citizenship. It’s where we get our English word for politics.

Speaking of politics, you have heard there is an election happening in 2024. Things are heating up and over the next 18 months, there will be plenty of opportunities to get distracted by the prize. There will be plenty of opportunities for division to creep into the church. I think Paul would say to the American church today, “don’t let earthly politics divide the church.” That does not mean it is unimportant. There are major issues to debate; issues that should be debated in grace. We should seek to live out our Christian convictions in a way that blesses the world. We must always remember that we ultimately serve a better king and a better kingdom … and in the end everything will be alright. Our orders ultimately come from the heavenly throne and not an earthly one.

 

Where do you orders come from, church?

This image of citizenship in Philippians was a powerful one. The Philippians were proud of their Roman citizenship. But it went even deeper. You see, Philippi was an OUTPOST of the Roman empire. Paul was writing to them from Rome, the capitol. So they regularly awaited news from the capitol on how to conduct their business. So when Paul says that they are citizens of heaven, he is cutting right to their hearts and ours. He is reminding them that no matter how proud you are of your earthly citizenship that your heavenly one matters more.

And what does Paul say? Live as citizens of HEAVEN. How?

 

1. Practice COUNTERCULTURAL Patience.

Notice he says we are waiting for Jesus to return. The word for savior is the Greek word SOTER. In this context it often referred to the emperor, Caesar. Paul was turning the concept on its head right here the real SOTER was Jesus Christ. We patiently and hopefully wait for his second coming. This means that, even if the world is falling apart, we can live with hope because Jesus will win in the end. How do we live with hope? We have to stay at our outpost here on earth and daily seek instructions from our True King. We are holding the line until our king comes with his angel armies to remake this world.

At any point in life, there can be a tendency to abandon our posts because we are impatient. God doesn’t answer as quickly as we think he should. Staying at out post requires patience! As we practice this patience, we need to…

 

2. Feel the Upward Pull.

Look at verse 21:

“Who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:21, NIV)

Our bodies will be transformed. So many of the distractions we face today relate to the downward pull of our bodies. We are drawn to the things of this world. And, yes, God does bless us with many things in this life, but they will all fade away. All that will be left is the eternal.

When Jesus, our SOTER, returns the trumpet will sound and we will be raised, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, we will be changed and transformed to receive a glorious eternal body. It will be beyond what we can ever imagine! That is the end of history. That is the final end to the arc of life and it is just the beginning.

 

Finishing Well

Church, do you know what this means? It means that no matter what life throws at us, we will get through it. God is in control. You did not get in that school? It’s going to be okay. You got passed over for that job? It’s going to be okay. You got diagnosed with cancer? As hard as it is to believe, in the end it is going to be okay. Your child is born with special needs? It’s going to be okay! You know why? Because the SOTER is coming, Jesus is coming, we don’t know exactly when, but he is coming with power and one day he will bring EVERYTHING under his control. Until that time, Christian, stay at your post. You may be discouraged, but like Dr. William Leslie, you may never know how God is using your right now!

Christians should never run around like the sky is falling, because we await our SOTER from heaven. Friends are you living today like he Savior is coming back soon?! Christian, stay at your post!

 

A Spiritual Legacy Plan

In our study of Philippians, we have reached the end of chapter 3. This section focuses on the topic of spiritual legacy planning. Many think about their legacy. Few witness the full fruit in this life. How will people remember you? At the end of your life, when loved ones gather at your funeral, what do you want people to say about you? “He had a great sense of humor!” “She loved to travel.” “They made a lot of money in their career.” Is that what you want people to say? Or do you want people to say, “I could see Jesus in their life every day?”

We all want to leave a legacy. The question is: what type of legacy will we leave? Spiritual legacy planning for Jesus requires us to run, not just a race, but a marathon. Along the path of life there will be temptations; there will be distractions that keep us from following Jesus. How do we avoid these distractions? Paul offers three actions in Philippians 3:12-21.

 

Pursue The Right Prize

First, you must pursue the right prize. Truthfully, we can pursue many PRIZES in life. You can pursue education and get several degrees. You can build a business and make a lot of money. You can go to gym every day and sculpt a body that is the envy of your neighborhood. Those are not necessarily bad things. However, if you want to do spiritual legacy planning for Jesus you must give all you have to the right prize.

How does Paul begin his case in v. 13? “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead (Philippians 3:13, NIV).” The first half of this verse recalls the sanctification discussion Paul began in chapter 2. He exhorted believers to “work out your salvation.” There is an effort on our part—but it is empowered by the work of God in our lives. In chapter 3, he challenges us to pursue the call of Jesus with focused attention.

How? He says he will, “Forget what is behind and STRAIN toward what is ahead.” That word, strain, is a graphic athletic image. For 1st century Christians it would bring to mind straining muscles, clear focus, and complete dedication of the runner for the prize. Picture an Olympic sprinter who is running as hard as they can to reach the finish line—nothing else matters! If you follow professional sports, you know that sometimes athletes will play injured because they are focused on the prize, the trophy … whatever it takes! This word has a future orientation—the runner is looking ahead to what is coming next.

 

Choose the Right Pattern

Second, choosing the right pattern. This requires means finding the right people to invest in your life. You need people older than you to emulate. Think, right now, about people who are mentors in your life. Who has/is investing in you? Are they models of Christ in your life? Paul says, we need these people—look at v. 17: “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do (Philippians 3:17, NIV).” Notice the words he uses: Example. Model. We need a picture of godliness in our lives.

Pastor Tim Keller was such an example in many lives. A few weeks ago he passed away after a battle with cancer. Tim had many great quotes and insights. However, his greatest impact came in the way he lived his life. Person after person who knew him well would simply say, “Tim Keller was the real deal. He really lived what he preached. He loved Jesus. He encouraged me—he saw me when no one else did.”

There is an account of Facebook called, “The Daily Keller.” The person who runs the account puts up Tim Keller quotes every day. When Tim passed, the account holder (also named Tim); made a post about the first time he met Tim Keller at a conference. He spoke with him for a few moments, but right before Keller had to go on stage, the younger Tim, who runs Daily Keller, said this, “Thank you for making Jesus beautiful.” Tim Keller paused, choked back some tears, and simply said, “That’s the point.”

 

Stay At The Right Post

Finally, stay at the right post. The right post is where you are RIGHT NOW! God has placed you here, with unique circumstances and abilities to build his kingdom. He wants you to bring heaven to earth in all your spheres of influence. Paul starts by reminding us who we are in v. 20: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20, NIV).” We are citizens of heaven.

This image of citizenship was a powerful one. The Philippians were proud of their Roman citizenship. But it went even deeper. You see, Philippi was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Paul was writing to them from Rome, the capitol. They regularly awaited news from the capitol on how to conduct their business. When Paul says, “you are citizens of heaven,” he is cutting right to their hearts … and ours. He is reminding them that no matter how proud you are of your earthly citizenship … your heavenly one matters more.

Notice he says we are waiting for Jesus to return. The word for savior is the Greek word SOTER. In this culture, it often referred to the emperor, Caesar. In this verse, Paul turns the concept on its head. He says, “The real SOTER is Jesus Christ!” We patiently and hopefully wait for his second coming. Even if the world is falling apart, we can live with hope because Jesus will win in the end. How do we live with hope? We have to stay at our outpost here on earth and daily seek instructions from our True King. We are holding the line until our king comes with his angel armies to remake this world.

 

Christian—stay at your POST!

 

In Philippians 3:1-11, the Apostle Paul talks about righteousness. But, this begs the question, why is he talking about righteousness in the middle of the book of Philippians? What does righteousness have to do with joy?

Well, there was a group of people causing issues amongst many of the early Christians. And that group of people were referred to as “the Judaizers”. The Judaizers were trying to impose adherence to the Old Testament law as a necessary requirement in order to be saved and to truly be one of God’s people. So, Paul is addressing this issue here in Philippians 3:1-11.

Throughout this section of Philippians, Paul makes it abundantly clear that one is not made righteous through adherence to the law. Rather, he proclaims the truth that one is only made righteous through faith. Faith in Jesus. Faith in what Jesus did. Faith in the gospel. And so it is so important to remember as Christians that this truth is the foundation for our ultimate joy. Because if we try to rejoice in anything else it will fade and fall short. But, if we rejoice in Jesus and if we rejoice in what he did on the cross, then we will never lose that joy. No one can ever take that joy from us because we are secure in our salvation that is from God himself.

So, please carry that truth with you this week that your joy is in the Lord. And that is good news because that is everlasting joy. Glory be to God for giving us his precious son and giving us unspeakable joy in Him.

 

Bob Erbig:

Savor the sweet sacrifice of Christ, but also the sacrifice he calls us to. You may remember that in Romans 12:1-2 Paul calls us to be a living sacrifice for Christ. To conclude the section, Paul shows us what this looks like in verse 17:

“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.” (Philippians 2:17, NIV).

Paul uses several vivid images right here.

1) Poured Out: This image shows us the suffering of the ultimate sacrifice. Paul is saying that he wants to pour out his life for the ministry like Jesus poured out his life for his people. This phrase brings back the image of verse 7, it bring us back to the hymn in verses 5-11. Because of our sin, Jesus Christ came to earth, lived a perfect life and died for us, Jesus emptied himself for the mission. Church, do you recognize that? Do you praise God for that? Has it changed your life?

2) Drinking Offering: This is a powerful image. Paul is evoking an Old Testament scene. It is the image of an ancient sanctuary where, morning and evening people would bring burnt offerings to the altar of God. They would be accompanied by these “drink offerings.” Here is what would happen, before the fire was lit, a priest poured wine over the animal sacrifice to enhance the “pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Num. 28:7-8).

Did you hear that? What Paul is saying is this, Jesus poured out his life for us, so we need to pour out our lives for him. And the more we pour out our lives in sacrificial service to God and the Gospel the sweeter it will smell! Does you sacrifice smell sweet? Can you savor it? In other words, would people want to keep smelling it like a beautiful bouquet of flowers? Is giving your life to Jesus something you savor everyday? Here is the biggest question, where is God calling you to pour out your life? Is there any area of your life that God has been calling you to give, but you are grumbling, you are arguing with him? Don’t resist him. Savor the sacrifice to the Glory of God.

 

Amanda Erbig:

Sacrifice is hard, but it is worth it. It is how God shapes us into a beautiful glass. It is how we walk through the fire. While this applies to everyone, I’ll speak to the moms for just a moment. There is something I have learned, we can complain about the challenges facing us, or we can recognize that God is doing something in us.

God calls us to work out our salvation, without grumbling or arguing. He wants us to find radical contentment in him. He wants us to experience Joy as we savor his sacrifice and the sacrifice he calls us to. He wants us to be like Jesus and trust the power of Jesus in our whole life. How do we do this?

Let me give you an image. God shapes us like a glass. It is transparent and sturdy. It can be filled. Then he fills us with His Spirit. The Holy Spirit fills us with joy and his fruit. Then he calls us to pour ourselves out through sacrifice in faith, so that the aroma of our sacrifice will be so sweet the world will see it.

What a powerful image. When that happens, what will we experience? Joy. Paul say he wants to “Rejoice with all of you”. Rejoice is commanded throughout the letter to the Philippians. Again, Paul calls us to choose joy in all circumstances. Rejoice is a command! Choose Joy! Don’t grumble. Don’t Argue. Choose Joy. Rejoice in your sufferings. Rejoice when life does not go your way. Rejoice when parenting is hard. Rejoice when life is good! Rejoice!

Can I tell you three powerful words that can change your life? I Choose Joy! Don’t settle for less.

A Lesson From Liquid Glass

The spiritual formation of a Christian is not something that happens overnight. We are saved in an instant through our justification. However, conforming our lives to the image of our Savior Jesus Christ—that takes a lifetime. It is the process theologians call sanctification. To illustrate this process I invite you to consider glass. Do you know how glass is formed?

Believe it or not, glass is made from liquid sand. Glass forms when it encounters extraordinary heat; it melts and turns into a liquid. How hot does it need to get? Hotter than the beach in case you were wondering! Your feet are safe this summer! Sand melts at the mind-blowing temperature of 1700 degrees Celsius, or 3000 degrees Fahrenheit. To state the obvious—that’s hot!

In the same way, formation for the Christ follower occurs when we encounter heat. The fiery power of the Gospel warms our hearts through regeneration. The flames of suffering, or persecution, or conviction draw us to our knees through repentance. We must recognize our need for our savior! The reality is we live in a 1700-degree world.

Then it gets interesting. When the molten sand cools it doesn’t go back to it’s original form. Instead, it undergoes a complete transformation and becomes an entirely different structure. Liquid sand … turns into glass.

Choose Dependent Obedience

Christians can learn a lot from liquid sand. If we want to become more like Jesus—the Holy Spirit must completely transform our hearts. Our affections must change from a love of the world, to a love of Christ. This process is not easy or painless.

First, we must choose dependent obedience. What is dependent obedience? In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul calls us to work out our salvation. This seems clear—we must put forth effort to grow in our faith. However, in v. 13, he tells us that God works in us. What do we make of that? Is it a contradiction? I do not think so. The Greek verb for “works in,” means to put one’s capabilities into operation. Walter Hansen says it this way: “All the capabilities of God are in operation, active, and effective in the work of believers.” The point is this: We cannot do it on our own. Rather, we need to heat of the Holy Spirit to form us.

Put another way: God’s work is the cause of our work. Paul also says the reason for God’s action is, “to will and to act … to fulfill his good purpose.” Interestingly, the Greek word for work in v. 13 is the same as the previous. Because of God’s gracious work in our lives—we now work out our salvation to fulfill his good purpose.

Embrace Radical Contentment

Philippians 2:14-16 builds off the first section. Second, Paul tells us to embrace radical contentment. I use the word radical deliberately because any contentment in today’s culture is, indeed, radical. It is a departure from the norm. Every message we hear tells us we need more, more, more! Our culture cultivates discontentment in our heart.

Paul highlights this in v. 14 when he says, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” It is an imperative; it is a command. Paul is not giving options here. The way you work out your salvation, the way you display a changed life in Christ is by—what? Don’t Grumble and don’t argue! Again, Walter Hansen is helpful and gets straight to the point: “When Christian conversation is laced with complaints and personal attacks, Christians have lost their distinctive quality as the children of God in a world characterized by that same kind of negative tone.” Write that down in a place you will see it!

The sanctification process makes us different. God calls us to “shine like stars” in a dark world. We must stand out. Are you a shining light for Christ in every area of your life? If not … there is more work to do.

Savor The Sweet Sacrifice

That can be discouraging. You might say, “I’ve been a Christian my whole life and yet I still struggle.” Friend, recognize the sanctification process is slow. It is painful. It requires that we change our taste buds: We must savor the sweet sacrifice of Christ. And when we do—the sacrifice we offer will be sweeter as well. Paul sums up the section like this in Philippians 2:17-18:

“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” (Philippians 2:17, NIV).

Notice the vivid images. First, he says he is being, “poured out.” This image shows us the suffering of the ultimate sacrifice. Paul is saying that he wants to pour out his life for the ministry as Jesus poured out his life for his people. This phrase brings us back to the hymn in vv. 5-11. Because of our sin—Jesus Christ came to earth, lived a perfect life and died an atoning death on the cross. Literally, he poured himself out for us—Jesus emptied himself for the mission. Church, do you recognize that? Do you praise God for that? Has it changed your life?

Paul takes it a step further and applies it to us. The phrase, “drink offering” is a powerful image. Paul is evoking an OT scene. The image is an ancient sanctuary where, morning and evening, people would bring burnt offerings to the altar of God. They would be accompanied by “drink offerings.” Here is what would happen: before the fire was lit, a priest poured wine over the animal sacrifice to enhance the “pleasing aroma to the Lord (Num. 28:7-8).”

Paul is saying is this: Jesus poured out his life for us … we need to pour out our lives for him. And the MORE we pour out our lives in sacrificial service to God and the Gospel—the sweeter it will smell! Here is the biggest question: where is God calling you to pour out your life? Is there any area of your life that God has been calling you to give, but you are grumbling, you are arguing with him? Don’t resist him. Savor the sacrifice to the Glory of God.

 

By: Pastor Bob Erbig

Now practically speaking, humble bragging has nothing to do with being humble. When you humblebrag you are either:

(1) Complaining about something.

(2) Boasting about something.

(3) Or it is some combination of both.

Often, people will publicly complain about something being so difficult, “my garage is too small for my expensive car” or we boast about our accomplishments and call it humility, like receiving a prestigious honor.

Why do we do this? Well, David Brooks gets it right, as this is a cultural phenomenon. We live in a culture of self-obsession. 21st century American people like to complain and we like to boast. Think about the current engines of culture:

· Social Media: While it can be used as a force for good to connect people and spread the message of the Gospel, most often it is used for selfish gain. When we post on social media we crave the likes, the loves, the comments. We snap a photo to make sure people know I’m eating a healthy lunch, I’m buying stylish shoes, I’m even keeping up with my Bible reading plan. Social media fuels, it’s a platform the humble brag.

· Culture of Fame: And this is because we live in a culture obsessed with fame. With one device and an online account we can become famous! But here is the lie of the humblebrag, we start to think we are more important than we actually are.

We are a people who like to complain and we like to boast. We can become so obsessed with ourselves we often need to tell people how humble we are! Here is what I want you to notice, when we build our identities on the foundation of SELF, there is no room for Jesus, because it’s all about us. When we are obsessed with SELF, there is nothing to unify us with other people. And that’s a problem. The humblebrag, complaining and boasting, they are the enemy of unity in the church.

Look around. Can we all agree that unity is dying in our world or that it’s dead already. The culture of self-obsession has taken a toll. The disunity of our world has spilled over into the church. But the thing is, we desire unity, we long for unity. How do we get it back? In the midst of a culture much like ours, Paul writes these words to the Philippians:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:3-4, NIV)

Humility. True humility is what we need. As we will see today, from the time of the Philippian church, there is conflict not just outside the walls of the church, but inside as well. Why? Conflict arises when we do not get what we want. “I don’t like the music, there are not enough programs for me, the pastor preaches too long or too short (it’s always the former!).” In Philippians 2, Paul tells us this, disunity often flows from a heart obsessed with the self. It is the lie of the HUMBLEBRAG

The Lie of the Humble-Brag

Now, humility, or the idea of being humble is a mixed bag in our culture. Too many people, in our culture, use the guise of humility to brag about their accomplishments. There is word for that: The HUMBLE-BRAG. This phenomenon has nothing to do with being humble. When you humblebrag you are complaining about something, boasting about something, or some combination of both. Why do we do this??? We live in a culture of self-obsession. 21st century American people like to complain and we like to boast.

Ironically, we can become so obsessed with ourselves that we even need to tell people how humble we are! Here is what I want you to notice: When we build our identities on the foundation of self, there is no room for Jesus—it’s all about us. When we are obsessed with self, there is nothing to unify us with other people. And that’s a problem. The humblebrag—complaining and boasting—is the enemy of church unity. It is a lie. How do we avoid the humblebrag and pursue unity?

An Expression of Unity

Philippians 2:1-4 offers a picture of church unity. First, it reveals that we all desire the blessings of unity. What are they? Encouragement, comfort from God’s live, common sharing in the Spirit, and tender compassion. As imager bearers of God, we crave this blessing. How do we get it? Paul mentioned two ingredients: (1) Define a common conviction. Theology matters. There are core theological convictions to which we must adhere. (2) Develop a common affection. Too many church skip over this point. Theology matters, but theology must be lived out. When we care for one another deeply, we can weather the storms of conflict.

A Song of Unity

Music is powerful. There is nothing like a church that sings together in harmony. Philippians 2:5-11 was a hymn of the early church that teaches us about the life, death, resurrection and exaltation of Jesus. It is all about the Gospel! It is a song you have to get deep down in your heart! And when the whole church is singing these glorious truths, when they are going in our ears and getting lodged in our hearts. Then we will be transformed! The church will thrive! The church will be connected! This song produces generous, grace filled people.

The Mission of Unity

Finally, Philippians 2:9-11 is all about mission. We are called to tell people about Jesus. Sadly, when the church is not united on core elements—its witness suffers. When Christians are fighting amongst themselves and not standing strong against the world’s messages and Satan’s schemes—the enemy sneaks in the door. There is discord in our song. Jesus knew this. Do you remember a key element of his high priestly prayer in John 17? What did he pray?

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one (John 17:11, NIV).

Why does Jesus pray this prayer? I do not think this was only for the first century disciples … it was also for us. Jesus prayed these words because he knew the power of sinful self-obsession. He knew our proclivity to give into the cultural messages and embrace the humble brag. The culture of self-obsession sneaks in through subtle messages and attitudes. One day it manifests itself and it is destructive. Why? It keeps our hearts from bowing before King Jesus.

I would suggest, quite simply, that the reason we are not unified at home, at church, or in the world is because Jesus does not rule our hearts. The glorious beauty of the name of Jesus has not captured us—something else has. We are slaves to whatever rules our hearts.

How do I live like a Christian?

Text: Phil 1:27-30

Date: 4/30/2023

By: Pastor Dave Hentschel

Philippians 1:27-30 is a passage from the New Testament of the Bible, specifically from the book of Philippians. Here is the passage in the New International Version (NIV):

“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 the one Spirit, striving together as one 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 in 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 this passage, the apostle Paul is encouraging the Christians in Philippi to live in a manner that reflects the teachings of Christ, even in the face of opposition. He urges them to remain unified in their faith and to strive together for the gospel, without fear of their enemies. The phrase “conduct yourselves,” was a political term that referred to earthly citizenship. Here we find four characteristics of Heavenly Citizenship:

1. Citizens of Heaven Stand Firmly
2. Citizens of Heaven Strive Valiantly 
3. Citizens of Heaven Live Fearlessly
4. Citizens of Heaven Pursue Unity

Paul also reminds the Philippians that suffering for the sake of Christ is a privilege, not a burden, and that they should see it as an opportunity to share in the same struggles that he himself faced in his ministry.

Overall, the passage emphasizes the importance of living a life that is consistent with one’s beliefs, even when faced with adversity, and the rewards that come from doing so.