25 Feb 2007

Philippians 3:14-4:1

“Model Search”

About 6 or 7 months ago my son came home after spending the day at his daycare calling everything stupid, “that’s so stupid,” “you are stupid.” Needless to say, my wife and I did not appreciate what he was saying.  We spent a good amount of time explaining to him that “we do not use such words.” We told him, “Maybe you heard your friends say this word in school, however, the word ‘stupid’ is not a nice word and you should not use it.” 

A few days ago, I was talking about a movie at the dinner table and I used the word “stupid.” Immediately my son said to me, “that’s not a nice word.” I looked at Deena and I am not sure if I felt proud because my son remembered that that word was not nice, or embarrassed to realize what I had done. 

If I am going to teach my son good behavior, I have to model it.  My son is beginning to imitate me. And, what I do, speaks more than what I say.  

I suspect that if we, Christians, worry about being good models to the world, Christianity would be a more appealing religion, the world would be a better place and we would have less conflict in our churches. 

Let us pray. 

Dr. Henry A. Gustafson, professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary of Minnesota writes, “The text for this Sunday focuses on the question of how a Christian ought to live and why. Two options are in view for the ‘how’ question. The first, v. 17, is that the reader ought to ‘live according to the example (they) have in us’ (in Paul and others). The second, vv. 18 and 19, is to live ‘as enemies of the cross of Christ.’ Verses 20 and 21 indicate why Paul believes his readers pursue the first option.” 

The argument is fairly clear, if we want to obtain the heavenly prize (make it to see our Creator), we must imitate good behavior. To do otherwise, we simply might not make it.  The question then becomes, “what is good and bad behavior?” 

The bad behavior is clearly stated in verse 19. For the enemies of the cross of Christ, “their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is their shame; their minds are set on earthly things” (v. 19).  According to this verse, bad behavior begins when we start setting our minds on earthly things in contrast to setting our minds on godly things. So, the question then becomes, what are godly things and what are earthly things? 

On Sunday night and Monday night I had the privilege to hear Walter Brueggemann, one of the best Christian minds of our generation.  He has written over 50 books, has a PhD and holds over 9 honorary doctoral degrees.  He is an Old Testament scholar that has made the pages of the Old Testament come alive and prophetically touch our souls.  In his lectures “Resources for Living; Consumerism and the Biblical Narrative” Dr. Brueggemann reminded us that the God of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac is a God of justice, righteousness and mercy. Yahweh’s demand of us for justice, righteousness and mercy can only be experienced and evaluated in our relationship with our neighbor.  Anything, related to the relationship that we have with our neighbors that does not include justice, righteousness and mercy does not come from God and should not be part of God’s community. 

Dr. Brueggemann reminded us that in the middle of the Ten Commandments we find the commandment to rest to take the Sabbath. In the Sabbath, the holy day for God’s people, the relationship with our neighbor is introduced. “But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work- you, your son or your daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns” (Exodus 20:10).  In essence what God asked His people to do is to treat others like they treat themselves.  To see others as worthy of the same respect and opportunities they themselves have. 

The absence of justice, righteousness and mercy in our society, in our local and federal laws, in our domestic and foreign policies, in the treatment of each other, are indications that we are not setting our minds on “heavenly/godly things,” but on earthly things. 

For Paul, the “enemies of the cross of God” are not concerned for the neighbor, but for themselves. Their god is their own belly, their own self gratification. Again, Dr. Henry A. Gustafson writes, “These enemies of the cross had set their minds on earthly things; on self-indulgent planning and getting, owning and spending.  They had subverted the glorious freedom available in Christ into a shameful bondage of irresponsible self-seeking

In summary, to be enemies of the cross of Christ is to ignore the commandments of God and set our minds on earthly things. To set our minds on earthly things is to think only of ourselves; to seek self-gratification, self-indulgence, to seek only what is good to us at the expense of others. 

But, what are godly things? What is to set our minds on the heavenly prize? It is clear in the letter to the Philippians that Paul combined the right understanding of Christ with right behavior. In other words, we must believe and embrace the basis of our faith which is to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, our belief must be combined with good behavior.  And what is good behavior?

Back in chapter 2 Paul wrote, “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, (2:4, 5a).  Good Christian behavior has a healthy level of self-sacrifice, of self-denial for the benefit of others.  To have the same mind of Christ Jesus is to do what he did according to one of the earliest poems of Christian worship. Philippians 2:6-11 read, Jesus “Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (2:6-11 New Living Translation). 

This is why Paul wrote in I Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (I Cor. 11:1).  To the Philippians he writes, “Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us” (3:17).  By the time Paul writes to the Philippians there were many others who join Paul in imitating Jesus like his faithful companion Timothy. Both Paul and Timothy sacrificed a lot; they had to “empty themselves,” for the benefit of the Gospel. Like Jesus, they tried to look after others, try to seek what is best for others even if it meant hardships and imprisonment. 

So, what is godly behavior? What is to put our minds on heavenly things? Unlike those who put their minds on earthly things, putting our minds on heavenly things requires seeking what is best for the other, to be concerned for justice, righteousness and mercy. It requires a healthy level of self-sacrifice, of self-denial for the befit of the other. 

Yet, what surprises me more is not Paul’s explanation or thesis of what are earthly things and heavenly things.  His explanation is not new to us or difficult to understand. Rather what catches my attention is his compassion and passion for people. You see, this letter is written in the context of a suffering community. A community that has seen people leave the faith for an easier more comfortable belief.  Paul writes, “For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears” (3:18). Paul knew those who are no longer in the community and it is painful, it hurts him, it makes him cry. Then he writes, “therefore, my brothers and sisters whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved” (4:1). Do you hear his love for this community? Do you feel his genuine concern and hope for those he writes to? 

More than theological arguments Paul writes out of love, out of a real concern for those within his community. So often we miss Paul’s pastoral heart. It is the community of faith that he cries for. It is in fact, the community of faith that tries to model the right behavior for the benefit of the community and for the benefit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We all have heard the horrific accident that took place Friday morning. A bus carrying the baseball team from Bluffton University crashed near Atlanta, Georgia.  Six people died and many others were injured.  When I heard of this tragedy, tears rolled down my face. I have never been to Bluffton. I did not know any of those in the bus.  However, somehow, knowing that those young men were Mennonites, part of our faith community, hurt me. It is a big tragedy and even if you are not connected to the Mennonite Church, this tragedy would make you think and make you sad.  Yet, I felt close to them as if a friend was in that bus. This is what I believe a faith community should feel. This is what I believe Paul was expressing and feeling for those who left the community. 

Those who left the community of faith were not strangers, they were friends, and they were family. And when something tragic happens to family, you hurt and you cry. 

My hope and prayer is that during this Lent season, we appreciate what God has done for us a little more; we appreciate our faith community more; we seek to do what is right, just and merciful; and we seek to be good models for the sake of our faith community and for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Amen.