Philippians 3:12-16

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Humbling. Challenging. Exciting.

Those are the three emotions I get reading this passage.

Humbling in that Paul, the great missionary that took the Gospel to so many places and planted so many churches and wrote the letters that comprise much of the Christian Scriptures, recognized he still had a long way to go in following Jesus!

As a side note, I wonder if Paul knew that the letters he wrote would become a major part of the Bible?

Having grown up Jewish, he knew the Hebrew Scriptures well. Did he realize that this letter he was sending to Philippi would one day be bound together with those Hebrew texts?

I feel challenged by this passage from Paul because it is hard to forget what is behind.

As a pretty typical human being, I am influenced by my past.

As a Christian, I need to leave behind the bad stuff. I need to forget the bad habits and live differently. I need to let go of the guilt of past sins which Christ on the Cross paid for. But I also need to "forget" the good things too. Not in the sense of forgeting and thus not being grateful but "forget" in the sense of not resting on past successes. Rather I need to focus on the present moment and push ahead to greater devotion to Christ.

Isn't it exciting to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus?

We live in the here and now and God has many blessings for us to enjoy and opportunities to experience satisfaction in serving Him and others. Yet, we also look ahead to being with Jesus in the future. The kingdom of God is here in part so we know it in part and see it as through a glass darkly and we can look ahead with anticipation that in the future we will experience it in full.

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Maturity is equated with taking such a view of things.

Thus, maturity as a Christian is about focus (on Christ) and perspective (on past, present and future).

Today's passage was Philippians 3:12-16. For a potent paraphrase of this, check it out from the Message. Excerpt:

I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward - to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

Lord, help me to focus on Jesus and let nothing distract me from that! Help me to live strong in the here and now and be inspired by the future glory when the going gets tough. Please hear this prayer of your follower! In Jesus name, amen!

Philippians 3:7-11

Am reading over and turning over in my mind Philippians 3:7-11.

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

Do I really believe this and live this out?

I want to but I know in my heart that there are things I clutch onto. The total surrender and total focus of the will in this passage is something I aspire to but know I fall short of.

I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

As I continue in my journey of faith, I do recognize how my own righteousness is rubbish in comparison to Christ. Periodically, the thought still slips into my mind, I'm not such a bad person, I can stand before God! The thought usually doesn't last long as I am soon confronted with my own sinfulness in some big or small way. After a period of time (which varies) of hiding from God (yeah, like one can really hide from God) I have to confess my fault and claim again the righteousness that Christ made possible.

I want to know Christ ...

To know His words and deeds in my mind and heart and to live a life that is infused, covered, focused and empowered by Christ.

and the power of his resurrection ...

I want to see victory over sin in my life. I want to see power to defeat evil in the world around me. I want to see restoration. How frightening, how amazing, how unbelievable that Jesus has called me to live in this world to be his representative? To be the broken and leaky vessel of his grace and truth to the world?

and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death ...

This scares me. I don't have a high tolerance for pain. Yet, this too is part of the human experience. If Christianity is to have any meaning and utility in life then faith must be demonstrated even in suffering and in death. Indeed, the world will know we are Christians by our love but also by how our love looks like amidst suffering.

I'm in my 40s and the thought of death occasionally intrudes into my mind. I wonder, how will I die? Will I die well? Will I honor God in my life and yes, will I honor God in my death and in the process of death?

I can't answer that because I'm still young and healthy. But that will not always be so. In 2004 and 2005, I got a taste of mortality in two hospitalizations. The times of communing with God while staring at the ceiling at 2AM alone in a hospital bed were my small journeys into the "fellowship of his sufferings." It was not an easy time but it was a time that deepened my faith.

and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

It is through the suffering that Jesus was exalted and brought back up to the right hand of God. And so it is with us, as we live life with Jesus, as we go through seasons of suffering that one day ends in death, we will then be ushered into the loving presence of our God!

Lord, I sit in wonder at it all. I'm a sinner. Forgive me for sometimes I know not what I do. Forgive me when sometimes I know exactly what I am doing and it is wrong. Thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you that you have poured your grace on me a broken and leaky vessel. Help me to know you and your power. And in the proper season, help me to know you and share in suffering. Lord, grant me rest in you and renew me with your power to live for you each day knowing it is a gift from you. Amen.

Philippians 3:1-11

Am turning to Philippians 3:1-11 for today's reading.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.

Rejoice!

There are a handful of words that I think capture the spirit of Christianity. Love for instance. Jesus told us the greatest commandment is love God and love your neighbor.

Another one is joy.

Think about two things:
(1) human beings are lost and dead in sin separated from God
(2) God sent Jesus to forgive us of our sins, grant us righteousness and restore us to Himself.

Is this not a cause for joy?

To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Repetition.

In my life, I must have heard hundreds if not thousands of sermons by now. I can't say I remember that many specific sermons but nonetheless, the truths of God in the Scriptures are slowly becoming a part of my life.

We eat every day and it is likely we don't remember what we ate 3 weeks ago. But if we have been eating right, we have the benefits of it.

So it is with the spiritual life.

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh ...

Paul calls them dogs. He calls them evil workers.

Why is he so ticked off?

"false circumcision" = katatomen

"true circumcision" = peritome

In some translations, the word used for katatomen is mutilate.

Makes me cringe to even hear the word.

The point appears to be that in those days some false teachers demanded people get circumcised as part of becoming a Christian.

Paul says, no. What you need is Jesus not deeds of the flesh or anything pertaining to self righteousness. He goes on to explain ...

although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
circumcised the eighth day,
of the nation of Israel,
of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew of Hebrews;
as to the Law, a Pharisee;
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;
as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

He cites seven credentials.

In the following, he then tosses them aside as worthless compared to Jesus.

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Wow!

Am going to have to spend the next blog post unpacking this meaty part of Paul's amazing letter to the Philippian believers.

So what is today's "three-point" sermon?

What do we need to live in this crazy mixed up world?

1. Rejoice in the Lord
2. Repetition of the truth
3. Realize the worth of Jesus

Lord, help me to live this out. Help me to encourage others to live this out. Amen!

Philippians 2:25-30

Am looking at Philippians 2:25-30 this morning.

Sometimes when a group of Christians are getting to know each other, we may often ask each other which Bible character intrigues us. We often mention the "big names" like Paul or Peter or Moses. But sometimes people in the group might mention a lesser known person.

In today's passage, there is Epaphroditus!

A search of the whole Bible reveals his name just three times and all in Philippians and twice in this passage for today.

So if I were to "preach a sermon" on the life of Epaphroditus it would be on: how should we treat those who minister to others?

1. Encourage them by naming the qualities you see in them

Here the Apostle Paul is very open about what it is about Mr. E that he finds so special.

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.

He calls him my brother!

Remember how in the previous passage Paul thought of Timothy like his own son?

Paul was the very logical writer of a theological masterpiece like the Letter to the Romans. He was also a man who had a heart for those in his life. As a single guy and often on the go doing missions work, he nevertheless formed deep relationships.

He also called him a fellow worker and fellow soldier.

Think teamwork. Paul was pretty careful about who he had on his team. See the dispute Paul had with Barnabas over Mark. Eventually, Mark under the training of Barnabas grew further and Paul would recognize that. See Col. 4:10, 2 Tim. 4:11 and Philemon 1:24.

Paul also said of E, that he was the messenger who met my needs. We read Mr. E was the bearer of gifts in Philippians 4:18.

We can surmise that Epaphroditus brought a monetary gift and perhaps other items in a sort of care package for Paul!

2. Pray for them as they have needs too and if you can meet their needs meet them!

In the old days, travel was not so simple. For Mr. E to volunteer to deliver a package to Paul was not quite like it is today.



Click image to get a bigger map. Image source: http://www.bible-history.com/Pauls_Second_Mission_Map/

Philippi is the city with the number 4 next to it. Paul was in Rome in prison which was off the map. A journey from Rome, Italy to Philippi, Greece today would be no problem: take your pick, land, air or sea or some combination of it.

But in those days, such a journey was not a trivial exercise. It is quite possible that on this journey Epaphroditus got sick, in fact deathly sick.

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 on him only 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.

We need to be in prayer and in support for our ministers. They are human beings too with all the problems that come with that. They get sick. They have family concerns. They have a house with a leaky roof. All the problems that you and I have as ordinary people going to church, the pastor and his family have those same things too!

3. Honor them for their service

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 me.

'Nuff said?

Lord, I ask for your blessing upon the pastor of the church I go to and the rest of the staff. Bless him and his wife as they serve you in our midst. Bless the other pastors and staff too as they go about life in the church visiting people in hospitals, meeting people who are having troubles, and simply living their lives with their familes. Thanks for bringing a new youth pastor to us. Guide our new youth pastor as he gets adjusted to working with us. And may anyone who happens to stumble on this blog post be moved to pray for their church leaders too! Amen.

Philippians 2:19-24

Philippians 2:19-24 is one of many personal passages in the Letter to the Phippians.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

In those days, there was no cell phones, no video conferencing, no internet. News traveled by word of mouth.

Paul, sitting in his jail cell, wondered how are those folks doing back there in Philippi?

He desired to send his trusted apprentice Timothy to them so he can get news about how they are doing.

We see here why Paul trusted Timothy so much.

For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare ...

I know it is very easy for me to get into an I, I, I, me, me, me mindset!

One clear mark of Christian growth is when we began to care about other people and the cause of Christ. Timothy definitely had those qualities.

They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

Paul was a single guy (see 1 Corinithians 7). Nonetheless, he experienced the joys of investing in the life of someone younger than himself.

Those who have the opportunities to be fathers in a traditional family have a great ministry for the cause of Christ. We singles need to pray for our married friends who are raising kids because in our crazy mixed up society, it is a really hard job!

We singles need to go a step further: find young people to invest our lives in - members of our immediate and extended families, kids of our friends and budding adults in our church youth groups.

Lord, please strengthen families. The media is everywhere promoting lifestyles that are not honoring of God and destructive in subtle and not so subtle ways. I lift up parents to you. Help them to pray for their kids, talk to their kids, spend time with their kids and in words and deeds show what it means to put Jesus first in their lives. Help me to see how I can be a role model for the young people you bring into my life. Amen.

Philippians 2:12-18

Looking at Philippians 2:12-18 today.

This post is piggybacking on some thoughts I started earlier on Philippians 2:12-16.

The text below is from the paraphrase known as The Message which was prepared by Eugene Peterson. I haven't read any of his other works but I have a copy of the Message on my bookshelf. I sometimes go to it when I want to shake up my reading a bit. The more direct translations are of course more accurate but they often don't carry the emotional content. Peterson's paraphrase gives the text an emotional flavor mixed with the words. Admittedly, doing so is speculative but in many case they are probably reasonable inferences.

The text for today in the Message paraphrase:

What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.

Do everything readily and cheerfully - no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night ...

Apostle Paul had strongly encouraged them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. He gave them some practical steps to do so and the assurance that God is with them through it all.

He concludes by bringing himself along side them ...

... so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing.

I'm sure there were times when Paul would explain Jesus to people and they would look at him and say, nope, not buying it.

The Philippian believers are special to his heart because they did respond and right from chapter one, we know he has a special bond with them.

Paul knows his time might be up soon yet he places his life in the context of worship to God.

Even if I am executed here and now, I'll rejoice in being an element in the offering of your faith that you make on Christ's altar, a part of your rejoicing. But turnabout's fair play - you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don't feel sorry for me.

He sees those beloved believers as a pleasing sacrifice on the altar of God. Paul doesn't separate himself from them despite his distance and possible death. Instead he sees himself as a part (an element) of the offering - a part of them and their very lives.

Phillipians 2:17 in a more literal translation has Paul describing himself as a "drink offering."

One can find many references to "drink offering" if you run the search over at Biblegateway so I'll just cite just one of them.

Exodus 29:39-41:

Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight. With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning - a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.

This isn't something we see in the religious context anymore as there are no more temple sacrifices.

However, we all have a connection to this in a visual, auditory and olfactory way when we cook. Imagine the food is cooking and the chef splashes wine onto the meats and there is the sizzle and sometimes flash of fire and the aroma that wafts forth.

Paul sees himself as that wine poured on top of the meaty offering which is the good lives of the Philippians!

Lord, help me to invest in the lives of others. Help me to pour myself upon the lives of others and that together we would be a pleasing sacrifice. Amen.

Philippians 2:12-16

Am looking at Philippians 2:12-16 tonight.

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Okay, I throw up my hands!

This is one of those passages that I can't get my head fully around. On one hand, there is "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" which appears to place a fair amount of responsibility on us. Yet, in the next phrase it says, "God who is at work in you ..." which seems to put a lot of the work in God's lap.

Which is it?

As a fairly typically science minded person, it is always hard for me to accept two ideas at the same time that seem to go against each other.

In physics, there is a classic question of what is light?

Is it a wave or is it a particle?

Well, it is both!

Within the context of the Christian life, somehow it is both. I don't know how but it seems to be so?

However, I guess I would have to say though that God moved first. If Jesus isn't offered for our salvation then there is no salvation to try to work out in fear and trembling.

So how then do we work out that salvation with fear and trembling?

(1) We need God's help

Of course, we know we need God's help because it does say it is God who is at work in you.

I think of Micah 6:8. There are ways we are to live our lives but it must be done in humility with God. One clear sign of humility in life is to ask for help!

(2) No whining please!

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world

Seems to me when we are grumbling and disputing, we are blaming other people for our troubles.

Humans have a history of blaming somebody else. Genesis 3:11-13 shows the blame game in action right from the start!

(3) Holding forth (or fast) the word of life

holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

When Paul says, "word of life" what did he have in mind?

We sit here in the 21st century and think, the Bible!

Well, at the time of Paul's writing, the Bible as we know it today didn't yet exist!

Bible scholars debate when the various books of the Christian scriptures were written.

Philippians was probably written around AD 61. This dating is because within the Philippian text it referred to Paul being in prison and our best estimate of that event is AD 61-63.

So what does Paul mean when he refers to the "word of life?"

Since Paul was trained in the Jewish Scriptures, he might think of them. For instance, Psalm 119:9 links life and the word of God.

Paul probably knew that Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." See John 6:67-69. So perhaps Paul was thinking of the teachings of Jesus. Perhaps the Gospel accounts were already in existence by then and being circulated among various churches. Certainly, a hypothetical precursor version would have been around at least.

In the narrowest sense, word of life could mean Jesus. Apostle John starts his gospel account using such language.

Okay, now that we cleared that all up! 8-)

What do we do with this word of life?

Hold it forth or hold it fast?

Interestingly, there is some debate as to which reading is correct.

Hold it fast ...
NASB, ESV and NLT.
Hold it forth ...
NIV, KJV and Young.

I'm not a Greek scholar and since good Bible translations differ on this point, I can't claim expertise to answer this question.

However, my gut reaction from a literary point of view, the previous point Paul is making is about being lights in the world so the posture seems more outer directed. Thus, paraphrasing, you are lights in the world holding forth the word of life that is Jesus.

Lord Jesus, I need your help! You have given me the precious gift of salvation and now what do I do? I want to work it out with reverence, with fear and trembling knowing you want to do good work through me. It isn't easy as I still have so many bad habits. But I ask for your help. I want to take responsibility and hold forth Jesus by my life and words. Amen.

Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5-11.

I'm revisiting it again. One can spend many a sermon and many a blog post unpacking this little but meaty passage.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God ...

One can make distinctions between "form" and "substance." For instance, in life, someone can have the "form" of having life "altogether" but the substance of that person's life could be entirely different.

Clearly that was not the case with Jesus because the text goes onto say, ... did not consider it robbery to be equal with God ...

Jesus is equal to God. If he wasn't it would be robbery for him to make that claim.

When someone makes an exorbitant claim there are only several possibilities: the claimant is delusional (belief doesn't match reality), a fraud (doesn't believe the claim but makes it to fool others) or truthful.

... but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men ...

Traditional Christian theology says Jesus was both divine and human. How that actually works, I have no idea. But the bottom line is that Jesus left the heavenly places to walk among us.

A few years back there was a popular song by Joan Osborne called One of Us.

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin' to make his way home?

If God had a face what would it look like?
And would you want to see if, seeing meant
That you would have to believe in things like heaven
And in Jesus and the saints, and all the prophets?

I have no idea what her religious beliefs are but she posed the right question and the answer was JESUS was ONE of US!

And indeed, Osborne is right in asking, would you want to see if seeing meant that you would have to believe ...

It is easier to keep Jesus in the good teacher box. A good teacher is somebody you might say a few nice things about. Maybe even admire to some extent. But if Jesus was God, I mean *really* God then we would have to confront our sin. We would have to answer for the lives we have led.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus died.

All humans die.

Jesus went through the most universal of human experiences. But unlike most humans, his death was a torturous one. Dying on a cross was a brutal way to die. Jesus who can, without robbery, claim to be equal to God gave up those rights and died a criminal's death.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The great descent from the heavenly realm to be one of us and to die the worst kind of death is followed by the great ascent. Jesus returns to his rightful place. Right now, not every knee bows. But a time will come when every one will recognize Jesus as the Lord.

Dear Jesus, thank you that you gave yourself up for me. Help me to be like you and be willing to sacrifice for others. Help me to see who I really am. On one hand, I'm a sinner just like everyone else. But on the other hand, I'm yours. You have bought my life with your death. Help me to know the comfort in this. Help me to know the joy in this. Help me to know the power in this. Amen.

Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11 is one of the greatest Christological passages in the Scriptures.

Christology is an SAT word for the branch of theology that attempts to describe who Jesus is.

Paul starts off with some practical instruction to the Christians in Philippi.

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

The arguement is a passionate one but structured logically in the classic, "If ... then ..." manner of geometry class!

There definitely is encouragement in Christ, there definitely is consolation, fellowship and affection and compassion. If all of that is true (and it is) then strive for unity at every level - in the mind, in love, in spirit, in purpose!

Not an easy thing for humans. Get two people in one room and there will be two people pulling in different directions. Yet, because of Christ, Paul says unity is possible!

The first step to begin to make this possible is to ... Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Argh! That is sooooo tough ... we live in the context of our own minds and feelings and circumstances! But once we begin to look outward to the other person, perspectives have to change. Do we want that?

If we are in Christ we will want that!

Jesus set the example.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This passage is an incredible description of what Jesus did. It has power an at intellectual level when you contemplate the heights from which Jesus existed then descended to and then returns to.

It has power emotionally because, for those who believe, He did it for us. He did it for me.

Lord, teach me to be like Jesus in humility and obedience. We are but a vapor here and gone so fast on a tiny dot in the vast ocean of the universe. Yet you have traveled from the highest realm to the earthly realm to lift me up from my brokenness and sinfulness. Thank you Jesus! Help me to see others through your eyes each day. Amen.

Philippians 1:27-30

Am looking at Philippians 1:27-30 this AM.

Whatever happens ...

Probably referring to the uncertainty Paul was going through regarding his imprisonment. He might get released. He might not. He might get executed. He might not.

I suppose also, since at that time, Christianity was a religion of a minority of people, there may well have been pressures upon the church community to abandon their faith. When Paul was with them in Acts 16:11-40 he faced opposition. It is likely that continued even after he left.

... 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 one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

Paul's desire for them is unity. As the saying goes, a house divided cannot stand. When we are alone it is harder to stand firm in the faith. When we are alone it is easy to get discouraged.

The visitation of the sick is an important service the church can provide for people. It is when we are sick and alone that discouragement in the faith can come upon us. Christians have always been at the forefront of building hospitals. In third world countries often times the only hospital around is the missionary hospital.

Christians are often the ones who build orphanages. Christians stand with those who have been abandoned. That is Christianity at its best.

It is the moral imperative of the Christian faith to minister to people. Indeed, Christians may have their treasure in heaven and their eyes upon Jesus but that same faith compels us to serve in the here and now.

Imagine a world view that says the material world is evil and the spirit is all that matters?

For them, ending the suffering is liberation.

In a world view of reincarnation, the consequence is the same: one wants to escape this incarnation in the hopes of a better one in the next go around. Though, I suppose some in the Eastern belief systems will say you have to live a good life now to have a better shot in the next go around. Thus, that could be a motivation for ethics and morality.

There is no mistaking that we live in a terribly messed up world. But in Jewish-Christian theology, God desires the restoration of the created (us) and the creation.

This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved - and that by God.

I suppose this could mean that when people who persecute, despise or dismiss Christians and yet those same Christians are standing firm in faith with joy even, those observing may scratch their heads. It is a sign to them they have chosen the wrong path. They may try to repress that thought. Or they can respond to it.

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on 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.

Why doesn't God just take us up to heaven the minute we believe in Him?

If He took us right away, we would be spared suffering that Paul mentions.

not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him

The Buddhist says life is suffering. He would be right!

In Buddhist thinking, suffering is to be cured by the cessation of desire and a better life in the next incarnation. If there are any Buddhists reading this blog, please let me know if I have fairly characterized your views. 8-)

In Christianity, suffering can be redemptive. Jesus suffering is redemptive. In this passage, Paul recognizes that suffering is part of our growth in faith.

If that is so, then should suffering be alleviated?

Yes, when possible. Redemption and restoration to God is what Christianity is about. Thus, suffering can be part of our path to God and in those circumstances we prayerfully ask for strengthen to endure. But alleviation of suffering can also be a way for people to find God and to grow in Christ-likeness.

Lord, life can be hard. But you are good. Whether it is time to endure suffering or to seek alleviation of suffering, help me to have an eye on being more like you. Help me to align my thoughts with your ways. Help me to stand firm with others in the times of their difficulties. In all cases may your name be honored. Amen.

Philippians 1:19-26

Looking over Philippians 1:19-26 tonight.

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

We must remember that the Apostle Paul is under the watchful eye of the palace guards in Rome.

We have a picture in our heads of what a prison is like from the movies and some of them can be very dreadful places. I don't know how dire the conditions of Paul's prison situation was but the photo below would indicate it was probably a pretty cramped place.



Image source: Interior of Mamertine Prison in Rome from Bibleplaces.com.

It is likely that the situation described in Acts 28:11-31 would be what he was experiencing while writing the letter to the Philippians. This web page offered some description of what his circumstances might have been like. Excerpt:

The conditions of Paul's imprisonment were unusual. Acts 28:16 says, "When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him." He was not put in a prison with other criminals--he had not committed any crime against Roman law. The Roman authorities probably realized there was no real criminal charge against Paul, yet because they could not release him before his case was adjudicated, they allowed him to be a private prisoner in his own quarters.

Paul was under constant guard. Verse 20 records his saying to Jewish leaders in Rome, "I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel." The Roman government was sufficiently anxious about Paul that he was kept chained to a guard twenty-four hours a day. Roman custom provided for a change in guard every six hours, so Paul would have had four different men chained to him during the course of a day.

For an on-the-go hard charging Paul this would have been difficult for him. Additionally, there was always the possibility that the powers that be might eventually decide he should be executed. Thus, death though perhaps not imminent was a real possibility.



The prison where the Apostle Peter and Paul were believed to have been held in Rome.

Image source: Padfield.com

Yet, despite the circumstances, what do we see from Paul?

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

What an attitude!

Lord, help me to have this kind of perspective on life. Help me to see that the life I have now is to be lived for you and for the progress of my faith and of others you bring to my life. Amen.