Hypocrisy

“There may not be a more commonly hurled criticism in today’s divided society than hypocrite… this is the human condition: We are a collection of aspirations and failings, from which we try to be who we think we should be but constantly fall short.” —Lydia Polgreen

“I like your Christ, not your Christians.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Hypocrisy is the chasm between who we are and who we want to be, the gap between us and Jesus. It is a human problem generally, but a Christian problem specifically. Far too often, hypocrisy becomes the barrier to others encountering the beauty of Jesus. Yet while we cannot escape inconsistency, we can close the gap through confession, humility, and a commitment to do better.

Conflict

“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.” —Philippians 4:1

“I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” —Philippians 4:2–3

“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 4:9

Paul urges the Philippian church to reconcile, modeling humility and unity. Disagreement is not hypocrisy; hypocrisy is allowing pride to divide. The way Christians handle conflict—refusing to belittle, remembering our shared mission, and arguing humbly—reveals our witness to the world.

Anxiety

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:4–7

“The way to stop worrying about anything is to pray about everything. Prayer with the attitude of thanksgiving is a stress-buster… thanksgiving is the surest evidence of a soul free from anxiety.” —John Wesley

“Prayer like that will mean that God’s peace—not a Stoic lack of concern, but a deep peace in the middle of life’s problems and storms—will keep guard around your heart and mind, like a squadron of soldiers looking after a treasure chest.” —N.T. Wright

“In a post-Christian, postmodern world… our privilege is to live out the gospel of true shalom, wholeness in every sense of that word, and to point others to its source.” —Gordon Fee

Prayer, both thankful and petitioning, transforms anxiety into peace. God’s nearness guards our hearts like a garrison. The world is longing for that kind of peace, a witness of true shalom.

Virtue

“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.” —Philippians 4:8

“Hardly anything shows more obviously that our world is out of joint than finding stunningly beautiful human beings who are incredibly unwise about their behavior and live anxiety-filled, miserable, immoral lives as a result… We hardly ever see most of these things in one human life, except that is, in the life of Jesus.” —Ben Witherington

Paul calls us to dwell on whatever is true, beautiful, and good. Wherever truth and beauty are found, God is found. The call is to be cultural sifters, finding God’s goodness even in unexpected places and to recognize both beauty and brokenness within ourselves and the world.

Confession

“Perhaps if we embrace our inevitable inconsistencies, we can have a more generous, less purity-focused politics of practical good aimed at actual persuasion and real change.” —Lydia Polgreen

The Christian response to hypocrisy is not denial but confession. Confession trains us to close the gap between who we are and who we long to be, both in worship and in everyday life.

We confess not just for our sake but for the world’s, to bear witness to the grace of God that meets us in our inconsistency and makes us whole again.

Paul’s Cruciform Example‍ ‍

“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters…” —Philippians 3:17

Paul invites the Philippians to imitate his life patterned after the cross.

“Paul’s mission in life was to seek to order the lives of Christian congregations by pulling everything into the tremendous gravitational field of the Cross.” —Michael Gorman

The Enemies of the Cross‍ ‍

“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.” —Philippians 3:18–19

These are those who embrace victory without suffering, faith without the cross.

Heavenly Citizenship‍ ‍

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 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 3:20–21

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” —Matthew 6:10

“Live faithfully now as a colony of citizens of that heavenly imperial city, in the midst of this colony of Rome. Your lord and savior—your emperor—is Jesus, whose cruciform pattern of faith, love, power, and hope is the city charter of your colony.” —Michael Gorman

“If Roman citizenship required a lifestyle of honor and glory for Rome, then how much more is necessary for a heavenly citizenship to the Lord, Jesus Christ?” —Sydney Park

Book Recommendations:

1. Scandalous Witness by Lee Camp

2. Jesus and the Powers by NT Wright & Michael Bird

3. Compassion & Conviction by  Chris Butler, Justin Giboney, and Michael Wear

4. The Liturgy of Politics by Kaitlyn Schiess 

1. Christ Is Lord‍ ‍

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” —Abraham Kuyper

Jesus is our primary allegiance; all others are secondary. We approach the table not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Christians.

2. Christ Is Savior‍ ‍

He alone redeems, heals, and saves the world. Political parties cannot accomplish what only Christ can.

3. Citizens of a Different Kingdom‍ ‍

Our true homeland is the Kingdom of God.

We live now by its culture and values even as we await its fullness.

This citizenship may leave us politically homeless but not disengaged.

4. Christ Guides Our Political Engagement‍ ‍

litmus test for Christian faithfulness is the Cross; the cruciform life; the willingness to suffer for others. (Philippians 3:17–19 )

Thou Shalt Not Be a Jerk: A Christian’s Guide to Engaging in Politics by Eugene Cho

Cruelty and callousness are not Christian virtues. Our engagement seeks the good of all through humble service.

5. Christ Invites Us to Be an Example‍ ‍

“…follow my example, brothers and sisters…” —Philippians 3:17

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” —1 Corinthians 11:1

Each believer bears the responsibility of showing others the way of Christ through a life of self-sacrificial love.

A Stagnant Faith

“Complacency is the deadly enemy of spiritual progress. The contented soul is a stagnant soul.” —A.W. Tozer

Complacency halts spiritual growth. Busyness, comfort, and routine distract from the pursuit of Christ. Faith becomes a checklist rather than a relationship. The journey of following Jesus begins at salvation and continues daily as we deny ourselves and take up our cross.

Eyes on the Prize

“That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” —Philippians 3:10–11

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” —Philippians 3:12

Paul presses on—not from ambition, but in response to grace. Because Christ has made him His own, Paul runs the race with focus and gratitude.

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 3:13–14

Paul leaves the past behind, fixing his eyes on Christ. Freedom comes not from dwelling on failure, but from pressing forward in faith.

“After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. The only fatal thing is to sit down content with anything less than perfect.” —C.S. Lewis

Running the Race

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” —1 Corinthians 9:24–27

Paul uses athletic imagery to describe faith: disciplined, intentional, and persevering. Like an athlete training for a crown, believers pursue an eternal prize.

“Would you be a victor in the Olympic games? So would I, by the gods, and a fine thing it would be. But consider the price you must pay... You must live by rule, eat by measure, avoid delicacies... Then, in the contest, you may sprain your wrist, twist your ankle, swallow quantities of dust, be whipped... and after all that, lose.” —Epictetus

The Christian race requires endurance and focus. We must not grow complacent before the finish line, but press on with perseverance.

The Imperishable Crown

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” —2 Timothy 4:6–8

The victor’s crown given at ancient games was perishable, but the prize Christ offers is eternal. The stephanos of thorns placed on Jesus’ head became the true crown of victory. The Lord Himself will place the crown of righteousness upon those who remain faithful to the end.

Press On Toward Christ

“It is finished.” —John 19:30

Jesus finished His race victorious through the cross. Paul echoed that same faithfulness: “I have finished the race.” Like Paul, we press forward with endurance, surrendering our past and setting our eyes on Christ.

Spiritual Practice

What holds you back from running your race well?
Where have you grown complacent or distracted?
Christ still pursues you and invites you to run with Him.

The race is not over. Press on toward the prize—the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

No Confidence in the Flesh
Paul once placed his confidence in ancestry, achievement, and religious zeal, yet writes:

“Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” —Philippians 3:7

Paul’s Audit
Paul reworks the balance sheet of his life: everything he once counted as gain is now loss compared to knowing Jesus. His life becomes Jesus on one side—and everything else on the other.

Is Jesus Worth It?
Jesus calls,

“Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me.”
“Sell everything and give it to the poor.”
“To lose your life is to gain your life.”
“Let the dead bury the dead.”
“Love your enemies.”

To follow Him risks comfort, reputation, and control. Yet Paul declares that Jesus is worth it.

Paul’s Loss

“Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” —Philippians 3:7–8

Everything sacrificed or surrendered is nothing compared to life with Christ.

Paul’s Gain
Paul finds that knowing Christ gives significance, being in Christ gives cohesion, and becoming like Christ gives purpose.

To know Christ gives significance.

“I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” —Philippians 3:8

To know Christ is to enter an intimate friendship with Him—a love that surpasses knowledge.

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power…to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.” —Ephesians 3:18–19

“To know God is to love God.” —A.W. Tozer

“God is family, God is community, God is shared existence, and whoever shares his or her existence inside community and friendship is participating in the very flow of life and love that is inside the Trinity.” —Ronald Rolheiser

To know Christ is to be loved as you are—wholly and completely. God loves you, and He likes you.

“To surrender to love is to allow yourself to be loved as you are—mistakes, regrets, flaws and all.” —David Brenner

To know Christ is to live daily out of this love, finding your true significance as His beloved.

To be found in Christ gives coherence.

“I consider [my accolades] garbage, 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 on the basis of faith.” —Philippians 3:8–9

To be in Christ means His righteousness becomes ours. His story becomes our story.

“[Jesus] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant… Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.” —Philippians 2:5–11

Being in Christ gives coherence to life—our joys and sufferings are drawn into His larger story.

To be Like Christ gives purpose.

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” —Philippians 3:10–11

“To live is Christ and to die is gain.” —Philippians 1:21

“Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” —Philippians 2:12–13

To become like Christ is to join His mission to renew the world, beginning with our own transformation.

“Being a Christian doesn’t require any particular education because being a Christian is an education.” —Dallas Willard

Following Jesus is a lifelong learning of love—loving God fully and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Becoming like Jesus becomes our singular pursuit, shaping all other ambitions.

The Resurrection Hope
Easter was not a one-time event but a preview of what’s to come.

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings… attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” —Philippians 3:10–11

A Life Centered on Christ
In a world full of options, Paul’s answer remains clear: Jesus is worth it.

To know Christ gives significance.
To be in Christ gives cohesion.
To become like Christ gives purpose.

The life centered on Jesus is not the easiest—but it is the best and most joyful life available to us. It calls for a radical reorganization of our lives, saying one great “yes” to Christ that reorders everything else.

Rejoice in the Lord

"Legalism is believing or practicing rules that add something to the gospel." —Scot McKnight

"For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also." —Philippians 3

Worship by the Spirit of God

"But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code." —Romans 7

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father by the Spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." —John 4

"There are no wrappings and disguises which are proof against the gaze of Christ. It is his power to see into the depths of the human heart. It is not that he sees only the evil there; he sees also the sleeping hero in the soul of every man. He is like the surgeon who sees the diseased thing, but who also sees the health which will follow when the evil thing is taken away." —William Barclay

Glory in Christ Jesus

"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." —Romans 5

Put No Confidence in the Flesh

"If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people 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 righteousness under the law, blameless." —Philippians 3

Spiritual Practice

Take Inventory: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where faith has become mechanical or routine.

1. Where have you followed a "Jesus-plus" faith?

2. Where have you been proud instead of humble?

3. Where have you put burdens on others or complicated the simplicity of Jesus’ invitation?

The Mindset of Christ

"Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,
who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be used for His own advantage.
Instead He emptied Himself
by assuming the form of a slave,
taking on the likeness of men.
And when He had come as a man in His external form,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—even to death on a cross.
For this reason God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name that 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 every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father." —Philippians 2:5–11

Risk More

“Epaphroditus’s service on behalf of the Philippians to Paul would already require sacrifice of time, income, and energy, given the distance between Philippi and Rome.” —Dr. M. Sydney Park

“Due to illness, this ‘service’ becomes ‘sacrifice’ as he nearly died for the work of Christ. In his willingness to risk his life on behalf of both the Philippians and Paul, he mirrors Christ’s extreme humility that extended to death on a cross.” —Dr. M. Sydney Park

Reflect More

"For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father." —Philippians 2:20–22

"My brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need." —Philippians 2:25

"Welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor." —Philippians 2:29

Do More Things That Will Live On

"Because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me." —Philippians 2:30

"But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father." —Philippians 2:22

Is the world getting better or worse?

“While challenges certainly remain, we must avoid tending to catastrophe bias — the tendency to focus solely on worst-case scenarios while ignoring progress and potential — that often overshadows progress.” — Gaurav Khrishnan

“Living in this fallen world will either make a person bitter or better.” — John Wimber

Philippians

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” — Philippians 2:14–15

Behaving Bitterly

“Grumble against Moses saying ‘What shall we drink?’” — Exodus 15:24

“And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, ‘Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’” — Exodus 16:2–3

“At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord.” — Exodus 16:6–7

Becoming Better

“Be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” — Philippians 2:15–16

“Paul sees the church as the people of the new Exodus: brought out of the Egypt of sin and death through the Passover action of God in Jesus, and now on the way home to the real promised land. And this time they are going to get it right. That remains the challenge before the church today just as in the first century.” — N.T. Wright

“Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” — Philippians 2:17–18

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” — Habakkuk 3:17–18

“This is not ‘sour grapes,’ nor making the best of a bad situation, nor ‘delight in feeling bad’; this has to do with true faith, and thus perspective, based as it is on the unshakable foundation of the work of Christ, both past and future.” — Gordon Fee

“The second chapter of Philippians puts us in touch with the ancient worship of the earliest Christian and the very heart of what it means to follow Jesus. When Paul wrote this letter of comfort to the brothers and sisters in Philippi, he pointed to Jesus as their and our example. The Lord’s example does not require of us miracles and supernatural signs and wonders. These things are wonderful and certainly possible, but they are not a requirement for following Jesus, nor are they the biggest proof of His presence or power in our lives. No, friends, the heart of our faith is to follow the humble example of Jesus, especially in times of trial and persecution.” — Brad Wickersheim

Summary

So when the suffering of this fallen world comes your way, what will be your response—will you behave bitterly like the Israelites or will you become better like Paul and the Philippians?

Spiritual Practice

Which have you become over the years—Bitter or Better?

Do you find yourself identifying more with the Israelites than with Paul or the Philippians?

What would it look like to transform your grumbling into joy?

What kind of witness could we be by choosing to trust in the unshakable foundation of the work of Christ, past, present, and future?

Who are you becoming?

Humans are dynamic creatures, constantly in a state of change, development, and growth.

This dynamic change is effected by an amalgamation of influences.

Every human is in the process of becoming someone.

The question is who?

Christian Spiritual Formation

For the Christian, Jesus is the aim of our formation; to reconstruct our life from top to bottom in the pattern of Jesus.

To become like Jesus.

“Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.” –Luke 5:27–28.

Jesus uses the phrase “follow me” twenty times throughout the Gospels.

“You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father, I have made known to you.” –John 15:14–15.

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…” –Romans 8:29.

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” –1 Corinthians 11:1.

“...just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” –1 Corinthians 15:49.

“…if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” –1 John 2:5-6

The aim of salvation is not simply to get to heaven when I die.

Salvation’s aim is to be made into a new type of human– “to be born again.” (John 3:5)

Becoming Like Jesus.

Paul in his writing to the Philippian Church, sees his life as a retelling of the Jesus story: suffering, imprisonment, conflict, divine intervention, and joy.

And his desires for the Philippians to see their lives the same way, that they may become like Jesus.

According to Paul, we become like Jesus by (1) intentional effort (2) with God, and (3) with others, (4) for the sake of the world.

Intentional effort

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation…” – Philippians 2:12-13

Paul is calling the Philippians to put intentional effort and work into the life of salvation.

Paul’s text isn’t about earning salvation; it is all about participating in salvation.

“Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action.” – Dallas Willard

Working out our salvation is living in obedient response to what God has done for us in Christ.

“...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…” – Philippians 2:12b

Paul encourages the Philippians to approach their lives with God with great respect and intention.

Spiritual Practices

Spiritual practices are activities that repeatedly appear in the life of Jesus and seem to be practiced by his disciples.

1. Prayer

2. Scripture

3. Fasting

4. Solitude

5. Sabbath

6. Generosity

7. Service

8. Witness

9. Community

“acts of loving obedience we offer to God steadily and consistently, to be used for whatever work God purposes to do in and through our lives.” – Robert Mulholland

With God

“...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” – Philippians 2:12-13

As we put intention and effort into practicing the stuff of Jesus, God will be faithful to act in us.

“The English poet William Henley captured the spirit of our culture well when he wrote, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” But spiritual formation as “being formed” will reveal that God is the initiator of our growth toward wholeness and we are to be pliable clay in God’s hand.” – M. Robert Mulholland Jr.

In theological terms, this is the process of sanctification.

It describes God’s ongoing work in our lives to form the character and conduct of Jesus.

With Others

One of the translation challenges of this passage is that we often overlook the fact that it is addressed communally.

Every pronoun in this passage is plural.

We are making an effort to practice the way of Jesus together.

We refer to these communal efforts to practice the way of Jesus as liturgy.

liturgy | “the work of the people”.

“The task of liturgy is to order the life of the holy community following the text of Holy Scripture.”– Eugene Peterson

This pattern of being together serves as scaffolding and support in our transformation into Christ-like individuals.

For the Sake of the World

“...for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” – Philippians 2:13

“Spiritual formation as a process of being formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others.” – M. Robert Mulholland Jr

If Jesus is the most genuine human who has ever lived, He has taught us the way to love, serve, and make the world a better place.

“The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who … are identified as “Christians” will become disciples—students, apprentices, practitioners—of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence.” – Dallas Willard

Exercise Intentionality.

Main Character Syndrome

Main Character Syndrome is to view oneself as the main character in the story of the world. 

“You have to start romanticizing your life. You have to start thinking of yourself as the main character. ’Cause if you don’t, life will continue to pass you by.” – Ashley Ward

Rather than looking to be the main character, Paul encourages believers to–

1. Be Christ-minded in your relationships 

2. By being a servant 

3. So that all may confess Jesus as Lord. 

Be Christ-minded in Your Relationships.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”– Philippians 2:5

To understand how Christ navigates relationships, one must be close enough to understand. 

“Remain in my love…” – John 15:9

By Being a Servant 

“[Jesus] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;  rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” –Philippians 2:6-8

Huparchein | unchanging in essence

Morphe | unaltering form

Schema | changing form

“God is like Jesus. God has always been like Jesus. There has never been a time when God was not like Jesus. We have not always known what God is like— But now we do.” – Brian Zahnd

So that all may confess Jesus as Lord.

“Therefore God exalted him [Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11

Make Jesus the Main Character

We are simply being invited to look to Jesus.

Philippians 2:1-4 (NLT)
¹ Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? ² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

As I begin, I believe it's important to acknowledge the land we sit on. The land that the Delta sits on, the land where we make our homes, and the land in which we work and care for, Kansas City, had inhabitants before we arrived. The land we sit on today was once home to the Kaw, the Osage, the Otoe, the Kickapoo, and the Lakota.

One of my favorite authors and theologians is named Richard Twiss. We belong to the same tribe - the Sicangu Lakota Oyate, or the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. He wrote a book in 2000 called One Church, Many Tribes in which he shares two responses from Chiefs in the Native American community to Christianity and the White man’s way of life. Twiss shares these responses not to show hostility from Native Americans, but to highlight their willingness to trust, befriend, and believe the White man while noting the White man’s weakness in cross-cultural communication.

Richard Twiss’ first example is from Sinte-Gleska, a Sicangu Lakota tribal chief who lived in the 1800’s. According to Twiss, “Sinte-Gleska at first counseled his tribe to accept the White man’s way of life. But many questions disturbed him as over the years he observed the Whites’ contradictory behavior and broken promises.” At some point in his lifetime, Sinte-Gleska is known to have said the following about the contradictions of Christianity to a U.S. infantry soldier:

I am bothered what to believe. Some years ago, a good man, as I think, came to us. He talked me out of all my old faith. And after a while, thinking that he must know more of these matters than an ignorant Indian, I joined his church and became a Methodist. After a while he went away. Another man came and talked and I became a Baptist; then another came and talked and I became a Presbyterian. Now another one has come and wants me to be an Episcopalian. What do you think of it? All these people tell different stories, and each wants me to believe that his special way is the only way to be good and save my soul. I have about made up my mind that either they all lie, or that they don’t know any more about it than I did at first. I have always believed in the Great Spirit, and worshipped him in my own way. These people don’t seem to want to change my belief in the Great Spirit, but to change my way of talking to him. White men have education and books, and ought to know what to do, but hardly any two of them agree on what should be done.

In Twiss’ second example, a missionary addressed the tribe of Chief Red Jacket at a meeting in Buffalo, New York in 1805. Chief Red Jacket responded to the missionary with these words:

You say that you are sent to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably to His mind, and if we do not take hold of the religion which you White people teach, we shall be unhappy hereafter; you say you are right and we are lost. How do you know this to be true? We understand that your religion is written in a book. If it was intended for us as well as for you, why has not the Great Spirit given it to us; and not only to us, but why did He not give us, and our forefathers, the knowledge of that book, with the understanding it rightly? We know only what you tell us. How should we know to believe, being so often deceived by the White people? Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there be but one religion, why do you White people differ so much about it? Why not all agree as you can read the book?

Chief Red Jacket went on to become one of the fiercest opponents of the White man and his ways. Richard Twiss goes on to say this:

These views of these two great chiefs capture the failure of one people to legitimately try to understand, value, and make room for another people of another culture, all in the name of God. The real issues had little to do with God or the Bible. The real issues stemmed from clashing worldviews, cultural biases and prejudices and an unwillingness to choose the path of humility - an unwillingness to esteem others of different cultures as though higher than themselves. This was hubris (spiritual pride) in the name of and for the cause of Christ.

Dare I say this is the kind of spiritual pride Paul is addressing when he instructs the Philippians to be humble in our Scripture today.

Are we at the point of no return? Has the Church been involved in enough cooperation with evil that it’s doomed? Well, spoiler alert, Paul thinks otherwise, and yes, for him, the answer most definitely has to do with Jesus. As Richard Twiss puts it again:

Jesus made the greatest cultural leap of all time just for us! He gave up and left behind the unlimited joy of paradise - the culture of heaven - to be born into human culture. He left the daily face-to-face fellowship with the Father to face the frailty of sin-marred human relationships, knowing that His new friends would disclaim and abandon Him and that one of His closest associates would betray Him for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Jesus was the ultimate and perfect example of cross-cultural ministry.

Paul says in Philippians 2:2 that the Philippians would make him “truly happy by agreeing (key word) wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.”

Unity on its own is not the end goal for Paul. As the theologian N.T. Wright states: “Unity by itself can’t be the final aim. After all, unity is possible among thieves, adulterers and many other types. Those who commit genocide need to do so with huge corporate single-mindedness, as the Nazis showed when killing millions of Jews and others.” 

When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we lose sight of ourselves as the main character of the story. It’s at that moment that we are able to find ourselves in a divine drama, acting with other followers to reveal the Kingdom of Jesus together - this is true unity. I believe this is the vision of Paul for the Philippians in verses 3 and 4. For us today at Midtown it can be as simple as this: when we follow Jesus, the most important person in this room is the one you’re sitting next to!

Did you know there is even such a thing called “potluck theology?” In her blog, Decentering White Theology with Potluck, Dr. Joyce Del Rosario, a Filipino theologian, says: “Potluck theology is about bringing our best to the table and partaking of all of each other’s best offerings. There is a fullness that happens when we share our best with one another and try things that aren’t natural or familiar to us. There is discovery and delight that happens. There is a joy when we know that what we bring to the table matters.”

"For those who have found joy in Christ, let us learn to make room for one another. To constantly pull up chairs to our tables and to our hearts. To humbly introduce ourselves to strangers and get invested in their lives. To practice potluck theology – messy and joyous moments where we defy the sadness in our world.”

You matter at the table.

Revealing the Kingdom of Jesus, together, in Kansas City. 

The Kingdom of Jesus | “Your will be done, your Kingdom come, on Earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10)

Together | common commitments

1. Reveal the Kingdom of Jesus.

2. Belong to a microchurch.

3. Gather on Sunday.

4. Serve.

5. Be Generous.

Places Shape Us

The places we live are not simply neutral settings in our history. Places are active and essential characters shaping our story with their landscape, pace, and people.   

In an increasingly mobile world, we experience a sense of rootlessness, dislocation, and restlessness. 

“[Ours is an] age of the…,the refugee, the stateless, and the wanderer. Never before, have so many human beings fled from so many homes.” –Elie Wiesel

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” – Augustine

History of the Babylonian Exile. 

Following the death of King Solomon, Israel was split in two; the northern kingdom was known as Israel and the southern kingdom was known as Judah. 

In 587 BC, the southern kingdom of Judah was destroyed by Babylon, and many of its inhabitants were taken into captivity. 

After a few years, these Israelites found themselves homesick, which led to feelings of self-pity, discontentment, and restlessness. 

The Prophet Jeremiah writes a letter to challenge this. 

A Theology of Place

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: – Jeremiah 29:4

Much of the biblical narrative revolves around place and location. 

Instructions to the Exiles. 

1. Build homes.

2. Plant gardens

3. Start families and lay down roots.

4. Seek shalom.

Shalom is wholeness.

“God’s wholeness where… nothing is missing and nothing is broken.” – Adam Gustine 

“Christian spirituality means living in the mature wholeness of the gospel. It means taking all the elements of your life—children, spouse, job, weather, possessions, relationships—and experiencing them as an act of faith. God wants all the material of our lives.”– Eugene Peterson

God in our Midst

“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood…”– John 1:14 (The Message)

The Christian Gospel is that we’ve all found ourselves displaced, homeless, and restless. Yet the Creator of the Universe refused to leave us that way– so he moved into the neighborhood and offered to make his home in us and with us. 

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you” –Jeremiah 29:11–14.

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”–1 John 4:15–16.

Vow of Stability.

In monastic traditions, monks often tak a ‘vow of stability’; they commit to live their entire life in a particular community, rather than moving from one place to another. 

Will you commit to Kansas City?

“an increase in the wrong kind of Christian does nothing, but an increase in the right kind of Christian means everything.” - Pastor John Tyson 

COMMITMENT 1: Reveal the Kingdom of Jesus 

“the Lord daily adding to their numbers those who were being saved.” - Acts 2:47

COMMITMENT 2: Belong to a microchurch 

COMMITMENT 3: Gather on Sunday 

“The synagogue was intrinsic rather than incidental to Jesus’s life and career.”- Dr. Jordan Ryan, 

“For Jesus, the church was never optional. Jesus was not anti-institutional. He regularly led his disciples and himself into the church of the first century, which was the synagogue and temple…. [Jesus] immersed himself in the relationships at the temple, he went to the temple for prayer, and he added his voice to the teaching of that temple.”  - Pastor Tyler Staton 

“they continued to meet together in the temple courts [and] they broke bread in their homes.” - Acts 2:46

“Do not let Sunday be taken from you. If your soul has no Sunday, it becomes an orphan.” - Albert Schwitzer

COMMITMENT 4: Serve 

“And whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:44-45

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.” - 1 Peter 4:10 

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Galatians 5:13-14

COMMITMENT 5: Be Generous 

“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” -Mark 12:41-44

“They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” -Acts 2:45

“an increase in the wrong kind of Christian does nothing, but an increase in the right kind of Christian means everything.” - Pastor John Tyson 

4 American Gospels

1. The Gospel of Prosperity. 

2. The Gospel of Church Attendance.  

3. The Gospel of Social Justice. 

4. The Gospel of Evangelicalism. 

Many have received a gospel that is not so good news.

Jesus’ Preaching.

If we don’t start with the Gospel Jesus preached, we may very well end up with a Gospel Jesus did not preach. –Scot McKnight

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17

“I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” – Luke 4:43 (ESV)

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” – Mark 1:14–15 (ESV)

The Gospel of the Kingdom.

1. In Matthew, ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ is mentioned fifty-two times. 

2. In Mark, “Kingdom of God” is mentioned twenty times.

3. In Luke, “Kingdom of God” is mentioned forty-five times.

4. John uses ‘eternity’ as a substitute for ‘Kingdom’. 

To rediscover the good news as good news, Jesus’ understanding of the ‘Kingdom’ must be re-centered.

1. The Kingdom Created. 

2. The Kingdom Betrayed.

3. The Kingdom Come. 

4. The Kingdom Reign.

1. The Kingdom Created

“ …God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:26-27

In His wisdom, God decided to create beings with whom He would have a special relationship, beings that would be made in his image; to be a royal delegate, a steward, a representative, a manager of the divine. 

“[work] is rearranging the raw material of God’s creation in such a way that it helps the world in general, and people in particular, thrive and flourish.” – Tim Keller

2. The Kingdom Betrayed.

“…you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”– Genesis 3:5.

The humans betray the God-King and work against his Kingdom of life. 

This betrayal runs so deep that it becomes one of the defining features of humanity; a theological concept that the bible calls sin. 

“The Human Propensity to [muck] things Up.”– Francis Spufford

“…the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” –1 John 5:19.

Sin puts humans on a trajectory toward death.

3. The Kingdom Come. 

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” –Mark 1:15.

Jesus was restoring an ancient Kingdom of royal sons and daughters, who cultivate the earth and walk in the cool of the day with their God-king.  

“And [Jesus] was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And [Jesus] was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.”–Mark 1:13.

Where the first Adam failed, the Second Adam succeeds.

“He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe [sin, satan, and death] of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.” – Colossians 2:15 (the Message)

This is good news because Jesus is the only King who is worthy of our full trust.  

Discipleship is the path of being assimilated into Jesus’ Kingdom; it is how we learn the ways, culture, and language of the Kingdom.

"We are built to live in the kingdom of God. It is our natural habitat." – Dallas Willard

4. The Kingdom Reign.

“I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” –Revelation 21:3-4.

God’s new creation is Eden remade. 

Inaugurated Eschatology is the theological theory that in Jesus, the foundation for the Kingdom has been laid, but its full reign and power have yet to transform the earth; an already/not yet Kingdom.

The Church’s task is to demonstrate and display what God’s kingdom will look like. 

“Every act of love, gratitude and kindness; every work of art or music inspired by the love of God and delight in the beauty of his creation; every minute spent teaching a severely handicapped child to read or to walk; every act of care and nurture, of comfort and support, for one’s fellow human beings, and for that matter one’s fellow non-human creatures; and of course every prayer, all Spirit-led teaching, every deed which spreads the gospel, builds up the church, embraces and embodies holiness rather than corruption, and makes the name of Jesus honoured in the world—all of this will find its way, through the resurrecting power of God, into the new creation which God will one day make. That is the logic of the mission of God.” –Tom Wright

Conservation of Religion. 

Political theorist Samuel Goldman has theory called “The Conservation of Religion.” Goldman’s theory posits that human society possesses a certain amount of religious energy, which will always be expressed, even if not in traditional religious environments. 

Americans are less involved with religious institutions today than years past,  but that does not mean they are less religious. 

Religious energy has shifted into politics. 

“As Christianity’s hold, in particular, has weakened, ideological intensity and fragmentation have risen. American faith, it turns out, is as fervent as ever; it’s just that what was once religious belief has now been channeled into political belief. Political debates over what America is supposed to mean have taken on the character of theological disputations. This is what religion without religion looks like…We are a nation of believers.” – Shadi Hamid

 Caesar’s Gospel in Philippi.

The city of Philippi was established roughly 400 years prior to Paul’s letter, and refounded as a Roman Military colony 300 years after that. 

All of Philippi’s citizens were given Roman citizenship, and it was repopulated with Roman military veterans.

“In a city like Philippi, this would have meant that every public event (the assembly, public performances in the theater, etc.) and much else within its boundaries took place in the context of giving honor to the emperor, with the acknowledgment that (in this case) Nero was ‘lord and savior.’” –Gordon Fee

“The birthday of the God (Caesar Augustus) was the beginning for the world of the good news [Euangelion] that have come through men through him.” –9 B.C. Priene Inscription

The Gospel of Christ.

“The beginning of the good news [Euangelion]  about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God…” – Mark 1:1 

The earliest Christian believers Jesus was the rightful King of the world. 

In Philippians, Paul refers to  Jesus as “Lord” 15 different times.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” –Philippians 2:9–11.

The Christian Gospel is that the one true God has taken charge of the world through the death and resurrection of Jesus; And that he is establishing a nation, a kingdom, where death is defeated, sin is no more, and life is unending. 

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” – Matthew 6:10

The Gospel of Jesus is a threat to those who think their will is supreme. 

Jesus wasn’t crucified because he said ‘love your neighbor’; that is a radical ethic, but it's unlikely to get you executed.

Jesus was executed because he was a threat to the powers that be. 

Paul is writing from a Roman prison because he was touring the Roman countryside, ‘Defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, [named] Jesus” ( Acts 17:7).

The Philippians weren’t experiencing opposition because they were worshiping privately. 

Honestly, Rome was incredibly tolerant of religious diversity as long as that religious loyalty came second to Roman loyalty. 

The Philippians were experiencing opposition because they refused to bow a knee; because they insisted that ‘Jesus is Lord, and Caesar is not’.

In a city charged with Roman Patriotism, holding loyalty elsewhere caused problems.

This could have been due to a lack of work, economic restrictions, social rejection, a tarnished reputation, or family disapproval. 

“…believers in Christ could no longer join in as citizens of Rome in Philippi. Their allegiance was to another [Lord], Jesus Christ, before whom every knee would someday bow and every tongue confess, including the citizens of Philippi who were causing their suffering, as well as the emperor himself. The Philippian believers in Christ were thus citizens of a greater dominion, and their allegiance was to another [savior], whose coming from heaven they awaited with eager expectation.”– Gordon Fee

Kingdom Citizenship (1:27)

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” – Philippians 1:27

Conduct | Politeuomai – ‘to be a good citizen’. 

“If Roman citizenship required a lifestyle of honor and glory for Rome, then how much more is necessary for a heavenly citizenship to the Lord, Jesus Christ?” – Sydney Park. 

“Live in the Roman colony of Philippi as worthy citizens of your heavenly homeland.” (Philippians 1:27, Gordon Fee paraphrase)

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

This makes Christians those with dual citizenship. 

“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors…” –1 Peter 2:13–14.

“We must obey God rather than human beings! –Act 5:29.

“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” –Jeremiah 29:4–7.

Paul instructs them to live gospel-shaped lives– let your life be a reenactment of the story of Jesus.  

1. Strive together

2. Live without fear

3. And to suffer well

Strive together (1:27) 

“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…” – Philippians 1:27

Paul wants the Philippians’ conduct to be consistently Kingdom-oriented.

Spiritual tenacity is forged in faithful community.  

Living without Fear (1:28)

“... 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.” – Philippians 1:27-28

“Shunning, public embarrassment, non-recognition of personal honor and status, discrimination in the patronage system because of their beliefs—these would be sufficient factors to cause a great deal of discomfort on the part of new believers who have heard words about persecution but not experienced it for the first time.”– Carolyn Osiek

Paul is rightly concerned about how fear and intimidation might affect this tiny Christian minority. 

Suffer Well (1:29-30)

“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.” –Philippians 1:29-30.

Disciples of Jesus follow the way and pattern of the one called ‘Son of Suffering’. 

The Christian faith doesn’t offer ideal conditions for life; it offers the presence of God and the pattern of Jesus so that one might suffer well. 

Ultimate Allegiance. 

Our primary identity is Christian. All other identities are second.

The Fear of Death.

“…in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” – Benjamin Franklin

“[humans are] held in slavery by their fear of death” –Hebrews 2:15

“…as we see the other living things around us fall one by one, that no one is spared. We recognize that death is the real enemy; with our powerful minds we can stave him off for a while with sharp spears or strong gates, full larders and hospitals, but at the same time, we see that it is all ultimately fruitless, that one day we not only can but surely will die. – Steven Cave, Immortality.

The Christian Story.

In Jesus of Nazareth, God defeated death. 

“Death has been swallowed up in victory”–1 Corinthians 15:54 

Suffer Well (1:18)

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” – Philippians 1:18–19.

The line, “what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance,” is a direct quotation from Job 13:16. 

Paul is using a fragment of an earlier text as a hyperlink to evoke a similar message as the original. 

In this case, Job 13 is Job’s ardent rejection of his friend’s perspective on his suffering and that God will be his salvation. Job says, “I know I will be vindicated”(Job 13:18)

The examples of Paul, Job, and Jesus remind us that suffering is not cosmic karma doled out by a vindictive God. 

Gamble on Hope (1:20) 

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” –Philippians 1:20.

“For a man to be arrested and detained in a shameful condition of loss of freedom was damaging not only to his sense of self but to his public reputation.” –Carolyn Osiek

Paul acknowledges the shame, but believes ultimately he will be vindicated by Christ. 

The centerpiece of Paul’s letter to the Philippians comes a few paragraphs after this passage. 

“[Jesus], who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” –Philippians 2:6–11.

“Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:20-21

“Every day I put hope on the line. I don’t know one thing about the future. I don’t know what the next hour will hold. There may be sickness, accident, personal or world catastrophe. Before this day is over I may have to deal with death, pain, loss, rejection. I don’t know what the future holds for me, for those I love, for my nation, for this world. Still, despite my ignorance and surrounded by tiny optimists and cowardly pessimists, I say that God will accomplish his will, and I cheerfully persist in living in the hope that nothing will separate me from Christ’s love.” – Eugene Peterson

Die Fearlessly (1:21-24)

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”–Philippians 1:21–24.

“[Jesus] was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone… so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”– Hebrews 2:9,14-15

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:10-11 

“[While] the afterlife ceased to be a respectable subject for theory and argument, but people kept on having visions, seeing ghosts, and reporting strange experiences at the threshold of death…you can believe that nothing, absolutely nothing, awaits you after death and come back from the operating table transformed, or at least badly shaken in your nonbelief.” –Ross Douthat

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” –1 Corinthians 15:55

“In many respects, I find an unresurrected Jesus easier to accept. Easter makes Him dangerous. Because of Easter, I have to listen to His extravagant claims and can no longer pick and choose from His sayings. Moreover, Easter means He must be loose out there somewhere.” –Phillip Yancey

Live joyously. (1:21-26) 

 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me…it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” –Philippians 1:21,24.

“Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.” –Philippians 1:25–26.

Defiant Joy

1. Align your story with the story of Jesus.

2. Take satisfaction in all work. 

3. Enjoy Life. 

• The Silver Lining - The Impact of a Positive Outlook

  1. The idiom silver lining means a consoling or hopeful prospect coined by the poet John Milton.

  2. Pew Research found that Americans are far more pessimistic than optimistic about  the country’s future.

     1. 63% were pessimistic about moral standards compared to 16% being optimistic, the remaining being neither.

     2. 59% were pessimistic about education and 20% optimistic, the remaining neither.

     3. 44% were pessimistic about racial equality, and 28% optimistic.  The remaining neither.

  3. Other studies indicate that optimism is contagious.  The church’s optimism can become someone else’s optimism. However, pessimism is also contagious.
     

• The Early Life of Paul

  1. Before becoming Paul, Saul was born in Tarsus.

  2. He was born to Jewish parents, but was a Roman citizen.  He used this to his advantage.

     1. Roman citizens could have their cases heard in court.

     2. They could appeal to Caesar.

     3. They could avoid being flogged.

  3. Saul witnessed the death of the first Martyr for Christ, Stephen.

  4. He ravaged through the early church, imprisoning both men and women for their faith.  The church still had joy.

  5. Saul would then become Paul and have his road to Damascus moment, forever changed.

• Finding the Silver Lining

  1. Despite being imprisoned himself, Paul’s main focus was that the Gospel was being advanced.

“Paul’s letters are full of joy because they are full of Jesus—and for Paul, to know Jesus, even in suffering, is to know joy.” - NT Wright

• Just because Paul is chained, the Gospel is not.  It was advancing because of Paul’s radical conversion.  Everyone knew who he was and why he was imprisoned.  

• Paul also used his negative situation for positive by having access to the Praetorian Guard, the same guard that served as bodyguards for the emperor.  

• There were those in the early church that viewed Paul not as a brother, but rather a rival.  They attempted to seize this moment as an opportunity to preach the gospel to amass a following for personal gain.  Paul chooses to focus on the silver lining here as well.  The gospel is still being preached, that is what is important.

• Paul understands that what he is facing is only temporary.  If it is rivalries or being placed in a cell, it’s all temporary, but his joy is eternal because it comes from Christ.

“The joy of the Lord in the soul of Paul turned the dungeon into a palace, and the whipping-post into a throne.” - Charles Spurgeon

• Practicing Optimism

  1. Find joy in the mundane moments.  Others are watching how we react.  Find the silver linings in even the day to day tasks.  Help meet the needs in our church and area, in doing so the Gospel advances.

  2. Do not go through the negative moments alone.  Seek someone in our church as a partner to walk through it with you.  When Paul was burdened by being placed in a cell, the church was there to support him.

  3. Try to find the silver lining in your current circumstance.  Could it be that God is able to use your current circumstance to advance the Kingdom?

  4. We ought to be optimistic about the future because the future is Christ.  All pain, trauma, and grief is temporary.  One day we will be face to face with our Lord and he will wipe away every tear.

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:1-2

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:3-8

“Thanksgiving is not simply “good thoughts” concerning the various communities [Paul] established, but specifically gratitude relayed to God in prayer.” - Sydney Park 

“In our personal relationships, it is a great thing to have nothing but happy memories; and that was how Paul was with the Christians at Philippi. To remember brought no regrets, only happiness.” - William Barclay

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. - Philippians 1:9-11

“[The Philippians] lived, as we do, in a world where several moral issues were blurred and distorted, and it was often hard to see what was the right thing to do. Paul longs to see them grow in telling the difference between good and evil when so often they appear, at first glance, as shades of grey.” - N.T. Wright

“The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Luke 18:10–14

Spiritual Practice: Notice and meet needs. 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“The church was being carried forward by the incredible power of the Holy Spirit, but now they had to commit themselves to the daily practices of the Spirit. Just like the winds of the Holy Spirit were blowing through the house of Pentecost, now the wind of the Spirit was blowing through the structured and settled ways of living - the ordinary - the everyday.” Willie James Jennings

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

“the constant references to prayer in Acts are a sight that this is how these very ordinary, frequently muddled, deeply human beings, the apostles and the others with them, found that their story was being bound up with the story of ‘what Jesus was continuing to do and teach.” N.T. Wright

And they devoted themselves to fellowship… and all who believed were together and had all things in common. V42

And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. V25

And they were devoted to the breaking of bread….And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 46

"[They were] praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" V48

The History of Sunday:

Why do Christians gather on Sunday? It’s not because of convenience, calendars, or conspiracies—but because Sunday is the day our Lord Jesus rose from the grave. From the earliest days of the Church, believers chose Sunday as their day of worship to celebrate the resurrection, to share the bread and cup, and to resist fasting in joyful remembrance of Christ’s victory over death. Church Fathers like Tertullian and Justin Martyr reminded us that Sunday also symbolized the first day of Creation and pointed to the new Creation still to come. Christians have long believed in a promised “eighth day”—a final, eternal Sabbath when Christ will return and all things will be made new. So when we gather on Sundays, we’re not just marking time; we’re stepping into a holy rhythm that connects past resurrection, present worship, and future hope. In a world that treasures the weekend for rest and escape, we dare to say that true rest is found not in more free time—but in the presence of the risen King.

“We hold this general gathering on the Day of the Sun, because it is the first day in which God made the world, moving darkness and matter. It is also the day in which our Savior Jesus Christ rose from among the dead… and he appeared to his disciples on the day of the Sun.”
-Justin Martyr, The First Apology

1. Confess Honestly

In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.
The nations will hear and tremble;
anguish will grip the people of Philistia.
The chiefs of Edom will be terrified,
the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,
the people of Canaan will melt away;
terror and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
they will be as still as a stone—
until your people pass by, Lord,
until the people you bought pass by.
- Exodus 15:13-16

The Israelites’ journey from slavery to freedom was filled with both celebration and fear—though freed by God’s power, they struggled to trust Him in the wilderness, clinging to the familiar patterns of Egypt. Their turn to idols like the golden calf wasn’t just rebellion, but a deeply human response to fear and uncertainty. Like them, we’re shaped by our culture and tempted by modern idols—wealth, success, image, and power—that promise security but lead us away from God. Each week, we gather as a church to be re-formed by God’s grace, returning to the “mercy seat” to confess, realign, and remember who we are in Christ. Honest confession frees us from false gospels and unites us as a people being reshaped by love. The call isn’t to perfection, but to begin again—trusting that God’s mercy is stronger than anything we leave behind.

2. Believe Actively

God helped the Israelites become His people by giving them tangible reminders of His faithfulness—like the Ten Commandments and the jar of manna in the Ark of the Covenant. The Law was not a list of arbitrary rules, but a covenant of love: guiding Israel to love God, care for their neighbors, and live differently than the nations around them. It taught them they were not slaves anymore, but a people invited into rest, justice, and compassion. The manna reminded them that Pharaoh was not their provider—God was. In the wilderness, God fed His people miraculously, showing that His kingdom is built not on scarcity, but on abundance. Today, as we gather at the Table, we are reminded of the same truth: that God still provides, still invites us to rest, and still forms us into a people of grace and trust. The Table is where we lay down fear and striving, and pick up the promise of God’s presence and provision. We come not because we’ve earned it, but because we are hungry, weary, and deeply loved—and through this rhythm of remembrance and trust, we are being made new.

“If you stay close to Jesus, there is plenty of bread. And we are never quite sure how.” - Walter Brueggemann

3. Look Forward Together

The Tabernacle in the wilderness wasn’t just a tent—it was an invitation into God’s presence and God’s story, shaping Israel through shared rhythms, meals, and worship. Though God once dwelled in a tent and then the Temple, through Jesus and the tearing of the veil, His Spirit now dwells within us. We are His new tabernacle, His living presence in the world. Our gatherings—whether a Sunday service or a simple potluck—are rehearsals for eternity, foretastes of the great feast to come. Each meal shared, each burden carried, each moment of worship is a declaration that God’s Kingdom is not just coming—it’s already breaking in. So we don’t just look back at what God has done; we live now as citizens of a Kingdom already arriving. Through every act of love, every invitation to the table, and every shared story, we become living signs that heaven is drawing near. The question isn’t just “Will the Kingdom come?”—it’s “Are we living like it’s already here?”

Church Calendar

1. Advent & Christmas – God with us. 

2. Lent – God preparing us. 

3. Easter– discover God for us. 

4. Pentecost– God in us. 

5. Ordinary Time– God through us.

Defining Love.

The English word love is broad and adaptable. 

• We use it to describe our appreciation for food, drink, products, and activities. 

• We use it to describe sexuality and romance. 

• We use it to describe the bonds of affection and loyalty that connect us to family and friends. 

Eros is sexual or romantic interest. It is the root of erotic. 

Storgee, this is the attachment bonds between family members.

Philia is the affection shared between friends.

Agape is the willingness to act for the good of another.  Agape is the term John uses to describe God’s love.

Some form of agape occurs 46 times in the book of 1 John; 27 times in our fifteen verses. 

And in this passage, John argues that love is –

1. The character of God

2. The sacrifice of Christ

3. And ultimately, love is the witness of the Spirit 

Love is the character of God

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:7-8

God is Trinity, a community of love.

God is relational, affectionate, and joyous.

“[T]he famous text “God is Love” might be transliterated to read: God is family, God is community, God is shared existence, and whoever shares his or her existence inside community and friendship is participating in the very flow of life and love that is inside the Trinity.” – Ronald Rolheiser, Domestic Monastery

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” –Ephesians  3:17–19

“Meditating on God’s love has done more to increase my love than decades of effort to try to be more loving. Allowing myself to deeply experience his love—taking time to soak in it and allow it to infuse me—has begun to effect changes that I had given up hope of ever experiencing. Coming back to God in my failures at love, throwing myself into his arms and asking him to remind me of how much he loves me as I am—here I begin to experience new levels of love to give to others.” –David Brenner

Love is the sacrifice of Christ

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  – 1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)

“[sin is] love turned in on itself.” – Augustine

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” –Matthew 22:37–40.

Atonement is the theological concept that describes what Jesus’ death accomplishes.

“[God] loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”–1 John 4:9

The Bible offers pictures, motifs, and analogies, and angels to understand Jesus’ sacrifice as the antidote to the poison of sin. 

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” – Colossians 2:13-15

“It is in the crucifixion that the nature of God is truly revealed.” – Fleming Rutledge

Love is the witness of the Spirit 

”Dear friends, since God so loved us, we should also love one another.12 No one has ever seen God;  but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.”– 1 John 4:11-13 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” –John 13:34–35.

“This is what it means to live in the Spirit. The premier expression of the Spirit is love, and the Spirit-prompted person is one who loves God and loves others. Spirit-ual formation is formation into love.”– Scot McKnight

By the witness of the Spirit, we are the love of God manifest in the world. 

To a watching, waiting, and hurting world, the bonds of love between us are an invitation to know the love of God. 

Serve one another

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” –John 13:14–15

“Everyone wants a revolution. No one wants to do the dishes.” –Tish Harrison Ward

We serve one another in love and let that love overflow to the world.