A matter of the heart – Selflessness
We have been looking a Paul’s letter to the Philippians and how he just seems to exhibit an abnormal response to his current situation.
The first week he opened the letter with prayers to God for the church in Philippi. How they had supported him with prayer, resources and even companionship. He suggests that he is grateful in all situations. He lays a foundation of Joy and encouragement in the greeting.
Last week we found him adding to the idea of being in chains. How his situation, primarily restriction has come to some good. The Praetorian Guard is talking about him and that he is in chains for his God….He mentions how people ….believers in Rome are preaching Christ. Some out of personal gain and position and even to try to cause trouble for Paul and others for the good news itself. Paul is joyful because in each situation Christ is preached… The messenger, the motives are not important …the message is…
The direction that we have been studying in this book is about a time in the faith of Christians when times were hard. Oppressions were painful. Imprisonment for leaders was common. However, it was less about being a Christian and more about what was happening in the culture. The same hardships are shared by most people in a culture. Political oppression and control affects lives. Wars, disease, moral influences affect everything within a culture. So Christians and non-Christians face the same choices and problems.
Looking a Paul and the descriptions he gives of what he knows is happening in Philippi life was pretty hard.
However, Paul demonstrated the attitude of a Christian, a believer is different…and because we count on eternal promises more than earthly protection we respond differently….our response should be so different that people notice.
That sounds like a heavy load to carry. Man it can be so hard to go against the culture. Paul just does not know what we face today…Keeping up with the neighbors and al the stuff they have. All the comforts that are required to be able to not be embarrassed by our situation.
But, Paul does not actually say, ya’ll be like me. Ya’ll watch me.
He just shares what he is feeling and acknowledges how people seem to be responding to what he is going through.
He actually suggests that the response of other people wither in Rome or Philippi is actually a supernatural one.
It is not by his or their strength…It is by the strength in God and the faith the willingness and trust of the people in God’s abilities.
Paul’s letter is a powerful offering of encouragement to people that are trying to live a life of faith and as a part of that life to be an encouragement to other people.
While Paul actually would prefer to die and instantly be in the presence of Christ…he feels that he must remain for the benefit of people wither believers and non believers.
We are not necessarily being asked to face the choice of leaving to be with the Lord. We hope no one, not even Jesus is asking. -- Generally speaking, most of us are willing to do whatever it takes medically to remain exactly where we are because we fear the unknown.
That is the natural response that the majority of people in the majority of cultures. We all have a preference for this life and what we know even if it is limiting and painful.
During this time of cultural problems, financial suffering, global economic crisis, this time of the doom and gloom health pandemic, Christians have an opportunity to live differently. We have the ability to live supernatural lives which influence other people.
-- Today’s reading is about another way that Christians live in opposition to the cultural norms that is expected.
I have started to notice more and more how selfish our world is and it seems to be growing rapidly. I connect the “me” center attitude to the experience of our culture. Everywhere we look we find encouragement in that direction.
It’s not new, I can recall lots of old movies, when a ship is sinking they say” everyman for himself.”
I watch TV I see a variety of selfish sounding commercials that seem so constant, -
like the large numbers of lawyers on TV that want to help people to get paid for their suffering and pain.
- Everyone is a victim drunk drivers, smokers, persons that are injured or unhealed diseases and physical loss.
- The drug companies advertisements related to a pill or a treatment for everything….all thought the statements of side effects scares me more that dealing with the illness. I am most confused by the drug commercials that don’t tell you what good the medicine does…just ask your doctor.
I used to travel on airlines a good bit. That was probably the place where I witnessed the scariest encouragement for selfishness.
It was in the safety announcement. Ladies and gentlemen welcome to airline flight 123 to Denver Colorado. Yes I said Denver Colorado, if you are going there you are in the right place…if not you are about to have a very long evening.
We would like to take a moment to tell you about some of the safety features of the aircraft. We will start with most important safety equipment on this airplane…The flight attendants please look around for one now.
There are 5 exits aboard this plane, 2 in the front, 2 over the wings and one in the rear of the plane. Please take special note that the door in the center in the back of the plane is NOT a bathroom so don’t try to open the door unless you are prepared to leave the aircraft immediately. If you are seated in an exit row please don’t store you carry on bags under your feet as that is a very bad idea.
Please take a moment to look around and find the nearest exit. Count the rows of seats between you and the exit. In the event an emergency arises and you need one, trust me, you will be glad you did. We have cute blinking lights in the floor that flash in the direction of the nearest exit. The really pretty red ones indicate an exit row.
In the event of a loss of cabin pressure baggy things with yellow plastic cups will drop down on your head and in your face. Take your mask and place it on your face like the flight attendants are doing now and breathe normally. The bag will not inflate but there really is oxygen there, we promise.
If you are sitting with a small child, or someone acting like a small child, do us a favor and put your mask on first.
If you are traveling with two or more children please take a moment now to choose which one is your favorite. Help that one first and work your way down.
All things for survival…but the one that sounded most selfish and was actually encouraged …In the case the loss of cabin pressure – oxygen masks will automatically deploy. You are to put on your own mask first. Before your children.
Everywhere we turn we are exposed to a think of yourself first attitude. The culture says that it is OK sometimes justifying it as a safety measure.
As in the past couple of weeks we will find that Paul advises a different reaction. A reaction to what you have found in your relationship with Christ.
He writes, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ we experience some level of encouragement, comfort, and fellowship or have any tenderness and compassion as a result.
Paul hopes that this relationship, this unity, with Jesus will make HIS joy complete.
Not in a do this for me, do this because of me, do this because I tell you too. But in a do this because that is them message and mission that Christ called him too.
It is the joy of a pastor that he is wanting. To witness the successful and productive relationship with Christ become visible. It has results.
The results will be like-mindedness with Jesus, the same kind of love as Christ, and being one in the spirit and purpose.
There are a lot of words suggesting unity….perhaps with him…perhaps with Christ…Perhaps as a church - Like-mindedness is easy when we are alone in your thinking, when it is just me, myself and I we always agree.
Paul goes on to say, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Paul is saying that we should be selfless and the ability to be selfless comes from humility. -- Humility is not thinking less about ourselves, it is not thinking about ourselves and our needs at all.
I feel like he is addressing the church and the issue of unity because in Verse 27 last week, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel”
The unity of the church is vital. Conducting ourselves in a proper and worthy manor is important. Standing firm against the culture, moral issues, justice, is only possible when a church stands together…
Living as a church connects us to supernatural power that can overcome earthly pressures, pains and even pleasures.
Unity with Christ enables unity as a church requires the opposite of what our culture teaches and expects… selflessness….
Unity comes from selflessness and disunity comes from selfishness.
Paul’s joy comes from the church being the church. Paul’s joy comes when the church goes against cultural expectations and lives against the norm. When it actively works at meeting the needs of others inside and outside of the church community.
Things like increasing our financial support the Rome Urban ministries this year when economic times restricted everyone’s budget. Or as we will do next year, the giving of financial and tangible support to the Christian counseling center of Rome that counsels young women to have their babies. And supports them with encouragement, friendship, clothing, formula diapers and other needs so that it is physically possible for a woman to choose life.
Even when the culture says to be burdened with a child, just get rid of it so you can have a good life. We and other churches and individual Christians help offer and alternative.
While Paul notices that some people seem to be encouraged by his struggle and actions he explains how this kind of a counter cultural attitude really comes about.
Verses 5-11 said to be a part of an early Christian hymn.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
Christ was God, and Man, He made himself nothing becoming a servant instead of claiming equality with God he choose a human likeness and human limitations….
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself and became obedient to death
— even death on a cross!
He became a man in order to accomplish God’s plan for salvation and reconciliation which required a physical death which he submitted to voluntarily.
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 confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
God exalted, glorified, Jesus because of his obedience and restored him to his original position at the right hand of God and worthy of Worship and praise by all mankind as our lord and savior.
Jesus set aside a set of privileges, and rights that He possessed as Lord. He chooses not to exercise or claim them for a period of time. He demonstrated unselfishness by submitting to the needs of others.
He acted un-naturally to his station submitting to the pain and suffering and abuse within culture for the glory of God and the salvation of man.
The WWJD bracelets and shirts come to mind. This passage is a reminder of what would and did Jesus do.
There are many components of being like Jesus that are out of our reach and we are never commanded or encourage or expected to fill that role Some examples would be to be a messiah. Miracles, his moral or spiritual perfection, his redeeming of all of mankind. There are a lot of things, characteristics which we are not called to .
However, there is one thing, one attribute that we are to strive for is sacrificial selflessness. Christ is the example of sacrificial love in his life, in his compassion. He exhibits humility in the caring for people, the seeking of the lost and even in the choosing to wash feet of his followers ag demonstration of service.
In a time when the culture suggests that we need to buy gold and hide it in our mattresses. That we should stock up on food and water and ammunition to hide ourselves away from disease and other suffering and unrest. The Christian is called to live with a selfless and loving nature of Jesus Christ.
Last year when the wellness committee at the county started a walking program they gave away pedometers to everyone that signed up. A pedometer is a little device that measures each step you take. You can measure your stride and it will tell you how far you have walked.
I was sitting in the computer room waiting on a computer test to run and I was playing with the pedometer. Instead of having it on my best I had it in my hand on my knee…I was sitting there bouncing my knee and watching the count fly up rapidly when Kevin came in and after watching me for a few seconds said, “You know that’s cheating?”
I started thinking about how easy it was to fool this little device and perhaps myself. I wondered where I could get a me-0-meter. Something that would measure my actions, my intentions and help me to understand the reality of how highly I value myself.
How often I prefer myself over others….think of self over others…..talk about self over others….ask for self instead of others….pray for self over others……
A pedometer measures steps but the me-o-meter would measure selfishness --- But I decided that would be too convicting….
However, it might be an interesting Christmas gift for me to give to other people. Luckily for all of us there is no real me-o-meter beyond the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Paul encourages his readers to continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Because it is God’s work in you that will give you a supernatural response to the days we live in and to the people that we interact with for his good purpose.
Paul is a good example of a man that is trying his best to be like Christ. Part of his emulation is that he is voluntarily submitting to be inconvenienced as Christ was.
The Holy Spirit gave him encouragement to remain faithful. It allowed him to look past the hardship and the disappointments and see the results that came about in other people. He never tells us to be like him he tells us to be like Christ and we will receive the same kind of ability, and power and attitude.
Let the Holy Spirit be your “me-o-meter” as you struggle to live as Christ in this fallen and hard world. I believe that you will find it easier to become focused on the work that Christ is able to do through you as you face the problems of life.
All Glory be to God!
