Last Sunday I asked this question: “What will the history books say about Christians in America in the next ten years?” I believe this is an important question to ask because it gets after the manner of life we lead or the lifestyles we live.
I believe it’s the question that the apostle Paul was implicitly asking in Philippians 1:27 when he said, “Only let your manner of life – as citizens of Heaven – be worthy of – marked by – the gospel.”
I also believe that the best opportunity we have to assess the manner of our lives or our lifestyles is in the midst of difficult times when we are being squeezed by the horrors of this life.
We are living in unprecedented times. 2020 is a Presidential election year. A worldwide pandemic has just swept through our nation. Lives have been brutally taken in front of our eyes on our TV screens. Protests and riots have filled the streets of many cities across our nation. Businesses have been crushed. Racial tensions are so thick you can cut it with a knife.
I believe that these events are marking the emotional, relational and spiritual makeup of our society as we speak.
As I listened to other people over the past week, I heard deep emotions being expressed over the events of the last five months and especially now over the last two weeks.
Some people are somewhat oblivious, others are angry, some are sad, others are frightened, some are confused, others are deeply wounded and hurt, some are skeptical and others are ready to fight.
Traumatic experiences leave their marks on us for better or for worse. Thirty-seven years ago, I woke up to learn that my dad had left our family. This experience marked me in ways that I still wrestle with to this day.
Twenty years ago, I was riding my motorcycle when I pulled out in front of an SUV traveling at 50mph. It was a gruesome scene that left its marks on my body and it also marked me spiritually, emotionally and relationally.
If you’ve faced any kind of trauma or hardship in your life, then you know what I’m talking about. The same is true of the times we are living in right now.
And the same was true of the Philippian church. Their beloved pastor, the apostle Paul, who had planted the Philippian church, was locked up in jail for preaching the gospel because the people who should have been his friends decided to turn on him.
Let’s not forget that the Roman culture within the city of Philippi was largely Hellenistic which means that the citizens within Philippi enjoyed the quote-un-quote freedom of religion so long as your religion didn’t step on someone else’s toes.
Therefore, Christian’s in Philippi did not occupy the center of religious influence; Christian’s were viewed as second rate citizens. To be Christian in Philippi was to be an outcast, a weirdo, an overlooked member of society.
Paul knows that the trauma and the difficulty that the Philippians are experiencing has the power to shape their hearts, to mark them in ways that are either contrary to the gospel or worthy of the gospel.
His concern is that there are already tiny shreds of evidence that the Philippians are being marked in ways that are contrary to the gospel.
What are those tiny shreds of evidence that I’m talking about? What is Paul’s main concerns for the Philippian church?
A short treetop survey of this letter reveals that Paul is concerned that self-centeredness, pride, complaining, arguing, disagreements and division are already becoming the reputation of the Philippian church (Phil. 2:3 – 4; 14 – 15; 4:2 – 3).
But Paul does not lose heart because he’s convinced that the heart is the heart of the issue and the only vaccination for the sin infection he sees, is the centrality of the crucified, risen and returning Christ (1:9 – 11).
He firmly believes that the Philippian church must put on the mind of Christ, focus on working out their own salvation in Christ and stand firm in the joy of Christ (Phil. 2:5 – 8; 12 – 13; 4:1, 4 – 7).
In other words, the apostle Paul knows that the only remedy for the brokenness and the trauma we experience in this life is Christ.
The only way to live our lives in a manner that is worthy of – marked by – the gospel of Jesus Christ as citizens of Heaven is to orient our lives around the crucified, risen and returning Christ.
This is what Paul is getting after in Philippians 2:1 – 4:
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Let’s Pray…
As I read this passage, I can’t help but to notice that Paul is saying that we are to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit (vs. 3). We are not to be known for self-centeredness or pride.
My reputation, the visible story of my character, should be known for – marked by – the gospel of Jesus Christ. What does this look like? How will I know if my manner of life is marked by the gospel?
#1: MY LIFE MUST BE MARKED BY CHRIST-LIKE MOTIVATIONS (VS. 1)
Motivations are tiny elusive little things that constantly run wild under the surface of my heart like computer programs invisibly churning away under the surface.
It’s easy to notice when an invisible computer program begins running poorly because the computer slows down and produces inefficiently.
It’s the same with my motivations and if I don’t practice regular maintenance checks on my heart (the hard drive of my being) then my life will begin to produce the fruit or the marks of self-centeredness and pride.
This is why Paul basically questions if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy in our motivations(vs. 1).
Self-centeredness and pride show up in my life in a myriad of different ways from being short with my wife to angry with my kids to self-pity and insecurity.
These things show up in my heart and life when I am disconnected from Christ. But when my heart is plugged into Jesus through regular times in the Scriptures, prayer and the gathering of God’s people then it’s like my hard drive is plugged into daily reminders of the encouragement that I have in Christ, the comfort and the love that I have in Christ, the fellowship of the Spirit that I have in Christ and the affection and sympathy that I have in the cross of Christ.
At the end of the day, I am a really broken and sinful person. My good intentions (my motivations) oftentimes get mixed with bad or sinful motivations.
It’s good for me to be reminded that in Christ I am no longer an outsider; his unconditional love has been extended to me in his sacrifice at the cross and slowly but surely he is transforming the motivations of my heart to become more like Christ; to be encouraged in Christ; to be comforted by the love of Christ; to fellowship with the Spirit of Christ; to feel the affection and sympathy of the presence of Christ.
I must constantly ask myself:
- Am I seeking encouragement at the foot of the cross that I should have died on?
- Have I sought comfort anywhere else besides the love of Christ today?
- Where is my heart seeking intimacy or fellowship right now?
- Have I brought myself into the presence of the Lord?
- Is there anything I’m trying to hide from him?
- When was the last time I felt the affection and sympathy of my heavenly Father for me the prodigal son?
My life must be marked by Christ-like motivations and this will only happen as I receive encouragement from Jesus, comfort in the love of Jesus, fellowship with the Spirit of Jesus and affection and sympathy in the presence of Jesus.
#2: MY LIFE MUST BE MARKED BY CHRIST-LIKE UNITY (VS. 2)
Unity in this day-and-age seems like a fleeting, lofty, philosophical concept sometimes; even inside the church. The events of the last five months and especially the events of the last two weeks have shown us just how hard it is to hold onto unity.
Just this last week I watched (in horror) as brothers and sisters that I love dearly fought it out over social media in reaction to our President’s photo op in front of a church building with a Bible in his hand.
The division over what to feel and what to believe about this one single event was palpable. People (professing Christians) were unfriending each other and calling each other derogatory names publicly on social media over this one single event.
Churches and families have been known to divide over smaller issues in recent years. The threat of this would have been just as real in the Philippian church too.
The pressures of the world’s value systems will always seek to pull us away from the love of Christ. This is why Paul instructs the Philippians to complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind (vs. 2).
What Paul is advocating for here is a Christ-like unity. Christ-like unity produces joy. It’s s single-minded. It’s based on the love of Christ.
I say this often: Christ-like unity does not enforce uniformity but invites celebration of diversity. We in the church need to hear this message now more than ever. We are witnessing and experiencing some of the greatest depths of pain in our fractured nation at this time.
What the world needs right now is not a church that argues over fine points of theology, political policy or social ideology.
What the world does not need right now is a church that weaponizes our versions of truth on secondary matters of importance.
What the world needs right now is a church that has found her hope in the risen Christ and is able to maintain a presence in this broken world that listens without judgment, comforts without condemnation and comes alongside casualties and prisoners of spiritual warfare with compassion and love.
This is the love of Christ that unites brokenhearted sinners at the foot of the cross; to welcome the unlovely, to help the downtrodden, to relieve the burdens of the oppressed, to bring peace to the animosity, and to bring healing and wholeness to the broken.
The message of the gospel was never meant to be a divisive weapon in the hands of people who claim to know the truth.
I must continue to ask myself whether or not my life is marked by Christ-like unity that is characterized by the joy, the love and the peace of Christ.
#3: MY LIFE MUST BE MARKED BY CHRIST-LIKE HUMILITY (VS. 3)
This is why Paul says, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves (vs. 3).
Here’s the way this breaks down:
- Selfish ambition is self-centeredness that is concerned with self-first; my thoughts first, my feelings first, my opinions first, all organized in a way that gives me the leg up or a sense of superiority as I lend a quote-un-quote helping hand.
- Conceit is pride that is enamored or flattered with self; the echo chamber in my head that runs unchecked, the self-congratulation that happens when I loudly or even quietly “give them the truth”.
- Conceit is concerned with the expression of self at the cost of another’s wellbeing. It’s the desire to win the fight, to be right and to exercise my right at the expense of someone else.
- In this prison cell, other people are expendable enemies to be conquered for my gain.
- Conceit is the deadly enemy of compassion and humility.
Humility is concerned with, being enamored by or flattered with others more than self. And Paul doesn’t dictate who makes the cut to fit into the category of the “others” but a reading of any of the four gospels will paint the picture of who the “others” are.
The “others” are outcasts, downtrodden, ostracized, abused, used, exploited, forgotten, poor, marginalized, unclean, second rate, lower class, enemies, etc.
The bottom line here is that the calling to exhibit Christ-like humility is a calling to be concerned with, enamored by or flattered with others more than self.
A post from a friend on Facebook was convicting this week and I think it serves to underscore the point here. He said:
“I know [that] some of you in the Reformed [Christian] circles are going to give me a hard time and say that I’m compromising, but whatever. Why is it so hard to come alongside the hurting and lament with them? Why do some feel the need to have to provide conditional love instead of unconditional love? You can hold [on] to your beliefs and still have a tender heart. Just stop for a moment and try to do the following: Listen, Lament, Learn, Love. It costs you nothing to do this. You don’t have to change your views. Actually, the only thing it may cost you is your pride” (Alex Rodrigues, Facebook Post, June 4, 2020).
In other words, my life must be marked by Christ-like humility instead of selfish ambition (self-centeredness) and conceit (pride). I must ask myself: Is my life marked by Christ-like humility?
#4: MY LIFE MUST BE MARKED BY CHRIST-LIKE SERVANTHOOD (VS. 4)
Paul says, Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interests of others (vs. 4).
It’s interesting to think about the interests of others. What do they like? What do they value? What do they need? What do they want? What kind of trauma have they experienced? What wounds do they have?
What do they fear? What makes them uncomfortable? What do they believe? What are they actually trying to say? What do they long for?
Who are they under the surface? How can I serve them the best right now? How can I love the present version of them more than the fantasy I have of who they might be or could be tomorrow?
The picture of Christ-like servanthood is explicitly painted in the story of Jesus taking off his symbolic robe of power and kneeling down in the nitty-gritty, messy place of life and washing the disciples disgustingly filthy feet (Jn. 13:1 – 20).
But even this story lacks a little bit of the thrust of what it means to serve someone like Jesus does. The story of Jesus healing his enemy’s ear after Peter cuts it off because the man was arresting Jesus is even more extraordinary (Lk. 22:47 – 53) because it shows Jesus’ willingness to serve even his enemies.
So if I am to keep the crucified, risen and returning Christ at the center of my manner of life as a citizen of heaven, then my life must be marked by Christ-like servanthood which means that I will look not only to my own interests but also to the interest of others – especially the interest of my enemies who may become family one day by the grace of God.
CONCLUSION…
We’ve learned today that if we are going to live our lives as citizens of heaven in a manner that is worthy of the gospel then our lives must be marked by Christ-like motivations, Christ-like unity, Christ-like humility and Christ-like servanthood.
Why does this matter? How does this help? What’s the big deal here? Here’s why this matters: This Christ-like reputation is the kind of reputation that the Lord desires of anyone who claims to know Jesus because it’s the kind of reputation that is produced by people who carry their crosses like their Savior did.
It’s the picture of anyone who has put on the mind of Christ Jesus. The best picture I can leave you with in conclusion is a plain reading of next week’s text.
I pray that the Spirit will apply it your heart in this moment:
Philippians 2:5 – 8 says:
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
This is the Word of the Lord to us today. Amen!