Forming a Receptive Heart: Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11

What does it mean to form a heart that is open and receptive to God? Are there things I can do in order to put my emotions, attitudes, and passions in a position to be accessible to God? In Philippians 2, Paul speaks to the church using the example of Christ in order to encourage certain attitudes and behaviors that will open them up to the presence and activity of God and to each other as well.

Paul opens this section by saying:

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,” (vs. 1)

In essence Paul is saying something like, “Because you have received the security and encouragement of a new life in Christ Jesus,” then life should now look like this. These four phrases are sometimes a little hard to pin down, but the general sense of them is straightforward. Because there is security in this new life with Jesus Christ, we are in a place to move forward in our lives for God.

Insecurity stunts relationships. If we are constantly at a point of wondering if that friend still likes us or is mad at us, we cannot grow in that relationship until we receive assurance that we are still on good terms. The same is true of our relationship with Christ. We all have our seasons of doubt when we struggle with whether God really loves us, really cares for us, is now tired of us, is mad with us, or has rejected us all together; and in those seasons it is hard if not impossible to enjoy the fullness of His presence and grace.

Paul’s first point to us is that there is security in my relationship with Christ. His love is everlasting, unfailing, and unconditional and he will never leave me or fail me. Embracing that reality puts my heart in a place to embrace God in my life.

The second point is sometimes difficult.

“…in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (vs. 3-4)

Here, Paul has reached the core of this passage. Humility is a difficult virtue to figure out sometimes, but we should look at it like this: being humble is a lifestyle not burdened with my own pride. It is only in this way that I can truly consider you as more significant than myself—truly believe that it is more important for you to be here than me.

Many have mocked Christianity for its virtue of humility and some have even used humility as a weapon against it, but when we understand what Paul intends, we understand that a right sense of humility opens me up to others and to the presence and power of God.

Essentially, humility gets me out of the way. As soon as I am out of the way, then others can come into focus and I can become Christ’s hands and words to them.

To make his point that humility opens me to the activity of God, Paul cites the most shocking example of humility possible. Because Christ, before he came to this earth as a man, considered you as more significant than his place in heaven, not only do you have a chance at a relationship with God, but God has exalted Christ and given him a name that is above every other name.

It is because Christ was humble that I am saved. What is possible in my life if I allow humility to do its work in me?

Putting On The Life Of Christ: Colossians 3:1-17

Colossians 3:1-17

This section of Colossians 3 is really rather straightforward. Paul tells believers that because they are now children of God and no longer children of this world, their lives need to reflect that change. The way The Message puts the first verse is enlightening:

“So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it.”

What follows is Paul’s description of a Christian life; it is the kind of life that is progressing in one direction, constantly dawning new attitudes and behaviors and continually rejecting others. We should keep in mind as we read these lists that they are not academic exercises for Paul, instead, they flow from the habits and experience of his own life. Though far from perfect, Paul lived a life shaped by spiritual disciplines that reflected the kind of life Jesus lived while here on earth. Paul does not hope the Colossians can be a little bit like the believer described in this passage, he knows they can be and he expects them to be.

The first lesson about spiritual discipline is found in the vocabulary in the first few verses. Paul says, “seek the things that are above…Set your minds on…Put to death…you must put them all away.” The language is of intentionality and speaks to the orientation of my will. What do I really want for my mind, soul, and spirit? What I choose to set my mind on tells me a lot about what I prioritize.

The first lesson of the spiritual disciplines is that they are an intentional act of engagement. We are all often guilty of treating our relationship with God in a passive manner. We do not pay regular attention much less deliberately tend to it, and yet we expect it to be healthy, even growing. My spiritual life is oftentimes a matter of fits and spurts—big moments followed by extended neglect. In contrast, Paul paints a picture of a disciple who takes purposeful and thoughtful steps toward the end of seeking and finding God.

Secondly, when the spiritual disciplines have their way in me, life is radically different from what I am used to. Take verse 8 for instance, “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” Imagine two things. First of all, if we could provide you with a pill that would automatically remove all these kinds of words and tones from your vocabulary and voice, how much of what you say would be left? And secondly, once these ways of reacting to the world are no longer available to you, how now would you react?

What that hypothetical pill does for us “mechanically,” the spiritual disciplines are supposed to do for us naturally. Frankly, a lifestyle without malice, slander, anger or obscenity is vastly different than the one I am used to right now.

And finally, verses 16 and 17 act as the capstone to this passage and answer the “How do I?” question. Notice that Paul does not recommend that the Colossians begin to pretend to engage in this behavior. Instead, he encourages the reading and memorizing of Scripture, the teaching and edification of each other, and worship. These are spiritual disciplines we engage in so that our behavior—the fruit of our lives—is changed. And this is the third lesson in this passage.

The spiritual disciplines are not primarily about behavior modification; they are first and foremost about proximity and surrender. When I am in the middle of a busy street chances are higher that I will be hit by a car than when I am in the middle of the park. The disciplines are intended to put me in the middle of the street where I am most likely to be “hit” by God. And they are also designed to be an expression of surrender; I am no longer the lord of my life, but I willingly give that place to Christ.

I encourage you to engage in one of the disciplines this week and take at least one more deliberate and thoughtful step toward your relationship with Christ.

The Spiritual Disciplines

In our discussion of the Spiritual Disciplines, it is helpful to have a list and brief explanation of some of them. This can act as a short reference as well as a springboard.

This list and classification come from Dallas Willard. Though not comprehensive, it is a very helpful list.

The two categories are important. The first, “Disciplines of Abstinence,” are designed to help us remove destructive and unhelpful things from our lives through acts that force us to stop, wait, remove, or eliminate. The “Disciplines of Engagement” are intended to build the right kinds of attitudes and habits into our daily lives.

Disciplines of Abstinence
Solitude: The practice of spending time without any others or any distractions.
Silence: No noise or conversation. Just you and God.
Fasting: Abstain from food, media, entertainment, or anything else that occupies your time.
Frugality: Use your money for purposes outside your own needs for a time.
Chastity: 1 Corinthians 7:8, “Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
Secrecy: Do not allow anyone to know of the deeds you do or the money you give in order to avoid doing them for the wrong motivations. Only God needs to know.
Sacrifice: Stretch your sense of what you can do without for the sake of those who have less.

Disciplines of Engagement
Study: Memorize Scripture and expand your universe of biblical study helps.
Worship: Engage in corporate worship and include worship in your own prayer time.
Celebration: Practice being grateful and thankful both in your own relationship with Christ and with other believers. Express encouragement and thankfulness to others.
Service: Give your time to the church and/or to others. Ponder tithing your time.
Prayer: Take deliberate steps to pray regularly and with purpose. Praying through the Psalms is a good way to increase your “prayer vocabulary.”
Fellowship: Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Confession: Practice confessing your sins to trusted people who will pray with you and be spiritual allies.
Submission: Submit to the proper people in the proper ways—fight against the sin of pride.

Divine Favor: Matthew 5:1-12

Matthew 5:1-12

As Matthew chapter 5 opens, imagine the scene you would have encountered if you were with Jesus. First, you know very little about this teacher. His ministry has just begun and you are just a few days old as a follower, but you have already been witness to some amazing things. Just the day before, Jesus was teaching in the Synagogues and healed “every disease and affliction among the people.” (Matt. 4:23) As far as you can tell, no teacher has actually healed anyone.

His message is the kingdom of God. Your curiosity is piqued as you try to absorb the meaning of life in this new kingdom, for it is clearly different from the kingdom you have spent your life in so far. After all, in the kingdom of God, people are healed.

Then the crowds begin to follow him. The people are made up of the recently healed and the “need-to-be-healed.” The people bring to him “all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.” (Matt. 4:24) This crowd is not comprised of the socially mobile, the cultural elite or the rich and handsome. In fact, this crowd smells just a bit.

It is at this point that Jesus gathers his disciples around him on a hillside and begins to teach them and the crowd a little more about the kingdom of God, and instead of beginning with a list of requirements or moral imperatives, he begins with blessing; he begins with what it is to be blessed in the kingdom of God.

The Beatitudes have been an abundant source for discussion and sermonizing, and it often happens that passages as familiar as this one lose their impact. Through the years, many have interpreted them as a list of moral requirements. In other words, this view holds that the formula of the Beatitudes is something like, “I am only blessed if…” But that misses their point entirely.

We should approach the Beatitudes more like an illustrated sermon. As each blessing is given, imagine Jesus pointing to some soul in the crowd who has just received his healing touch or who desperately needs it. What Jesus is explaining is that “Even this one is blessed in the kingdom of God.” To the new disciples, the word “blessed” means to be a privileged recipient of divine favor and was normally applied to the wealthy and powerful. But now, surrounded by a crowd of needy and broken people, this teacher says they are privileged recipients of divine favor.

The Beatitudes are living examples of what it means to be a part of the kingdom of God through a relationship with Jesus. The beatitude of this crowd obviously had nothing to do with their merit or their own achievement; it was a gift from God. Receiving God’s favor is not about my current or anticipated situation, and being blessed, now that the kingdom of God has come in the person of Jesus, is not tied to my earthly happiness.

You should say this out loud today: “I am blessed.” It does not matter what your circumstances are. If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you are a privileged recipient of divine favor and a member of the kingdom of God.

Promise Keeping: Jeremiah 34

Jeremiah 34

King Zedekiah was more of a fool than a demon. Several of the kings before him were evil, even very evil, and one recent king was even righteous, but Zedekiah was too much of a politician. He ran his life and his kingdom according to the most recent need perceived by his advisors and made his decisions based on attempts at short-term pandering. And it got him in trouble.

Jeremiah 34 tells the story of Zedekiah breaking two very important promises and what became of the man as a result. The first promise was made to Nebuchadnezzar when the general of the Babylonian army took the true king of Judah into exile and erected Zedekiah as his puppet-king. The explicit understanding was that Zedekiah would be loyal to Babylon, but chapter 34 opens this way:

“…when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms of the earth under his dominion and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem and all of its cities:” (vs.1 )

Zedekiah listened to his advisors instead of honoring his promise to Babylon and started an insurrection in hopes of breaking free (see chapter 27). The result, instead of freedom from their enemies, was a renewed effort on Babylon’s part to destroy Jerusalem. Jeremiah tells Zedekiah that the city will be burned and he will be taken into exile, and though Zedekiah will not die by the sword, his fate is worse than death. As a result of his promise breaking, Nebuchadnezzar will slaughter his sons before his eyes and then gouge them out.

But Zedekiah is not done breaking oaths. The rest of the chapter details a covenant he made before God to free all the slaves in Jerusalem. The slaves were freed, but it didn’t take long for Zedekiah to revoke the oath and recapture the slaves. God was pleased he made the oath and that the slaves were freed, but then became sarcastic over the broken covenant:

“Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the LORD. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.” (vs. 17)

The habit of breaking promises, of lying, is a powerful relationship killer. In dramatic fashion Zedekiah destroyed the relationship established between himself and Nebuchadnezzar and then he harmed his relationship with God as well. Proverbs 26:28 says, “A lying tongue hates its victims.” In Psalm 5:6 the sins of murder and lying are paired when the Psalmist says, “You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty, and the deceitful man.”

When it comes to lying the most telling passage of Scripture is possibly Colossians 3:9-10.

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

In other words, the more truthful my speech becomes, the more full of integrity my language and actions are, the more like Christ I become. Lying belongs to the old, decrepit part of my sin nature that, by the grace of Jesus Christ, is overcome with a new nature.

Being a truthful person is a character I develop. It begins with keeping my word and my promises and sinks deep into my soul and becomes integrity. Truth telling is the character God wants me to develop as his child. My folly is that I often think I can maintain relationships—with my fellow beings and with God—while being deceitful.