If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we could make it easier. But it is not. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. How could we? We are dealing with Fact. Of course anyone can be simple if it has no facts to bother about. C. S. Lewis
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. Phil 2:9-11
To know God and to understand his ways is not easy. It takes hard thinking. As Lewis reminded us, “God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than of any other slackers.” Asking questions of the text is crucial if we are to squeeze out of the passages the truth we seek. Very early in my studies, I was told by one of my mentors that one of the questions I needed to ask was, “Where for the therefore?” “Therefore” [or “wherefore”] is used 446 times in the Bible. So, it is important for us to discover where the “therefore” is pointing. It means, “in the light of what you have just read, this is the result.” “Therefore” points back to what Paul has written about Jesus in verses 5-8 as a set up for what he is about to declare.
Paul was concerned about divisions in the church and the attitude that birthed it, pride. Christ died to birth a new people united in him and bound with his love. Division, competition and manipulation were improper in God’s family. The antidote for division is humility. If the members of the church don’t know how that looks, he counseled them to look at Jesus. We should have the same attitude [2:5] that was in Christ when he entered our world and lived among us. He humbly gave up his divine prerogatives to live among men with the same kind of weakness that we humans have. In other words, for his time on earth he chose not to use his unique powers of omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence. He lived as a man, dependent upon His Father, living in full trust of His love and care for his every need. He came not to “Lord it over us” but to serve us in weakness.
His mission was unique in time and eternity. The Creator God did not just come to earth. He came all the way to earth. He did not grasp his position but let go of his rights. He lived not as a master but as a slave. Instead of being hailed as King he was reviled as a criminal. He died not in the quietness of sleep but in agony of the cross. His whole life was directed toward experiencing the depths of human suffering. For sin to be fully atoned for, it was to be fully felt in the life of our Savior.
That is the blessed “therefore” of which Paul writes. Because of what Jesus suffered, because he willingly descended to the lowest place, because he fulfilled the Father’s will to the letter, therefore, the Father lifted him to the highest place. He honored the obedience of the Son by giving him a name above every other name in heaven and earth. That name is Jesus. Every single knee will bow to him, either now in repentance and faith, or then, in fear and judgment. All that Jesus suffered, all that he accomplished, all that he has received, is done “to the glory of the Father.”
There are two crucial blessings that radiate from this passage. First, the length to which God would take to reconcile us to Himself is absolutely mind blowing. This is not a case where the Father is wrath and the Son is love; or where the Father commanded the Son to go and he went reluctantly. We were chosen by the Father in eternity past. The Son was slain from the foundation of the world. In other words, our salvation came as a gracious act of the Godhead who acted in concert and total agreement. The choice, the grace, the cost, should overwhelm us with gratitude and humility. In the words of Charles Spurgeon: “Be not proud of race, face place or grace.” It is truly a humbling to understand and appreciate what God has done for us. Pride is not appropriate but confidence is.
The second blessing is this: A pattern has been established that applies to us as well as the Son. We are called to live like the Son. We are to give up all confidence in the flesh and live trusting in the faithfulness of the One who called us. It will mean forgetting about ourselves for the joy of serving Jesus. It means giving up what “we deserve” for the chance of giving others what they need. Following Jesus will mean we give up the lights of Hollywood for the nights in darkest Africa. It will mean being tired, getting sick, leaving family and possibly even dying. All of this is done without one speck of complaint of regret. Why? The answer: life’s great therefore.”
Here is the blessing. Nothing that we lose compares to what we gain by serving Jesus. Nothing given up for the sake of Christ will be lost. Jesus said it like this: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” [Matt 19:29-30] To be caught up in the things of God, to discover more and more of the treasures that are in Christ, to be friends with him and to daily uncover the secrets of friendship with him, is the only truly exciting and satisfying way to live.
It all begins when we humble ourselves and exchange our independence for dependence on the promises of God. James wrote in James 4:6, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." To do it our way, to be the self-made man, is to invite God’s resistance. If all that was created exists to give God glory, we are in reality opposing him. But, when we humble ourselves, when we make it our life’s passion to honor him with our lives, while we do all things in the strength he provides, he lifts us up. So, James concludes, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” [James 4:10]
“Pride,” C. S. Lewis observed, “leads to every other vise: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” Jesus Christ not only gave us a model to show us, by his death and resurrection he changed us. The “great therefore” means that because we are in Christ, we can live the same God honoring, people serving, pride busting life he demonstrated in his mission to earth. And, we can count on this; that the same God who exalted the name of Jesus above all other names, will in due time will lift us up.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” –Jim Elliot, 1949
Unbelievers can argue philosophy. They can dispute theology. They can subvert history. And they can undermine character. But they are helpless in the face of extraordinary feats of selfless compassion. George Grant
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became 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, Phil 2:8-9
After describing the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Paul describes the unbelievable lengths that God would go to save his people. We simply cannot miss the significance of this incomparable act of love and humility on God’s part. It is not just that he came to earth, or that he gave up his divine prerogatives, or that he came to serve instead of rule, not even that he came to die for us. The ultimate pull upon our hearts is ultimately the way in which the Son of God accomplished his mission. Jesus said it like this: “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." [John 12:32]
Read more: Philippians #12 A Platform of Selfless Compassion
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. [Phil 2:5-7]
The other morning I enjoyed a wonderful study on humility in the Word. Jesus reminded me that although he was the Son of Man, deserving of all honor, he came to earth not to be served but to serve. I prayed that I would have the same kind of attitude. I felt so good about myself as I imagined lowering myself like Jesus did. Then, my wife and I went to Walmart.
On the way, I was driving in the left lane when a car alongside us proceeded to move into our space. I honked but he continued to come. I slammed on the brakes to avoid an accident. Then, I sent him a Christmas greeting with my horn. He returned the greeting with an obscene gesture.
By the time we reached Walmart, I had gotten control of the anger and was feeling pretty good about my self-control. Barb and I separated and went in different directions. I was pushing my cart down an aisle when I saw a mother and her teen-age daughter ahead. They saw me coming but turned their heads toward their shopping. As I got closer, I realized that it would be a tight squeeze to get by because there was a pillar in the middle of the row. So, when I got to the lady, who had her back to me and not wanting to disturb her, I slowly inched the cart around so as to not hit her. The daughter saw me coming and said, “Mom.” Mom ignored her. Again she said, “Mom.” Again Mom ignored her. The third time Mom turned to her and said, “What do you want?” “The man is trying to get by,” explained the daughter. Her Mom shot back, “That is why they invented the words ‘Excuse me’!”
I continued on, shaking my head. I had tried to be careful not to disturb her and that is how she responded. Ugh! Later, as divine vengeance would have it, I came out of a row into a main aisle just as the mother and daughter were coming toward me. I pushed my cart in front of them and said very self-righteously, “Excuse me!”
Now, in retrospect, I am not very proud of my actions. I could have blamed a bad day or Christmas depression or an empty stomach. I could have even claimed that I was only responding to the ugliness of others. But, the fact is that I was just thinking of myself and any thoughts of honoring Christ were absent. Apparently, a simple prayer and some good feelings were not enough to change my depraved, self-centered heart.
In our last devotion, we heard Paul exhorting the Philippian church to “treat others better than themselves.” In the wisdom of God, the Church was to be the grand example of a loving and united family. In Christ, all of the things that once divided and caused competition were destroyed on the cross. [Ephesians 2:14-18] Christ has now “created one new man out of the two, thus making peace.” This “new man” meant not just a lack of hostility but unusual charity. That kind of lifestyle was meant to be carried out into the world and practiced as a witness to our unbelieving neighbors. [Matt. 5:16]
For that to happen, we needed to experience a major attitude adjustment. Our model is Jesus. Paul writes, “Your attitude should be the same as Jesus Christ.” Jesus was controlled by an attitude that could be described by one word: humility. He continually lowered himself to lift others up. He explained the thrust of his life like this: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." [Matt 20:28]
As the Son of Man, he had every right to demand respect and service from us. Instead, in conformity to his Father’s plan, he chose to give up his glorious existence and inherent rights and come to earth to serve and save sinners and rebels like you and me. Whether he faced friend or foe, he always gave not what was deserved but what was needed, no matter what it cost him.
Paul exhorts us to have the same attitude. How does that miracle happen? It obviously takes more than just a wish to imitate Jesus. We retain a huge residue of self-focus within us so that self-determination will never be enough. No, we need an ongoing miracle. Paul tells us that the source of that transformation comes through the Spirit who is working in us, giving us the desire and the power to become servants like Jesus. [Phil. 2:12-13]
A brief look at Jesus will help us to get on that path. First, Jesus’ sacrificial service was based upon his unqualified trust in the Father. This is not some psychological theory but an eternal reality. When Jesus was insulted and attacked, he did not respond in kind, but trusted himself, his well-being, to the One who makes all things right. [I Peter 2:23] And, at the last supper, with the cross only hours away, he demonstrated that trust in a surprising and unusual way. He washed his disciples’ feet. The reason Jesus could act with such humility in a time of personal calamity is explained by John with these words: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.” [John 13:3-4]
Jesus was not a helpless victim. Neither ugly people nor painful circumstances determined his actions or his reactions. The Father had given all authority to him. Jesus knew where he came from and where he was going. With his life securely in the good hands of his Father, he continued to serve under the shadow of the cross. His attention remained fixed on the need of others. In this passage, Paul reminds us that we are called and equipped to live with the same kind of self-forgetfulness. When we react to rude drivers and rude shoppers with anger and ugliness, we are showing that we have forgotten who is ultimately in control of our lives. We are demonstrating a lack of trust and gratefulness.
We might wonder if this kind of change is even possible. Paul seems to think so. He writes, “let this attitude be in you.” No matter how impossible it seems and no matter how many times we have failed, Paul exhorts and expects us to live like Jesus. However, his confidence does not rest upon our will power but Christ’s presence. He is working in us, through His Word, to change our heart so that we want to be just like Jesus. [Phil 2:12-13] The Spirit who is committed to shaping Christ in us won’t let us get away with self-centered hissy fits on city roads or store rows. He will convict us and point to a more excellent way. God at work in us is Paul’s source of exhortation to us.
Transformation will take a lifetime. It will involve commitment, failure, confession, forgiveness, repentance and progress. The starting point will be a growing awareness of our privileged position in Christ. Each day we will have to prepare for battle through engagement with the Word and prayer. As we feel anger arise because of disrespect, we learn that those events are designed as opportunities to respond with graciousness instead of reacting with ugliness. What is at stake here is much more than preserving my pride but protecting my joy. Pleasing Jesus, portraying Jesus, proclaiming Jesus, is eternally more rewarding to our souls than demanding momentary respect from strangers.
Corrie Ten Boom, that precious lady who suffered unspeakable indignities at the hands of the Nazis, was once asked if she found it hard to be humble. She pointed to Jesus arrival into Jerusalem on a donkey. She said that as the masses were waving palm branches and singing praises it never occurred to the donkey that those expressions might be for him. And, then she concluded, “If I can be a donkey on which Jesus rides in His glory, I give him all the praise and honor.” That, my friends, should be our attitude. Be a donkey, not a jack ass.
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. Phil 2:3-4
It was the last major test of my son’s basic training in the Marine Corps. He had to complete grueling twelve mile trek with an eighty pound bag on his back. It began early in the morning and would last most of the day. There was one brief stop along the way for water. It was a torturous challenge to the young recruits, demanding all the persevering discipline they could muster. If they didn’t make it, they were out.
At one point in the walk, my son was almost pushed over from behind. He continued to feel an increase of pressure and weight upon his back. When they reached their break point, Chad turned to the recruit behind him and asked him if he was pushing him. The exhausted young man, said, “Hey, I cannot make it unless you let me rest upon you.” Chad responded, “OK, but let me know when you are coming.”
It occurred to me that as soldiers in the army of God, we are in a similar situation. Our trek is long and exhausting and it tests us to the limits of our abilities. The battle we fight at times seems almost too hard for us to make it. But, in those stressful times, God gives us brothers and sisters who love us and care for us. They are there for us to lean upon.
That is the kind of thing Paul is writing about here. In the opening chapter of Philippians, he spoke of the power of God to defeat the enemies that stood outside the church. Now he is dealing with the enemies that lurk within the church. Division and self-focus will kill life in the Body. We have been inducted into the army of God as individuals, but we, by the work of the Spirit, are bound together as one team. All combatants soon discover that the success of the mission depends upon their learning to battle as a band of brothers. Their very lives depend upon it.
Our motivation comes from knowing that we are a part of something far bigger and wonderful than our puny selves. For the Marines it is being a member of the “few, the proud, the Marines,” “the greatest fighting force in the world.” As Christians, we are a part of an army whose calling is far more glorious and grand. We have been delivered from the dominion of darkness and have been inducted into the glorious kingdom of God’s Son. All of the blessings of God are ours in Christ. Our past is pure; our future is sure; our present is secure. We have everything we need to fight and win the battle he has called us to. Glory, honor and reward await God’s faithful soldiers.
That is what Paul is arguing in Philippians 2:1, when 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.” In Christ we have been given everything essential to living a life filled with joy and victory. As members of God’s family we have no reason to fear for ourselves and every reason to fight for the welfare of our brothers.
Paul tells us that we are to do nothing that is designed to cause dissention or promotion of the self. Wow! How convicting is that? Because everything we have that is good comes to us by grace; because we are all members of God’s eternal family; because we have been given everything we need; we are to do nothing that is motivated by self-promotion and that aims at causing division. Nothing!
Paul reminds us that the attitude that should guide our service is humility. Paul says it like this in Ephesians 4:1-3; “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” In the light of all we have received, we are to live a “worthy life” which is built on a foundation of humility.
Humility is the one thing that as soon as you think you have it you have lost it. In fact, it is most likely to be present when it is not even noticed. It is the forgetting of the self. Perhaps the best description of humility outside the Bible is Andrew Murray’s:
Humility is quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble. The humble person is not one who thinks meanly of himself, he simply does not think of himself at all.
Humility is just plain honesty. It is acknowledgement that everything we have is a gift. Paul asks this: “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” [1 Cor. 4:7] With that truth embedded in our souls, we are freed from envy and jealously. Instead, we can use position and gifts to lift others up.
When Paul writes for you to consider or treat others as better than yourself, he does not mean they are better. He is simply commanding us to treat them as if they are. By the grace of God you have been freed from promoting yourself. You know what you are. A sinner saved by grace. That is honesty. All has been given to us so that we can spend our lives in service to our Lord and His commands. We are all brothers in battle and all have been given the honor of helping one another in the battle for Truth.
One of the requirements of a Marine is to carry a body on his back for a certain predetermined distance. Why is that? That is what they do in battle. When someone is wounded, they never leave him behind. A fellow brother will pick them up, in the face of enemy fire if need be, and make sure that their comrade in arms reaches safety. That is what brothers do in battle.
On June 18, 1956, a freak accident happened on a lake in New York. A speeding motorboat bounced on a wave and shot into the water two of its passengers, a 50-year old man and a young lady. To keep the girl from drowning, the man held the lady’s head above water while the boat circled back to pick them up. They rescued the girl, but the man sank and drowned.
That man was Dawson Trotman. Dawson, or Daws as he was known to his friends, was the founder of the Navigators, an international Christian discipleship ministry. At the time of his death, Time Magazine wrote this: “Dawson lived to save others. His death was just the way he would have planned it.” His obituary read, “Dawson Trotman, always lifting someone up.”
I see that kind of living whenever I visit my missionary friends in Africa. They could stay safe and secure in the USA. They could have remained and pursued the “American Dream.” But, they were given a far grander dream. Their focus is no longer on themselves. In Jesus Christ they have found a deep and profound satisfaction. They have left all for the joy of lifting others up. They want the people of Malawi to know this God who never moves, who stands like a granite Rock, who says to his weary soldiers, "Lean on me.” May the Lord Jesus Christ grant you the faith to forget about yourself so that struggling soldiers may lean on you and complete the course Christ has set before them.
Permissions: Permission is granted for reproduction and distribution of this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Dr. Gary Rieben. © Give Me That Book. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Website: www.GiveMeThatBook.org. Postal: GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92253 USA | 619.829.2390
© Give Me That Book
To live above with saints we love, ah, that will be glory! But, to live below with saints we know, ah, that’s another story!
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. Phil 2:1-2
In the world, relationships are established on the basis of “if:” if you love me, I will love you;” “if you make me happy, I will try to make you happy;” if you respect me, I will respect you.” But, when that attitude is brought into the Church, chaos enters the Body and Christ’s name is sullied.
That is what Paul is addressing in chapter two. He has been arguing that in Christ, former enemies have been miraculously changed into loving brothers. Outsiders, strangers, foreigners to the promises of God have been brought into the house of God by the blood of Christ. [Ephesians 2:11-18] The old hostilities have been put to death and one new man has been created out of the two. We have been made partners with a common affection for Jesus. We are not only united in belief, we are united in heart [1:7]. We have one overriding purpose: To manifest the glory of God by our love for one another. [John 11:35]
Last summer I gathered together with a group of very old people who had not been together in fifty years. The thing that bound us together was that we were a part our of church youth group fifty years ago. That church was my spiritual nursery. They helped raise me and instill within me a devotion to Christ and a love for his Body. Fifty years later these people still have a special place in my heart. Throughout my 60 years of faith, I have continued to find sweet fellowship in church families scattered across the country.
Paul is declaring that my experience should not be a rare thing. But, history has shown that too often the church has been a place of conflict rather than compassion. Things start to go bad when some of the members become unhappy and don’t like what they were getting from their “family” experience. The reasons vary. Sometimes the blame is placed on failed leadership or “bad” preaching or change in the music style or a change in the carpet colors. The kinds of grievances are endless, but they become dangerous when they focus on people.
It gets sinful and destructive when these unhappy people handle their grievances in an ungodly and unscriptural way. First, they find fault in another brother or sister. Then, they fail to judge themselves first to see if they might be wrong. [Matthew 7:1-5] Then, they look to others for support. “We” and “ours” becomes “us” and “them.” It begins with words like this: “What do you think of the sermon last Sunday?” “I sense in my spirit that he is too young to hold that position. What do you think?” “We have never done it that way before. It will ruin our church.” Or, “I don’t feel the Spirit moving anymore.” And, the gossip begins. Fellowship meals become gripe sessions. Phone calls are made to enlist support. As the positions harden, the services are no longer the time to worship or minister or love, but become opportunities to gather more evidence to justify their opposition.
Poison is now released in the Body of Christ. The family that was meant to be so tight that nothing could destroy its love from the outside is torn apart by division from within. The Church that was meant to be a shining light set upon a hill is covered by a bushel of selfishness in the guise of doing God’s work. I have seen it happen again and again: Some of the meanest things are said and done in the name of God.
That is the situation Paul is addressing in the Church at Philippi. Once united in a common love for Jesus and a commitment to spread his glory, the church was experiencing division from within. Perhaps some were thinking, “If you would have been more encouraging, or, “If you would have been more sensitive;” or, “If you would have been more friendly; we would not be upset with you. But, because you failed to meet our expectations, we are through with you.”
The result of that kind of thinking produces a Church that looks no different than the Lions Club or the Rotary Club. Support and respect is given on the basis of “If,” if you give me what I want, if you do it the way I want it, then I will support you. The motivating force is looking to man to make us happy. It is a failure to realize what we have been given in Jesus Christ that should set us apart from all other organisms.
That is why Paul 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.” [Phil 2:1-2] Paul’s point is this: In Jesus Christ we have been given more encouragement, more comfort, more fellowship, more tenderness and compassion than we will ever need in this life or the next.
Because of this, we are to handle our differences in a totally different manner than our unbelieving neighbors. Even when we may be right in our perspective, we treat the other party with humility and respect. They are not the enemy. They are a brother or a sister, members of God’s eternal family. No one is better than another but all have been rescued from sin and rebellion by the grace of God. All that we have and know has been given to us. When truth is the issue, it is presented, saturated with love. [Ephesians 2:15] How we handle disputes and difference must be controlled by our one purpose: To glorify God by our life together.
When churches divide and fight and draw back into factions, it is a sure sign that gratitude has been replaced by bitterness. To be sure, there are those times when because of our treasuring of truth, there must be separation. But it must always be done with a passion to see Jesus glorified and our brother edified. When we know the infinite blessings that are ours in Christ by grace, treating others as if they are better than us will be a priority in our lives.
You see, Christ not only died to save individuals, he died to bring us together into a new family. Too often we hear Christians justify their divisions by invoking the name of God. In fact, it is not the glory of God that motivates them but the pride of their hearts. I have heard some claim they were leaving a Church family because the Spirit of God was not “felt” in the services. But, when gossip, labeling and division is the order of the day, you can be assured that the Holy Spirit will not be “felt.”
The lesson Paul would have us all learn is that we have been wonderfully blessed by our God. Complaint, bitterness and pride should not be a part of our way of life. When there are differences and misunderstandings, they must be handled with great care and concern, both for the Name of Christ and the welfare of those who differ from us. Nothing, nothing, reveals our love for Christ and our gratitude for his mercies than how we handle our differences within our eternal family. May the Spirit of God open our eyes to see this crucial principle. We are members of an eternal family. May the Spirit of God change our hearts so that we treat them here in the same way as we will treat them there, for the glory of God and the welfare of His Body, and a witness to the power of the Gospel.
Permissions: Permission is granted for reproduction and distribution of this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Dr. Gary Rieben. © Give Me That Book. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Website: www.GiveMeThatBook.org. Postal: GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92253 USA | 619.829.2390
© Give Me That Book
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 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. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Phil 1:27-30
“Whatever happens,” is a reminder that our walk with God is always exciting and sometimes very painful. But, Paul also reminds us that the reward we receive is worth any price we have to pay. The gospel of Christ is the most valuable treasure we can possess. Through the gospel we see and savor the glory of Jesus. Our eyes have been opened to the joy of serving Jesus, The risks taken are not to be compared to the rewards promised. The pain is momentary. The promise is eternal.
I have found a great resource for finding encouragement in the midst of battle in the biographies of heroes of the faith who have gone before us. Men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, David Brainerd and my favorite, Jim Elliot, walked through dark and dangerous times and never flinched. The glory of Christ and the possibility of seeing his name honored by their faithfulness, kept them advancing in the face of great conflict. I would add William Borden to that list.
William was an heir to the large Borden dairy fortune. When he graduated from high school, his parents gave him a trip around the world. In his travels, his heart was moved by the needs of the people in the third world. He came back determined to be a missionary to the Muslims of China. One of his friends commented that he thought Bill was “throwing his life away by being a missionary.” In response, Borden wrote in the back of his Bible, “No reserves.”
In 1905, He entered Yale. He was disappointed to find the religious climate dominated by humanistic philosophy. He determined to do his part to change that condition. He began a Bible study with a few students which grew to over 150 by the end of the year. By the time of his senior year, a thousand of the 1300 students at Yale were involved in Bible studies. Although he was a full time student, he managed to work with widows, orphans, alcoholics and the disabled, determined to display the love of Jesus to these needy people. Upon graduating, he turned down many high paying jobs to fulfill his passion to proclaim the name of Jesus in the land of China. At that time, he wrote in the back of his Bible, “No retreat.”
After completing his theological training at Princeton Seminary, he made his way to Egypt where he planned to learn Arabic so he could evangelize the Muslims of China. But while there, he contracted spinal meningitis and was dead within a month. All of those good intentions and dreams were suddenly cut off at such a young age. When news of his death was cabled back to the States, many wondered if Borden had in the end, really thrown away his life. But, whatever others may have thought, William Borden would have answered a resounding “No!” Shortly before he died, he wrote in the back of his Bible, “No regrets.”
Paul’s “whatever” is light-years from our modern day “whatever.” It is not, “I don’t really care which way this goes.” It is, “I care like the blazes!” It is not a distancing ourselves from what is happening around us, but an investment of heart and soul. What is at stake is the glory of Jesus Christ. What captured Paul’s heart was the same thing that captured Borden’s. No middle of the road here. That is why as a student at Yale he wrote, "Say 'no' to self and 'yes' to Jesus every time."
How do we prepare for the “whatevers” of life? As many of you know, my son Chad is a Marine who is presently deployed to the dangerous land of Afghanistan. He is going where the battle rages. Men are going to try and kill him and his men. The enemy is committed, subtle and possesses deadly armaments. For two and a half years, the Marine Corp has prepared him for every contingency. They have driven him to test and strengthen his resolve. They have trained him in the skill of weaponry. They have made him a leader of men. They have prepared him for the tactics and strategies of the enemy. When we saw Chad off for his deployment, his battalion executive officer encouraged us with these words: “Chad is well trained. The Marine Corp has prepared him for battle.” The Marines are careful to prepare their soldiers for “whatever” the enemy will throw at them.
The most important weapon a soldier can possess is Motive. When the battle is hard and long, soldiers need a reason to fight and even die. “Honor, courage and commitment” need an ultimate purpose. For the American Marine, it is God and country and the Corps. When an enemy threatens the welfare of their nation, they are ready to be “first to fight.”
For the believer, the motive is infinitely more valuable and clear. It goes beyond this life into eternity. We fight for the glory of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. We fight, not because we are conscripted, but because our God has won our hearts. We go into harm’s way, not because we have to but because we get to. We have seen a worth in Jesus that is more precious to us than any other treasure, including our own lives. Jesus said it like this: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? [Luke 9:23-25]
What is it that sends young believers to foreign, dangerous lands? What causes them to turn their back on the riches of this world? What causes them to spend their lives for people they don’t know? What causes them to risk their very lives in service? What causes them to go, serve and die for a people who would kill them? It is a vision of the awesome beauty of Jesus Christ, who loved them and died for them. It is the soul-satisfying joy that gives unspeakable satisfaction in knowing, loving and serving Jesus.
The words of the great hymn At the Cross, captures weight of glory that sends and strengthens the heart and minds of God’s heroes of the faith.
“Alas and did my Savior bleed and did my Sovereign die; would He devote that sacred head for sinners such as I? Was it for crimes that I have done, he groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity, grace unknown and love beyond degree. The drops of grief can never repay the debt of love I owe; Dear Lord I give myself away, tis all that I can do. At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away, it was there by faith I received my sight and now I am happy all the day!
This is the secret to faithfulness in battle. It is the love of Jesus, displayed on a cross, revealed in the gospel and sealed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We have seen a light so glorious and perfect that deep within our hearts we are “happy all the day.” No promise of money, fame, or power can compare to the worth we have found in Him. No threat of failure, suffering or death can rob us of the joy that anchors our souls. So, when we are contending against hostile and evil enemies, we do not fear, we do not faint, we stand firm. For we know that we have been granted the privilege of not only believing on Him but suffering with Him. “Whatever happens,” we will conduct our lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ. Semper Fie!
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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Dr. Gary Rieben. © Give Me That Book. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Website: www.GiveMeThatBook.org. Postal: GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92253 USA | 619.829.2390
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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! 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. 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 joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me. [Phil 1:21-26]
If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. C. S. Lewis
Christians who have accomplished great things for God have lived with this tension: On the one hand, there is a desire to stay on earth and glorify God with the time they have left; and, on the other hand, they possess a desire to leave the earth so that they can enjoy the glory of seeing the face of Jesus forever.
That is what Paul is writing about in the passage we have before us. He really wants to go to heaven. He is not like the little girl who sat in the front row one Sunday morning. The pastor asked from the pulpit: “How many want to go to heaven?” Everybody raised their hand except this little girl. Thinking she must not have heard the question, the pastor asked much louder a second time, “How many want to go to heaven?” Again, all raised their hand except the little girl. So, the pastor asked her directly, “Honey, don’t you want to go to heaven when you die?” She answered, “Oh yes, when I die! I thought you were getting up a load to go now.”
I have a hunch that is where most of us are. We love the thought that when we die we will enter into heaven, but we don’t want to go now. For some of us, the reason may be that there are too many things we want to experience and see yet. We want to see our kids grow up or our grandchildren born or enjoy retirement or complete unfinished business. For others, I suspect, they really haven’t thought that much about heaven. They are anchored in this life and death and heaven just don’t seem all that inviting right now.
But for soldiers and pilgrims of Christ, heaven is not just encouragement for the old or the terminally ill. It is powerful motivation for daring exploits of service and sacrifice on the earth. The promise of heaven is a reminder that the best is yet to come. Nothing in this life can keep us from the everlasting joy of seeing Jesus in all of his glory. Like our Lord, we go through the great battles of life with courage and confidence because of the joy that is set before us. [Hebrews 12:2]
Heaven is also a reminder that our God is sovereign over every power and moves all things for His glory and our good. Our days are numbered and our God has written down the date of our departure in His book before we were born. [Psalm 139:16] If we are alive, then His mission for our life is not complete. We are surrounded with family, friends and strangers who do not know Jesus and who do not know the joy of sins forgiven and the promise of eternal delight.
Recently, I had the moving experience of sitting with 300 of my high school classmates. Fifty-years had gone by since I last saw them. I had the privilege of giving the invocation at that gathering. As I stood there looking at those “mature” faces, I thought: We have pretty much lived our lives. When we last saw each other, life was a just dream and an adventure. Now, it is almost done, almost over, history. Many of those faces revealed a lifetime of pain and disappointment. Tears came to my eyes as I thought how blessed I was to walk with Jesus all those years; to know the joy of sins forgiven and a life that had eternal consequences. That thought was reinforced when we saw a list of dear friends who were no longer living. It was a sobering reminder of how important and short our lives are.
The Lord graciously gave me the opportunity to witness to one of my grade school buddies. In high school, he was very religious and on occasion told me how I was in danger because I didn’t worship on Saturday. [He was a Seventh Day Adventist.] But, he had gone to his denomination’s school to become a doctor and his professors there caused him to doubt his faith. In his words, he was now an agnostic.
In previous communication, I had told him how my studies in theology had strengthened my faith rather than diminished it. He expressed a desire to discuss faith when we got together at our reunion. So, at the banquet we spent more than two hours discussing the questions he had. He was a pathologist, so his mind was very probing and precise. He had questions I think he thought had no answers. I was able to show him there were answers to each of his questions. Ultimately, only the Holy Spirit can open his mind to the eternal reality of God and his need of redemption, so I suggested he read the gospel of John with a simple prayer: “Lord, if you are there, open my eyes so I may see you.” I will follow-up to see how the Lord is speaking to my dear friend.
I also had the joy of being with family in a July 4th reunion and at the wedding of my niece in August. Here, the issue was just the opposite. My sons and their cousins are still young. Much of their living is still ahead of them. But, they are surrounded by a dark culture that is largely secular and in many cases against Christianity. They do not have the advantage I had of being raised when Christianity was the predominant religious influence nor have most of them been shaped by churches that made a serious attempt to create in them a Biblical world view. And, given the condition of most of our churches today, I don’t see that serious deficiency being corrected soon.
So, what can I do for them? If I am still breathing, then I am here for their “progress and joy in the faith.” I determined to devote the rest of my days toward praying and encouraging them so that their “joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.” I was blessed with godly parents, a supporting church family, a Bible-centered university and a host of Christian brothers and sisters who inspired and supported my faith throughout my lifetime. I have an awesome heritage and I have a very great responsibility.
What shall I do? First, I will ask for help for me! I need to be the kind of person my family will listen to. My interest in the youth must flow out of a genuine walk with my Lord. These kids are being barraged every day by voices that claim to be concerned about their welfare while offering the latest gimmicks designed to provide complete joy, excitement and satisfaction. My life must offer a genuine and attractive alternative. And, this won’t happen by me putting on a happy face but me seeking the Lord’s face. My prayers and my involvement in the Word must be motivated by a passion to know and be like Jesus. Only Jesus, active, living and speaking through me has the power to overcome the world’s glitzy promises.
Second, I must become active in their lives, loving them as Jesus did. He cared about us enough to come all the way down from heaven to live and walk among us. How does an old dude relate to hip kids? I am just going to love them. I am going to care for them and try to be there for them when they need help guidance and counsel. I am going to point them to Christ and His Word. He won my mind and heart. He can win their heart and mind. He satisfies my soul. He can satisfy their souls. He has made my life a wonderful and exciting adventure. He can do the same for them.
Third, I will pray for them. God is sovereign and only He can open eyes and change hearts. They need to see the glory of God in Christ. They need to see that He is the One who truly satisfies and meets the deepest longings of their hearts. They need to see their need and His glorious provision for them. And, prayer, my prayer for them, will be answered by my God, who has given me the burden for them in the first place.
The promise of heaven also reminds us of the terrible threat of hell. This is serious business. I know the condition of our youth and our world at times seem almost too far gone to be saved. But, our God is the Giver of life. If you are saved, you are a miracle of God’s grace. If He saved you, he can save our kids. Tattoos, hip-hop, rap, alcohol, drugs, sex and wild parties are no match for the splendor of God in the face of Jesus. If we are alive, we still have a mission to complete. Their salvation, our joy and God’s glory are at stake. Let us wage the good fight until the Lord calls us home to eternal celebration. Let us do our best to see that our old friends and young family will go with us.
Permissions: Permission is granted for reproduction and distribution of this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Dr. Gary Rieben. © Give Me That Book. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Website: www.GiveMeThatBook.org. Postal: GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92253 USA | 619.829.2390
© Give Me That Book
CHRIST IS PREACHED. REJOICE!
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Phil 1:15-18
You would think that the ministry would be one place where competition would be excluded. No one deserves to be called. No one “gifts” himself. No one can do ministry without a team of partners. No one accomplishes anything for the kingdom unless the Lord does it. [John 15:5] But, it is there. The scenario may look like this: One man has a large church and large buildings and a large budget and is considered successful. His “less successful” peers feel the pressure, so they justify the difference. They may criticize his methods as being less spiritual than theirs. They may undermine his reputation in the community. They may even celebrate when the “successful one” has problems, bringing him down to earth like the rest. They feel vindicated when some of the “successful one’s” sheep stray into their more “godly pens.”
Joy is the new country we are to explore together. It is the land of God’s mysterious ways and magnificent surprises, the land of music and love and laughter, the land of the earliest Christians, the land of Jesus. Sherwood Eliot Wirt
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [Phil 4:4-5]
Biblical joy is not a shallow thing. Its roots go down deep into the grace and mercy of God. Years ago there was a prayer that children were taught to pray before their meals. It went like this: “God is great. God is good. And, we thank him for our food.” All of Christian faith is just an elaboration of that simple prayer. God is great. He controls all, knows all and is everywhere present to bring about His perfect will upon this earth. God is good. He is not an arbitrary and mean God who toys with the humans he created. God is for us. He has personally and painfully made a way for us to experience the highest good- enjoying Him forever. So, with joy, deep joy for all that He has graciously provided, we give Him thanks.
“For some years now I have read through the Bible twice every year. If you picture the Bible to be a mighty tree and every word a little branch, I have shaken every one of these branches because I wanted to know what it was and what it meant.” --Luther's Tabletalk No.1877
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. [Ps 1:1-3]
