Press On!
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. Philippians 4:1
Philippians 3:1–4:1 – Philippians
First Sunday after Christmas Day – January 1, 2023 (am)
Two years ago, almost to the day I stood up here and pronounced judgement on the year 2020. I described it as the ‘year that would live in infamy,’ the ‘Annus Horribilis,’ the ‘year that we would all like to forget.’ As we look back to the year that was 2022, how would we describe it? What name would we give it? But the truth is that, looking back in judgement on any particular year is a bit of a futile exercise because be it good or bad, it is behind us, and the future will write the final verdict on our lives and our years… Still, it is an interesting exercise, to look back and try to find a measuring stick for our times…. And on the flip side, who knows what the new year may bring?
The year was 1968. It was the year of the TET offensive in Vietnam. It was the year of the famous Democratic National Convention in Chicago in which Hubert Humphrey won the nomination, much to the disappointment of the ten thousand young people protesting on the lake front. It was the year which saw the assassination of Bobby Kennedy and the Reverend Martin Luther King. It was the year of Tommy Smith and Jon Carlos… who? You might recognize their picture, standing on the podium at the Mexico City Olympic games with upraised fists in black gloves and heads lowered at the playing of the National Anthem. The two athletes who finished first and third in the 200-meter race were summarily banned from further participation and even presence at the games, and subsequently were blacklisted from the sport. It was also the year of the Apollo 8 space mission tasked with taking photographs of the dark side of the moon as an important precursor to the moon landing which would happen in 1969. Do you remember the surprising and stunning photograph that was both unexpected and breathtaking, and way more interesting than the dark side of the moon? It was the picture of the beautiful and fragile looking little blue ball of the earth viewed from some 250,000 miles distant, so unlike anything else in our observable universe. And the term “earth rise” was born.
It was October of that year, 1968, that I sat as a junior in high school on the couch at a friend’s house, and the gospel was explained to me with simplicity and clarity. And I listened, and when invited, bowed my head to the Savior of my soul and asked for forgiveness of my sins. Another sixteen-year-old boy led me to Christ. Now, I knew that something was different about him because he was always doing kind of strange stuff. For example, on our track team the pole vault pit was padded with a huge canvas bag filled with little bits and pieces of foam. There were no inflatable air bags. These heavy things had to be lugged across the parking lot from a storage locker somewhere and along the way, little bits of foam would leak out from any number of rips and tears… And we liked it that way!!
I had begun to understand that my young friend who would go around picking up bits of foam was simply trying to work out his salvation in ways that would demonstrate commitment and consistency in his redeemed life. I watched, and I listened to his words and I became a child of God on that October evening in 1968.
And if I were to suggest that from that moment every single thing in my life changed… that would not be an overstatement. If I suggested to you this morning that I did a 180 degree turn, that my understanding of the world found a new cohesiveness, that I began to see possibilities within myself that neither I nor anyone else had seen before, that I found an ember of settled courage to look forward and to not be quite so afraid… all of that is true. But, in fairness, it is also true that someone could and probably has said the same thing about the Rotary club, or Weightwatchers! What I am praising the Lord for this morning is that though the testimony of our experience matters and speaks loud and clear, we have a better weather gauge upon which to stand than our experience. It is the clear, consistent, ringing word of God that is the true and living testimony and measuring stick of a life. As Pastor Kipp might put it, it always points true north!
[parenthetical observation: Though I was good Lutheran boy, saved to the uttermost, I was not then, nor have I now been fully enculturated into every aspect of the typical evangelical cast. I remember one of the first times I attended chapel at the college I attended, and the speaker for some reason asked us to all stand up and pray briefly for the person standing next to us, at the exact same time, in our own words, without rhymes!... All I heard was a cacophonous gobble! [which is really fun to say] As far as I know it was an experiment that was abandoned after that and never repeated!]
So, let’s turn to Philippians 4:1, which provides for us a strong place to stand as we strain our eyes forward into the murky uncertain waters of the year 2023 that lie just beyond our vision. I had chosen this passage a few weeks ago along with the entirety of chapter three because of a particular verse that we will talk about in a bit. But I was caught up short when just to double check I wanted to make sure that I had not covered this ground before. In the spring of 2018 [which seems like a long, long time ago for many of you here] we as a preaching team did indeed preach a series on Philippians and I preached a message that I titled “Stand firm…. And here’s how.” Based on the same text! Once my blood pressure relaxed a bit and I read and reread the text I became persuaded that these words provide a strong and unique launching pad into a new year. In any event, to borrow a phrase from Paul in 3:1 “to write the same things to you is no trouble for me and is safe for you.”
Phil 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
I want us to notice two things. First, this statement is filled with relational affirmations: my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown, my beloved. Wow! In another context I might wonder if someone was just about to ask me to borrow money! However, these are not simply extraneous ‘complimentary closings.’ Rather, they open a window into the heart of the Apostle Paul, as well as into the tender affections of the Philippians themselves. We will come back to those phrases as we close today. Do you notice the word “thus”? It is an important word. It tells us that the key to standing firm in the Lord is to be found in the preceding text. If our desire is to stand firm it is a most unsubtle clue as to where to look.
Phil 3:1-3- Rejoice, worship, and keep watch!
Finally, my brothers,rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God[ and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
The admonition here is a great place to begin as we step into the unknown year ahead. We are to rejoice… in the Lord. This is our default position. It is not whistling past the grave yard. It is to approach the unknown with what we know for sure. Which is this, that we may walk clean and guiltless not in our own highly suspect, wobbling self-righteousness, but in the only righteousness that matters, that of our Savior.
And verse three adds more clarity yet. Who are we? We are those who worship. That is who we are, and it is who we shall be. We will worship by the Spirit of God. We will worship in our surrender to Jesus Christ. As we have worshipped in 2022, so shall we worship in 2023. And by God’s grace we will worship better as we go along. So, what does it look like? It looks like a single-minded glory [or exultation] in Jesus Christ, who he is. [I am reminded of Eitan Kashtan who some years ago was asked his opinion on the President of these United States. “He is much better than the last one, and not quite as good as the next one!”] Might that describe our worship.
Okay, so why does Paul seemingly digress here and tell us to watch out for the dogs, the evildoers, the mutilators of the flesh? Seems strange, no? There are at least two things at play here that might be useful to us as we step off the ledge into a new year with new challenges that we cannot now foresee. The mutilators of the flesh here are those who would subject newer gentile believers to a strangling conformity to Jewish law via circumcision, in order to take from them the freedom that they have found in Christ. We do not have far to look to find these tendencies rise up around us and even within ourselves. We see it in our quickness to label our brothers and sisters according to their conformity to our unspoken collection of assumed standards. When Paul says that ‘we are the circumcision, he might as well be saying, ‘we are the true Israel.’ Our measure is not our outward conformity to an imposed standard, but a heart that has been broken, redeemed, and is learning how to rejoice and truly worship by the Spirit of God.
The second thing we can take with us on our journey into the new year is to understand that the stakes are high. Paul is not nursing a petty grudge here as if he has a bone to pick with his enemies. This cosmopolitan church, the church of Lydia and her household, of formerly demon possessed women, of pensioned Roman soldiers and Roman jailors… is vulnerable and will be carefully watched by Paul and his team whether from close up or from a Roman jail. The stakes are high for them, high for us, and high for our children because it is possible to lose sight of the real good news of the gospel in favor of a philosophy or world view or anything else that is merely and momentarily useful!
Phil 3:4-8. Know what to throw away and know what to keep!
though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Paul lists a catalog of things that he by fleshly rights might value: his pedigree, his training, his former zeal, his academic [if you will] standing, his esteem among his fellow pharisees, his place in the social pecking order of the day. And yet, what does he say about all that? [v. 8] He counts it all as rubbish, as stuff to be tossed, ready for the compost pile. Why? Because he had discovered bigger fish to fry, “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” For Paul the idea of ‘knowing’ is quite distinct from ‘knowing about.’ It is a settled conviction, a matter of the heart and mind and will. It is a foundational agreement with, and a humble submission to the costs that will always accompany commitment to the truth. [see Phil. 1:27]
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents.
The Oregon trail beginning in St. Louis and winding its way through the American west was identifiable by the stuff left along the way, everything from pipe organs to China hutches to mirrors and baubles and piano stools that seemed so important at the beginning of the trip lost their luster in the difficulty of the journey. As we strap on our backpacks to launch into the unknown, the real question for us is, ‘will this item, will this pride, this bitterness, this unredressed grievance, this fear helps us in our journey? Will it help us to better rejoice in Christ, and worship by the Spirit of God, and carefully look out for the vulnerable among God’s people as well as the shivering world around us?
Phil 3:9-12 To be found in Him.
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
For Paul it is not as though he has had to agonize over the value of the things which he has lost. He is not in the back of the Conestoga wagon, wringing his hands, watching the China hutch disappear into the horizon, aching for the loss. Far from it, and know that he has lost a lot. He has lost his identity, his place, his respect among his former peers, and if you read carefully in the book of Acts, he was indeed a man without a country, until Barnabas came alongside him and vouched for him among the highly skeptical apostles. So, what is his secret? Simple really. He discovered something else of surpassing worth, of priceless gain, to know and be known by Christ, to actually dwell in the fellowship of Jesus in the very power of His resurrection. He would have his readers understand, and us as well, that to know Christ is a journey that will end for us on this spinning planet one day. Though it is then that it may truly begin and it may be in moments or it may be in decades, but it will come with certainty, the certainty of vs 12, where he states that ‘Christ Jesus has made me [Paul] his own.]
Phil 3:13-16 Press on!
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
We encounter some amazing phrases that conjure up images for us of athletes straining toward the finish line, or oxen pulling in the mud or men and women forging a path through life with single-mindedness of focused effort and common shared will. Phrases like ‘forgetting what lies behind’ straining forward to what lies ahead, pressing on… toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Friends, the application for us is clear is it not? Let me break it down a bit:
For most of us there is blessing in forgetting what lies behind. Do we empty our memories? Of course not. But we are not bound by regrets. If that is where we pitch our tent, we will not be able to see where we are going. I think we can praise the Lord this morning that we are charged to look forward and not backward.
What is it to strain forward? Have you ever had a large dog on a leash and felt the strain as he pulled. I have never pulled a plow behind an ox but I would pay for the privilege just to feel the power of the straining sinews of the great beast!
To press on means to push the pile forward with a determination and a drive. I have had the wonderful privilege of teaching my kids and not a few of my grandkids how to ride a bike. In my own mind I am the ‘bike whisperer’! Want to know the secret? The child must get used to the idea of really pushing on the pedals. I will follow them exhausted from shouting, “push your pumpers, push those pumpers!” And eventually they get the idea of getting the massive fly wheel spinning. But the key is in pressing on. Because we have an upward call. So, what does it look like specifically? We push our pumpers when we by His power obey the wise but difficult commands of the Lord Jesus: to own our poverty of spirit, to become peacemakers, to exercise mercy, to hunger for the righteousness of Christ, to have every one of our words actually mean something, to endure persecution knowing that ours is the kingdom of heaven, to rejoice and be glad when we are reviled, to maybe pick up bits of foam off the track in order to build a testimony of integrity. Push your pumpers!
Exercise patience with one another along the way. Allow the coffee to percolate at different rates! After all, not everyone is at the same point in the journey. Not everyone has pitched the China cabinet over the tail gate yet! Your fellow travelers may need a bit more time than you to know what to keep. Allow the Lord to show that to them in his perfect timing. I really appreciate how one commentator has observed:
The apostle is confident that a desire to know the truth in full measure will be rewarded by fuller light, be content to be open-minded and teachable, and guide your life by the light you have received. [1]
[1] Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Philippians, Ralph Martin IVP, p. 159
Phil 3:17-19 Step by step through a mine field!
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
It seems kind of cheeky does it not, for Paul to say, “imitate me”. We would much rather say, “Hey I don’t want to tell you what to do, but here’s how I did it.” Or “Hey, there is more than one way to skin a cat!” [though they are all good, yes!] The reason we couch our advice in terms like these is because it seems prideful and rather dogmatic to say “follow my instructions and do exactly as I do!” But consider this. If you found yourself in the middle of a mine field and there was a guide to get you safely through, I don’t know about you, but I would place my feet exactly where he placed his. My eyes would never leave the path that he set. I would not be too concerned about matters of cheekiness or good form, and neither would you. Remember that the stakes for this young church are very high.
Paul goes on to remind them that many have not followed in his steps. They have struck out on their own, and their end is destruction. It is really important to note that Paul has repeatedly warned them of the dangers of that fatal road, and the inevitable destruction of those who have scorned the true path has left Paul in tears even as he writes.
[parenthetical comment: When brothers and sisters come in to pray with the Elders about something, I make sure to have a box of Kleenex handy, not as a gesture of courtesy to those who have come, but because I never know if I might need it! It does not speak of some sort of extra special spiritual sensitivity, nor does it speak of a creeping dementia [though it might seem like it!] It is simply the hard wiring of the heart that in the grip of empathetic imagination cannot help itself. It is also [I think] the reasonable response to the suffering that we often see, as well as the power and grace of our God, who in addition to fulfilling in his incarnation, suffering, death, and resurrection a cosmic plan of redemption… also came in order to tenderly address a very sick and frightened woman as … Daughter! In Mark Ch. 5.]
Phil 3:20-21: Citizenship!
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
As we pack our bags for the journey that is the coming year, let’s remember our passport! We have a citizenship in another country. A couple of my daughters have served as missionaries in third world countries. They have long since learned to be not flattered at the frequency of marriage proposals tossed at their feet! Why? Because it is a path to entry into the United States. I met a man in Ecuador who asked if we could host his eight-year-old daughter [my guess] as a foreign exchange student in order that she could come to America! He did not know me from Adam, and was willing to send his daughter with me on a four-thousand-mile trip. I have come to highly value my passport. I am learning to value my citizenship in heaven more. Whatever else I might bring on this journey into 2023, that may be the most important thing of all! Here is why:
Our citizenship in heaven means that our rescue is assured. No citizen will be left behind, and that’s a promise, [see John 17]
It means that there will be an end to the journey and that these beat up and broken bodies of ours will become like the body of our Lord and Savior and friend, Jesus Christ.
It means that we are protected and certified by the very power by which this universe and everything in it will become and has been subjected to our champion, the Lord Jesus. As he hung the stars into their places, so he will call out the roll, name us by name, and bring us safely home!
Conclusion:
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. [Phil 4:1]
To conclude this morning, I want to take another look at 4:1 and make a simple observation. The affirmations here, these seemingly over wrought ‘complimentary closings’ are key to the message of the text. My brothers, my joy and crown, whom I love and long for, my beloved…. these terms of endearment matter because ‘pressing on’ is a community project. We are in this together folks, from the littlest most fragile infant to the most vulnerable and exhausted older ones among us. If we find little comfort in that, something really important is missing from our ‘go-bag.’
The train is leaving the station, heading into an unknown horizon and like it or not it will take us with it! Can we hold hands, keep our eyes on our Savior and board the train without fear? Brothers and sisters in Christ this morning, unimaginable trials may lie in wait for us right around the corner, but Paul’s question from Romans 8 still stands today as it has stood every day for the past 768,000 days…. give or take! [I counted!] And it will surely stand tomorrow as well!
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8: 35-39]
Amen.
NEXT SUNDAY: The Righteousness of God, Romans 1–16