Sermon

Unfortunately, Christians have often earned the reputation of saying one thing and doing another—of being judgmental toward others when we have plenty of junk in our own lives. Jesus refers to this as pointing out the speck in someone else's eye but ignoring the board in our own.

The Apostle Paul writes that we are to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling." In other words, we are to grow into the people God saves us to be. Our salvation will have drastic effects on our lives.

This is a big ask—more than we can do on our own. But there is good news. The same God who saves us is at work in us, transforming our hearts and lives.

This is great news, not just for ourselves but also for the world. In a world that can often be very dark and difficult, we can "shine like stars in the world."

Consider today’s passage. It starts with, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.”

It could have left it there, and the point would have been made – we are to serve others. We aren’t to get all puffed up and prideful. We are to be humble and serve the needs of others rather than our own.

But God’s Word does not leave it there. In verse 5, we read: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” Have the same attitude as Jesus, who humbled himself and died on the cross so that we can be forgiven of our sins. Jesus who “humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.”

It is one thing for a person to serve the needs and desires of someone whom we judge to be worth it or can repay the favor. It is another to fully give ourselves for the sake of someone who does not deserve it. But that is exactly what Jesus did for us: “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

This is what we are called to do and be: to have the same mind as the one who saved us, and to have the same attitude of servitude as Jesus. This is not just for those we think are worthy, but for the world that God so loved that he gave his one and only son.

Everyone agrees that these are good things. But what will we do when our feelings are hurt, we feel let down, or we don't get our way? How will we respond?

The Apostle also writes that we are to "live our lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ." This means that God's grace and mercy toward us are so deeply embedded in our hearts and lives that we can't help but forgive and love one another, as God has loved and forgiven us.

The Apostle Paul knew quite a bit about the Christians in the city of Phillipi. From what he knows, he makes a diagnosis in which he has great confidence. They are doing great, and in and through them, God is going to do even more.

He is confident that they will fulfill God's plans for them.

What symptoms of health do our lives and faith exhibit? In what ways is God working in and through us?

It's amazing, isn't it?

But before you go asking for everything under the sun, let's talk about something even better than material possessions. God has something incredible in store for us that goes beyond things that fade away. He lovingly prunes us to help us focus on bearing more fruit and removes distractions from His love and mercy. God prunes sin and junk from our lives to focus us on bearing even more fruit. We have all prayed for answers to both big and small problems, but how often have we prayed, “God, take from me anything that keeps me from you and your will for my life?”

The problem is not that we ask too much from God, but that we expect too little!

In Jesus, God reaches across the gulf between a fallen creation and himself. Instead of leaving us where and how we are, God draws us to himself and each other. Rather than wooing us with the junk food of life, God gives us himself the giver of life.

As we abide in Christ, as his word abides in us, as we begin to live as Jesus commands, the very things we ask become indistinguishable from the heart of God.

Instead of expecting too little from God, we should ask to be closer to His will. In Jesus, God draws us to Himself and gives us the gift of life. As we abide in Christ and live as Jesus commands, the things we ask for become aligned with the heart of God.

A promotion can allow us to make a bigger difference, earn more, and be recognized for our achievements.

Jesus announces quite a promotion - We are friends and no longer servants.

Being a friend means having mutual affection and a relationship, acting out of love rather than duty. True love gives, even at great cost.

Jesus calls us to love one another as he loves us.

This is a life-changing truth. If Jesus laid down his life for us when we didn't deserve it, we are compelled to love others, even when they don't deserve it and are difficult to love.

We might not be nailed to a cross, but every day we are faced with the question of whether or not we'll abide in Jesus' love.

Our great hope is to be true friends with Jesus and each other.

As the old children's song goes, "Oh, how I love Jesus, Oh how I love Jesus, Oh how I love Jesus, because he first loved me."

This language may seem a little out of place in a world with so many great needs. How can an apple or a bunch of grapes help?

But, we need to remember that Jesus frequently uses images and situations that we are familiar with to reveal portions of the kingdom of God that might be unfamiliar to us. In this case, he uses fruit as an illustration of a part of God's purpose for us.

In the world around us, fruit has two purposes: to nourish and to reproduce.

Our world hungers for this kind of fruit. In a world filled with illusionary hope, true nourishment, and life satisfy our appetite like nothing else. Since the need is great, in Jesus, we are called and equipped not only to lead people to true meaning and worth but also to equip them to do the same for others.

This influenced and shaped churches. It affected the way we taught and prepared our members. Rather than the labor-intensive handcrafting of Christian growth, maturity, faith, and life, we turned to the efficiency and reliability of standardized prepared curricula, classes, and programs. We lifted up uniformity in Christian practices, proclamation, theology, and ministry. To a certain degree, this contributes to the increasing number of young people finding the Christian faith irrelevant.

Our oneness in Christ is a core element of our faith and salvation. But God's intention is for us to develop and become a unique part of the body of Christ.

Through the Holy Spirit, God brings amazing uniqueness - not uniformity. Being one in Christ brings wonderfully different expressions of call and ability - not based on what we can do, but what God can do. Not upon our limited understanding, but on God’s eternal purposes and calling. Not just for ourselves, but for all of God’s people and the world. Not so we can boast, but for the glory of God and bringing people to him in the grace and love of Jesus.