Lectionary 27A (el decimonoveno domingo después de Pentecostés)

Filipenses 3:4b-14

I preached this sermon in the Spanish service; the English translation is below. 

Oremos…

Que las palabras de mi boca y las meditaciones de nuestros corazónes sean aceptables ante tus ojos, Señor, nuestra fortaleza y nuestro redentor. Amén.

Al final de nuestra lectura de la carta de Pablo a la iglesia en Filipos, el dice: 

Olvidándome de lo que queda atrás y esforzándome por alcanzar lo que está por delante, prosigo hacia la meta, para alcanzar el premio del llamado celestial de Dios en Cristo Jesús. (v. 13-14)

Y tal vez sea porque la gimnasta Simone Biles acaba de ganar su vigésimo título mundial, pero la palabra “premio” me llamó la atención.

A menudo, cuando la gente habla de vivir una vida fiel, parece que estamos tratando de ganar un premio. El premio es el cielo, ¿verdad? Es "el lugar bueno": una ciudad celestial con calles doradas y puertas de perlas. Y sólo necesitamos ser lo suficientemente buenos o trabajar lo suficientemente duro para llegar allí.

Pero el premio que Pablo nombra no es el cielo, o al menos no es como se ve el cielo en las películas o en la televisión. 

A diferencia de su carta a los Gálatas, donde Pablo aborda un conflicto en su iglesia y comunidad, o su carta a los romanos, donde presenta muchas de las principales enseñanzas del cristianismo a su audiencia, la carta de Pablo a los Filipenses anima a sus oyentes a regocijarse en su conocimiento de Cristo.

Seguir a Jesús o vivir como discípulo se trata de vivir con alegría, unidos en Cristo.

Filipos era una colonia romana y muchos de sus residentes eran veteranos del ejército romano. Estos mismos soldados podrían haber perseguido a la Iglesia primitiva en los lugares bajo ocupación romana. Y Pablo les recuerda que él también era un líder judío, un fariseo celoso que perseguía a la Iglesia, pero todo eso desapareció cuando se encontró con Cristo Jesús.

Todo el comportamiento y pensamiento deshonroso y pecaminoso que marcó nuestras vidas antes de Cristo eseliminado, en la fe. Como hace referencia Pablo en el v. 9, para cada uno de nosotros, Jesús hace lo que se puede llamar “un intercambio feliz”, quitando todo nuestro pecado y dándonos su justificacion.

El “premio” al que hace referencia Pablo no es una medalla bañada en oro ni un premio mayor de lotería; es vida en relación con Dios.

Vivimos como discípulos imitando a Cristo y volviéndonos más semejantes a Cristo. No es algo que podamos lograr con nuestros propios esfuerzos, sino una meta por la que trabajar mientras vivimos nuestras promesas bautismales. Perseguir este objetivo de una vida fiel implica escuchar a Dios y seguir su llamado en nuestras vidas a amarnos y servirnos unos a otros.

Como escribe Pablo, dice que Cristo Jesús lo agarró o lo hizo suyo. (v 12) Y me pregunto, ¿cuándo en tu vida, has sido agarrado por Cristo Jesús?

A menudo cuento la historia de cómo regresé a la iglesia. Estaba en la universidad y un amigo me invitó a una reunión ministerial universitaria. Algún tiempo después, el grupo estaba planeando un viaje a la playa para las vacaciones de primavera y yo me inscribí. Fue un retiro, con conferencistas, música y adoración. La gente allí describió a Dios y el amor de Dios por mí de una manera que no recordaba haber escuchado antes. Y regresé a la iglesia y comencé a aprender más sobre cómo vivir una vida fiel, fundada en Jesús.

Otro momento en el que pensamos en que Jesús nos atrape o llame nuestra atención podría ser en el bautismo. Allí hablamos de cómo Dios nos renombra hijos de Dios. El Dios que nos conoce desde antes de que naciéramos nos reconoce y nos reclama.

Y  otro momento puede ser cuando estemos en crisis, cuando describamos cómo Dios nos sostiene y nos consuela. En Isaías 40, tenemos la imagen de Dios como un pastor, cargando a sus corderos en sus brazos y en Mateo 23 y Lucas 13 tenemos la imagen de Dios como una gallina maternal, juntando sus polluelos bajo sus alas. Hay seguridad en la presencia de Dios.

Cualesquiera que sean las circunstancias, algo sucede y tenemos lo que Pablo describe como una revelación, una nueva comprensión de lo que Dios está haciendo en nuestras vidas.

Y Pablo es honesto aquí, incluso después de su experiencia de encontrar a Cristo, incluso con todo su conocimiento de las Escrituras y de nuestro Salvador, todavía no ha logrado su objetivo.

Él sabe que somos santos y pecadores, justificados y santificados por Cristo, y aún así, debido a nuestra condición humana, pecadores. Lutero llamó al pecado volverse hacia nosotros mismos, y cuando estamos encerrados en nosotros mismos, es muy difícil ver a alguien más, amar a alguien o servir a alguien más.

Pero Dios también lo sabe y Dios continúa esperándonos, continúa morando con nosotros y continúa amándonos, y por esa misericordia, ¡nos regocijamos!

Gracias a Dios.

Philippians 3:4b-14

At the end of our reading from Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, he says,

forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (v. 13-14)

And maybe it’s because the gymnast Simone Biles just won her twentieth world championship title, but the word “prize” grabbed my attention.

Often, when people talk about living a faithful life, it sounds like we are trying to win a prize. The prize is heaven, right? It’s “the good place” - a celestial city with golden streets and pearly gates.  And we only need to be good enough or work hard enough to get there.

But the prize that Paul names isn’t heaven, or at least it’s not what heaven looks like in movies or on television.

Unlike his letter to the Galatians where Paul addresses a conflict in their church and community, or his letter to the Romans where he presents many of the main teachings of Christianity to his audience, Paul’s letter to the Philippians encourages his hearers to rejoice in their knowledge of Christ.

Following Jesus or living as a disciple is about living joyfully, united in Christ.

Philippi was a Roman colony, and many of its residents were veterans of the Roman army. These same soldiers might have persecuted the early Church in the places under Roman occupation. And Paul reminds them that he too, was a Jewish leader, a zealous Pharisee who persecuted the Church, but all of that fell away when he encountered Christ Jesus.

All of the dishonorable and sinful behavior and thinking that marked our lives before Christ is discarded, in faith. As Paul references in v. 9, for every one of us, Jesus makes what can be called “a happy exchange”, taking all of our sin away and giving us his righteousness.

The “prize” that Paul references isn’t a gold-plated medal or a lottery jackpot; it is life in relationship with God.

We live as disciples by imitating Christ and becoming more Christ-like. It’s not something we can achieve by our own efforts, but a goal to work toward as we live into our baptismal promises. Pursuing this goal of a faithful life is about listening to God and following God’s call on our lives to love and serve one another.

As Paul writes, he says Christ Jesus has grabbed him or made him his own. (v 12) And I wonder, when in your life, have you been grabbed by Christ Jesus?

I often tell the story of how I returned to the church. I was in college and a friend invited me to a campus ministry meeting. Sometime later the group was planning a beach trip for spring break, and I signed up. It was a retreat, with speakers and music and worship. The people there described God and God’s love for me in ways that I didn’t remember hearing before. And I came back to church and began to learn more about living a faithful life, grounded in Jesus.

Another time when we think about Jesus grabbing us or getting our attention might be at baptism. There we talk about how God renames us children of God. The God who has known us since before we were born recognizes us and claims us.

And still another time may be when we are in crisis, when we describe how God holds us and comforts us. In Isaiah 40, we have the image of God as a shepherd, carrying his lambs in his arms and in Matthew 23 and Luke 13 we have the image of God as a mothering hen, gathering her chicks under her wings. There is security in God’s presence.

Whatever the circumstances are, something happens, and we have what Paul describes as a revelation, a new understanding of what God is doing in our lives.

And Paul is honest here, even after his experience of encountering Christ, even with all of his knowledge of Scripture and our Savior, he still hasn’t achieved his goal.

He knows that we are both saint and sinner, justified and sanctified by Christ, and still, because of our human condition, sinful. Luther called sin being turned in on ourselves, and when we are turned in on ourselves, it is very difficult to see anyone else, to love anyone else or to serve anyone else.

But God knows this too and God continues to wait for us, continues to abide with us and continues to love us, and for that mercy, we rejoice!

Thanks be to God.

Lectionary 25A (el decimoséptimo domingo después de Pentecostés)

Filipenses1:21-30

Mateo 20:1-16

I preached this sermon in the Spanish service; the English translation is below. 

Oremos…

Que las palabras de mi boca y las meditaciones de nuestro corazón sean aceptables ante tus ojos, Señor, nuestra fortaleza y nuestro redentor. Amén.

En su carta a la iglesia de Filipos, Pablo emite un mandato que me llamó la atención en mi lectura de esta semana. Él escribe: "Vive tu vida de una manera digna del evangelio de Cristo". (1:27)

La palabra griega “axios” (ἀξίως) o “digno” aparece cinco veces en las cartas de Pablo a la Iglesia primitiva. Hablar de “dignidad” con razón hace saltar nuestras alarmas sobre la justicia por obras: la idea de que la salvación depende de ser “suficientemente bueno”. Sin embargo, nuestra lectura del evangelio nos recuerda que la gracia de Dios es abundante y no depende de cuánto o qué tan duro trabajemos. No es nuestro esfuerzo sino el amor de Dios por nosotros lo que nos salva.

Cuando Pablo anima a los cristianos a "vivir de una manera digna del evangelio", primero nos está diciendo "que vivamos como ciudadanos" – estar comprometidos y activos en la vida pública, tal como prometemos en el bautismo:

“anunciar a Cristo con palabras y obras,cuidar de los demás y del mundo que Dios creó, y trabajar por la justicia y la paz”.

Y luego define cómo es vivir de una manera digna del evangelio. Lo describe como “permanecer firmes en un mismo espíritu” y “luchar codo a codo con una sola mente”. (1:27) Un Dios, un Salvador, un Espíritu, una mente.

Recuerde que Pablo escribió cartas a la iglesia cuando la gente estaba en algún tipo de conflicto. Solo escuchamos su respuesta, por lo que nos perdemos la mitad de la conversación, pero aquí podemos imaginar que la iglesia en Filipos estaba experimentando trastornos y Pablo les anima a mirar más allá de sus diferencias y permanecer enfocados en la Buenas Nuevas de Cristo Jesús. En Cristo encontramos nuestra verdadera identidad y pertenencia, no a una facción política o ideológica u otra, sino a la familia de Dios, como hijos de Dios.

Cuando hablo de desacuerdos en la Iglesia, a menudo digo que si podemos estar de acuerdo desde el principio en que Jesús nos ama a todos, entonces tendremos puntos en común, un punto de partida compartido.

Lo admito, lamentablemente eso no siempre es posible, pero cuando lo es, nos ayuda a abrir los ojos y los oídos para ver el amor de Dios encarnado en la otra persona, en nuestro oponente e incluso en nuestro enemigo.

Creo que esto es lo hermoso del trabajo que involucra a más de una congregación, una denominación o incluso una religión. Pienso en lugares como Marruecos, donde miles de personas murieron a causa de terremotos, o en Libia que sufrió pérdidas similares por inundaciones catastróficas. En ambos lugares, decenas de miles de supervivientes están desplazados, y se están organizando trabajadores humanitarios y asistencia para brindar ayuda. En estos lugares, fácilmente miramos más allá de nuestras diferencias para ver la amada comunidad creada por Dios y cuidar de ella.

Nuestro Lutheran World Relief trabaja junto con otras organizaciones, y la atención se centra no en dónde no estamos de acuerdo, sino en cómo podemos lograr el objetivo de brindar servicios y apoyarnos mutuamente para lograr el mayor bienestar.

Volviendo a nuestro evangelio de hoy, que nos habla del amor extravagante y generoso de Dios, los trabajadores de la viña descontentos no pueden ver a los que llegan tarde como dignos o amados. Mateo no hace ningún juicio sobre por qué los trabajadores todavía estaban de pie por la tarde.

Podemos imaginar que tal vez eran mayores o más frágiles que los que fueron contratados primero. Quizás su apariencia fuera desconcertante.

Cualquiera que sea la razón, los trabajadores que iban temprano al campo y trabajaban en el calor del día estaban resentidos.

Y juntos estos textos me hacen preguntarme,

¿A quién descuido o resiento?

¿Cuándo juzgo quién es digno de recibir el amor de Dios?

¿Y a quién descarto porque no puedo ver más allá de nuestras diferencias?

No me gustan estas preguntas. Porque sé que me comporto de esta maneras:

Me siento frustrada con la gente que no apoya un salario mínimo más alto para los trabajadores.

Estoy decepcionada con la gente que adora en un lugar donde no se invita a las mujeres a ser liderares.

Estoy enojada porque tenemos legisladores en nuestro estado y nación que han creado leyes que hacen que las personas que amo se sientan inseguras.

Y hay un lugar para mi frustración, mi desilusión y mi enojo, pero no puedo convertirlos en una línea de division y pretender que “esas personas” están fuera del amor de Dios.

Porque no estan.

Cada vez que trazo una línea en la arena, Jesús la cruzará.

En ambas direcciones.

El dio la bienvenida tanto al fariseo Nicodemo (Juan 3) como al recaudador de impuestos Zaqueo. (Lucas 19). Ambos compartieron una comida sabática con el líder de los fariseos (Lucas 14) y cenó con recaudadores de impuestos y pecadores. (Mateo 9)

Así es como se ve el amor extravagante de Dios. Todos juntos, unidos como amados de Dios, incluso con nuestras propias opiniones y creencias.

Gracias a Dios.

Philippians 1:21-30

Matthew 20:1-16

In his letter to the church in Phillipi, Paul issues a command that stood out to me in my reading this week. He writes, “Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (1:27)

The Greek word “axios” ( ἀξίως )or “worthy” appears five times in Paul’s letters to the early Church. Talk of “worthiness” rightly trips our alarms about works righteousness – the idea that salvation is dependent on being “good enough”. However, our gospel reading reminds us that God’s grace is abundant, and it is not dependent on how much or how hard we work. It is not our effort but God’s love for us that saves us.

When Paul encourages Christians to “live in a manner worthy of the gospel” he first is telling us “to live as citizens” – to be engaged and active in public life, just as we promise at baptism:

“to proclaim Christ through word and deed,

care for others and the world God made,

and work for justice and peace.” (ELW)

And then he defines what living in a manner worthy of the gospel looks like. He describes it as “standing firm in one spirit” and “striving side by side with one mind”. (1:27) One God, one Savior, one Spirit, one mind.

Remember Paul wrote letters to the church when the people were in conflict of some kind. We only hear his response so we’re missing half of the conversation, but here we can imagine that the church in Philippi was experiencing disruption, and Paul is urging them to look beyond their differences and remain focused on the Good News of Christ Jesus. In Christ, we find our true identity and belonging, not in one political or ideological faction or another, but in the family of God, as God’s children.

When I talk about disagreements in the Church, I often say that if we can agree at the beginning that Jesus loves us all, then we have common ground, a shared starting place.

I admit, unfortunately that isn’t always possible, but when it is, it helps us open our eyes and our ears to see the love of God embodied in the other person, in our opponent, and even in our enemy.

I think this is what is beautiful with work that involves more than one congregation, one denomination or even one religion. I think of places like Morocco where thousands were killed by earthquakes, or Libya suffered similar losses from catastrophic flooding. In both places, tens of thousands of survivors are displaced, and aid workers and assistance are being organized to provide relief. In these places, we easily look past our differences to see the beloved community created by God and to care for them. Our Lutheran World Relief works beside other organizations, and the focus is not on where we disagree, but on how we can accomplish the goal of providing services and support each other to accomplish the greatest good.

Returning to our gospel today, which tells us about the extravagant, generous love of God, the grumbling vineyard workers cannot see the late arrivals as worthy or beloved. Matthew doesn’t make any judgment about why the laborers were still standing around in the afternoon. We can imagine that perhaps they were older or frailer than the ones who were hired first. Maybe their appearance was disconcerting. Whatever the reason, the workers who went to the fields early and worked in the heat of the day resented them.

And together these texts make me wonder,

who do I neglect or resent?

when do I judge who is worthy to receive God’s love?

And who do I dismiss because I can’t see past our differences?

I don’t like these questions. Because I know I behave in these ways:

I get frustrated with people who won’t support a higher minimum wage for workers.

I am disappointed with people who worship in a place where women are not invited to lead.

I am angry that we have lawmakers in our state and nation who have created laws that make people whom I love feel unsafe.

And there is a place for my frustration, my disappointment, and my anger, but I cannot make them a dividing line and pretend that “those people” are outside God’s love.

Because they aren’t.

Anytime I draw a line in the sand, Jesus is going to cross it.

In both directions.

He welcomed both the pharisee Nicodemus (John 3) and the tax collector Zaccheus.(Luke 19)

He both shared a sabbath meal with the leader of the Pharisees (Luke 14) and he had dinner with tax collectors and sinners. (Matthew 9)

That is what the extravagant love of God looks like. All of us together, united as God’s beloved, even with our own opinions and beliefs. 

Thanks be to God.

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost / Lectionary 28A

Matthew 22: 1-14

One of the podcasts I listen to in the course of my preaching preparation describes the Revised Common Lectionary, the three-year cycle of four readings for each Sunday, as being “designed to bring congregations through the great narrative of scripture without being constrained by the choice of the preacher.” This is one week when I might have chosen differently.

In the gospel text we just heard Jesus tells another parable, where he compares the kingdom of heaven to a wedding banquet given by a king. Maybe, Matthew wants us to recall the wedding at Cana, the first of the miracles Jesus performed, and a story we only hear from the evangelist John. Or maybe we are to compare wearing the wedding garment to being clothed in Christ at baptism. Maybe Matthew is comparing the king to God and the son is Jesus, but then, what meaning are we supposed to make from the enraged king who sends his troops to destroy murderers and burn the city? (v. 7) Or from the later actions of that same king, who invites everyone to come to the feast, and then casts out one man, condemning him to the outer darkness? (v. 13) It is a difficult text.

The epistle we have today is difficult in another way. It is Paul’s conclusion to his letter to the church at Philippi. And one of the most well-known lines is verse 4:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

The risk is that in the midst of current events Paul’s words come across as tone-deaf, starry- eyed, or helplessly idealistic.

Over the past week, there has been violence and unrest in our country and in places like Kyrgyzstan where the election may have been corrupted; there has been destruction where a fourth named storm has made landfall on the Gulf Coast, and lives and homes have been endangered by fires in the Pacific northwest and by flash floods that rose in France and Italy; and life and dignity continue to be disregarded in Myanmar where children are exploited for labor and in Yemen where they are facing a fifth year of famine.

And even closer to home, loved ones have died, others have fallen ill, and still others have lost jobs, been isolated and alone and struggled to know God’s love.

And then there’s COVID-19.

It is a time of disorientation and dis-connectedness. And, I imagine rejoicing is probably not the first response most of us have. Rage, anxiety, despair, and lament, but not rejoicing.

But Paul wasn’t wearing rose-colored glasses when he wrote these words.

Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi, a Roman colony and the center of Christianity in Europe at the time, early in his imprisonment in Rome.[i] He had been arrested and jailed, and he probably expected to die there, killed or martyred. He could see quite plainly what lay ahead.

And yet, he writes about the joy that is found in centering our lives in Christ. Listen to what he writes:

1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.  

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.  3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  

5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.  6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  

8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

The word “therefore” points us back to the earlier parts of Paul’s letter, as does the phrase “in this way.” Far from being flippant, or dismissive, Paul is re-orienting these Jesus-followers, reminding them that they are not at the mercy of the world around them.

He instructs them first, “Stand firm in the Lord.” Having heard the stories of who God is, and witnessed God’s activity in the world, we are called to remember who we know God to be, and who we are as God’s people.

Paul recognizes that Gospel work, following Christ and pointing to God’s love for the world, is challenging work, but importantly it is not work we do alone. God provides us with companions and co-workers.

And then Paul continues with encouragement, urging the Philippians to rejoice.

He doesn’t say, “Rejoice in the suffering of others.” He doesn’t say, “Rejoice because of your victory.”

He says, “Rejoice in the Lord.” Rejoice because we share in God’s grace (1:7); rejoice because Christ Jesus has made us his own (3:12); rejoice because our citizenship is in heaven (3:20).

We rejoice because God is God and we are not. We are not rejoicing to express an emotional high or to ignore the suffering we witness, but to proclaim our faith, deeply rooted and grounded in knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior.

When Paul continues, his emphasis is on gentleness, prayer and thanksgiving. This isn’t aspirational language. These are the characteristics of disciples, living out of who we are as followers of Jesus and standing firm in the Lord.

A popular prayer or call and response we used to say before Wednesday night meals in my home congregation was, “God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.” I admit that I have wondered sometimes about those words. There are definitely days when it doesn’t feel true. I don’t feel like rejoicing. But at the ground of my being, I know God is good.  God, the Creator, Life-giver and Sustainer is good. It doesn’t mean I have to like everything I see happening, or even understand it, but I have confidence in the God whom I know through the person of Jesus, and I can offer thanksgiving and prayer.

Paul concludes by urging the people in Philippi to “think about these things”, referring to the things that reflect the good in the world. Like a modern gratitude practice where you name something everyday and give thanks, Paul encourages us to pay attention to the world around us and notice where God is showing up, confident in God’s presence with us in all circumstances.

Paul isn’t urging us to sentimentality; instead he is urging us, as one colleague wrote, to “live into the belief that God can and will bridge the gap between the world we long for and the world we see before our eyes.”[ii]

That’s not so difficult after all.

Amen.

[i] Enter the Bible. Luther Seminary. https://www.enterthebible.org/newtestament.aspx?rid=9, accessed 10/9/2020

[ii] Debie Thomas, “Sunday’s Coming.” The Christian Century.

Fourth Wednesday in Lent - "Joyful Hospitality"

Philippians 2:19-30

We continue reading tonight from Paul’s letter to the Philippians with Chapter 2 verses 19 to 30, and I am reading from the English Standard Version translation:

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Reading Paul’s letters always feels like we are looking over the shoulder of someone, because the letters weren’t written specifically to us, and tonight we are hearing a part of the letter to the church in Philippi that never appears in the three-year revised common lectionary that assigns our readings in Sunday worship, so it may sound even more strange to us.

So the first thing I’d like you to do tonight is listen again to the text and ask what particular word or phrase do you hear? What sticks with you? After I read the text, gather in groups of three, from where you are sitting, and share what you heard. This time I am reading from the New Revised Standard Version translation.

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be cheered by news of you. 20 I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.  21 All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But Timothy's worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.  23 I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me; 24 and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon. 

25 Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus -- my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier, your messenger1 and minister to my need; 26 for he has been longing for1 all of you, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.  28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy, and honor such people,  30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ,1 risking his life to make up for those services that you could not give me.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.



Like writing a handwritten note instead of sending a store-bought card, Paul works at creating a personal presence in his letters. He knows the Philippians are anxious because they have heard that he is in prison. He knows they are waiting to hear the news of his trial in Rome and that they are expecting Timothy to bring them that news. But he doesn’t want them to be distracted from the main thing – which is living out their Christian life serving God.

In another letter, to the Romans, Paul describes the Christian life itself as an act of worship, urging the Church “by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans12:1)

So, now, to help guide the Philippians in his and Timothy’s absence, he is sending another co-worker in the Gospel to be with them. Epaphroditus, who came out of the congregation there at Philippi, and after an illness is now well enough to travel to them again, is being sent home to be with them. And the conclusion of this section of the letter is Paul commending Epaphroditus to them. He wants the Philippians to recognize the gifts that he has as a messenger and minister of the gospel and to welcome him as they might welcome Christ himself.

Often when I speak about the ways we give or serve, I frame it as a response to what we have first been given:

We love because we were first loved by God.
We give because all we have is first given to us by God.

And I don’t want to discard that framework, but I think Paul adds another dimension to what it means to live out our Christian faith here.

The invitation Paul issues to the Philippians isn’t based on what they have already known or received; instead it is an invitation into something new. Yes, God loves you, and, yes, God is generous towards you, but welcome Epaphroditus because of the work God is doing in and through him. Welcome him and see a new picture of what God is doing. Encounter Christ in him.

In Lutheranism we have a church phrase that describes how we encounter God. It’s the phrase “the means of grace” and we define the means of grace as “the presence of Jesus Christ through the Power of the Spirit as a gift of the Father.”[i] And most often we talk about the means of grace in the context of Word and Sacrament, which for us is Baptism and Holy Communion.

But in Because of This I Rejoice, Methodist pastor and author Max O. Vincent writes that one of the fathers of Methodism, John Wesley, describe acts of mercy as a means of grace. Wesley taught that acts of mercy are a means of encountering Christ.[ii]

As we read Paul’s letter, leaning over the shoulder of those who came before us, I believe he challenges us to think differently about how and why we relate to others. We can welcome people into the life of our congregation with a lot of good intentions. We anticipate the rich variety of gifts that new people bring. We hope for new or deeper relationships rooted in our common bond as brothers and sisters. We are thankful for the ways we learn from each other and from our differences. We can even be eager for others to experience the love of God that we know.

But what about welcoming or serving another with the expectation that we will encounter Christ in them? Paul’s words encourage us to see the person who may not sit in a pew with us as a person who can teach us about who God is or how God loves, and evokes the words of the writer of Hebrews who writes, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2-3)

Let us pray…
Holy, loving and generous God,
We give you thanks for your Son Jesus and all of the apostles and disciples who have followed him, teaching us what it means to live a Christian life as witness to Your grace.
Open our eyes to see Christ in each person we meet and rejoice in the life we have together as brothers and sisters and as Your children, united in faith.
We pray in the name of your Son Jesus.
Amen.

[i] The Use of the Means of Grace: A Statement on the Practice of Word and Sacrament. ELCA. 1997. 6.
[ii] Max O. Vincent. Because of This I Rejoice. 75-77.

Third Wednesday in Lent - "Joyful Humility"

Philippians 2:5-11

We continue reading tonight from Paul’s letter to the Philippians with Chapter 2 verses 5 to 11, and I am reading from the English Standard Version translation:

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Have you ever read a book and discovered the words of the title in the prose? Recently, I noticed it when I read Where the Crawdads Sing and again in The Ragged Edge of Night. When you notice it, it can feel like the author has written that sentence just for you to find. Sometimes, preachers do this too; last May when Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry preached at the royal wedding for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, he included the words from the well-known hymn “There is a Balm in Gilead’ in his sermon. In these six verses that we just heard from Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, scholars think the apostle is quoting “an early Christian hymn or confession of faith.” [i]

It’s helpful to learn a little more about Philippi as we read more of Paul’s letter. Remember, he is writing to one of the scattered Christian communities in the Roman Empire. In 42 BCE the city had been the site of a Roman civil war. Caesar’s armies had triumphed and awarded land to loyal Roman soldiers and later Caesar colonized the city. At the time Paul is writing, closer to the middle of the first century CE, the city’s leaders are the descendants of those Romans.

As we will hear later in Paul’s letter, one of the reasons he is writing is because the congregation at Philippi is divided. Two people in the congregation, Euodia and Syntyche, are at odds and the congregation is suffering.[ii] Here, Paul is calling for unity because of their common bond in Christ Jesus. Much as he would write later in his letter to the Romans, he urges the Philippians to pattern their lives in the way of Jesus and not the world they lived in, which was one of Roman empire, might and the lordship of Caesar.

The verses of the “Christ Hymn” describe Christ as an obedient servant, contrasting divinity and humanity; death and life; humiliation and exultation; bending and raising; heaven and earth and things above and below.[iii]

Some may cry out at the futility of imitating Christ, but Paul encourages us that we can pattern our words, actions and thoughts after Him.

Following Christ in this way becomes a self-emptying practice, where we surrender everything selfish and self-serving so that we may be filled and animated by God’s Holy Spirit, for the sake of the world. And in the freedom our faith gives us, we live in service and in accompaniment with others, not for own sake, but for the joy of seeing Christ in each other.

Christ-like humility can be manifest in care and support, physical presence and service. But it isn’t only in acts of self-giving service that Christ shows humility.

In the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell the story of people bringing their children to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray for them. The disciples speak out sternly against them to discourage them, but Jesus rebukes the disciples and tells them, “Let the little children come to me.” [iv]  It easy to forget that in the first century, children were not valued in the same way they are today, but Jesus insists that no one is excluded from God’s love.

Another example of Christ’s humility is seen in Matthew and Mark when Jesus encounters the Syrophoenician woman in the district of Tyre and Sidon, and she pleads for his mercy. At first he is dismissive, answering, “It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs.” but when she challenges him, saying, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” Jesus relents and shows mercy.[v] He allows himself to learn both from a woman and a person who worshiped a different God, a person who had no status in his culture.

In Because of This I Rejoice, Methodist pastor and author Max O. Vincent writes, “Humility puts the interest of others before self-interest.” Christian unity grows out of this self-emptying practice that empowers us to seek the presence of God in each other, despite our differences. Importantly, unity does not mean uniformity; God creates us in all of our diversity and we celebrate everything God has made as good. Paul’s letter calls us to remember that regardless of our differences, above all, we are Christ’s.

Let us pray…
Holy God,
We give thanks for the self-emptying love Your Son gave us, taking on all of our sin and brokenness that we would be redeemed and called Your beloved children.
Give us courage to humble ourselves for the sake of the world.
By Your Spirit animate our lives that we are witnesses to your love and mercy.
We pray in the name of your Son Jesus.
Amen.

[i] “Christ Hymn of Philippians.” Enter The Bible. Luther Seminary. https://www.enterthebible.org/Controls/feature/tool_etb_resource_display/resourcebox.aspx?selected_rid=248&original_id=9, accessed 3/25/2019.
[ii] Sharon H. Ringe. “Commentary on Philippians 2:5-11.” Working Preacher Commentary. Luther Seminary.
[iii] C. Clifton Black. “Commentary on Philippians 2:5-11.” Working Preacher Commentary. Luther Seminary.
[iv] Matthew 19:13-14; Mark 10, 13-14; Luke 18:15-16
[v] Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30

Second Wednesday in Lent - "Joyful Witness"

Philippians 1:12-26

We continue reading tonight from Paul’s letter to the Philippians with Chapter 1, verses 12 to 26, and I am reading from the English Standard Version translation:

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 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.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 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! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 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, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

In this part of his letter, Paul tells the church in Philippi that the Gospel has gone farther, or reached more people, because of his imprisonment.  Even in chains, he is a witness to the power of faith in Jesus Christ.  And in these verses, he is rejoicing in the progress of the Gospel.

Paul persuades us that evangelism – sharing the Good News – can happen under any circumstances.

Rob Bell, an evangelical pastor and author, tells the story of going to a concert with some of his friends and hearing a man shouting at the crowd. He catches the words, “burn”, “sin”, “hell” and “repent” and then he hears the word “Jesus”. The man was shouting in a bullhorn and waving paper pamphlets, telling people if they don’t change their ways and do better, they will face eternal damnation and the fires of hell. He was using Bible passages to hammer home his threats.

Unfortunately, whether it’s from our experience at a concert venue, main street, or television, the man who Bell nicknames “Bullhorn Guy” is what comes to mind for many of us when we hear the word “evangelism.” The word that literally means “the Good News” is now associated with arrogance, coercion and condemnation. And even if you have a more benign or neutral view of evangelism, you might think, like one person said in Bible study on Monday, “we’re Lutheran, we don’t do that.”

And while we don’t often canvas neighborhoods knocking on doors or go on beach trips with Four Spiritual Laws booklets tucked into our pockets, we are each equipped as evangelists because of the faith we have in Christ to be witnesses to the Gospel. And, tonight, I want us to reclaim the practice of evangelism, if not the word itself.

In his book about Philippians Because of This I Rejoice, Max Vincent tells a story from when he was in the third grade and a friend on the school bus asked him, “What is your witness?” After a minute of panic, he told the boy that he knew God loved him even though God knew the bad things he had done. That was a new idea to the boy and their conversation continued from there.

Importantly, God has to be the subject when we are sharing the Good News.

Tonight is a great example; you have chosen to gather for worship and for prayer because it means something to you to be part of the Body of Christ, to hear God’s Word spoken and preached, or to take time apart from the rest of your day to encounter God. If someone asked you, “What did you do Wednesday night?” what would you say? Is Lenten worship a joyful practice for you? Why?

Remembering that God creates us for relationship and doesn’t want us to be alone, maybe you could talk about your gratitude for sharing a table with friends or the importance of the relationships you have here.

Or, remembering that God is revealed in the Word and the Spirit gathers us as God’s people, you could explain that worship nourishes you and strengthens you for the challenges you face the rest of the week or how the music lifts your spirit.

Often our personal experiences can be a reference point for our witness of the Gospel, but we can also tell the stories of what is happening around the world remembering that we are one part of the Body of Christ the whole world over. Then we get to celebrate when congregations partner together to provide housing to the homeless or offer disaster relief to flooded communities like those in eastern North Carolina or Nebraska, or we hear about the young adults in global mission working in other countries to share God’s love with the world.

Vincent challenges us to identify where Christ is at the center of our lives and to share why we make the choices we make when we are in conversation with others.

Like Paul who rejoiced despite his imprisonment, invite people to be curious about your faith. Who knows - we may be surprised at the unexpected ways God uses us and our circumstances to further the reach of the Gospel.

Let us pray…
Holy God, We give you thanks for Your Son Jesus and the gift of salvation You have given each of us.
May we always be joyful remembering Your abundant love and mercy for us.
Give us courage to witness to your redeeming love.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

First Wednesday in Lent - "Joyful Prayer"

Philippians 1:1-13

Our reading tonight is from Paul’s letter to the Philippians and I am reading from the English Standard Version translation:

 1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

These words are the beginning of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, one of the congregations he planted in the eastern and northern Mediterranean during his missionary travels. It is one of his prison letters, written sometime between 50 and 60 CE. We know that Paul was imprisoned in Jerusalem and in Rome several different times during the years that he traveled, and “although his death is not recorded in the Bible, later traditions say that he was martyred near Rome, probably between 60-64 C.E., during Emperor Nero's reign.”[i]

As you listen to the words he has written, imagine that he is sitting in what was likely a crudely dug hole in the ground that served as a prison. He would have been dependent upon people who knew him to provide him with food and to be couriers for his correspondence.

But uncertainty and anxiety are not the emotions we hear in Paul’s words. Instead, his letters characteristically begin with thanksgiving. He gives thanks first to “all the saints” – not the ones who will be canonized in the church in future centuries, and not the ancient heroes of the faith whose names would have been known then, but the living and gathered saints who are all the people of this congregation right now.

He is in prison, locked up and separated from those whom he loves, but he has a deep well of thanksgiving that is grounded in their common Lord Jesus Christ.

Continuing his letter, Paul tells the Philippians that he is making his prayers for them with joy.

Beginning with the ashes we put on last Wednesday, traditionally, the season of Lent involves sober reflection, confession and repentance. In a Family Circus comic strip, Dorothy sees her mother holding a crucifix, where Jesus is hanging on the cross, and says, “I liked seeing Jesus in the manger better.”  We expect joy in the Christmas story and certainly at Easter, after the resurrection, but reading Philippians, Methodist pastor and author Max Vincent suggests that joy belongs in Lent, too.

What do you think Paul means when he says he is praying with joy? (pause) Is it joy because they’re such wonderful friends, or because prayer is his favorite way to pass the time?

If I’m honest with myself, remembering that God already knows my heart, joy isn’t immediately what comes to mind when I think or talk about prayer. Sometimes, when I pray, it is with an agenda – God, please fix this situation or heal that person; other times, I pray because I promised I would and now I’m checking it off the to-do list. Other times, I might pray a familiar prayer like the Lord’s Prayer and my mind wanders or I worry if I’m saying the words everyone else knows. In another Family Circus comic, little Billy is on his knees praying when he tells his mother, “In case God is tired of the same old prayer, I recited Humpty Dumpty [tonight].”

Importantly, Paul’s pattern of joyful prayer begins and ends with God.[ii] He has witnessed how God is working already in the lives of his friends and he has confidence that God will continue to accomplish good work through them. His ability to give thanks and pray joyfully flows out of unity in Christ with the people in Philippi and in their shared partnership in the gospel.

This week, come before the Lord with joy as you make your prayers; maybe you can adopt a prayer of thanksgiving like Paul’s, or try another prayer practice just for this Lenten season.

Throughout Lent we will be reading Philippians together, learning more about the joy that Paul experiences in faith and expresses in this letter.  Each week we’ll hear about a different discipline that Paul carries out – prayer, witness, humility, hospitality, asceticism and giving – and challenge ourselves to come to our discipline of Lent joyfully.

Let us pray…
Holy God,
Fill our mouths with laughter and our tongues with joy as we remember all you have done; (Ps. 126)
We come before you with thanksgiving for your Son Jesus Christ, and for your abundant mercy.
Help us know the joy we all have in salvation and teach us to rejoice with all Your saints, confident You are present with us in all circumstances.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

[i] “Paul.” enterthebible.org Luther Seminary. http://www.enterthebible.org/newtestament.aspx?rid=9, accessed 3/12/2109
[ii] Max O. Vincent. Because of This I Rejoice. 34.