Philippians 3:15-21 Citizens of Heaven

We are not citizens of the world. Is that a surprise? Not if you’re a Christian. Paul says in Philippians 3:15-21 that we do not belong to the environment in which we live. We live elsewhere. Our citizenship is in heaven. We need to know which realm we are citizens of, because the answer determines our choice of behaviours.

The spiritual maturity of the Philippians was the result of obedience to God’s principles, disciplines and commands. They were not to let anyone change their approach to the Christian life. They were to remain faithful to the principles of God’s word, just like we are to remain faithful.

Christ’s enemies have a different goal, a different god and a different glory than Christians. Their grid for making decisions is different as well. Their grid is earthly things, the Christian’s grid is the things of heaven, which is every believer’s future home.

Since Jesus Christ is immortal, infinite God and his words are completely trustworthy, our future is eternally secure with him. It doesn’t matter is we have little faith and great faith. It doesn’t matter if we are mature disciples or immature ones. It doesn’t matter if we have been a Christian for many years or if we have just recently received Christ. We are on our way to heaven. Our hope is secure in Christ.

The word “lowly” is not a derogatory term. It refers to our weak, limited bodies in their earthly condition. Many Greek pagans believed that the body was a vile prison for the soul. Christians see the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul looked forward to every Christian’s eternal hope-the day when the bodies of the saints would be redeemed and refashioned like the glorified body of Christ and all made new. We will be transformed so that we will be “Christ-like.”

Paul calls on us to behave in a way that is consistent with our spiritual lives and our practical daily lives. Part of this behaviour is learning to say “yes” to Christ in every area of our lives every day. Our consent is necessary for the Holy Spirit to transform our lives. We must be faithful to the truth of God’s Word.

There are many people who are enemies of the cross of Christ. Their minds are set on their fleshly appetites. They refuse to be open to the transforming power of God’s love. If they refuse to accept the death of their old, earthly lives, their fate is destruction. If we feel that we are at home on earth, we are headed for disaster. We are to shed tears for them and pray that they may be led by the Holy Spirit to see the Saviour, his cross and the empty tomb. We are to pray that they will see that in Christ there is salvation and eternal life.

We are called on to be humble models of Christian life. We have been rescued from the old, earthbound humanity. We are to be models for Christians who are still held captive to an earthly life. We are aliens in this world, and we must not forget our true, heavenly home. We were not made for earth. We will have moments of joy here on earth, but they do not compare to the happiness we will have in heaven. 

Jesus wants us to focus on where God is and where we are going. We experience the pull of the world every day, and every day we are tempted to make plans for our worldly lives.  Instead, we should be busy making plans for our eternal lives. We must take pleasure in pleasing Christ and Christ alone. Our spiritual home is of greater value because of its eternal nature. Our citizenship lies there. We who are faithful to God will be richly rewarded in heaven.

When we set our mind on heavenly things, we see ourselves as pilgrims on earth. We appreciate our heavenly citizenship, especially since Jesus bought it with his blood. We begin to look forward to Christ’s return. We look forward to having Christ change our bodies into ones like his. If we want to see further ahead into God’s will for our lives, we have to move ahead into the will of God just as far as we can see.

We are citizens of Christ’s heavenly city, which is governed by the gospel. Our true citizenship exists now in the foreign land called heaven. We must be heavenly-minded if we are to do Christ’s work here on earth. If we are citizens of heaven, it means that we follow Christ’s example as modeled by Paul, acting in humility and self-sacrificial service to others.

As we imitate Paul’s behaviour, and as we learn from the faith and life of our Christian brothers and sisters, the result is a community of people who resemble Christ. Jesus’ life and ministry is our example. Jesus showed us what it’s like to be fully human, to be right with God, and filled with the Holy Spirit.

As we see ourselves as God’s special creation, we must walk in agreement with God. Agreement that he has forgiven us. Agreement that he will give us the strength we need. Agreement that we have been created for a purpose and that God will help us achieve that purpose. That purpose is to share Christ with the world. Our interactions with others will shape their understanding of what it means to lead with humility and confidence. Who may be trying to follow our example as a leader? When other people look at our lives, do they see someone who is learning to lead like Jesus?

 

 

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

2.      Dunnam, M.D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 31: Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians/Philemon (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

3.      Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2010)

4.      Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Our Father in Heaven.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

5.      Joni Eareckson Tada, “Heavenly Citizenship.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org

6.      Pastor Dick Woodward, “A Prescription for Guidance.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

7.      Pastor Ken Klaus, “Enemies of the Cross.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org

8.      Dr. Stephen Davey, “Almost Home.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

9.      Dr. David Jeremiah, “The Five Steps of Opportunity: Citizenship.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

10.  Susan Hedalh, “Commentary on Philippians 3:17-4:1.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=523

11.  Elizabeth Shiveley, “Commentary on Philippians 3:17-4:1.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1590

12.  Dr. Mickey Anders, “Doppelganger Week.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org/Sermons/NT?11-Phil/Phil-3.17-4.1-Doppelganger-Anders.htm

 

Hebrews 5:5-10 How to be a Priest

Each and every one of us can be a priest!

Does that statement make sense to you? After all, when we hear the word “priest” we often think of the ordained clergy who preside at weddings, funerals, baptisms or weekly worship services. The truth is, we are all priests. Let me explain by talking about the role of a priest as outlined in Hebrews 5:5-10.

In Genesis 14:18-21, Abraham gave a tithe of the spoils of war to Melchizedek. He was the king of Salem, which was the ancient name for Jerusalem, and he was a priest of the true God. He lived many centuries before Aaron and is described in Hebrews 7:3 as “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God.” In other words, his ancestry is unknown.

Jesus is also a priest in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus was morally perfect, but he was further perfected by the discipline of suffering, where he completed his qualification course foe becoming the eternal High Priest. Jesus did what no Old Testament priest could do-not even Melchizedek. The Old Testament priests had to atone for the sins of the people and their own sins as well. Jesus provided eternal salvation by being the sinless author of salvation.

Jesus was a high priest for everyone. He reconciled us to God, thereby healing any and all divisions. In return, we are to be ministers to everyone in that we are to show God’s love to everyone, regardless of race, colour, creed or ethnicity.

Jesus was never shielded from suffering. His sufferings were real and intense and included every human woe. That’s the difference between innocence and virtue. Innocence is life untested, virtue is innocence tested and triumphant. Jesus was tested and triumphant, and in the testing he learned obedience. Jesus took on human flesh and came to earth to die for our sins and to identify with every area of our lives except for sin but including suffering. Jesus suffered pain on the cross so we can have eternal life.

The community of the baptized, the church and its members, is supposed to follow Jesus’ example. We are supposed to show up when people need us. We are to share others’ suffering, pain and joy, even when we are suffering. Even when our pain is not by our own choice, God can use our pain for good if we let him. For example, Jesus ministered to the repentant thief on the cross even while he (that is, Jesus) was in agony on the cross. Christians find in suffering an opportunity to learn discipline, obedience, grace and faith, just like Jesus did.

When we suffer, we must not complain, especially if our suffering is caused by something we can’t control-for example, the harsh conditions we have experienced this winter. Accepting the things that we can’t change when we suffer is the first step toward overcoming them in a Christian way. Times of suffering aren’t times for us to withdraw and engage in self-pity. They are precisely the times when we need to offer ourselves to others, because they are the second step toward overcoming life’s trials and hardships.

Christ and Aaron were divinely called to serve as High Priests. High priests do not grasp at this position for its honour and glory. Those who seize the office in arrogance are disqualified. Aaron and those who followed him as high priest came to their position because God called and appointed them. The High Priest must be able to deal with the ignorant and the errant because he is beset by human weakness.                                        

Christ was mentioned as both God’s Son and as a priest of the order of Melchizedek. His calling as a priest was natural given that as God’s son he sits and rules at God’s right hand.  Jesus was faithful to God, even to the point of death on the cross. Jesus aligned his will with God’s plan for his life. As Christians we are called on to make sure that our lives are in line with God’s plans for our lives. In other words, our plans for our lives must be the same as God’s plans for our lives. We are to place our lives in God’s hands. 

As our High Priest, Jesus stands between us and God. Consequently, we have the right to approach the throne of God. Jesus has experienced all of our human weaknesses and identifies with them because he was tempted like all of us. He isn’t scared of our sin. He has felt all of our human emotions. The only difference between Jesus and us is that Jesus is without sin. We don’t have to ask twice for forgiveness. We don’t have to be afraid of approaching God’s throne.

God’s love outlines boundaries. Without these boundaries we would be easy targets for every kind of harmful influence. Our obedience to God’s will ushers in God’s protection and blessings. Obedience comes from our relationship with God. That relationship is built not by our own efforts, but by grace through faith.

As part of being a High Priest, Jesus made prayer and supplication part of his daily life. He was wholly dependent on his Father and obeyed him even when he wrestled with temptation. In his humanity, Jesus served with a broken heart. He was heartbroken over the condition of the people. His ministry was a tearful ministry. In Hebrews 5:7 we are told that “while Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with loud cries and tears, to the one who could deliver him.” Jesus learned obedience when he suffered. Jesus’ passionate prayers must be our guide to prayer. Our prayers must be as passionate as his were. 

In his humanity, Christ struggled with the assignment God gave him: death on the cross. Even though God heard his cries, the plan was not changed. Jesus walked through all of it in complete submission, just like he had done with every assignment God gave him throughout his earthly life. When we suffer in faith, when we suffer for being God’s love in the world, when we move through an unbelieving world and pay the price for our faith, we show God’s values. These values reflect Jesus and result in a way and a model for salvation.

As we travel life’s road, we are constantly tempted to sin just like Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. If we sin, we are lost. The only hope we have is to throw ourselves on Christ’s mercy and ask for his help. He can meet our needs. He is willing to represent us before God because he has gone before us as the perfect Son of God.

When we become Christians, God enrolls us in the same school of “hard knocks” that Jesus was enrolled in. The problem is that we have to choose between our earthly lives and our heavenly lives. We have to choose which one we want to live in, because we can’t live in both. God helps us to make that choice by getting our minds off of the things of this world and teaching us obedience in preparation for life in the next world.

When we pray to God, we must be obedient to God. Obedience is necessary for our salvation. We can’t earn our salvation by good deeds. The only deeds that can save us are those by which we receive God’s unmerited gift of salvation. Our zeal for completing the mission God gives each and every one of us to do involves moving our lives and the life of the church toward a model of priesthood according to the order of both Melchizedek and Jesus. It also involves caring for the deep physical and spiritual needs that we have in our daily lives 

So how are we like priests? We are appointed by God. We sacrifice ourselves and our desires to God. We continually pray to God about the human condition. We offer prayers and supplication with genuine care and concern. Finally, we ask other to join with us to do God’s work in our world-just like any priest would do.

 

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

2.      Joni Eareckson Tada, “The School of Obedience.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org

3.      Ron Moore, “Source of Eternal Salvation.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

4.      Dr. Charles Stanley, “Learning Obedience through Suffering.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

5.      Rick Ezell, “Let Your Heart Be Broken.” Retrieved from www.greerfbc.org

6.      The Rev. Dr. James D. Kegel, “Christ the Center.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org.

7.      Mark J. Moldrem, “Prayer Clothes.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

8.      Erskine White, “How to Deal with Suffering.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

9.      The Rev. Eugenia Gamble, “Suffering for Faith.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

10.  Thomas G. Long, “What God Wants.” Retrieved from www.religion-online.org./showarticle.asp?title=3336

11.  Stephen Paul Bouman, “Parking Lot Palms.” Retrieved from www.religion-online.org./showarticle.asp?title=2913

12.  Bryan J. Whitefield, “Commentary on Hebrews 5:1-10.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=423

 

 

 

 

John 12:20-33 Following Jesus –The Hardest Thing to Do

Good morning boys and girls!

How many of you have had to do something that wasn’t easy to do?

What do you think is the hardest thing we would ever have to do? Well, one of the hardest things we have to do is to be a follower of Jesus. Following him is one of the best things we can do because when we die we will go to heaven to be with him. It’s also one of the hardest things we can do because we might have problems when we follow him. What problems might we have? Jesus said that we would have trouble because we follow him, and that trouble might include dying for him, but if we die because we believe Jesus we will live with him in heaven. He talks about this in John 12:20-33 , and I'm  going to take a few minutes to read that passage to you.

Jesus claimed that his death would draw people to God because he made the ultimate sacrifice. He gave his life for us, and that’s a powerful truth. There are times when someone will put his life on the line for his country, his family or his friends, but Jesus gave up his life for everyone. He died on the cross to pay the price for our sin. His love for us is so great that we are drawn to him and trust him. When we trust him, we become children of God. Our parents don’t stop loving us when we do something wrong, and neither does Jesus. His love is so strong that when we sin, he draws us back into what he wants us to do.

Let’s bow our heads for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for your love. Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Draw us close to you with your love and keep loving us as much as we love you. Please keep loving us even when we are in trouble because we love you. In Jesus’ Name we pray, AMEN.

 

Bibliography

 

1.      The Real Life Devotional Bible, NIV (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2008)

2.      “The Power of His Love.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com

3.      “My Soul is Troubles.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com

4.      “Martyrs.” Retrieved from keys@lists.cbhministries.org

5.      “Minutemen.” Retrieved from keys@lists.cbhministries.org

6.      Daniel Darling, “Expecting Crosses.” Retrieved from www.danieldarling.com

 

Romans 2:12-24 Knowledge of the Truth Leads to Righteousness

Have you ever met people who thought they were better than others? Well, we as Christians know that is a bad attitude to have. No one is better than anyone else. We are all the same before God. He judges Jews and Gentiles alike-impartially and righteously-on the basis of their levels of understanding of his law.

 

The Jews had the truth of God’s law. The problem was what they did or did not do with it. Just because we know God’s will doesn’t mean we have made a decision or chosen a specific path. For example, the Jews had a treasure trove of truth because they were God’s chosen people, but they were blind to God’s promises, especially the ones that were being fulfilled before their eyes. Their blindness hindered their ability to be spiritual guide to the nations.

The Jews had a “holier than thou” attitude because they were God’s chosen people. It’s no wonder that they were hated by the Gentiles, and it’s no wonder that the Gentiles hated the God of the Jews. It’s also not surprising that the apostle Paul had a scathing denunciation of the Gentiles. The Jews failed to “practice what they preached.” They did not practice the law they proclaimed, so they faced God’s judgment. God exiled the Jews, which only added to the hatred the Gentiles had.

The Jews didn’t realize that they needed to become like children so they could learn what they needed to learn in order to teach people who were spiritually immature. The law was true, but it was only a symbolic image of knowledge. It had little or no substance, so it could not be obeyed perfectly.  

The Jews’ profession of the law was not consistent with their practices. This caused some of the Gentiles to hate God and his word. The same view is held by many people today. They see Christians, especially ministers, who talk of living a good Christian life but who do not actually live good Christian lives. We have examples of preachers who talk of how Christians are to live humble lives of service but at the same time live lavish lifestyles that are often financed by donations to their ministries. It is no wonder that some non-believers have negative attitudes toward Christianity. We as Christians have to practice what we preach in order to win lost souls for Christ.

This is one of the clear expectations God has for us. All of these expectations can be summed up in two words-our conscience. It’s only as good as the knowledge that programs its voice. In the case of a Christian, that knowledge comes from God’s Word as written in the Bible. God has programmed his moral code into the heart of every man and woman. We are born with it. When our actions or thoughts violate that code, the conscience responds by sending a “no” message to the brain. On the other hand, when the act or thought goes along with the preprogrammed moral code, the conscience says, “go.”

In the same way that some people of privilege abuse it, there are also people who rise above their lack of privilege. Paul speaks of Gentiles who were never given the privilege of knowing God’s law but who were so sensitive to what they knew of God that their consciences were keen, alert and in touch with reality.

A righteous person is a person who is in right standing with God. A righteous person has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as his or her personal Saviour. A righteous person seeks to obey God and yield to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Righteousness means a person wants what is right according to the word of God. He or she wants to see God’s truth and God’s will established on the earth.

One of the greatest dangers facing Christians is the temptation to teach God’s word without applying it to their own lives. This happens for different reasons. Some Christians teach simply for the gaining of more and more knowledge. Teaching God’s word to others without personally seeking to please Him may allow us to appear as spiritual towards others, but in reality our hearts will become hardened in disobedience. In addition, this kind of teaching can only result in mere human understanding because God’s word remains powerless in our lives.

God’s word is alive in the Bible. If we allow it, it will speak personally to us and transform our hearts, minds and lives. As his words penetrate our souls, we will truly become available to God. We will be Kingdom builders…and all because we allowed God’s word to work in us.

 Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2013)

2.      Dr. Harold Sala, “Interpreting Genesis.” Retrieved from www.guidelines.org

3.      Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Effective Prayers.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

4.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

5.      Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

6.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2005)