Reflection: “Paul's letter to the Philippians” Message preached on Sunday 17 September by Andrew Corish When our pastor Rick indicated he would be away for a period and needed people to fill in for him, I chose a Sunday when one of the readings was from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. I have long had an interest in it and do remember particularly some people I respect saying it was their favourite passage in the bible.
So I have been studying it for last 2 months in my own inexpert way. I do agree it is really wonderful and inspiring. It is only 3 and half pages long. It is one of Paul’s 7 letters in the bible which everyone accepts as being authentic. It is probably the last of Paul’s letters , written a few years before his execution in Rome in 64AD. It was written from a Roman gaol, probably in Rome itself. The background was that the church at Philippi had heard of Paul’s imprisonment. This was the first church Paul had established in Europe and he had a very close relationship with them. They had sent one of their members, Epaphroditus, to visit Paul with a gift of money and to serve him whilst he was in gaol. But it hadn’t worked out as Epaphroditis had become sick and homesick. Paul was now sending him back home to Phillipi. But the context seems to be that Paul didn’t want Epaphroditis to be humiliated or it to look as if he had failed Paul. So Paul dashed off a letter for him as a message to the church and so Epaphroditis could be the official courier of it. But work done spontaneously and from the heart is often the truest and most meaningful. So, what is the main message of Paul to the Philippians at this time of crisis and suffering for him in dire circumstances of a Roman goal, where he was probably chained in the dark and facing imminent execution? Well, the first thing to notice is the letter is all about “joy”. Paul mentions “joy” and “rejoicing” 12 times . In Chapter 4 he says “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice”. Paul is feeling joyful. He mentions the success he is having in his imprisonment and having contacts at high level with the Praetorian guard and the Emperor’s household. He is joyful at the generosity of the Philippians to him and the progress they are making. And how he is doing the work successfully he is so devoted to. So this is clearly one of the most important messages about Christian life that Paul wants to emphasise. That it is a life of joy. A second message from his letter is from our main reading today. Paul says, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” He doesn’t know which he prefers because living is fruitful labour for him but dying means he will be with Christ. He knows he faces an imminent and frightful death soon as leader of the Christian movement and is ready for it. He says later, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection (by) sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in death.” . He is not looking forward to it. But he fully embraces it. Paul shows enormous courage. So that is a second feature of Christian life. It is living with courage, without fear of death. Or fear of anything. Then he tells the Philippians that they need to respond by “behaving” as followers of Christ. He says in our main passage today; “live your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” This doesn’t mean avoiding some suffering: He says in our reading this morning, “For he has graciously granted you the privilege, not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well.” Paul is not a supporter of the “prosperity gospel”. We all face suffering as part of life. Rather Paul explains it in Ch 2 what Christian life is about. “Be of the same mind (as Christ), having the same love”. So what does this mean; “having the same mind and love as Christ”? He explains: “…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.” He then quotes from an early Christian hymn and this is perhaps the oldest passage in the whole new testament. Paul says that “though (Christ was) in the form of God, (he) did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.. he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-even death on the cross.” Why “even death on the cross”? Because crucifixion was the crude execution, used to terrorise and punish runaway slaves. And the thought of the Messiah dying in this way was unfathomable to the Jews and Romans. And Paul continues: “Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend .. and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.” So that apparently is the “mind of Christ”. That is what Christ was like. And Paul should know. He was a contemporary of Jesus. He was intimately acquainted with the disciples and James the brother of Christ and others who lived with Jesus. It is interesting that Paul in all his letters doesn’t mention a single miracle of Christ. He hardly says anything about healings by Jesus. This all occurred in the later Gospels. What Paul emphasises about Christ is his love, and humility and kindness and a radical devotion and obedience to God. Paul then tells the Philippians to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you; enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” So being a Christian does entail working it out, taking responsibility and participating in your own salvation.. But be assured; God is at work in you and helping you to want it and to do it. Paul then he speaks of his proud tradition of he being a Jew, a “Pharisee” indeed. This is the only place we hear this, that Paul was a Pharisee. And not just an ordinary Pharisee. He says that under the law and as to “righteousness”, Paul says he was “blameless”. But now he says he has come to regard this and everything else as a loss “because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” He says he has come to regard such things as being “rubbish”. That is, “Judaism” as it was then understood. That you could earn righteousness and favour from God by your works. Rather than through faith and the grace of God. He is not rejecting Judaism. Just saying that this is the new development of Judaism. Jews had to move on. They couldn’t keep God all to themselves. They had to spread it to the world, as Jesus had begun doing. And Paul was now continuing. So this is another attribute of Christianity that Paul emphasises. That is about having a radical faith in God through Jesus. But Paul then goes on to say that he hasn’t attained this state yet. What he has attained is: “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…Let those of us who are mature be of the same mind.” So dont dwell on the past and your mistakes and failures. Always look towards the future with hope and optimism. Paul asks the Philippians to “join in imitating me”. Paul is not one to tell people to do as he says. Rather it is to imitate what he does. He says “Let your gentleness be known to everyone.” That is a mark of being Christian He tells them to concentrate their minds on “whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise.” These are the things we are to think and focus on. He goes on to say that he, himself “(has) learnt to be content with whatever I have; whether I have little or plenty.” So there is a benefit in finding contentment in your current circumstances. Being happy and grateful for what you have. He says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” So we have a source of empowerment to do and achieve whatever you want. Then he advises them, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, (that is, humbly asking for something) , with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”. This is one of the great verses in the Bible. As a Christian you receive the great gift of the Peace of God which surpasses all understanding. So I think this is an interesting analysis of Christianity and what it encompasses. It is interesting that Paul in all his letters doesn’t mention a single miracle of Jesus. Not even any healings. That apparently wasn’t what Paul thought was important about Jesus. All that came later in a different time and place where a new generation reflected on Jesus in the 4 Gospels and also on Peter and Paul in book of Acts. Paul does refer to what he calls the Gospel and that was presumably what the early church believed. And it focussed on different things. It focusses on four great themes of living a Christian life. That is to live a life full of joy, courage, faith and peace. Of trying to live a life worthy of the gospel by trying to have the mind and love of Christ. And this manifests itself in humble service to others, being kind and gentle, and not thinking too highly of yourself but being part of a great and wide community and caring for those who need your help most. It means putting the past behind you and being content and thankful for what you have and what you are empowered to do. And having the Peace of God which surpasses all understanding. So I understand it is not for everyone. It is a difficult and demanding . It is huge challenge to live in a manner worthy of being a follower of Christ. And trying to have the same mind as was in Christ and which Paul was seeking to attain. I understand people rejecting it. But people reject Christianity and disrespect it because they don’t understand it. They get a terrible impression that it is all about trying to force yourself to believe the unbelievable and being sanctimonious and self-righteous and delusional. It is not. It is about having the spirit of Jesus and of Paul in our own lives. It is about having a radical commitment to Christ. It is our responsibility to model what Christian life and belief is in our own lives. And then people can at least respect it as something worthy of consideration. That is our great responsibility and challenge. Amen Andrew Corish
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