Don't Worry About Me

But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. Phil 2:25

As Philippians 2 ends, we meet Epaphroditus. Here’s a man very different than Timothy. Epaphroditus is the one who brought the gift from Philippi, and the one who bore this wonderful letter back to the Philippian church. His popularity is evident from the fact that he was chosen by the church for this difficult task. He was probably one of those whose natural disposition makes him popular and prominent in any group.

Paul says the quality he most appreciates in Epaphroditus is helpfulness. Notice he says, “I’m sending back to you…my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my need.” All these wonderful titles add up to one who is a marvelous helper who demonstrates a selfless concern that’s the distinctive mark of a believer in Christ.

Verse 26 says, “For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.” Word had gotten back to Philippi that this man had been terribly sick, and Epaphroditus is concerned that they be over-anxious about him.

I couldn't help contrasting that with so many today who become distressed because we haven’t heard they were ill! I meet people like that occasionally. Now and then I’ll greet someone and notice there’s a bit of coolness. Finally it comes out and they’ll say, “Didn't you hear that I was sick?” I say, “No, I didn't hear that.” Then, “Well, I expected I’d have a visit, but no one came.” I wonder just how people expect to have a visit on that basis. It's interesting that when people are sick, they’ll call a doctor; but they expect the pastor or their Christian friends to get the news by osmosis, and then get upset because word hadn't arrived.

Well, there was no such self pity in Epaphroditus. His concern isn’t one of self pity because he was so desperately sick, but of anxiety lest they be over-wrought in their worry for him. Even in the midst of his own personal distress, he continues to exhibit selfless concern for others. What a beautiful picture! You can see the character of Christ in him.

Prayer: Lord, give me a spirit of helpfulness. I know it doesn't come naturally, but rather by a quiet dependence on you and a readiness to be used by you and for the work of your kingdom. Amen.

Timothy: "Send Me!"

I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. Phil 2:20

We meet two friends of the Apostle Paul in this last half of chapter two. These were men who quite unconsciously displayed the character of Jesus Christ — excellent examples of all Paul has been writing about.

First we meet Timothy. As Paul writes about him, we see that the underlying quality that marks this man is Jesus Christ. We see that Timothy is an exceptional man. Paul says, “I have no one like him.” Wouldn't you like to have that written about you? There were many things at which Timothy did not excel. With his frail body, he wasn’t much of an athlete. He could very easily have been beaten at sports, or possibly surpassed in learning. But there was one area where no one even comes close to this man, and that’s in his selfless care — his demonstration of genuine concern for the welfare of others. Here he’s demonstrating that peculiarly Christian virtue, that distinctive mark of the presence of Christ within: selflessness! That’s what the Lord Jesus said of himself, “Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.” (Matt 11:29)

Most of us think of meekness in terms of weakness. We picture some spineless, Casper Milquetoast who lets people walk all over him. But of course that description would never apply to Jesus. What did he mean when he said, “I am meek”? It means he was willing to receive injury without resentment and praise without pride. That’s what set Timothy apart — his deep and genuine concern for the needs of others, no matter the cost to him.

The only one to whom Christ's business was his business was Timothy. You can imagine what an encouragement he must have been to the apostle's heart as he is longing to send someone to the Philippians to help them with their problems, and everyone turns him down simply because of their own selfish concerns. But Timothy says, “All right, Paul, I'm ready to go — any time, any place, anywhere!” No wonder he was always a channel of God’s power wherever he went — he saw himself as an instrument of God's grace. As such, Timothy was an excellent example of the attitude Paul has been urging the Philippians themselves to adopt.

Prayer: Father, teach me to me a person who genuinely cares for the welfare of others, and is willing to demonstrate that care in selfless acts of service. Amen.

The Mind of Christ

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Phil. 2:5

From Guest Blogger Jim Wiebel:

Now we come to what is one of the most breath-taking passages in all of Scripture. You might say this is the Mt. Everest among the mountain peaks of revelation concerning the person of Christ — the amazing story of how the eternal Son of God stepped out of eternity into time and became a man, as God always intended man to be. These few short verses capture some of the most amazing truths that have ever been written.

Lest we be tempted to remove this passage from its context, however, we must never forget that it’s set against the background of two quarreling ladies in the church at Philippi. That quarrel was threatening to destroy the unity of the whole church. The apostle has made it clear that the secret of maintaining unity is humility. Wherever there is contentiousness, it’s a sure sign that pride is at work. Pride — whether in a person’s life, or a family, a church, a government, or a whole nation — always divides, destroys, and perpetuates conflict of every sort.

Paul’s antidote to quarreling — the only path to peace, in fact — is to seek the path of humility. When tempers are hot, passions are aroused, and patience is strained, how can you get people to calm down and start thinking about a humble attitude? How do you stop the urge to defend yourself, and the stubborn insistence of what we call our “rights”? The answer is in this marvelous passage concerning Christ.

Unlike cult heroes of every age, whose success stories follow a pattern from “rags to riches,” Jesus’ “success story” was just the opposite: “riches to rags.” And in that story of “downward mobility,” Paul is challenging us to rethink our whole picture of God around Jesus. This is a God who is known most clearly when he abandons his rights for the sake of the world. Yes, says Paul; and that’s “the mind of Christ” — that pattern of thinking that belongs to you because you belong to him! And if you are truly living “in him” and by his kind of life, the exhortations of verses 1-4 (yesterday’s post) suddenly make a lot more sense!

Prayer: Forgive me, Father, for insisting on “my way” and “my rights” so much of the time. Give me the mind of Christ, so that I might live to serve others in his name and so fulfill my calling as your dear child, just like Jesus. Amen.


#Uncommon

Unity in Everything

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ...then make my joy complete by being like-minded...  Phil. 2:1-2

From Guest Blogger Jim Wiebel:

We sat in our seats listening to the orchestra tuning before the performance was about to begin. Musical notes in several different keys filled the air from the strings, wind instruments, brass, and percussion. It was the musical equivalent of running your fingers down an old chalkboard, though only slightly less ear-piercing!

After a minute or so, the lead violinist stood and offered a single note. Within a few seconds, all the other musicians began playing that same, simple “A” on their instruments…harmony at last! What followed was an outstanding performance of “Carmen” by the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra, with all instrumentalists doing their part to beautifully accompany the huge community chorus standing behind them. A wonderful musical experience, indeed, for all of us who filled the PAC that evening! It was like watching a highly complex piece of machinery with all its cogs and wheels working together in perfect harmony.

That’s a bit like what Paul is urging on the little church in Philippi. On stage, the musicians were not out for their own individual glory at each other’s expense. If one single musician had tried to steal the limelight from the others, the whole thing would have fallen apart. It only worked because everyone was working together with the same object in mind: to present the very best performance for their audience. That’s how Christ intends his church to act, as well: Unity in Everything!

Then Paul tells us how to do it. “Hold on to the same love; bring your innermost lives into harmony; fix your minds on the same object. Never act out of selfish ambition or vanity; instead, regard everybody else as your superior. Look after each other’s best interests, not your own” (Phil. 2:2-4).

In other words, everyone must be focused on something other than themselves; and that something is Jesus Christ himself — the King and Lord — under whom “all things in heaven and earth are going to one day be united!” (Eph. 1:10) In the next few verses (5-11), Paul will spell this out gloriously in a beautiful poem about Christ himself. You can read about it in tomorrow’s post.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for the encouragement you offer us thru the example of your own sacrificial love. May your Spirit help us to look out for each other’s best interests, and not just our own. Amen.


#Uncommon

We Have a Right!

“Be devoted to one another in love.  Honor one another above yourself.”  Romans 12:10

From Guest Blogger Kathleen Lane:

“I demand my rights!” “Don’t shove me around!” “I’m not going to let anyone step all over me!” Have you heard comments like that?  It is the common way of the world to be concerned with our own rights. Even within the church power struggles can arise as each person focuses on what he/she considers his/her own rights and privileges, without regard for the rights and concerns of others.

But God has called us to a transformed, uncommon way of life. Instead of being concerned with “number 1,” we are called to be devoted to one another and to put others first. That means, in Christ, my rights take a back seat to the rights, desires, and concerns of others.

The Greek word translated “be devoted” in this passage, refers to a special kind of love, the kind of “tender affection” members of a family have for one another.  Christians are called to love one another — to honor one another — because we are members of one family.

We are all members of God’s family because of Christ’s devotion to us. He gave up His place and power so that we could have a place in the family. He humbled Himself to be born of a woman, born under the law to redeem us that we might receive the full rights of sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4-5). There was no power struggle — only humility and devoted love.

Having rights as God’s sons and daughters, being loved by Him, transforms us to humbly devote ourselves to others and to honor them. We can look at the person beside us with the eyes of God seeing her as someone worth our love and honor, simply because she is placed there by God. In God’s family, we have the right and privilege to serve others and to give, rather than receive, honor and recognition.

Reflect on the “rights” you have as God’s child.

How can you humbly honor others in your family?  In your workplace?  In your neighborhood?  In your church?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have honored us above Yourself. Though we are not worthy, You have given us full rights as God’s children. Lead us to use those rights in loving and honoring others. Amen.


#Uncommon

Stepping Stone

It's pretty universally accepted that you do not want to be someone that gets stepped on. It's a sign of weakness. It's humiliating.

But my conclusion today is:  maybe it's not so bad. Maybe I should make it my goal to be "stepped on."

I was reading in 1 Kings 1 about what was going on toward the end of King David's life. David had had quite an amazing life--a man after God's own heart. Despite his own low points, missteps, and battles of many kinds, David had become Israel's greatest leader. He represented the pinnacle of Israel's whole history. Abraham had been promised a land. Moses had led Israel out of Egypt. Joshua led them into the land. But it wasn't until David that they truly controlled all that land that God had promised. David conquered Jerusalem and made it the great capitol city Israel had long-needed. He expanded Israel's territory and had such great success in securing her borders that few dared even to threaten them anymore. A thousand years later, at the time of Jesus, people still thought of David when they considered Israel's glory days.

But then, David gets stepped on. TWICE. And he seems to be perfectly fine with it. (Stay with me here.) In 1 Kings 1, the servants of King David are trying to get David to name his son Solomon as king instead of Adonijah, who had "put himself forward and said, 'I will be king'" (v.5). The plan all along had been for Solomon to be king, so David agreed to name Solomon as successor. Twice, David's servants speak up:  "As the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon to make his throne EVEN GREATER than the throne of my lord King David" (v.37). Again: "May your God make Solomon's name MORE FAMOUS than yours and HIS THRONE GREATER THAN YOURS!" (v.47).

I know those statements were intended as compliments--a way of saying: "Yes, what a great decision, sir! May God bless that choice, my king." But it got me thinking. Thinking about my own life and my own role as a leader, as a father called to lead ... and as a pastor, called to lead.

I've spent some time in the last couple of weeks checking out the candidates who are running for president of the United States. There's probably a ton that can be said about them; but I want to make one observation. When you're campaigning to become President in our age, you have to do a lot of self-promoting. You have to be comfortable with complimenting yourself, touting your successes. You have to make yourself known to people. That's understandable in a campaign environment, perhaps. But sadly, this is quite normal for everyone else too. JOB NUMBER 1 for most of us seems to be racing to the top, seeking to become the best, with little care or concern for others.

But I'm reminded of something I learned recently about the Pilgrims, when they came to establish a new colony in America. William Bradford wrote this about them: "[The Pilgrims] cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least of making some way towards it, for the propagation and ADVANCE of the GOSPEL of the KINGDOM of CHRIST in the remote parts of the world, EVEN THOUGH THEY SHOULD BE BUT STEPPING STONES TO OTHERS in the performance of so great a work."

I had to ask myself ... and maybe you have to ask yourself ... AM I CONTENT? Am I content with being just a stepping stone. Not a grand, beautiful monument to myself. But a stepping stone, used by our God as a way by which those behind me advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in ways and in places I could never dream of.

I want to be a stepping stone for my kids. In God's grand plan, I want to do my part so that my kids exceed me -- so that the Kingdom of God advances in great ways in THEM (and through them).

I want to be a stepping stone for the people of our church. I want to inspire and empower them, not so they like and affirm ME ... but that they move closer to God and closer to living for HIS purposes.

In service to God and His infinitely greater purpose, I want to get stepped on. How about you?

Impact! Video

In case you missed this video, here's a recap of some of the work our church did on "Impact! Sunday" in May 2011.  I LOVE the heart of our people -- going wherever God calls to serve people in need!  Where can YOU make an impact for someone else today?  Is it at work?  At home?  In your neighborhood?  In the community?

What stories do YOU have to tell of changed lives -- when God used you to make a difference?  Share by commenting below.

Impact!

On Sunday, May 1st I was privileged to be part of an army of 800 volunteers who stepped out of the regular routine of church and served in over 60 locations around our community.  What we called "Impact! Sunday."  It was amazing!  We had people visiting residents of two nursing homes and the Wisconsin Veterans Home.  We had volunteers--adults and kids!--picking up sticks and trash in four city parks, the local nature preserve and community gardens.  We had people cleaning the sidewalks in downtown Appleton.  We had volunteers sorting donations and doing other "odd jobs" for Bethesda Thrift Stores and Harbor House, the local domestic abuse shelter.  We had families cleaning outside three of our local public school buildings, others spreading mulch and staining playground equipment for local child care centers that serve low income families, and children and adults with developmental disabilities.  We had teams of volunteers serving meals, not just on Sunday but all week, at the homeless shelter.  We had 30 volunteers packing care kits for World Vision, which will be shipped to Africa to serve 500 people infected with HIV and AIDS.  And we had 19 teams of people who were all over town raking and cleaning at the homes of residents who are elderly and/or disabled.  It was a truly inspiring day!  Eighty percent of our average weekend worshippers ... EIGHTY PERCENT! ... serving on one day!

We learned a lot about the heart of God's people through this event.  1) People of God KNOW what God is calling us to do:  die to ourselves in order to live for others.  We are called to give and bless and care.  Sometimes, however, we don't know where to begin.  2) Living the "incarnational life" -- getting our hands dirty in the lives of people in our community -- is rewarding ... even if it's not easy.  3) If everyone gives a little, no one person is overwhelmed, but the whole body makes a significant impact!  4) "Impact!" need not be just a one-day church event.  It is the LIFESTYLE of every follower of Jesus.  We are an influence on our families, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, our community ... and even on strangers.  We've heard lots of stories this week of families changed by serving ... of strangers touched by the outpouring of giving ... of people asking to know more about this Jesus who gives us such overflowing love that we would share it with others.

I've been asked to share our "Impact! Sunday" materials with others.  "Can we have your resources so that OUR church can do this too?"  Uh ... ... I'm not sure how to give anyone our material.  It's not a packaged program.  There's just the time-intensive work of getting to know the community, getting out of the office to meet the leaders of support agencies and leaders of the community ... knowing the NEEDS in your particular community.  And then it's inspiring people with a vision for being Jesus-in-the-flesh for people and giving them permission to go.

This was a movement of God.  I have no doubt about that.  The Spirit has moved and roused His people to go and serve. How exciting is that?!