Philippians 2
A Sermon by Tuck Bartholomew

Christopher Hedges…reporter with the NYT & author - was recently interviewed about his new book, “I don’t believe in Athiest,” in which he argues that the new Athiests (Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens - Richard Dawkins) are a secular form of the fundamentalism they rail against....about midway into the interview – he says this, 

"There is nothing wrong with taking a moral stand, but when we take a moral stand and then use it to elevate ourselves to another moral plane above other human beings, then it becomes....a form of self-worship.  That's what the New Atheists have…that’s what the Christian right has. 

Let’s look at what Paul shows us two aspects of the text - The Way of Jesus - and secondly, the calling of those that follow Jesus.  Jesus Way - and Our Calling. 

The Way of Jesus’ Life… The Biblical story tells us that Jesus is a King – the supreme authority – His authority is absolute and inescapable... 

Now - we jokingly say...that Power corrupts and Absolute Power corrupts absolutely -- we say that because we have seen it work that way in our lives and in the lives of others....we know plenty of stories of persons that come into positions of success and influence - and that position alters the way they think about - and live inside of the world.  The temptation to pride is enormous....to think we have actually done something that makes us better - not just in terms of recognized performance - but in terms of our being.... we succeed and we move up the “food chain.” 

A few months back Elliot Spitzer - who was the governor of New York - was caught in a prostitution ring - the irony is that - Spitzer, in his previous post as Attorney General in New York - was known as mister clean - because he was on the other end of the stings - he took down the white collar criminals of Wall Street...he knew the system - he knew better - I was at dinner with a Jewish woman from New York the night he was exposed...and she said - the problem is that he was self-righteous -- everyone struggles - but he saw himself differently... somewhere along the way - his success - reshaped the way he viewed the world - the way he would live in the world.  It's an all too common story. 

But Jesus gives us a strikingly different pattern of leadership – of the use of power…. 

Paul says, Jesus did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited….one commentary translates it this way, “He did not regard equality with God as something to be used to his own advantage.”  This is a very interesting way to describe God - it certainly isn’t the way most people think about God -- Most people think of God as either way out - remote - disengaged with the real world of anyone (Why?  Because this is how leadership and power works in our world for one thing - people get power and they become less accessible) -- or we fear that when God does come close - he is freakishly controlling - judging everything in his path...he would just as soon wipe you out as help you... we fear him in a distorted kind of way.  But - Paul paints a very different picture of God...in person in our world. 

Paul reminds us that Jesus is different from what people generally experienced in their everyday lives in the Roman world – The gospels show us that Jesus was radically available to the people of his world - everyone had access to Jesus -- women, children, the sick, the poor, prostitutes, corrupt politicians, the most marginal members of polite society....He was a servant of All -- and Paul says...his humility lead him into the most vulnerable embrace of our brokenness - death itself.... People didn’t expect this - they expected greatness to include increasing remoteness. 

Jesus said of himself - he came to serve - not be served....He gives us a glimpse of power used differently – used for the sake of others…look - when you read the biblical story...you see that God is a God that steps toward his creation time and time again to forward his commitment to bless it.  There are times when we have questions about the reality and truthfulness of Christianity - everyone has questions some times - one of the ways I silence my own doubts is by remembering the Way of Jesus... the history of the world - my own history - suggests the opposite way - love like this is not natural in our world - at least not any more, and not fully.  At best our moments are punctuated with these fragments of beauty - God lives with power and greatness differently than our natural inclinations.  The Way of Jesus’ Life.... radical humility and service...a life focused outwardly - not self-referentially... 

Now – the challenge of course is that Paul sees Jesus’ life as a pattern - for the new creation - the new humanity born into Jesus....is becoming like Jesus.  Paul - tells the followers of Jesus - that Jesus’ “way” is their calling - their way - too. 

Sometimes when we talk about what it means to be a Christian - we focus on “truths” that we believe in order to relate to God -- but..Paul doesn’t stop with a new understanding of God - or even the death and resurrection of Jesus - he shows us that our new relation with God includes a new way of relating with the people in our everyday lives...near and far.  Christianity is very earthy and practical... 

vs 3 – in humility regard others as better than yourselves – vs 4 – let each of you look not only to your own interests – but also to the interests of others.  Vs 5 – have Jesus frame of mind…. He didn’t exploit or grasp or pursue things to his self-advantage….neither should you… 

Now, this is a lovely poetic expression -  but its scary…. because the life in which God calls us to do this - is the life we have right now... and I know - and you know - that even if I embrace this way of loving - others around me may not.  Paul knew these fears himself – rejected by people that had been friends because of his faith in Jesus, house arrest, jailed, shipwrecked, excluded….beaten...But in the midst of these real life experiences and difficulties - he says....have the mind of Jesus…in these real places of relationships - I don’t know about you - but my first question - knowing the difficulty of such love and self-giving - is How?  How do you find courage to live like that? 

Paul reminds the Phillippians of the encouragement of Jesus, the consolation of his love, the sharing of the Spirit – his compassion and sympathy….as the source and motivation for this different way of living. 

CS Lewis beautifully reminds us that the whole problem of humanity erupted when our first parents believed the lie that it was possible to discover a happiness that didn’t include God..... In contrast - the biblical story tells us that our identity – is only adequately formed….in relation to God…  No other connection is able to carry the weight of our lives… everything else will ultimately fail us – and everything else will distort our ability to give ourselves away to one another and to the world - because we will constantly want to use the world and use people to get what we feel we lack. 

Paul reminds this early church -- that God had given himself to them in Jesus...this is your comfort - your identity - your power - To be know this love - is to have your own love reshaped... 

And why is his love for us able to so powerfully shape our love - and set our lives within a different orbit inside of a world that is badly ruined...? 

Resurrection - In verses 10 and 11 Paul tells us that God exalted Jesus…raised him to the highest place…and that one day every knee will bend toward him and admit that he is the one true authority… 

Sometimes when Christians have looked at Paul’s statement it has “used” this statement as an in your face answer to the person who willfully says – I don’t believe in this Jesus.”  And we come back either in our minds or in our words.... “Well, God will show you.......One day you will bow your knee - God will see to it.”  It's odd, because I can’t imagine that line ever being very persuasive - but I have to confess I have thought it and I have said it... but I think I missed the point... 

Remember that this is all related to the exhortation that we live in the self-giving way of Jesus as relate to one another.  Our natural tendency is to grasp at “truth” use it more like a hammer than a key...we shift from liberty to oppression so easily....and we miss the way of Jesus. 

Paul says...regardless of your suffering...regardless of what you “see” as you look around the world....Jesus’ pattern of life -will prevail.  This whole section is about being human differently – about brushing up against the powerful and the powerless - against the countless people in our lives differently – its about…people now related to Jesus who is risen....and so now, living differently in relation to other people.... its about using power and resources and truth - for the sake of others – rather self-referentially…. which of course, was God’s intention for human beings at creation .... 

Think back to the Christopher Hedges interview – there is a sense in which people like Sam Harris – Christopher Hitchens – Richard Dawkins – have encountered the real failure of the moral posturing of Christians…. But Hedges, says..they haven’t given us anything better…they give us the same moral posturing….its just a secular….version of the same thing…and it's killing us...it's not a better way of being human -- because it fails to see…the line of evil isn’t just out there – it runs through me.

In contrast, Hedges points his interviewer to people that write about suffering from within the boarders of suffering itself... Commenting on certain reflections of Holocaust survivors...

"They understood the humanity of their own killers.  That line between the victim and the victimizer is razor-thin.  We all carry within us the capacity for abuse, and I think that's the most disturbing lesson you walk away with when you cover wars.  We're all capable of evil, under the right circumstances, and very few of us are immune." 

Paul...reminds us in a very beautiful way that God isn’t like us....He never embraced an armchair critique of human brokenness….of our problem and ruin --  He became a person in our world…he was tempted just like us…but he never gave in…. at no point…was his love of God and neighbor compromised by some self-referential whims…and yet, it cost him....and he willingly embraced that greatest suffering and vulnerability of all - death itself... 

Why would Jesus submit his greatness to a life of suffering, marginalization - and death?  The author of Hebrews tells us – he did it because of the Joy in front of him.  His descent from the world of the Father was driven by joy...and think for a moment of what that Joy must be.  The whole story of the bible from beginning to end - tells us that God wanted the whole world and human life within the world to flourish.... and even, when our first parents let go of that dream of God -- God didn’t let go of the dream - but he moved toward the world as one that would move that blessing forward from generation to generation - until that moment when he stepped into our world in person.....Jesus came to bring the world into a place of blessing in which all life flourished.... he came to put everything right....the way human beings relate to God, to one another and the world around them. when he died - Jesus embraced the story of my life - your life - the brokenness and ruin of our world - 

Yet - God raised him up, Paul says….gave him the highest name….Why?  Because in dying and rising – he has put life back together for every one that embraces him – And this reality has started....and will continue on and on....never stop.  One day - the brokenness and injustice of life will fade forever, but Jesus’ way - his world - will go on and on. 

And Paul urges us...to live by the story of Jesus’ life....now....and find our humanity completed in him now....and as we know that encouragement - that identity that can never be taken away - like Jesus we begin to live toward one another in simple acts of love and generosity.   May God gives us Grace to make it so..