Philippians 2:19-24 Finish the Race!

Philippians 2:19-24  I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.  I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.  For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.  But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.  I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.  And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

I have no one else like him (Timothy), who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.  For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.  This is a message that should challenge today's church.  Paul realized that most of the Christians around him were so involved with their own concerns that they could not or would not look beyond their own interests to the concerns of Jesus Christ.  But Timothy, as a good son, would choose to look after the interests and concerns of his spiritual father, Paul.  Paul could count on this from Timothy because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.  Paul's concerns, in his role as an apostle, revolved around the welfare of the churches he founded.  The Philippian church was one of them.  Timothy was sent to the Philippians to gather information for Paul on the health and welfare of the church in Philippi.  Paul said he sought this good report so that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.  Timothy also gave them the latest information on Paul's situation in Rome.  Timothy was a trusted brother in the Lord to Paul, so close to Paul, that Paul considered him his spiritual son.  Paul knew Timothy would reflect his love and his concern for the wellbeing of the Philippians.  He knew Timothy would sacrifice his own physical and emotional needs for the furtherance of the gospel in Philippi.  As his true son in the faith, Paul could count on Timothy lifting up Jesus Christ in his visit to this nascent church.  (1 Timothy 1:2)  He trusted Timothy to follow the admonition he had already given the Philippians: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  (Philippians 2:3)

Paul set an example as a servant, and he trusted Timothy to do likewise.  Some of you reading this breakfast have received ministry from believers who put their own needs aside to bless or to encourage others, people who considered the interests of Jesus Christ as more important than their own interests.  Mom had such a friend, and she was a tremendous blessing in her life.  During a period when Mom was suffering greatly from the effects of lupus and fibro myalgia, this wonderful friend seemed to sense when she was needed.  Mom was still working as a writing consultant for different school districts, and part of her job included conducting workshops.  This dear friend, Carol, would accompany her to the school and help carry in the materials, arranging them, handing them out, and doing anything she could to ease the workload.  Most important, at the end of the day, she loaded the car, took Mom's arm, helped her to the car, and drove her home.  Many times, she would give Mom a massage to help soothe her aching joints and muscles.  She would call on days that seemed impossible and tell Mom,  "Now, I want you to tell me how you really are, so I can pray."  When she heard about the pain or the lack of sleep or the brain fog, she would simply say, "I know, I know."  Then she would offer encouragement.  Her words overflowed with the comfort of the Lord.  She sent scriptures and spiritual songs.  Once she called and said, "I hear you saying, 'I think I can.  I think I can.'  The Lord wants you to say, I know I can.  I know I can.  You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength right now."  Our son, Dan, summed up Carol's love and care for his mother when he said, "You know, Mom, Carol is such a great friend because she gives more than she takes."  Dad said, "That is a friend who loves like Jesus."  We should all love with that kind of love.  Carol said she was a Titus because Paul told the church in Corinth, Titus was a fellow worker sent from God to labor with him.  She believed that was her role in Mom's life.  When Carol went to be with the Lord it was very difficult, and Mom misses her loving friendship greatly.  But Carol's life influenced many for Jesus.

If you have been blessed with a Carol in your life or if God has called you to be a Carol to others in your sphere of influence, then praise God!  Either role is ordained of God and mapped out by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said,  I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  (John 10:10)  To minister under the leading of the Holy Spirit or to be ministered to by another is life changing.  In these grace-filled moments, we connect with the Creator, the giver of eternal life.  Yes, life can be difficult at times; we often experience hardships and extreme pain.  Our dear Carol died a painful death from cancer.  She expected God to heal her up to the very end of her life here on Earth.  Shortly before her passing, Mom told her, "I know it is not what you wanted, but you are going to receive your healing in heaven.  You are going to have that big party with Jesus and those who have gone before, and I will see you again."  She did not want to hear that.  None of us wants a "No" when we sought a "Yes."  But we know Carol arrived in heaven with inexpressible joy!  When Carol took her last breath on this side of heaven, she knew where she was headed.  Jesus had a place for her prepared ahead of time.  With Paul, she could say, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.  (2 Timothy 4:7-8)   She did not run in vain, and neither do we when we run the race for the cause of Christ.  We have a couple of grandchildren who run races.  They run fast!  When Ethan or Julia run a race, they are all in: nothing distracts them or keeps them from the finish line.  When they finish, they have used all their strength and they have done their best.  This is how every believer must run for the Master.  You must: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.   And as Jesus added, you must: Love your neighbor as yourself.  (Mark 12:30-31)  Paul and Timothy loved like that, Carol loved like that, and so can we as we serve in the work of the gospel. 

 

Philippians 2:12-17 Shine Like A Star

Philippians 2:12-17  Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.  Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life — in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.  But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 

In these verses, we see Paul developing the theme of being like-minded with Christ.  Even though Jesus Christ was equal to God in his position and authority, He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  (vs 7)  Jesus took on the body and nature of man to serve man.  He did this in complete humbleness, considering others better than himself, even though He was God.  We are human, equal to each other in our humanness.  To follow Jesus' example, we are to take our role of equality with others and consider it nothing.  As Christ did, we are to humble ourselves to serve others in love even though we have equality with them.  This is the message Paul asks us to work out with fear and trembling.  John wrote: God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.  In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.  (1 John 4 16-17)  God loves without reciprocation or acceptance from others.  As Paul wrote to the church at Rome, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:8)  Jesus said that we should love our enemies or place ourselves below them to reveal the love of God to them.  This is difficult for us to understand because this love has little to do with the love we define here on earth.  We expect acknowledgement, reciprocation, and respect from those we love.  We lose interest in love that is not returned.  We have many reasons to love, but loving our enemies is not counted among those reasons.  Instead we justify despising, hurting, and in extreme cases even killing them.  We do not easily internalize the idea of loving our enemies.  Yet God says, if we love them as He loves them we will fulfill his will; and just as He has done with Jesus, someday He will lift us up into heavenly places and put the crown of righteousness on our heads.  He has made us sons and daughters in his family, and He has called us to a higher calling than the Earthly realm, a position that no person in his earthly state can understand or appreciate. 

We are blessed because we have the Holy Spirit to teach us to act according to his good purpose.  Paul tells us to do everything without complaining or arguing.  Stop complaining to others about serving people you do not like.  Stop arguing about why you are justified in treating them as enemies rather than people to love.  Stop complaining and arguing to God about this role of a loving servant of all.  Instead, be obedient to the words and nature of God.  If we put aside this obstinate nature, this nature of disobedience to God, and take on the nature of Christ, we will become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.  We will shine like stars in the universe.  We will generate light rather than darkness to people who need to see light. The world will see our good works and marvel at the quality of the works.  As they look upon our lives, they will know that something in our lives is substantially different from the way they live their lives.  Jesus said, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  (Matthew 5:16 )  Of course, this is the treasure of living that has escaped the world's awareness and that is the word of life.  Jesus Christ is the Word; Jesus Christ is the life; He alone brings eternal life to every person who will put their trust in him and believe in him for eternal life.  Christ alone can give eternal life with God; He alone can change this humanness to God's nature, projecting us into the future as sons and daughters of the Most High, co-heirs with Jesus to the blessings of God forever.  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  (1 John 3:1)  Paul was poured out as a drink offering.  He was consumed by the will of God, living a difficult life, full of pain and rejection, so others would know Christ.  He ran the race, seeing the joy set before him, knowing if he labored diligently that eternal transformation would come to those who heard and heeded his words.  He knew they would become his brothers and sisters IN CHRIST.  Along the way, he found many enemies to the cross, who wanted to discourage him from finishing the course, but he ran strong regardless of the pain.  

We, too, should run the race with endurance, passion, and power.  We should become faithful servants, loving the world as God loves the world.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  (2 Peter 3:9)  We are to work out God's plan of salvation by serving others.  When we find ourselves in difficult situations as we serve, we must bring God's light to that arena.  If we rebel toward living as a servant: not loving our neighbors, not serving others, not caring for our enemies, we are living contrary to God's will for our lives.  When we bemoan our present situation or our difficulties, we minimize God's will in us and what He is doing in the world through us.  We are called just as the disciples were called to bring others to the cross of Christ.  Paul wrote, For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.  (1 Corinthians 1:17-18)  Christ died on the cross that we might find salvation and share the Good News.  We must die to ourselves so others might be saved, might see the love of God.  When we struggle in our homes, in our workplace, in our community, we must remember the joy that God has prepared for believers who remain faithful to his will and his love.  His love manifested on Earth will save your children, your mates, your friends, your co-workers, your acquaintances.  We must run the race of life with perseverance and patience.  Much prayer, much faith is needed.  Every time you go to church you express faith; every time you humble yourself before the Lord, saying, not my will but yours, you express faith.  Pray and expect an answer, live for others, and shine for Jesus.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Hebrews 12:2)  

Philippians 2:5-11 Become A Servant Of All!

Philippians 2:5-11  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is THE SERVANT of all time.  He could have come to Earth enwrapped with all the glory of heaven; He could have come with ten thousand angels, escorting him to his rightful throne in Jerusalem.  He could have come with his magnificent titles of Creator and King of All; instead, He came in human likeness with the sentence of death on his life because of being human and because of the course set before him.  He became obedient to death — even death on a cross!  In doing this, He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.  (Colossians 2:13-15)   Jesus, the man of humble birth, a servant of all, eventually will be known by all men as THE LORD, for every tongue (will) confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  All people shall bow at his feet; every human that has ever existed will someday bow before him.  Some will bow before him in reverence, knowing him as the Giver of Life Eternal; others will bow before him in fear, knowing that they will be judged by the works in their lives.  The former will be judged according to Jesus Christ and his works; the latter will be judged according to their works.  All will know that God will not accept any unrighteousness into his kingdom.  BE YE PERFECT is God's measuring stick for eternal life.  All but Jesus are imperfect; therefore, perfection or righteousness comes through the name of Jesus.  All who put their trust in Jesus' name will be saved or found perfect before God; all others will face the wrath of God for imperfection, or as we know it, sin.

Therefore, how should we live?  Yes, we are righteous because of our faith in Christ, but how should we live as believers?  Our attitude in life should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.  He came to serve, we are to serve.  Paul told the church in Galatia: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  (Galatians 2:20)  If Christ lives in us and we have the Holy Spirit within us, we will go about doing the deeds Jesus would do.  Jesus made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, and we see his servant nature during his ministry through his final offering of himself on the cross.  When the disciples argued about who would be the greatest, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.  (Mark 9:35)  Soon after Jesus uttered these words, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, asked Jesus if He would do whatever they asked.  They seemed to have missed his point about serving others.  When they asked if they could sit on his right and his lefthand, He did not give the answer they sought.  “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”  They said they could, but Jesus went on to say, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant.  These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”  Finally, when the ten are indignant at James and John, Jesus comes back to the point He made earlier: “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  (Mark 9:38-40, 42-45)  His disciples had difficulty understanding what many Christians do not understand today: Jesus came as a servant and calls us to follow him.

People in our day seem to want first place in life, and we do not hear a lot about serving others.  This self-centerness leads to a society that exalts personal success and greed.  We lift up people who are aggressive and take advantage of others to make it to the top.  These people are our heroes more often than those who give their lives to helping the needy and to finding ways to improve conditions for the poor.  When Jesus called his disciples, He said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."  (Matthew 4:19)  He did not say, "Follow me, and I will make you a highly successful world mover and shaker with many people meeting your needs and serving you."  Jesus told his followers, “No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money.  Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  (Matthew 6:24-25)  A servant is not overly concerned about daily needs.  A servant serves the master, for he is bound to the master.  As Christians, we have a loving Master, One who has given his all for us, and One who is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  (Romans 8:34)  As we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, we go forth, serving the Lord with joy and gladness, sharing the Good News with the lost and the hurting.  We must ask the Holy Spirit to show us where He has called us to serve, to reveal to us the mission field where we are to reap a harvest by the Spirit with our trust placed firmly in the Lord.  As we read in the Word, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Hebrews 12:1-2)  This message is for you, brothers and sisters in Christ.  You are called to serve with all your might.  You are told to love you neighbor as yourself.  Refresh yourself in the Holy Spirit today, and He will bless you.  

Philippians 2:1-4 Love Your Neighbor

Philippians 2:1-4  If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

If the Spirit of God has transformed you in any way, if He has encouraged you in any way, if you have been given the privilege of communicating with him, if you have found his nature of tenderness and compassion as part of your life, if you have experienced a deeper love for others because of him, then be like-minded as you function in this world.  Encourage, help, and love others as the image of God in this world.  We are to prefer others above ourselves, looking after the needs of others, not just our own.  As Paul told the church in Rome, Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with God’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  (Romans  12:10-17)  This is how God wants us to move through the world.  In today's passage, Paul expresses the essence or purpose of a Christian life.  Our goal is not to be all we can be for ourselves, but to be all that we can be for others.  Our greatest example of this is Jesus Christ himself who was the epitome of one poured out for others.  His actions revealed a God that the world did not know or understand.  To the world, their gods were gods of power and authority, not gods of servanthood.  They would have thought the Christian God would be weak while their gods were gods of strength and deliverance.  They believed their powerful gods could deliver whole nations from their adversaries; make them wealthy; provide them with many children; could do a sundry of things: bringing security, abundance, and prestige to all that served them.  But one must serve them with total allegiance, even to the sacrificing of their own children, for they are the gods of this world, the gods of the devil.

When Jesus came to Earth, He came as a baby, from a poor family, without the trappings of authority or position.  He was a carpenter, working anonymously for the necessities of this world: food and shelter.  His rise to recognition did not come through the usual ways of the world.  We do not see him as a young boy being stronger than all the other children around him.  As a young man we don't see him as a natural leader with a gang of followers.  We just see him as a young man, a carpenter, maybe a loner until the time appointed.  He was not from a place of distinction.  In fact, when Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph,”  Nathanael says, “Nazareth!  Can anything good come from there?”  (John 1:45-46)  Then at the river of Jordan, we see a man called John the Baptist, baptizing people who are repenting of their worldly ways.  There, Jesus asks John to baptize him also.  John knew by the Spirit's revelation that this man Jesus did not need to be baptized for his sins, for he was without sin; but John baptized him anyway, even though John knew he was the sinner in this situation, not Jesus.  But on that day Jesus, literally made a show of pushing off the ways of the world and taking on the way of the Spirit.  The Spirit came and rested on him.  As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  (Matthew 3:16-17)  From that day, Jesus was full of power and authority, never more to live just according to the ways of the world.  From that day, he had no home: he depended on others to help him survive with the food and shelter He needed.  Hence forth, Jesus was bonded to the voice of God, to do the will of God.  We see him praying to God in a sustained manner for many hours.  We also know He followed the Spirit of God within him in everything He did.  

This man, Jesus Christ, is our Lord, the Son of God.  He alone is our God; his nature is to be our nature.  The Spirit that fell upon him is the same Spirit that resides in us after we accept Christ as our Savior.  Jesus went away that we might have the Comforter, our Teacher and our Guide.  The Spirit helps us to do the will of God.  Jesus lived his whole life for others, and He told us: Love your neighbor as yourself.  (Matthew 22:39)  How are we living our lives for the benefit of others?  If we do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, we will shine for Jesus in a world that is contaminated by selfishness and vanity.  Oftentimes we are driven exclusively by our desire to please ourselves or to get ahead, to be the winner in every situation.  This is the spirit of the age, but it is not the spirit of the family of God.  How often are we discouraged when people will not follow our lead or listen to our wisdom?   How often do we desire to control the environment around us?  Maybe too often.  But Paul says that you should in humility consider others better than yourselves.  This does not sound like a God that humans want to follow.  Outside of Christ, this is the question one would naturally ask: What is in it for me?  This Christian thing does not seem to pay off very well.  For the secular "me first" world, Paul really drives his point home with a hammer by saying Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  He expands our world beyond just ourselves: a Christian will look out for the needs and welfare of others.  This is what Jesus did as He walked this earth.  He served and loved the world so much that He gave his life for all: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:8)  Paul asks us to live as Jesus lived in a sinful world.  We should be like-minded with Christ, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  We should be as only true God, a lover of his creation, of those who need his love.  We are to display his love that He lavished so abundantly upon the world.     

Philippians 1:27-30 Conduct Yourself Worthy of the Gospel

Philippians 1:27-30  Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.  This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved — and that by God.  For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. 

Paul knew the Philippians were in danger of facing the same persecution and threats he had experienced.  Paul was in prison at this time in Rome, some say house arrest.  Regardless, he experienced incarceration because of his testimony that Jesus Christ was and is the Son of God and Savior of all who call upon his name.  Of course, neither the Romans nor the Jews wanted to hear these claims, for they had killed Jesus in Jerusalem.  For the Jews and the Romans, Paul's pronouncements, his preaching and teaching, could destabilize their authority in the region if Paul's message was accepted by the majority of the people.  Paul was preaching, Jesus is Lord, and IN HIM ALONE is eternal life.  Of course, Caesar was God to the Romans, and the Law established the authority and hierarchy in the Jewish community.  Consequently, Paul was not only a threat to the Jewish world, but also a threat to the secular world.  Under this stress, Paul has already indicated his dichotomous feelings about life and its value: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  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!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.  (Chapter 1:21-24)  In today's scripture, he tells the Philippians that this message you have heard and have accepted will also bring you trouble.  For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.  He tells them, Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  He is encouraging them as their spiritual father.

How do we conduct ourselves so that we are worthy of the gospel of Christ?  What does Jesus say about his message when He is preparing to leave this earth?  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  (John 15:12-13)  If you hate your brother, you are a murderer.  If you do not love, you remain in death.  God is not in you if you do not love others.  We know we are alive in Christ, that we have eternal life, when we are loving mankind as God loves his creation.  What is the epitome of love, the apex of love: to lay our lives down for others?  This is what Jesus did for us.  He revealed God's love to us, a sacrificial love, one that is absolute and eternal.  We in the flesh fall far short of this kind of love.  We normally focus our lives around our needs and wants.  We have a difficult time putting other people's needs before ours.  This is why we are not like God; this is why we have trouble understanding who God is and exemplifying his likeness, for we are not like him.  Our lives tread around our interests, not the needs of others.  But IN CHRIST, we are known as the children of God, learning his interests, not ours, becoming as He is, not as we are in the natural.  He is changing us by the indwelling Holy Spirit little by little, step by step.  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.  (1 John 3:1-2)  Someday we will be completely like him, clothed in his complete cloak of love.  His visage will be our visage, his likeness, our likeness, God in us and loving through us.  We are called to be his servants.  We are free in Christ, free from the sinful nature through faith in him.  Paul told the church in Galatia, For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  (Galatians 5:13)

Despite their glorious freedom in the Lord, the Philippians and all generations since have experienced some kind of persecution, isolation, and threats because of God's ministry of love to the world: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  How nonsensical is it to resist such a message.  Jesus predicted the rejection Christians would face: If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.  (John 15:18-19)  His message was and is unacceptable in this world of self-interest, and self-engrandisement.  The world has rejected this message of love and peace in favor of violence and mayhem.  In Noah's time, as it has always been since the Fall, this earth has been filled with turmoil and upheaval.  Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.  God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.  So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them.  (Genesis 6:11-13)  Christ came to bring a new way of living, a final solution to this marred, sinful creation.  He came to establish peace, hope, and love in the hearts of men.  We are his peacemakers, the children of God.  We reveal Christ to the world.  We do not obfuscate this message by giving in to our fleshly desires or fears.  Even in our closest relationships, our lives are based on love and servitude.  Paul knew Christ's message would be rejected by fleshly men and the demonic spirits of this world.  The self says my way or the highway: it is my authority, my uniqueness, and so on.  The word "I" will always be preeminent in the spirits of men who are led by fleshly desires.  But Paul's words to the Philippians remind us that regardless of the threats, fears, disappointments, and persecutions, we should conduct ourselves as Christ conducted himself as He went to the cross.  We should love all people: treat them as we would want to be treated, a command we often ignore in our lives.  We have read: Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  (Galatians 5:25)  Christian companions at this table, gather yourself together more often as you see this world fall apart.  All of us need help to stand boldly for Christ, to be strengthened in our innermost selves, to love as God loves.  We need each other to accomplish our god-given tasks on this earth.