Real Life Matters

Read Philippians 2:19-30.

This is a snapshot of koinonia, the truest, deepest kind of friendship at the spiritual level. Why is this sometimes difficult? It all started with Adam and Eve and the sin that caused relational issues with God and each other. Being naked just wasn’t the same anymore! And we’ve been putting on our garb and putting up our guard ever since. This is the purpose of the cross: So that we no longer feel the need to hide from God; and in our spiritual relationships, we should no longer need to put up our guard and be posers with each other.

Note the four marks of Christ-like friendship from this section of Scripture (Props to Nicky Gumbal for the framework of this outline; many of my thoughts injected. Nicky has a great book called “A Life Worth Living”, and it’s a little book “worth buying”).

1. Genuine Interest. Paul looks around and sees a bunch of selfishness, saying, “Everyone looks out for his own interests” (v 21). But not Timothy; in v 20: “I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.” I believe that this “genuine interest” is the most effective way to share Christ. It’s not that we make friends in order to proselytize; no, we genuinely care, and because of that, we share.

2. Common Focus (v 21). Paul was all about “the interests of Jesus Christ.” That’s what I call “looking out for Number One.” That’s what he had in common with his buddies. Ordinary friendships are usually about things we have in common, hobbies, doing things together, trash-talking each other’s football teams. And that’s great; who doesn’t love that? But Christianity is in another league. There’s an unparalleled closeness that the New Testament calls “fellowship” (koinonia)—the world knows nothing about it; it’s this inexplicable obsession with God and “the interests of Jesus Christ” (v 21).

3. Co-Slaving (v 22). Remember Paul was humble. The Greek in v 22 is, “He [Timothy] slaved with me.” Likewise, Epaphroditus was a “fellow-worker” (v 25). Some of the people I feel closest to are the ones I’ve had the opportunity slave with. Whether going to Mississippi, or India, or all the sweat we poured out in renovating the church together. Slaving together has a way of keeping it real.

4. Risk (v 30). Epaphroditus risked his life for the gospel. His name suggests that his parents had devoted him to the service of Aphrodite—the goddess of love and the patron of gambling! We might say that Epaphroditus was a gambler for the gospel. The expression used in verse 30 could be translated as “gambling his life.” In the days of the early church, there was an association of men and women called “the gamblers.” They would visit prisons and people with infectious diseases. They were willing to risk their lives to serve others.

Are any of these four marks of Christlike friendship evident in your life?

Some don’t like the language of God as “Father.” One reason is that bad dads make this image hard to accept; a second is that some people get all hung up on the gender thing. In this edition of Real Life Matters, Mark deals with his Daddy Issues.

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Here are my Top Ten reasons why Calvary may be a difficult place for you:

10. We love the Bible and think it’s important to actually do what it says

9. We think the gospel is more than just talk; it’s walk: going to places like India, Kenya, Ukraine, Mississippi, Assisted Living Homes, the local Soup Kitchen, building houses for people, etc. …you get the point

8. We are a bunch of strugglers and our spirituality is sometimes messy; so we want to help each other UP, not push each other down

7. We don’t feel the need to dress up, and we don’t judge those who do

6. We are real (which sometimes means admitting our own hypocrisy)

5. We hate gossip… but sometimes get caught up in it anyway. Most of us, I think, want to change that

4. We would rather ask, “What was your name again?” than say, “Hey… man!”

3. We think change is usually good

2. We like drums, guitars, smiles, tears, and singing worshipers who applaud God after most songs

1. We’ll ask YOU for time, talent, money and yes, even blood when we bring the Red Cross to town

If you are up to the challenge, then join us in our efforts to change this world amuck, with God’s help, little by little…

Thoughts that Stick from Philippians 2:1-11

Division really gets to Paul; he often pleads for unity. He lists four “ifs”…

1. If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ (I do)
2. If any comfort from his love (that’s me)
3. If any fellowship with the Spirit (last I checked)
4. If any tenderness and compassion (on my better days)

If these four ifs are true of me, then Paul tells me to make his “joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”

If, if, if, if; in other words, it’s “iffy” to think I’m really a Christian if I’m typically divisive.

Paul is purposely redundant on unity because it’s the most significant authentication of our Message.

The life Paul is calling us to is totally counterintuitive: jettison selfish ambition, pride, division, and vain conceit.

I see a ladder. If we follow Christ’s example in vv 5-8, then we climb down.

In the kingdom of God, down is the new up.