“Stand Firm in the lord as Beloved Brothers”
In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[Amen.]
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. [Amen.]
“How firm a foundation, O Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He has said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?”
(Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO.
728:1)
Epistle Reading............................................................
Philippians 3:17-4:1 (esp. 4:1)
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand
firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Prologue: Do you know (or, for that matter, even want to know) what really
bugs me? I mean big-time bugs me!? It’s my own personal sinfulness. That
doesn’t mean that, like probably all of you as well, other people’s
sinfulness doesn’t bug me … it does. But what really bugs me beyond other
people’s sinfulness is my own personal sinfulness.
Oh, don’t misunderstand. I very much enjoy sinning. In fact,
sinning is fun … according to my sinful flesh. But according to my
baptismal-reborn spirit I hate sinfulness and sinning.
What complicates my predicament (and probably yours as well) is
that sinning is so easy … so second-nature, so to speak. It just comes
naturally … thoughts, words, attitudes, and actions that, instead of obeying
God’s Holy Law as defined by the Ten Commandments, transgress it. The
disastrous result is an intense neediness due to damaged and severed
relationships with people here on earth and, even more severe, with almighty
God in heaven above. That often results in the need to apologize, say that
I’m sorry for whatever, and beg forgiveness.
Well, that leads right into today’s sermon text. You see, my
problem and yours as well is the difficulty we experience in changing our
lives from sinfulness to holiness. That’s something we just can’t do on our
own and, in fact, really don’t even want to do. Lent focuses our attention
on the successful solution, namely, what Jesus did for us with His atoning
self-sacrificial life, suffering, death, and resurrection victory over
Satan, death, and sin itself to gain for us forgiveness, salvation, and
eternal life. That’s the solution to our sin-dilemma. And, that becomes
beneficial for us by doing what Saint Paul advised, namely, …
“Stand Firm in the lord as Beloved Brothers.”
Regarding the significance of Lent, the Treasury of Daily Prayer
devotion book tells us that “During the forty days of Lent, God’s baptized
people cleanse their hearts through the discipline of Lent: repentance,
prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Lent is a time in which God’s people
prepare with joy for the Paschal Feast (Easter). It is a time in which God
renews His people’s zeal in faith and life. It is a time in which we pray
that we may be given the fullness of grace that belongs to the children of
God.” (Treasury of Daily Prayer. Scott A. Kinnaman, General Editor.
Copyright © 2008 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO. Page 26.)
That is, Lent is a time like Advent, which precedes Christmas, to
review and rehearse what God desires for us to be doing daily … repent.
Repent means to recognize sin as rebellion against God and the fact that we
are sinful and sin daily; sorrowfully grieve our sinfulness and the sins
that we commit; truthfully admit our sinfulness and the sins that we commit;
bask in God’s unconditional forgiveness that solves our sinfulness by
washing away all our sins; and resolve to sincerely try by the Holy Spirit’s
power to change our lives from sinfulness and committing sin to holiness and
doing good works according to God’s will that praise Him and serve our
neighbors.
We do that when we …
I. Imitate the Sanctified Example of Saint Paul and Other Saints.
(3:17-19)
17Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk
according to the example you have in us. 18For many, of whom I have often
told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of
Christ. 19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they
glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther wrote in his Preface to the
Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians, “In this epistle St. Paul praises
and admonishes the Philippians that they abide and carry on in the true
faith and increase in love. But since injury is always done to faith by
false apostles and teachers of works, he warns them against these men and
points out to them many different preachers—some good, some bad—including
even himself and his disciples, Timothy and Epaphroditus. This he does in
chapters 1 and 2.
“In chapter 3 he rejects that human righteousness not based on faith,
which is taught and held by the false apostles. He offers himself as an
example: he had lived gloriously in this kind of righteousness, and yet now
holds it to be nothing, for the sake of the righteousness of Christ. For
human righteousness makes the belly its god, and makes men enemies of the
cross of Christ.
“In chapter 4 he exhorts them to peace and good outward conduct toward
each other, and thanks them for the gift they sent him.” (Luther, Martin:
Pelikan, Jaroslav Jan (Hrsg.) ; Oswald, Hilton C. (Hrsg.) ; Lehmann, Helmut
T. (Hrsg.): Luther's Works, Vol. 35 : Word and Sacrament I. Philadelphia :
Fortress Press, 1999, c1960 (Luther's Works 35), S. 35:385)
Imitating others is something we frequently do whether or not we
realize it or we’re willing to admit it. A summary-catalogue of imitations
includes facial expressions, mannerisms, speech patterns, how we dress, how
we walk, what we buy, the food we eat, the things we drink, and, well, the
list could go on indefinitely. The fact is we start imitating others almost
from birth and continue doing so especially during our formative years since
that’s the way we learn much of what we say and do and how we say and do it.
Saint Paul encourages us in today’s Epistle Reading to mimic
himself and other Believers in their demonstration of Christian conduct.
Doing so is a real challenge for us due to the sad fact that “By nature [we
are] spiritually blind, dead, and [enemies] of God.” (Luther’s Small
Catechism with Explanation. Copyright © 1986/1991 Concordia Publishing
House, St. Louis, MO. Page 150.) As a result “The natural person does not
accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is
not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor
2:14 ESV)
So, let’s discern “the things of the Spirit of God.” That means
first and foremost to recognize that God through Jesus Christ has rescued us
from Satan, sin, and the eternal damnation that we rightly deserve because
of our sinfulness. It’s God’s fulfillment of His promise recorded by
Isaiah, “with everlasting love I will have compassion on you” (Isa 54:8 ESV)
and His comforting assurance recorded by Jeremiah, “I have loved you with an
everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” (Jer
31:3 ESV)
Second, it means to resolve by the Holy Spirit’s power to live in
a Christian manner doing good works in the proper sense. After all, “we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10 ESV) Also, the apostle
James wrote, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but
does not have works? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is
dead. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my
faith by my works. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also
faith apart from works is dead.” (James 2:14a, 17, 18b, 26 ESV) Now, to
prevent us from going astray regarding what good works are, let’s remember
that “In God’s sight a good work is everything that a child of God does,
speaks, or thinks in faith according to the Ten Commandments, for the glory
of God, and for the benefit of his or her neighbor.” (Luther’s Small
Catechism with Explanation. Page 154.)
So, in addition to copycatting the sanctified examples of Saint
Paul and other Christians, also …
II. Realize Your Heavenly Citizenship. (3:20-21)
20But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ, 21who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious
body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
In a devotion entitled “Children of God—Citizens of Heaven” based
on Philippians chapter 3 verse 20 the author wrote, “Citizens of this world
have to switch allegiance as their rulers and governments change. Earthly
citizenship is never sure, and its eventual loss is inevitable. But the
citizen of heaven belongs to a kingdom that will never end and never change.
It stands firm and sure, for Jesus is defending it and those in it. The
citizen of heaven will not have his citizenship taken from him, nor will his
citizenship end when he dies. He has an ‘inheritance that can never perish,
spoil or fade—kept in heaven’ (1 Peter 1:4).
“The heart of the blessing of citizenship in heaven is that its
citizens are the redeemed people of God. They are the people to whom God
has granted his mercy in Jesus Christ. They are people who have been
delivered from the condemnation and destruction which will belong to the
enemies of God. Rather than being separated from God as foreigners and
strangers, because of Christ we have become fellow citizens with the saints
and members of his family.” (For Such a Time as This: Epistles. Copyright ©
1991 by Northwester Publishing House, Milwaukee, WI. Page 34.)
God gave us that heavenly citizenship in our Baptism. Our Baptism
certificate is our citizenship document. His written Holy Word reminds and
reassures us of that citizenship. The comforting announcement of Holy
Absolution makes us certain of that citizenship. And, properly partaking of
Holy Communion gives us spiritual strength to live out that citizenship with
behavior that testifies to that citizenship.
After all, just as we eagerly look forward to returning to the
comfort, security, and familiarity of our own home after being gone for
awhile, so also “We look forward to our [heavenly] homecoming. Each day
here brings us one day closer to it. Still we have to be on our guard. For
each day also threatens to overwhelm us with its cares and temptations. But
we are not alone. Our Lord Jesus is present with us in his word and
sacraments. He assures and reassures us that our sins have been forgiven,
that we are the children of God, and that our names have been written in the
Book of Life. Each day we can turn to his word for strength and
encouragement. Each day through that word he leads our thoughts heavenward
and shows us how we are to live as citizens of heaven.” (Ibid. Page 35.)
Stanza 6 of the great hymn, “I Walk in Danger All the Way,”
declares, “My walk is heav’nward all the way; Await, my soul, the morrow,
When God’s good healing shall allay All suff’ring, sin, and sorrow. Then,
worldly pomp, begone! To heav’n I now press on. For all the world I would
not stay; My walk is heav’nward all the way.” (Lutheran Service Book.
716:6.)
In addition, the “Baptismal Life” section of “Prayers,
Intercessions, and Thanksgivings” in our Lutheran Service Book hymnal
contains the following prayer “For divine guidance.” “Direct us, O Lord, in
all our doings with Your most gracious favor, and further us with Your
continual help, that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in You we
may glorify Your holy name and finally, by Your mercy, obtain eternal
salvation.” (Ibid. Page 310.) Today’s Collect, in which we prayed, “… of
ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all
adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may
assault and hurt the soul” also calls upon God to safeguard our journey
through this earthly vale of tears to our heavenly home of joyful
celebration. And, today’s Introit called upon God to “Remember your
congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be
the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.” (Ps
74:2 ESV)
In conclusion, therefore, …
“Stand Firm in the lord as Beloved Brothers.”
In summary, “What Paul says of his own life here is an important
key to viewing our own. As long as we are here on earth, we sinners will
not reach perfection. That will come only in heaven’s glory. Nevertheless,
our Christian lives of growing in Christ and living for him ought to be a
constant striving for perfection, with the goal and prize of eternal life
always kept before our eyes of faith.” (Harlyn J. Kuschel in People’s Bible
Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Copyright © 1992 Concordia
Publishing House, St. Louis, MO. Page 76.) In regards to that, let’s
strive by the Holy Spirit’s power to …
I. Imitate the Sanctified Example of Saint Paul and Other Saints.
(3:17-19)
After all, today’s Gradual reminded us, “[O come, let us fix our
eyes on] Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at
the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2 ESV) At the same time, let’s
also take to heart and be comforted and encouraged by our Savior’s depth of
care, concern, and compassion expressed in today’s Gospel Reading, “O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who
are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a
hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your
house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say,
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (St Luke 13:34-35)
As we ponder all that, let’s also ponder this, namely, …
II. Realize Your Heavenly Citizenship. (3:20-21)
As we daily draw closer to the fullness of that reality, let’s
recall the significance of Lent especially in the shadow of today’s Old
Testament Reading, “Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the
people, saying, ‘The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this
city all the words you have heard. Now therefore mend your ways and your
deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of
the disaster that he has pronounced against you. But as for me, behold, I
am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. Only know for
certain that … in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in
your ears.” (Jer 26:12-15 ESV)
Remember also that “Paul deeply loved the Philippian congregation
[even as Pastor Marks and I deeply love you]. Its members brought special
joy to his heart because the fruits of their faith were evident in so many
ways in their lives [as is true about you as well]. They were his crown,
his festive garland. This was true when Paul wrote this epistle, but it
will become even more evident at the Lord’s return. Then the Philippians’
faith and the fruits of their faith [as well as your faith and the fruits of
it] will be displayed before the whole world as evidence that the apostle’s
labors [and the labors of Pastor Marks and me] were not in vain. Paul
warmly reminds the Philippians of all this as he concludes this section. He
reemphasizes the importance of all he has just said, as he emphatically
proclaims, ‘That is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!’”
(Harlyn J. Kuschel. Page 85.)
God grant it all for the sake of Jesus Christ, His humble Son, our
holy Savior. [Amen.]
In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[Amen.]
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