BE LIKE JESUS; NOT 50-50 (CC)

LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT RECORDED FOR US BY THE APOSTLE PAUL IN HIS LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS, WHERE WE READ THE FIRST ELEVEN VERSES OF CHAPTER TWO: THEREFORE IF YOU HAVE ANY ENCOURAGEMENT FROM BEING UNITED WITH CHRIST, IF ANY COMFORT FROM HIS LOVE, IF ANY COMMON SHARING IN 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 OF ONE MIND. DO NOTHING OUT OF SELFISH AMBITION OR VAIN CONCEIT. RATHER, IN HUMILITY VALUE OTHERS ABOVE YOURSELVES, NOT LOOKING TO YOUR OWN INTERESTS BUT EACH OF YOU TO THE INTERESTS OF THE OTHERS. IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER, HAVE THE SAME MINDSET AS CHRIST JESUS: WH0, BEING IN VERY NATURE GOD, DID NOT CONSIDER EQUALITY WITH GOD SOMETHING TO BE USED TO HIS OWN ADVANTAGE; RATHER, HE MADE HIMSELF NOTHING BY TAKING THE VERY NATURE OF A SERVANT, BEING MADE IN HUMAN LIKENESS. AND BEING FOUND IN APPEARANCE AS A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF BY BECOMING 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 ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD. LET US PRAY: GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT. AMEN. [TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA, INC.] DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST: I'M SURE MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE WORDS OF THE "SERENITY PRAYER". THAT SHORT PRAYER THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE THAT'S PASSED AROUND - HAS VERY GOOD ADVICE! A VERY GOOD PRAYER FOR US TO SAY: GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE, THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. SO THIS WEEK I GOT AN INTERESTING EMAIL. IT CONTAINED A NEW VERSION OF THE SERENITY PRAYER. A LITTLE BIT SHORTER. AND PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE POINT. THE 'NEW' "SERENITY PRAYER"! BASICALLY: GOD GRANT ME THE WISDOM TO REMEMBER THAT I AM NOT YOU. WHAT AN INTERESTING PRAYER FOR US, AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD, TO MAKE A PART OF OUR LIFE! THAT KNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE NOT GOD. WE DON'T THINK LIKE GOD. WE DON'T ACT LIKE GOD. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND GOD ... BECAUSE WE ARE TEMPORAL SMALL HUMAN CREATURES LIVING IN A WORLD THAT HE CREATED. THAT HE OVERSEES. THAT HE DIRECTS ITS COURSE SO THAT WE WILL BE THE CHURCH OF GOD ETERNAL SOME DAY. BUT YET HOW OFTEN IN OUR DAILY LIVES, DON'T WE THINK THAT WE 'ARE' SMARTER THAN GOD! THAT WE KNOW THAT GOD HAS MADE MISTAKES AND WE ARE THE FIRST TO COME TO HIM TO TELL HIM WHAT THOSE MISTAKES HAVE BEEN, AS WELL AS THE WAY THAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO CORRECT THOSE MISTAKES. HOW EASY IT IS FOR US TO THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO GOD AND WITH SOME KIND OF SELF-RIGHTEOUS DETERMINATION, SAY TO HIM: THIS IS WHAT I DESERVE AND YOU HAD BETTER GIVE IT TO ME AND HAND IT OUT. THAT OUR TIMETABLE, SOMEHOW, IS THE TIMETABLE THAT GOD MUST USE. BECAUSE: I NEED IT GOD, I NEED IT NOW AND I NEED IT TODAY AND I AM SITTING HERE WAITING FOR YOU TO DO THAT. IT'S HUMAN NATURE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE DOWNFALL OF SINFUL MAN. THINKING SOMEHOW THAT 'THEY' KNOW WHAT IS BEST. THAT THEY PUT THEMSELVES IN THE PLACE OF GOD. WE SEE THAT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON FOR THIS MORNING. GOD'S PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING THAT GOD WAS NOT JUST. GOD WAS NOT FAIR. GOD SAVES PEOPLE. GOD SHOWERS HIS LOVE AND HIS GRACE ON EVERY SINNER IN ABUNDANCE. AND THAT BOTHERS SOME PEOPLE. BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO THINK IF YOU DO WHAT IS RIGHT, YOU SHOULD BE BLESSED. IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, THEN YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE EASY. GOD SHOULD SOMEHOW LOOK ON US WITH HIS FAVOR, ALWAYS! BECAUSE AREN'T WE HIS CHILDREN? AND AREN'T WE THE BEST THERE ARE? BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN POINT OUT A WHOLE BUNCH MORE THAT ARE AROUND ME THAT ARE NOT AS GOOD AS I AM, AND DON'T DESERVE WHAT I SHOULD HAVE. IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO FIGHT AS GOD'S PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME, EVERY DAY THAT SINFUL NATURE THAT IS IN US. THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE TO THE CHURCH IN PHILIPPI; HE WANTED TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO NOT BE SELFISH. TO NOT BECOME EGOTISTICAL. TO NOT BECOME THE "END ALL" AND "BE ALL" AND TO SET THEMSELVES UP THAT THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MATTER. BUT TO THINK OF CHRIST. THINK OF ALL OF THE JOY THAT THEY HAD IN CHRIST. THINK OF THE THANKFULNESS THAT THEY HAD IN CHRIST. THINK OF THE BLESSINGS AND THE FELLOWSHIP THAT THEY SHARED IN CHRIST. IN CHRIST WHO BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER. AND THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT SAME MINDSET OF JESUS CHRIST; THAT THEY SHOULD BE HUMBLE. THAT THEY SHOULD BE UNITED IN PURPOSE. AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS. THAT THEY SHOULD BE UNITED IN THE SPIRIT THAT GOD HAD POURED OUT ON THEM. THAT SPIRIT THAT HAD CALLED EACH OF THEM TO FAITH. THE SPIRIT THAT HAD BROUGHT THEM OUT OF THE DARKNESS OF SIN INTO THE LIGHT OF GOD. THE SPIRIT THAT HAD CONVICTED EACH OF THEM IN THEIR OWN SINFUL NATURE THAT THEY COULD NOT SAVE THEMSELVES, BUT THAT GOD IN HIS AMAZING LOVE, HAD SAVED THEM. HAD SENT HIS SON ... HIS SON, WHO PAUL REMINDED THE CONGREGATION IN PHILIPPI AND REMINDS US AS WELL, [JESUS] HUMBLED HIMSELF. WHO DID NOT COME INTO THIS WORLD TO BE A KING WHO WAS WAITED ON AND SERVED BY HUMAN SERVANTS, TO GRAB THE ATTENTION AND THE GLORY AND THE GLAMOUR OF A TEMPORAL LIFE. HE HAD ALL THE GLORY THAT HE NEEDED IN HEAVEN. HE HAD THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS ... TEN THOUSAND UPON TEN THOUSAND SERVANTS AT HIS BECK AND CALL IN THE HEAVENLY REALM. AND HE LEFT THAT BEHIND. HE HUMBLED HIMSELF AND HE CAME INTO THIS WORLD TAKING ON HUMAN FLESH TO LIVE AND TO DIE AS OUR SUBSTITUTE. TO PAY THE PENALTY THAT WAS MINE. THAT PENALTY OF DEBT BECAUSE I AM A SINNER. I AM SOMEONE WHO CONSTANTLY SINS; I CAN'T EVEN STAND BEFORE YOU AS A SINNER AND RECOUNT ALL OF THEM THAT I HAVE DONE IN THE PAST 24 HOURS; BECAUSE THERE ARE SINS THAT I HAVE COMMITTED THAT I AM NOT EVEN AWARE OF. BUT I KNOW THAT I HAVE NOT ALWAYS PLACED GOD FIRST; I HAVE NOT LOVED HIM WITH MY WHOLE HEART. AND I KNOW THAT I HAVE NOT LOVED OTHERS IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST'S LOVE. THAT'S THE CONFESSION THAT I MAKE BEFORE GOD. I HUMBLE MYSELF BEFORE HIM IN HIS PRESENCE BECAUSE I REALIZE HOW DAMNING MY SINS ARE. AND HOW HOLY AND PERFECT AND INNOCENT IS GOD, AS WAS HIS SON WHO CAME INTO THIS WORLD AND BECAME OBEDIENT TO DEATH. A HORRIFIC DEATH, ON THE CROSS SO THAT YOU AND I COULD BE CHILDREN OF GOD. OUR DEBT HAD BEEN CANCELLED; OUR SLATE HAD BEEN WIPED CLEAN, WE STAND IN HOLINESS AND JOY, THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST BEFORE THE GOD WHO LOVES US! WHO THEN EXALTED THAT HUMBLE SERVANT, HIS SON, TO THE HIGHEST PLACE IN HEAVEN. PLACING HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND TO RULE AND GUIDE THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH. TO BRING THAT CHURCH TO ITS COMPLETION IN HOLINESS IN HEAVEN. TO RETURN TO THIS WORLD AS THE JUDGE OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. TO BRING GOD'S PEOPLE COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY PERFECT TO THEIR ETERNAL HOME. HAVING THAT AS OUR UNITING FACTOR, IS WHAT PAUL WISHED FOR THE CHURCH IN PHILLIPI. IT'S WHAT GOD WISHES AND DESIRES FOR US TODAY. TO BE UNIFIED IN THAT SPIRIT. TO BE UNIFIED IN THAT GOAL. TO BE THE PEOPLE OF GOD, WHO ARE REACHING OUT AND SHOWING OTHERS WHO JESUS CHRIST IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE. BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT ME. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU. IT'S NOT ABOUT ANY OF US AS INDIVIDUALS. BUT IT IS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST! AND WE HUMBLE OURSELVES AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. AND WE DO HIS WORK. WE DON'T JUST HAVE LIP SERVICE TO HIM. WE'RE NOT LIKE THAT SECOND SON IN THE PARABLE WHOSE FATHER TOLD HIM: YOU GO OUT AND WORK IN THE VINEYARD. AND HE SAID: YES SIR, I'M GOING. I'M GONNA GO. [SHAKING HEAD] DIDN'T SHOW UP. IT'S A REMINDER TO US THAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO ACTION. CALLED US TO WORK IN THAT VINEYARD. WE'RE REMINDED OF THAT CALL EVERY TIME WE GATHER TOGETHER. WE'RE REMINDED OF THAT CALL WHEN GOD FORGIVES OUR SINS AS WE HAVE CONFESSED THEM. WE ARE REMINDED OF THAT WHEN HE GIVES US HIS BODY AND BLOOD IN THE SACRAMENT, AS THE REASSURANCE THAT HE HAS FORGIVEN US AND HE LOVES US. AND HE WANTS US TO GO AND WORK OF LIKE MINDS STUDYING THAT GOSPEL. SHARING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO. THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE DO AS THE CHURCH. IT'S THE WORK THAT WE DO AS THE INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN OF GOD. WE SHOW OUR FAITH IN OUR LIFE. AND WE DO THAT IN THE WAY THAT WE INTERACT WITH OTHERS. THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID TO THE PHILIPPIANS TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER WITH LOVE. TO PUT THE NEEDS OF OTHERS ABOVE OUR OWN NEEDS. AND ISN'T THAT HARD? BECAUSE WE CAN GET SO FOCUSED ON THE THINGS THAT I NEED FROM GOD; SO FOCUSED ON THE THINGS THAT I 'WANT' FROM GOD, THAT I DON'T EVEN BEGIN TO LOOK TO MY FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE FAITH TO KNOW WHAT THEY NEED FROM GOD. WHAT I CAN PRAY FOR THEM. WHAT ASSISTANCE I CAN GIVE TO THEM AS ONE OF THEIR FELLOW MEMBERS OF GOD'S FAMILY. TO LOOK INTO THE EYES OF PEOPLE AND IF THEY'RE HURTING, TO GIVE THEM COMFORT. TO SEE THE JOY ON SOMEONE'S FACE AND TO REJOICE IN THEIR JOY AND CELEBRATE WITH THEM. AND NOT BE ENVIOUS OR COVETOUS OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THEIR LIFE. BUT TO BE HAPPY FOR OTHERS. TO LOVE EACH OTHER. TO LOOK TO EACH OTHER WITH THE EYES OF CHRIST. BEING HUMBLE. TAKING AWAY OURSELVES AND JUST GIVING THAT SELF TO HELP OTHERS. IT'S PART OF OUR WORK AS THE FAMILY OF GOD. IT'S WHAT THE WHOLE SECOND TABLE OF GOD'S COMMANDMENTS ARE ALL ABOUT. TO LOVE OTHERS. TO LOVE OTHERS AS WE LOVE OURSELVES. AS GOD HAS LOVED US. WITH EYES OF FORGIVENESS. WITH ENDLESS PATIENCE ... BECAUSE HOW QUICKLY WE CAN BECOME IMPATIENT WITH EACH OTHER. HOW QUICKLY WE JUST DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH THE SAME THING, THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAPPENS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND YET THEN WE COME ON SUNDAY MORNING AND WE PLACE BEFORE GOD THAT SIN THAT YOU AND I COMMIT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND EXPECT HIM TO FORGIVE US. AND THE AMAZING THING IS ... HE DOES! BECAUSE HE LOVES US. AND HE ENCOURAGES US TO THEN GET UP IN THAT LOVE IN THE SENSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LIVE A LIFE ACCORDING TO HIS WORD. TO ENCOURAGE US WITH THE GOSPEL. TO REMAIN HIS CHILDREN. TO CONTINUE TO 'SHOW' THAT LOVE TO OTHERS. THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO LOSE PATIENCE WITH. TO ENCOURAGE THEM. TO HELP THEM. TO SAY: I AM HERE WITH YOU THROUGH THIS STRUGGLE. SHOWS OUR CARE ... AND SHOWS OUR CONCERN INSTEAD OF LOOKING ON PEOPLE WITH JUDGMENT, THAT COMES FROM OUR OWN HEART ... FROM OUR OWN PREJUDICES, AND OUR OWN LIVES. WE REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE ARE NOT GOD. BUT WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO 'BE' LIKE GOD ... THROUGH FAITH AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO TAKE THAT LIGHT THAT HAS COME INTO OUR LIVES AND LET THAT LIGHT SHINE TO OTHERS. TO BE HUMBLE. TO BE CHRIST-LIKE. TO BE LOVING ... IS WHAT GOD DESIRES FROM US. IT'S WHAT HE CALLS US TO DO. AND WITH THAT PARABLE THAT JESUS TAUGHT IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND, WE HEAR HIS CALL AND WE SAY: YES SIR! AND OFF WE GO TO DO HIS WORK. AMEN. LET US RISE. NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.