Category: Sermons

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Imitating Others

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Our theme this year is straining toward the goal. The goal is the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Paul wrote the Philippian church from prison to tell them to keep their focus on the prize of eternal life. Paul himself was straining forward and was “hunting down” the goal for the prize. This was anything but a passive living out of his faith. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Paul was very actively and strenuously working toward the goal to win the prize.

But he doesn’t just ask people to do likewise. He takes it a step farther and invites them to imitate him: “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Philippians 3:17 ESV). He is not being arrogant here. In fact, he reminds the saints, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (vs. 20, 21).

This is why we shouldn’t focus on earthly things. Those things are temporary and eternal life is forever. It’s far more valuable than anything we can possess on this earth. Paul was a man of his word and wouldn’t ask the saints to do something he was not willing to do himself.

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Straining Toward the Goal

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Philippians was one of Paul’s prison letters and was the last known letter of Paul’s before he died. We’re not positive that Paul died by persecution but there is a good chance that he did while imprisoned in Rome. Paul’s intensity in this letter indicates that he may have had an idea that his end was near. That context makes our theme verse for this year all the more important. If Paul really knew that he was about to die, the intensity of his following statement seems especially appropriate.

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13, 14 ESV). The word that Paul uses for forgetting means to neglect something. In a very real sense, he is intentionally neglecting the past in order to “pursue” the future. Paul is straining toward (stretching, exerting himself) to what lies ahead. He presses on (pursues or hunts down) toward the goal.

As we begin a new year with a new theme, we Christians should really straining toward the same goal. If we are complacent we are comfortable. If we are comfortable we are not setting other goals to keep us focused on the goal. Nobody can do it for us. We each have to take ownership in our faith and how we are going to put that into action. Let this be a year of straining toward the goal of our upward call.

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Simeon’s Blessing About Jesus

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When Jesus was presented at the Temple in accordance with the Law of Moses, there was a righteous man there named Simeon. He had been waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Luke says, “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26 ESV).

Simeon “came in the Spirit into the temple” and when he saw Jesus, he took him up in his arms and blessed God, saying, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; from my eyes have seen your salvation that you prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (vs. 29-32).

This blessing is profound because the man recognized Jesus right away, he makes sure that people know it was according to God’s word, and he mentions that God’s salvation was prepared in the presence of all peoples. God did not hide Jesus or do this in secret. John’s entire gospel account is rooted in the fact that God made these things clear to everyone and did nothing to hide His son. Christ came for everyone but few will obey. God’s salvation is for everyone who will repent and believe in Christ. His is our salvation.

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A Dark Time In Israel

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When we think about the birth of Jesus this time of year most people focus on the joy that Jesus brought. And it certainly is good to focus on the joy of his birth and our salvation. This season is filled with decoration, family time, presents, and talk of our Lord and Savior. There was a lot of talk when Christ was born because people had been waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Jewish people were well aware of prophecies that pointed to a Messiah.

What took the world by surprise, however, was the edict by King Herod to have al the male children in Bethlehem killed: “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men” (Matthew 2:16 ESV).

This dark time in Israel added to the people’s pain, desperation, and need for consolation. They had endured so much at the hands of evil people and were waiting for a savior to come. Jesus was not born in a vacuum. He was born during a very dark time and even was himself at risk. His parents fled to Egypt for a long time. When they returned Joseph was too afraid to go to Judea and was warned in a dream to divert to Galilee. It should give us comfort to know that God hears the cries of his people, to understand that Christ came to bring salvation to a suffering world. There are plenty of people today who are desperate for the Savior to rescue them. We should remember the people who are suffering as we celebrate the birth of Christ.

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The Mercy of God

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There is a strong theme of mercy woven throughout the birth narrative of Jesus. For example, in Mary’s song of praise known as The Magnificat, Mary said, “And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50 ESV). Likewise, Zechariah prophesied as soon as his voice was returned to him. In that prophecy, he said, “. . . that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant” (vs. 71, 72).

God’s mercy is not only consistent throughout the birth narrative, but it’s present throughout the entire Bible. Jesus himself got annoyed with the Pharisees for accusing Jesus of hanging out with tax collectors and sinners. In response, Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13).

Psalm 103, dubbed by one of my professors at college as “the gospel of the Old Testament,” says, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8). Over and over again the Bible points to the mercy of God and, very specifically, it points to Jesus as the vessel of God’s mercy. God’s mercy is shown through His son. Paul recounts his conversion to Timothy. In it he says, “But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:13). God is a God of mercy who expects his people to act mercifully.

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For To Us a Child Is Born

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Isaiah was an 8th century B.C. prophet who prophesied about the coming messiah. In chapter 9 he begins by saying, “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of nations” (Isaiah 9:1 ESV).

The people were in anguish–being mistreated, suffering, and waiting for God to intervene. He promised there would be no more gloom for those who were in anguish. Then came the great news: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (vs. 6). The Messiah was going to establish the throne of David and uphold it with justice and righteousness forever (vs. 7).

We cannot connect people to God without telling them who the Christ is. In a world full of suffering we should point people to the only One who can give them hope. It’s easy to see Isaiah’s prophesies play out in the life of Christ. Even today we live with incredible hope, knowing that his throne built on justice and righteousness prevails. We have much to be hopeful for!

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Encourage People To Remain In the Faith

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The apostle Paul was an encourager. He had put Christians through the wringer by persecuting them, even to the point of death. It’s no secret that Paul considered Christians to be blasphemers and he singlehandedly wrecked the lives of many innocent people. As Paul was on his way to Damascus to persecute more Christians, a man named Ananias saw a vision and the Lord told him that he would meet a man named Saul. Terrified, Ananias said that he heard all that Saul had done to the Christians. The Lord replied, “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16 ESV).

A long time after Paul was converted he began his mission journeys. He was stoned and left for dead at Timothy’s home village of Lystra. But Paul got up and went on to Derbe the next day. What happened next is incredible: “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21, 22).

Many people are struggling in life. Like the apostle Paul, many will suffer for the name of Jesus. But we should encourage them to remain in the faith even when our lives are a mess. Paul never gave up. He consistently taught people who God is. He suffered severely yet never gave up treating people with kindness and teaching them who God is. He was always thankful for what God provided and never lost his focus.