Sermon 11th July 2016
Today, one of our Lay Readers, Adjoa Andoh-Cunnell, preaches. The reading is from Philippians 3:12-21
A woman resists efforts by her friend to get her to run with a jogging group until her doctor tells
her she has to exercise. Soon thereafter, she reluctantly joins the group for their 5:30 a.m. jogs on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
After a month of running, the group decides that the friend woman be hooked, especially when she claims she has discovered what "runner’s euphoria" is. "Runner’s euphoria," she explains, "is what I feel at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."
Yes...I'm sort of with her...
The parish of Herne Hill is rather sporty I suspect, cyclists and runners and swimmers and skiers, tennis and squash players, gym bunnies, sailors canoeists and even the occasional crazy triathlete - Simon Brindley....
And then there are the sports fans...those of us who talk a good game... Often from the sofa, the pub and sometimes from the terraces and stands.....hello!
This morning's passage in our series from Paul's letter to the church at Phillipi is perhaps particularly appropriate for this parish this weekend, employing as it does, the vivid metaphor of the Christian life as a race run by an unstoppable runner, especially given that this weekend is a feast for sports fans...
Good planning Vicar!
Euro 2016 final tonight Portugal v France Wimbledon Finals yesterday and today British Grand Prix
Tour de France
Fabulous !!
My sofa awaits....!
So let's look at what happens to Paul's runner and what he has to share with us.
‘I was laid hold of by Jesus Christ.’ That is how Paul thinks of what we call his conversion. He would never have ‘turned’ unless a hand had been laid upon him.
A strong loving grasp had gripped him in the middle of his career of persecuting Christians, and all that he did on that road to Damascus was to surrender to that grip and his life was changed forever.
I sometimes think of that divine grip like the special grip Star Trek's Mr Spock would use to render people immobile or unconscious.
Yet for Paul the effect of this grip is the opposite - he comes into consciousness in a profound life transforming way.
Christ reveals himself to Paul and in the dazzle of that revelation Paul sees the world as it truly is - Paul is laid hold of by the personal action of Jesus Christ absolutely for a purpose.
As we heard in last Sunday's reading Paul as Saul, had all his righteous Jewish credentials in place. He was a well regarded Pharisee, a man strictly obedient to the letter of the Jewish law, and a vigorous persecutor of the early Christians - Acts ch 9 tells us
GN
9 1-2
In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest 2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.
After a month of running, the group decides that the friend woman be hooked, especially when she claims she has discovered what "runner’s euphoria" is. "Runner’s euphoria," she explains, "is what I feel at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."
Yes...I'm sort of with her...
The parish of Herne Hill is rather sporty I suspect, cyclists and runners and swimmers and skiers, tennis and squash players, gym bunnies, sailors canoeists and even the occasional crazy triathlete - Simon Brindley....
And then there are the sports fans...those of us who talk a good game... Often from the sofa, the pub and sometimes from the terraces and stands.....hello!
This morning's passage in our series from Paul's letter to the church at Phillipi is perhaps particularly appropriate for this parish this weekend, employing as it does, the vivid metaphor of the Christian life as a race run by an unstoppable runner, especially given that this weekend is a feast for sports fans...
Good planning Vicar!
Euro 2016 final tonight Portugal v France Wimbledon Finals yesterday and today British Grand Prix
Tour de France
Fabulous !!
My sofa awaits....!
So let's look at what happens to Paul's runner and what he has to share with us.
‘I was laid hold of by Jesus Christ.’ That is how Paul thinks of what we call his conversion. He would never have ‘turned’ unless a hand had been laid upon him.
A strong loving grasp had gripped him in the middle of his career of persecuting Christians, and all that he did on that road to Damascus was to surrender to that grip and his life was changed forever.
I sometimes think of that divine grip like the special grip Star Trek's Mr Spock would use to render people immobile or unconscious.
Yet for Paul the effect of this grip is the opposite - he comes into consciousness in a profound life transforming way.
Christ reveals himself to Paul and in the dazzle of that revelation Paul sees the world as it truly is - Paul is laid hold of by the personal action of Jesus Christ absolutely for a purpose.
As we heard in last Sunday's reading Paul as Saul, had all his righteous Jewish credentials in place. He was a well regarded Pharisee, a man strictly obedient to the letter of the Jewish law, and a vigorous persecutor of the early Christians - Acts ch 9 tells us
GN
9 1-2
In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest 2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.
NIV
9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Perhaps it's hard to imagine how extraordinary his transformation was.
Think perhaps of Donald Trump transformed into a peace campaigner, anti war, anti guns, going to work for a women's refugee charity in the camps at Calais
or as an environmental worker, highlighting the plight of more than 36 million people who will face hunger across Southern and Eastern Africa this year, because of extreme high temperatures, the highest on record.
Can you imagine? Donald Trump devoting himself to peace, refugee justice and the environment - ? Extraordinary!
But this extraordinary transformation was wrought on Paul when he was laid hold of by Jesus.
And the purpose of that conversion on the road to Damascus?.
In a vision Jesus informs Ananaias a believer in Damascus, who is to help Paul in his temporary blindness. Jesus says
NIV
Acts 9.15
This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
GNT
9. 15 “Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.
In Matthew Henry's commentary, he reflects on a twin track of purpose in Jesus' taking hold of Paul's life.
Jesus tasks Paul with spreading the Good News of who He is across the world.
In order to do this Paul is concerned with the perfecting of his own character which he regards as being the one thing for which he was ‘laid hold of by Christ Jesus.’
Within this twofold purpose Henry argues
No Christian is made a Christian only in order that they may secure their own salvation; there is the world to think of.
And yet equally
No Christian is made a Christian only in order that they may be Christ’s instrument for carrying the Word to other people; there is themself to think of.
How are we to fulfill Christ's purpose for our lives in the world, unless we work in our forgiven state, to transform the nature of who we are in Him?
In the moment of Paul's conversion and ever after he understood that the forgiveness of his sins and the certainty of a life everlasting with Christ was an offer he of his own God given free will could accept or not.
In Paul's acceptance of that offer a new life begins, he commits to a life in Christ, an act of faith, a lifelong, eternal belief.
Paul writes in verses 10/11 (of his desire - NIV)
9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Perhaps it's hard to imagine how extraordinary his transformation was.
Think perhaps of Donald Trump transformed into a peace campaigner, anti war, anti guns, going to work for a women's refugee charity in the camps at Calais
or as an environmental worker, highlighting the plight of more than 36 million people who will face hunger across Southern and Eastern Africa this year, because of extreme high temperatures, the highest on record.
Can you imagine? Donald Trump devoting himself to peace, refugee justice and the environment - ? Extraordinary!
But this extraordinary transformation was wrought on Paul when he was laid hold of by Jesus.
And the purpose of that conversion on the road to Damascus?.
In a vision Jesus informs Ananaias a believer in Damascus, who is to help Paul in his temporary blindness. Jesus says
NIV
Acts 9.15
This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
GNT
9. 15 “Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.
In Matthew Henry's commentary, he reflects on a twin track of purpose in Jesus' taking hold of Paul's life.
Jesus tasks Paul with spreading the Good News of who He is across the world.
In order to do this Paul is concerned with the perfecting of his own character which he regards as being the one thing for which he was ‘laid hold of by Christ Jesus.’
Within this twofold purpose Henry argues
No Christian is made a Christian only in order that they may secure their own salvation; there is the world to think of.
And yet equally
No Christian is made a Christian only in order that they may be Christ’s instrument for carrying the Word to other people; there is themself to think of.
How are we to fulfill Christ's purpose for our lives in the world, unless we work in our forgiven state, to transform the nature of who we are in Him?
In the moment of Paul's conversion and ever after he understood that the forgiveness of his sins and the certainty of a life everlasting with Christ was an offer he of his own God given free will could accept or not.
In Paul's acceptance of that offer a new life begins, he commits to a life in Christ, an act of faith, a lifelong, eternal belief.
Paul writes in verses 10/11 (of his desire - NIV)
GN
10 All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death, 11 in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life
NIV
yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. -
Paul longs to receive Gods forgiveness for his past life, a forgiveness paid for by Christ's death and to take up the opportunity for a new life, as seen in Christ's resurrection.
For Paul to understand and experience this power and offer himself up in service to it, to Jesus, becomes the goal of his life.
And the prize? - God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.
As he explains to the church at Philippi, no longer can Paul be an ultra observant Jew following the letter of the Law. The Messiah has come and now a transformation of his heart is what is required. His life's race has begun.
GN
12 I keep striving (Paul writes) to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself.... 14 So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.
NIV
12 I press on (Paul writes) to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.
Faith is lifelong, developing and deepening. We cannot stand still in it.
And It is not enough to adhere to the letter of faith if we are not adhering to the spirit of faith - Jesus said on the sermon on the mount
Matt 5
GN
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart.
NIV
You have heard that it was said," You shall not commit adultery.”[a] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If we even think bad thoughts it is as bad as if we had acted on those thoughts. Outward transformation is not a true transformation
Coming to church, working for the parish, doing good deeds - that's not it
Paul's goal is to know Christ sincerely in order to win the prize of responding to that heavenly call
God does not coerce us into relationship with him.
He offered himself, in human form in Christ, to a life of service, to suffer and die for us, to open the
way for us to come back into relationship with Him.
Paul says he presses on to take hold of that for which Jesus took hold of him. A two way relationship.
I dimly remember from my unfinished law degree - a contract is basically made up of an offer and an acceptance,
Christ took hold of Paul - the offer, and Paul takes hold of what Christ offers - the acceptance.
10 All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death, 11 in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life
NIV
yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. -
Paul longs to receive Gods forgiveness for his past life, a forgiveness paid for by Christ's death and to take up the opportunity for a new life, as seen in Christ's resurrection.
For Paul to understand and experience this power and offer himself up in service to it, to Jesus, becomes the goal of his life.
And the prize? - God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.
As he explains to the church at Philippi, no longer can Paul be an ultra observant Jew following the letter of the Law. The Messiah has come and now a transformation of his heart is what is required. His life's race has begun.
GN
12 I keep striving (Paul writes) to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself.... 14 So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.
NIV
12 I press on (Paul writes) to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.
Faith is lifelong, developing and deepening. We cannot stand still in it.
And It is not enough to adhere to the letter of faith if we are not adhering to the spirit of faith - Jesus said on the sermon on the mount
Matt 5
GN
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart.
NIV
You have heard that it was said," You shall not commit adultery.”[a] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If we even think bad thoughts it is as bad as if we had acted on those thoughts. Outward transformation is not a true transformation
Coming to church, working for the parish, doing good deeds - that's not it
Paul's goal is to know Christ sincerely in order to win the prize of responding to that heavenly call
God does not coerce us into relationship with him.
He offered himself, in human form in Christ, to a life of service, to suffer and die for us, to open the
way for us to come back into relationship with Him.
Paul says he presses on to take hold of that for which Jesus took hold of him. A two way relationship.
I dimly remember from my unfinished law degree - a contract is basically made up of an offer and an acceptance,
Christ took hold of Paul - the offer, and Paul takes hold of what Christ offers - the acceptance.
In offering us forgiveness Christ clears away the things that inhibit our access to God and inhibit
our ability to live the purposeful life he made us for.
But forgiveness of sins is not the end of the story,
a personal new life in Christ is not the end of the story,
growing in knowledge and humble understanding is not the end of the story.
Paul looks at his new life in terms of a race to be run in order to win the prize.
So his new life finds him on the starting line, a race in which he will press on until he returns home to live with his Heavenly Father.
In running this race, pressing on in faith Paul is called on to live out the purpose for which Jesus took hold of him.
In turn he calls each one of us who accept Jesus' offer and who call ourselves Christians, to do likewise and extend God's heavenly realm here on earth.
Paul urges us v16
GN
let us go forward according to the same rules we have followed until now. 17 Keep on imitating me, my friends.
NIV
Only let us live up to what we have already attained. 17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters
Once we have accepted Jesus' offer of a forgiven life, a relationship with God in Christ, now the race begins, now we are called to respond to Christ's activity in our lives, by taking our own Christ- led activity into the world.
This is the life long race to which Paul commits himself completely.
He understands that in order to be that chosen vessel and fulfill Christ's comission for his life, he needs to work at the perfection of his character, to minimise all distractions and pulls that could undermine his relationship with God and his Christ given mission to the world.
The contract is - focus on Ourselves, and on the world, in Christ - no distractions or inhibitors that's what Paul calls on the church at Philippi and all of us who claim to follow Jesus, to do.
Watching any of the sportsmen and women competing this weekend time and time again like Paul's metaphorical runner, you will see athletes 'in the zone', all their attention focussed down, excluding all distractions, trained and exercised to the limit in order to achieve their allotted prize, be it Serena Williams or Andy Murray at Wimbledon , Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix, Chris Froome in the Tour de France, or the Portuguese or French football teams at the final of Euro 2016, a lifetimes work with goal of becoming an elite athlete, in order to achieve the prize of success in their chosen field - that is their sole aim.
And so Paul argues it is to be for us.
Don't be seduced in a world of uncertainty by the ephemeral, here today gone tomorrow, the earthly success, the adulation of others, the competition, the persuasiveness of the seeming wise person.
GN
18 I have told you this many times before, and now I repeat it with tears: there are many whose lives make them enemies of Christ's death on the cross. 19 They are going to end up in hell, because their god is their bodily desires. They are proud of what they should be ashamed of, and they think only of things that belong to this world. 20 We, however, are citizens of heaven,
NIV
18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
But forgiveness of sins is not the end of the story,
a personal new life in Christ is not the end of the story,
growing in knowledge and humble understanding is not the end of the story.
Paul looks at his new life in terms of a race to be run in order to win the prize.
So his new life finds him on the starting line, a race in which he will press on until he returns home to live with his Heavenly Father.
In running this race, pressing on in faith Paul is called on to live out the purpose for which Jesus took hold of him.
In turn he calls each one of us who accept Jesus' offer and who call ourselves Christians, to do likewise and extend God's heavenly realm here on earth.
Paul urges us v16
GN
let us go forward according to the same rules we have followed until now. 17 Keep on imitating me, my friends.
NIV
Only let us live up to what we have already attained. 17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters
Once we have accepted Jesus' offer of a forgiven life, a relationship with God in Christ, now the race begins, now we are called to respond to Christ's activity in our lives, by taking our own Christ- led activity into the world.
This is the life long race to which Paul commits himself completely.
He understands that in order to be that chosen vessel and fulfill Christ's comission for his life, he needs to work at the perfection of his character, to minimise all distractions and pulls that could undermine his relationship with God and his Christ given mission to the world.
The contract is - focus on Ourselves, and on the world, in Christ - no distractions or inhibitors that's what Paul calls on the church at Philippi and all of us who claim to follow Jesus, to do.
Watching any of the sportsmen and women competing this weekend time and time again like Paul's metaphorical runner, you will see athletes 'in the zone', all their attention focussed down, excluding all distractions, trained and exercised to the limit in order to achieve their allotted prize, be it Serena Williams or Andy Murray at Wimbledon , Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix, Chris Froome in the Tour de France, or the Portuguese or French football teams at the final of Euro 2016, a lifetimes work with goal of becoming an elite athlete, in order to achieve the prize of success in their chosen field - that is their sole aim.
And so Paul argues it is to be for us.
Don't be seduced in a world of uncertainty by the ephemeral, here today gone tomorrow, the earthly success, the adulation of others, the competition, the persuasiveness of the seeming wise person.
GN
18 I have told you this many times before, and now I repeat it with tears: there are many whose lives make them enemies of Christ's death on the cross. 19 They are going to end up in hell, because their god is their bodily desires. They are proud of what they should be ashamed of, and they think only of things that belong to this world. 20 We, however, are citizens of heaven,
NIV
18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
We are not to fall for the world's shifting sands
We are to feel the hands that flung stars into space grasping our shoulders, we are to be humbled by that divine eternity turning His gaze on us, and so follow as and where He directs us.
The ANC prisoners held on Robin Island in the years of Apartheid in South Africa, Nelson Mandela among them, had a rule they lived by - each one, teach one.
They prepared to lead a nation, governing on the basis of forgiveness, justice and equality before the law, by learning sharing & gaining in Wisdom from each other, so that when the time came, they would be equipped to guide their fractured country to a place of healing and growth.
We are not to remain in a state of arrested development, in the permanent guise of a new Christian, but are to press on, growing in faith, growing as all fruitful relationships do, into a deeper understanding, a deeper fellowship with Jesus.
Like an elite athlete we are to work in God's strength to hone our whole being to the perfection God created us for, in order that we may take up our heavenly citizenship today..
And as Jesus tasked Paul on the Damascus road, so we too are to join in the work of bringing everything under Christ's control through our freely given hearts, working for his heavenly kingdom of justice and peace on earth.
We press on Paul says, we simply press on, we don't get dragged back by the struggles of our pasts, we go forward in our race, carried forward by Christ's wisdom, to navigate the struggles of today and tomorrow, to carry Christ's kingdom of healing to a broken world.
Now there maybe many of us who feel beset on all sides, who struggle to achieve that focus on our relationship with Christ, who struggle to fulfill our Christ given purpose in the world.
On top of worries about our families, friends, neighbours, money worries, job worries physical and mental health challenges,
we may reflect on the terrible sacrifices of the Somme in this hundredth anniversary week, we face Brexit uncertainty, with the divisiveness it has caused in our nation,
we are daily bamboozled by the upheaval in our main political parties,
the fluctuations in our financial markets.
Abroad we mourn 5 police officers in Dallas shot dead, sparked by the shooting dead by police officers in Minnesota of Philando Castile and in Louisiana of Alton Sterling, the cycle of violence weighs heavily.
And in the week that the Chilcott report into the legality of the war in Iraq is published , the bombing in Bagdad and the deaths of more than 270 people remind us of the continued fragility of that region, a region Paul would have know well.
Violent extremism seems to erupt everywhere, destructive global land and power grabs, environmental destabilisation and everywhere slavery, diseases and poverty -
God did not create us for this.
There is a world of beauty, of joy, of creation not destruction,
of generosity not greed,
a world of peace not war,
of love not hate -
a world that each one of us in the deep quiet of our heart longs for. We are to bring all that longing to God.
We read scripture, we pray alone and with others, we come to church. We call on God's wisdom - we look for comfort, encouragement, enlightenment, hope, help, healing, inspiration, peace.
We are to feel the hands that flung stars into space grasping our shoulders, we are to be humbled by that divine eternity turning His gaze on us, and so follow as and where He directs us.
The ANC prisoners held on Robin Island in the years of Apartheid in South Africa, Nelson Mandela among them, had a rule they lived by - each one, teach one.
They prepared to lead a nation, governing on the basis of forgiveness, justice and equality before the law, by learning sharing & gaining in Wisdom from each other, so that when the time came, they would be equipped to guide their fractured country to a place of healing and growth.
We are not to remain in a state of arrested development, in the permanent guise of a new Christian, but are to press on, growing in faith, growing as all fruitful relationships do, into a deeper understanding, a deeper fellowship with Jesus.
Like an elite athlete we are to work in God's strength to hone our whole being to the perfection God created us for, in order that we may take up our heavenly citizenship today..
And as Jesus tasked Paul on the Damascus road, so we too are to join in the work of bringing everything under Christ's control through our freely given hearts, working for his heavenly kingdom of justice and peace on earth.
We press on Paul says, we simply press on, we don't get dragged back by the struggles of our pasts, we go forward in our race, carried forward by Christ's wisdom, to navigate the struggles of today and tomorrow, to carry Christ's kingdom of healing to a broken world.
Now there maybe many of us who feel beset on all sides, who struggle to achieve that focus on our relationship with Christ, who struggle to fulfill our Christ given purpose in the world.
On top of worries about our families, friends, neighbours, money worries, job worries physical and mental health challenges,
we may reflect on the terrible sacrifices of the Somme in this hundredth anniversary week, we face Brexit uncertainty, with the divisiveness it has caused in our nation,
we are daily bamboozled by the upheaval in our main political parties,
the fluctuations in our financial markets.
Abroad we mourn 5 police officers in Dallas shot dead, sparked by the shooting dead by police officers in Minnesota of Philando Castile and in Louisiana of Alton Sterling, the cycle of violence weighs heavily.
And in the week that the Chilcott report into the legality of the war in Iraq is published , the bombing in Bagdad and the deaths of more than 270 people remind us of the continued fragility of that region, a region Paul would have know well.
Violent extremism seems to erupt everywhere, destructive global land and power grabs, environmental destabilisation and everywhere slavery, diseases and poverty -
God did not create us for this.
There is a world of beauty, of joy, of creation not destruction,
of generosity not greed,
a world of peace not war,
of love not hate -
a world that each one of us in the deep quiet of our heart longs for. We are to bring all that longing to God.
We read scripture, we pray alone and with others, we come to church. We call on God's wisdom - we look for comfort, encouragement, enlightenment, hope, help, healing, inspiration, peace.
When we still our minds and open our hearts, when we ask God to speak to us, to guide us, to give
us what we need to move us towards His perfection, his Wisdom will prevail - if we still our minds
and open our hearts, if we pay attention.
And once carrying that Wisdom, we need to pay attention to the world around us, not buy into the world's God of stomach, of bodily desires, but live out our heavenly citizenship in the world.
Paul encourages us
GN
let us go forward according to the same rules we have followed until now. 17 Keep on imitating me, my friends. Pay attention to those who follow the right example that we have set for you.
Are we imitating Paul?
Do we pay attention to those following a godly example?
Are we worthy of imitating for our godly example?
What is our godly activity in the world?
From his prison cell Paul paid attention to God. his encounter with Jesus meant that his eyes were opened to God's purpose in the most profound way.
Lacking the hindsight we have this morning, nothing was guaranteed for that early church,
Paul didn't know how the Church in Phillippi, in Ephasus, in Galatia, in Colosse, Thessalonica and so on would thrive,
Paul didn't know if the church would survive persecution, competing sects and false prophets. Paul had no notion that Christ's Good News would be believed by 2.18 billion people worldwide today, almost a third of the world's population according to a 2010 comprehensive study.
He simply continued to run his race from his cell, his eyes on God's divine prize, and in the uncertainty of those times held to the certainty of Jesus' commission.
And so must we. Whatever we hear this morning be it in the music, the prayers, sermon, liturgy, however Jesus comes to us in the wider world, we must be alert to His taking hold of us, opening our hearts for God's wisdom to guide us.
God is the only certainty of our lives the only certainty. Paul knew that.
We have been made with an Intellect, with the power of reasoning and the ability to make choices. The Good News of Jesus means we are offered the choice to accept citizenship of heaven or not. And if we do, if we return our lives to God, if we follow His purpose for us then every other choice we make in our lives will carry His imprint
Should we choose to accept the heavenly call, Jesus will equip us, train us, coach us, gird our loins, mop our brows, console us in our defeats and get us back on track.
Paul urges us
And once carrying that Wisdom, we need to pay attention to the world around us, not buy into the world's God of stomach, of bodily desires, but live out our heavenly citizenship in the world.
Paul encourages us
GN
let us go forward according to the same rules we have followed until now. 17 Keep on imitating me, my friends. Pay attention to those who follow the right example that we have set for you.
Are we imitating Paul?
Do we pay attention to those following a godly example?
Are we worthy of imitating for our godly example?
What is our godly activity in the world?
From his prison cell Paul paid attention to God. his encounter with Jesus meant that his eyes were opened to God's purpose in the most profound way.
Lacking the hindsight we have this morning, nothing was guaranteed for that early church,
Paul didn't know how the Church in Phillippi, in Ephasus, in Galatia, in Colosse, Thessalonica and so on would thrive,
Paul didn't know if the church would survive persecution, competing sects and false prophets. Paul had no notion that Christ's Good News would be believed by 2.18 billion people worldwide today, almost a third of the world's population according to a 2010 comprehensive study.
He simply continued to run his race from his cell, his eyes on God's divine prize, and in the uncertainty of those times held to the certainty of Jesus' commission.
And so must we. Whatever we hear this morning be it in the music, the prayers, sermon, liturgy, however Jesus comes to us in the wider world, we must be alert to His taking hold of us, opening our hearts for God's wisdom to guide us.
God is the only certainty of our lives the only certainty. Paul knew that.
We have been made with an Intellect, with the power of reasoning and the ability to make choices. The Good News of Jesus means we are offered the choice to accept citizenship of heaven or not. And if we do, if we return our lives to God, if we follow His purpose for us then every other choice we make in our lives will carry His imprint
Should we choose to accept the heavenly call, Jesus will equip us, train us, coach us, gird our loins, mop our brows, console us in our defeats and get us back on track.
Paul urges us
Press
Press
Press
Press
Press
Press
need.
on aiming for godly perfection
on His hand is on our shoulder, be encouraged by its weight and purpose.
on don't be distracted by the earth's values of stomach, they are passing
on this citizenship of heaven is ours forever
on manifesting the Good News in how we live in and how we choose
on the Kingdom of God, His peace His justice His love are waiting to heal a broken world in
on His hand is on our shoulder, be encouraged by its weight and purpose.
on don't be distracted by the earth's values of stomach, they are passing
on this citizenship of heaven is ours forever
on manifesting the Good News in how we live in and how we choose
on the Kingdom of God, His peace His justice His love are waiting to heal a broken world in
will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that
21 He
power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.
power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.
21, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, (Jesus) will transform our
lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
In All the circumstances of our lives, in God's strength may we press on Amen
In All the circumstances of our lives, in God's strength may we press on Amen
posted by Sharren Taylor at 3:04 pm
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