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To Live is Christ - Philippians 1:15-26

10/30/2019

When we read the letter to the Philippians, we read how Paul is grateful for the relationship he has with the Philippians (1:9). He loves the Philippians, and he rejoices over the way they and others are proclaiming the kingdom, even if it is out of false motives (1:18). He knows that God is using them and him to share in God’s mission (1:12). He is both joyful and grateful, and he is certain about what God is doing through the Philippian church: that, despite his imprisonment, the gospel is being advanced.

Upon closer inspection, however, we also ready that Paul is also a bit uncertain. He says as much in verse 22: “I am hard pressed between two choices,” that is, between two ways: that of living and that of dying (1:21). And then he write: “And I don’t know what I prefer” (1:22). What shall Paul choose?

In Paul’s mind, if he continues to live “in the flesh,” if he continues to live on this earth, he will continue to carry out his ministry, bearing the fruit of Christ (1:22), and, hopefully, continue to bring honor to God (1:21). That is a wonderful goal, and he hopes the Philippians will join him in this endeavor.

But if Paul departs this world and dies, if he is executed, he will also be with Christ (and that is not bad either), for the ultimate goal here is to glorify Christ, whether in life or in death (1:20). This is why dying is gain: dying is gain because it will bring Paul into a “nearer and fuller union with Christ.” Not because he wants to die, but because, even in death, he knows he will bring glory to God, for he knows that nothing can separate him from God (Romans 8:38).

That’s the logic: nothing can separate Paul (or us) from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord: whether in life or in death, we belong to Christ (Romans 14:8)! And Paul is not going to waver from this commitment! His top priority is to live Christ! His whole existence will focus on Jesus as Lord, as Savior, as King, as Messiah – as the very foundation of his life. No worldly possession, no sport, no school, no earthly ruler, no celebrity, no country, no-thing – will be able to compete with Jesus!

How may this witness cut against the grain of our society? How may it also give hope? How may we walk in the assurance of God’s peace and grace in this world and in the world to come?

Pastor Andy Kinsey

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The Weeping God - John 11:28-44

10/15/2019

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In John’s Gospel, we read that Jesus wept (11:36). A great deal is taking place before he raises Lazarus.
However, one of the things we learn from this passage is that tears are not like a water facet where we can turn them on and turn them off. Our emotions are so much more complex – as with Jesus, whose own heart was in God and God’s heart in him, (John 15:4) and whose own life was affected by what others said and did – as when he saw the hungry masses and responded out of compassion (Matthew 9:36), or as when he responded in anger to other religious leaders (Matthew 23:13-15).

But Jesus also responded by what others did not say or do as well: as when folks did not display compassion (Luke 10:25-37), or as when they did not see the presence of God’s kingdom among the least of these, our brothers and sisters (Matthew 25:40). Jesus wept.

There is in the Scriptures the portrait of a God whose love is very much in tune with the hurts and sorrows of the people and with the disobedience of the nation too. There is weeping when the innocent suffer (Luke 23:28); and there is weeping when justice is not carried out (2 Samuel 24:1); and there is weeping when the poor are not treated with dignity (Leviticus 19:31-34), or when the stranger is welcomed with respect (Hebrews 12:3).

This is a familiar theme in the Bible.

Indeed, the prophet Jeremiah is often called “the weeping prophet” because he sees how lost his own nation had become, and in this own way, he gave voice to God’s own sorrow over God’s judgment to come. His tears were ones of sadness in that his very own people could not hear God’s call to obedience and faith. Jeremiah wept too (Jeremiah 1:1-15).

Is God weeping today? How are we to weep with those who weep as well?

Pastor Andy Kinsey

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New World Order - 1 Corinthians 15:20-28

10/8/2019

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What kind of world drives a person to death by suicide? What kind of world allows children to live such heartbreaking lives? What kind of world sees children go to school hungry and worry if anyone will be home to take care of them at the end of the day? What kind of world runs on systems that keep people from getting the help they need due to lack of money or insurance? What kind of world treats professional sports and entertainment like “gods” while children of some educators, first responders, and social workers, qualify for free and reduced lunch? What kind of world exists and endures bad things happening to good people?

Make a mental list of two or three things that are good in your life, community and the world. Now make a list of two or three things that are bad in your life, community and the world. Imagine a world where all things on that bad list are gone - wiped out - never existed, and only the good remained? What kind of world would that be? Utopia? Paradise? Heaven? What if it was the other way around, and all things on your “good” list were gone and only bad remained? What kind of world would that be? A nightmare? Purgatory? Hell? We know that life is not just good stuff or just bad stuff. What kind of world is that? That, church, is our world - the real world.

What about death? Which list do we put death? Certainly those who have lost loved ones to suiced, tragedy, or acts of violence would put it on the bad side. Yet those who have watched someone they care about endure the effects of Alzhiemers, or be the caretaker for a loved one battling a terminal illness, or ride the gut-wrenching roller coaster of some mental illnesses, might consider death a good thing.

In 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, the Apostle Paul tells the believers in Corinth is that there is a new order under the rule and reign of Jesus. The order of the Roman Empire or the order / rule of the many different pagen religions is no more. By Jesus’ death and resurrection, there was established a new world order...an order rooted in God’s ultimate desire to reconcile, not punish, humanity and restore our original goodness. To restore us from death to life. An order solidified by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

This is a new world order that takes what seems impossible and somehow makes it possible. What seems bad and somehow transforms it into something good. It is a world order that seeks to bring about the goodness, beauty and truth of God amidst the bad, ugliness, and lies of a fallen, broken, divided, and dysfunctional world.

God is in the business of bringing order out of chaos. We see it the creation account when chaos hovered over the deep.” We see it when the Israelites flee Egypt and in the chaos that ensues God provides rules / order to live by known as the 10 commandments. Time and time again God steps in and brings order. Jesus, in the New Testament, brings emotional, physical, and spiritual order and healing. This is Paul’s way of telling the Corinthians that in the chaos and uncertainty of death, God, through Jesus, brings order and life.

When our own lives are in a state of chaos and flux and we face any kind of death or disruption of life like the death of a relationship or a job. Death of the church as we know it. Death or disruption of how things used to be or of a dream or idea. And yes, the death of a loved one, we have the assurance through resurrection there will come order. We may not see it. We may not understand it at the time. We may be caught in a whirlwind of anger, fear, uncertainty, despair and grief, and we may not agree with or fathom what possible good will come, but we have the promise of Jesus, the one who conquered it all, that life will prevail. That life, healing and resurrection may look different than we expect, anticipate or want, but we put our faith in Jesus and trust that God really does work for good in all things.

I do not say this lightly church, nor do I pretend that it is not sometimes the hardest thing to do to put our faith and trust in Jesus. I know it is. I know as I look out at those gathered here, there are families struggling with terrible loss and grief, terminal illness, and difficult family circumstances. I know many have walked are are walking challenging paths in life. My heart breaks at the pain you have endured. And at the same time, I cling to the promise we are reminded of by Paul’s words and Jesus’ example. In that promise we have hope and sometimes, hope is all we can do.

Pastor Jenothy Irvine

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