Sermon Title: UNITED IN CHRIST
Scripture: Philippians 2:1-13 (CEB)
1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any sharing in the Spirit, any sympathy, 2 complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other. 3 Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. 4 Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others. 5 Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus:
6 Though he was in the form of God,
he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.
7 But he emptied himself
by taking the form of a slave
and by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself in the form of a human,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God highly honored him
and gave him a name above all names,
10 so that at the name of Jesus everyone
in heaven, on earth, and under the earth might bow
11 and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my loved ones, just as you always obey me, not just when I am present but now even more while I am away, carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 God is the one who enables you both to want and to actually live out his good purposes.
PRAYER:
Please pray with me,
Deus de todos as nações, povos e línguas, (Portuguese)
[God of all nations, languages and people]
As we prepare to hear the preached word,
open our eyes, so we may only see you,
open our ears, so we may hear your voice,
open our minds, so we may grow in understanding of you and one another,
and open our hearts, so your word may dwell richly within us.
E que as palavras da minha boca, e a meditação do meu coração sejam agradáveis a ti, senhor, minha e minha fortaleza. (Portuguese)
[Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, Lord, my rock and my redeemer.]
Oramos en el nombre de Jesús, nuestro redentor y libertador. (Spanish)
[We pray in the name of Jesus, our redeemer and liberator.] Amen.
SERMON:
Today we join Christians from around the globe as we celebrate World Communion Sunday. This is a day when Christians of different cultures, denominations, ethnicities, and speaking varied languages come together to feast at the Lord’s Table. We come to partake of a meal that sustains and nourishes our faith for the Christian journey. We come to affirm and to remember that Christ is Head of the Church and that we—Christians from around the world—are all a part of the body of Christ. Through our baptism, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are inseparably connected to one another. This connection transcends race, language, ethnicity, social status, gender, sexuality, political affiliation, and all other categories we have created to separate us from one another. Though every day gives us an opportunity to remember that we have been called to be part of something greater than ourselves, today the body of Christ scattered throughout the world affirms this purpose in unison. We could say that today we pause to consider truly internalizing the words of the Apostle when he exhorts the church in Philippi to... think the same way, have the same love, be united, and agree with each other.
That is a beautiful thought. However, I must confess, that is also a tall order. In my life, this beautiful though often becomes a troublesome reality when I realize that, through Christ, I am connected not only to wonderful people like yourselves, and faithful Christians a world away, but also to folks living in my own backyard, people who do not agree with many of the things I find to be consistent with the Gospel of Christ and hold close to my heart. In these moments hearing words like, “complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other,” (v. 2) ring hollow.
I find it difficult to claim a Christian connection to the next door neighbor who is always seeing signs of the end of times, and to the neighbor across the street whose knowledge of the Holy Scriptures is laudable, but whose understanding is unorthodox at best. In situations such as those, and the many moments of rage that arise from social media, political news, talk radio, door-to-door missionaries, and grocery store conversations, Christian unity is the last thing on my mind. The easier and most convenient path is to discount “those people” as non-Christians and move on with my righteous indignation.
I know that some believe this type of attitude is uniquely American, but let me tell you, we Brazilian protestants have perfected this down to a science. As a good example, despite most of my extended family in Brazil being faithful Catholics, I did not know that Catholics were Christians until some years after I arrived in the US—during my entire childhood and teenage years I was lead to believe that Catholics were something else.
Such tactics of exclusion run deep in many Christian circles. Despite the call to unity that emanates from the life, words, and work of Christ, many who follow him discount the faithfulness of those who stand in ways contrary to their own thinking and hold on to THEIR truth, and that alone.
Our text this morning challenges those perceptions and offers a window into what the Apostle Paul understood Christian life to be. Paul, pens a beautiful personal letter to the church in Philippi exhorting them to seek unity with one another and above all follow the example of Christ. You must remember that Paul writes this letter in a time of personal turmoil and imprisonment. This is the man who violently persecuted Christians as a show of zeal to his faith. So now finding himself imprisoned, reminds his friends in Philippi, that they must live their lives “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (ch. 1 v. 27). He calls them to do nothing “for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves.” (ch. 2 v. 3). Paul is inviting his readers to seek lives that transcends the boundaries of personal priorities and take on “the attitude that was in Christ Jesus” (v. 5).
In our everyday reality of denominational conflicts, election cycles, church disagreements, systemic racism, senseless violence, continued cycles of poverty, and much, much more, it is difficult to imagine leaving behind the things we hold dear and seeking harmony with others who disagree with our position, our methods, or our ways. As beautiful and poetic the words of the Apostle may be, “self-emptying” is only easy, when we know the outcome benefits our interests. So, we hold on to the things we know are right and continue moving forward hoping that one day all will be made well.
As faithful Christians, we cannot ignore the reality that Christ’s invitation to the feast table is not limited to individuals or communities with specific political, social, or religious perspectives. As our liturgy states, “Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin, and seek to live in peace with one another.” (UMH p. 7) Though we frequently hear these assuring words, we also confess our failures and shortcomings in living them out. We confess that “we have not loved [God] with our whole heart.” We confess that “We have failed to be an obedient church…. we have rebelled against [God’s] love… we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy.” Still, we are invited to follow the example of Christ and dispose of all we are and become imitators of Christ.
After sitting with text for a good while, I came to understand that the words of the Apostle offer a helpful alternative in the task of unity and the Christian life. For too long I saw the words of the Apostle as an invitation to forsake self and move towards the reality of those whom I disagree, but I believe that is an incorrect interpretation of the text. I believe that instead of pointing us towards one another, Paul points us towards Christ, and encourages us to take on the mind of Christ with reckless abandon. For it is only when we have taken on the attitude of Christ that we are able to cease actions motivated by selfish intentions and think of others as better than ourselves. Only when we take on the attitude of Christ, we can claim those whose views differ from our own as brothers and sisters. The Apostle is pointing us to a new reality, to a higher plane, to a more excellent way of living and being. The Apostle is telling us to set our sights on Christ and move towards him. For it is only when our eyes are fixed on Jesus that we can truly be united with one another. It is only when our eyes are fixed on Jesus that we can live a life of humility. When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we, the Church, can respond to crisis and disasters near far; we can stand against systems of oppression that hold our beloved brothers and sisters, prisoners; we can preach a message of hope and liberation to all people; we can work so God’s shalom may be a reality for all creation. As the hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.” (UMH # 349)
A few months ago the Rev. Stephen Bryant offered me a helpful illustration for the life in Christ and our journey together. Steve showed me a wagon wheel. He explained that if I imagine each Christian as a spoke and Christ at the center, it is impossible to move towards Christ without moving towards one another.
Today, let us recommit ourselves to this journey. Let us join Christians from around the globe affirming that only through Christ we can be united. Let us join them in affirming that Christ is the one who calls us to the work of unity and the one who told his disciples the words found in the Gospel of John, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34b). Let us join our brothers and sisters in actively taking on the same “attitude that was in Christ Jesus.” For, “God is the one who enables [us] both to want and to actually live out his good purposes.” (v. 13)