Philippians 2:19-24

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19But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22But you know of his proven worth that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 23Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.

Personal letters such as Philippians gives so much insight into the inner-workings of the ministry. Note three things here:

1. Paul's genuine and passionate concern for the believers in Philippi. This is a constant throughout with the New Testament letters and books that are written to the believers in Rome, or Corinth or Galatia or Ephesus. Is it any wonder that the men who turned the world upside down did it, because their love for one another was in such stark contrast to the world's ways of doing life? When Jesus commanded them to love one another, He noted that this would be a unique distinction that will be noticed by the world. And, in the Lord's prayer in John 17, Jesus was all about being united in His love. With all of our fractured world of comparisons marked by the variety of world religions and the variety of denominations within Christianity, we have lost our way in being one and loving one another. We tend to love our own kind. We need a heavy dose of "otherness" that the early disciples practiced.

2. Paul feels he only has a few who are of "kindred spirit" who will have the same concern for the Philippian believers as he. Over the last 3 and a half years my learning curve has been perpendicular, to say the least. However, the most vital thing I've come to realize is that it takes so long for people to "get it", meaning how to walk with Jesus and with one another how to BE THE CHURCH of Jesus--to be a revolutionary. I was agonizing over this to the point of complaining about it to a friend of mine. He didn't miss a beat and came right back at me and said, "But it only takes a few!" (My friend is way ahead of me in understanding how the revolution of Jesus works.) Jesus was never discouraged with a few. In fact, Jesus purposefully began His ministry with just three fishermen. He didn't challenge them to start a revolution that would change the world, but invited them to BE TOGETHER with Him. Although Jesus spoke to large crowds from time to time, it was clearly not in His revolutionary strategy to work with the masses. He was all about "life on life" training of His disciples who would go on to turn the world upside down. Paul is not complaining, but stating a fact. Timothy is the only one he knew who "got it" enough to make the visit to the Philippians and be an encouragement to them.

3. Those who left Paul and Timothy's fellowship are said to be seeking after their own interests, not those of Jesus. They were disqualified because they were too busy seeking after their own interests and not those of Jesus. This, of all things in our lives right now, is the one that breaks my heart the most. It's the wonderful people who claim to love Jesus, but are too caught up in their own interests-too busy to participate in the things of Jesus and to be with a few. When you're too busy seeking after your own interests and not the things of Jesus, then being a spectator at the best show in town is all you need.

So, how do you stack up with these 3 observations? Do you have a genuine concern for other believers? Are you participating with a few who are stubbornly supporting one another in this Jesus journey? Are you too caught up in seeking after your own interests and not the interests of Jesus?

Jesus is looking for a few revolutionaries who are willing to follow Him and Him alone, will give themselves to others and who will make their primary interests the things of Jesus over their own. Will you apply for the job?

Philippians 2:12-13

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE. 12So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. These two verses are a dynamic duo for walking the walk! Verse 12 will scare you to death! "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Most people read this, stop and shudder a bit. "Work out your own salvation." What does that mean? Well, it doesn't mean that you have to work hard enough to earn your salvation. That would be totally contrary to everything taught throughout Scripture. There are two ways of thinking about this: 1. I am to "work out" into my life-into my behavior-the salvation work of God that is on the inside of my heart. I have His salvation inside. Now I must work it out into my lifestyle. 2. I am to "work out" my salvation to its completion. In other words, I am to stubbornly remain obedient in working my salvation into my lifestyle until the end. Then, it says, "with fear and trembling." This simply means that this is a serious matter and must be carefully and cautiously worked out into my life. Note that to NOT work it out would be to be a spectator among the fellowship or maybe a 'secret service' believer rather than being a participator in the process or working it out. God's salvation is a supernatural work in my life, but He expects me to complete His work of salvation by working it out into my life. This proves that it is the real thing! Verse 13 will empower you beyond yourself! Now, if you read on to this verse, you will get the entire context of your walk with Jesus, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to the willing and working for His good pleasure." Through this salvation process, God is already at work IN YOU personally to bring about the willing and the doing of the "working out" your salvation into your life. So, isn't this a bit contradictory? In verse 12 it is saying that I am to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling and in verse 13 it says that God is already at work in me to work it out. So which is it? Do I work it out into my life or does God do it? This is the classic question of the walk of faith. Think about it-THE WALK OF FAITH. The WALK (that's what you do) of FAITH (that's what God does). It's the same balance throughout the Scriptures-100% from God and 100% from man! Now, don't get too haughty about your percentage. God' 100% is so much more than yours! But I am to do all that I can do BY FAITH that God will do all that He can do in working out my own salvation into my life and my behavior. Think of it! By faith Noah built a boat. If Noah had built the ark like most believers live by faith, that boat would have never been built. Noah had to work very hard, building that ark. But he did his best (his 100%) by faith that God was already at work (His 100%). This principle is everywhere you look! My favorite is found in the miracles of Jesus. Jesus involved His disciples in filling the waterpots at the wedding and pouring out the wine; Jesus is the one who changed the water into wine. At the death and burial of Lazarus, Jesus showed up 4 days after his death. Then he asked where they laid him, had them move away the stone from the tomb and take off the grave-clothes, but only Jesus could resurrect Lazarus from the dead. YOU DO THE POSSIBLE BY FAITH THAT GOD WILL BE ALREADY AT WORK DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE. That's the principle and it is still that way today in your life. This principle is all summed up in these words: 20"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20). That's it! Each day I am to work out the supernatural work of God that He has performed in my heart, knowing that He is already at work inside me to empower the willing and the doing. He is already working in me. It's a supernatural partnership with the God of gods. I must do all that I can do-my best, by faith that God is doing what He can do (His best) in my life. Now if that doesn't motivate you, then you may already be in need of the local mortuary and don't know it. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me."

Philippians 2:5-11

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5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

So, what is this attitude that was in Jesus that we are to have in us? Jesus didn't flaunt His deity-His equality with God. So, we must not flaunt anything we have going for us in comparison with others.

Jesus emptied Himself-voluntarily laid down the supernatural attributes and powers. Jesus could pick up these supernatural powers and did from time to time as needed. So, although we have no supernatural attributes to lay down, maybe this flows out of the "flaunting" and means for us to not assert ourselves over others.

Jesus took on the role of a bond-servant-being made in the likeness of men. This is where Jesus was God available! So, we, too, must be "God-available" to people around us in that we are Jesus to them-the only form of Jesus they may ever encounter. Jesus became obedient to the point of death-even the most shameful death. So, we must focus and discipline our lives to be obedient to what God has for us each day and for the long-haul. This obedience is what I refer to when I say that following Jesus is the most difficult thing I've ever done. This is why I feel I must be stubborn about embracing the teachings and principles of Jesus as a lifestyle, not just in a verbal sense, but in a vital sense!

When Jesus embraced this attitude, GOD HIGHLY EXALTED HIM. He was given a name above every name-a name when spoken will cause every knee in the universe to bow before Him and someday every tongue will confess that Jesus, the Messiah, is the Lord God. This is why we do things "in the name of Jesus" and pray "in the name of Jesus." There is so much power in His name.

On the Saturday before Easter I had the privilege of using the name of Jesus and experienced this power. I was invited to speak before an assembly of primarily Buddhists and Muslims. Every other religious faith and culture was represented as well. It was an even hosted by the Dalai Lama and Imam Khorisani to promote peace and compassion among the different peoples. After hearing a variety of speakers from everywhere speak, I was brought up at the very last of a 2 hour session. When I said, "I bring you greetings in the name of Jesus", I sensed a clarity and power overshadowed that room of about 750 people. Many others reflected to me that same feeling came over them-Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian. IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

There is one other thing about this ATTITUDE that I want to mention. All of this is another way of saying to us to take on humility. I heard from a brother yesterday a poignant definition of humility that I want to share with you today. Humility is believing all that God says about Himself and all that God says about you, and pride slips in the moment we don't believe these two things.

Philippians 2:1-4

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This chapter starts out with 4 conditional phrases which are assuming that the answer is true: 1Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, (and there certainly is) if there is any consolation of love, (and there certainly is) if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, (and there certainly is) if any affection and compassion, (and there is) 2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

The oneness of community and fellowship together is what is called for here. This is what the real Lord's prayer is all about in John 17, that they may be one!

Then we see the things that destroy this oneness in Christ: 3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

I've been doing lots of evaluation of why we followers of Jesus are so ineffective in penetrating the culture. After speaking in front of the international event hosted by the Dalai Lama (Buddhist) and Imam Khorisani (Muslim) for the purpose of finding peace among a variety of cultures and faiths, I am fascinated with how to lift Jesus up most effectively. I am amazed at how often I've been hearing the same things from people, that Christianity has become highly offensive, yet Jesus is not! Yesterday I spoke with an agnostic who has been turned off by organized religion, yet he was drawn to what I had to say about Jesus.

Maybe Christianity has lost the attractiveness of the oneness spoken of here. Maybe the offensiveness stems from selfishness and empty conceit. One area of conceit that smells funny is the thinking that Christianity owns Jesus. Jesus and His Kingdom are too big for that box!

Jesus stands apart from all others in that He walked the talk. The gospel or good news is Jesus. Jesus transforms those who give themselves to Him inside out and sets them free from all worldly systems. That transformation has a lot to do with setting you free from self-centeredness and the big EGO (Edging God Out), so that you are free to love anyone and everyone with an unconditional love. This is the ultimate purpose of our relationship with Jesus, that we learn to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus just doesn't want to be entangled with religiosity or as a founder of any religious system. He doesn't want to merely be something VERBAL, but He wants to be VITAL in your life. When a Hindu principal of a college in India heard Jesus presented in this way, he said, "Jesus has stood four times in history before the door of India and has knocked. The first time he appeared in the early days he stood in company with a trader. He knocked. We looked out and saw him and liked him, but we didn't like his company, so we shut the door. Later he appeared with a diplomat on one side and a soldier on the other, and knocked. We looked out and said, 'We like you, but we don't like your company.' Again we shut the door. The third time was when he appeared as the uplifter of the outcastes. We liked him better in this role, but we weren't sure of what was behind it. Was this the religious side of imperialism? Are they conquering us through religion? Again we shut the door. And now he appears before our doors, as we've heard tonight, as the disentangled Christ. To this disentangled Christ we say: 'Come in. Our doors are open to you.'"

When we practice the oneness of fellowship, compassion and spirit in Jesus and put away our self-centeredness, ego and empty conceit, we are able to present Jesus most attractively as the disentangled Christ.

Philippians 2:1-4

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

This chapter starts out with 4 conditional phrases which are assuming that the answer is true: 1Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, (and there certainly is) if there is any consolation of love, (and there certainly is) if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, (and there certainly is) if any affection and compassion, (and there is) 2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

The oneness of community and fellowship together is what is called for here. This is what the real Lord's prayer is all about in John 17, that they may be one!

Then we see the things that destroy this oneness in Christ: 3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

I've been doing lots of evaluation of why we followers of Jesus are so ineffective in penetrating the culture. After speaking in front of the international event hosted by the Dalai Lama (Buddhist) and Imam Khorisani (Muslim) for the purpose of finding peace among a variety of cultures and faiths, I am fascinated with how to lift Jesus up most effectively. I am amazed at how often I've been hearing the same things from people, that Christianity has become highly offensive, yet Jesus is not! Yesterday I spoke with an agnostic who has been turned off by organized religion, yet he was drawn to what I had to say about Jesus.

Maybe Christianity has lost the attractiveness of the oneness spoken of here. Maybe the offensiveness stems from selfishness and empty conceit. One area of conceit that smells funny is the thinking that Christianity owns Jesus. Jesus and His Kingdom are too big for that box!

Jesus stands apart from all others in that He walked the talk. The gospel or good news is Jesus. Jesus transforms those who give themselves to Him inside out and sets them free from all worldly systems. That transformation has a lot to do with setting you free from self-centeredness and the big EGO (Edging God Out), so that you are free to love anyone and everyone with an unconditional love. This is the ultimate purpose of our relationship with Jesus, that we learn to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus just doesn't want to be entangled with religiosity or as a founder of any religious system. He doesn't want to merely be something VERBAL, but He wants to be VITAL in your life. When a Hindu principal of a college in India heard Jesus presented in this way, he said, "Jesus has stood four times in history before the door of India and has knocked. The first time he appeared in the early days he stood in company with a trader. He knocked. We looked out and saw him and liked him, but we didn't like his company, so we shut the door. Later he appeared with a diplomat on one side and a soldier on the other, and knocked. We looked out and said, 'We like you, but we don't like your company.' Again we shut the door. The third time was when he appeared as the uplifter of the outcastes. We liked him better in this role, but we weren't sure of what was behind it. Was this the religious side of imperialism? Are they conquering us through religion? Again we shut the door. And now he appears before our doors, as we've heard tonight, as the disentangled Christ. To this disentangled Christ we say: 'Come in. Our doors are open to you.'"

When we practice the oneness of fellowship, compassion and spirit in Jesus and put away our self-centeredness, ego and empty conceit, we are able to present Jesus most attractively as the disentangled Christ.