Philippians 1:21-30 (NLT)
Paul, Timothy, that fortune-telling, demon-possessed slave girl, the merchant lady and the two girls were charter members of First Church-Philippi. It was the first church in Europe. In addition to Lydia the merchant, her family, and the fortune teller (who been delivered from the demon), the first members of the church also included a jailer and his family. It was quite a church, and it was a church that grew.
Writing the letter we know as “Philippians,” Paul was back in jail, probably in Rome, but his correspondence shines with love and joy as Paul remembers his friends in Philippi.
But the issue in today’s Bible lesson is sacrifice. Self-sacrifice is the hallmark of our Christian faith.
- Jesus sacrificed himself to suffering and death so that everyone who put their faith in him, surrendering to him, would find eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. That was God’s good news!
- Paul sacrificed himself to spread God’s good news, following Christ’s example with faithfulness and courage.
- Soon, the first Christians – including some of the Philippians – would give their lives as a faithful, courageous sacrifice as they stood up for God’s good news in the face of Roman bigotry and oppression.
Today’s Bible lesson invites us to take a closer look at Paul’s sacrifice.
- Paul sacrificed himself for the mission, taking every chance to tell others about Jesus.
- He suffered beatings, prison, and even a shipwreck and a poisonous snakebite to get the message out.
- There was no place he wouldn’t go and no sacrifice he wouldn’t make, if it gave him a chance to tell people about Jesus.
- As Paul says in today’s Bible lesson, living was about sharing the word and doing the work of the Lord in the world. Dying, on the other hand, meant going home to live with the Lord in heaven.
- Either way, Paul couldn’t lose. But, until he went home to heaven, he had work to do, strengthening his Philippian friends and sharing the message of new life in Christ.
- And Paul hoped that his sacrificial approach to living would make his friends proud of him.
What about the Philippians – those “citizens of heaven”?
- Paul expected them to stand and fight for their faith, even when it was a struggle.
- Paul expected them to trust in Christ in everything they did.
- Paul expected them to make him proud of them as they sacrificed themselves for the cause of Christ in the world.
How does any of that apply to any of us?
- For far too many people, “sacrifice” is a dirty word. We prefer the easy life, not a life of sacrifice.
- As a church, we spend more time worrying about our building and the budget, than we do about the unsaved, unchurched people around us who are headed for hell. And, frankly – although I know you’d be loathe to admit it – most of us would like to keep it that way.
- But do you really think that that would make Paul – not to mention Jesus – proud of us?
I posted the mission statement of the United Methodist Church on the sign outside. We’re here to make disciples of
Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
- You can’t do that sitting in a pew. Reaching people for Christ, helping those in need, and changing our world takes sacrifice.
- Christ did it. Paul did it. We probably wouldn’t be here today except for the literally millions of faithful Christians who’ve done for the last two thousand years.
- None of them did it so we could sit back and relax. They did it so we would be willing to sacrifice for the sake of Christ’s message and ministry in our generation. They did it so we’d do it, too.
What will it take – what sacrifices are you willing to make to make a difference for Christ? What will it take – what sacrifices will you need to make – to make those who went before us proud of you?
©Robert Gail Stoddard