Philippians 3:17-21 *
Dear Friends in Christ,
It is a stock piece of parental advice. As you were going out the door – perhaps venturing into the uncharted waters of growing independence – your mother or father left you with these parting words: “Be careful. And remember; wherever you go and whoever you’re with – you want to set a good example.”
We all have been told and know the importance of setting a good example. Our text for today certainly supports this, but approaches it from just a little different angle. In order to set a good example, we also have to follow a good example. Meaning, there is nothing wrong with imitating the actions and attitudes of others, providing, of course, that they are proper and God-pleasing. It is on this topic,
FOLLOWING A GOOD EXAMPLE
that the Apostle Paul addresses us as Christians this morning. We can break down what he, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has to say into the following three points:
1. Whose example we are to
follow
2. Whose example we are not to follow
3. Why we chart this course of
action
17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. Paul sets up two examples for believers to follow. One is himself; the other is those who live according to the pattern Paul and the other apostles gave them.
At first we may think this to be a bit presumptuous on Paul’s part. We might wonder if Paul is somehow setting himself up as the ultimate model of living, breathing Christianity. And if he is, isn’t that contradictory to the attitude of humility which is spoken of so often and so highly in Scripture? Our suspicions may be raised even more when we learn that this isn’t the only time Paul speaks this way.
Well, it’s all a false alarm. The reason why Paul sets himself up as an example is not because he personally felt he had what it took to be a leader in the area of Christian living, but because he himself was a follower. To the Corinthian congregation Paul wrote similar words as those in our text but with this significant addition: “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” This is the key to understanding these kinds of statements by Paul. He only sets himself up as an example because the example he followed was the one set by Jesus Christ…
…Which also may call for a word or two of clarification. Certainly we know that the main reason for which Christ came to this earth was not merely to leave us a good example. There are those who would say this is the case; that Jesus was nothing more than a great moral teacher along the lines of Buddha or Confucius.
No, the very heart of the Christian faith is centered on the
fact that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who became flesh in order to
save us from the damning consequences our sins deserve. This He accomplished through His perfect life
in our place, innocent death as the substitute payment for our sins, and
glorious resurrection. Through trusting
Christ as our crucified but risen Savior, God grants us the gift of eternal
life. The Apostle John, writing toward
the end of his Gospel, tells us that everything he wrote about Jesus was not so
He could serve as a moral example, but so “we might believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that by believing we might have life in His name.”
Christ came to save sinners through His doing, dying and rising. However, it can also be said with certainty that a by-product of Christ’s life and work was to leave us with an example of how to live. To strive to live a “Christ-like” life, therefore, is not an optional component of Christian discipleship. It is an essential in our walk of faith.
Jesus Himself tells us this. Do you remember what happened on the night of what we now call Maundy Thursday? Among other things, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. It was an act of love and humility so profound and so deep, the disciples really didn’t know what to make of it. So Jesus told them. He said: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” What are “these things?” “These things” are all the things the disciples heard taught and also saw modeled by their Savior. The point: Following the example of Christ is the desire of Christ for His followers.
And Paul was one of them.
And so are we. Martin Luther once
said that all Christians are in essence “little Christs.” In other words, we who bear the name of
Christ as Christians also bear the responsibility of representing Him before a
watching world. Not just in our words,
but in our actions as well. Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow His
example pure…
His example of love moves us to be loving; even to the unlovable. His example of forgiveness moves us to be forgiving; even to those who’ve wronged us. His example of compassion moves us to be compassionate to those who are going through trials from which we have been spared. His example of patience moves us to be patient; even with those who know how to “push our buttons” and seemingly test our limits.
In Christ we see selflessness. In Christ we see a willingness to move
over. In Christ we see consideration for
the thoughts and needs and welfare of others, rather than an attitude that
demanded His “rights.” In Christ we see
all that is good, all that is pure, all that is noble, all that is
exemplary. In Christ we have our model,
our example, and our motivation. As John
put it: “We love, because He first loved
us.”
Christ is our Savior. Christ is also our example. He is the one we imitate and emulate. As we immerse ourselves in Scripture and study His life, we will never be misled. And as we immerse ourselves in Word and sacrament, we will become more and more transformed into the people God would have us be, and which we want to be for Him.
But there are also those whose example we should not
follow. Paul takes this up as our text
continues: 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say 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 on
earthly things.
Paul speaks in very blunt and descriptive terms about those he describes as “enemies of the cross of Christ.” We won’t take the time to analyze the individual statements he makes other than to say that taken together they are not very complimentary. The bigger question is, who is Paul talking about with these scathing words?
We can’t say for sure, but from other indications in this letter it would appear that Paul is not simply referring to outright unbelievers or heathens, because there would be no reason for him to deal with the obvious. It seems the folks Paul is talking about here were those who called themselves Christians, but whose conduct did not coincide with their confession. Paul singles this kind of people out as being especially troublesome and disturbing to the life of the church. At best we might call them the spiritually immature; at worst, hypocrites in the truest Biblical sense of the word: those who pretend to be something that in reality they are not.
This is noteworthy and a cause for our own self-examination. Paul reminds us once again that the Christian faith is not just the intellectual acceptance of certain spiritual truths, but a daily practice. Perhaps you’ve heard it said that Christianity is more caught than taught. What that means is that those outside the faith are first attracted to Christ through the silent witness of Christ’s followers.
On the other hand, when Christians don’t act as Christians, we can do great damage. I have spent more than my share of time consoling Christians who have been hurt by fellow Christians, and maybe you have too. And in my experience the deepest hurts and the most painful disappointments that I have seen Christians face do not come from an unbelieving world whom we know to be our enemies, but from fellow Christians whom we expect to be our allies.
The message from Paul thus far is simply this: When Christians model their lives after Christ, they not only bring Him glory, but they also strengthen and encourage their fellow Christians in their lives of faith. On the other hand, when Christians fail to live out their lives of faith, they not only bring dishonor to their Lord, but they become ineffective witnesses both inside and outside the church. And as James tells after taking up similar subject matter in his letter, “brothers and sisters, this ought not be…”
And it won’t be when Christians remember who they are and
what they look forward to. Paul concludes our text with a word of
encouragement. He has just spoken of
those who set their mind purely on earthly things. In contrast to them Paul states:
20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior
from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables
him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so
that they will be like his glorious body.
In the early years of the Christian Church a Roman writer (I believe) leveled the criticism that Christians were so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good. That, of course, was an overstatement, but it does raise an interesting thought.
Can we as Christians be too “heavenly minded?” Paul would say no. After all, that is where our citizenship is held. That is where we are registered on the books. That’s the thought behind the beloved hymn, “I’m But a Stranger Here, Heaven is My Home.” Heaven is where we will be spending the vast majority of our time, in comparison to which the whole of our existence on earth is but a fleeting second. Too “heavenly minded?” Probably just the opposite. Our problem is that we probably don’t have it on our minds enough and so get bogged down with all kinds of earthly concerns.
Furthermore, it is from heaven that someday Christ will return and take us to be His own forever, a fact that Paul says we as Christians “eagerly await.” And on top of that, once He does come, He will make us like Himself as “He transforms our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” I can’t tell you exactly what that means, but I can tell you it’s something good.
The fact that all this will happen to us and the fact that this has all been given to us as a gift from God made possible through the work of Jesus Christ provides us with the answer to the “why” question of the Christian life. Why live for Christ? Because Christ died for us. Why follow His example? Because He asks us to and it is the least we can do? Why avoid the example of those whose connection to Christ is at best weak or at worse false? Because we do not wish to bring dishonor to our King or in any way disturb our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Why live for Christ on earth? Because our citizenship is in heaven…
Therefore, today and everyday
Let us ever walk with Jesus
Follow His example pure.
Flee the world which would
deceive us
And to sin our souls allure.
Ever in His footsteps treading
Body here, yet soul above
Full of faith and hope and love;
Let us do the Father’s bidding.
Faithful Lord, abide with me;
Savior lead, I follow thee. Amen.