[Generated Transcript]
As we come to Philippians 2, I want to give a little bit of a talk-through preview of it, because this can be a bit of a confusing section. And then we’ll get into the reading. As you scan over it, you’ll see that there are so many sort of powerful lines.
One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. Or earlier, I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. You’re reading, you can feel the power with which Paul is writing.
He has something he needs to communicate to them, and it needs to hit them with the force with which he’s feeling it. But something else you need to see is that in this whole section, he doesn’t actually name the thing. Not that I have already obtained this, I press on to make it my own. Brothers, I do not consider that I’ve made it my own. He’s pressing towards the goal. He’s striving for it. But he doesn’t actually say what it is in this section. OK? That’s really important to see.
Because I need to start this with a little bit of a caveat. This is a confusing section because of that and I’ve read a bunch of commentaries and a bunch of sort of devotionals or sermons on this and I invite you to go and do the same thing because you kind of get things all over the place. Because you get powerful principles and powerful statements of application to the Christian life, but the content can be a little bit vague. We’re not sure what to do with this. And so people generally fill it in with its own content, what they think kind of fits the situation, or they only apply in generalities, because we’re not really sure exactly what this is. So I just want to bring it with that caveat.
What I preached last week is what I think he’s talking about. But other people don’t see it that way. And it’s important that you don’t just listen to me because I’m the pastor and say, well, he must be right. But go out and think on it yourself, and read other things, and see if what I’ve been preaching to you makes sense.
As I said last week, when we went through the first 11 verses, Paul is, it comes out of his title, Rejoice in the Lord, in verse one. And then he’s trying to apply this one teaching, to rejoice in the Lord, that in verse 10 is not something stated, it’s something that he shows to them. Let me show you my heart as I’m rejoicing in the Lord, his great desire for Christ.
I want to know him in all that he is. That’s the thing that he’s trying to get them to see. He doesn’t tell them it, but he shows them it. And I think that’s why he stays vague through our section, because it’s not a thing he can just say, but it’s a thing that you have to pick up from Paul. You see it in verse 10. Look at his heart. And that’s what he’s going to then catch up on in verse 12.
But I wanted to introduce saying, if you miss what he’s talking about, if you miss the content, then we’re just talking in the sky about high-sounding ideas, but you’re not going to know what to apply it to. OK? Let me read this and see if you’re, and you can join with me, and then we’ll get into the text.
Not that I have already obtained this, or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
As we come to this section, Paul is now gonna apply what he wrote about in the first 11 verses. And what he’s applying is the mindset that he was trying to impart. You need to have this mind around Christ. I just told you that if you read other people, people will give things that are in the same area, but they’re all hitting on different things. But let me give you my argument for why I think this is what it is. You heard me last week, or if you didn’t hear me last week, you can go back and hear me last week for the first 11 verses. But as we’re going through verses 12 to chapter four, verse one, there are some hints. Look at verse 20.
Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior. The thing he’s applying to them is a citizenship. Well, what is it to have a citizenship? It’s not just a legal document. The citizenship he’s talking about is the manner of life. Think, if you ever had to take a citizenship exam, you had to memorize all sorts of answers to things, and you took a test, and if you passed the test, then you could become a citizen, or at least you got to the next step. But they’re not just trying to check, can you remember facts?
What they want to know is, do you understand the way that we as Americans think? Have you bought into our system, the things that we’re striving for, the things that we want? Do you get our way of thinking? Do you have our mindset? Which relates to what he says in verse 15. Let those of us who are mature think this way. Well, what way? Well, we know that what he’s talking about is, he’s trying to say, are you understanding the way that something is thought about? It’s about a mindset, a way of life, an identity. That’s what verse 10 and 11 we’re trying to get across.
This is your identity in Christ. If you are in Christ, if Christ has made you his, This is how you should think about him. This is your mindset about Christ. These are your affections. It’s an all-consuming desire for Christ. It’s an identity with Christ at all costs that I may know him in the power of his resurrection and even share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. He has such a citizenship in heaven that his mindset is consuming desire for Christ even at the pain of his own body, even at his own death. That’s what Paul is now going to apply to the people in verse 12.
Because after showing the heights of that mindset, he says this is the thing of most importance. Now I’ve said that this is confusing, but I also want you to hear one other thing. This is of utmost importance. In verse 13, Paul says this, one thing I do, one thing I do. If I asked you what’s the one thing that Paul preaches, what would you say? It’s Christ and Him crucified, right? We have that tip of our tongue. That’s what Paul preaches. He preaches Christ and Him crucified. But I think there’s less attention given to this. And Paul says, this is the one thing I do. Paul says, the Christian life, for him, all of it is summed up in one thing.
If you were to think of one thing, what’s your one thing that you do? What’s your one thing you’re striving for? you’re probably gonna get a variety of answers. But scripture is telling you this needs to be your one thing. This needs to be the one thing that you strive for.
But Paul doesn’t just leave it out there and say now go get that goal. He meets us in verse 12. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own. We see the heights of Paul’s desire for Christ. He’s pulling into the identity and saying, this is the mindset of Christ that I’ve been striving to get you to see, but he says, I’m not quite there.
In fact, this is the mindset that throughout Philippians, he’s been trying to apply to them over and over and over again. When he says it’s one thing, the book of Philippians is just trying to get them to have the mind of Christ. What does that mindset do? Well, it gives you unity, because you’re striving to think like Christ thinks, all together. It gives you perseverance and hardship, because you’re united to Christ in His suffering, and He’s united to you in your suffering. But here it’s applied just in one, it’s applied like an injection, all at once.
This is what he’s been striving for through all the Philippians, and yet he admits in verse 12, I’ve not already obtained this. I’m not there yet. And so he’s meeting us where we are and sort of sitting in the pew with us and saying, I see where I’m supposed to be. I know what Christ is calling me to, and I’m not there. He reiterates it in verse 13.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. I do not consider that I’ve made it my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal. The Christian life is not about saying, yes, I’m there.
But Paul’s saying, look at the mindset you need to have about Christ and strive for that. Last week, when I was describing it, I said, I don’t want you to be convicted by this. I just want you to sit in it and experience it. Because that’s what Paul’s applying here.
He reaches the heights of his affection in verse 10. And verse 11, the heights of his affection, and then he immediately recognizes in verse 12, I’m not there. Isn’t that common in our Christian life? That you have these moments of great affection for Christ and great striving for him. You feel like, yes, now I know what the Christian life is going to be like. And then the next day, you’re back in the pits again. You see Paul experience it right here in this letter.
He feels what true affection for Christ should be, and then the next verse he has to admit, but my own life doesn’t measure up to what I know it should be. Paul’s right there with us. He’s also saying, look, I know how important this is, and I can’t quite get there. But that doesn’t mean he’s saying this isn’t that important. He sees this of utmost importance. This is the one goal for the Christian life.
Last week, I teased you about the aggressiveness with which Paul was speaking, right? Why is he going after people, calling them dogs, calling them evildoers? Why is he going after the Jews? And I said, I would let you know why. It’s because Paul knows where he’s going.
He sees the beauty of Christ and he knows what his affection needs to be. And as he’s striving for that, he sees this perversion. Look at this twisting, a salvation that doesn’t see the glory of Christ, that doesn’t have its affection. And then he just sees, this is so terrible. And so he comes out very aggressively in verse two, because he’s so focused on rejoicing in Christ that this false rejoicing is completely despicable to him. But he knows that even as he has this, he knows what his eyes are set on, he knows he’s not there.
In the first point, in verses 12 to 16, what he’s trying to say is, you’re supposed to be striving towards this. Keep your eyes set on this. This needs to be your one thing. What is that one thing? Set your eyes on Christ, set your affections on Christ, and strive for the right affections.
It’s, in some ways, it’s not something that he can just tell you. The reason he’s vague is because it’s something you just have to see and experience. He wasn’t even able to tell you it in verse 10. He couldn’t tell you about having affections. He just had to show you it.
And so when you think about, well, what am I going for? It’s your identity in Christ. Are you feeling about Christ the way you’re supposed to be feeling? Are you consumed by a desire for Christ but doesn’t even quite get at it? Are you viewing Christ in the way that you know you should when you’ve seen what he’s done for you?
Because Paul says this is the striving of our whole life. I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Why does Paul say this is the one thing that we’re supposed to be striving for? Because he understands the gospel. Christ Jesus has already made him his own, so what more can Paul offer to Christ? His works aren’t going to accomplish anything. He’s had to get rid of all of that. The thing that he has to give to Christ is his whole being, his whole affections. And so his striving with the Christian life is to be able to offer that to him. This is what I owe you. How can I do this to the best of my ability? And so for you, you’re thinking, well, what am I supposed to be accomplishing for Christ in this? I’ve been saved from my sins. What do I have to offer to Christ? We tend to think of things that we’re doing.
And Paul says, no, your one thing needs to be your affections. Your heart, your very life needs to be set on Christ. That’s the thing of most worth. And that’s the only thing you can really offer to Christ of any worth. because Christ has already claimed everything. He’s already done everything for you. Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Because he sees that all that’s been accomplished in the gospel, there’s nothing left for Paul to do but just pursue a heart for Christ. Pursue a heart that’s fit for the heavenly call that he’s been given.
Do you see that? Do you see that in Philippians? Of all the striving that we do in our life, all the things that we try and accomplish, even from a good heart, ah, look what Christ has done, now let me see how hard I can work, or how much I can learn about Christ, or all of these things that turn into pursuits, and Paul’s just trying to get you to see, first just grow your affections. Do you really love Christ? Are you trying to just do things that do the things of love? Or do you love Christ? How many of you have reached that spot if you’re married, in your marriage, where your spouse says, I just feel like you’re not there with me.
And you say, well, I’m doing all these things. We’re going on dates, and I bought you chocolate, and I bought you flowers twice a year, or whatever it is. What more do you want me to do? Well, what your spouse is looking for isn’t those things. I want the heart. I don’t want the things that are supposed to show the heart. I want to have your actual affections.
And we try to drum up those affections by just doing the thing. And Paul’s saying, but don’t leave aside the affections. Do you actually love Christ? Your prayers, Lord, grow me in love for Christ. Help me to appreciate what you’ve done, that I am consumed by desire. Put my heart in the right place. Paul says that’s the one thing that he’s doing.
But in verse 15, he gives us two caveats that are important. He says, let those of us who are mature think this way, and if anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. he sort of takes a turn here. And I think the reason he takes a turn is because of how much our hearts are fixed on, well, what can we accomplish for Christ? Anything that’s held out to us as, this is what your Christian life should do, it’s immediately seized onto us as, okay, this is my righteousness now. And so his concern is, let those of us who are mature think this way. Look, if you’re a new Christian, You don’t immediately turn to how much do I love Christ? If you’re a new Christian, you need to settle in just the grace that you’ve been brought into.
Wow, look what he’s done for me. Don’t be thinking about, well, what are my steps now? What do I do? What do I have to accomplish? What is the progression of the Christian life? Rest in your salvation. And that’s what he covers in verse 16. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. I don’t want you to lose the foundation of your salvation, that Christ has accomplished it for you. So if you are immature, if you’re a new Christian, put this aside. You should love Christ, but don’t make it a striving thing. Rest in what God’s done for you. Let those of us who are mature think this way.
But I think there’s also a lesson in all of this. as sort of a tangent. You as a church are a church that as a whole has a lot of knowledge. You love your scripture, you love your theology, and you want to know a lot. I want you to see that this is something that Paul is writing about that he cares deeply about. You’ve seen his heart through the whole book of Philippians, but this is like the climax, chapter three. This is the thing he cares most about, and you can see it in all the exalted language, the heights of his love for Christ, the heights of his imploring for the church, even the heights of his condemnation of those who would take them away. Paul cares deeply about this, and he knows he’s right about it. Okay? If anyone knows scripture, it’s Paul. But he’s also writing scripture. So he knows that what he’s writing is completely correct. What are things that you have known? You know your theology, you know your Bible, you know you’re right about this.
And then how do you treat that knowledge? How does Paul treat it? Let those of us who are mature think this way. I know something, you need to know it, and you need to think it too, and then how does he follow that up? And if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. He’s bringing knowledge that he knows that they need to have, and then he immediately steps back and is willing to say, this may take time for you to fully get there, and I’m gonna leave it to God to take you along.
Do you see Paul’s heart? The gentleness with which he handles his knowledge? He brings it to this church, and he knows he has something important, and he knows that they need to have it, and he’s willing to be patient with them. Okay? That’s the aside. That’s the mind of Christ that he’s actually exemplifying just in that statement.
Are you willing to wait it out? Are you willing to take the long road with your brothers in the church? Are you willing to treat your knowledge, treat your wisdom the way that Christ treated his knowledge and wisdom? Paul’s living it out in what he’s saying.
So that’s the first caveat. Know where you are in the Lord and treat yourself according to that. If you’re immature, don’t push yourself into higher things. If you are mature, be gentle with it towards those who are less mature. The second caveat is verse 16.
Only let us hold true to what we have attained. The desire for Christ is not the gospel. It’s not the thing that saves you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. He’s writing this to believers who are already saved. Your affection for Christ didn’t save you in the past, and it’s not saving you now. Christ saved you when you were an enemy, and then he brought you into his family. Don’t lose that. That’s what you’re resting on, that Christ accomplished it.
And so when you see, well, now I’m a mature Christian, and there’s things I am reaching for, that doesn’t take out the foundation of your faith. In your reaching for something, or verse 12 says, in your obtaining of it, don’t leave what you’ve already attained. Those are two different things, though they sound the same to us in English. When you’re reaching for things in the Christian life, don’t leave behind the foundation you’re standing on. Those are the two caveats. Your goal is to see Christ in the right way, to desire him as he deserves to be desired, But don’t forget these two stumbling blocks. Don’t leave your foundation and don’t push yourself off your foundation by running after things.
Paul continues on in verse 17, and you see how much he sees them. He says, they need to have this. Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. He says, as I said before, he sees what he’s trying to get them to see.
You need to desire Christ in this way. But you need to see it. You can’t just know it. I can’t write you a letter about it. You need to see it around you. Do you remember when we looked at Timothy and Epaphroditus? Look, you see these people who exemplify Christ. I need to send them to you. You need to touch them and feel them and hear them and talk to them because it’s something that you have to experience. And that’s immediately where he turns in verse 17. You need to experience it. I can’t just impart knowledge to you. You need to see it. Join in imitating me. But he says, you can’t just view it from a distance. Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. I’m too far away from you. Look around you and who are you seeing? Who are you seeing who’s exemplifying this mindset, the mindset of Christ? You say, man, that woman loves Christ. That man is consumed with a desire for Christ.
And draw close to them. Let me read that one more time. Join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. When you see it, when you see the example, fix your eyes on it. Don’t let it slip out of your grasp. Because when you see it in a person, it’s so much closer. That’s what God is telling you. You need to see it in people around you. Who do you see that has the mind of Christ?
And the reason that he’s telling you that, you need to have imitations, is because there’s dangers. Verse 18, for many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. It starts out with the reason. Here’s why. Verse 18, four, let me tell you the reason you need to have people to imitate. And the reason is, is that there are many enemies, okay? Many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Paul turns in verse 18 because he has great concern. You need to see it around you because there are many people who will take you astray. And I think when Paul’s writing this, he’s not just speaking about unbelievers. He’s not just speaking about those outside the church. And there’s a couple of reasons for that. First of all, the great concern that he has.
If there was a clear distinction, the church and then pagans, just don’t follow the pagans, well, that’s already clear. But he has great concern that they’re watching the right people in the church, because he says there are many who walk in a different way.
Even the language of walk, they walk as enemies, isn’t a language that Paul will often use of unbelievers, but it’s spoken of the way that people in the church are living their lives. They’re walking. Now, I don’t think he’s saying that the church is full of unbelievers. But he’s trying to say that there are many whose regular walk is as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Did you see how he adds that in? It’s not just enemies of Christ, but it’s enemies of the cross. The thing of Christ’s pain. This idea is throughout the chapter that what is most central, what is the thing that prevents us from our affections for Christ is often our suffering, right? The things that we don’t want to happen to us.
I don’t want to have my faith bring me to that spot. I want to follow God, but I don’t know if I can do that for him. This road is too hard for me, right? We look at what God is bringing us on and we think, I don’t think I can do that. Give me an easier way. It’s one thing to pray that, but how often do we force our way on God, right?
And so Paul is grabbing onto that and saying, well, many of us, our walk, our day-to-day life, the way we actually order our lives is as enemies of the cross of Christ. We want Christ. but we don’t want the cross. We want the resurrection, but we don’t want the death before it, right? I want to have my sins forgiven. I don’t want to suffer.
That sort of thinking is walking as an enemy of the cross of Christ. Because the one who saved us and the one who is saying, I want to walk alongside you, is the Christ who chose the cross for you, not for anything for himself, but because you needed it. You needed him to suffer. I needed him to suffer. And he said, yes, I’ll suffer for you. Now we have been invited into the life of Christ, joined into his family, and yet we feel a repulsion to the cross. I want the salvation, but I don’t want to take up my cross daily and follow him.
Right? That is what’s in our heart. And so I think rightly, Paul says, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. And that’s why it’s so important when you see someone who walks differently. When they see Christ in a different way and they’re willing to submit underneath him, they take things in prayer and they continue walking faithfully, grab onto that person and don’t let them go. You need to see it, you need to experience it.
That’s Paul’s concern. And he goes on in verse 19 to give a warning. Now the way I understand verse 19 is he’s showing you where this path is going to lead. He’s not condemning the people who he’s seeing walking this path in the church. He’s not saying this is where they’re at, but he’s saying this is where that mindset is gonna take you. If your mindset is you want Christ without the cross, this is its end. Their end is destruction. Their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame with mindset on earthly things.
I think to see the truth of that, don’t look outside of yourself, but look in your own heart. Look in your own heart when you’ve seen, yeah, I’ve been repulsed by that. What are the motives that are driving you? What are the things that you’re actually striving for? Isn’t it that your mind is set on earthly things?
Because you know, well, if my mind was set on what’s awaiting me in heaven, eternal life with Christ, this wouldn’t matter to me as much. I’d be OK to be cheated by my business partner. I’d be OK to have my property taken from me, like those in the book of Hebrews. Because my mind is set on heavenly things.
But our mind is set on earthly things. Our glory is found in things that are actually to our shame. We’re more concerned with the things that we’ve built up in our life. We’re more concerned about the things that are gonna fill our belly or our present desires. And we’re not thinking about the things of Christ and what’s gonna serve him.
What is the end of those things? Well, the end of all of the things that we’re desiring, the things that we’re pursuing, or the things that we set our hope on is destruction, right? Nothing is gonna last. Everything earthly is gonna pass away, and all that’s gonna be left is the glory of Christ and his kingdom.
So doesn’t verse 19 make sense of the things that we set our heart on? What our end is, the things that we’re striving towards, their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. But here’s the hope in all of that, verse 20.
Paul writes about those things as foreign. And he writes to the Philippian church and says, our citizenship is in heaven. And yet, Paul admits earlier, look, my heart isn’t where it needs to be. And he knows that the Philippians’ heart isn’t where they need to be either. And I hope you’ve seen that your heart’s not where it needs to be. But this is what he writes about them.
Our citizenship is in heaven. Even though we don’t have that mindset, and the end of the things that we often pursue are death and destruction, and we don’t view Christ in the right way, this is what he says. Our citizenship is actually in heaven. Christ has placed us in heaven. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The way that he writes that is saying, look, this is where your security lays, not in where your heart is at right now, but that Christ has claimed you and placed you in his heavenly kingdom.
And so now we need to live like it. We need to have the mindset of that. Because from that mindset, from it, the mindset of a way of life, of heaven, of a citizenship that’s in heaven, of a mindset on Christ and for the glory of Christ, from that mindset, we just await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who’s going to transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body. So all the things that our hopes are set on are like that lowly body that we think, I’m trying to make it just a little bit stronger so that maybe I can make this lowly body fit for the kingdom of heaven. Maybe I can build up enough wealth or do enough work in the church, or maybe I can gain enough knowledge from scripture about Christ that it’s then going to be worth something when I get to heaven. We’re trying to grab that lowly body and just pull it in by our own striving into a heavenly body.
But he says, no, if your mindset is set on heaven, on heavenly things, Christ is going to transform that lowly body into the heavenly body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us, with your mind set on heaven.
Finally, the third thing to see is just verse one of chapter four. I want you to see the heart that Paul says this in. Because in some ways, as we look at our Christian life and we see how little we are set on Christ, it can be discouraging. But listen to what Paul says. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”
Paul is writing about a life of suffering and saying, you aren’t desiring Christ enough. You’re caring too much about the suffering. And then we see our hearts and we see, I don’t love Christ enough. I’m not there. And then we’re just saying, I know what I need to strive for, but I don’t know if I can do it.
And it can be very discouraging, but do you hear the way that Paul talks to them? Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, Stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. How many terms of endearment did you hear there? My beloved, my joy and crown, I love and I long for you, my brothers. Paul knows how much this church is lacking and that they need to grow in Christ, but look at his overwhelming encouragement and heart for them. Look at all the affection he has for them.
And he knows that they’re gonna hear this and not want the advice. Look, I don’t want to suffer in the ways that Christ may make me suffer. I don’t want that. But he says, look, let me tell you my heart. And he pours out these terms of endearment. And then he says this, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. Paul is writing this because he loves them and he says, this is security. This is what Christ is offering. And this is the best thing for you. The ferocity with which he spoke, the aggression of verse two, the suffering that he says, may I share his sufferings and become like him in his death, where is this all coming out of? It’s all coming out of, I want to stand firm in the Lord. And then he applies this to the church because he says, I want you to stand firm in the Lord. All of this is out of a heart of love.
My brother once was working in a summer at a, he would take adventure trips out in Colorado. And he had like a two week trip and he decided to take a giant jug of mayonnaise with him, backpacking. But he emptied the jug out of mayonnaise and he filled it with vanilla pudding. And then he took his campers along, and then throughout the whole two weeks, he would just take spoonfuls of that vanilla pudding, but in a jug of mayonnaise. And he didn’t tell anyone that it was vanilla pudding.
And so it just became a regular occurrence. He’d sit with the campers who he’d never met before, and he’d just be eating mayo in front of them. He’d go to McDonald’s, and he’d grab just a bunch of mayo packets, empty them into the trash can, but then come back sucking on them like he had just eaten them.
And he said it was surprising, for two weeks, No one really said anything about it. Until the last day, they all said, this is really weird. I can’t believe you’re doing this. This is disgusting. But it was so weird to the spot that no one thought they could say anything about it at the time. Here’s where this is leading.
The last day, they’re at the airport, and they’re sending the kids off, and he takes one kid, and he pulls him aside, and he takes a spoonful and says, here, eat this. And the kid’s like, no, I do not like mandarins like you do. I don’t want to eat that. He’s like, no, no, just eat it.
Just trust me. And after a long time of convincing him, he takes a bite, and he bites into vanilla pudding. and everything about it changed. It’s like, wait a second. This is not what I thought it was. Now, my brother has just a personality where he wanted to just do that with one kid and then just let him deal with the rest of it. So he’s the only kid who actually knows the whole story.
But here’s the point. I think of that when I look at this verse. Paul is holding out a spoon, and what we see is we see suffering. We see, how much am I willing to tolerate? and we’re fixed on that label of mayonnaise, thinking, this is disgusting. I’m just trying to get through this in order to get Christ. Why is there this barrier? Why do I have to do this?
But Paul, and furthermore, Christ is saying, no, this is like vanilla pudding, because this is Christ. This is the best thing for you. You need Christ. You need all of him. You don’t need just the parts that you want, but you need more than what you know, okay? And Paul is holding this out, saying, I know you’re not going to like this. I know in the moment you may feel repulsed by this, but you need to love Christ like this, and he’s the best thing for you.
Stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. May we stand firm thus in the Lord, and may our hearts be raised to see him for who he is. Let’s pray. Lord, I pray that as we draw near to your word today, that not just our minds would be enlivened, but our hearts would grow in affection. that we would have minds changed to the mindset of Christ.
To live according to our true citizenship in heaven. To see Christ in all his glory as the Lamb who was slain, but now is seated at the right hand of the Father. And want to be with that Lamb. Want to be part of that Lamb. May you draw our affections out and order us that we would honor you and that we would have all that we need in Christ. Amen.