Philippians 2:12-18 (NRSV) Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmuring and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. 16 It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— 18 and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me.
Many people call Paul’s Letter to the Philippians the “Happy Letter.” He talks about rejoicing in the Lord always. But in this section he gets pensive, self-reflective. Is being a Christian a waste of time? Is being a church leader, a pastor or teacher, even more of a waste of time? Like a senior citizen looking for some reason to rejoice when one cannot be active any more in the normal events of life, Paul thinks out loud.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Paul’s observation is that the proof of the value of the work done for the Lord is in the response in the lives of the hearers. I reflect on the many things that my parents did in their lives. My dad went to work for some years at Ford and then 39 years for Climax Molybdenum, as a chemist. How many times did the house get painted, the car washed, the lawn cut? How many times did my mom change our beds, wash our clothes, make our meals, haul food home from the grocery store in that green metal cart? Much of what we do is to honor the daily needs of our lives. It is valuable to live our life here and now.
But what lasts? Where is the deep joy to be found? For my parents, and theirs before them, the one thing that lasts is the faith they brought to us. “Jesus loves you and died for you. Shape your life around worshiping the Lord and extending His love in word and deed.” That was how they trained me up in the way that I should go. We never wondered “if” we would worship any given Sunday. My parents, and many others, wrapped their children in eternal life-the resurrection life.
Paul notes that such Good News brings Christians to shine like stars in a crooked generation. Hold fast to the Word of Life! That is Paul’s prayer and encouragement. It is mine as well, for all of you. Do not turn away. Do not sour or get bitter when there are bumps and potholes in the road. The Risen Lord will never leave or forsake us. We need to keep hearing that. Let us never leave Him. Praise Him, hear Good News, be settled and joyous in offering your life and all your deeds to Him. And make me happy, too!
Pastor Tom Trapp, Mission Pastor
Walking the Emmaus Road with the Risen Lord
(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XV, Number 10, May 2014)