Church In Toronto Sermon Audio

In John's Gospel, the crucifixion paradoxically symbolizes Jesus' glorification. The cross is a means of exalting Jesus, despite being an instrument of capital punishment; that claim is akin to someone ‘enthroned' on an electric chair. John's distinctive concept of glory provides the key to unlocking this enigma; glory is not a deity's visible splendor but a profound manifestation of God's character. That's why John differs from the Synoptic Gospels, omitting the transfiguration and apocalyptic prophecies. Instead, John emphasizes the cross as the ultimate revelation of God's boundless love for humanity. This revelation glorifies God the Father and exalts Jesus, God's Son. Can we become a ‘Johannine Church'? Embracing John's view means valuing insights into God's nature over sensational heavenly visions, and abiding in Christ rather than obsessing over global events and end-time prophecies. John encourages us to see beyond the agony and shame of Christ's Passion, grasping its profound unveiling of divine love. Thus, we experience the transformative power of God's love in our daily lives and gain a fresh perspective on Christ's crucifixion.

John chapter 12:1-11 is a continuation of the sign of the raising of Lazarus. Although the raising of Lazarus is the pivot point, the two sisters, Martha and Mary are the dominant characters of this narrative. These two disciples of Jesus have different personalities and therefore have different responses to Jesus. They give us two different models of a disciple's life in following Jesus. Martha, the vocal one, gives herself to care for Jesus by preparing food. Mary, the quiet one, gives herself to show her love by washing Jesus' feet with expensive ointment. One is caring for Jesus in the present, the other caring for Jesus for the future, that is for his soon to be burial. These two women give us good models and show us that as disciples we don't all have the same response or actions. We should care for Jesus and respond to Jesus based on who we are.

Jesus raising Lazarus was like a pebble being dropped into calm water, as ripples move out from the center. Some ripples see people believe in Jesus. Others have the Pharisees plotting to kill Jesus. Still other ripples see the Pharisees adding Lazarus to their hit list. But the ripples don't stop. Those who had witnessed Jesus raising Lazarus were later in Jerusalem letting people know what Jesus had done. This stirred up more ripples & many who were in Jerusalem waved palm branches while proclaiming Jesus as their conquering king as he entered the city (Jn 12:12-13). But as they welcomed him as king, what kind of king did they expect him to be? They wanted a political king who'd defeat Rome. But that was not how Jesus came to them. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey rather than a warhorse. They needed to see he came as a king who would die for them (Jn. 12:23-24); a seed who willingly fell into the ground & died. And while you might think that seems like a strange way for Jesus to take, he calls his followers to follow his pattern through death. If Jesus was willing to die, he would produce much fruit. If we will lay ourselves down & not live a life centred on ourselves (jn. 12:25-26), then we too will be ripples that affect those in our lives.

Jesus' raising Lazarus is a profound ‘sign,' pointing to deeper truths. Martha, a devout Jew, firmly believed in the bodily resurrection of the dead on the ‘last day.' However, God's intervention through Christ dramatically shifted her perspective. Jesus proclaimed, ‘I'm the Resurrection and the Life,' bringing God's promises from the distant future into our present reality. John's Gospel contrasts with the Old Testament and the other Gospels as Jesus extends to believers the offer of eternal life, resurrection, and exemption from divine judgment in the present through faith. He boldly asserts, ‘the coming hour is now here!' This means God's eternal life isn't a far-off future event but the immediate possession of believers. Resurrection commences today through spiritual rebirth, and they've already transitioned from death to life, standing acquitted by divine judgment. This is what baptism testifies. Christians can confidently lay claim to God's eternal life, the initiation of a process guaranteeing future bodily resurrection, and exemption from God's final judgment. Let's wholeheartedly embrace these promises, dispelling anxiety about our current status and eternal state, thereby transforming our lives today.

Before Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb, he gives thanks to the Father to display tothose standing nearby that he is one with God the Father. He is not taking credit forwhat is about to happen. He is directing all the praise to God. But at the same time, healso wants people to see that God truly has sent him. Of course, this is no differencefrom what he has been saying and doing throughout this Gospel. He lives in dependenceon God. Only God can raise someone from the dead. And Jesus does that very thing.Is there a deeper significance to Lazarus' resurrection for you and I as we follow Jesusfrom day to day? Yes! First, we should know that our death is different because we arebelievers. Death does not hold power over us any longer because we know that death isnot the end. Second, because we have the hope of resurrection, the manner in which welive today is strikingly different. We live a life of more value. Third, it's not uncommonfor us to find ourselves buried in a tomb due to addictions, anxiety, lusts, guilt & shame.The good news is that our Resurrected Saviour is still calling us out of our tombs. Doyou hear his voice?

John chapter 11 is the conclusion to the first 10 chapters of this gospel. The climax is the resurrection of Lazarus. The way the narrative unfolds reveals to us a number of characteristics of Jesus and also raises a number of questions. Firstly, we see that Jesus has close friends that he loves in the household in Bethany. The questions that people may ask are: why did Jesus delay his coming to Bethany and why the very different responses to Martha and Mary? To Martha he shows his divine nature in being resurrection and life. To Mary he shows his humanity. We need both aspects of Jesus. This section is both comforting and life-giving. 

Jesus' metaphor of the Good Shepherd reveals his sacrificial love for his followers. His declaration about willingly “laying down his life for the sheep” highlights his unwavering devotion. This metaphor also alludes to the emerging Trinity. In John's Gospel, “Good Shepherd” applies to both Jesus & God the Father, underscoring their joint role in safeguarding believers unto eternity. This addresses fundamental questions for many Christians: “Can one forfeit their salvation?” “If one were to falter in faith,would God abandon them?” “Does our eternal destiny hinge on a lifelong commitment to faith?” In this context its vital to recall our rebirth into God's family; we are God's beloved children–not mere servants or slaves. Our status as God's children is immutable; it transcends performance-based evaluations. This enduring bond cannot be revoked or altered; therefore, we can be assured of eternal salvation.

Jesus unfolds another aspect of his ministry through a sheep farming figure of speech. He uses the figure of the good shepherd to differentiate his ministry from that of the bad shepherds (Jewish leaders). He also lays out the means through which he will shepherd God's people, his voluntary sacrifice for them. This image has a dark background that Jesus is drawing upon from Ezekiel 34.

After the man who was born blind gained his sight, he was questioned first by his neighbours and then taken to the Pharisees where he was questioned and challenged again. What is striking in this narrative is that the man becomes increasingly bold as he speaks about his experience and especially about who Jesus is. The more he speaks the clearer he becomes. He begins by calling Jesus a man and eventually tells the Pharisees that Jesus must be from God if he can do such a sign. Jesus eventually finds him and he believes that Jesus is the Son of Man and he worships him. This man's experience illustrates a few things. First, our gaining spiritual sight is not only a gift but also often comes through trials and possible challenges from unbelievers. These challenges force us to dig deeper in our understanding of Jesus. Second, the more we speak the clearer our spiritual sight becomes. It also indicates that at first, we may not be that clear but we should speak anyway. Finally, today Jesus is not present with us and so like this man, we are Jesus spokespersons. This man's boldness should be a pattern for us.

In John 9 Jesus encounters a man blind from birth. His disciples ask the age-old question–‘who sinned?' Jesus transcends their simplistic view, seizing the opportunity for God's work. This underscores a nuanced truth: while sin correlates with suffering, it lacks a consistent causal connection. Jesus heals by unconventional means: forming a paste from clay and saliva to anoint his eyes, he instructs the man to wash in the pool of Siloam. He obeys in faith and returns seeing. This isn't ancient folk-medicine, or mystical practice; rather, it shows Jesus shares the divine identity of the Creator. Its not merely a restoration of sight; its a remarkable act of new creation—a foretaste of the coming kingdom when the blind will see, the lame leap, etc. However, gaining physical sight is only the beginning. Under relentless questioning from skeptical Pharisees, the formerly-blind- man gains spiritual insight regarding Jesus, culminating in recognizing him as the ‘Son of Man' and offering his worship. In stark contrast, the Pharisees, trapped in their disbelief, plummet into spiritual darkness. Their refusal to embrace the truth about Jesus blinds them further. Ironically, the sin of unbelief causes their spiritual blindness. This illustrates that possessing clear physical sight–20/20 vision–is insufficient. We all need enhanced spiritual insight into Jesus' Person and Work.

It's important to remember that Jesus' heart & motive is always for people to experience freedom from any bondage they are in. And he's willing to go to great lengths for that to happen. In John 8:31-47, Jesus speaks to those who once believed but no longer do. And he takes a hard line with them & he does not back off even though he knows it's uncomfortable for them. Freedom from bondage is his goal. How does he try to help them to see that they are in fact in bondage? He gives them a paternity test. Who is their real father? They cling to Abraham as Jesus challenges them. Having been rebutted quite easily by Jesus, they then switch to God. Jesus uses their own actions over & over to prove that neither Abraham nor God was their father. Based on their holding to falsehood and wanting to kill Jesus, the only father they line up with is the devil. 

Much of the gospel of John involves conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They were bothered that Jesus healed especially on the Sabbath. But what especially angered them was his declaration that God was his father. The Jewish leaders understood this to mean that Jesus considered himself equal with God. It was for this reason that they wanted to kill him. The verses above have a tone of a courtroom scene. The Jewish leaders accuse Jesus of various things; Jesus responds to their accusations; and eventually Jesus becomes not only the accused but the judge and passes judgment on his accusers. Verse 12 begins the dialogue with Jesus making a declaration that he is the light of the world and that those who follow him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. This word was not only for them but for us as well. What does it mean to really follow Jesus? What would our life look like if we followed Christ as the light of life?

The “woman caught in adultery” is a renowned Gospel account, portraying Jesus' extraordinary forgiveness. This narrative is both unique and controversial; experts judge it wasn't originally written by John but added later by an interpolator. Nevertheless, it's recognized as an ancient and authentic episode showcasing Jesus' profound compassion and literary skills. The Pharisees present the accused woman to test Jesus' adherence to Moses' Law. In response, Jesus stoops and writes in the dirt twice, declaring, “Let the sinless one cast the first stone.” Struck by conscience, the accusers depart, and Jesus pronounces, “neither do I condemn you…” An intriguing parallel emerges between Jesus' writing ‘with his finger in the dirt,' and the Ten Commandments, ‘inscribed with God's finger.' The point is not what Jesus wrote, but that he wrote. His act of writing signifies Jesus shares the divine identity of the OT Law's author; the allusion establishes his authority to interpret and even amend it.  Applying the “law of Christ,” Jesus extends “no condemnation,” not only to the accused woman, but to all his believers. Like her, we are forgiven, & start anew, charged to live differently – “Go & sin no more.” “There is perhaps no other passage in the New Testament canon that is more beloved and yet more controversial than John 7:53-8:11, also known as the ‘Woman Taken in Adultery'.”—John D. Punch The adulteress' “story is…one of the most memorable in…Scripture…not only due to Jesus' astonishing and poignant acquittal of the adulteress…but also because [this] is the only text in the [NT] that presents Jesus as a man of letters.” –Alan Rudrum & Julia Schatz

Jesus went up to the Feast in Jerusalem amidst all kinds of speculation & favour about himself. The main debate was around whether or not he was God's promised Messiah? Whether Jerusalem residents or pilgrims who journeyed to the Feast from far & near locations, the debate raged on. Most people held firmly to their ‘understanding' of God's Messiah, and used those to judge or measure whether Jesus lined up with them or not. The challenge for them was simple: “Will you hold to your concept or idea of who the Messiah will be, or will you let go of it to receive what Jesus has for you?” He offers to quench everyone's deep thirst for life, for love, for peace & for freedom by offering us Living Water (Jn. 7:37-38). Will we hold firmly to our ideas or take him up on his offer? 

The annual week-long Festival of Shelters was celebrated in Jerusalem and it was expected that all faithful Jews would attend. Usually, people traveled to Jerusalem in family groups or with their community. This is the setting where Jesus' brothers challenge him to make himself known to the world by making a display at the festival. The comments that his brothers make is often glossed over, however the writer makes it clear that they did not believe in Jesus. Their comments are a challenge as well as a mocking of how he acts and conducts himself. Jesus does not act on their challenge but implicitly indicates he does not take orders from them but from His Father and that they are part of the world since the world does not hate them. The opposition that Jesus faced from his family is not uncommon for those faithful followers of Jesus. Sometimes those close to us challenge or question our following of Jesus. Jesus did not let his family influence his following the Father's will. 

Jesus fed 5,000 people with bread, then proclaimed himself as the Bread of Life, offering his flesh for the salvation of the world. This produced a sifting: the crowd was disappointed, the Jews took offense, and numerous disciples abandoned Jesus. Amidst this turmoil, the Twelve Apostles, led by Peter, remained steadfast. The latent unbelief of many disciples was exposed. It's a cautionary tale. Not all who deserted were “false believers”; the ‘dropout disciples' included genuine Christians. This holds true even today. We witness believers, including pastors, who stop following Jesus. Some even deny Christ, becoming ‘exvangelicals,' no longer identifying or living as Christians. Peter's confession during this crisis highlights crucial principles to remaining faithful, devoted disciples over the long run. Let's explore and apply the lessons in our own lives.

Jesus fed the 5,000 one one day, and the next he taught them the deeper significance of what his feeding them pointed to: Jesus is the true Bread of Life that came down from God to give them real life. Well, now it's decision time. What will they do with that information? Will they receive it and believe in Jesus? Jesus emphasised his point through the metaphor of eating & drinking. Some missed his point altogether. In the 1st century, some believed he spoke of cannibalism when he told them to eat his flesh & drink his blood. In later centuries, Catholics taught that unless we eat & drink the bread & wine at communion, we do not have eternal life (6:53). But Jesus meant neither of these. Again, using eating & drinking as a metaphor, Jesus asked us to receive him, or ingest him in order to receive eternal life. And even more, to continue to ingest him in a habitual way to abide more intimately in him. It's decision time!

After feeding the 5000, the crowds continue to follow Jesus to Capernaum. Jesus challenges them with the statement “Don't work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life” (v. 27). The crowd can only think about the bread they were given as well as the manna given to their forefathers in the wilderness. Jesus shows them that what they need is not a miracle of bread but “true bread from heaven.” Also, the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. The turning point is verse 35 where Jesus declares: “I am the bread of life.” This must have been difficult for the crowd to understand.   There are some parallel statements that Jesus uses to help understand how to receive the bread. He uses “comes to me” and “believes in me” in verse 35. He uses “sees the Son” and “believes in him” in verse 40. The writer of this gospel continues the believing thought in this section.  Jesus as the bread of life who gave himself for the life of the world should be a guiding principle for our daily life.  

John records the awe-inspiring account of Jesus walking on water, a pivotal moment in his Gospel. This event, coupled with Jesus' miraculous feeding of the 5,000, parallels Israel's Red Sea-crossing and their reliance on manna during Moses' time. John juxtaposes Jesus and Moses, underscoring Jesus' claim that ‘Moses wrote about me.'Jesus' depiction as a “Mosaic Messiah” (not a “Davidic Messiah”) emphasizes his role as the long-awaited Prophet promised by Moses &the Prophet-King revered in Jewish tradition. Jesus' own sea-crossing, which eclipses Moses' Red Sea-crossing, is a theophany—a powerful manifestation of God—with Jesus declaring “I AM,” adopting God's own self-designation. Jewish tradition exalted Moses as a prophet, king, even as ‘god,'translated to heaven & enthroned. Yet Jesus, the incarnate God, fulfills & supersedes Moses. In the radiant revelation of God in Christ, all previous figures fade into mere shadows; none compares to Jesus, who fulfills the Old Testament's prophecies and promises. Letus enthrone Jesus in our hearts and lives, dispelling every notion of exalted humans –“Moses-like”figures. At best,they are mere servants of the Lord Jesus, no match for his divine majesty.

Most people have probably at least heard of Jesus' miracle of feeding the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. But what picture does it provide us with of him? He is the host who feeds the multitude and makes sure each person has as much to eat as they want. This should prompt us to look at Jesus with much love because he is the one who has an endless supply of all that we need. The question we need to answer is, are we coming to him for the things that we need in life? When the crowd saw the miracle unfolding before their eyes, they saw Jesus as the long-awaited, promised one. Immediately they wanted to make him king, like a second David. But, Jesus withdrew from them. Why? It's not as if he didn't want to be their king. But it's the manner in which he'd become their king. They wanted a political king. But Jesus needed to go to the cross to become the true king. We must receive Jesus as our king on God's terms and not our own

Jesus gave a strong word to the Jewish leaders to show them that there were multiple witnesses to him which should have caused them to believe. He mentions God the Father, John the Baptist, his own works (which were the Father's works) and finally scripture itself. Jesus said that Moses wrote about him. However, he tells them that since they don't believe Jesus that indicates they don't believe Moses either.   However, the scriptures point us to Christ so how we read the scripture is very important. If our reading or studying is for ethics or morality, we will not receive life. Only by meeting Christ in scripture will we receive eternal life.  

John's Gospel was written in another time, another place—the ancient Middle East. Consequently, we often miss what's obvious to the original audience. Jesus' ‘apprenticeship analogy' is a case in point. Apprenticeship enabled sons to learn their father's trade; Jesus and Joseph, his (putative) father, were carpenters. Now Jesus applies this metaphor to his ongoing relationship to God, his Father. It's a unique window into the intimate Father-Son relationship of showing/seeing, loving/submitting, hearing/ speaking, doing/imitating. Jesus calls his disciples into apprenticeship to him. This isn't the ‘Great Commission' of discipleship; it's the “Great Invitation' into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Let's all become apprentices to the risen Jesus!

After the invalid was healed (Jn. 5:1-9a), things went bad because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. The Jewish leaders were outraged because it was a day of rest. Jesus explained that God was still working to give life & judge as babies were born & people died. God didn't take a day off one day a week. If he did, life would collapse.   Jesus explained that as his Father still worked to give life to people, he likewise worked to give people life. That threw gasoline onto the fire, & the Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy: making himself equal with God. So Jesus began to graciously show them how he was working with God by giving life and judging as only God could. With that having been said, Jesus told people that to have eternal life they were to believe in him. Jesus is still working the works of God today to bring eternal life to all people, and he asks us to work together with him. 

Christians confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (1 Jn. 4:2); but, what kind of flesh? At incarnation did God's Son assume fallen flesh like ours? Or was his human nature unfallen, like Adam in Eden? All agree Jesus never sinned; but, was his human nature fallen or not? Historically the latter view prevailed. To ‘save Jesus from the Fall,' Roman Catholics rely on Mary's ‘immaculate conception;' Reformed invoke the Spirit's sanctification. And doctrinal dogma asserts Jesus' ‘impeccability'–he was incapable of ever sinning. Such tenets insulate Christ, distancing the Savior from us; being immune to temptation, he sails effortlessly through trials. But Scripture says Christ came in the ‘likeness of our sinful flesh,' he's ‘like us in every way, except sin.' Some contemporary theologians affirm God's Son took our fallen human nature, yet his person never sinned. Rather, through a lifelong struggle–from the manger to the cross–sin was condemned in his flesh & he sanctified that nature aligning it with God's will. Today, as we struggle, he's our great High Priest.

What are you willing to put your name on? As a professional engineer, architect or a medical doctor you have the privilege of signing official prescriptions, reports, drawings, etc. As a person of integrity, you're not going to put your signature on things that are below approved standards. In Phil. 2:9-11, we see God putting his name on the life & work of Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:6-8). Why? Because all he did aligned perfectly with God! Therefore God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. God's evaluation is clear. Men & women also have the chance to evaluate the life & work of Jesus. Do we see him as God sees him, or as the collective ‘wisdom' of humanity sees him. If your evaluation aligns with God's, you see him as he really is, God, & you confess that to all. With whose evaluation of Jesus do you line up: God's or man's?

The hymn in Philippians 2 highlights the fact that Jesus was obedient to the point of death. The book of Hebrews points out that Jesus learned obedience even though he was the Son. As the Son of God, Jesus was neither disobedient or obedient because he was equal with God. There was no need for obedience as the divine Son of God. In his divine nature, his will was the Father's will. However, in his humanity he had a human will. It was this human will that learned obedience. It didn't mean he went from disobedience to obedience but that as a man he brought his will into line with God's will. This was evident in his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. What does this mean for us? As disciples and followers of Jesus, we also need our will brought into line with God's will. This is learning to become obedient. Today's society does not look favourably on people who are obedient. However, if we truly desire to follow Christ, we will learn obedience. Obedience actually will bring us into a freedom that most people do not know.

Philippians 2:6-11 is a ‘Christ Hymn' for worship which encapsulates early Christian beliefs. It became a goto resource for distinguishing between orthodox beliefs and competing heresies. That enterprise produced the faithdefining Creeds of Nicaea, Chalcedon, etc. These documents delve into the mysteries of the Trinity and the incarnation. Chalcedon's daring distinction between Christ's one Person (expressed as ‘I') & his two natures has proved invaluable; the incarnation's subject is a single Person—God's eternal Son, the 2nd of the Trinity. At incarnation he assumed the human nature, but not a human person. So, in his person Christ is not a ‘hybrid God-man;' rather he is the divine Logos who was ‘with God in the beginning'. We don't have a ‘Phantom Christ,' a ‘Miracle-Man Christ,' an ‘Adopted Christ,' a ‘Multiplepersonality Christ.' Our Christ was and is God's eternal Son, the 2nd of the Trinity, who incarnated to redeem & restore us.

Many people talk about Jesus today, but the Jesus they present can be significantly different from the biblical Jesus. Some think he is merely a man, or a good man. Others think he was a prophet. Some think the ‘idea' of Jesus is what really matters. But Phil. 2:5-11 presents Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, not exploiting his divine position & status, but willingly becoming a human being in order to serve us. This Jesus was 100% God, 100% human! He came not to be served, but to serve mankind by humbling himself, and even going to the point of dying on a cross for us. Why does Paul place this beautiful, self-emptying poem before the Philippians in this letter? Not for them to try to outwardly imitate, but rather to see what God & Christ have done for them. By believing in Christ, they & we, can be empowered by him to live a life in community that is willing to let go of our rights, our privileges, our status so we can serve others well.

Reading Phil. 2:6-11 we glimpse the praise & worship offered to Jesus by the earliest Christians. Paul adapts this ‘hymn' as his ‘Master Story.' It's breathtaking in scope–from the eternal past before all time, to eternal future when every creature worships Jesus as cosmic Lord. It covers Christ's descent from the heights of equality with God down to the depths of human suffering, climaxing in the cross, yet followed by God's exaltation of him far above all. Some scholars adamantly refuse to recognize Christ's preexistence and incarnation here; they see only a sinless ‘Second Adam,' succeeding where the First Adam failed, promoted as God's ‘Adopted Son' worthy only of admiration and imitation. Rejecting this prejudicial view, we ought to see God's pre-existing Son, equal with God the Father, actively renouncing divine privilege, emptying himself to participate in humanity. Now, through his cross, we participate in our Savior's benefits, confess Jesus as Lord, & worship him to God's glory.

As heavenly citizens, we not only conduct ourselves personally but we also live together as citizens of heaven. We have the ability to live as proper heavenly citizens because we are united with Christ, we are “in Christ.” As those in Christ, we, together with our fellow citizens, have encouragement, love, fellowship in the Spirit and affection for one another. For us to live as heavenly citizens in Christ, it is crucial for us to see and appreciate that we have been gifted with all these things. This is the mindset that Paul is trying to help the Philippians have. It is the mindset of Christ. With this mindset comes considering others more important than ourselves and setting aside any selfish ambition and concern only for ourselves. This mindset we have in Christ. May this corporate heavenly citizenship be lived out practically among us. 

Ask most Christians about their experience in the gospel, and they usually head for the hills because the very thought of approaching another person to tell them about their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ terrifies them. We all have stories and scars to talk about our bad experiences in the gospel. And while speaking to others is a critical element of the gospel, Paul says there is something more important to see about it. On the one hand we need to believe it and speak it. But on the other hand, Paul says we need to ‘become' the gospel. In other words, it's not just what you say that unveils the gospel, it's your living. Paul says, “As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27a). Christians first and foremost are citizens of heaven. Which means our source for all we do and say should come from heaven. But in addition, as Christians, we are called to live heavenly lives here on earth, in our daily situations in order that our colleagues, classmates and family to see the gospel lived out right before their eyes. By the power of the Spirit Paul and the Philippians did it. Now it's our turn. 

Evangelicals hope to ‘go to heaven' when they die. Catholics expect a Purgatory-detour before going there. Lifeafter-death for Paul is different; dying is ‘departure to be with Christ'; its being ‘absent from the body, but present with the Lord.' Christ's ‘interim state,' between dying and rising, will be matched by believers–they'll be disembodied ‘naked souls,' but ‘re-clothed' at the Resurrection. Yet, Jesus' parables are dramatically different. His ‘Rich Man & Lazarus' story portrays both men conscious and embodied after death, already experiencing reward or punishment prior to the Last Judgment. Is Lazarus experiencing Eternal bliss with Abraham? Is the Rich Man's fate the Eternal Hellfire threatened by Fundamentalist preachers, or is it Catholic Purgatory? Where's the ‘Interim State' in this story? Can the diverse scenarios of Paul & Jesus be reconciled? A crucial key is recognizing that Jesus' story is a parable, not an historical account. It's not a ‘roadmap beyond the grave'; Jesus challenged the Pharisees using their own Life-after-Death folklore. So, does Jesus' parable really conflict with Paul's ‘interim state'? Do resurrection, reward &/or punishment all begin immediately after death? Is there a Biblical basis for Purgatory? Such questions deserve Bible-based answers.

Paul indicates that we have been given the gift of believing in Christ and suffering for the sake of Christ. We have no problem with the gift of believing but we struggle with the thought that suffering is a gift. Paul's mindset is that since Christ suffered, as followers of Christ we will also suffer and this is a gracious gift. This attitude went against the perception of success and honor in the society at his time. It is not much different today. Although we should not ask for suffering, when it comes, we need to have the right mindset regarding suffering. Paul indicates that this suffering can result in future resurrection (Phil. 3:10) and that it produces endurance, character and hope (Rom. 5:3-4.) Paul is trying to change our mindset regarding suffering. It is a gift and it produces something and forms us for resurrection. It also makes us people who can walk with others through their suffering.  

What happens to Christians when we die? Some would confidently answer, “That's easy, we go to heaven!” And while that answer rolls off the tongue of so many Christians, is that what we can look forward to when we die? Paul lays out a pathway that follows the same one that our Saviour Jesus also took. A bodily existence here on earth. Followed upon death of a disembodied temporary state where we will enjoy the presence of God. But that is not our final state! There will be a final resurrection for believers. At that point we will receive a new resurrected body that is suitable for the new creation. We have such a beautiful future in store for us. No wonder Paul tells us we should rejoice at the prospect of this incredible future with God and his people!

Paul had supporters, but also detractors—critics & rivals who doubted his apostleship, questioned his mission, & saw his incarceration as divine disfavor. Responding Paul declares, “this will turn out to my salvation…” (1:19). What does “salvation” mean here? Is it being saved from eternal punishment, or deliverance—release from prison? Is it rescue from anxiety & shame? The key is that Paul quotes directly from OT Job (13:16); this narrows the interpretational options. Assailed by inexplicable loss, Job suffered unrelenting accusation from his ‘friends,' assured of his sin. Courageously Job appealed to God for vindication and received it. Now Paul invokes Job's voice calling for divine vindication; ultimately only God's verdict counts. What about you? Do you feel misunderstood, unjustly criticized, unfairly maligned? Did you ever ask “why do ‘bad things' happen to me?” Can we—like Job & Paul—appeal for God's vindication? Let's look at Paul, asking: do we match his example?

Paul's hope was that, whether he would live or die, Christ would be honoured. He would not be ashamed as a prisoner, nor ashamed if he should die. He shared this as a pattern for the Philippian believers. Paul's thoughts and view of life and death are different than most of ours. He did not view one as bad and the other good, rather, he viewed them both as good. For Paul, to live was Christ and to die was gain. He depicts dying as the “better of two goods.” Most people today avoid the topic of death. But for Paul, he considered dying as a gain (Phil. 1:21), being with Christ (Phil. 1:23) or being at home with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). For Paul the deciding factor in his present situation was what was best for the Philippian believers. He believed that God would release him from prison so that he could remain with them for their progress and joy in the faith. Paul didn't live for himself but for others.

Oftentimes when we face hardships, sufferings and difficulties, we might think God can't possibly use us at that time. We disqualify ourselves from serving him because we are too busy licking our wounds. But what if God wanted to use us even in the midst of our most difficult times? The Philippians knew Paul was in prison and faced an uncertain future. What would that mean for the gospel? Paul gave them a new way of looking at his situation, and all difficult situations when it comes to working with God. Where we see hindrance, blockage or frustration, God sees a new way for the gospel to advance. What a mindset Paul had! “Lord, renew our minds to see all the opportunities you give us to advance your gospel .”

We're inundated by news, messages, & media–all competing for our attention & resources; how to cut through the ‘noise' and focus on what really matters? Paul, ‘the slave of Christ,' prayed for believers to discern ‘the things that matter most.' This isn't a generic call to pursue excellence or better prioritize our time and resources. It's more profound; Paul exemplifies that some things matter, others don't. For Paul, the Gospel's progress matters, not his imprisonment or rival preachers' motives. Christ's exaltation matters, not his trial's verdict—life or death. The Philippians' progress matters, not Paul's presence or absence. Ultimately, what matters most for Paul? Only Christ matters; he counts everything else as loss. Adopting this criterion, the Philippians won't grieve over Paul's incarceration or even execution; they'd rejoice (like Paul) in the success of God's mission

In most of Paul's letters he expresses his thankfulness to God for the believers to whom he is writing. As well he expresses thanks to God for His work and what He has done in various places. Paul's gratitude spills over into joy especially in his epistle to the Philippians. Paul's gratitude is for all things even when circumstances are not in his favor. Not only does he model thankfulness but he exhorts the believers to give thanks in and for all things. And so we should do likewise.  Paul is confident that the work that God began in the Philippians will be completed. He bases this on both God and the response that the Philippians have had and continue to have in their partnership with Paul and God in the gospel. On the one had they are partnering with Paul; on the other hand, they are partnering with God in His mission. Their response gave Paul this confidence. Let us partner with each other and with God in his mission. 

The way Paul begins his letter to the Philippians is so very important because it begins the theme of servanthood which we find illustrated again & again in the letter. He speaks of himself & Timothy as ‘slaves of Christ Jesus' (1:1). Slave, not apostle. As Christ laid aside his authority as God and became a slave in order to serve humanity (2:6-8), so too Paul laid aside his apostolic authority to serve others for his Master, Jesus. We might all agree that that's appropriate for an apostle, afterall he is in complete service to God. But is that also an appropriate expectation for you & I? Are we called to be slaves of Christ & therefore servants to all as well? Philippians offers us this one and only one way to live a worthy life! Are there other ways to live? Of course. But Paul encourages us all to be slaves of Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Luke, the master storyteller, recounts the risen Jesus' journey to Emmaus accompanying two disillusioned disciples. This trip is more than a mission to restore the deserting duo; it's not just a proof of Jesus' resurrection. The Emmaus episode demonstrates how Jesus is experienced in the new era, after the cross & empty tomb. Supposedly a stranger, Jesus joins the disappointed duo and engages their hopes & fears. He adjusts their inadequate view of his Messianic mission by opening God's Word igniting their hope. Responding, they invite Jesus to their home, where he transforms an ordinary meal into a sacred Lord's Supper revealing his true identity.  It is via both these means—the Scriptures and the Sacrament (breaking of bread), through Word and Worship—that Christian believers know and experience the risen Christ today.

The letter to the Philippians is a friendly, compassionate, and family type letter. Paul does not present himself as an apostle but as a servant. The church in Philippi might be could be considered as the church Paul was closest to.   In this letter Paul does his best to address the mindset of the Philippians by sharing his own mindset on how he lives in all circumstances. He has a mindset on suffering and on joy. This mindset is dominated by his aspiration to pursue Christ, to gain Christ and to have Christ the reason for living. By sharing his mindset he is trying to help the Philippians (and us) have the same kind of mindset.

Before we turn our attention to the actual text of the Philippian letter, let's look at how the gospel first came to the city of Philippi. We're introduced in Acts 16 to Lydia, an unmarried (widowed) immigrant. As a wealthy & successful business woman who sold the highly sought after purple dyed cloth (a luxury item for the powerful & wealthy), we might imagine that she was living ‘a life worth living'. Yet with all her wealth, status & achievement she sought a deeper meaning to life; the kind that goes beyond the fading thrill of conquering yet another goal or seeing a bank account swell. Later in the chapter we meet an ex-Roman soldier dutifully carrying out his role as a jailer. He, unlike Lydia, wasn't seeking God at all, but then a violent earthquake shook his exterior & interior worlds. As his ‘life worth living' crumbled, his attention turned to something more, something deeper & more meaningful. In both of these people's lives, God brought the good news of Jesus to them through Paul & Silas, and they & their households were led into salvation, & Philippi's church had its first members.

As Paul concludes Galatians, he wants to underscore the importance of living life with the Spirit. He's already mentioned ‘walking by the Spirit' and ‘being led by the Spirit,' but here in chapter 6 he says, ‘sow to the Spirit' (6:8). Sowing here is a form of investing. We can invest in what the Spirit is doing, or what the corrupting flesh wants. As we consider where to sow (invest), Paul turns our attention again towards others. Sowing to the Spirit is not just a personal endeavour, but more importantly, one done in and for the building of Christian community. Are you investing well? And maybe more importantly, where, or in whom are you investing? It matters because God sees and is not mocked (6:7). The cold reality is that we may be deceiving ourselves as we sow to the flesh and think everything is just fine. Sow today for your present and future experience of eternal life?

Galatians 6 gives an example of what living by the Spirit looks like. The example is restoring a person who has sinned or has manifested the “works of the flesh.” Restoration should be carried out by those who experience the Spirit producing humility in them. This restoration should also include walking with the person until they learn to walk by the Spirit. This is to carry one another's burdens. Although only one example is given here, there are many other examples of carrying one another's burdens. We need to learn to give help and also to ask for help. We are designed to walk by the Spirit in community. However, on the other hand, before God, we must carry our own load. One day, each of us will give an account of our life to God.

When we think about the ‘works of the flesh' and the ‘fruit of the Spirit' we often think individually. But is that what Paul is pointing to in Gal. 5:19-23? He is actually much more concerned with our community life. Hatred, envy, strife, etc. are all aimed at others, with the result of destroying community. Whereas, love – sacrificial love for others – exhibited in a joy and peace and patience, that love always builds community. Why? Because that is the kind of love lived by Christ who “loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20b). That is life the Spirit of God is leading us to live every day. In this way he is leading us to build the Christian community God has placed us in.

Freedom as revealed in Scripture is very different from freedom that is promoted in society. Freedom in society is individualistic and self centered. Freedom in the Spirit, which is a gift from God, is focused on taking care of others, serving others, and promoting the welfare of community, especially the Christian community, the church. The works of the flesh are mainly against the community of faith.  This section also contrasts walking by the Spirit and carrying out the desires of the flesh. The Spirit was given to us when we received salvation. It is this Spirit, who has the power that is stronger than the power of the flesh. We do not fight against the flesh, we get in step with the Spirit, who is the One with power over the flesh. If we think that we have to fight the flesh we fall into the trap of keeping the law.  

If you asked 100 people to tell you what they thought freedom was, it's likely you'd get 100 different answers. As Christians we can be persuaded by all kinds of ideas about what freedom is or should be. But, how does God see freedom? As Christians, his thoughts on freedom are what should and must govern our lives. In Galatians 5:1a, Paul says, “For freedom Christ has set us free.” Our freedom was won by Christ's work for us. It's a freedom ‘from' sin, ‘from' self, and ‘from' the influence of the evil forces. But God's freedom is also ‘for' something. God frees us to live the life he has designed for us. We are freed to love and serve others in righteousness. And we are told to remain in that freedom. What we have to guard ourselves against is that we do not return to any yoke of slavery again (Gal. 5:1b). 

Paul's churches were imperiled by zealous Jewish-Christians pressuring Gentile-believers to proselytize. They argued that all Abraham's descendants were circumcised. Paul rebuts this ‘false gospel.' He creatively applies OT Scripture, ‘turning the tables' on his opponents. Abraham had two sons, not just one; Ishmael, Abraham's natural son via Hagar, represents slavery. Only Isaac, Sarah's son via God's promise, portrays freedom. Despite their DNA, the Jewish agitators are not today's ‘Isaac;' they are ‘Ishmael,' slaves under Law, destined for expulsion. Who is today's ‘Isaac'? In the era of freedom launched by Christ, the churches expressing the Spirit's fruit and responding to Scripture's living voice—they are today's ‘Isaac.' Let's test ourselves by these criteria; do we manifest the characteristics of ‘Isaac' or of ‘Ishmael'?

The letter to the Galatian churches is Paul's passionate attempt to recover and rescue the Galatian believers from leaving the gospel. Initially he used rebuke (1:6; 3:1, 3) and a lot of theological and intellectual arguments. Now in this section he uses emotional arguments. Firstly, he presents himself as a pattern to them and charges them to become like him. He abandoned the law and took his stand as crucified with Christ and living by him (2:20). Secondly, he reminds them of their initial response to the gospel. Thirdly, he accuses the circumcision party of making the Galatians feel “outside of God's people” unless they become circumcised. Finally, he expresses maternal sentiment as he struggles that Christ would be formed in the Galatians. This section is full of emotion.

Paul has been making the point that those who are of faith in Christ are sons of God and therefore heirs of God's promises also (Gal. 3:26-29). In 4:1-11, Paul shows us that every single one of us, no matter our background, was in slavery prior to meeting Christ. We were all held in slavery to something. Jews were enslaved to God's law. Gentiles didn't have God's law, but were enslaved nevertheless to cultural, national, and tribal ideas, values, philosophies, prejudices, power imbalances, etc. And yes, even we enlightened North American, western thinkers were and are enslaved too! Behind the scenes, evil spiritual beings are manipulating and twisting things to such an extent that we are enslaved under them. How do we come out from under this slavery? Most of us don't even know we are slaves. We think we are free human beings determining our own fate.  We have a God who is always pursuing us to release us from our slavery and make us his sons and heirs! If he hadn't moved through his Son and in his Spirit we would still be slaves. Let's worship him for who he is and for all he has and is still doing to rescue us!