A Life Worthy

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… (Philippians 3:10)

Chances are, I will never be called on to physically die for the sake of Christ.

But if I am?

Well, we’ll see about that when the time comes.

In the meantime, there are other kinds of death.

Christ’s death was the perfect act of submission to the Father.  

Can I submit?

Christ’s death was an acceptance of pain and guilt and shame he did not deserve.

Can I accept?

Christ’s death separated him from all the joys and pleasures of this world.

Can I let go?

Beloved, we don’t know the future. You may one day be called to give your blood for the sake of Christ. But I can guarantee that you’ve already been called to give your life for the sake of Christ.

Are you willing?

Am I?

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

I want to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection… (Philippians 3:10).

I wish I had some beautiful, powerful, poetic image for you this morning, but what I keep thinking of is…

He-Man, and the Masters of the Universe.

I…have…power!!!

So, for those of you who were not watching kid’s cartoons in the mid-80’s, He-Man was a burly boy named Prince Adam who would hold aloft his mighty sword, give his “I have power” cry, and suck down lightning from the sky. Said lightning would transform him from mild-mannered Adam into the mightiest of heroes.

Seriously…his name was Adam.

And he was transformed by power from on high.

And he defeated Skeletor, who is pretty much a death symbol, and who consorts with demonic henchmen, one of whom is a snake-guy.

I can’t believe I never saw this before…I’m gonna have to Google it.

So, yeah, Beloved, that’s the image that comes to mind this morning when I consider the Resurrection of our Lord.

If you want to stop following this blog now, I’ll understand.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

…that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith  (Philippians 3:9).

I remember a book I read when I was a kid.  In it, Death was a regular guy whose job was to come collect your soul when you died. Good deeds from your life made your soul lighter; bad deeds made it heavier.  Mr. Death freed your soul and allowed it to float up to heaven or sink down to hell.

Good story–bad theology.

Two major problems from the perspective of Truth.  First, as we’ve already seen, your most righteous righteousness ain’t so righteous, so your soul–and mine–would float like balloons filled with mashed potatoes.  Second, God isn’t looking for a 51%-49% proposition. Anything less than perfection is an epic fail.

But Michael, I could never–

Exactly.

Aaaaaand…we’re back to Jesus.

Exactly.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things (Philippians 3:7-8).

Time for a heart check, Beloved of Christ.

Read the words again.

Slowly

Let them percolate.

And ask yourself: Would you willingly, joyfully, eagerly walk away from all that you have and do and are for the sake of Christ?

Easy to say…

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you (Philippians 3:1).

I almost skipped over this line, as I often skim past it when I am reading this passage. It just seems like filler, a transition to get us into the next section of the letter. Then I realized something.

This line is gold.

This line is at the very heart of wisdom.

As a teacher, I know that students need to hear something multiple times before it sinks in.  They can read it, hear it from me, discuss it with a partner, watch it in a video, and still be completely clueless on tomorrow’s quiz.  A standard teacher mantra is It never hurts ‘em to hear it again.  In this respect, you and I are no different from the twelve-year-olds in my classroom.

We need to read it again

Hear it again

See it again

Experience it again

Pray it again

before it really sinks in.  

So, as you head into your week, don’t shy away from the lessons you think you’ve already learned.  That leads to pride, and we know where that road takes us. Instead, embrace the wisdom like the old friend that it is.

It never hurts us to hear it again.

Happy Friday, Beloved.