Poured Out

Philippians 2:1-13
October 1, 2017
First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL
Christina Berry

Our scripture reading for today comes from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. Verses five through eleven are widely regarded as among the earliest and most beautiful Christ hymns. But Paul’s letters were not written with chapters and verses, and today we have the pleasure of hearing that hymn in its intended context.

In the first chapter, Paul has commended the Christ-followers at Philippi, with those words familiar to many of us: “I thank my God every time I remember you,” and then he goes on to remind them of the importance of the way they live together in community, saying: “live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

In this section, he continues his loving words to them, appealing to both their connection through Christ – the sense of community – and their life in Christ – the practice of humility.

It’s worthwhile to remember as you hear these words that Paul uses the second person plural – not just you, the individual Christian, but you, the church gathered by Christ – y’all!

Let’s listen for God’s word for all y’all in Philippians 2:1-13.

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy,
make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love,
being in full accord and of one mind.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,
but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
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;
for it is God who is at work in you,
enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Our gospel reading centers on the authority of Jesus.
He has been questioned once again by the religious leaders of the time,
legitimate questions wondering under what auspices he does his work.
Much as we might question a charismatic preacher who comes into town,
wondering what he is up to, they pose their concern.
He answers them in a way that does not start a fight,
but challenges their pre-conceived ideas of legitimacy.
Let’s listen for God’s word to us in Matthew 21:23-27.

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"
Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.
Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?"
And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet."
So they answered Jesus, "We do not know."
And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

It is World Communion Sunday today,
and it is the day on which the PC(USA) observes
our Peace and Global Witness offering.
The choice to have these two observances on the same Sunday
was inspired, I think, and it is worth considering both events
as we consider the scripture readings for today.

World Communion Sunday is a time when we celebrate unity –
our unity with one another as a congregation,
and our unity with other Christians, not only in our country,
but around the globe.

Whether we are Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist,
or some other brand, or simply generic Christians,
we are united by a few central beliefs and practices.
One of those is the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
So on this day, we imagine Christians in every land

coming to the table with us in a global feast.

I like to imagine that this table is extended far beyond this chancel,
into every Christian community here in Sterling, across the Rock,
across the Mississippi, across the country, and across the oceans,
until it reaches to every person who would wish to come and eat.

This table is a place where we can be united as one,
even if it is only for one Sunday!

This table is a place where we can experience God’s shalom –
the wholeness, unity, and peace that come to us through Christ.

We approach that shalom, that wholeness and unity,
through having the same love,
being in full accord and of one mind – the mind of Christ.

The Apostle Paul’s words speak for themselves,
and hardly need anything added by way of explanation.
However, like many parts of God’s word, it is simple, but not easy.

It’s simple to say, “Oh, while you’re up,
could you have the same love, humility, and compassion as Jesus?
Shouldn’t be too hard.”

But it is not easy to live those words.

How, after all, can we “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,
but in humility regard others as better than ourselves”?

How do we choose to look not to our own interests,
but to the interests of others?

We are geared, as humans, to look to our own interests.
We are not particularly adept at humility.

The key, I think, to learning to live in this way,
as Christians who are in union with one another, and with Christ,
is this one little Greek word that packs a big theological punch:
the word “ekenosen.”

It means to empty oneself, to pour out oneself.
So the mind of Christ is one that doesn’t “lord it over”others,
despite the authority he is given by God.
The mind of Christ is one that regards itself as a slave to others,
not as the master of others.
The mind of Christ is one that pours out oneself on behalf of others.
If we were to learn no other lesson from the Epistles than this,

we would benefit so much!

It’s a lesson that involves our entire lives, and takes our whole selves,
that demands that we stay connected with God in Christ,
and with one another!

Having the mind of Christ leads us to our own kenosis –
our own outpouring of ourselves on behalf of others.
To live in such a way lifts us far above
the theological squabbles of our time,
into the realm of faith and trust in a God who loves us so much
that he came in human form, humble, obedient, willing to die.
To live in such a way marks us with that name that is above all names,
and unites us with every person on the planet.
To live in such a way is to bring into reality the call for God’s shalom,
and to invite the world to join us in confessing Jesus Christ as Lord.

Through this kenosis, this pouring out of self,
we do indeed work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
We pour out ourselves, as Christ was poured out for us,
we give our broken selves, as Christ broke the bread and gave it.
As we do so, having the mind of Christ,
God’s shalom becomes reality,
for it is God who is at work in us,
enabling us both to will and to work for God’s good pleasure.

Thanks be to God in Christ, poured out for us,
that we may be poured out on behalf of the world!

Amen.