Be Like Christ
– Philippians 2:5-11
Dear Christian friends. Is there something in your life that you really wish that you could do? Not to say that you aren’t happy with how you are and what you are doing right now but is there something ELSE you wish you knew how to do? For instance I’ve had people come up to me, middle age to older, and say, “Pastor, I really wish I would have learned how to play guitar.” Or maybe it’s playing the piano. Maybe it’s learning how to fly a plane. For me every time I see a play or a musical I’m always in awe of how those actors can remember all their lines and songs and choreography and blocking. Boy I wish I could do that. The problem with that kind of thinking though is that you start to compare. I’m just not as good as they are. I’m just not as handsome as he is or as pretty as she is. I’m just not as strong as they are. And sometimes when we compare ourselves to others who are better than we are (in whatever skills we wish we had) we tend to feel bad about ourselves. How can I be THAT good? How can I be THAT pretty? How can I be THAT strong? How can I be THAT popular? A while ago I went to a fall pastor’s conference in Winona and one of the papers presented at this conference was called ‘Practical Ways to Support our Brothers in the Ministry’ written by Pastor Galen Riediger….. who was serving at Christ in West Salem, WI. One of the encouragements he gave in his was this, “We are not in competition with each other. Other’s successes are not our failures, nor are their failures our successes.” And so you may be wondering why I chose this theme for this message today. Yea right – you might say. How am I going to be like Jesus? Aren’t you asking me to do something that is completely impossible? And yet the Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit tells us yes….. do this.
The Apostle Paul calls us to imitate Christ. He commands us to think like Christ. Yet, he makes it very clear that obedience to that command of law can only come from the Gospel. Being like Christ can only flow from knowing the nature of his love and forgiveness. So study his character, rely on his sacrifice, and pursue his Father’s glory.
We can learn something from celebrity impersonators, that is people who gain fame by imitating famous people, presidents and movie stars. They put together a combination of the right gestures and movements, especially the distinctive quirks and patterns of speech. They work with their voice to come up with just the right sound and, when they do it right, they don’t even have to tell us who they are impersonating. We just know. So how do they do it? For those few minutes spent on stage, they must spend hours studying the person they want to imitate. Certainly, no one could imitate someone they don’t know. They study to boil things down to what is essential and unique about them. What makes that person, that person? However, what they’re looking at is ever only on the surface, so what they come up with, as good as it is, is never more than simple pretending.
The Apostle Paul is looking for something more than that. He had just warned the Philippians about the selfishness that comes so naturally to all of us. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Since that selfishness comes so naturally to us, we need to watch out that we aren’t just doing an impersonation of Christ, trying to hide our selfishness behind lofty words or empty excuses. It’s not enough to polish up the surface. He calls for thinking that’s different. An inward change of heart and attitude. To do that we need to study Christ who humbly set aside his own interests and went the way of the cross! Our imitation of Christ can’t be just pretend.
If we’re honest about what motivates us and the selfishness we often times try to hide in our lives, we may just say, this is not an imitation we can do. At the same time, we should know, that this is exactly what we were meant to be like from the beginning. Man was created in the image of God, originally designed to want what God wants, to think like Him. We were designed to be like Christ—unselfish, self-sacrificing, humble, obedient, faithful, loving!
So, it’s pretty obvious that this description of Christ makes us realize how guilty we really are but also how we can deal with that guilt. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, [something to be used to his advantage] but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!” Yes…… if we are really honest with ourselves we have to look at ourselves and say, “I’m not like that” Yes, that’s Christ’s noble character, not mine. Then what we truly need to recognize is simply this, Jesus was this way not for him but for us. Even in imitating him, especially in imitating him, this is what we need to do. Recognize and realize and know his unselfish character.
We also rely on His Sacrifice! Jesus’ sacrifice takes the sense out of selfishness. You see our selfishness makes sense –in our own estimation– as protecting ourselves, as taking care of ourselves, since no one else can or will. But not with Christ in the picture! If we need to be different than what we are, and we do, then here is the power to change us from the inside out. It is the power of Christ’s gracious sacrifice on the cross. “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” That’s the sacrifice you and I rely on for eternal life. But we also rely on that sacrifice for the power to change us so that more and more we will think and act like Christ. As He went the way of the cross, He was pursuing glory for us as He also pursued his Father’s glory.
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, (and why??) to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) The Father gives glory to Jesus and at the same time, what Jesus did brings glory to the Father who sent him. Another way of looking at his work is to say that Christ came into this world to make known to us the loving heart of his Father. He glorified his father in trusting his Father’s will, pursuing the mission the Father gave to him. He glorified his father by telling us we too can call him Father and set our prayers before his throne of grace.
As we imitate Christ we too will pursue His Father’s glory. Jesus calls us to do that. He says, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” A good deed is not just a matter of doing the right thing, but of doing the right thing for the right reason. If Satan can’t keep us from doing the right thing, he tries to make sure we’re doing it for the wrong reason. Whether it’s the right thing at home or at work, at school or at play or even at church, Satan will try to get us to do the right thing to bring glory to OUR name. And so, it will be an ongoing battle for us to fight against our sinful natures, so that we can serve and honor our Lord.
Before there was Tiger Woods, Nike brought us Michael Jordan. They led many to say, “I want to be like Mike!” The Scriptures set Jesus before us as our Savior. As we see each day his unselfish character, and his redeeming sacrifice, we will be led to say, “I want to be like Christ!” Amen.
Welcome: The family of Zion welcomes you as we worship the Lord today. We encourage children to worship with us. However, if you need to leave with your child, there is a nursery room to the right as you exit the sanctuary. The rest rooms are located in the hallway between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall. Visitors, please sign our guest book to the right, just outside the sanctuary. We’re glad that you are here and pray that through our worship the Lord grants you peace.
W h a t T h i s S u n d a y i s A b o u t
A STORY OF SPIRITUAL INSINCERITY
You have maybe heard the accusation or perhaps even made it yourself: “He’s so fake!” That charge claims someone’s friendliness or kindness is a sham. Such insincerity bothers us. We would generally rather someone be honest about how they feel about us than be fake.
Through a story Jesus teaches us that God feels the same. God doesn’t want us to simply go through religious motions like some sort of show. He sees right through that. God’s desire is that our repentance would demonstrate sincere sorrow over sin. God wants us to see the grace and forgiveness he has shown us in Christ, and in response, to love him back deeply and sincerely.
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ORDER OF WORSHIP……………………………………………………….……p. 207
HYMNS: 316 – 547 – 414 – 496(1,5,6)
PRAYER – Mercifully grant, O God, that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, for without your help we are unable to please you; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
PSALM FOR THE DAY………………………………………………………………25
FIRST LESSON – Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32 (pew Bible p. 597) – Yesterday’s obedience cannot offset today’s obedience. The Lord’s will is that his people repent of their sins, turn to him, and be saved.
SECOND LESSON – Philippians 2:1-11 (pew Bible p. 831) – By humbly taking on human flesh, laying aside the use of his divine powers, suffering and dying to save us, our Lord Jesus gave us both the motivation and the pattern for Christian living.
GOSPEL LESSON – Matthew 21:23-32 (pew Bible p. 978) – Through a story Jesus teaches that sincere love for God involves not just saying what God wants to hear but doing what God wants done.
SERMON……………………………………………………………Philippians 2:1-11
“BE LIKE CHRIST”
Lessons for Proper 21
FIRST LESSON – Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:
“‘The parents eat sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.
.. .. .. .. .. ..
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
SECOND LESSON – Philippians 2:1-11
Imitating Christ’s Humility
2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
GOSPEL LESSON – Matthew 21:23-32
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WELS CONNECTION – The WELS Connection for August will be shown after the service today.
FELLOWSHIP AND BIBLE STUDY AFTER THE SERVICE – Please stick around for fellowship and Bible Study after the service today.
CHURCH DIRECTORY AND PHOTOS – Angela and Dee Bruck will be taking photos to update our member photo board today and October 18 & 25. They will also be updating our church directory, so please check the copy we have provided in the narthex and make corrections if necessary. Please check the box next to your name after reviewing your information.
FLOOR CLEANING – The floor in the fellowship area will be scrubbed and waxed on Thursday this week. We could use help moving tables and chairs after fellowship today to clear this area.
FALL PASTOR’S CONFERENCE – Pastor Krueger will be attending the Minnesota District’s Southern Fall Pastor’s Conference Monday and Tuesday this week in St. Louis.
PLANNING COMMITTEE – The Planning Committee will have a meeting on Wednesday, October 14 at 6:00 PM.
NEXT SUNDAY – Next Sunday we will celebrate Proper 22 at 9:00 with fellowship at 10:15. The readings will be: Isaiah 5:1-7 / Philippians 3:12-21 / Matthew 21:33-43.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW– Last Week’s Worship Attendance: Members-24; Guests-8 / Communion-26 / Fellowship-Bible Class – 24 / Sunday’s Offerings-$1,292.00
THOSE WE REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS – Barbara & Larry Long; Liz & Roger Lisenby; Greg Miller; Russ Perry, Deb Hunt’s father, in hospice care at home; Patsy Mickelson (Jane’s mother); Khendra Murdock; Norine Richardson.