‘able and willing…’

October 1, 2023

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-13

Picking up from our discussion last week regarding the possibility of experiencing the ‘Kingdom’ Jesus spoke of, as we dwell and labor together in blessed community, today’s scripture from Philippians affirms this by saying that indeed this is the way to fulfill the plan and purposes of our Loving God.

Paul offers a pretty complete ‘blueprint’ so to speak for structuring our lives together, specifically asking for us to speak and act in certain ways. Not to say it is easy to follow, but rather to say that by following the instructions he gave to the church in Philippi, we will find our way into the center of our calling as those who follow in the footsteps of our Lord.

The first of these instructions is that he seems to be calling for our life together to be a ‘visible witness’…out there, noticeable to our community…a church alive, welcoming…and serving. And in order for us to be able to do this, he says we need to be of one mind and of one heart…to share, in fact to live out, one love and one purpose. And maybe most importantly in terms of dwelling successfully in community, he writes that in all humility we must learn to regard others as better than ourselves, and for each of us to look out not just for our own, or for those of our own group, but also for the interests and needs of others around us. In short, and all together Paul says we must have the same mind as Jesus.

At heart, Paul is saying a ‘visible faith’, is one that is a close imitation of the servant lifestyle of our Lord Jesus. Like Jesus, we must be able to empty ourselves in the pursuit of being of service to others…just as he was. And even more so, to be obedient to this lifestyle of self-giving and compassion, even to the point of suffering or persecution…learning to trust in the grace of God to sustain us and watch over us. As followers of the faith we are called to walk in compassionate witness even if that seems to lead into places of darkness or despair, trusting fully in the Lord’s guidance and protection. Fully aware that unless and until someone chooses to truly walk this path, that salvation for all of humanity will remain elusive.

‘Someone’ needs to believe and to follow the gospel call wherever it may lead, if true and lasting peace is ever to have a chance. I worry that the human ‘story’ will not last very much longer if it only ever records tales of greater strength and power…if it only ever tells of rival faiths and factions at bitter war against each other. As disciples of our Lord we must find the way that leads us to live peaceably together, even if Paul’s words as to how we may begin to do this seem unreal or far too difficult.

The 18th Century philosopher and member of the House of Parliament Edmund Burke, is most often credited with the original version of the famous quote, ‘The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing’.  I would echo the same sentiment a little differently, asserting that, ‘At least one of the things necessary for religious, or party-based radical fundamentalism to triumph and to bring an end to life as we know it…is for the many good people who are surely there among us, to remain silent when ‘pretenders’ to their own beliefs assume that ‘they’ are the sole voice of truth and authority…and…are not challenged for doing so.

Our human story will continue to struggle if ordinary, good people refuse to allow that there is a common thread of the one true God calling all of humanity to a place of peaceful and faithful coexistence’. All good people of all faiths, must stand up and declare that they have decided to follow a God of love, and acknowledge that all of humanity are children of that God of love.

Now I said that ‘at least one thing was needed’, because there is another word of hope and promise Paul offers at the end of today’s passage. It is here that he makes the astounding claim that not only are we called to be makers of peace and pursuers of justice and grace, but that this is a call that we enter into as ‘partners with’ our Lord.  It is not a call we must undertake all alone…not a calling we must discern and travel all by ourselves, but rather, a call that requires only our willingness to begin in order for God’s will to be fulfilled in our lives, ‘in community’.

Specifically in verse 13 of our reading Paul says, ‘It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.’  It is God, who is already at work within you, making you not only able to do the work that pleases God…but also somehow making you want to do so. In a sense therefore, it is God who aligns the desires of our own heart with the desires of God…so that, what we want the most, is the same as what God desires most from us.

Isn’t that an incredible promise!  Paul says that God so wants us to know and to live into the divine hopes and dreams for all of Creation, that we have been given a Spirit who waits only on our willingness to help us do so…and who will jump at the slightest indication that we are ready. It is the Holy Spirit who seeks to guide and direct our hearts into fullness of unison with the heart and mind of God…crafting us into the handiwork of God for which we were originally created.

Faith and faithful living is a way of life we choose to follow in order to respond to the call to love which is already deep within our soul. We have a task set before us and a responsibility to fulfill, and how well we practice the teachings of Jesus will determine how effective we have been. Our ‘faith’ as Christians is not just window dressing on an otherwise mildly-committed life, neither is it some sort of an ‘ought’. It is not something we do because we were told to, or because it is good for us, but rather because we want to…and in doing so, true faith in Jesus Christ will become the demonstrated definition of who we are.

The good news…is that it requires only that we let go of much of our previous socially and culturally generated ‘oughts’ and ‘wants’, and to instead let the Spirit within have a voice loud enough for us to hear over the usual humdrum of daily life.  This willingness, will allow us to follow the Spirit into every new day, and help us to truly become the grace of God over and onto the entire world.

However, it is important to remember that faith is not just something we adopt personally, although it surely is that. Rather, it is that which enables us to walk throughout the world as emissaries of the God of love…as hands that reach out to hold and to comfort…as ears that truly listen for and hear the cry of the oppressed and abused…as eyes that are able to see through to the truth or the falsehood behind the words…and as the voice that calls for an unflagging commitment to justice, engaging tyrannical false claims and oppression at every turn.

In essence, each one of us, and all of us together have a choice as to how we guide our life and actions. We can choose to follow a self-righteous form of life and faith, keeping the lines between us and all ‘others’ clearly defined and well kept…or we can choose to live a life true to the message of our Lord and Christ…a life that seeks to love and not to hate, to include and not to exclude…a life that seeks to bless and not to curse any and every brother and sister placed before us by the Spirit of grace.

There is one true God…and one table to which we all are called. Let us submit radically to the Holy Spirit, to the one who stands ready to make us both able and willing to invite all others to join us in holy and blessed communion.  Let us work together as we increasingly become the fulfillment of God’s will in this day…and for this day…

…amen