“We hold fast to the word of Life, the labor of our Lord”

Philippians 2:1–4, 14–18 ¹So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ²complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

            Have you received comfort, love, affection, and sympathy from Christ?  Some of you might say no, some might say some, and some of you might blurt out yes, because you think that is what your suppose to say.  Well, we can all say yes because we have.  But the question that I am really asking is how many of you see and realize you have received love, affection, and sympathy from Christ?  Like me, you probably focus on the bad things that happen around you and miss out on the good things that are happening around you.  Why is that?

            Actually the answer to the why unfortunately is as plain as the nose on your face.  Though, some of your noses are far from being plain.  I’m looking up at the ceiling so you don’t think I’m talking about you.  We are more focused on ourselves then we are on Christ.  In this we are all likeminded, that is, we are more focused on ourselves then we are on Christ.  Yes I read the Holy Scriptures more than you do, but my mind still wanders off to what I think is MY PROBLEM instead of concentrating on the solution who is Christ and His Word.  Did you notice the word underlined it is the word also.

            It is not that God wants us not to pay attention to our personal needs but rather that we should pay attention a little more to the needs of others too.  If we pay close attention to Christ, well, then we would be paying more attention to others and we would be filled constantly with joy because we are not looking at MY PROBLEMS, or in your case YOUR PROBLEMS.  You do know worrying is a sin?  Worrying is a lack of faith, and a lack of looking at Christ.

            It is interesting because when I take this advice of looking at Christ I feel that joy I am talking about because I become one minded with Christ.  I know you would rather sulk and feel miserable because it’s just too much work to look at Christ.  And, who has the time?  You know that statement is never true, don’t you?  What we are really saying is that I don’t want to put any effort in looking at Christ.  Besides the world is calling and it is very demanding, and I can touch it.  Are you sure you can’t touch the joy Christ is giving you?

Philippians 2: 14–18 ¹⁴Do all things without grumbling or questioning, ¹⁵that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. ¹⁷Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

 We live our faith in a way that says Christ died in vain, and all of the apostles labored in vain.  Yet there is joy in the fruit of their labor, and a victory in the race they ran.  Christ is the prize because he sacrificed Himself and died on a cross for hard criminals so that we who sin might live.  Not one of us is perfect or better than our neighbor, but we are all forgiven.  Christ works in us through His Holy Spirit who also works through the Holy Scriptures so that you will be brought into faith, and believing brought into repenting, and repenting regenerated through forgiveness, and forgiven into eternal life and relationship as the children of God the Father in Heaven.  We can hold fast to the word of Life through the labor of our Lord.  Amen.