Incarnate Immanuel

Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:1-8 (day seven)

I love Mark! Unlike the other synoptic gospels, he cuts right to the start of Jesus’ ministry. It’s not because the birth story isn’t important, but he is laying a foundation for his readers to know who and what this “good news” is about. He gives them a map. He shows them where the journey is taking them while also dropping deep theology that he will develop throughout the book. Mark is showing us that the gospel is simple:

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

God loves us so much that He became man (Incarnate) and dwelt with us (Immanuel). This is the Christmas story.

“As time has passed on, my theology has grown more and more simple. It is simply this, ‘Jesus loves me!’”​ – Charles Spurgeon

Out of Context

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 4:10-23 (day seven)

Throughout my time playing football, I saw Philippians 4:13 used in many different ways. Some guys had this tattooed on their body. I heard coaches and players pray using this verse before games asking God for victory. Others would say this after the victory as a means to give God glory. You have probably seen and heard much of the same in your profession.

These usages of this verse are very much out of context. Paul did not want us to claim victory in sport through the power of Christ, nor was he assuring us that we could overcome our physical insufficiencies if we believed hard enough. What Paul was telling us was that with Christ we will be content in all things. If we truly wanted to apply this to the sports world, Christ helps us be just as content after a loss as after a victory.

More specifically to the context of the passage, we as Christians are not promised riches, prosperity, or even three meals a day. What we are promised is that no matter our situation, good or bad, we can be content. Christ is sufficient for all we need.

Dwell

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 4:1-9 (day seven)

This passage was written in the first century and yet, is speaking directly to this moment on November 22, 2020. Just as it felt like we were finding normalcy again, we seem to be taking steps backwards. Coronavirus is surging. Holiday plans are being affected. Hope is fleeting. A time normally filled with thankfulness, is filled with apprehension. So… what are we going to do?

Dwell.

Dwell on the good things. “…whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” vs 8.  There is always a silver lining. If you see something worthy of praise, praise it. If you see excellence in others, brag on them. When you find good, make a big deal of it. We need positivity.

Dwell.

Dwell in thankful prayer. “… with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” vs 6. Thankfulness orients our hearts and minds to see where God is already at work. Dwell in prayer, and He will show you the good things. We need thankfulness.

Dwell.

Dwell in Jesus. “he who [dwells] in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit” John 15:5. The more we dwell in the Lord, the more fruit (love, joy, peace…) we will produce. We need Jesus.

Conformity

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:17-21 (day seven)

“[Christ] will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” vs 21

God knows every hair on our head. He created us and knows us better than we can ever know ourselves. We are perfect the way he made us: in His image. Why then are there so many in this world that seek changes to the way God made them? Either in personality or image, it seems like people are not comfortable in their own skin. They think if they look different and act different, then maybe they will feel different.

Sin has distorted our perception of goodness. Pain, shame, guilt, envy: these are the things that creep in and tell us we are not good enough. The only way we rectify this problem and feel different, is to begin to conform into Christ’s image now. As we begin the process of conformity, we will find we get tastes of what heaven will feel like as we await our final transformation.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Cor 3:18

The Standard

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:12-16 (day seven)

“however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.” vs 16

First off, what is this standard? I believe Paul is finishing his defense of the statement he made in verse 10, “becoming like [Jesus].” This is our standard as Christians. Our goal first and foremost is to be conformed more and more into the image of Christ every day.

Here is the catch: Not only are we attaining a standard, but we as Christians are the standard. As the gold standard is to currency, we are the value by which the world measures morality. If Christians are not keeping the standard constant by speaking truth and shining a light in the darkness, then the morality of the world inflates and deflates based off societal norms. If Christians are not there to point to a moral law giver then there is no need for morality, or if our standard becomes corrupted, then people will look for morality in other places. We are to be the standard by attaining the standard, which is becoming like Christ.

Instant Righteousness

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:1-11 (day seven)

Wouldn’t it be nice if becoming a Christian meant that we were perfected in that moment? No more sin, no more trials, and no more pain. In salvation, our past has been forgiven, but a life in the flesh leaves remnants of itself hiding in the unwanted places of our mind. What we see is that though salvation is instantaneous, sanctification is continual.

The problem is that in a fast food, high speed internet society, we expect everything to be instantaneous. We want it here, and we want it now. We want instant righteousness. Like those to whom Paul was referring to in Philippians, we attempt to prove our own righteousness through legalistic measures, and look for ways to show how great we are. Paul tells us that righteousness doesn’t come this way. It “comes from God on the basis of faith” (vs 9).  Sanctification is a lifelong process of spending time in a relationship with God.  The longer you spend, the more He will carve out those remnants of the flesh that bubble back up post-salvation, and He replaces them with His righteousness.

Discipled

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 2:19-30 (day seven)

“But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.” vs 22

The relationship of Paul and Timothy is one of my favorite dynamics in the New Testament. Take a look through the latter parts of Acts and the letters to Timothy and you will see the progression of Timothy’s training. It began in such a way where Timothy was a young man in whom Paul saw potential, so he brought him on his team and invested in Him. Then we see Paul challenging Timothy, though young in his faith, to be a leader. He eventually becomes one of Paul’s most trusted companions. Paul saw potential, invested, cultivated, and sent him out!

We all have had those people in our lives who have helped shape our faith journey. They saw the potential in us and invested. They cultivated our theology and then sent us out to do the same for others. This is the model of discipleship!

Have you experienced this? Who has been a Paul to you? Who has been your Timothy? These are questions that we should ask and answer often!

Sight and Light

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 2:12-18 (day seven)

“in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” vs 15b

Darkness is the absence of light which results in the inability to see properly. Sight is only possible because of light. Without light we would be blindly trying to navigate using senses that were not intended for the sole purpose of navigation. Help me connect the dots: this crooked and perverse world is living in darkness. They are trying to navigate this world without light. They are looking for direction from things that are not intended to be used for sight.

How then do we shine in the darkness to help them see? This passage gave us clear instruction: work hard and don’t complain, hear and do what Scripture says, and look for joy in all circumstances. Be consistent in these things, and you will appear much different than the world around you! You will be a light!

Counter Cultural Love

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 2:5-11 (day seven)

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant” vs 7a

We are nearing the time of year when Hallmark Christmas movies will be on repeat as we prepare for a holiday season. I have learned the plot lines to these love stories well. A young successful woman is forced to move to the country side, falls in love with a local man, and finds herself enjoying this new way of life. They kiss, it snows, and we assume they live happily ever after!

These are the types of love stories that we expect in modern culture. When was the last time one of these movies was about a King who willing set aside His royal privileges to become a slave so that He could die? This is not the love story we expect. It is a story of sacrifice. It is a story of submission. It is a story of surrender. It is a counter cultural love. This is a true love story!

Love You

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 2:1-4 (day seven)

“regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

The word “merely” changes the way this verse is understood. Without it we would say, “Don’t look out for your own interests. Others are way more important than you.” Why is it important that we establish that we are important too?  If we do not love our self, we will not be able to love others.

There is tension here. One cannot have too high of a self-esteem but also cannot have too low of a self-esteem. Both extremes lead to the neglect of someone’s soul; other’s are neglected with high self-esteem and our own is neglected with low self-esteem. To bridge this tension, we must remember that we are children of the almighty God, created perfectly, and loved by Him. Therefore, we are worthy of being loved and are called to help others know this same type of love.