As I’ve lived my life and traveled the world, I’ve encountered several places where it feels like the veil between the physical and spiritual world was very thin. Where it felt like I was breathing the air of New Creation.
I felt it at a home for the dying and destitute in India, where starving, disease-wracked people were given the dignity of death in a peaceful setting surrounded by butterflies and puppies. I could barely process what I was seeing.
I felt it Rwanda, where I met pastors who had forgiven each other for their complicity in genocide. I felt it on the streets of New York City, as I watched love and compassion being offered to homeless drug addicts by our partner City Relief.
I could go on and on. I have had dozens of moments like that, where the presence of the love of Jesus was almost overwhelming.
But of all those experiences, one moment puts them all in the shade, and it involves a giant, inflatable slide.
Every year outside of Zhytomyr, Ukraine, our partner ministry Mission to Ukraine (or MTU) puts on a summer camp for kids with disabilities in their region.
There’s singing, dancing, crafts, all kinds of amazing activities… Every time I’ve been there, I’ve found it impossible to do anything other than smile or weep as I see just how much life and joy MTU brings these kids, who otherwise were very often forgotten because of their disabilities.
And one of the highlights is the big, inflatable slide they bring out every year. Their commitment is to give every single child the opportunity to go down it if they want.
But this isn’t always easy. Some kids are huge. Others are wheelchair bound. Sometimes it takes multiple big, burly guys to get a child up to the top. But then, the kids go down the slide (something they would never get to do otherwise).
Their giggles and laughter and shrieks of delight are some of the sweetest sounds I have ever heard. Watching this joy (and going down the slide with kids many times myself), it felt like I was standing on holy ground.
Here’s why I tell you all this. Because if you think I found this experience moving, imagine for a moment what was going through the minds of these kids’ moms.
You see, while summer camp is going on, MTU provides the moms their own camp experience, where they have spa days and group discussions and long stretches of time where they can simply rest.
This is a big deal, because, as a post-Soviet country, Ukraine still does not have many of the accommodations for disabilities that we’re used to in the US, like wheelchair ramps or elevators. Plus, culturally speaking, there’s still a lot of shame and isolation connected to having a child with a disability.
These moms have been through a lot. But then they bring their kids to summer camp and they encounter MTU staff and volunteers who adore their kids. Who are going out of their way to make sure each and every child is accommodated in every activity.
There’s joy and life and laughter everywhere they look, and these moms don’t know what to make of it. Their usual response is something like, “Who are these people?”
They’re asking because these moms are standing on holy ground too. They are getting a taste of New Creation. They don’t understand what they are witnessing… But we do.
“Who are these people?” They’re followers of Jesus. “The light of the world.”
SERIES RECAP
Welcome back to week 2 of our mini-series revisiting the Reimagine Initiative which we kicked off last February.
Put simply, it’s a two-year initiative in which we are fanning the flames of our passion to reach our “ones” with the love of Jesus and refreshing our building and grounds to better love and support our neighbors. As a reminder,
Your “one” – One person God has laid on your heart who is not currently walking with Jesus.
To guide us and inspire us through Reimagine, we’ve been studying the book of Philippians – a letter written by the Apostle Paul to some of his dearest and most supportive friends.
Paul wrote the letter when he was imprisoned and possibly at the end of his life. He’s passing the torch on to the next generation of believers in Philippi. Saying things like this:
Philippians 1:6
I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Today we’re going to talk about that work - the work God is continuing in the Philippian church, and, by extension, the work God is continuing at Grace.
So grab a Bible and turn with me to Philippians 2. While you’re turning there, I’ll pray for us.
SELF-GIVING LOVE
In chapter 2 of Philippians, Paul is encouraging his dear friends in Philippi to essentially double down on the generosity, kindness, and love they’ve already shown. Here’s what he says:
Philippians 2:1-5
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Ok, so have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. And what was that attitude? It was an attitude of self-giving love.
The next few verses describe Christ literally giving up his divine privileges, becoming a slave by being born as a human and then dying for humanity who absolutely didn’t deserve it.
He gave it all away. That’s the kind of love we’re supposed to have.
Now obviously, Paul is describing an extreme ideal here. I hate to break it to you, but none of us will ever be as selfless as the God who died for his own creations.
But through his life and ministry, Jesus set the bar of what self-giving love looks like. And following him means doing our best to model our lives after him.
That’s what Paul is saying to the church in Philippi. “You’re already loving. You’re already generous. But after I’m gone, I want that love to multiply.”
Verse 2: work together with one purpose. Verse 3: Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
Jesus set the bar. Yes, true self-giving love is very hard to achieve, but we are called to try. Thankfully, we have the Holy Spirit within us to help us with this.
FEAR AND TREMBLING
Let’s read what Paul says next:
Philippians 2:12-18
Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.
Alright, let’s talk about some of what we just read. We’ll start with the end of verse 12. Paul says, “Now that I’m away… Work hard to show the results of your salvation.” What does he mean?
Well, literally in the Greek what Paul says here is, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
If you were here for Easter, you heard me talk about that word “fear” – it’s the Greek word phobos. My contention is that phobos is less about terror and way more about awe and astonishment.
And this word “trembling” can mean “trembling from fear,” but it can also imply trembling from reverence or solemn responsibility.
It’d be like if I were to hand you an egg and say, “this is one of the last California Condors in existence. They’re critically endangered. Please put it in the incubator over there. If the egg is damaged the species might go extinct.”
You’d handle that egg with “fear and trembling!” You’d be extremely focused and reverent with this responsibility.
I think what Paul is saying here to his dear friends in Philippi is, “Look. Your faith came alive when I introduced you to Jesus. I’ve never seen a community more generous and loving. The world is in desperate need of what you have.
“But now that I’m away, now that I might die, I won’t be around to help you with this. Which is why I’m passing the torch to you. It’s your responsibility to keep growing in self-giving love. Treat that responsibility with the reverence and gravity it deserves.”
“Work out your faith with fear and trembling. And then,” Verse 16. “I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.”
BRIGHT LIGHTS
Why is this such a big deal to Paul? Well, look at what he says in verse 15.
“Live clean, innocent lives as children of God,” so that you can, “shine like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”
Let’s break that down. The Greek word for “light” is:
phōs - light
That’s what the Philippians are called to be: lights that shine into a dark world. Or, as Paul literally puts it, into a “crooked and perverse generation.”
The Greek words Paul uses here are:
skolios - crooked
diastrephō - distorted, turned away, corrupted
What I think Paul is describing here with these words are people who are at the mercy of sin and brokenness. People who are “curved in on themselves” as we’ve talked about before. Living in darkness.
Because that’s what sin is. We were made to walk straight paths in obedience to God, living free in his light and love, but when we do “whatever seems right in our own eyes,” things get dark and crooked fast. Skolios.
Paul’s also describing how the brokenness of our world - violence, hatred, poverty - distorts our ability to even see the straight path of God anymore. We’re turned away (diastrephō) from God’s desires by the brokenness around us and we’re left in the darkness alone.
This is imagery that’s all over the Bible. But so is God’s promise to one day bring healing. His promise to bring his light (phōs).
For example, in the Greek version of Isaiah 42, God says,
Isaiah 42:16 (NRSV)
I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light (phōs), the rough places (skolios) into level ground.
You see, God’s mission is to straighten out crooked and distorted humanity. To bring light into our self-imposed darkness. To save us!
But here’s the big twist: How does he bring that light into our world? Well, as Jesus himself put it, God does it through you and me, his disciples.
Matthew 5:14
You are the light (phōs) of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
You see, because of the Holy Spirit’s presence within us, we are the beacons which help light the way back to God. The self-giving love of Jesus shines through us.
Think about that. We all know how dark our world is these days. Read the headlines, open up social media… and you’re going to see a “crooked and perverse” generation on display. Everybody is turned in on themselves.
But how often have you thought about the fact that because Jesus is within you, You are the light in the darkness.
It’s your commitment to self-giving love which can lead others back to God. It’s your humility and peace and unity which will show our world that there is another way to live.
You are the light of the world. What an incredible responsibility that is. No wonder Paul is encouraging us to work at it with “fear and trembling!”
It’s a incredible responsibility, but it’s also an unbelievable gift. Because it means that we get front row seats to the transformation of our world.
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
Let’s go back to Mission to Ukraine’s summer camp again. Where an inflatable slide was holy ground.
For decades now, MTU has poured out the self-giving love of Jesus in a very dark place, where kids with disabilities are so often forgotten, shamed, and institutionalized.
My dear friends at MTU shine like bright lights in that place. But not just to the kids they serve. They are radiant to these kids’ moms.
Like I said before, the moms of many of these kids are coming out of environments of horrible brokenness, systemic injustice, isolation... a world crooked and distorted by sin.
These moms are coming out of darkness into an environment so bright with the love of Christ that they are practically blinded by it.
“Who are these people?”
And every year the response to that question is a simple one. “We’re followers of Jesus. It’s his love you’re seeing in us. And you are welcome to join us as we follow him.”
You’d better believe that every year many, many of these moms say “yes” to that invitation. They say yes and find a community which loves and supports them in ways that they have never experienced before.
Philippians 2:1
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
At Mission to Ukraine the answer to all of those questions is “yes,” and it is changing lives.
SHINE
I want that exact same thing to happen here.
I want the people of Grace Church to shine so brightly with the love of Jesus that our neighbors, and coworkers, and family, and friends are startled by our brilliance. “Who are these people?”
I want the self-giving love you show towards your “one” to baffle them!
The good news is that we’re already well on the way. Since our founding 35 years ago we have been growing and developing into something truly brilliant.
A church full of kind, loving people in an era of hatred and domination.
A spiritual family that cares for widows, orphans, and foreigners in a time of poverty and distress.
A community of selfless servants in a time of self-obsession.
It’s who we’ve always worked to become since we opened the doors of the warehouse back in 1991. Well, my friends
Philippians 1:6
I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
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I want to end by getting extremely practical.
We’re halfway through the two-year Reimagine Initiative, and there are some ways for you to respond.
First, as I mentioned last week, we’ve been investing together in making our building a place that is a resource to our community: a beautiful café and playground, useful rooms and co-working spaces, renewed children’s halls, expanded Care Center capacity, etc.
We’re doing all of it so our neighbors can rub shoulders with you and me and meet Jesus here. “Who are these people?
The action steps here are really simple. If you haven’t made a financial pledge to Reimagine, consider doing so. It’s not too late to join in. gracechurch.us/reimagine
If you’ve already made a pledge, keep fulfilling it. We’re not going into debt for these projects, so every dollar you give is an investment in our future.
But as I said last week, our building is just a tool. It’s just an instrument which helps us do what really matters: reaching those we care about with the love of Jesus.
To that end, I want to encourage you to meditate on this question today:
How can I shine brightly into the life of my “one”?
In other words, what can you do this week for your “one” that would leave them baffled and amazed like those moms in Ukraine? Saying, “Who is this person?!?”
It could be a selfless act of service. A gift out of nowhere. A thoughtful note or phone call. A dedication to pray and let them know you’re praying. It could even be a willingness to stay in the room when they’re acting like a fool.
How can I shine brightly into the life of my “one”?
I want you to take that question really seriously today. Because you’ve been given a great responsibility. One you should hold trembling with reverence and awe.
In a world filled with darkness, our God has chosen you to be the light.