Matt’s Musings

Dear St. Paul’s Friends and Family,

“Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you…” (Philippians 2: 12-13a)

I am often amazed when I stop and think about how Christianity spread throughout the ancient world.  In a three-mile-per-hour word devoid of the communication technologies we often take for granted, it’s stunning how quickly new churches popped up.  Jesus’ first disciples joined by the apostle Paul, and other leaders were responsible for taking his message out to the world, albeit usually on foot.  Paul was especially effective at communicating Jesus’ message through multi-year journeys to churches and prolifically writing letters to churches throughout the ancient world.  

Paul had little time or space to mince words.  The content of his letters was usually a combination of commending congregations for their faithfulness, exhorting them to reform, urging resolutions to conflicts, and general instructions regarding continued faithful discipleship.  

Our text today is from his letter he wrote to the church in Philippi. He calls church members to the ultimate form of discipleship:  oneness with Jesus Christ.  Paul used the words to an ancient church hymn to remind them about the nature of Jesus’ life and ministry.  In summation, Jesus’ life was based on his willingness to humble himself as God in becoming one of us, gladly emptying himself so that we could experience God’s love and grace.  He was obedient to God’s desire to reconcile humanity so that we could have oneness with God, even though that meant his own suffering, death, and resurrection.  

Paul exhorts us to seriously work out our own salvation, to literally consider the ways in which we help to bring wholeness and healing to others through allowing God’s Spirit to work in our lives in acts of love, acceptance, justice, peace and grace.  The good news is that we do not engage in this saving work on our own but are joined with others as the Body of Christ, the church.  We gain support and encouragement as we work together to nurture salvation in our own lives and in the world.  May the Holy Spirit continue to guard and guide us in unity as we faithfully carry out Christ’s life-giving ministry.    

Blessings for your journey,

Pastor Matt