August 26, 2007

Finding Your Identity in Christ

Philippians 2:1-11

Opening Words: We are instructed today from the epistle to the Philippians. It was written about the year AD 60 by the Apostle Paul, himself. His reason for writing is to thank them for a gift he had received during on of his containment in Rome. He uses this letter to update them on his circumstances and to encourage them to remain strong in the faith. He calls for the members of that ancient Christian community to strive to have the same identity as Christ, himself.

Dr. Fred Douglas Shepard was a dedicated and beloved medical missionary in the great tradition of Albert Schweitzer's (1875-1965) work in French Equatorial Africa. His work changed the life of many in that corner of the world. He lived out this passage, his identity was Christ. One of the people in French Equatorial Africa once said, “I have never seen Jesus but I have seen Dr. Shepard.” When was the last time person saw Christ in you?

Philippians 2:1-11 ¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
    ⁶Who, being in very nature God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
    ⁷but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
    ⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
         even death on a cross!
    ⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
      and gave him the name that is above every name,
    ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
      in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
    ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
      to the glory of God the Father.

The renowned artist Paul Gustave Dore (1821-1883) lost his passport while traveling in Europe. When he came to a border crossing, he explained his predicament to one of the guards. Giving his name to the official, Dore hoped he would be recognized and allowed to pass. The guard, however, said that many people attempted to cross the border by claiming to be persons they were not. Dore insisted that he was the man he claimed to be. "All right," said the official, "we'll give you a test, and if you pass it we'll allow you to go through." Handing him a pencil and a sheet of paper, he told the artist to sketch several peasants standing nearby. Dore did it so quickly and skillfully that the guard was convinced he was indeed the famous artist. He let him cross the border without the proper paperwork. Let me state the obvious. One’s identity is very important.

No congregation should understand the significance of identity more then us. Churches are like every other organization. We have an identity too! Some churches identity comes from some scandal within the life of their congregation. Every long term member of the community knows your church as the one where the minister ran off with the secretary or the treasurer ran off with the money. Some churches are know for their past. That was the dominant church in that little corner of the world. Some church’s identity comes from a long term loved pastor. You have heard people say it. That is Paul Coleman’s church, Norm Crusen’s church, Rev. Schwinart’s church. What do you believe is the identity of this church?

Let me say this gently. When I came to this church thirteen years ago I was shocked by the fact that we had no identity in this community. This congregation has no skeletons in the closet, no long term loved pastor, no real glorious past. The goal of this congregation for many years was just to survive. This wonderful building was seldom used. The end result was obscurity. People did not even know we existed.

I would tell people I was the pastor of the Western Reserve United Methodist Church and they would give me that deer in the headlights look. No, we are not on the corner of Western Reserve and Hitchcock. We are on Canfield Road, route 62, one mile from Cornersburg, one mile from the corner of Shields and Raccoon. It used to be a four way stop. Now it is a traffic light. Do you know where my church is? No! We are the church on the bend in the road, next to the house with the lake, with the geese. Their eyes will brighten but I will wonder what kind of an identity is the church on the bend in the rode, next to the house with the lake, with the geese?

I have been working on the identity of this church from the very beginning. The primary reason I welcomed the daycare and the district office to our building was not money. It was identity. We had leaders in our own denomination in our own district that didn’t know our location. One of the primary reasons Mill Creek Workcamp is so important to the future of this congregation is identity. We need to do something on a big scale to get a positive identity in this community so people know we exist. Having an identity is extremely important to any organization. Having a positive identity is extremely important to individuals too.

So what is your identity? Your identity can come from a variety of places. Is your identity your naturally curly hair or your bald head? Is your identity your welcoming smile or your critical eyes? Is your identity your stylish wardrobe or your 1992 Canfield Fair t-shirt with no sleeves? When people look at you do they see a teacher, secretary, plumber, engineer or preacher? Perhaps when they look at you do they see is a trophy wife or a sugar daddy? When they look at you do they see a husband or wife? Do they see a grandmother or grandfather? Do they see a brother or sister? Do they see a co-worker or a friend? When people see you do they see a Steelers fan or a Browns fan? When people see you do they see a good time coming or trouble? Has anyone ever been glad to see you leave? What is your identity?

Money is not mentioned in the passage for today but it is to be a stewardship text. Stewardship is how we respond to God’s grace in our lives. We are saved by grace and by grace alone. You are going to heaven. That is not the issue. That should make you smile but as a person of integrity you may want to respond to Christ in some way for saving your sin sick soul. Verse one says that if you have received anything from the Gospel then you should respond in a positive way. However, how do you respond? Writing a check is not enough. (However, it would not hurt.) Paul says the best way to thank God for saving your soul is to become like Jesus. Verse five says your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus. He is our role model. We should want to be like him in every way. Your attitude and opinions about should be the same as Jesus because you appreciate what he has done for you. Paul is saying that in a perfect Christian life your identity itself should be the same as Christ Jesus.

Today, I want to challenge you with three quick personal questions. These three questions are pointed directly at your identity. You do not have to answer these questions publicly but I hope you answer them personally. I hope you wrestling with them in your heart. Your answers to these three questions should be yes if your attitude is the same as Jesus. The more no answers you give the less you are like Jesus. The no’s are not final no’s but they are simply areas in your life that you may need some work. Remember the goal is to take on the identity of Jesus. You are a disciple of Jesus Christ! So if you are ready for my three personal questions say, “Amen!”

Do people see in you the humility of Christ?

Do people see in you’re the humility of Christ? One of the things that I respect about Jesus was his self pride. He knew he had skills and abilities. He could have used those skills and abilities for personal gain but he used them for God’s glory. Being humble does not mean you have no skills. He humble does not mean you have the self image of a worm. He humble means embracing those skills and using them for God’s glory.

The problem is we live by the: God helps those who help them theme. Did you know that does not come from the Bible? God helps those who help themselves really came from Ben Franklin. He was a wonderful patriot and inventor but he was a disaster as a theologian. We need to stop making and excises and make others more important then ourselves. That is what Jesus did. Do people see the humility of Christ in you?

Do people see in you the obedience of Christ?

Do people see in you’re the obedience of Christ? Jesus was humble and obedient to God’s will. He was so obedient that he found himself hanging on a cross on a horrible Friday. Jesus was the embodiment of the phase in the Lord’s Prayer – Thy will be done.

The problem is we are more concerned with our agenda for our lives then God’s will for our lives. I believe there are times when we don’t know God’s will for our lives. However, I also believe there are more times we choosing just not to follow God’s will. God’s will may cause us some discomfort or force us to change our priorities or opinions. It is easier to say I don’t know God’s will then it is to obedient to God’s will. Could that be your story? Do people see in you the obedience of Christ?

Do people see in you the love of Christ?

Do people see in you’re the love of Christ? The kind of love that Jesus demonstrated for us on the cross was sacrificial love. One of the great mysteries of our faith is the incarnation of God. Jesus was God but he took a human form to experience all that we experience. He became like us to help us. Others were more important them himself. If we could apply that kind of love to our world then 99% of our problems would disappear. Do people see in you the love of Christ?

So why is the question of identity so important to us today? The answer to me is painfully obvious. The institutional church in America is declining at a fast rate. The numbers are shocking! It is one of the things that United Methodists, United Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, Roman Catholics and Orthodox have in common. The world is no longer concerned about what we are deciding at our conferences, conventions and assemblies. Main stream America does not care. The truth is the media and Hollywood has redefined us as misfits and weirdoes. There are many who do not even trust the institutional church. However, that does not excuse us from Christian witness. People are still asking spiritual questions. I believe due to poor theology and Biblical illiteracy people are asking more spiritual questions then ever. But if they do not trust the institutional church to give then the answers then where do they go? They are going to go to individual Christians. It is for this reason that your identity in Christ is so extremely significant. For many you represent all of Christian dome. You maybe the only Bible they will ever read. If you are going to be effective witness for Jesus in this world then your mind should be the same as Jesus.

One of my good friends in the ministry is Russ Libb. He has been the pastor of the Berlin Center United Methodist Church for over thirty years. Over that period of time he has become that community’s pastor and he plays that role well. One of the hats that Russ wears in that community is as chaplain of the Western Reserve High School football team. He takes the time to do that because he says so many on the team, both players and coaches, have do church history. The simple prayer he says before the game maybe the only speck of spirituality in their lives. He says that prayer has more of an impact then you would imagine.

It was during basketball season last year that Russ sat in the stands. One of the men on the football coaching staff came up and sat next to him. He asked Russ if he was going to work with the football team this year. Yes! He asked if he would lead the team in the Lord’s Prayer this year. Russ said, “Sure but why the Lord’s Prayer.” The coach said, “I love the Lord’s Prayer, especially the part that mentions walking through the valley of the shadow of death.” Russ didn’t say a word but he realized his work wasn’t done yet. His role as chaplain on the Western Reserve High School football team was more then being with young athletes. He was a witness for Jesus Christ. His identity in Christ and your identity in Christ is more important now then ever before.

So let me ask you that question again. What do people see when they look at you? Do they see your naturally curly hair? Do they see your welcoming smiling? Do they see trouble? What do people see when they look at you? That is a good question but this is a better question. When was the last time person saw Christ in you? Your influence maybe the only speck of spirituality they have in their lives. You maybe the only prayer they utter. You maybe the only Bible they read. You may be as close to Jesus as they will ever get. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”