April 16, 2025 -- Philippians 3:18-20 -- Who or what do you worship?

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For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ
Philippians 3:18-20 ESV
 
What is it you worship? Paul is pressing the Philippians to consider this critical question. He is writing to a congregation that has faithfully supported him financially. Sent to him Epaphroditus as a support, their messenger and minister to Paul’s needs. Yet, in great love and like the true shepherd of their souls he is, Paul is asking a most important question, willing to endure it if they are offended by this question: what are you worshiping?
 
Notice the evidence of false worship. Walking as enemies of the cross of Christ. Now, he is writing church attenders. They might be shocked and prepared to give “proof” of their dedication. However, Paul won’t let them, or us, off so easily. Are they undermining the work of the gospel through the neglect of the means of grace (preaching of the word, sacraments, and Christian discipline)? Are they ignoring the word of God in their daily life or failing to pray? These are some of the signs that one is walking as an enemy of the cross. When he notes their god is their belly, he is saying such people pursue their own pleasures before they pursue Jesus. The pleasures of feasting. The pleasures of sports. The pleasures of fame. The pleasure of applause by others. They indulge their sexual fantasies. In one or more of those ways, they are pleasure-seekers, looking after their wants to the detriment of their walk with God and walk with fellow Christians who would hold them to account.
 
To pursue earthly things is a very damning statement. Jesus demanded that His true followers seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). It is not possible to make worldly possessions, homes, cars, a big bank account, and such things your priority while simultaneously pursuing Jesus. What Jesus demanded He also modeled. He was homeless, wandering preacher. He had no bank account. He had no stable of horses and chariots, though He was King. What was His priority? It was to serve His Father in heaven in all things. In fact, Jesus said it was His food to do the will of His Father in heaven (John 4:34).
 
Paul reminds the Philippians their citizenship is in heaven. Their first and most important priority is serving Jesus Christ. In Him we are named sons and daughters of God. In Him we have the grace we need to face the joys and sorrows of this earthly life. In Him we have been equipped by the Holy Spirit so that our priorities are ordered aright. In Him we have a longing for heaven, where we will spend eternity in the Presence of Jesus, Him Whom our souls love. If that is not appealing to you now, then it is quite possible you have a wrong set of standards. You are pursuing earthly things first while trying to hang on to Jesus. I warn you; you are being pulled in two directions, and you will be torn apart.
 
We await the Savior. Who has rescued us from our earthly lusts and the sins which continually drag us down to hell. We await the Lord, in Whose service we find the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and righteousness. All of these are evidence we are abiding in Jesus. We await the Christ, He who was anointed to serve perfectly so that He, as the Lamb of God, took away the sin of the world. In Christ we make a permanent break with our past. We are once-for-all justified in Him. Now, growing in holiness, growing in dedication happens in these ways.  In Christ we receive the Holy Spirit, so that we confess our sins, our daily sins, our hourly sins, our persistent sins. By the Spirit such sins become more odious to us. By the Spirit we turn away from such sins and walk more fully in the citizenship that is ours in Christ. By the Spirit our souls find comfort in the Word and our heart’s desire is to walk with Jesus. If you are not experiencing this, I urge you to speak with a Christian friend whose walk with God you admire and get right with God. If you are walking in this way, I urge you, be prepared for people in your life who the Spirit leads to you, people who claim to be Christians but need to have their false worship exposed.

God the Father, Lord of all Truth and Righteousness, by Your Spirit help us to see the places in our lives where we are lying to ourselves about our dedication to Jesus. Break the strongholds of sin that still linger in us. Renew in us a holy desire to worship Jesus, with all we have and all we are. Spirit of God, give us the holy courage we need so that we will follow through, even when peers and co-workers, friends or even fellow church members scorn our obedience. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/Rf8vNFEdmTM?si=tP7tpzlmEXtNaa9D When Christ our Life Appears
 

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