Reflecting the Image (by Carla Sunberg)

The beautiful body of Christ in the Dominican Republic Scripture Phil. 2:12   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; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Observation After laying out Jesus as the ultimate example of a life of humility, Paul now invites the Philippians to participate in the life of Christ. His pastoral concern is obvious in the way that he expresses his desire for these good people. They have obeyed him when he was with them, and now, with him in prison, his desire is for them to continue to grow spiritually. He tells them to work out their own salvation. This has the potential for misunderstanding, but his plan is not a “works” salvation, but rather a participatory salvation. He desperately wants the church to participate in the life of Christ, ta...

The site of medical care in ancient Ephesus.  Jeremiah 8:11 They dress the wound of my people     as though it were not serious. “Peace, peace,” they say,     when there is no peace. 21 Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;     I mourn, and horror grips me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead?     Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing     for the wound of my people? Throughout the scriptures we read references to wounds. In this case Jeremiah was concerned that the religious leaders were not caring for the deep wounds of his people. We are living in a season where there are many wounded individuals that we are encountering on a daily basis. However, there are different kinds of wounds, and each one is treated differently. Jeremiah acknowledged this in his words. He didn’t want the leaders to overlook the types ...

Scripture Phil. 2:14   Do all things without murmuring and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. Observation God’s people are to partner together in the reconciling mission placed before them. Within the church there is to be a healing of relationships so that nothing can damage the church’s witness. If the church will conduct herself above reproach, her witness within the community will greatly increase. Paul repeats language from Deuteronomy that describes the world as “a crooked and perverse generation.” The intent is for God’s children to be radically different in the world, shining brightly like stars because of the words that they speak, and the lives that they live.   Application We have to admit that even within the life of the church there are times that we may become frustrated with one anoth...

God enables us to live the holy life, and shine as a beacon of hope in the world.  Scripture Phil. 2:12   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; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Observation The connecting word, “therefore” brings together the beautiful hymn about the activity of Christ, and what that means for his activity in our own lives. Paul, is pastoral, reminding the Philippians of his great love for them, and for their pattern of discipleship, both in following him, and the Lord.   The phrase “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” has, at times been confusing for followers of Christ who believe in justification by faith. This is not a works salvation, but the “work out” here has the idea of bringing things to completion. The...

A partnership (SAI) working with victims of Gender Based Violence in Kenya.  Scripture Phil. 2: 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Observation The ending to this hymn is powerful, where there is recognition that the one that the Romans humiliated and crucified is then declared to be ruler over all. The work of Jesus Christ challenges the Roman empire’s understanding of how to obtain power and rule the world. Yet, here we are, 2000 years later and the Roman empire no longer exists, but Jesus is Lord.   The purpose of this Christological hymn is to draw the Philippian church into the narrative of Jesus’ life. The divisions in the church were painful to Paul, and he knew that the only way there could be healing would be through participation with Christ. However, he also believ...

A Greek/Roman temple. The idea of Jesus as Lord would have been repulsive to society.  Scripture Phil. 2:9    Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, Observation Jesus’ humility has been the foundation for this entire epistle to the Philippians. The disunity among the believers was a challenge for Paul, and so he continually called them to a life of discipleship in which they would follow the model before them in Christ. This was a model of humility that would have been disdainful in the eyes of Romans, and yet became transformational to the world.   Everything that Paul has said brings us to this moment where the scene changes on the pivotal word, “therefore.” Because of all that Christ has done and the model that he has become, God raised him back up. The humiliation led to the exaltation, and what an exaltation that was. The reference here is to a name, one that is above every othe...