Unchained ~ Philippians 2

This picture, thanks to Mary Jane, is of the ruins of the jail in which Paul was imprisoned in the city of Philippi. We can read the story in Acts 16 of how the very jailer who was in charge of Paul’s incarceration also accepted Jesus into his life because of Paul’s witness. The church at Philippi was special to Paul’s heart. Hence we have the tone of love and thanksgiving in his letter to the Philippians. (If you missed last week’s sermon in Philippians 1 you can catch it here, click on sermon from July 27~ “A Life Worthy of the Gospel.”

As we embark on chapter two this week, I was wondering why this particular church and not the others that Paul planted, sent someone to look after Paul’s needs while he was in prison. After all, Paul wrote this letter to them while he had been in prison, probably in Rome. It suddenly struck me that the church in Philippi fully understood what Paul’s situation was because he had also been imprisoned in their own town. And it was the very jailer who had Paul in chains who then accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. That jailer and his entire family were now members of this church.  Now this church in Philippi, who understood what it was like for Paul to be in jail, had sent one of their own to take care of Paul’s needs while he was, yet again, incarcerated. Paul says, ^{25 “}But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.”

Is that not like our modern day churches too? Sometimes it takes us an experience of one being marginalized to fully understand what it means to be marginalized. Sometimes we do not really understand the suffering of others until we have experienced first hand what that suffering looks like. Once we understand, then we can get fully mobilized to send out a team to help.

Jesus calls us as his followers to be mobilized at all times. If the church waits, then what will happen? Nothing. Jesus says, “I have served you, now go and do likewise.” Paul calls us to have the mindset of Christ, who emptied himself to be nothing in order to be one of us. That is what the incarnation is all about. Jesus, who is truly God and there from the beginning, made himself to be wrapped in flesh to be with us in the world. How can we, the church, follow that example and be incarnational to others who are suffering in our world? Let’s not wait until we have an experience of suffering to be fully mobilized for God. Let’s move into action now. Think of how powerful we would be if all of God’s people moved out into the world sharing the love of Christ now!