What Are You Expecting?
“What Are You Expecting?” by Pastor Rosanna McFadden
Good morning! It is now officially spring, whatever the weather is doing outside. In fact, one of the surest signs of spring in N Indiana is its changeability. Hold on to that thought — it may be useful metaphor later on. The beginning of spring also means that we are in the season of Lent, the weeks of preparation pointing toward Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and ultimately his resurrection on Easter.
This is the third Sunday of Lent — I feel like I’ve gotten us off to a slow start with being gone the first Sunday and having a guest here for Stewardship Sunday last week. But as I have studied the texts for Lent, and watched and listened to the news of the day, and gone about my professional and personal life, I have felt the need to consider the things which make for peace. So for the coming weeks until Easter on April 20, we will be looking at our biblical text through the lens of what kind of peace and security we need to move through the world — and maybe even witness to the world — as God’s people and followers of Jesus Christ.
This morning I want to talk about a characteristic of peace which is not mentioned by name in our text from Philippians 3 — in fact, it isn’t named anywhere in Philippians, but I believe this characteristic is the supporting material for this letter, and a vital part of our search for peace. The characteristic is resilience. Resilience is the ability to overcome adversity. Resilience is something I strive to find in my own life; it is also part of the material I have been studying and leading with a retreat group at Camp Mack — Deb Kauffman is part of that group, so some of this will be familiar to her.
The very composition of the letter to the Christians in Philppi is a sign of resilience. The Apostle Paul tells his readers that he is writing from prison. We know from comments in the letter that this is a Roman prison and that Paul was incarcerated for teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Despite this grim reality, Paul writes with gratitude, encouragement, hope, and even joy: In Philippians 4 he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say, rejoice!” Also in that chapter he writes a verse which many of us recall when the going gets tough, Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Amen?
Philippians 3:12 says, “Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal.” Clearly this is a reference to something previous, so let’s go back to verses 10 and 11, because there is some powerful stuff there. Paul writes, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” That is the goal Paul is talking about, and it’s hard to think of better metaphor for resilience than being dead and coming back to life.
Physical resilience doesn’t have to be as literal as dying and resurrection. Anyone who has recovered from an injury or surgery and gone through rehab or physical therapy knows what I’m talking about. Kristen Vance has worked in this field, and she knows what I’m talking about. Any recovery goes better if you had some strength to begin with, if you commit to doing the work of recovery, and if you have someone to walk alongside with structure and encouragement. The goal is to be able to function fully without someone or something having to prop you up so you can get by. Does that make sense to you?
There are other kinds of resilience besides physical resilience — emotional and spiritual resilience — and although the goals might look a bit different, the process is pretty similar. Set goals, commit to the process, expect some hard work — and probably some setbacks — ahead.
What Paul lays out in Philippians 3:12-20 is a road map for resilience, and it’s a road he has traveled before. The most resilient people are both realistic and optimistic: it’s an important combination. We can’t overcome obstacles we don’t understand or we’re in denial about, but to be resilient we have to believe that things can change and what we do can make a difference, otherwise, why bother? Having the right goal matters. Me wanting to play for the WMBA is optimistic, but not realistic. I don’t have the talent and I’m not willing to put in the work — beside the fact that I’m way too old. If our goal as Christians is to be like Christ, in both his death and his resurrection, what is it going to take for us to reach that goal?
It’s going to take more than our own efforts, for sure. It’s going to take a community of like-minded folks, and more importantly, faith that it is Christ who strengthens us. In order to be like Christ, we have to have a Christ-like view of ourselves and of the difficulties we are trying to overcome; we have to understand how we fit into the larger picture of God’s world and God’s mission. I want to spend some time in verse 20, which says, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” That is a verse which has helped to ground me amidst some of the turmoil of the past few months. I have talked to many people — including some from Creekside — who have told me, “I just can’t watch the news anymore.” I have said versions of this statement myself, and have lamented with other pastors how difficult it is to be encouraging and comforting to others when we feel disoriented or outraged ourselves. Even if the local, national, or international news isn’t disturbing for you, it is likely that there are other concerns at home at work or with your family — or possibly all three — which are troubling the waters of your life. The point is, this is not new and it isn’t really news either. Remember my comment about spring weather in Indiana earlier? If we are expecting that it’s going to be sunny and 70 degrees for the whole month of March, we’re going to be uncomfortable and unhappy. If we pay attention to the forecast, we’ll pack a jacket — or a winter coat — and keep the snowbrush in the car. We can do something to be more comfortable as things change, even if we’re still unhappy about it.
Proclaiming that our citizenship is in heaven is a statement that our faith is in our Savior Jesus Christ — and no one else. It doesn’t mean the powers of this world are either good or bad — they are generally a mix of both. It means that the powers of this world, our citizenship, our national allegiances and alliances, will not have the last word. They should not be our goal. Power and influence are not the prize which Christians should be pressing forward to gain. A cautionary note here: having Jesus as our Savior and our citizenship in heaven doesn’t mean we can should let things go to hell on earth. There are real people affected and real consequences to political action, and if you think Paul’s direction for those who are mature to be of the same mind is a simple thing to accomplish, I’ve got some news for you. This is why we must develop the spiritual resilience to work from the strength of our love for Jesus Christ to commit to the process and work together toward the goal of being like Christ — even if it doesn’t always go smoothly.
I told you earlier that I want to consider the things which make for peace. You may be thinking that so far I’ve highlighted the things which make for conflict. Who wants to talk about the things that disturb us or the things about which we disagree? I believe that the realism of resilience means we must acknowledge that things are difficult, and that we do not always agree. Those things matter, and if we deny it, that conflict will come out in other ways. But I am also optimistic, and hang on to the crazy, irrational hope that those of us who love Jesus Christ might be able to find ways to worship and serve together because of our commitment to know Christ. That with God’s help, instead of doubling down on our opinions and agendas, we might instead look to our common citizenship in the kingdom of God. We might even realize that there are people who are not citizens of this nation who could teach us a thing or two about what it means to rely on God, and to look toward the hope of Jesus Christ.Brothers and sisters, if we are expecting a nation or a church or a congregation where there is agreement in all things, we will be disappointed. Disappointed and discouraged — and these are not the things which make for peace. If we are expecting change, and the conflict and challenge and opportunity that go with it, we are already partway to our goal. We find peace, even in the midst of change and conflict and challenge, when we put our faith in Christ and his kingdom, when we pray for the coming of Christ and his kingdom, and when we work together for Christ and the coming of his kingdom. That is the resilience which we need to develop to live in this world: to believe that we can make a difference. That, my friends, is the peace that the world cannot give and neither can it take away. God bless you. Amen.