This is the reflection of Pat Edmonds of August 25th 2024 as delivered by Audrey Cando at a joint service of Forest Home and Dalston-Crown Hill United Churches. The scripture reading that day was: Phillipians 2: 1-13.
Perhaps this sermon title sounds a bit familiar. Several years ago Robert J. Ringer wrote a book, “Looking Out For Number One”. It was the best-selling book in America for 46 weeks, almost an entire year. Although I’m not very knowledgeable about music I seem to recall a popular song a while ago with the same title. In fact, after I had written this and was driving around last week it came on my car radio. I listened carefully to the words – something like – “the only way to the top, is looking out for number one”. It must have topped the charts for quite some time to be on a station that plays mostly hit parade tunes from past decades. I wonder whether a book or song with my title would make the top ten anywhere!
“Looking out for number one” reflects the hedonistic culture in which we live. Few words in our vocabulary are used more than self and its combinations – self-fulfillment, self-expression, self-actualization, self-help, self-awareness, a woman’s magazine entitled SELF and the current craze – taking “selfies”! We are living in a narcissistic society: a culture in which we are preoccupied with ourselves and many of us have fallen in line with this way of life.
In today’s passage Paul writes to the church at Philippi. He had heard about a possible division within the church at Philippi. These Christians were having problems looking out for others. They weren’t having relationship problems because they were weak. No! The Philippian Church was a strong church, a very strong church. Why you may ask would a strong church have relationship problems? Well, the more strength a church has, the more attention it must give to love. Why? – because a strong church has more people serving. Where more people are working, more differences are bound to arise. In fact I might go so far as to suggest that if any church has NO differences, NO disagreements, a careful look is needed to ascertain if all the decision-making is being done by one or two individuals – not a healthy situation either! People in strong churches must give more attention to love and unity, not less.
Paul’s starting point for all believers in that fellowship at Philippi is to be of one mind. He stresses this point twice, at the beginning of the passage and again at the end. How many organizations or groups or families can we think of where there is truly only one mind? Is that true in your family? Your workplace? Or even your church? What then could Paul possibly mean in saying we should be of the same mind?
In most families the “one mind” would be “stay together, love one another, get along as much as possible, learn to forgive and overlook mistakes, be a family” In your workplace, you may have a mission statement that summarizes the goals of your organization. Perhaps it says, “Everyone pull together,” “be a team”, and so forth.
Over the years I have known of several large corporations who have as their motto, ”The customer is always right – even when he’s wrong!” My husband told me of talking with the manager of a large retail outlet about a customer service problem he had experienced. The manager was apologizing to Gary for the poor behavior of his employee. He assured Gary that she had not acted according to company policy. To make his point, he invited Gary back to his employee staff room. There hanging from the ceiling was a tire. He told this story about the tire. A couple of years ago a customer had returned this tire to complain about its performance. He insisted he had purchased the tire at this store and wanted his money back. The employees and manager tried to convince him it was not their product, but to no avail. The customer kept insisting! Finally in desperation the manager authorized a refund and the customer went merrily on his way. Why was the tire hung from the ceiling? – to remind all the employees that the “customer is always right” because this chain of retail stores DOESN’T EVEN SELL TIRES! Of any brand or size! I cannot help but wonder how many of our churches would go this far to show their belief and adherence to their mission statement.
All churches have mission statements. My home church has its posted in big letters and fancy printing in the narthex. At a church where I often preach the members begin each service by saying their mission statement. Your church mission statement tells what you believe God is calling your church to be in that particular time and place. We all know that, although we have the same mission statement, we won’t always get along, but we should love each other enough to work together for the good of the gospel.
Look at verse 5 – “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” Paul is actually the original author of WWJD! What Would Jesus Do! If we have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, we certainly need to ask ourselves prior to every decision, “What would Jesus do?”
To be of like mind does not mean we must all agree on everything all the time – we are not programmed robots. Our diversity is what makes us strong. Different ideas, gifts, and abilities within the church are needed. However, what we need is unity of PURPOSE, not sameness of ideas. If our focus is the same, our decisions and actions will reflect this.
What the authors of the book and popular song failed to acknowledge was that NO human being is “Number One.” GOD IS. As Christians we need to focus on the “eternal triangle of Christianity.” – that is, GOD first, OTHERS second and SELF last – the very opposite of the popular song. Paul addresses this issue in verse 4. Instead of the popular notion of “everyone for himself”, Paul stresses “everyone for everyone”. Rather than seek their own interests Paul tells the church members at Philippi to put the interests of OTHERS first. Instead of “looking out for number one’, look out for the other guy. In other words, live your life under the premise that “You are better than me.”
This involves serious humility – something we are not always good at – but an essential ingredient which needs to be present if we are to work together as the church, The Body of Christ. Paul says to set the goals of the church above your “selfish ambition or conceit.” Jesus knows that, for us to accomplish all that God intends for us to do, we MUST work together. We must put others ahead of ourselves.
Verses 6-11 in this passage, although not familiar to us, would be very well-known to the Philippians for they are thought to be the words of a traditional hymn of the time. This hymn speaks of the humility of Jesus, who though he was the Son of God, humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death on the cross. Rather than living as “number one”, Jesus lived his life on earth as a servant. He willingly took on the role of servant – washing the feet of his disciples, putting the needs of crowds of people ahead of his own need for rest.
“Therefore God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name” and at his name every knee should bend. To Jesus who humbled himself before others, all now pay homage.
We are asked to humble ourselves; to think of others ahead of ourselves; to be of the same mind; to consider WHAT WOULD JESUS DO in all our decision-making and actions. Believing and trusting in God, and looking out for number two is “the ONLY WAY to the top”. Thanks be to God!
Pat Edmonds, August 25, 2024