I’m signing off the blog for a period of time once again. PhD assignments for the fall semester are reaching crunch time and need more attention than I’ve been giving them. Also, I have many theological and pastoral questions I need to wrestle with. They have nagged me for too long and must finally be confronted. Should you think about it in the next few weeks, I’d appreciate prayer.
I hope to be back around Thanksgiving.
In 1651 a collection of pastors in Scotland came together a drew up “an humble acknowledgment of the sins of the ministry.” They sensed God’s judgment upon the country and viewed themselves as no small part of the problem. Horatius Bonar called the subsequent ministerial confession “one of the fullest, most faithful and most impartial confessions of ministerial sin ever made.”
I’d have to agree with Bonar—I’ve never read anything like this before yesterday. Rarely could I go a few sentences into the document without pausing to examine my own life and repent of sin (it thus took a long time to get through it!). I’ve copied a substantial excerpt below and encourage you to read prayerfully and humbly. It may just be the most challenging reading you encounter this week.
Lightness and profanity in conversation, unsuitable to that holy calling which they strove for, not thoroughly repented of. Not studying to be in Christ before they be in the ministry; nor to have the practical knowledge and experience of the mystery of the gospel in themselves before they preach it to others. Neglecting to fit themselves for the work of the ministry, in not improving prayer and fellowship with God, opportunities of a living ministry, and other means, and not mourning for these neglects. Not studying self-denial, nor resolving to take up the cross of Christ. Negligence to entertain a sight and sense of sin and misery; not wrestling against corruption, nor studying mortification and subduedness of spirit.
Entering the ministry without respect to a commission from Jesus Christ, by which it hath come to pass that many have run unsent. Entering the ministry not from the love of Christ, nor from a desire to honor God in gaining of souls, but for a name and for a livelihood in the world, in spite of a solemn declaration to the contrary when they became a minister.
Ignorance of God; lack of nearness with Him, and taking up little of God in reading, meditating, and speaking of Him. Exceeding great selfishness in all that we do; acting from ourselves, for ourselves, and to ourselves. Not caring how unfaithful and negligent others were, so being it might contribute a testimony to our faithfulness and diligence, but being rather content, if not rejoicing, at their faults. Least delight in those things wherein lieth our nearest communion with God; great inconstancy in our walk with God, and neglect of acknowledging Him in all our ways. In going about duties, least careful of those things which are most remote from the eyes of men. Seldom in secret prayer with God, except to fit for public performance; and even that much neglected, or gone about very superficially.
Glad to find excuses for the neglect of duties. Neglecting the reading of Scriptures in secret, for edifying ourselves as Christians; only reading them just enough to do our duty as ministers, and ofttimes neglecting even that. Not given to reflect upon our own ways, nor allowing conviction to have a thorough work upon us; deceiving ourselves by resting in the fact that our hard conscience does not bother us, and looking upon the same as an evidence of a real change of state and nature.
Poor guarding of and watching over the heart, and carelessness in self-searching; which makes much unacquaintedness with ourselves and creates separation from God. Not guarding nor wrestling against seen and known evils. Easily drawn away with the temptations of the time, and other particular temptations, according to our inclinations and fellowship.
Instability and wavering in the ways of God, through the fears of persecutions, hazard, or loss of reputation; and declining duties because of the fear of jealousies and reproaches. Not esteeming the cross of Christ and sufferings for His name as honorable, but rather escaping from sufferings, due to self-love. Deadness of spirit, even after all the sore strokes of God upon the land. Little conscience made of secret humiliation and fasting, by ourselves apart and in our families, that we might mourn for our own and the land’s guiltiness and great backslidings; and little applying of public humiliation to our own hearts. Finding of our own pleasure, when the Lord calls for our humiliation.
Not laying to heart the sad and heavy sufferings of the people of God abroad, and the nonthriving of the kingdom of Jesus Christ and the power of godliness among them. Refined hypocrisy; desiring to appear what, indeed, we are not. Studying more to learn the language of God’s people than their practice. Artificial confessing of sin, without repentance; professing to expose iniquity, and not resolving to be sorry for sin. Confession in secret much slighted, even of those things whereof we are convicted. No reformation, after solemn acknowledgments and private vows; thinking ourselves exonerated after confession. Readier to search out and censure faults in others than to see or deal with them in ourselves. Accounting of our condition and way according to the estimation that others have of us. Our estimation of men depends on whether they agree with us or not.
Not fearing to meet with trials, but presuming, in our own strength, to go through them unshaken. Not learning to fear, by the falls of gracious men; nor mourning and praying for them. Not pointing out particular deliverances and punishments; not learning from them, for the honor of God and the edification of ourselves and others. Little or no mourning for the corruption of our nature, and less groaning under, and longing to be delivered from that body of death, the bitter root of all our other evils.
Fruitless conversations with others, for the worse rather than for the better. Foolish jesting away of time with impertinent and useless discourse, very unbecoming the ministers of the gospel. Spiritual purposes often dying in our hands when they are begun by others. Carnal familiarity with natural, wicked, and malignant men, whereby they are hardened, the people of God stumbled, and we ourselves blunted.
Slighting of fellowship with those by whom we might profit. Desiring more to converse with those that might better us by their money than with such as might edify us by their graces. Not studying opportunities of doing good to others. Shifting of prayer and other duties, when called thereto—choosing rather to omit the same than that we should be put to them ourselves. Abusing of time in frequent recreation and pastimes and loving our pleasures more than God. Taking little or no time to Christian discourse with young men trained up for the ministry. Common and ordinary discourse on the Lord’s Day. Slighting Christian admonition from any of our flocks or others, as being below us; and ashamed to take light and warning from private Christians. Dislike of, or bitterness against, such as deal freely with us by admonition or reproof, and not dealing faithfully with others who would welcome it off our hands.
Not praying for men of a different opinion, but using reservedness and distance from them; being more ready to speak of them than to them or to God for them. Not weighed with the failings and miscarriages of others, but rather taking advantage thereof for justifying ourselves. Talking of and sporting at the faults of others, rather than compassionate toward them. Not taking pains in religious ordering of our families, nor studying to be patterns to other families in guiding ours. Hasty anger and passion in our families and conversation with others.
Covetousness, worldly-mindedness, and an inordinate desire after the things of this life, upon which followeth a neglect of the duties of our calling, and our being taken up for the most part with the things of the world. Lack of hospitality and charity to the members of Christ. Not cherishing godliness in the people; being afraid of it and hating the people of God for piety, and studying to bear down and quench the work of the Spirit amongst them.
Not entertaining that edge of spirit in ministerial duties which we found at the first entry to the ministry. Great neglect of reading, and other preparation; or preparation merely literal and bookish, making an idol of a book, which hinders communion with God; or presuming on bygone assistance, and praying little. Trusting to gifts, talents, and pains taken for preparation, whereby God is provoked to blast our good topics, even though they are so well-ordered and worded. Careless in employing Christ and drawing virtue out of Him, for enabling us to preach in the Spirit and in power. In praying for assistance we pray more for assistance to the messenger than to the message which we carry, not caring what becomes of the Word. Neglect of prayer after the Word is preached.
Neglect to warn, in preaching, of snares and sins in politics; and too much, too frequent, and unnecessary speaking by others of public business and transactions. Exceeding great neglect and unskillfulness to set forth the excellences and usefulness of (and the necessity of an interest in) Jesus Christ, and the new covenant, which ought to be the great subject of a minister’s study and preaching. Speaking of Christ more by hearsay than from knowledge and experience, or any real impression of Him upon the heart. The way of most ministers’ preaching is too legal. Lack of sobriety in preaching the gospel; not savoring anything but what is new; so that the fundamentals of religion bear but little bulk.
Not preaching Christ in the simplicity of the Gospel, nor ourselves the people’s servants, for Christ’s sake. Preaching of Christ, not that the people may know Him, but that they may think we know much about Him. Preaching about Christ’s leaving of the world without brokenness of heart, or stirring up of ourselves to take hold of Him. Not preaching with bowels of compassion to them that are in danger of perishing. Preaching against public sins, neither in such a way, nor for such an end, as we ought—for the gaining of souls and drawing men out of their sins; but rather because it is to our advantage to say something of these evils.
Bitterness, instead of zeal, in speaking against evil people, sectarians, and other scandalous persons. Not studying to know the particular condition of the souls of the people, that we may speak to them accordingly; nor keeping a particular record thereof, though convinced of the usefulness of this. Not carefully choosing what may be most profitable and edifying; and lack of wisdom in application to the several conditions of souls; not so careful to bring home the point by application.
Choosing texts whereon we have something to say, rather than those suited to the conditions of souls and times, and frequent preaching of the same things, that we may not be put to the pains of new study. Such a way of reading, preaching, and prayer as puts us in these duties farther from God. Too soon satisfied in the discharge of duties, and holding off challenges of conscience with excuses.
Indulging the body, and wasting much time idly. Too much eyeing our own credit and applause; and being pleased with it when we get it, and unsatisfied when it is lacking. Fearfulness in delivering God’s message; letting people die in reigning sins without warning. Studying the discharge of duties rather to free ourselves from censure than to approve ourselves to God.
Not making all the counsel of God known to His people; and particularly, not giving testimony in times of defection. Not studying to profit by our own doctrine, nor the doctrine of others. For most part, preaching as if we ourselves were not concerned in the message which we carry to the people. Not rejoicing at the conversion of sinners, but content with the unthriving of the Lord’s work amongst His people, as suiting best with our minds; fearing, if they should thrive better, we should be more put to it, and less esteemed of by them.
We preach not as before God, but as to men; as doth appear by the different pains in our preparation to speak to our ordinary hearers and to others to whom we would approve ourselves. Negligent, lazy, and partial visiting of the sick. If they be poor we go once, and only when sent for; if they be rich and of better note, we go oftener and unsent for. Not knowing how to speak with the tongue of the learned a word in season to the weary.
Lazy and negligent in catechising. Not preparing our hearts before, nor wrestling with God for a blessing to it, because of the ordinariness and apprehended easiness of it; whereby the Lord’s name is much taken in vain, and the people little profited. Looking on that exercise as a work below us, and not condescending to study a right and profitable way of instructing the Lord’s people. Partial in catechising, passing by those that are rich and of better quality, though many of these stand in great need of instruction. Not waiting upon and checking up on the ignorant, but often passionately upbraiding them.
Three weeks ago I was in Athens, Greece with one of our Gospel Partners. Saturday morning’s schedule was free from commitments so we traveled out to the Areopagus and climbed up Mars Hill, the great setting for Paul’s confronting the Greeks with the gospel in Acts 17. The hike up was more strenuous then I imagined and when we reached the top I remember standing somewhat breathless—mostly in awe. The historical significance of city, the contemporary views of beauty, and the depth of meaning this mountain has to our understanding of God coalesced in together that moment and I found my soul stunned in wonder.
I believe God desires to do the exact same thing with us as we stare at this summit of truth about Jesus in Philippians 2:5-11. Dennis Johnson says, “This passage is . . . a majestic mountain peak, towering over the surrounding countryside. It is a pinnacle of theological truth, piercing the heavens and probing the mystery of the incarnation.” Alec Motyer writes, “[Here] we tread . . . on very holy ground indeed. We do well to remember that this privilege is given to us not to satisfy our curiosity but to reform out lives.” Gordon Fee agrees when he comments, “[This is] a passage that should cause the reader to soar.”
But let’s remember, this deep theological hymn is meant to fuel a particular practice in our life as a church: joyful unity. So let’s consider a couple ways to cultivate humility in our lives, according to our text.
Behold the glory of Christ. It begins here, it always begins here. We must load our minds with the glory of Christ in order to live for the glory of Christ. Where in your week are you devoting time to see and savor the glory of Christ? Maybe it’s personal times of devotion, small group, another discipling relationship, but how I long you might see gathered worship as God’s ordinary, ordained place to see the glory of His Son. It’s not legalism to say you must be doing it; we need the cultivation of desperation in our lives for to live we must look upon His glory. Which leads to the second point . . .
Believe the gospel of Christ. We don’t want to merely behold the glory of Christ in the gospel, we want to believe it. Jesus came to saves sinners like you and me. How’d he do it? By obeying to the point of death, even death on a cross. He now sits on high reigning in power, calling out through His word and Spirit, “Believe in me! Find your sin forgiven, your penalty of eternal death removed, and receive eternal life.” If you’re in hear tonight and are not a Christian I want you to feel the urgency of this gospel call. For 2:10-11 says every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. There is thus an eternal urgency before you in this text:
Will you believe today?
Be like the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Paul’s essential point: imitate Jesus’ example of humility. Be like him. Imitation may have fallen on hard times in some circles of Christianity, but it is oh so biblical. The pattern of our Lord is to be our pattern, humiliation now and exaltation then; humility now and glory then.
The first order of life in a faithful church, Paul says, is living worthy of the gospel of Christ; worthy living that is best seen by walking in humble unity. The struggle for humility for many of us is the hardest fight in the Christian life. And so Paul serves us by saying, “Look at the example of Christ; have that mind among you.” Joyful humility comes from seeing and savoring the example of Jesus Christ.
This post is adapted from my recent sermon, “Rejoicing in Jesus,” on Philippians 2:5-11.
I love to read. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.
The New Pastor’s Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry by Jason Helopoulos. Believe the hype, Helopoulos’ book is indeed a “must read” for young pastors (seasoned pastors will surely benefit as well). As was the case in his first book, the instruction here is full of grace and truth. The New Pastor’s Handbook consists of forty-eight short chapters broken into five parts: The Beginning, Starting Out Strong, Encouragements, Pitfalls of Young Pastors, and Joys of Ministry. If any part is required reading it is the section on pastoral pitfalls; the one-two punch of “Taking Yourself Too Seriously” and “Not Taking Yourself Seriously Enough” hits home hard. Joe Thorn overstates his case by saying TNPH “will prove to be as helpful as The Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges.” But he doesn’t overstate the case by much, this book is really that good. Tolle lege!
Knowing Christ by Mark Jones. If Helopoulos’s book is a modern version of Bridges’ The Christian Ministry then Mark Jones’ latest is a modern-day The Glory of Christ by John Owen. Knowing Christ is devotional Christology par excellence. Those familiar with Jones will know he is a faithful guide on the Christological paths; he employs the full range biblical theology, systematic theology, and historical theology (especially the Puritans) to make the heart happy in Christ. This is not a book to read quickly, I’d recommend reading one chapter during each day’s daily devotions. I was regularly so moved at the glories of Christ that I had to put the book down to contemplate, pray, and worship. May this book receive the widest audience possible.
Leading in Worship by Terry Johnson. I believe every pastor should have a nice little stack of liturgy books always within reach. We need to see how pastors of old led their congregations in worship. Old liturgies challenge contemporary notions of what should happen in gathered worship and help us consider what it means to worship with “aweful reverence.” Terry Johnson has labored long to see a resurgence of historic, Reformed worship in our day and I trust Leading is Worship will further the liturgical reformation. Here is an accessible, yet substantial directory of worship worthy of the liturgy shelf in your study. Well done!
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson. There isn’t anyone from whom I’d rather learn history than good Mr. Larson. With every published work he proves himself o’er and o’er to be a master of narrative history—and Dead Wake won’t slow down the accolades. Count me among the many Americans who know the Lusitania’s sinking played a role in bring America into World War I, but the exact nature of that role is beyond me. Or, was beyond me until Dead Wake informed my ignorance. With envious ease Larson weaves together the story of the Lusitania (the fastest liner of the day), Walther Schieger and Germany’s U-boat project, alongside Woodrow Wilson’s romance with Edith Galt. Historical insight bleed through virtually every page and prove that the best history is nothing less than good ‘ol storytelling.
Mightier Than the Sword by Jeffrey Archer. With the completion of Mightier Than the Sword my recent jaunt through the Clifton Chronicles is complete. And I must say, this series offers hearty and healthy entertainment for bedtime reading. Archer steers clear from the lasciviousness saturating most bestsellers and instead relies on proven tricks of the trade: character development, reasonable plot lines (although I must admit the Clifton enemies seem often to rise from the ashes like phoenixes with a heartache), clear prose, and compelling tension. As is his modus operandi, Archer satisfyingly ties up several loose ends at the book’s conclusion, but leave one major storyline dangling out for book six to address. To which I say, “Come on book six!”
Click here to find other entries in the Recent Reads series.
It was our third week of premarital counseling with young couple both sensing the call to vocational ministry. The topic on the table was various aspects of gospel ministry they’d need to discuss prior to marriage in order to see their marriage flourish in the midst of ministry. I asked, “What are your thoughts ‘Prospective Wife’ about ‘Prospective Husband’ not telling you everything happening in his ministry as a pastor?”
I’ll never forget the look on their faces that followed the question. It was a mix of, “I guess we haven’t considered that before,” and, “Jordan may just be crazy. Of course we should tell each other everything going on in the ministry.”
That scenario replayed in my mind earlier this week as I read Jason Helopoulos’ excellent book, The New Pastor’s Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry. In his chapter titled, “Shepherd Your First Flock,” Helopoulos offers some of the wisest, clearest counsel on the always pressing question, “Should I tell her?” He writes,
Recognizing that your wife is a member of the church should also lead you to be careful in the details you share with her about confidential and sensitive matters in the local church. Some pastors make the mistake of telling their wives too little about their day, the church, and their ministry, which leads their wives to feel disconnected. However, in our day it is more common for pastors to tell their wives too much. Because we love them and want them to know where our struggles like, it is an easy error to make. Our wives serve as our confidants, yet it befits our wives to not know some things about church members or situations.
Pastors would do well to consider the words of Proverbs 10:19,
When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.Keep these two rules in mind: if ti could disrupt her worship, then don’t share it; if it could lead her to struggle with envy, anger, or hatred toward an individual or a group of people within the church, then keep it to yourself. Your wife is a worshiper in the church and a member of the body. This should always shape your communication with her.
To me, that sounds exactly right. What do you think? What guidelines do you have?
There are some hymns I’m convinced every church should sing. These hymns contain a depth of truth, soaring along a memorable melody, that transcends the age. Hymns that fall in this category would be anthems like “Amazing Grace,” “It is Well,” “There is a Fountain,” and “A Mighty Fortress.”
Another title, for me, that belongs in the discussion is Augustus Toplady’s magnificent “Rock of Ages,” which has been called “the best known, best loved, and most widely used hymn in the English language.” Does your church sing it?
In 1756 Toplady was converted at the age of sixteen while listening to a man of God preach the word in a local barn. Six years later he was ordained as an Anglican priest.
One of the more interesting aspects of Toplady’s ministry is his animosity towards John Wesley. As a convinced Calvinist he believed Wesley’s doctrine fell far short of Scripture. He once wrote, “I believe [Wesley] to be the most rancorous hater of the gospel-system that ever appeared on this island.” “Wesley is guilty of satanic shamelessness,” he wrote on another occasion, “of acting the ignoble part of a lurking, shy assassin.”
In 1776 Toplady published an article on the subject of God’s forgiveness and one scholar says it was intended “as a slap at Wesley.” The article ended with an original poem containing the now famous words:
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
The poem far outlived Toplady (who died at the tender age of thirty-eight) and in 1830 Thomas Hastings put it to a melodic line that echoed around the world for almost two centuries.
A hymn of gospel richness awaits your people in “Rock of Ages.” Thankfully, some recent arrangements of the hymn have come out and give Toplady’s work an artistic, yet congregational flourish. Check out the lyrics below and a few of the best arrangements available today.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
[originally When my eye-strings break in death]
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
A distinguishing characteristic of faithful pastors is a heart increasingly pulsating with the words and heart of sacred Scripture. We must be “Bible Men.” We read it, pray it, sing it, preach it, and live it.
I did my graduate work at Reformed Theological Seminary, that venerable institution of Presbyterian “learnedness.” One of the hardest parts of my biblical studies courses was memorizing outlines for each book of the Bible. Providing outlines of Bible books is a normal part of ordination in the Reformed and Presbyterian world, so the professors often tilted—rightly so in my mind—some assignments to help prepare students for ordination. For example, in my classes I had to memorize outlines like these:
The major prophets were often especially hard:
What I loathed at the time, such specific memorization, I now love.
I went into seminary convinced there is eternal value in Bible memorization. In my teen years I memorized countless verses of Scripture and later came to see how much better it was to memorize books of the Bible, not just verses. I now see how valuable it is to have at least a cursory outline of each book of the Bible stored away in the mind. Such knowledge gives us immediate and specific familiarity with the peaks and valleys of redemptive history; it offers a leg up on sermon preparation; it enables us to preach the word in season and out of season, always standing ready.
Like so many things in ministry, here is hard work that will lead to long-term fruit. How might you then go about memorizing outlines of Bible books?
Books. You could pick up a book like The Ultimate Bible Outline Book: Every Book of the Bible Made Simple, or something similar.
Study Bibles. Pick up a good study Bible like the ESV, NIV, or Reformation Study Bible and you’ll find useful outlines to introduce each book. You could memorize those verbatim, but I suspect they’d be more complex than you’d need. This option allows you to customize the outline—the study Bible has done the heavy lifting and you get to simplify the outline according to your personality.
Flash Cards. One of the many advantages of living in our technological age is a site like Cram.com. There you’ll find millions of flashcards to help you study all kinds of subjects, including the Bible. For example, you can memorize outlines other brothers in ministry have put up for ordination prep: OT Outlines, Main Messages of Bible Books, and Bible Book Outlines 1 or 2.
Go ahead, try it on for size, and inject some more Bible into your blood.
“There are so many things that will demand your attention in those early days of the pastorate, yet nothing is more important than getting to know the Word of God thoroughly, accurately, and confidently. Immerse your soul and mind and heart in this Holy Word. Spend hours reading it. Steal away moments to meditate on it. Engage in the hard work of memorizing it. Read an entire book in one sitting. Memorize and outline for each of the sixty-six books so that you know what they contain. . . . Your people need to know that you know the Word of God and that you speak with authority because you are rightly handling the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15).” – Jason Helopoulos, The New Pastor’s Handbook, 62-63.
It’s as though Paul puts on his spiritual stethoscope, listens to the Philippians heartbeat, and discerns the disease of disunity threatening their fellowship. To help their joy in Christ, he gives tells them his diagnosis. He says first . . .
Selfish scheming is the symptom. In 2:3 Paul says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition.” The word here in Greek is political. Aristotle used it to describe the self-seeking pursuit of politicians to secure a seat in government. It’s an ugly self-promotion that will step on the necks of others to lift oneself up. Simply put, it’s the sinful advancement of self; advancing your interests, your concerns, your convictions, your goals at all costs.
Empty glory is the sickness. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit.” I understand Paul to say here that selfish scheming comes from the sickness of conceit—more literally rendered “empty glory.” It’s the conceited opinion that says, “I am glorious.” It’s quite possible that down in the deeper recesses of your heart (I know it’s there in mine) you harbor a great fear that goes like this, “I’m terrified that I won’t matter, that others will think me unimportant. That many will not know how great and gifted I really am.” We have empty glory, which Satan will take and turn into selfish scheming. We want to manufacture what we lack, glory for ourselves. Paul has thus put a probing finger on the exposed nerve of the Philippians problem. But he doesn’t leave them here, he says next . . .
Authentic humility is the remedy. Look at the end of 2:3, “In humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Empty glory says, “I am significant,” but authentic humility counts others as more significant; it counts other as more worthy. Notice also how Paul counters selfish scheming in 2:4, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” If we count others as more significant than our attention will increasingly focus on their interests.
Last Sunday morning I was seated in our toy room, reading commentaries on Philippians, while our boys jumped from the fourth or fifth stair of our staircase onto a pillow bed they’d constructed. Every time Hudson would get ready to jump he’d say, “Daddy, watch.” This is a place were Philippians 2 meets everyday life. Will authentic humility watch him jump twenty times, or will empty glory say, “Son, I’m preparing to preach God’s word—I can’t watch right now.”
Philippians 2 meets everyday life when you are tired after work, want to watch television, and your wife asks if you will entertain the kids while she makes dinner. Philippians 2 meets everyday life when you want to let the world know about your opinions on social media and your child needs help with the homework. Philippians 2 meets everyday life when you want to tap out of serving in the church while a need around you screams, “Help!” Philippians 2 meets everyday life when you own interests lead you away from gathered worship while God’s people say, “We need your encouragement and your gifts to edify us.” Authentic humility is the God-ordained, everyday remedy for selfish scheming and empty glory.
Have you noticed how much Paul loves totality in instruction? He says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,” and “count everyone more significant than yourselves.” I know well the wickedness of my own heart (you may feel the same way about your own heart) and so when I hear such totality I say, “How is that possible? How can I put pride to death everywhere and walk in humility towards everyone?” Look at 2:5, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” What a declaration! Paul is saying here, unity in Christ comes from the humility of Christ. This mind of radical humility “is yours in Christ Jesus.” He is the perfection of humility. He did not count equality with God as thing to be grasped, but humbled himself to death on a cross—to pay the penalty for the sin of all who believe in him—and God has now exalted Him to His right hand in power and authority.
If you are not a Christian, see this good news—this gospel. This is the news that your sin, which the Bible says leads to death and eternal separation from joy, has been dealt with if you would turn from your sin and trust in Christ. He offers you His life, and gives you His mind of humility.
For us as a church, Paul is announcing to us that the humble mind of Christ is ours—we have it now through faith. So we should expect and desire humble unity to grow among us. Where that grows, joy increases. For humble unity is the perfection of Christian joy.
When I first joined the staff of Providence Church we would start every membership class with an exercise called, “The Perfect Church.” We’d get out the white board and ask, “What are the most important traits you’re looking for in a church?” i.e. describe the perfect church.” There were certain answers that always came up, “Love,” “sound preaching,” “community,” and “mission-mindedness.” The exercise reached its apex when, after a few minutes of writing things down, we’d say, “Now all of these things will be true of the church insofar as you help them to be true.”
Now, what would happen if we asked the apostle Paul the same question, “What are the most important traits in a church?” He would offer an answer I never once heard in five years of membership classes, “Humble unity.” The older I get, the more I study God’s word, the more I find myself longing and laboring to lead a church distinguished by humble unity. For humble unity is not only obedience, it is a picture of heaven—it helps the church live on earth as a colony of heaven.
Philippians 2 provides the key, so as we begin to close let me mention two things our text says must be true if we are to experience the joy of humble unity.
Loves Christ supremely. Paul says in 2:2, “Have the same mind and same love.” There is one love to rule all others: the love of Jesus Christ. To walk in humble can only happen when we are exulting in Christ above all else. He is the person we cherish the most—more than spouse, children, family, or friends. He is the conviction we proclaim the loudest—more than politics, schooling, parenting, eating, and working. I wonder whom you love the most and what you love to proclaim the loudest.
A church of humble unity loves Christ supremely and . . .
Lives for Christ sacrificially. “Count others as more significant than yourselves,” Paul says. Sacrifice your desires and interests in order to see other brothers and sisters thrive spiritually. I’d encourage you as you leave tonight and go about this week to examine your life by asking the question, “Is there anywhere God is calling me to sacrifice personal interests so that unity in the church will grow?”
May our life together be one of loving Christ supremely and living for Christ sacrificially. Let us long to walk in humble unity, filling up each other’s joy in Christ. For humble unity is the perfection of Christian joy.
The post is adapted from my recent sermon, “Rejoicing in Unity,” on Philippians 2:1-4.
I love to read. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.
Saving Eutychus: How to Preach God’s Word and Keep People Awake by Phil Campbell and Gary Millar. When D.A. Carson says, “I would make this little book mandatory reading for seminarians everywhere, and then urge them to read it a couple more times during the course of their ministry,” I pay attention. I first read Saving Eutychus back in 2013 and profited from it immensely. Last week, after talking with a fellow staff member about preaching convictions, I decided it was time for another read and I was challenged afresh. Campbell’s chapter “Dead, Dull, and Boring” is perhaps the best one stop shop for practical tips on preaching clearly. Millar’s initial chapter on the relationship between preaching and prayer is a most welcome start to a book on preaching, full of stimulating conviction. Tolle lege!
The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap Between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness by Kevin DeYoung. It would surely be a stretch to call The Hole in Our Holiness “a modern classic,” but I’m tempted to be stretchy. DeYoung hits all the right points in our contemporary struggle to understand what the Bible says about gospel holiness. We have our elder candidates at IDC read through THIOH during the final two weeks of training and so I was grateful to have a forced rereading. If you’re looking for a sure and steady guide to help you navigate the ocean of sanctification, this is it. Pastors will especially want to have copies on hand as THIOH is an extraordinarily useful book for discipling.
Harlot’s Ghost by Norman Mailer. A few months ago I happened upon a list titled, “The Best 10 Books on the Cold War.” As an armchair Cold War historian I took the clickbait and was surprised to see a venerable historian recommend Mailer’s fiction book as essential reading. Considering I had a few long plane rides around the corner I purchased an old copy and dove into the two-time Pulitzer winner’s 1,200 (!) page novel. Mailer clearly had done his homework as the narrative spans all the essential Cold War events and even brings out some surprising conclusions. Readers will be disappointed the Mailer didn’t tie up the loose ends (as he evidently planned to write a sequel), but since I came to it more for historical interest I was more than satisfied.
The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory. I remain convinced faithful historical fiction is the easiest way to get one’s mind around what life was like in ages of old. One age of continual interest for many—including myself—is the Tudor court of England. What would it have been like to live during the reign of Henry VIII, the madman who seemed as content murdering his wives as marrying them? Better yet, what would have been like to be one of those wives? That is task Gregory takes up in her latest Tudor tale, The Taming of the Queen, by focusing on Kateryn Parr, the last of Henry’s wives. If you don’t know the story, I won’t ruin it for you here. Just know that Gregory’s work proves the old maxim to be right: truth really is better than fiction. Trust me.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. After seeing Ng’s debut novel dominate the bestseller lists for months on end and find its way onto multiple bestseller lists I thought, “Why not give her a chance?” Well chance I did and Ng had me from the first line, “Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.” The story that unfolds is one of pain, coming of age, and the difficult work of understanding loved ones. Ng effortlessly probes the depths of human relationships while simultaneously keeping the truth around Lydia’s death full of intrigue. I admit to being a bit disappointed when that truth unveiled itself, but I cannot disagree with all the hype surrounding Everything I Never Told You. This is excellent work.
The Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer. I ended up finishing Harlot’s Ghost faster than expected and so I needed something breezy to occupy my time in the sky. For over a year Archer’s The Clifton Chronicles were in the Kindle queue and so, out of necessity, I finally dove in. What a joy this dive has been! As the series follows the Clifton family through the 20th century I expected it to feel something like Follet’s The Century Trilogy. But Archer is no Follett—and I mean that in a good way. In place of the salaciously captivating storylines Follett loves, Archer leans on some good ‘ol storytelling. What’s unique about the Chronciles is how Archer tells his tale through multiple vantage points. I raced through the series’ first four books (Only Time Will Tell, The Sins of the Father, Best Kept Secret, Be Careful What You Wish For) in less than a week and am due to finish the most recent one this weekend. If you’re looking for a safe saga that just might keep you up at night, this is it.
Click here to find other entries in the Recent Reads series.
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