Sermon on Philippians 1 for September 20

Luke 19:16–19

Luke 19:16-19 

English Standard Version 

  Do you measure yourself against others?  It feels like this happens a lot in our culture -- we're always looking around to see how we're doing compared to others.  It's only natural that we assume that God is doing the same --  measuring us against the competition.

  But the master here doesn't scold the servant for only making five minas.  There is satisfaction and reward.  We are expected to be faithful stewards, and that looks different for each of us.  Stop worrying that your life and ministry don't look like someone else's life and ministry.  You have particular gifts for your particular call.  You are equipped for ministry that only you can do, so go and do that.  Serve and love the world in a way that only you can.  No one else can do what you are uniquely gifted to do.

Luke 19:11–15

Luke 19:11-15 

English Standard Version 

  Who here loves waiting?

  Most of us don't get terribly excited about the prospect of waiting.  We want things now, and the modern economy does a fantastic job of reinforcing immediate gratification.  The challenge for the economy now is to perfect same-day delivery, because next-day simply wasn't good enough.  We've got to get faster!

  Jesus is talking about a ruler who has gone away, and his followers were charged to wait faithfully.  This is the mission of the church -- our ruler has come, and yet he has departed, and we're charged to wait faithfully.

  What will we do while we wait?  How will we serve in the meantime?  What gifts has God given us, and how will we use them while we wait for Christ's kingdom to come in fullness?

Luke 19:5-10

Luke 19:5-10 

English Standard Version 

  Going through these section by section, it stands out how much grumbling there is in the Gospels.  People are always grumbling at what Jesus is doing and how he is doing it with.  Here is Jesus, healing people and changing lives dramatically... and rather than applause from everyone, he hears grumbling.  Remember that when you're pressuring yourself to keep everyone happy!  

  The people are grumbling because Jesus is granting legitimacy to Zacchaeus by dining with him while he's still a sinner, but it's a remarkable pattern that Jesus is establishing.  Jesus doesn't wait for Zacchaeus to change his life before dining with him.  Jesus goes in to eat with him, and then his life changes.  

  He does the same with us, too.  May we receive Jesus and fully acknowledge our broken state.  We are not worthy of the King, but he makes us worthy by coming to us.  Such is his unconditional love.  We are broken, but we are his and we are precious to him.  He has come to seek us out, and may we celebrate as he finds us, in whatever state he finds us.