7-8-2023

Good Morning All,

     Philippians 2:4; “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” 

     If anyone ever questions whether we are born of a sinful nature, all you have to do is put 4 or 5 two-year-olds in a room with a few toys.  Pretty soon they will fight over them and take them away from each other and pretty soon most, if not all, will be crying.  It is really comical when you think about it.

    We can read in the paper or watch the news every day where someone just wishes we could all just get along.  People should be able to reach out to their inner angels and grab hold of the basic human decency that is truly in all of us.  Because we all know, that deep down, we are all good, right?  There is an accurate and concise theological term for this thought:  BALONEY!!  If you really think that there is really basic human decency; watch a bunch of two-year-olds play.

    In our sinful nature, we always look out for our own interests and not that of others.  Now I know some of you are going to be offended but if you are truly honest, why do people help others?  How many times have you heard the circle theory?  If you want nice things to happen to you then you have to do nice things for others.  Have you ever heard of that?  We may even innocently buy into it.  Some say that by helping others; you are building up “credits” so that someday we will benefit from it.  Whether we like to view it that way or not, that is a very selfish act.  The only reason we help is so that someday, if we need it, we will get help. 

    In this sinful world, man has turned from God and looks inward only to himself.  Down through the years, we have seen where banding together helps to protect us from others.  This is called self-preservation.  Notice the emphasis on self.  This occurs but we can truly see that throughout Scriptures; Jesus calls this stand into question.  When the rich man turned away because Jesus called on him to give his money to the poor, he turned away.  He wanted his own interests over the interests of the poor.  When Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek, we often balk because of self-preservation.  Yet the true irony is that you and I have life because Jesus was the exact opposite of self-preservation.  He laid down his life so that you may live.

    In doing this Jesus frees us from the bondage of self-preservation.  We are already saved; you could say already preserved.  This can and does free us to live, not in our sinful nature, but in our redeemed nature; the redeemed nature where we seek to be “like Christ.”  It is here where we find God’s peace and happiness.  It is here where we find true joy, not in looking out for me, but in aiding a hurting brother.  It is here where we find the desire to truly aid our brother, not out of some whimsical selfish desire but in true Christian love.  For it is in this fashion that God chooses to work in creation.  He does this by using the hands and voices, the hearts, and minds of his redeemed children to comfort, console and bring back the lost children.  We are God’s workmanship, Paul writes, we are his workmanship to do the good works that he lays out for us, and we do this by looking after the interests of others.

Dearest Father, we are only selfish children until you redeem us.  Bring us into your marvelous light of salvation and keep us as your dear children, serving you as your hands and your arms in this world. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen!

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret