Rev. George Miller
May 10, 2026
Philippians 1:1-11
Last week we were
with Paul, all alone, in Athens. Now it’s
about 10 years later. Paul has done a
lot, seen a lot. His actions and beliefs
have landed him in Rome, under arrest.
He is a person with
a lot of time to reflect, think things over and see clearly from a lens wide
enough to observe his past, present, and future.
With sage wisdom he
writes to a group of believers in Philippi who have had his back, sent him a
sweet-smelling gift, and embodied what it means to be the hands, feet, heart,
and mind of Christ.
Paul gives thanks
to God for their legacy and prayers, offering blessings of joy and good tiding,
asking that the Lord allows their love to overflow with insight and
intelligence.
Though Paul has had
his freedom taken away by the Romans, he celebrates how the Philippians are
growing in what is right and what is good, what really matters and what is
truly true.
While others could
be bitter, or ruled by regret, Paul is living his days focused on all things
made possible through Jesus Christ for the glory of God and God’s kingdom.
Paul is aware of
his own mortality, but the joy of Resurrection fills his being- Christ is alive!
Paul is part of
something exciting and new. A movement
of people going out into the world doing what they believed Jesus to do.
This is a mixed group
of long- time disciples and fresh faces who exist during a time of unrest. They’re doing something that hasn’t been done
before in the city of Phillippi- being CHURCH.
At a time when
others worship the Roman Emperor as a god, pray to Zeus, or seek python
spirits, Paul is part of a people united in Christ.
These women and men
are gathering in small groups and private homes. They’re having potlucks, reading Paul’s
letters, saying prayers, recalling the work of Christ-
The one who told
them to care for the least of these. The
one who said “When you welcome a stranger, feed the hungry, or visit the sick, you
are doing it for me.”
This group of folk,
who before knowing Christ were just doing their own thing. Peter, a fisherman. Nathaniel, sitting under
a tree. Lydia by the water.
What it must have
been like to be alive between the middle 30’s and 50’s, when others are worshipping Zeus or think that
snakes are a path to righteousness.
Along comes these working-class
women and men, some of them with their hands dyed the color purple, others smelling
like fishing boats, inviting you to come
to their home to have a meal in which you can learn about some guy named Jesus who
was born illegitimately, never got married, was seen with street urchins, spent
a lot of his time around the sick with no face mask, touching folk with skin lesions,
and rubbing mud in their eyes.
These first
followers of Christ, told how Jesus was arrested, executed, and rose from the
grave- how in the world did they believe such a tale? How did something like “The Church” take off?
And yet, thanks to people
like Paul and Lydia, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the tenacity of God,
that is exactly what happened.
This group of eclectic,
hard-working, faithful men and women become the ones in their cities who were known
for offering food and supplying fresh water.
The early Christians,
with no guidebooks, Zoom calls, or
bylaws, found a way to do the ministry of Christ.
At a time in which
Rome’s emperor kept saying “Me, Me, Me” these early Christians said “Sister”
and “Brother.”
At a time in which
citizens were always under the threat of attack, the followers of Christ offered
comfort in the Kingdom of God.
Today we celebrate
Mother’s Day and the women in our lives who have made a difference. It is also Nurses Week, and on the 12th
it’s International Nurses Day. Mindful
of this special time to honor Moms and nurses, role models and care givers, hear
this story:
In the year 249, a
pandemic hit the Roman Empire, taking millions of lives. There was fever, vomiting, folk dying in the
street. Known as the Plague of Cyprian, 5,000
people a day died. It was so intense, so
nasty, that the “who’s who” of the city fled.
The priests of Zeus
and the worshippers of snakes were too afraid to stay. All those who claimed their Emperor was
divine or had a shrine to Serapis took
the next Uber and Amtrack out of town.
It was the earliest
followers of Christ who stayed behind.
It was the Christians who bravely remained in the cities, cared for
those in the alleys, and went into homes of the unwell.
During the 13 years
the Plague lasted, these followers of Christ did not care if you were of the same
faith, skin tone, or caste-system, they nursed people back to health, or, like
a compassionate mother, stayed with them even if it seemed hopeless.
The Christians were
there, and they were the ones to bury the dead, even when families refused to be
around their own son or daughter.
Being a Christian truly
meant to be the hands and feet of Christ, in which gifts of nursing, offering
food, water, and presence saved folks lives.
People took
notice.
“Hey- the priests
who followed Zeus and Serapis all left us behind.”
“Those who claimed
the Emperor was All-Powerful fled as if on fire, but the followers of Christ stayed,
held my hand, and knew my name.”
Those who survived associated
the care they received with what it means to be a Christian. Instead of fear and abandonment, the Christians
demonstrated faith and presence.
Their witness was
not doctrine or dogma, who was in and who was out, but presence, care, comfort,
which all became a compelling reason why a life in Christ mattered.
Today we live in
uncertain times. It has seemed like a decade
of delirious days in which we don’t know what’s next- more masks, return to monarchy,
the third world war.
And yet here we
are, as a church, as the Body Of Christ, honoring our legacies and always discerning
where we are next being called to be.
I don’t know about
you, but I find this to be exciting and affirming. Paul would say that he is confident that our
good works will continue, that we are partners in grace and witness.
Mother and Fathers,
Nurses and Doctors, Sisters and Brothers in Christ- we are so blessed to be recipients
of Paul’s faith, with our sights set on Christ.
Just as the
earliest Christians were able to figure it out, so will we. Just as those in Rome were able to minister
even during difficult times, so will we.
For we are children
of the Living God, the one who knowns us by name and does not let anyone go
astray.
Amen and amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment