April 7, 2019 Fifth Sunday of Lent

“4 ¶ though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 ¶ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:4-14 NKJV)

Our Journey through Lent is a struggle but there is one struggle we often do not anticipate and that is pride! During our journey we see those who are not on the journey and those who fell out along the way. Look at us! We got this! We are the good and faithful ones!

Paul slaps us upside our cheek! If anyone could “boast” about their qualifications it was Paul. Take a look at his qualifications and they will amaze you, especially if you take time to see what they mean and the effort it took to accomplish them. Paul was an official leader and “defender” of God as can be seen by his persecution of Christians.

But Paul proclaims all of that is just rubbish or dung. There is nothing a person can do to make themselves righteous! All Paul had learned and done did not and could not save him! Paul had discovered the wonder of God's grace and the experience of having a relationship with God rather than rote legalism.

Through grace and acceptance of our need for the saving death of Jesus we participate in the resurrection of Jesus and will also be resurrected! Jesus by death overcame our death and by resurrection became our resurrection!

Then Paul takes us further on the journey by reminding us to not look at our life before Christ (BC days) but through God's salvation (AD days) we can look ahead to seeing the face of God!

We do not need to look down in shame, fear and anger but can look “upward” to see what we are now living for and not settling for the rubbish of this world. Even when we turn back we can remember all we have lost and once again look upward through the grace of God!