August 12 2007 Lectionary Reading: Philippians 1.1-11

Text: “….that you may be able to discern what is best….”

Philippians 1.10 (NIV)

Recently I visited the little village of Cartmel in the southern part of the Lake District. Cartmel is a very pretty village of greystone cottages, crooked streets and lanes with quaint shops. That day it was quiet in the morning sun. What strikes the visitor, however, is the huge church, almost a cathedral, which lies at one end of the village. The church is Cartmel Priory, built here 500 or so years ago, at a time when wealth poured into the coffers of the Priory from the lands, the sheep and cattle in every field and hillside for miles around.

In the Priory Church itself, there are several tombs which say something of the days gone by. The powerful and wealthy men and women of bygone centuries lie there. Members of the Cavendish family, for example, who were earls of Pembroke and marshals of England. They found a resting place in the Priory, and their tombs were a sign to the villagers and pilgrims, of their wealth, importance and power. Still today, as a visitor, you cannot help pondering the relationship of these men and women to the Church. What was that relationship ? Well, it was taken for granted long ago, that because of their wealth and power they had an important place in the Church.

Relationship. What kind of relationship do men and women have to the Church today ? Some, many perhaps, have no relationship at all to the Church – many of the children who come here to visit Kirk o’ Field from the local primary school have never been in a church before – it’s a new experience for them. On the other hand, at the General Assembly in May, I heard many men and women speaking who are very deeply involved in the day to day running of the Church – caring for its organisation, administration and so on.

But it is good to step into the fresh air, the sunlit open spaces of the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. It is not exaggerating in the least to say that here Paul lays before us a quite different relationship to the Church, as he speaks, writes to the men and women of the Church in Philippi. Just how different, I am sure you will agree when you hear what he has to say – for we have a very great deal to learn from what Paul says.

What is strikingly different about Paul’s relationship with the men and women of the Church at Philippi ? Well, first of all, his thanksgiving for them. “I thank God every time I remember you” he says. These were ordinary men and women, just like us, in the Church at Philippi – and Paul says “I thank God, every time I remember you”. Note here, no sign of exasperation, or frustration with them, but thanksgiving to God for them.

Just to think a little further here: exasperation and frustration or criticism, usually arise out of longing for what we don’t have, and what we would like be.

But the thing about thanksgiving is that thanksgiving is for what we have, and what we’ve been given.

Now, I am sure there are some things we don’t have in Kirk o’ Field, that we would like. And some things we would like to be – but aren’t. But the Word, as we find it through Paul, speaks to us of giving thanks to God for who we are, for what we have, for what we have been given in Jesus Christ. Now, if we were to make a list of things to be thankful for in Kirk o’ Field, it might be a very long list, and take us only a few minutes to put together - or it might take us a long time, and we might end up with only one thing on the list: Whatever – to come to God in thanksgiving for who we are, for what we have, for what we have been given in Jesus Christ would bring us right into the gospel light, and joy we see in the first chapter of Philippians.

But – here’s a question – if we were to thank God for who we are, for what we have, for what we have been given in Jesus Christ – wouldn’t that be a recipe for just sitting back, staying where we are ? Isn’t thanksgiving for what we have, for who we are in Jesus Christ, a recipe for complacency ? Well no, because if you read Philippians chapter 1, you will find why Paul can give thanks – what he is giving thanks for. Listen to these wonderful words:

I am confident, says Paul, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Paul’s confidence, joy and thanksgiving for the Church at Philippi stems from what the Lord is doing, what the Father is doing in Philippi, by His Holy Spirit. This is a confidence in what Jesus declares in John’s gospel - The Spirit will guide you into all the truth………. Paul’s confidence, joy and thanksgiving for the Church at Philippi stems from the way in which the Spirit is creating, guiding and shaping the Church. The Spirit of Jesus Christ working in the congregation to bring them to greater maturity, fullness in Jesus Christ.

From verse 9, we find that this is specifically what Paul prays for: What does he pray for the men and women, the believers ? that their love for God, and therefore for each other will grow – and through that love for God, their knowledge of what God wants for them will become clearer – so that, and I love this phrase – they will come to the point where they will be able “to discern what is best” they will be able to work out what really matters…. for themselves as a congregation, under the guidance of the Spirit.

What a message for today this is ! It begins with that longing to see our fellowship and love for God and for each other deepen – and moves on to the point when together we can grasp what God wants for us here – and further, in that fantastic phrase – that we will be able to see what really matters for ourselves as a congregation under the guidance of the Spirit.

You know, here in Philippians, the Word of God through Paul puts into very precise terms one of the key problems of the Church today – I have said this several times as you will know – there are so many matters pressing in, crowding in on the Church today that sometimes we lose sight of what really matters. And what really matters is not an idea, a project, a ‘plan’ – but is given to us, in a living way as, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, through the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Christ working among us, we come to discern what is best for us as a congregation.

The Word declares that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will, by His Spirit reveal these things to us, and - working by His Spirit teach and guide us - He is already among us, now, and He will do what He has promised !

AMEN.