Last week I lost a friend. All funerals are sad, but this one was especially tragic. He was young (only 37-years-old), the father of young children, and had been entangled in the suffocating web of alcoholism. The despair that led to his death was especially powerful for me because this Fall our church is launching a Celebrate Recovery ministry. I have sensed the Spirit moving in the start of this ministry, but felt the weight of its importance as I sat through the funeral.

As we all tried to navigate meaning from this tragedy, I continued to go back to Philippians 3. The Apostle Paul models some very important things in this passage. Even though Paul was imprisoned and abused in his life, he still had the perspective to “rejoice in the Lord” (3:1). There were moments he suffered greatly, but he embraced it as an opportunity to “gain Christ” (3:8).

Philippians 3:12-14 gives us some needed insight on how to overcome our pain and sufferings. It reads, “(12) Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (13) Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, (14) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

First, like Paul, our goal should be the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Our hope for happiness is not in the circumstances of this world. Our hope for happiness is being with Jesus and looking increasingly more like Jesus.

Second, like Paul, none of us “have already obtained this” nor are “already perfect.” No one at our new church is perfect like Jesus. The more they get to know me as their pastor the more they see moments when I am not like Jesus.

But, third, is what we need to hold onto. Paul also explains how Christians live in this tension of not being like Jesus, yet having a hope to be like him. We have a tension of not being with him in perfect joy yet, but having a hope that we will some day. Paul explains how he did it and thus gives us what we need to hear. The Word of the Lord tells us to go about our days “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.”

The past can be dangerous. The past can entangle. The past can reach up and choke out our lives. The past can be like Darth Vader hands reaching up to choke us. The past can destroy the present. Friends, hear me, I am someone who has made real mistakes in the past. If you have blown it in the past, you are in good company. We don’t need to make light of the past, but we MUST fight against letting the past strangle our present lives.

Our present task is to struggle toward Christ. It is never too late to start. It is never too late to say I have made a mess of things and I want to now struggle toward a new hope, I want to press toward Christ. Some of us have heard wrong voices or had faulty expectations. We think that this present life is going to be without struggles. We think that if we are faithful then we won’t have failings or difficult circumstances. Don’t mean to be too harsh, but you and I are not as faithful as Paul and he had extreme struggles that the average American Christian will never face. As Christians, we should expect struggles. Then, we should remember that our prize is not health, wealth, or prosperity. We should remember our prize is Christ. We should resolve to struggle toward him, because he is where our joy will be found.

This passage is especially important when we feel like we are between a rock and a hard place. Pressing toward Christ is the really the only happy joyful way out. I promise you he is where happiness and freedom are found. Even in your struggle, do you believe Christ is your prize?

(17) “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! (18) I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. (19) I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’

(Luke 15:17-19)

Luke 15:11-32 is the story about a wild son whose selfish loveless heart produces reckless living. He shockingly asks his father to cash out his property in order to get his inheritance early. He would rather his father be dead so he can get his stuff. He took that money and lived like a brute with no regard for virtue. He lives opposite of John 8:42 which says, “If God were your Father, you would love me.” He rejects the truth of John 14:15 which says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” This animal-like kid does not love his earthly father, and does not keep his earthly father’s commandments. This is a heart issue that points back to his lack of love for his heavenly Father. This selfish, loveless, animal-like behavior is the result of not loving his heavenly Father.

But, by God’s grace, “he came to himself.” The brokenness in his heart doesn’t lead to depression, but to repentance. Broken repentance should mark your life. We don’t use the word “repentance” in our everyday lives, it is sort of a hardcore Bible term. It is the idea of saying, “I’m wrong here.” God’s way is one path, but I am going down another path. Repentance is honestly and even emotionally hating the condition of your heart about something, then believing that Jesus’ way is better, and resolving to walk down his path. He resolves to confess his sin to his father, and heads for home.

Is there an area of your life that you need to repent and return home to your Heavenly Father? Maybe this area has manifested itself in reckless brutish behaviors. Maybe this area is still hiding itself in a dark corner of your heart. Whatever it is, don’t slip into depression, rather repent and head home to your heavenly Father.

This year I have been teaching a high school Logic class at my son’s school.  It has been a blessing to journey with my merry little band of philosophers.  This week we have been studying Seneca and his complex syllogism on virtue.  Seneca was a Stoic and argued that “the virtuous life is the happy life.”  He gets there by saying, “He who is prudent is temperate; he who is temperate is constant; he who is constant is imperturbable (calm); he who is imperturbable (calm) is without sorrow; he who is without sorrow is happy; therefore he who is prudent is happy, and prudence is sufficient for the happy life.”  I certainly believe the Bible advocates for a virtuous life and that it will lead to happiness.  Christians, however, need to link virtue to glorifying Jesus.

We know from Galatians 5 that one yielded to the Holy Spirit is marked by self-control.  But is the Christian life really always marked by calm and lack of sorrow?

Recently I have had to have some difficult conversations with a friend.  This friend has been very humble and respectful, and I pray I have also been gracious yet convictional.  But, in the end I am left with sorrowful emotions.  I have cried, felt sick to my stomach, and laboured over how to remain loving yet faithful.  I hurt over the status of our friendship and the difficult subject matters we are addressing.  I haven’t betrayed my friend’s privacy but have brought a couple of brothers into the discussion to seek their wisdom on how to address the situation.  They have been very affirming and encouraging on how I have addressed my friend.  My sorrow is not conviction over doing something wrong, but the appropriate emotion.  When we love as the gospel calls us to love, there will be sorrowful moments.

As I have reflected on the Stoics I was reminded of the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11:35, “Jesus wept.”  Jesus’ close friend Lazarus has just died.  The next verse explains his emotional response as rooted in his love for Lazarus.  Jesus’ response was in line with being self-controlled, it was natural, and it was good.  There were times that Jesus was sorrowful, and there are times that we should also be sorrowful.

As I discussed Jesus weeping over the death of Lazarus, one of my students was reminded of Jesus clearing out the temple courts with a whip?!  Likely included in that group was armed Roman soldiers.  That certainly isn’t a picture of what we would typically think as calm and self-controlled.  But as my students rightly concluded, this was Jesus and he was perfect so it didn’t conflict with being self-controlled.

In the end, Seneca and the Stoics are helpful, but Jesus is more helpful.  I don’t want to be known for flying off the handle, but if you caught Jesus on that day in the temple you might think he lacked self-control.  I don’t want to be marked my melancholy, but when people betray us or when we are taken advantage of or when we lose friends we are going to become sorrowful.  Frankly, I worry more about the guy who doesn’t get angry when he should and doesn’t get sad when he should.

Jesus’ gospel gives us a glorious taste in this present world of what will be fully consummated in the future.  But, it is only a taste.  The sorrows and trials of this life only serve to make the next life even more happy.  Virtue does lead to happiness, but it is not my virtue.  I am clinging to Jesus’ virtue as my ticket to eternal happiness.

Living with an 8-year-old boy is a funny experience. Regularly I am walking through the house and out of no where I am lept upon by the dude as if he is a lion hunting his prey. Daily Mason stands in front of me with a glimmer in his eye, in football ready position, and says, “hey Dad, want to wrestle.” My stories of taking Judo has resulted in Mason constantly asking me if he can flip me?! The other day I heard, “wow, there is a real muscle in there?!” I came around the corner to see him with his shirt off flexing in the mirror marveling at the little apple that was popping up in his bi-cep.

We have all seen gorillas, and 8-year-old boys, beat their chests in powerful pride in order to imtimidate their opponent. Beating your chest can mean “you’re mine.” Beating your chest can be one of the most powerful symbols of pride, but it can also demonstrate humble brokenness.

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus:‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get. ’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner! ’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Pride versus humility are in full display in Jesus’ parable. By all earthly and human measurements the Pharisee was the more righteous. He studied and knew the Scriptures. He was a decent and just man, not cheating people like the tax collectors. He was faithful to fulfill his religious obligations and gave his tithes. If I was his father there is a lot for me to proud of…somebody raised this guy right!

But, pride is the object of Jesus’ wrath in this parable. Morality is good, but moral superiority condemns. Decency is desired, but judgmentalism brings God’s wrath. Faithfulness to the law is right, but self-righteousness will lead to a sermon illustration about you!

Jesus doesn’t desire the moral kid if he takes pride in his own morality. Jesus doesn’t want the nice kid if the kid boasts in his politeness. Jesus wants a humble broken sinner in need of his mercy.

Are you the corrupt tax collector in this parable? If so, beat your chest in humble brokenness, then let Jesus save you. Are you the self-righteous religious guy in this parable? If so, beat your chest in humble brokenness, then let Jesus save you.