1. Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The message from God’s Word on this 2nd Sunday in Lent is taken from our Epistle lesson from Philippians 3:17-4:1. It’s entitled, “The Christian Mindset.” Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. Many religious gurus, pop psychologists, motivational speakers, and other “experts” on leadership talk about having the right mindset for success. They’ll tell you that your way of thinking, set of assumptions, and how you make decisions is everything. Actually, there’s a lot of truth to that. To be sure, the wrong mindset, such as holding on to former failures or pain from the past, can hinder you from much in this life. I won’t argue with that. But while positive thinking and steps to recovery can help one move forward in life, it’s not at all what the apostle Paul offers in today’s Epistle from Philippians. What Paul is offering us as we continue our journey to Calvary on this Second Sunday in Lent, given now in holy baptism and completely transformed at the final resurrection is what we might call the Christian mindset.
3. As he nears the conclusion of his Epistle to the Philippians, a congregation to which he was especially close to, the apostle Paul invites his hearers to imitate him: “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Phil. 3:17). Often when today’s prominent leaders give their sermons or pep talks, they come off as incredibly arrogant as they hold themselves up as examples to imitate on the road to success. Paul is far more than some religious guru or expert offering practical advice based on his own experiences. He’s no arrogant or prideful leader. He’s an apostle, a servant of Christ Jesus. And what he has to share with the saints at Philippi and with you is much more than seven steps to transform your mindset for success. To imitate Paul has little to do with him at all and everything to do with Jesus.
4. While the “successful” leaders and preachers of today may boast of their accomplishments, Paul counts his as loss, even manure. He indicates such in the verses preceding our text. Anything that could give him confidence in the flesh he sets aside, clinging only to the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The Christian mindset imitates Paul by clinging to the righteousness of Christ, which comes through faith.
5. The Christian mindset also then laments the rejection of the cross of Christ for self-glory. Paul is presenting a contrast for his hearers here in Philippians ch. 3. While he himself set aside things that bring confidence in the flesh, there were many in the Church who did not. This isn’t the first time the apostle had written about such enemies of the cross of Christ. He warns about them again, this time with weeping, lamenting their ambitions toward self-glory and their rejection of Christ in so doing. “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Phil. 3:18–19).
6. The Epistle to the Philippians is, for the most part, upbeat and encouraging, even though Paul himself is in chains for the Gospel. But there’s a threat more dangerous than imprisonment or even death. It’s a rejection of Christ and his righteousness won on the cross for a righteousness that comes from the Law and ends in destruction. The issue here is a false confidence in one’s own flesh, insisting on things like circumcision.
7. It’s so easy to fall back on the Law and cling to a confidence in one’s works or accomplishments to earn favor with God. Even in Lent that’s a temptation for us. What did you give up for Lent this year? Chocolate? Soda? Social media? It’s fine to practice self-discipline. It can be a great spiritual exercise, but sometimes it’s easy to go too far, like when your self-discipline becomes something you hold over God or your neighbor. The pride of the old Adam wants a bit of credit. You want God to be impressed and your neighbor too. It may seem harmless on the surface, but ultimately it rejects the cross and all that Jesus accomplished for you there. This is the mindset of the old Adam, not a true Christian mindset. The Christian mindset laments such a rejection of the cross for self-glory.
8. This was our Lord’s lament over Jerusalem in the Gospel—that God’s people had such a mindset. They had rejected the prophets, stoned and killed them, just as they threatened Jeremiah in today’s Old Testament Reading. And so, they reject God’s promised Son as well. The voice of the prophets was ignored, the call to repentance ignored. Just before he wept over Jerusalem, Jesus talked about the narrow door. Why will many who seek to enter not be able? Because of confidence in the flesh, clinging to a righteousness of the Law and rejecting Christ and his cross. Repent! Recognize Christ’s sadness over such rejection and Paul’s too. Set aside your earthly ambitions, and strive for what is greater in Christ, what is given you in Christ.
9. The Christian mindset is a gift given you in the waters of Holy Baptism, a washing and renewal. Receive this change of mind the Holy Spirit is working in you still. Christ is the narrow door, and he’s given you himself. Jesus strove not for self-glory but for God’s glory. His mindset was to glorify God by giving up everything for you, even his life. Paul so beautifully proclaimed that in ch 2—that Christ became a servant, obedient even to death for you. He emptied himself of everything, to be filled with all your sin, your flawed ambitions, your filthy self-righteousness. And now, he covers you with his own perfect righteousness.
10. It began at the baptism font, where not only your mind but your whole self is renewed. And now that new mindset looks ahead. It looks for the return of Christ and your own resurrection: “We await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore . . . stand firm . . . in the Lord, my beloved” (Phil. 3:20–4:1). That’s the goal, not self-glory but God’s, his glory bestowed on you fully when Jesus comes again. That’s where the transformation begun in your Baptism is made complete, your lowly body transformed to be like his glorious body. And Jesus has the power to do it, dear Christian, because all of which he emptied himself and more was given him back in his glorious resurrection.
11. So press on, beloved of God. You have a new mindset that looks beyond the successes of this world, greater than confidence in your own flesh and accomplishments. The Christian mindset is much more than positive thinking or steps to a better you. It’s a mindset that glories in Christ and focuses on daily repentance and faith. That’s the mindset Paul invites you to imitate, returning each day to your Baptism. It’s also why you can stand firm in the Lord. He’s done everything for you and for your salvation. Your citizenship is in heaven, even now as you walk the way of the cross here on earth. Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.
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