The Phil Files

Last Updated: 8.27.08

Several times in Colossians, Paul stresses that the believers are “saints” — lit. “holy ones” — God’s special people. But, how do we communicate that in a world where “saints” often means something totally different and holiness is often heard to be “self-righteous” or “religiously pompous” or “irrelevant to real life”?

Core Threads

On first glance, the key Scriptures (1:2, 9-14, 19-23; 3:5-14) point us in several key directions as the initial threads of our focus.

1. We don’t earn “holy” or merit “holy” but are given this identity by grace in Jesus: chosen, qualified, enabled, reconciled, rescued, purchased (1:20-21)
2. We must strive to live the character of Jesus (1:22) — a “holy life” or see 1:10 for a definition of both pleasing God and living fruitfully — but our efforts are not enough to get us there; we have to have the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and the prayer of other believers for us
3. Our motivation for holy living, however, is never earning a better standing with God, but we are …
   a. responding to the character of our Father in heaven (1:19-22)
   b. showing our appreciation for the sacrifice of Jesus (3:12-13)
   c. sharing community with others seeking God’s character (1:2, 12; 3:12-14)

How do we emphasize these in our worship gatherings?

Which of these do you believe we can speak to with our sining? … communion time? … time in the word? … community focus time? … leaving to share?

LIFE

The real issues we face in a discussion of holiness is what I call “the stained glass ghetto.” The term is almost poison to those seeking Jesus and turned off by religious hierarchies and institutions. The “in your face” truth we must face is that hypocrisy at almost every level of those professing to know Christ has made outsiders skeptical. Yet, we face a crisis inside, in that we have lost any real call to live for God in any special way. Again, holiness involves both the character and compassion of God. But we often oscillate between one extreme or the other — read Revelation chapters 2 and 3, which were written to churches 3 decades later and see how they are either struggling with the compassion issue (a good example is the Ephesian church that has lost the love it had at first) or the character issue (a good example is the Laodicean church). Jesus becomes the model for us here. He displayed both character (sinless) and compassion (his demonstrated love).

Why do you think “holy” and “holiness” are generally not considered good qualities by those outside of Christian faith?

How have our actions as believers made it harder for us to use these terms and they mean anything good to those who are not Christ followers?

What are some ways to describe holiness, or what are some images for holiness, that we can use to speaking meaningfully to our neighbors?

Why do you think it is so hard for us to emphasize and display both the character and compassion of Jesus?

How do we challenge each other to be holy people so our walk and our talk are more consistently true?

Do you think Colossians 1:10 is a good three point definition of holiness (honor & please God, live productive lives, know God better and better)?

Which of these do you need to work on with the most focus?

How can we learn to better honor and please God?

How is knowing God better crucial to the other two?

iSpy

What video or graphical or story elements could help us with our focus on holiness?

So far, the Run the Race video is the one we are looking at using.

With Water, Pure is Better

Preliminary Ideas for Our Time in the Word

“I ain’t no saint!” Uh … yeah, you really are!

How much poison in a glass of pure water makes it impure? How much sin can I have to be impure? Can I be clean and pure again?

Beauty — what are the most beautiful things I’ve seen? Some are pristine — lakes, streams, babies, bride/groom — but others are weathered by life and time, scars that are wounded and made beautiful — Grand Canyon, mountains, glacial lakes. Jesus declares us pure before God (1:20-23), but we are also to pursue that purity in our lives (1:23; 3:5-14). Even more importantly, Jesus keeps purifying us as we pursue his character and compassion in our lives.

We seek to be “holy people” — people who do right by God [guy from Zimbabwe military paratrooper who hated religion and is leery of church because of his experience with "church leaders" who drove up in their Mercedes] — not just to please God but to be a blessing to others.

[Does anybody else think it's crazy, inappropriate, that we can pay 12.00 for food and have to eat it with plastic forks and paper napkins with Styrofoam cups on uncleaned tables? Or to pay $25.00 or more for a meal and the silverware is waters potted and the place isn't clean? {Our experience and revisit!} What is the price for something special? Well, God is saying I want you to be something special -- for me and to others. I made you for more. I am at work in you ]

Last Updated: 8.8.08

For Sunday 9.07.08

DAYBREAK

We would use the Rob drama piece possibly, worked in with the Ralph Martin Quote (see digging deeper below). In addition, we would cover the first two teaching threads below, leaving the final one to be the focus at SUNDOWN. That means communion would focus on the persecuted church and would share several of the same pieces in common with REFRESH. The communion devotional leader would be prepped to have this focus.

My sermon would be very similar to the Sermon Kernel at the bottom of this page.

REFRESH

Rob Marcelain Scripture piece done dramatically with the narrator injecting in the quotes from Ralp Martin. This and communion and crucial pieces if the Time in the Word is to be 7 minutes!

Communion focus on the persecuted church and our solidarity with those hundreds of thousands being persecuted for the cause of Christ. The short article and Gary’s email mentioned below would be shared and we would need to find a way to do communion and prompt prayer for specific areas of persecution. The logistics of this need to be ironed out. This might be good to be last or very early and use to set our focus or finish our focus of the assembly.

Possible video related to the this theme, either on the Persecuted Church or something related.

Time in the Word would be focused on the base kernel of Phil’s outline below.

SUNDOWN

Focus for this service is on thread #3, God’s message about Jesus cannot be chained. The worship service would end on specific mission areas to pray for with cards to take home and be prayer reminders. The emphasis would be on the triumph of the Gospel over every barrier using Paul’s conversion of those in the Praetorian guard and themes from the book of Acts for the message.

Digging Deeper (Focus Passages, Core Teaching Threads, Ideas, Sermon Kernel)

Focus Passages: (Col. 1:1-2, 13-14, 24-29; 4:2-6, 18; cf. Eph. 6:10-20, 18-20; Phili. 1:12-14, 19-21; 4:21-23; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; 11:23-27)

Paul was behind enemy lines in his work of sharing the good news of Jesus and starting communities of believers in places that were hostile to God’s values and to faith. Paul suffered for what he did, but he was sold out because he was called by God to this ministry. That being said, he was teaching the principle of “subversive goodness” to these new followers of Jesus and asking for them to pray for him as he lived that principle while chained to a Roman soldier. This is powerful stuff, and a call to our slumbering folks who are willfully ignorant of their suffering family throughout the world and who are not willing to risk for their faith. But this is also exciting and challenging, because it is a call to real faith that takes risks and lives boldly.

Core Teaching Threads

1. We are at war with forces we can’t see, that use places of power that we can see. Our goal is not necessarily to topple these structures because Satan will build more. But our focus is on being God’s Kingdom in the face of the war! Paul’s sense of mission (1:1, 24-29) should inspire our sense of mission (1:2; 42-6). As agents of “subversive goodness” or using the language of MSG, we are on “special assignment” (Col. 1:1).
2. When we take the Supper, we do it with all those who are believers who gather at the Table around the world. We can use this time to pray for them and their proclamation of the good news of Jesus and their courage as they face persecution and opposition (Col 4:2-4; Eph 6:19-20).
3. God’s Message of Jesus cannot be chained. Even though Paul could be held hostage and chained to a Roman soldier under house arrest, the message of Jesus was empowered and found places and people that it could not have reached without opposition and persecution (Col 1:24-29; Phil 1:12-14; 2 Tim 2:8-13).

Ideas

The Lord’s Supper remembering the persecuted church

Gary’s letter of warning about traveling to China: Stolen computer and martyred house church leaders!
Testimony about Bible League person in China

Rob Marcelain — Dramatic Reading Piece

*A: Narrator

“Paul now takes the stylus from the hand of the scribe who … has been wielding it, and he appends his own signature. It is a mark of authenticity and a final appeal to heed his teaching.”

Rob: Philemon 1:1a; Ephesians 6:18-20;

*B: Narrator
“The recall of his chains is no piece of sentiment and dramatics. Paul holds up his manacled wrists to impress the readers with his authority as a suffering apostle. Not pathos but authority is the sign he points to by his chains …”

Rob: Philippians 1:12-14, 19-21;

*C: Narrator
“Yet the last word is spoken with tender tones of grace, with which the epistle opened and by which the church at Colossae – or wherever, in an all ages – lives.”

Rob: Philippians 4:21-23; Col. 4:18a; Eph. 6:30b

* Ralph P. Martin, Interpretation Commentary, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon

Possible Video from The Persecuted Church and links on our site to read more would be made available.

A powerful image to think about here involves servicemen returning to the war zone or coming home to families: how gripping and emotional this is. We have hundreds of thousands of brothers in sisters in even more vulnerable and dangerous positions sharing Jesus! What can we do to support them like we support our guys from Dyess through Bridges?

Sermon Kernel

[Tim, Army Ranger behind enemy lines to missionary in the heart of the Amazon]

Sharing the good news of Jesus can be brutal, but Paul knew all about that:
a. Refer to Rob’s piece
b. Refer to 2 Cor 11:23 (maybe use a slide to list all he had gone through)

But Paul was not trying to be heroic, just faithful to his call … and he knew what that might mean:
a. Col 1:1 MSG cf. Acts 28:30-31
b. Paul’s call in Acts 9, 22, 26 (not included at REFRESH - just referred to)
c. 1 Tim 4:12?

You see, Paul knew he was at war: not with people, but the powers behind them
a. Eph 6:10-12 (glancing reference since used recently)
b. 2 Cor 10:3-5 powerful passage

He wants us to know that we are on a “spiritual assignment” as well Col 1:2
a. His task 1:24-29
b. Our task 4:2-6 [Heartlight's part in getting Christians released in Cambodia]

“Worship is transcendent wonder.” (Thomas Carlyle)*

“One minor change to the oder of worship for Sunday.” (A friend talking about an upcoming worship gathering.)

From the sublime to the ridiculous?

Is this a misspell or a Freudian slip?

Neither: but maybe it’s a reminder that worship is not primarily about us, but about God and bringing others to appreciate and love Him. And this kind of worship is not just about what happens at worship gatherings, but it involves all of life.

“Our offering to God is this: We are the sweet smell of Christ among people who are being saved and among people who are being lost.” (Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:15 NRS)

In another place, he said it this way:

Everything you say and everything you do should all be done for Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus. (Colossians 3:17 NRS)

So how is your worship “oder”?

Notes:
*From Heartlight.org, Quotemeal

Last Updated: 7.24.08

For Sunday 8.31.08

We will have a guest speaker on this Sunday, Chris Seidman.

Colossians 1:15-23 is a close connection to message Chris has. The message hinges at vs. 19-20. The first part focuses on Jesus’ pre-existence, majesty, incomparable greatness, crucial role in creation in both forming and sustaining, his victory over death, and his place of pre-eminence.

Delivered in one primary piece at Daybreak, but we will probably use a strong Communion video that will precede the Time in the Word.

It will be done the following way at refresh.

Early in the service, he will need about 10 minutes to focus on the greatness of Jesus. (Col 1:15-19)

We will use a video to lead us into the Supper, something like this powerful glimpse of the Supper.

The Supper time will possibly use the video to set up The Supper with Our Lord:

Then after The Supper, he will focus on Jesus and what he has done for us and lead us into a strong Garden of Prayer time to conclude our gathering together.

Sundown

The focus will be on Jesus’ claims to be the one and only way to God and how this is affirmed in other places throughout the NT. “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me!” (John 14:6 also the the other I Am statements could be used here; Matt 13:16-17; Luke 10:16; Matt 28:18-20; John 5:63). This was also the message declared by the early followers of Jesus (Acts 4:12). In addition, the crucial role that Jesus plays in fulfilling and filling up Scripture (Matt 5:17; 2 Tim 3:15; Heb 1:1-3; John 1:1-18).

Last Updated: 8.03.08

For Sunday: 8.24.08

DAYBREAK

Time in the Word will focus on Colossians 4 and see this list of names. These are real folks. Just like us. Part of the flawed, but Christ-formed people of God. Each with strengths … and weaknesses (point out a couple). We are these people — flawed, but being built into a counter kingdom to impact the world around us. Over the next several weeks … we will decide whether we will be this kind of people or merely church pretenders. But God is at work, with the help of his servants, to bring this Christ-formed identity to life in us — displaying his character and compassion (1:29).

Each of the threads (below) will be woven together into a whole, with a focus on our different stories, our different histories being woven into one group, a Transforming Community, that lives by “subversive goodness” to make a difference in the world.

Video Clips: Robin’s Video Testimony & The Point Video?

REFRESH

At the Table: (Speaking time 5-7 minutes, broken up as helpful.) Look at your fingerprints. Compare them to someone next to you. We leave them everywhere we touch. Sometimes, they testify of the wrong places and wrong things we have done. Other times, we leave them as testimony of good things we have done. We are mix of both, aren’t we. But God wore real fingerprints, too. Those fingerprints belonged to Jesus. And He left fingerprints stained with blood on a cross so our wrongly placed fingerprints are not permanent evidence of our betrayal of God’s values and truth. And as we gather around this table and share this meal, we commit to be willing to leave our fingerprints in places that need Jesus’ healing touch of grace … and each one of us can do that in ways as unique as our own … fingerprints. (Focus on how we would do communion time — songs, how served, integrate Garden of Prayer into this time?)

Time in the Word: Near the end, 7 minutes including reading of text (1:1-5). Look at Colossians 4 and see this list of names. These are real folks. Just like us. Part of the flawed, but Christ-formed people of God. Each with strengths … and weaknesses (point out a couple). We are these people — flawed, but being built into a counter kingdom to impact the world around us — agents of “subversive goodness.” Over the next several weeks … over this semester … we will decide whether we will be this kind of people or merely church pretenders. Each week, the time at the Table calls us back to our commitment to be a community where the character and compassion of Christ are lived out.

Time in the Word outline overview:
For refresh, focus on being called out in church in high school [kids behave or ask you to leave]. What Paul does with Philemon and this worship gathering of folks in Colossae. Risky.
Goal is not to “be nice” but to be real. Bigger stakes: slave owner house meeting in, his son is the preacher dude, Paul in prison so whole thing could blow up. But, the Jesus deal had to be real, produce change and create a real community. Their lives had to be tuned to Jesus’ life — his character and compasison. But there are other stories of people … Wiersbe’s Stayed, Prayed, Strayed.
Problems: we can’t pretend they aren’t there, so address them, call them to stay on the journey to be Jesus’ family. But God’s power, and each of us, is at work here to share the Jesus journey. A place of “subversive goodness” — folks who change the world be becoming a people living like Jesus who have different stories but being tuned to each other and to Jesus. Outline Follows:

Colossians 1:1-5; 4:9-10 [Called Out in Church – me & Onesimus]

Church is not about being fakey nice, but …

@ being real as people (4:9-10)
@ being re-tuned to Jesus (1:29; 3:10)
@ being re-fashioned into a Jesus community of faith, hope, & love (1:1-5) 

Video Clips: The Point, Robin’s Testimony, It

SUNDOWN

Time in the Word: Called out in church! Philemon & Onesimus issue. Hard. Challenge. But Jesus-stuff isn’t easy. Why we are called together as community is to worship something, or in our case, Someone, who calls us out of our easy and set ways and challenges us to be more than we are, more than the status quo culture. Something is more important than hurt feelings or cultural values. Faith, Love, Hope — they are more than words. They are the gritty pieces of our lives that God uses to shape us and make us more like Jesus … no matter the cost. This will be a look at the letter of Philemon (also compare 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 and Colossians 3:18-4:1). Paul was against slavery in a culture that was dependent upon it. Philemon is a case study in our how Paul tried to influence his dear friend to take back a slave (Onesimus) who had robbed Philemon and run away from him. Now, Paul says, receive him as a brother and not a slave. Paul has this letter read in church to solicit the community’s support to bring about this; but the church probably met in Onesimus’ house and his son is probably the minister. So much is on the line. Paul takes a great risk in his friendship, in the stability of the church (what would other slaves do? what would happen if Philemon didn’t agree? would this split the church). But underneath is a bigger issue: How does the “Kingdom of the Son God Loves” (Col 1:13-14) live in a world where values are different? Will it’s culture be transformed by the Lordship of Jesus? This is where the concept of “subversive goodness” becomes crucial!

Digging Deeper (Focus Texts, Passages, Core Teaching Threads, Ideas)

Focus Texts: (1:1-8, 24; 4:7-18)

Paul tells the Colossians that he has thankfulness and reasons to rejoice because of them — faith, hope, love. The goodness and growth of these followers of Christ that Paul had never met are part of the key ideas that lie behind our focus. But so also is the slavery issue that is personally lived out with Philemon and Onesimus (Paul’s letter to Philemon NAS). Paul clearly uses every means possible to get Philemon to release Onesimus from slavery even though there is no legal or social reason to do so, but every reason in Christ to do so. Also, notice the different people Paul mentions and the walks of life they represent, one of whom, Demas (2 Timothy 4:10 NRS) will ultimately abandon Paul and the faith — thus making the concerns Colossians 1:23 NAS real and not just theoretical. This gathering of believers in Colossae is a good, true fellowship. But they have their flaws, weaknesses and blind spots. Yet rather than giving up on them, Paul is pointing them to Christ Jesus, and depending upon them to make a difference in their part of the world!

Church life, life in God’s family as we like to call it, is a mixture of charis (grace) and crisis. Evidence of grace and reasons for thanksgiving can be found in our imperfect community, but our weaknesses, blind spots, and hypocrisies also rear their ugly heads.

Read the Passages

Colossians 1:1-8 (NAS) & Colossians 1:24 (NAS) & Colossians 4:7-18 (NAS)

Core Teaching Threads

Threads

1. Every honest group of folks following Jesus admits it is a mix of flaws and Christ-likeness. Each of us is in the process of being formed, but none of us has fully arrived yet (Philippians 3:12-16 CEV): there is freedom to grow (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 RSV) yet also leave or turn away from Jesus or grow lax (for example, Demas).

2. But God gives us different people from all walks of life with all sorts of histories to help us (Hebrews 3:12-13 NAS and Hebrews 10:23-25 NAS).

3. Yet in the mix of strengths and flaws, God builds a community, a Kingdom community of people who have been delivered from the dark dominion and who are not only redeemed, but redeem the world through the leaven of their faith (Colossians 1:13-14 NAS). God builds His people into agents of change through what we will call “subversive goodness” — what we see Paul urging Philemon to do and be, by calling him out in front of his church buddies!

4. Learning each other’s stories and being a fellowship of different kinds of people helps us see that we belong and we need to be a place where people who are not exactly like us are welcomed to belong, as well. The key, is that all of our lives are tuned to Christ and show a move toward the things that last — faith, hope, love (Colossians 1:3-5 & cf. 1 Corinthians 13:11-13 NAS).

Core

God uses imperfect people — all sorts, shapes, histories, and sizes — to be His influence and leaven in their communities — agents of His subversive goodness. But this happens because they are not content to live in their flaws: instead, Jesus’ people are willing to live that Jesus focused lifestyle in their world.

iSpy

Video Clips: It & The Point

Video Testimony: Robin George

LIFE

(Please read the passages above and interact with them.)

So why is a “church” of flawed people worth my time?

How do I determine if what I see is real or simply hype … spin … hypocrisy … sin?

But maybe even more important to ask, could I stand being in a community that wasn’t a mixture of both strengths and flaws?

How could I possibly fit in a place that everybody appeared to have it together?

So how do we — I — keep from getting settled down and satisfied in our/my imperfections and keep on the journey to be more like Jesus?

And what is the difference in being a flawed community and a flawed community with a commitment to be molded to Christ?

So what’s the difference in me “liking” this community and “needing” it? … and what would draw me to it?

How can I be an influence for good, for Jesus, and not grow cynical, negative, and hyper-critical of a community of people whose flaws or life-experiences may be different than my own?

(Other LIFE group and discussion questions would be great to share in the comments section below.)

Randomness

Share some random musings about this whole matrix of ideas in the comments section below. One that comes to my mind is a gathering of believers in Bangkok, Thailand, where people from 12 different nations were present and worshiped together.