What? - Philippians 2:5-11

Have you ever had one of those “what was I thinking moments?”

I have had several of them.  As I was preparing the message for this morning, one in particular came to mind.

It was 1999, Natalie was ten years old.  Like many kids that age, Natalie wanted a pet—either a lizard or some fish.  We already had two cats and a dog.  I didn’t think we needed anything else in our house.  Phase 1, of “What were you thinking” happened next.  Natalie had lots of trouble keeping her room clean (and I use the past tense just to indicate this story happened in the past, not that she has overcome her difficulty).  I thought I knew how to get past this request from Natalie without denying her.  I told her that if she could keep her room perfectly clean and straight for three consecutive months, that she could get a pet—that would prove she was responsible enough to care for a pet.  “What was I thinking?”  I should have known better—never challenge Natalie with something you think she will never be able to accomplish.  Exactly three months later we were on the way to the pet store.

When Anita and I saw that she was going to make it, we started talking about the fish versus lizard issue.  I had not had fish, but Anita had, and I had known folks with fish, and fish were messy to take care of.  Having to change the water as well as having deal with filters and all the sort—plus since this pet was going to stay in Natalie’s room, I didn’t think a tank of water was a good thing, as she would be able to spill it easily.  We the completed the “What was were thinking” scenario—we told her she could get the small lizard she wanted.  What I thought was a miniature iguana.  After brining her home, I learned that there was no such thing as a miniature iguana—only one breed of iguana, this little hand held gentle lizard would grow quickly.  Within six months we had moved from a ten gallon tank to a fifty-five gallon tank—within another year, we had moved from the fifty-five gallon tank to the 3 foot by 4 foot by 5 foot cage that many of y’all saw us move into the parsonage with as Natalie’s iguana grew to full 5 ½ foot-with-a-tail-which-can-slash-to-the-bone size. And because iguana, unlike fish, are not short lived creatures—many of which, even in captivity, can live up to seventy-five years old—and the mess of cleaning up after an adult iguana—it was enough to make us say over and over, “What was I thinking” and long for a fish tank.

As Jesus concluded his journey to Jerusalem and the cross, so to do we conclude our journey through Lent and pose our final question of self-examination.  Before we look at the last question, let us take a few moments to reflect on where we have been. 

We affirmed that we can overcome this Spiritual Alzheimer’s that seems to plague our churches by opening ourselves up to receive the grace of God through Worship, Sunday School, Scripture, and Christian Fellowship, so that when asked “Who are we?” we can reply, “We are children of God.”

We affirmed that we are not citizens of this world that trust in possessions, power, or popularity to save us, but we answer the question of “Where do we live?” by saying we are citizens of heaven, who trust in God.

On the third Sunday of Lent, we asked the question, “Which will we choose?” and we affirmed that we must look beyond the immediate gratification of what we want now (which will lead to death), and choose life by focusing in on choosing God and seeking first God’s will and not our on.

Next, we asked the question “How do we see things?” and we affirmed that we must learn to stop looking at situations and people in this world through the self-centeredness of “I-colored lenses”, but begin to look at the world through “Christ-colored glasses” which lead us to view others with love, compassion, and forgiveness.

Last week when we asked, “Why do we value that?” we affirmed that we must value increasing our relationship with Christ above our possessions, our careers, and our pleasures.

That all brings us to today, after all of this reflection, we now ask ourselves the question, “What are we thinking?”  Have these days of reflection changed the way we think about things?   As we enter this final week of Lent, where do we find ourselves; what are we thinking?

Paul tries to guide us in how we should be thinking.  In our reading from today, Paul says, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…” Paul wants us to have the same mind that Christ had.  He suggests to us that we ought to be thinking about the things we encounter in this world and the things we do in this world in the same way Christ encountered things, in the same way Christ handled things.  However, Paul didn’t want us to just pick and choose from the life of Christ as to how we should act (if that was the case, some folks might select Christ’s episode with the money changers and use that as an argument to be angry all the time, or Jesus’s tears upon learning of the death of John the Baptist and choose to be depressed all the time), instead Paul tells us exactly what he means, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.”

Not much depicts the true mindset of Christ that Paul is looking for than the way Jesus lives his life through what we now call Holy Week.

Luke depicts Jesus entry into Jerusalem, as a triumphant entry.  People are lining the streets shouting “Hosanna!  Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!                  Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”  Some of the Pharisees tried to get Jesus to quiet the crowd, but Jesus told them that if the people were quiet, then the stones would cry out in praise of the Christ.”  The passages depict the crowd as loving Jesus, everyone was happy with him.  He could have stopped right there.  Jesus could have given the people whatever they wanted and remained the popular icon that he was in their eyes.  He had the power to wipe out all their enemies.  With a word, Jesus could have wiped out the Roman Empire and set up Israel as a mighty power over everything.  He could have done that.  But Jesus knew that the Roman Empire wasn’t the greatest enemy that Israel or the world faced.  Jesus knew that simply given the people what they thought they wanted wasn’t truly what he should do or what they should have.  So Jesus continued on into Jerusalem, past the praise crowds, toward the cross he knew he had to bear.

As the week moves on, Jesus gathers His disciples for the Passover meal.  Jesus already knows that Judas was preparing to betray him.  Jesus could have confronted Judas, embarrassing him in front of the other disciples.  He could have called Judas out.  He could have thrown Judas out.  Jesus, though, shared this sacred meal with the one who would sell him out.

Later in Luke, we come upon the scene in the garden atop the Mount of Olives.  Judas has come to betray Jesus.  Jesus could have hidden.  He could have simply vanished or run for cover.  He could have simply walked away, through the crowd and the swords, as he had done in previous conflicts.  Impetuous Peter, drew a sword and attacked.  Jesus could have encouraged or let the disciples who were with him, defend him and protect him.  Jesus could have called down a Legion of Angels to come and wipe out those who were seeking to capture him.  Yet Jesus told Peter to put the sword away and even offered healing to the one who Peter had struck.  Jesus let the soldiers and the priests take him away, he continued on toward the cross he knew he had to bear.

When questioned about his kingship by Pilate and Herod, Jesus would only answer, “Are you the King of the Jews?” by saying, “You say so.”  When Jesus could have claimed ultimate authority and told Pilate, Herod, or even the Emperor to bow down, forcing them to go to their knees and call Him Lord, he remained silent, that those who call him Lord, do so of their own free will.  He stood there, refusing to even verbally defend himself, allowing himself to be condemned, and continued on toward the cross he knew he had to bear.

He was beaten. The crowds yelled “crucify him.”  The women in the streets cried as he was forced to carry the cross on which they would execute him.  As he hung upon the cross, many mocked him.  Jesus could have turned to all of them like he did to the fruitless fig tree on his journey and spoke a word that would have brought sudden death.  He could have looked upon them spat upon them and cursed them.  He could have asked that out of how they were treating him that they be condemned to eternal punishment in Hell.  Yet Jesus offered words of comfort to the women who wept and for those who were calling for and causing his crucifixion, for those who were mocking him and abusing him, he said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”

God could have destroyed the world again, like he did with the flood in the days of Noah.  God could have allowed the evils that were inflicted upon Job to be inflicted upon all those upon the earth.  God could have destroyed everyone as he did to the Egyptians who pursued the Israelites through the Red Sea.  There is so much that God could have done because of the sin of the world.  But God chose to come to us in Jesus, and Jesus took the road of the cross.   There is so much that God could still do because of the sin in the world.  But God still offers himself to us in Jesus.

When we are faced with the choice of taking the easy or popular way out of things or doing what is right, how do we think about our choice?  When those who want to see us destroyed attack us, how do we think about responding?  When those who don’t like us or see themselves as better than us put us down, how do we think about them?  When we have the power to wipe out those that would hurt us, how do we think about treating them?  When faced with the road that leads to the cross—when we know following Jesus will call for sacrifice, sacrifice of friends, sacrifice of family, sacrifice of career, sacrifice of money, sacrifice of our free time, what are we thinking?  My brothers and sisters, “Let the same mind be in [us] that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” Let the same mind be in us that was found in Christ, so that on Judgment Day we won’t be asking, “What was I thinking?” but will instead be responding to the words, “Welcome Home.”

 In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.