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Philippians 3:15-18: Me Too (without the hashtag)

Philippians 3 is a great chapter in a great book. It is, among other things a great call to perseverance. You know what perseverance is? Perseverance is the ability to get through difficult times. And you know why God gives us the ability to get through difficult times? Because He has even more difficult times for us to get through (cf. Romans 5:3,4).

There is a popular song these days by Meghan Trainor called Me Too. Its chorus repeats, ‘if I were you, I’d wanna be me too.’

Philippians is a letter Paul wrote while he was in jail awaiting execution. He voluntarily suffered so much. He didn’t need to be there but because God is most important to him he is in jail, he is on death row and instead of telling all his friends to pray for his release, his ease, or to run for the hills so this doesn’t happen to them; Paul says in essence, ‘if I were you (outside, free, and not on death row) I would want to be me too.’ Paul writes, ‘Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do’ even though it may cost you everything, even your freedom and your life.

Paul goes on to write, ‘for, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.’ But you should live as I do and you will have real freedom.
This is quite important. Do you see why Paul wishes we could be like him even though he is in jail? It is because he is there serving God. Paul's life isn't easy. Paul gave up basically all claims to an easy life when he became a Christian. That's when he began his journey towards imprisonment and death and everyone knows that. This is why Philippians is such an important letter. Philippi is a rich city. Paul, on death row here, lets us know how to really have life abundantly. Paul, who used to be every bit as privileged as the Philippians, tells them that he cries not because he is in prison; he cries because they, who are free, really are missing out on something. It is Paul who is living the free life of someone who is redeemed.

I saw an article in the National Post the other week. It was about the curse of the lottery. Maybe even more than two-thirds of big lottery winners in Canada are broke within seven years of becoming millionaires and some have new or worse drug habits and some are now in jail for those habits or for murder or for something else. Success, happiness, wholeness, life isn’t about having it easy by getting things or getting away with things. If in this life, if you have so much but do not have the love of God that produces the contentment of holiness than you have nothing. And then, no matter how wealthy you are, 'If I was you I'd wanna be me too'.

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