David Hyers (September 18, 2005)


Philippians 2:1-13

1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

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“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling”, says Paul. The journey of faith isn’t an easy road. We often get dry and parched along the way. The hope of water in the desert continues to be needed by countless folk the world over. And as in the last few weeks, and days, the hope of water, of life, and home and stability, is needed by literally millions as we reel and shake with the weather.

Many this day stand in the wilderness of their humanity. Looking for Hope of water. And may God continue to move in the midst of the wilderness of so many lives. God, move in and through us as we answer the call to help and to hope. Friends, if you or a family member are among the displaced or have been housing the displaced, know that our session and congregation continue to hold you and yours in our prayers. I would be happy to speak to you following the service.

For so many this is a time of wandering. Not merely from flood and wind, but so many experience physical, mental, and even spiritual journeys in the wilderness of our humanity. Wandering about in the exile of ones soul. Wondering about the exodus of ones lives. Homes left behind, homes flooded, homes destroyed, or no home to begin with. Feeling like there is no place even like home.

As the wind blows
One might question the faithfulness of God.
As the rain pours down
One might wish
to test the mercy and goodness of God.

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling

This Exodus text is familiar ground. Despite the liberation from slavery, the text speaks to the fear and trembling of human exodus into wilderness.

There was a time when I would ask why the Israelites would question God’s goodness after being liberated. They were free, and they were alive. How could they question God with the miracles and wonders around them. Yet, to what can I compare such an exodus, such disorientation? To leave home, even if it is liberation, can be filled with fear and trembling. Wilderness in the Bible is different from our wilderness mission trip this summer. Water was scarce. Danger was everywhere.
Even as I speak, there may be those in our midst who can understand better than I. Even as I speak there are those in our community new and old who can understand better than I, what it means to go through the wilderness. To be without home, without assurance of food and drink. Into the wild is done without internal frame backpack, Nalgene bottle, and #200 hiking boots.

So, even standing in the shadow of Mount Horeb, where the God called Moses, where God will give the tablets of the law, even here in the shadow of the place of promise, there is disorientation, fear, violence, in the chaos and danger. A person, or a people, could be filled with angry questions rather than expectant hope. Asking, Is the Lord among us or not? Asking if you are left to work out your salvation with fear and trembling...

Does human wilderness turn the head inward?
Harden the heart?
From left and right, Do mercy and generosity wash away with the
floods and the winds?
How many find themselves in the wilderness waiting for the hope of water?

Paul writes from a place of uncertainty. Sent to a community with uncertain human futures

He pens
eloquent and powerful verses of encouragement, and in support of unit and humility.

If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, and consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Paul harmonizes these words to verses of an early church hymn that proclaims powerfully the person and work of Christ, reminding us of who we become because of who Christ is. Encouraging us to shape our lives to the love of the one who first shaped us, 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. Paul frames this hymn of who God is with words of who we are and how we are to form our lives around God. We aren’t given an a,b,c, to life - in fact, just the opposite.

Paul tells us that the road is hard. You all together work out your salvation, deliverance with fear and trembling, with trembling awe.

If we look at the Greek, and give it a Tennessee twist, you all are to work out salvation with fear and trembling. With shaking awe...

Paul is clear that we do not enter the journey of faith alone, but together. A unity that isn’t easy, but is to be sought. We are not working towards our salvation, but the living our of and into God’s mercy in Christ that precedes us. Paul continues, for it is God who is at work in you, enabling all of you to will and to work for God’s good pleasure.

The hymn can be hard to believe. We all hear it ‘mid the wind of human wilderness. The hymn is hard to sing. In a world torn by religious fundamentalism where the songs of faith are sung with hate and fear, it is hard, sometimes, for me to sing along. I need his reminding to be humble, to seek the needs of others.

Paul reminds us that our personal piety call for public practice. We are to respond to God’s grace with the corporate practice
Of worship
Of service
Of sacrifice

Again, not to gain God’s love, but the spread God’s love. Paul’s lyrics are our call, our promise, our hope. We need to remember that we are called together. We are to hope and work, tremble and shake, together.

For the promise of Yahweh is beyond food and water. It is new life, new possibility, new hope for living along God’s path.

In the chaos of our Human Wilderness, let us all work out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that we do not work alone.