citizens of heaven

Observe Those

Posted on by Betsy

We continue our Lenten journey this week and we still have a long way to go. Easter falls on April 20th this year, so our time in this season is much more before us than behind us. But if we accept that Lent is a refuge from the world, we shouldn’t be eager for it to end too quickly.

I spoke at a prayer gathering last week and talked about a church matriarch named Betty Brown who influenced my discipleship walk immensely. She was a loving, giving, and warm example of a woman who was completely sold out to Christ. Her influence in the church ran deep, and her influence on me led me to become a pastor.

Our scripture today invites us to observe those who live according to the example of Paul’s discipleship team and people like Betty. Paul draws a large black line between true disciples and those who live as enemies of the cross:

Philippians 3 (New Revised Standard Version)

17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 

Are you surrounded by people who inspire your walk with God, or with people whose minds are set on earthly things? It can be a very, very difficult decision to create distance with those who are capable of leading you astray. Take a hard look at your circle of influence and see if there are some potentially dangerous relationships.

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation  that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. 4 1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Paul advises to stand firm. He reminds us that we really don’t belong here anyway, as we are citizens of heaven where Jesus is the one and only king. Does that give you hope?

We are invited to become the people of influence who not only walk the righteous path but woo others to walk it with us. You, too, can be a Betty Brown in someone’s life. And Lord knows, we need more Bettys in this world.

Walk This Way by Kathy Schumacher

Citizenship

Posted on by Betsy

In 2008, Pixar Studios released a cautionary tale called “WALL-E.” It was a love story about two robots who were left behind to work on what remained of earth after humanity fled on starships. As we journey through their relationship issues, we see a startling portrayal of what has become of humankind. With robots available to do every kind of work, people have become debilitatingly obese and are confined to lounge chairs, living their lives through screens and artificial intelligence.

In Biblical terms, they have “allowed their god to be their stomach” and are now suffering from the pursuit of earthly pleasures and indulgences. This dystopian look at humanity’s future was also predicted by Paul, who warned against such things in our reading today. Even as he addressed the church at Philippi, he was very forward thinking, wasn’t he?

Philippians 3:17-21 (Common English Bible)

17 Brothers and sisters, become imitators of me and watch those who live this way—you can use us as models. 18 As I have told you many times and now say with deep sadness, many people live as enemies of the cross.19 Their lives end with destruction. Their god is their stomach, and they take pride in their disgrace because their thoughts focus on earthly things. 20 Our citizenship is in heaven. We look forward to a savior that comes from there—the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform our humble bodies so that they are like his glorious body, by the power that also makes him able to subject all things to himself.

Paul was deeply distressed over these “enemies of the cross” who lived lives that were complacent and content in the wrong-headed assumption that once salvation of the soul had occurred, the body could pursue earthly delights with abandon. This type of thinking was called Gnosticism and it became the bane of Paul’s ministry throughout his life. He encouraged them to follow his example and the example of others who were imitating the life of Christ.

And we know that the life of Christ was a life of self-denial. The Gnostics practiced a life of self-indulgence, and it grieved Paul to his core.

We, too, are to imitate Christ as Paul did. One of the best things about the season of Lent when it comes around is the deliberate resetting of our priorities as we reevaluate the quality of our spiritual health. Practicing self-denial for 40 days goes a long way toward recalibrating our hearts and minds toward Christ. Perhaps we should practice Lent as a daily lifestyle all year long.

Paul reminds us that we are citizens of heaven and should focus our thinking as those who are merely foreigners here. Earthly delights will fade away in the light of heaven’s rewards, and if heaven is our true home, we will be strengthened against any temptation this “colony” has to offer.

God has promised to transform us into the likeness of Christ when we join him there. Our challenge today is to transform our thoughts, actions, words, and deeds into his image in such a way that others will see and know that we don’t belong here but are just passing through. How is God calling you to respond to this text today? Do you need to give something up in order to claim your heavenly citizenship? Save your own soul and follow Paul’s example.

Just Passing Through by Michelle Robertson

God’s House

Posted on by Betsy

Last week I had the tremendous blessing of volunteering in my church’s Sunday afternoon children’s program. Gosh, I had forgotten how fun that can be! They have been studying the Lord’s Prayer, and the craft assignment was to draw a picture of “God in heaven.”

It is always a treat to learn what kids think heaven is like. My favorite children’s sermon of all time was when I asked the children, “What is heaven like?” and a three-year-old thoughtfully responded, “Miss Betsy, I think heaven is a place where you don’t have to worry about going tee-tee in your pants.” Yup. Can’t argue with that. Heaven indeed is a place where we don’t have to worry about anything.

Last Sunday, I went around the room to see the kid’s drawings. Most of them had chosen light blue or yellow paper and were drawing angels, clouds, and a large, bearded man. One boy, however, had selected black paper and a white pencil. I was fascinated by his selections and watched as he drew lightning bolts and an imposing, ghost-like figure … with a beard …. always with a beard. At the bottom of the drawing, he drew a small earth with a happy donkey on top. That is some creative, out-of-the-box thinking there.

What do you think heaven is like?

In our psalm today, we get a beautiful picture of the psalmist’s idea:

Psalm 84 (New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition)


How lovely is your dwelling place,
    O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
    to the living God.

His emotional response to God’s home is obvious. He not only longs, but he also faints in anticipation of joining God in his dwelling place. This is a healthy attitude for believers. We, too, should have such a longing for heaven, our true home.

3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house,
    ever singing your praise.

This is a reminder of the joy we will experience in God’s house. It will be a time of happiness and praise, not worry and toil.

5 Happy are those whose strength is in you,
    in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of Baca
    they make it a place of springs;
    the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
    the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

But for now, we can find happiness in God’s strength for the journey. As we make our way through this pilgrimage of life, we go from strength to strength until God calls us home.

If you were to get your colored pencils out right now and draw a picture of heaven, what would its look like? Hold this image in your heart as you go about your day today. From strength to strength, God is with us.

Reflections of Heaven by Stacey Hanf

Lent is Not a Diet

Posted on by Betsy

I read an article somewhere recently that stated “Lent is not a diet.” The writer went on to discuss how we sometimes use Lent to correct poor eating habits, focus on exercising more, and try to lose weight by giving up or fasting from the things that caused us to gain it over the winter. As a colleague mentioned in his sermon, Lent comes just in time for “beach body preparation.”

Boy, when you combine a typical winter with a pandemic, you can end up with a lot to “give up!”

But of course the focus of Lent is to fast from something that is distracting you from God. Many people have given up social media. Some have pledged to stop arguing with their spouse. Others gave up Netflix or the news channels. What have you given up?

One year I gave up complaining. I didn’t have much to say for six weeks, much to my husband’s delight. We laugh about now, but I have to confess that it was a STRUGGLE. It was a good exercise in learning how much complaining I do on a regular basis. What an eye-opener!

So yes, Lent is not a diet … but today’s Scripture calls us to consider that we have made our “stomach our god” and we can easily become too focused on filling ourselves up with earthly things:

Philippians 3 (Common English Bible)

17 Brothers and sisters, become imitators of me and watch those who live this way—you can use us as models. 18 As I have told you many times and now say with deep sadness, many people live as enemies of the cross. 19 Their lives end with destruction. Their god is their stomach, and they take pride in their disgrace because their thoughts focus on earthly things. 

Paul boldly challenges us to imitate him in his righteousness (if not his humility). He makes the clear point that we are enemies of the cross if we continue to pursue earthly wealth, status, achievements, etc. at the sake of the cross-life, which calls us to a life of sacrifice, obedience, and service.

20 Our citizenship is in heaven. We look forward to a savior that comes from there—the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform our humble bodies so that they are like his glorious body, by the power that also makes him able to subject all things to himself.

Our citizenship is in heaven! Ponder that for a moment. That means that the “rules” for our lives here are the same rules God establishes for those who live in the heavenly realm. This passage makes us question our motivations. Are we too focused on earthly things?

Stand firm in the Lord

4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters whom I love and miss, who are my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord.

Paul encourages us to stand firm in the Lord. We can forsake the pulls and pushes of secular life and keep our hearts in tune with God. Where is God calling you to change? Are you using this time of giving something up for Lent to fill the void with Jesus? What are you learning?

Paul reminds us in this Lenten season and in our Lenten disciplines to stand firm. You belong to the kingdom in heaven!

Act like it.

Heaven on Earth by Michelle Robertson