If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any 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. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. et each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:1-5
“Paul’s citation of this poetry is remarkable for the way in which he turns from the mystery of the self-emptying Christ to the self-emptying of the church. He takes the self-emptying of Christ according to what must have been a normative christological tradition by his time, as certain. But his concern, in appeal to that tradition, is to make an argument about the life and conduct of the church. Thus, in verses 1-5 he urges that the church, in its concrete practice, must imitate the self-emptying of Jesus Christ. He requires of the church a self-emptying for the sake of others in community.”
Walter Brueggemann in Money and Possessions (Interpretation; Louisville: WJKP, 2016) 225-226.
As we approach the season of Lent leading up to Easter, let us together meditate on the self-emptying of Jesus Christ. Why? We are instructed to have the same mind.
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. Therefore God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11
Brueggemann concludes with this thought: “Self-emptying in economic conduct is done in an assurance that there is more than enough. When one is convinced of the scarcity of goods or for that matter a scarcity of divine grace, one readily becomes parsimonious and exclusionary. Such a stance, however, is inimical to the mind of Christ.”
Last night I arrived in Phoenix to meet with Lutheran Church Missouri Synod stewardship directors for two days. I shot the header photo at sunset over dinner. It was stunning. Today, far away, back in Cleveland, my father, John “Jack” Hoag, is celebrating his 78th birthday. Happy Birthday Dad! Thanks for pointing me toward Jesus Christ and for self-emptying often to care for others in the community of faith.