I can do all things through a verse taken out of context

Welcome to Bumper Sticker Theology. For the whole summer we are going to tackle passages or ideas that are difficult, misunderstood, taken out of context or just something people say when they don’t know what else to say. Because we are looking at passages from this perspective my messages might be a little different than normal because we are answering a topic with a passage as an example. That being said, I am really excited about this Summer series and I hope you walk away from each one with a greater understanding of the Bible, the importance of using verses in their context, and vetting common phrases people use simply because they have been said for generations.

Probably one of the most popular passages that has been taken out of context is Philippians 4:13. On the one hand it is a very powerful verse that taken out of context gives us a way of understanding the gifts of the Spirit that we just talked about last week. The speaking in tongues, the gift of music, painting, patience, teaching, listening, sharing, and so on. You may even go so far as to say that this passage actually points to something Jesus said himself in the Gospel of John.

John 14:12 says that we will do the works that Jesus does and we will do even greater works than him because he is going to the Father. If Jesus healed people, fed thousands of people, walked on water, and raised a man from the dead and we are able to do the same, if not more than Jesus, then obviously what Paul is saying must be true. We can do all things through him who strengthens us.

Here’s the problem: what am I supposed to say or think about myself and this passage when after trying to teach myself guitar for a while I couldn’t learn the guitar? Or how come having the same conversation with a woman about God’s love and grace, I never once convinced her or changed her mind that God’s love and grace was for her? Why can’t I magically make money appear to pay for every person that stops by and calls the church asking me to pay their rent or get them a hotel room while they try to find a place to live? Jesus brought people back to life and I can’t even pay someone’s rent. I cannot do all things through him who gives me strength and I cannot do greater works than these. Honestly it’s no wonder people read the Bible and look at Christians and walk away. It’s honestly also probably one of many reasons why Christians walk away from faith.

It doesn’t help that there are TV evangelists that continue to make this idea a mainstream one. They want to find people who are in the congregation who have enough faith to overcome their ailment and come to the altar to be healed. It’s this same basic idea that if they have enough faith, they have enough power, they believe they can do all things through Christ’s strength. If the person can’t do what they are asked, if they are unable to get up to the altar to be healed then clearly they don’t have enough faith to be healed, let alone move mountains. If you don’t then you need to either work harder to have a better and stronger faith or you need to donate more money to show your dedication to the work of God. All these things are taking this passage and others out of their original meaning. While meant to give us confidence and courage they have the even greater potential to harm and hurt. So what is Philippians talking about and these other passages as well? That is a great question and I am glad you asked it.

One of the big problems the church in Philippi was facing was an inability to agree on things and work together. I am glad that Paul set them straight and that churches don’t face that issue anymore. Am I right? Paul even goes so far as to call out two women who were in disagreement. Paul doesn’t do it to publicly shame them but to show them that at one time they struggled with Paul in his mission and ministry, and now they need to figure out how to do that ministry together and realize that doing the works of God is more important than whatever disagreement they are having. That’s good advice for all of us and something we need to constantly work on.

Paul then goes on to give great examples of how to live peaceably with one another. He says we must first rejoice in God always; that is our starting point. Then we should be gentle, less anxious pray to God, and pray to God. Then after all that God’s peace will in our hearts and minds. Then we should focus on all these positive things in life and not just focus on them but then in verse 9 he says we should practice them.

Now, here’s where we get to the real point Paul is trying to make. Paul uses all these methods personally and that has led him to be content in any circumstance in his life. Whether he has plenty or little, or full or hungry. He has figured out that secret. The secret is a combination of what he has just said and our verse that is taken out of context…Philippians 4:13.

I am so glad that we are using the Common English Bible translation becuase they actually translate this verse the way it should be translated. There are countless Bibles that translate that word as “do” but in the context of what Paul is saying it is better translated as what the CEB translates it as: “endure”. Now Paul really does mean all things…there is no other way to translate that part of the verse, but if we then replace the word “do” with “endure” we can now see what Paul is really saying. Another way of translating it that would keep a more literal word is using “power”. But if we use the word “power” we need to add the clause: “the power to face all these things”. Whatever phrase we use, we can now see rather clearly that Paul is talking about not the ability to do whatever it is he puts his or our minds to, but the ability to face all circumstances in this life.

The ability to endure this, however, is not through himself but through him, Christ, who gives us strength. Paul is explaining to the Philippians that they can overcome their differences, they can create harmony for the sake of the gospel by working at and practicing those things that produce love and harmony. They also need to understand that they can endure both the good and the difficult or disharmonious times becuase they have Christ who gives them the power to face and endure these things.

And since I brought up John 14 I should probably answer that one also. Nothing like being given a problem to solve and then saying why not throw another one on for good measure. But it’s honestly not too different from what we’ve been talking about. Jesus is reminding us of two things: 1. His time is limited because he has to return to heaven. So the work that we do in his name will continue far beyond his lifetime and the lifetime of the apostles. So while we may not walk on water or raise someone from the dead there is so much more we can do as people of faith or so many more years than what Jesus was able to do in his life. 2. When Jesus returns to God we are then able to share with people the meaning and impact of not just the life of Jesus, but also his death and resurrection. There is only so much the life of Jesus means, but now that he has died and risen we can share the good news that Jesus didn’t just live and do miracles, but that he died for our sins and rose to new life so that we too might experience new life. So, yes we will do greater things that Jesus because we can now share that promise with the world.

So do we have superpowers, or the ability to learn whatever we want in the blink of an eye like in the Matrix movies? No. We cannot do anything and everything simply because we have faith in Jesus. However, thanks to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus we have the hope and the promise that Christ is with us in all that we do, both in times of plenty and in times of need. Because Christ has promised to be with us always like in Matthew 28 then we can live knowing that in every circumstance we can endure whatever we face, especially if we have a community of believers to walk beside us along the way. Amen.