2 1_4

How to get an “A” with God

Sermon on Phil 2:1-4

                I love what you do for me; Toyota.  It’s everywhere you want to be; Visa.  Have it your way right a way; Burger King.  No matter how crazy my ideas are, I can still do them; Jack in the Box.  Making your dreams come true; Ford.  I’m better and I can prove it.  I have a game;  EA Games.  Welcome to the “me” generation.  We live in a society obsessed with individualism and looking out for number one.  These commercials are just a few that fit into this obsession and all of these were found in just a 3 hour window of TV.  This force fed attitude of selfishness affects us every day.  It takes a husband just a few short days after a marriage to realize that his wife’s sole purpose in life may not be to please his every whim.  Many wives soon feel stifled and unappreciated because they don’t have any “me” time or are not able to fulfill their dreams.  Here at Talbot, many are struggling to be recognized and stand out like they may at their church.  But here, they are just another student.  Perhaps even in this class you have felt the pressure to do better in your speech then all those before you.  All of these are affects of a “me” approach rather than a “we” approach.  Is this “me” principle effective?  No.  It may get an “A” in class, but it doesn’t get an “A” with God.  Does the “me” principle please God?  No.  What works then?  How can you make God happy?  How can you get an “A” with God?  In Phil 2:1-4, Paul writes that we can make God happy by committing to “we” principles instead of “me” principles.  Becoming “we” Christians is not an automatic transformation.  It just isn’t natural.  We want it our way!  So, just as he did with the Philipian church, Paul takes our hand and steps us through the process of recognizing, applying, and then obeying the “we” principles.