Living as Citizens of Heaven: Embracing Humility and Unity
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound concept of citizenship, both in the earthly realm and in the Kingdom of Heaven. We began with a light-hearted story about a political argument with a vacuum salesman, which led us to reflect on the responsibilities of good citizenship. As parents, we teach our children to be good citizens by obeying laws, respecting others, and taking responsibility for their actions. However, Paul’s letter to the Philippians challenges us to consider a higher form of citizenship—our citizenship in Heaven.
Paul, once a fervent persecutor of Christians, underwent a radical transformation after encountering Jesus. He then dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel and establishing churches. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul emphasizes the importance of living as citizens of Heaven, conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel. He urges us to stand united, showing compassion and empathy, and to avoid selfishness and pride.
Paul’s message is clear: our primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of Heaven. He uses the example of Jesus, who, despite being God, humbled Himself and took on human form to serve and save us. This act of kenosis, or self-emptying, is the ultimate demonstration of humility and love. Jesus’ life and sacrifice call us to adopt the same mindset, prioritizing the needs of others and advancing the Kingdom of God.
Paul’s plea is for us to live in harmony, setting aside personal ambitions and pride, and to embrace the mindset of Christ. By doing so, we reflect Jesus in our actions, words, and interactions, pointing others towards Him. Our citizenship in Heaven should shape our entire lives, influencing how we think, speak, and act.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Power of Testimony: Sharing personal testimonies of faith can profoundly impact others and strengthen the community. Testimonies remind us of God's transformative power and encourage us to live out our faith boldly. [40:00]
2. Citizenship in Heaven: Our primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul urges us to live as citizens of Heaven, conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel. This means prioritizing our spiritual responsibilities over earthly ones. [49:08]
3. Humility and Service: Jesus’ act of kenosis, or self-emptying, is the ultimate example of humility and service. Despite being God, He took on human form to serve and save us. We are called to adopt the same mindset, prioritizing the needs of others and advancing the Kingdom of God. [01:00:24]
4. Unity and Compassion: Paul emphasizes the importance of unity and compassion within the Christian community. He urges us to avoid selfishness and pride, and to work together with one mind and purpose, reflecting the love of Jesus in our interactions. [53:18]
5. Reflecting Jesus in Our Lives: Our citizenship in Heaven should shape our entire lives, influencing how we think, speak, and act. By living with Jesus as Lord, we reflect His love and grace to the world, pointing others towards Him. [01:07:42]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[40:00] - The Power of Testimony
[40:32] - A Political Argument with a Vacuum Salesman
[41:31] - Teaching Good Citizenship
[42:32] - Respect and Responsibility
[43:33] - Lack of Compassion in Society
[45:08] - Remembering Our Purpose
[46:10] - Paul's Journey and Transformation
[47:10] - Understanding Roman Citizenship
[48:38] - Rights and Responsibilities
[49:08] - Citizenship in Heaven
[50:41] - Conduct Reflecting the Gospel
[52:45] - Encouragement from Belonging to Christ
[53:18] - Unity and Compassion
[55:25] - True Humility
[57:04] - The Mindset of Christ
[01:00:24] - The Kenosis Passage
[01:02:01] - Jesus' Humility and Obedience
[01:04:46] - Jesus is Lord
[01:07:42] - Reflecting Jesus in Our Lives
[01:10:04] - Invitation to Know Jesus
[01:12:34] - Baptism Celebration
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Philippians 1:27-30 (NIV)
> "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have."
2. Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)
> "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
### Observation Questions
1. What responsibilities does Paul associate with being a citizen of Heaven according to Philippians 1:27-30?
2. How does Paul describe the mindset of Christ in Philippians 2:5-8?
3. What are the key characteristics Paul urges the Philippians to adopt in their relationships with one another? [53:18]
4. What does Paul say about the privileges and sufferings of believers in Philippians 1:29?
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul emphasize unity and compassion within the Christian community? How does this relate to our citizenship in Heaven? [53:18]
2. How does Jesus’ act of kenosis (self-emptying) serve as a model for Christian behavior and mindset? [01:00:24]
3. What does it mean to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel, and how can this influence our daily interactions? [49:08]
4. How can the concept of humility, as demonstrated by Jesus, challenge our personal ambitions and pride? [55:25]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you prioritized your earthly responsibilities over your spiritual ones. How can you shift your focus to align more with your citizenship in Heaven? [49:08]
2. Think of a time when you struggled with pride or selfishness. How can adopting the mindset of Christ help you overcome these tendencies? [53:18]
3. In what ways can you demonstrate unity and compassion within your small group or church community this week? [53:18]
4. Identify a specific area in your life where you can practice humility and service, following Jesus’ example of kenosis. What steps will you take to implement this? [01:00:24]
5. How can you use your personal testimony to impact others and strengthen your community? Share a specific instance where your testimony made a difference. [40:00]
6. What practical actions can you take to ensure that your conduct reflects the Gospel in your workplace or school? [49:08]
7. Consider someone in your life who may not recognize Jesus as Lord. How can your actions and words point them towards Him? [01:07:42]
Devotional
Day 1: The Transformative Power of Testimony
Description: Sharing personal testimonies of faith can profoundly impact others and strengthen the community. Testimonies remind us of God's transformative power and encourage us to live out our faith boldly. When we share our stories of how God has worked in our lives, we not only glorify Him but also inspire and uplift those around us. Our testimonies serve as living proof of God's grace, mercy, and power to change lives.
In the early church, testimonies played a crucial role in spreading the Gospel and building the faith of new believers. Today, they continue to be a powerful tool for evangelism and encouragement. By openly sharing our experiences, we create a sense of unity and belonging within the Christian community, reminding each other that we are not alone in our spiritual journeys. [40:00]
1 Peter 3:15 (ESV): "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect."
Reflection: Think of a recent experience where you saw God's hand at work in your life. How can you share this testimony with someone this week to encourage them in their faith?
Day 2: Living as Citizens of Heaven
Description: Our primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul urges us to live as citizens of Heaven, conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel. This means prioritizing our spiritual responsibilities over earthly ones. As citizens of Heaven, we are called to embody the values and principles of God's Kingdom, such as love, justice, mercy, and humility.
Paul's letter to the Philippians challenges us to reflect on where our true loyalties lie. While we may have earthly responsibilities and affiliations, our ultimate commitment should be to God's Kingdom. This perspective shifts our focus from temporary, worldly concerns to eternal, spiritual matters. By living as citizens of Heaven, we become ambassadors for Christ, representing His love and truth in a broken world. [49:08]
Philippians 3:20-21 (ESV): "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."
Reflection: In what ways can you prioritize your heavenly citizenship over your earthly responsibilities this week? How can this shift in focus impact your daily decisions and interactions?
Day 3: Embracing Humility and Service
Description: Jesus’ act of kenosis, or self-emptying, is the ultimate example of humility and service. Despite being God, He took on human form to serve and save us. We are called to adopt the same mindset, prioritizing the needs of others and advancing the Kingdom of God. True humility involves recognizing our dependence on God and valuing others above ourselves.
Jesus' life and sacrifice demonstrate the profound power of humility and service. By emptying Himself and taking on the role of a servant, Jesus showed us that greatness in God's Kingdom is measured by our willingness to serve others. As followers of Christ, we are called to emulate His example, putting aside our pride and self-interest to serve those around us with love and compassion. [01:00:24]
Philippians 2:5-7 (ESV): "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."
Reflection: Identify one person in your life who could benefit from an act of service or kindness. How can you humbly serve them this week, following Jesus' example of self-emptying love?
Day 4: Fostering Unity and Compassion
Description: Paul emphasizes the importance of unity and compassion within the Christian community. He urges us to avoid selfishness and pride, and to work together with one mind and purpose, reflecting the love of Jesus in our interactions. Unity and compassion are essential for building a strong, supportive, and loving community of believers.
In a world often marked by division and conflict, the Christian community is called to be a beacon of unity and love. By setting aside our differences and focusing on our shared faith in Christ, we can create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. Compassion involves not only feeling empathy for others but also taking action to meet their needs and alleviate their suffering. [53:18]
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent conflict or disagreement within your community. How can you contribute to fostering unity and compassion in this situation, demonstrating the love of Christ?
Day 5: Reflecting Jesus in Our Lives
Description: Our citizenship in Heaven should shape our entire lives, influencing how we think, speak, and act. By living with Jesus as Lord, we reflect His love and grace to the world, pointing others towards Him. Our daily conduct should be a testament to our faith and a reflection of Jesus' character.
As followers of Christ, we are called to be His representatives on earth. This means that our actions, words, and attitudes should consistently reflect His love, grace, and truth. By living in a way that honors Jesus, we become a living testimony to His transformative power and draw others to Him. Our lives should be a beacon of hope and light in a world that desperately needs the message of the Gospel. [01:07:42]
Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV): "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Reflection: Consider one area of your life where you struggle to reflect Jesus' character. What practical steps can you take this week to align this area with your heavenly citizenship and be a light to those around you?
Quotes
1. "There's more to being a good citizen. There's more to being a good person in life. There's like respecting people and respecting property and don't touch what's not yours and those kinds of things. There's take responsibility for your own actions. You need to do what you need to do and when you do it, if you do it wrong, then take responsibility. If you did it and you thought it was right, take responsibility. Own up for your stuff and be compassionate. Have empathy for people. Care for people. Make sure that you're looking out for people and then knowing what's right and not infringing on other people's rights." [42:32] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The worst part, at least for me, is watching people who claim Christ get caught up in the arguing and the fussing and the fighting. Now listen, before you get too far, you already heard Pastor Tanya talk about this podcast and talking about the Remembering series and remembering who we are and whose we are and what we're about, our purpose and some of those things. And I want you to know, I believe that we've got to vote. I believe that we need to be involved. I believe we need to lobby. I believe we need to make a difference in the world. I believe all of those things." [45:08] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Paul is looking at these people, and he's going, listen, I want you to know that the way you're supposed to live, you know what citizenship is, you know what good citizenship is all about, you know Roman citizenship, and what I want you to do is I want you to let your conduct reflect the good news of Jesus. Make sure that what you're doing is reflecting Jesus as you walk. In fact, most of the time, whenever we kind of hear the words like, you know, you must live, we kind of think about walking. We walk through life, the journey of life, we're walking, we're walking, but Paul uses a whole different word, and he uses the word citizen on purpose." [50:11] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Paul says, though he was God, and that that morphe with the Greek word, that is unchangeable. His schema, the outside begin to change. Just like Jason has always been Jason all of his life, but as he gets older, things begin to change. Things begin to look a little bit different. There's a little bit more white on top of the head. All of that kind of stuff. The schema changed. Paul said, though he was God, he didn't think of equality with God as something to grab hold of or something to hold on to. Instead, instead he gave up his divine privileges. And he took the humble position of a slave. And he was born as a human being." [59:11] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God is the one who loves you like no other. he's desperate. So desperate for you to have life that he would send his own son to die so that you don't have to. He humbled himself in obedience to God. And that love is reflected in his humility and his obedience and in his death. Paul finishes out this last little bit and says, therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name that is above every other name, every all other names that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue declare that Jesus is Lord." [01:04:08] (58 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "If we're to live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven, then what we have to do is we have to live as Jesus as Lord of our lives. Then what happens is He begins to change the way we think, the way we view the world, the way we hear conversations, the way our mouths open and close and we speak the things that our hands do, the places that our feet take us. We begin to live in such a way that we don't point people towards what we want. That we point people towards what we want. We point people towards what Jesus wants." [01:07:11] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Listen, in case you came in this morning and you're thinking I'm not worthy or I don't have it together or God's after me or God's mad at me or God doesn't like me, hey listen, that is a lie. Your Heavenly Father loves you with an everlasting love. And all it takes is for you to say, Jesus, I want you as Lord and Savior of my life. That's all I want. Jesus, I want you as Lord and Savior of my life to bring wholeness into my life. I need your wholeness. My life is broken. My life ain't right. My life's not going in the direction. I want wholeness." [01:08:53] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Do you know Jesus as Lord? And if you do, that's wonderful. If you don't, then this is just a real simple prayer. It's just an honest plea in saying, Jesus, would you bring wholeness to my life? And listen, here's the thing. Anyone who prays and asks for Jesus to bring wholeness, God will bring wholeness to every time. Because that's what he wants. Second question, if you know Jesus as Lord in your life, then does the rest of the world, does the rest of the world, does your family, do the people you work with, the people you live with, do they recognize Jesus as Lord of your life?" [01:10:04] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "There are many here today who have already asked you to be Lord of their life. And so, Lord, I just believe that you and I, we're asking each one of us, you are asking each one of us to take a good look in our life and to make sure that our citizenship with you is more important than anything else. We reflect you in all we say and all we do and everywhere we go, everything we type, do we reflect you, Jesus? And if we don't, then Lord, would you help us to make you Lord and do a new work in us?" [01:11:17] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "If you have been baptized, then this is the moment for you to simply reaffirm your baptismal vows. Have you asked Jesus into your life? And do you intend to live for Jesus for the rest of your life? That's what happens every time there's baptism. The second thing I want to make sure you know to do. The second thing is this. There was a whole lot of screaming and hollering yesterday for some football teams. There may have been some crying for some football teams. I may have been yelling at the TV at some football teams. This is the most important thing and it is a day of celebration. It is a day to cheer and to clap and so we don't be quiet on this day." [01:13:34] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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