Citizens of Love (Philippians 3:17-4:1) // March 17, 2019

Citizens of Love (Philippians 3:17-4:1) // March 17, 2019

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Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 (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.

4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters whom I love and miss, who are my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord.

Summary:  

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

We continue the Lenten Season with our worship series “No Ordinary Love.” During this season, we journey with Jesus for his forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness, heeding the call to return to God with all our hearts. As we return, we find power to love God, ourselves and others.

If you know where you’re from, you know where you’re going.  Our citizenship is in heaven, so we were imagined, created and nurtured in God’s love! With all that we have been through, let us imitate the One whose love is greater than any force on earth. Let us live as “citizens of God’s love.”

Reflection Questions:

  1. What are your roots? What is “home” for you?
  2. Where do you experience love the most in your life?
  3. How do you know God loves you?
  4. How do you respond to God’s love?