All are welcome to join us for church on Sunday, March 16 at 10 am.  Sunday school is held during the service and coffee is served afterwards.

Here are Rev. Marlene’s thoughts on the upcoming service.

Marlene’s Rev. Notes:

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20

The central message in Philippians 3:17–4:1 is Paul’s call for believers to follow his example and stay faithful to Christ, rather than being influenced by those who live contrary to the gospel. The passage contrasts earthly and heavenly priorities. Paul warns against those whose minds are set on earthly things (3:19), emphasizing instead that Christians belong to a greater, eternal reality. This idea leads directly into Philippians 4:1, where Paul urges the Philippians to “stand firm in the Lord.”

Paul describes proper Christian conduct.  First, he presents himself as a model to imitate.  Paul confidently offers himself as an example of Christian life since he knows that he, in turn, imitates Christ (see 1 Corinthians 11:1).  Ultimately, in imitating Paul, the community is imitating Christ. They learn from each other as fellow believers as well as from the model presented by Christ himself.

By acting in righteousness through their imitation of Christ, Christians express their identity as citizens of heaven.  With this heavenly vision in view, Paul tells the Philippians of Christ’s promise that the “body of our humiliation” will be conformed to Christ’s glorified body.  This imitation of Christ prepares Christians to participate fully as citizens of heaven.  Their identity contrasts with those who live as enemies of Christ; who seek earthly things and “their end is destruction.”  Christians, who seek Christ and heavenly things, find glory in their restored relationship with God through Christ.

Pauls’ purpose in this passage is to bolster the community’s faith, so that they remain firm in it amid persecution and trials.  This Lent, we are also called to imitate Christ and remain firm in our faith amid hardships and doubts. Then we, like those who have gone before us in faith, will receive the promises of heavenly citizenship and conformity to Christ’s glorified body.