She is mentioned more than any other character in the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus, yet she is often overlooked. Her name is Mary Magdalene. 

She had been there at the foot of the cross that Friday for every moment of the six horrific hours Jesus hung there. She heard every word, every groan. Then she watched Him cry out, breathe His last and die. 

Mary watched as they took down His body and place it in a borrowed tomb. And she sat there in the garden, watching as the stone was rolled in place and sealed. 

She was shocked, numb, unable to move. Her grief would have been overwhelming. The One who had changed her life, restored her dignity, and given her purpose… was dead.

The following day was the Sabbath. No work, no travel. She hunkered down with her grief and waited. 

On Sunday, Mary and some friends left for the tomb early in the morning bringing spices and linen to wrap Jesus’ body in. On the way, they questioned among themselves how they were going to move this huge stone. But when they arrived, they found the stone rolled away!

When Mary saw that, she did not think, “Resurrection!” She thought, “Grave robbers!” She quickly ran to tell Peter and the others. 

Peter and John ran back to the tomb. There on the slab were the strips of linen that had bound Jesus’ body. Instantly, they believed. Jesus was alive!

After the men left, Mary stood outside the tomb crying. When she finally got up the nerve, she bent over to peer into the tomb. To her amazement, there inside were two angels. They asked her, “Why are you crying?”

She turned around and through her tears saw the figure of a man in the garden. He asked her the same question: “Why are you crying?” 

She was confused, thinking it was the gardener. And then He spoke one word. “Mary.” He called her name. And in that instant, she knew. He was alive! Jesus was alive! 

Her tears of grief turned to tears of joy as she threw herself into His arms. What a reunion! 

I’ve been thinking about the question Mary was asked on that resurrection Sunday. “Why are you crying?” Mary was crying because she thought it was all over. Friday had won. The dream was dead. Hope was gone. 

Maybe you can identify with Mary. It feels like all your hopes and dreams seem have died.  You’re confused and frightened. You feel hopeless, like you have no future. And I suppose you have every right to cry, if that’s really the way it is. If, indeed, Friday has won.

But what if that’s not the case? What if Jesus really is alive? And what if He is calling your name today?

It’s true! The Resurrected Jesus is alive and well and He knows your name. He is calling out to you. Can you hear Him? 

He is calling you to believe that Friday doesn’t have the last word, and you can trust Him for what concerns you.

Text: Matthew 27:55-61; John 20:1-18

Originally recorded on April 12, 2009, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to live under the “performance plan” – to try to be good enough, to jump through all the religious hoops in order to be “righteous” before God. 

Then one day, he met Jesus, and this man who had taken such pride in his performance, saw perfect righteousness for the first time – a righteousness so brilliant that it blinded him. And in that instant, Paul saw how far short he fell of it. He saw Jesus for who He really is, and Paul declared his belief and cried out for mercy. In that moment, stripped of the rags of self-righteousness, he was clothed in the robe of God’s perfect righteousness. (Is. 61:10)

The same is true for all of us. No matter how hard we try, we cannot get rid of the stain of sin on our own. Jeremiah 2:22 says, “Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me…” 

But what we can do is to allow God to cover over our sinfulness with His righteousness. 

“True righteousness,” Paul says in Phil. 3:9, “does not come from the law.” We can’t earn it by following the rules or doing good deeds. Those things aren’t sufficient to remove the stain of guilt we all have before a holy God. Instead, God offers the amazing gift of “righteousness... through faith in Christ...righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” 

How is this possible?  How can it be that faith in Christ can accomplish what all those rituals couldn’t?

God made a way for the stain of sin to be dealt with. Jesus Christ came into our world, lived a sinless life among us, taught us how to love and showed us how to live. Then He went to the cross where He paid the penalty for our sin and rebellion and rose again defeating sin’s hold and giving us the hope of eternal life with Him.

But it’s not enough to just know this. It changes nothing if you don’t take the next step. Entering into a relationship with Jesus can be thought of in terms of A-B-C.

A-   Admit: “I admit that I’m a sinner. I’ve got stains, God. I know I can’t remove them or pay for them. I acknowledge that I’ve gone my own way and done my own thing and I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” 

B-   Believe: “I believe that Jesus is Your Son and the only Savior of the world. I believe He died on the cross for me and that His blood is sufficient to cleanse my stain.”  

C-   Commit: “God, I commit myself to you from this day forth. Lord Jesus, even as I ask you to be my Savior, I commit to following after You, learning from You, and living for You.”

Text: Philippians 3:2-9 

Originally recorded on November 2, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

Our world revolves around “the performance plan.” If we work hard enough, perform well enough, and impress the powers that be sufficiently enough...we’ll make the cut. 

It’s not surprising, then, that “the performance plan” shows up in the realm of religion as well. 

Religion could be defined as: a system of beliefs, rituals, and behaviors by which a person can be made right with God. It is an attempt to make the ultimate cut.

This “performance plan” approach is what Paul is warning about in Philippians 3. “Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh…” (vs.2-3)

In order to understand what Paul is talking about, we have to go back to the story of Abraham found in Genesis 17. There God makes a covenant with Abraham. In essence, “I will be your God and you and the descendants I give you will be my people.” Then God chose circumcision as the outward sign of this covenant. 

Circumcision became the symbol of man’s need to be cleansed from sin at the most basic point of his identity. But from the very beginning, this outward act was secondary to something of far greater importance: an inward belief. 

In Genesis 15:6 we read that “Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.” Faith came first – then the symbolic action.  

The problem is that all too quickly the Jewish people came to believe that to get right with God all a man had to do was to be circumcised, bypassing the heart change altogether.

But making the cut and getting on God’s team has never been a matter of performance. It is a matter of turning to Him in faith, confessing your sinfulness and receiving His forgiveness.  

In the N.T. this became clearer. Jesus came to replace the old system, giving His life to offer access to not only God’s team but to God’s very family. And He offered that to one and all as a free gift received by faith.

Enter the Apostle Paul – or Saul as he was formerly known. He had not only been taught this misunderstood performance plan, he had become its greatest proponent.  In fact, he was so committed to it that he had sought to snuff out the Jesus movement.   

And then one day, he encountered Jesus who offered Him grace, forgiving him and freeing him from the need to perform. Paul never got over that and devoted the rest of his life to sharing this good news.

He would go from town to town, planting communities of Jesus-followers. After getting these churches grounded, Paul would head off to a new city to continue spreading the gospel. 

Now, many of these new believers were Gentiles – uncircumcised non-Jews. And after Paul left, often a group of people called “Judaizers” would come in behind him and tell these young non-Jewish believers that in order to truly be saved, they had to become Jews. More specifically, they had to be circumcised. In other words, faith alone wasn’t enough. They had to jump through the hoops of the performance plan. 

When Paul heard about this, he came unglued! This is what he was confronting in Phil. 3:2. 

He says, “Do you want to compare performance? My pedigree, degrees, and zeal are second to none. Yet all of that is utter garbage because it didn’t deal with my heart. Only Jesus can do that.”

Are you still depending on the performance plan to be made right with God?

Text: Philippians 3:2-9 

Originally recorded on October 26, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

Philippians chapter 3 begins: “Whatever happens, dear friends, be glad in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you this and it is good for you to hear it again and again.” (TLB) 

Whatever happens…rejoice in the Lord. Really? Whatever happens? 

Before you dismiss Paul’s words, keep in mind that when he wrote them, he was in prison! Yet even there he lived a life of unconquerable joy. And so can you…whatever your circumstances. 

How does one rejoice in the Lord always?

One way to begin is to note that it doesn’t say, “Be happy always.” 

Happiness is an emotion that is dependent upon your circumstances.  

Joy is a decision that is independent of your circumstances.  Joy has been called “the defiant nevertheless.” 

What does a joyful spirit look like?

• A joyful spirit is not dependent upon outward circumstances but on an upward focus. 

It’s born of an unshakable conviction that God is too good to be unkind, too powerful to be thwarted, and too deep to explain himself. When the bottom falls out, the question to ask is not, “why?”, but “what?” “What do you want me to learn from this?” 

• A joyful spirit in your struggle will have greater impact than any words spoken out of strength.

Joy in the midst of suffering is a more powerful sermon than any religious rhetoric.

• A joyful spirit takes life and trusts God one day at a time.  

The psalmist said: “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps. 118:24) Yesterday is past and tomorrow hasn’t’ happened yet. All we have is today. So choose joy now. 

Text: Philippians 3:1; 4:4; Psalm 137; Habakkuk 3:17-19

Originally recorded on October 19, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

When Jesus ascended into heaven after the resurrection, He put the entire future of His Kingdom movement into the hands of a group of ordinary men and women. They had no wealth, no position or power, still Jesus entrusted them with the mission of taking the gospel to the world.   

It was a pretty audacious plan! But through the power of the Holy Spirit, this ragtag band of 120 disciples soon became thousands of believers. And by the year 300 AD, historians estimate that over half of the population of the Roman Empire proclaimed faith in Christ.

How did they do it? It wasn’t because they had resources or government assistance or positions of influence. No, the early church grew because the presence and power of Jesus in their midst created a community the likes of which the world had never seen. A community where rich and poor, male and female, slave and free loved, honored, and valued one another. A community that demonstrated a love, generosity, and courage that was truly counter-cultural. “And people… liked what they saw.” (Acts 2:27 MSG)

This upside-down way of life is what Paul is calling the Philippians to. He says: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Phil.2:14-16)

He first urges them to be “blameless”: amemptos = without fault or compromise. Their lives should be not only compelling but consistent. 

They are also to be “pure”: akeraios = unmixed, unadulterated. Their behavior should be consistent with the way of Jesus and come from pure motives, no hidden agenda.

Consistent behavior with pure motives will stand out in our warped and crooked world.   

• “warped”: skolios = deviates from what is right and true. Paul says we live in a world that is bent and twisted, out of whack, not as it was intended to be.
• “crooked”: diastrepho = distorted and destructive. It’s a world filled with violence, injustice, and oppression. 

It’s a pervasive darkness that is desperately in need of light. Paul urges his friends to live in such a way that their lives shine in the darkness just like the stars shine brightly the dark of night.

Jesus calls us to do the same. “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14-17)

The book of Proverbs puts it this way: “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.” (Prov. 11:10) The “righteous” are those who are willing to disadvantage themselves to advantage the community. 

When God’s people are blessed by God, they turn right around and become a blessing to their city.  The presence of God’s people causes those in the city to say: “We are so glad you’re here.”

Opportunities abound to touch our city.  Jesus’ call is for us...you and me...to shine the light in the darkness. It’s up to us, friends. He has no other plan.

Text: Philippians 2:14-18

Originally recorded on September 28, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

In our last episode, we began talking about what it means to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you…” (Phil. 2:12-13). We said that if we hope to see the ongoing transformation of God in our lives, we must cooperate with God in the process. 

Transformation of any sort involves three elements: 

• V – Vision
• I – Intention
• M – Method 

Take the example of an NFL player. Their vision is to win the Super Bowl. But to accomplish this vision, they must intentionally arrange their lives around the methods that will get them there. Even if those methods are costly! Why? Because the vision drives them.

The same thing is true in our spiritual journey. What is it that will compel us to grow? The vision of the day all will kneel and proclaim that Jesus is Lord. The day we will stand before Him and hear Him say, “Well done.”

But that kind of life will not just happen. You don’t stumble into that kind of maturity. It will take intention.

But what method, practice, or activity will help us experience that vision?

I believe that spiritual disciplines are essential methods of spiritual training.

Spiritual disciplines are activities that enable you to receive power and life from God. Things like Bible study, prayer, fasting, solitude, confession, community, and worship are valuable training methods.

Spiritual disciplines are not an indicator of spirituality. As with an athlete, the disciplines are the drills that prepare you for the game. They are not the game itself. Spiritual disciplines are not the end in themselves. Rather, they should train us to be more kind, generous, forgiving, wise, and courageous. That’s the real game.

Spiritual disciplines are not a way to earn favor with God. We don’t engage in these practices because we’re trying to impress or please God. We do them because we love Him and want to be more like Him.

Spiritual disciplines are not necessarily unpleasant. Rather than being onerous or drudgery, spiritual disciplines can and should be life-giving and joy-filled.

Spiritual disciplines are a matter of personal choice. Which disciplines result in the transformation you’re looking for? Do those! 

But remember, spiritual transformation only happens when we cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the place to start your extreme makeover is by starting each day with the discipline of presentation. “Oh, God, fill me this day with Your Spirit. Do Your work in me.”

Text: Philippians 2:12-13

Originally recorded on September 14, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

Makeover shows have been exceedingly popular television viewing for decades. Do you remember the show, “Extreme Makeover”? They took ordinary people and completely changed their appearance. The transformations were astonishing!

While we may never be the recipient of that kind of makeover, the Bible says that an extreme makeover is possible for those who place their faith in Christ. Not only is such transformation possible, it’s expected!

But the changes Jesus wants to make are not necessarily on the outside. They are on the inside…where it matters most.

The Apostle Paul talked about this a lot, telling us that God’s plan for us to be to “conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29), to be “transformed into His likeness” (2 Cor. 3:18). And in Philippians 2, he writes: “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling...” (vs. 12)

Notice he doesn’t say “work for your salvation,” or “work to keep your salvation.” He says “work out your salvation.” There are aspects of our maturity that require our involvement and effort.

God does what we cannot do; but He will not do what we are to do.

Verse 13 says that God is not only cheering us on in this transformation process, but He is helping us. If we hope to become more loving, more patient, more gentle, or more self-controlled, it will require the dual partnership of us working with God as He does His work in us.

Elsewhere, Paul uses sports to illustrate the idea of working out our salvation. He says that in the same way that an athlete goes into training in order to win the prize, so we should “train yourself to be godly” (1 Tim. 4:7).

Spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder, but of training wisely.

How do you go into this kind of training? Well, there are some classic training techniques for spiritual transformation. They are known as the spiritual disciplines, such as: Bible study, prayer, Scripture memory, community, accountability, worship, and service.

These disciples are themselves indicators of maturity. Rather, they are the means to spiritual maturity.

An extreme makeover really is possible if you are willing to rearrange your life around those activities that enable you to receive power and life from God.

Text: Philippians 2:12-13

Originally recorded on September 7, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

Have you ever wondered, “Is it worth it?” Is all the sacrifice and effort for the Kingdom really worth it? Is all the ridicule and mockery for following Jesus worth it? 

Well, friends, today we are going to find the answer. And that answer is: Yes. It is worth it!   

How do I know? Let’s look at Philippians 2:9-11 together.

“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 confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

In the previous episode, we talked about how Jesus climbed down the ladder. From the glories of heaven, he lowered himself and became a human, a servant even, and ultimately gave His life to die on a cross.

Was it worth it? Hebrews 12:2-3 indicates that Jesus was able to endure all this because of what He knew was coming. Jesus, for the future joy set before Him, endured the present pain of sacrifice.

What is that future joy? Phil. 2 gives us a clue. It points to a coming day when God will: 

• Exalt Jesus to the highest place.

The Greek term means “hyper-exalted.” Because of His sacrifice, the Father bestowed on the Son even more rights, privileges, and honors than He had before. 

• Give Jesus the ultimate name. 

Verse 11 tell us that name: Lord. The Greek is kurios – deity, sovereignty, and authority in the highest possible sense. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow:

• in heaven – the angels and the redeemed who’ve gone before us
• on earth – those alive when Jesus returns, whether saved or unsaved. 
• under the earth – demonic spirits and those who died without Christ.

Jesus’ exaltation to the highest place guarantees our vindication. It proves we were right. Jesus really is Lord. We were right to give our lives to Him.

I love these words from Jesus Himself in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible:

“Behold, I am coming soon!  My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what He has done.” (Rev. 22:12)

One day, all who have given up everything, sacrificed, and served for the sake of Christ, will receive a reward from Jesus Himself.

So, as Paul writes to the Corinthians: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (I Cor. 15:58)

What’s the apostle saying?  Even as a life of sacrifice was worth it for Jesus, it will be worth it for us.

Text: Philippians 2:9-11

Originally recorded on August 31, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

All our lives, we are encouraged to climb up the ladder. The word “up” has come to be cherished in our society. It’s a word reserved for winners, heroes, and overcomers: upscale, up-and-coming, upper class, upwardly mobile.  The premise, indeed the promise, is that if you devote yourself to climbing up the ladder and making it to the top, that’s where all the good stuff is – status, significance, and success.

Of course, devoting yourself to ladder climbing can carry a cost.  Often to climb up, you need to climb over others. Because your focus is upward, you pay no attention to those below you.

But the cost is more than worth it - or so we’re told. The problem with ladder climbing is it’s not only lonely at the top, it’s empty.

But Jesus didn’t come to climb up the ladder. He went down the ladder.

Philippians 2:5-8 gives a beautiful, poetic picture of the upside-down life of Jesus.

“…who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage…” (v.6)

There is a boatload of theology in these verses: 

•  “being” = huparchein = that which one is in very essence and which cannot be changed
•  “in the very nature” = morphe = an essential form which never alters

Paul is making it clear that Jesus always was, is, and always will be fully and unalterably God. To put it into our context, He started at the top of the ladder. But note which direction Jesus goes.

“…rather, he made himself nothingby taking the very nature[b] of a servant,being made in human likeness.” (v. 7)

Jesus’ downward mobility began with simply taking on human flesh with all its limitations. But His descent didn’t stop there. He came not just a man, but as a servant, spending time with lepers and prostitutes.

And still, His descent continued.

“And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (v.8)

Jesus, the One who flung the stars into space, voluntarily gave Himself over to die. And not just any death. Death on a cross – the most painful, humiliating way to die.

Jesus’ story is not a rags-to-riches story. It’s a riches-to-rags story (burial rags).

Why did He willingly pursue this downward path?

He was not committed to climbing up the ladder but to accomplishing God’s purposes.

Now vs. 5 takes on new meaning. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

Jesus’ descent was meant to be an example for us to follow.

Jesus came as a servant, not in spite of the fact that He was God, but because He was God. 

It is the nature of God is to give and to serve. Jesus, when He came in the form of a servant, was not disguising Who God is; He was revealing Who God is.

Intentionally moving down the ladder is the most God-like thing a person can do.   

Text: Philippians 2:5-8

Originally recorded on August 24, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

In Philippians 2, Paul calls his friends – and us – to live in a totally countercultural manner. This “upside-down living” is the very opposite of what our society sees as normal. The irony is that by living upside down, we’re actually helping to turn the world right-side up.

 Having been called to unity, Paul now urges us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:3-4)

Let’s unpack this a bit. The phrase “selfish amibition” comes from the Greek word “eritheia” or “selfishness.” The word was used to describe three kinds of people:

• A mercenary – a soldier who fights for pay. 
• A politician – who seeks his own advancement and gain over the good of the people.
• A gambler – whose gain was always at the expense of someone else.

The other phrase here is “vain conceit.” It comes from the Greek “kenodoxia” or “empty glory.” It’s the idea of making a claim you can’t back up; having an overly exaggerated view of yourself.

Another way to think of these ideas is: selfish ambition pursues personal goals; vain conceit seeks personal glory. Paul is saying, “Friends, have nothing to do with this lifestyle. Rather, think of others as better than yourselves!”

Talk about countercultural! We’ve been taught to “look out for#1!” We’re afraid that “looking to the interests of others” will cost us. It’s a scarcity mindset that says, “If they win, I’ll lose.” It’s why we have such trouble “rejoicing with those who rejoice” (Rom. 12:15). 

Ultimately, the reason we struggle to celebrate others’ wins comes down to our view of God. If we think that God has a limited supply of grace – of blessing – then someone else’s blessing means there is less for me.

But the reality is God’s grace is not only unmerited, it’s unlimited. To live “upside-down” is to have an abundance mindset! God is intimate in His focus, generous in His favor, and limitless in His supply. 

You can freely look to others’ interests when you’re convinced that God is looking to yours.

Text: Philippians 2:3-4 

Originally recorded on August 17, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN