Sermon 15th Sunday after Pentecost

Sermon

Text: Matthew 18:21-35

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who in emptying himself and humbling himself carries us as long as required.

I heard an interview with the actor who played Tony Blair in the movie “The Queen.” The interviewer asked him what it was like portraying historical figures in movies, he said it was very odd. People started thinking that he was a look alike. But, he said he was an actor not a impersonator or a look-alike. He then told of his Father who is a Jack Nicholson look alike. He said that the difference is that his dad is a genetic freak, not a talented actor.

You have all seen impersonators, often also Elvis performers, there are conventions for Marilyn Monroe impersonators. It is a huge business. Being an impersonator requires a lot of work, but it is for the most part exterior.

In Philippians we read Paul encouraging us to let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus. It is tempting then to think that we should become impersonators of Christ.

But, that fails us.

Because, what is an impersonator? It is someone who acts in a certain way to convince others that they are someone else.

Is that being of the same mind of Christ?

Theologian Gilberto Collazo says: “Impersonators take great pains to make people believe they are who they are not. On the other hand, imitators are clearly aware that they strive to live up to the challenge of being a reflection of the person they look up to.”

My sister loves Star Trek, Star Wars, Conan the Barbarian, and many other fantasy and Sci-fi books. Why? Because I was her big brother. Growing up she wanted to be like me. Many of you either elder or younger siblings I'm sure have the same experience. You grow up being imitated, or imitating. You don't work to actually become the other person, but to be like them, changing who you are to be like them.

We are called not to be impersonators of Christ, but imitators of Christ.

When we read this wonderful text, we don't see Jesus pretending to being human, or pretending to die. In Jesus Christ, God changes who God is by becoming emptying, and humbling.

We are called to this as well. Looking towards not ourselves but to the world around us. Called not to pretend, but to be changed by Christ in our lives.

Paul asks us to work out our salvation, this is not to accomplish it, but to live out our salvation.

Through the actions of Christ we have been given salvation, and Paul is telling the people of Philippi and telling us that it's about time we let that change who we are, not just pretending.

But, Paul ends his this living out with “fear and trembling.” It's not an easy thing. It's one thing to put on a different face and pretend to do what we are called, trying to convince others that we are good people, but it's a whole other thing to change ourselves.

In this life, trying to let our mind be the same mind as Christ, the goal is not to convince others, but to change yourself.

There was a story this week about a track and field event in Minnesota. A Lakeville South high school runner Mark Paulauskas had fallen on the side of the running path and most of the other runners were running right past him. Mark had been accidentally spiked in the leg by another runner. A little ways behind him Josh Ripley of Andover High decided to stop to help. And then instead of running back for help, he picked Mark up and carried him back to the start of the race. Where Mark was taken to the hospital. Josh then went back out and finished the two mile race.

Imitating Christ, being of one mind, does not just mean running the race. It means taking action upon the path to make a difference in this world. It is not an way of life pretending to care for this world, but really only caring about yourself. Being a Christian, it is about imitating Christ, working to change your life to fully live as Christ lived. Who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, says that we should be Little Christs to our neighbor. When we do this, when we let Christ's life change our life, God, who is at work in us, will give us the strength to carry the hurting and needy, just as Christ carries us.

Let us pray,

God of emptying, and humbling, help us to be like you, help us to change our way of life from one of destruction to one of building up. Help us to see the hurting on the side of the path, and help them, not run past. Help us be imitators, really changing who we are, not impersonators, making it all a show.

Amen.