The Rev. Carol S. Wedell
October 5, 2008

What does it mean to you to be successful?  (Ask kids first - then youth - then adults).  Adults - have your views changed over the course of time?  What measures do you want used to determine whether or not your children are successful?

Probably the most prevalent definition of success would be something close to this:  the attainment of wealth, position, honor or the like.  Come November, either John McCain or Barack Obama's campaign will be declared a success.  In that political race, like so many other places in life one has to "win" in order to be a success.  Those with the best grades, the biggest house, the most prestigious car, the highest paying job - are often assumed to be successful because of these material symbols.

We don't apply the concept of success only to individuals, either.  We apply it to almost any gathering of people seeking to carry out a mission. Are they growing?  Economically sound?  Do they treat their employees or members with respect and follow accepted ethical conduct?  Companies that go bankrupt are deemed unsuccessful.  Cities or nations with growing economies are.

Even churches are not immune from such measurements.  "How big is your church?  What's the average attendance?  How much do members give relative to their incomes?  How many activities do you have?  Do you have a current website?" 

Among clergy folks, you can guess which churches are usually deemed as most successful.  Is it any surprise that the pastors of most of the largest churches - the so-called "tall steeple" churches - in the Midwest meet together a couple of times a year, when those of us serving smaller congregations often find ourselves more isolated?  We too have been pulled in by a long standing cultural assignment of value, based on criterion which all too often fail to capture the real picture of an individual's or group's impact on the world.

Our reading from Paul's letter to the church at Philippi this morning offers us an invitation to let go of the endless pursuit of "success" as defined by the world around us, and to follow an alternate definition.  Paul is writing to the Philippian church because there is conflict between their members - which seems to be quite a common theme among the early churches.  (Some things do remain the same!)   Those who are Jewish Christians, that is, who were Jews before following Jesus are in conflict with those who have come to know Jesus as Gentiles. The Jewish Christians are claiming superiority and divisions have arisen.

Paul describes himself as having a religious pedigree which is impeccable  He is not just making this up --by Jewish standards he was the epitome of success.  He was a full blooded Hebrew and a member of the prestigious tribe of Benjamin. He was raised by pious Jewish parents who had him circumcised when he was eight days old. He was educated and trained as a Pharisee, studying under the famous rabbi Gamaliel. In fact, Paul was a rising star among the Pharisees, a golden boy whose drive and determination set him apart from the crowd. His obedience to the Jewish laws was blameless, and he demonstrated his devotion to God by vigorously defending Judaism against a radical, new group of people who claimed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ.  Among the Jews, few, if any could claim Paul's credentials.  So Paul is indeed in a position to speak to the Jewish Christians which are making unreasonable demands among the non-Jewish Christians.

Paul's view of the Law and it's importance in the lives of followers of Jesus has undergone a radical transformation.  While Paul was making it his duty to persecute these early Christians, Paul had an encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.  And what an encounter it was!   Literally, overnight his view of the world and his self-understanding changed. 

And clearly, his view of what constituted a successful person changed radically.  Now Paul says that all that has been of value to him in the past is rubbish.  The reason?  It's comparison with knowing Christ Jesus his Lord.  He was willing to give up everything else in order to gain this life-giving relationship.  His goal now?  His measure of success?  To know Christ and to become like him, even being willing to suffer if that should be called for.

As the "Jew of all Jews," Paul could have readily relied on that status. Yet Paul comes to understand that these are simply an external shell which provide a legalistic false self, which says nothing about who he is on the inside, where it matters. Paul argues that those things which most would consider gain,  or success, the external trappings of the false self which for many would be a great source of pride, he now considers rubbish -- of no importance at all.  Instead, Paul locates the source of his identity not in the external facade that he could easily hide behind, but rather in his acceptance by Christ. Without throwing away his own religion, Paul, nevertheless, throws away a theology which had made him important and given him great status.

What's even more important, is that Paul understands that he can't claim having done this for himself - no self-made man here!   This relationship, this acceptance comes as a gift.  It is not something Paul earned, or that he can claim as making him a success.  He comes to understand what most of us struggle with daily - it's not about him!  In fact, when we put ourselves first, and think it is all about us, that's actually a form of idolatry - putting ourselves in the place of  God.  Paul understands that he must continue on the journey ahead and "press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." 

The prize of which Paul speaks is not the end of the race - the prize of heaven.  Just as in the Exodus story, the race, the journey itself is what is of value - not simply getting to the end.  Paul is focused on knowing Christ now.  Having lived at the pinnacle of the Jewish faith, he has discovered that knowing Christ is better than the best he has experienced.

As Paul speaks, it is clear that his words have impact not only for the Philippians, but also for us, centuries later.  This journey, this race toward God's call in Christ Jesus, is the same race on which each of us finds ourselves.  And here is a critical note:  it's not a solo journey.  Paul was concerned with the attitudes of the Philippians, because he understood that there was one church, regardless of differences. "Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you."

This metaphor also reminds us that no one is a spectator.  Many of you know that I love sports - from the stands that is!  I like watching others participate in the game.  But that is not an option for those who follow Jesus. We don't get to sit on the sidelines and watch as others live out the faith.   We're all on the journey - perhaps at different places or with different understandings, but there aren't any spectators in the journey of faith.

You and I, Paul and the Philippians, don't get to decide the route of this journey.  We can't pull out the maps or google mapquest and choose which way to go.  Because none of us have attained the goal of knowing and following Christ perfectly, the goal is always before us.  Our job is to take the time to listen, to discern where God wants us to go, to show us where the course is.

And best of all, no one is left out on this journey.  Anyone here ever been left out?  I'm guessing that many of us here this morning have had the experience of being the last one picked for a team, the one not invited to a party, the one overlooked in a conversation.  On this journey, all are included.   Any one who seeks to follow Jesus, from the youngest to the oldest, from the nicest to the most crotchety, from the fastest sprinter, to one who relies on a wheelchair or walker, conservative or liberal  -- this communal journey makes sure that no one is left behind, even if it means slowing down. The fastest aren't the winners.  Remember Jesus' words, "the first will be last and the last will be first?"

Last spring there was a women's softball tournament in Central Washington - terrain I know well.  A batter from the opposing team from Western Oregon, Sara Tucholsky hit a home run by putting the ball out of the park.  But when she ran to first base she collapsed from a painful injury.  Those of you familiar with the rules will know that a pinch runner can't be put in until a runner has stopped at the last base to which they are entitled.  Since her ball was hit out of the park, that meant home plate for Sara.  But her injury was sever enough that there was no possibility of her making it around the bases.

Further, if her coaches or teammates came out to help her --- even touch her, she would be ruled out.  Then two young women from Ellensburg, the opposing team,  demonstrating that success isn't always about winning, went and carried Sara around the bases - even though the run was the beginning of Western Oregon's win, and the end of Ellensburg's pursuit of the conference playoffs.  "These girls did something awesome to help me get my first home run," Tucholsky said.  "It makes you look at athletes in a different way.  It is not always all about winning ..." (As told in Lectionaid, Vol. 16, # 4, page 18).

What is success?  Pressing on together toward the goal of Christ Jesus.  Our communion is a mystic communion - meaning that it extends far beyond our ability to understand it with our intellect.  As we come to the table this morning, we will come with brothers and sisters of every age, race and nationality to claim once again, that in spite of our differences, we are indeed, one in Christ Jesus.