Lent 2- Our Citizenship is in Heaven

 

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; 

Psalm 27; 

Philippians 3:17-4:1; 

Luke 13:31-35

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he writes, “our citizenship is in heaven” (3:20). When most people hear this, they are thinking about going to heaven when they die. … I don’t think that is entirely untrue, but that’s not primarily what Paul is saying here. What Paul is referring to is identity. What identity drives you? What is the core of who you are? What sets your priorities?

The city of Philippi changed dramatically about 100 years before Paul wrote this letter. There was a great battle during the Roman Civil war. And the two victorious generals were left with a large army that was too dangerous to bring back to Rome, so they gave them land and created a Roman colony in northern Greece. This is Philippi. Philippi in Paul’s time was largely made up of the descendants of these soldiers. They lived in Greece, but they identified primarily as Roman citizens. They were very proud of being Roman, and were sure that the best way to do things was the Roman way to do things. Their citizenship was in Rome. Their help was found in Rome, and their savior was Caesar. If their city was in danger from an outside attack, he would come with his forces to save them. The cult of the emperor even provided a way to worship the emperor as their saviour, and lord of the world. Being a citizen of Rome meant living like a Roman even though they were in Greece. It meant prioritizing the ways of Rome in their lives.

It is helpful if we have this idea of being a Roman citizen in a foreign land when we read Paul’s words, 

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

 The church is a colony of heaven. The church is meant to prioritize the ways of heaven, the way that the Philippians prioritized the ways of Rome. In the Church, and in the lives of the individual members of the Church, the way of life and the rule of heaven is a reality. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” For God’s Kingdom to come, and for God’s will to be done essentially means the same thing. This is how citizens of heaven are meant to live- As those who primarily identify as those who belong to heaven, they prioritize the ways of heaven in how they live. They seek to make the will of God a reality on the earth, in the same way as the Philippians sought to make the ways of Rome and the will of Caesar a reality in their city.

In this world we are still subject to the powers of decay and death. We become weak and this can get in the way of us living and spreading the way of heaven. Referring to the power of the resurrection of Jesus, Paul writes, 

“He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself” (3:21).

 Just as Caesar would rescue Philippi from a foreign attacker, so Christ the King will rescue his people from death’s clutches. His resurrection is the first-fruit of a more general resurrection that is still to come. But it’s not just human bodies that will be transformed- Human bodies will be caught up in a much wider flooding of God’s power over the face of the world. The world will come to be full of the glory of God in a way that is undeniable. …

Knowing this means that the church can stand against any threat. Paul encourages, 

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved” (4:1).

 Even if they are to die, like their King on the cross, they will not remain dead forever. They can expect to continue living, and to eventually be reunited to a new body- a body like Christ’s resurrected body. Since they believe this promise, they can continue to give their allegiance to their Lord, and to his Kingdom, regardless of what comes at them.

It was probably true that those in Phillipi would sometimes start to take-on some of the surrounding culture. Perhaps they would start learning to speak more Greek, rather than Latin, so that they could trade with nearby towns. Perhaps, over time, some would adopt some Greek customs that would replace some of their Roman customs. … The same thing can happen to the Church. When we are baptized, our citizenship becomes primarily that of heaven. But sometimes other practices can sneak in over time. We can be influenced by foreign practices and other values that are not a part of being a citizen of heaven. Eventually this can start to have an effect on the core of our Identity.

A Philippian who had been so proud of being a Roman might meet a Roman from the actual city of Rome who might question their allegiance and identity-  “How can you call yourself a Roman when you do this?”. Such a Philippian, who took on many foreign practices, might be accused of being Roman in name only. … Similarly, to call Christ our “Lord” also means declaring ourselves to be citizens of his Kingdom, to be citizens of heaven. … Jesus speaks about those who are citizens of heaven in name only in Matthew 7:21-23-

“‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.””

This is part of the conclusions of the Sermon on the Mount, which is a teaching about the ways of being a citizen of heaven. In that teaching he doesn’t say anything about prophesying, casting out demons, or deeds of power. But he does talk about anger, lust, lying, loving enemies, almsgiving and fasting in secret, praying, worrying, judging, and treating people the way we want to be treated. It does no good to ignore those teachings and still declare ourselves to be citizens of heaven, even if we are prophesying, casting out demons, and doing great deeds of power.

Lent is a good time for us to evaluate our citizenship- Does our present way of life declare heaven as our primary allegiance? Is it possible that foreign values and allegiances have crept in? Is it possible that a citizen who came from heaven might accuse us of being citizens in name only? Does our way of life actually proclaim another citizenship and another lord? … It’s a frightening thought, I know. But it is more frightening to have lived our lives and ignored that question.

The Philippian Christians were encouraged to hold to Christ as their Lord and King, rather than Caesar. They were encouraged to see themselves primarily as citizens of heaven, rather than as citizens of Rome. … And we are encouraged to do the same. Our primary allegiance isn’t to Canada, nor is it to any political party, or ideology. Our primary allegiance is to Christ. Our primary citizenship is that of heaven. And our way of life and our values are to be marked by that primary allegiance. … I’m not saying that is an easy thing to figure out. It’s not always crystal clear. But sometimes it is pretty clear and we should be careful not to insert a sense of ambiguity when we are pretty clear on where Christ stands.

This is what Paul means when he says, 

“Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us” (3:17).

 Paul has cast aside the primacy of his other identities. He is no longer primarily a Pharisee, and primarily a Jew (see 3:4-11). He is primarily a citizen of heaven and devoted to King Jesus, his Lord. Paul encourages the Philippians, and us, to imitate him in this way. … We are encouraged to examine our other allegiances. We are constantly being tempted into other allegiances. They push in on us from every angle. Lent is a good time for us to examine ourselves and take stock of our values. Is there anything I’m putting ahead of Christ? are there any practices I am involved in that don’t match-up with being a citizen of heaven?

Paul gives us a warning. 

“For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things” (3:18-19).

 The danger is that when these other allegiances sneak in, they can actually set us against Christ, by having us choose something over Christ. Are their earthly kingdoms that are demanding our primary allegiance? Are our personal desires becoming our Lord? In gluttony or greed, has our belly become our God? … To live in the world is to be tempted in a thousand different directions. The Philippian church was surrounded by temptations to give their primary allegiance to Caesar and Rome, but also to many other practices that existed in the Greco-Roman world that were at odds with the ways of Christ. … Giving in to these temptations drives us to give up our heavenly citizenship, and becomes citizens of a different land, instead. Paul, with tears, calls the Philippians to not join a foreign power that has set itself in battle against the Kingdom of Christ. It can’t win. It is the way of destruction to make yourself an enemy of the cross. …

May you know that you are a citizen of heaven, and may you feel that not only as a future reality, but as a present reality. And may you feel the ways of heaven press in on you, and colour everything you do and think. And may you know that this is an indestructible Kingdom in which you are forever safe. 

Amen.



*I am indebted to Bishop NT Wright for many of these insights.