He worked from Philippians, with chapter 3, verses 20 and 21 as his key text.
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (TNIV)Observations abounded. First, the tension of being a 'citizen' of heaven (Now), but still waiting (Not Yet) for the 'Savio(u)r from there' to transform our bodies. Also, it was noted that this passage contrasts with the self-emptying (kenosis) passage earlier in (Philippians) chapter 2. This one has a glorious saviour appearing from glorious heaven and transforming our 'lowly' (read: 'un-glorious') bodies to be like his glorious body; while chapter 2 has a gloriously equal-with-God Christ taking the form of a servant (again, read: 'un-glorious') and dying a shameful death - even death on a cross.
Next, Martin observed the pressures on the Philippian church. Using an image of three co-centric (having the same [co] centre) circles, he showed how at one level (the largest circle) the church (the smallest circle) had the pressure of the Roman Empire's pagan influence (immorality, etc.), and at another level (the middle circle) they had the 'Judaizers' pressuring them as well (conformity to Jewish standards, i.e. circumcision - e.g. 3:2).
Paul's instruction throughout chapter 3 was summarised in these verse-groupings and descriptions:
1a-7: Don't go back (to safe Judaism).
8-11: Instead, be found in Christ,
12-16: ...and press onward to 'heavenly' goal.
17-19: Those who set their minds on 'earth' will be destroyed,
20: ...but we citizens of heaven...
21: ...will be glorified by Christ.
Also, the flow from chapter 1 was highlighted, by way of reference to 1:9-11, 1:27, 2:14-15 and 3:13-16. The message right through: "Let us live up to what we have already attained.
Martin then spent some time discussing the ideas of seeing ourselves as 'resident aliens'. He quoted at length from Miroslav Volf, and surveyed Romans 8:18-21 and Ephesians 3:8-21.
He then fielded several questions from the floor before finishing up and dismissing us for a supper break.
*** *** ***
Mark Strom then shared in the second half under the theme of "Dwellers on the Threshold" (which, among other things, was confirmed NOT to be a lyric of any U2 songs whatsoever! :) ).
The time swept past as Mark shared from his heart about (among other things) the "deep longing for more" which we find ourselves at times tempted to say 'no' to, but remind ourselves to say 'yes' to. He talked about the tension between the 'Now' and the 'Not Yet', and how our 'Yes' is always in the face of 'No'; referring once again to Philippians 3 and how the 'power of His resurrection' is known in the 'fellowship of His sufferings'.
Beautifully illustrating his point about the feeling of 'groaning' (Romans 8:22-25) He played Van Morisson's song 'Dweller on the Threshold' with rolling-images demonstrating the breadth of human experience from joy to suffering. Here are the lyrics:
I'm a dweller on the threshold
And I'm waiting at the door
And I'm standing in the darkness
I don't want to wait no more
I have seen without perceiving
I have been another man
Let me pierce the realm of glamour
So I know just what I am
Feel the angel of the present
In the mighty crystal fire
Lift me up consume my darkness
Let me travel even higher
I'm a dweller on the threshold
As I cross the burning ground
Let me go down to the water
Watch the great illusion drown
I'm gonna turn and face the music
The music of the spheres
Lift me up consume my darkness
When the midnight disappears
I will walk out of the darkness
And I'll walk into the light
And I'll sing the song of ages
And the dawn will end the night
I'm a dweller on the threshold
And I cross some burning ground
And I'll go down to the water
Let the great illusion drown
Also he made a reference to a work by Henry Lawson called "Past Carin'", which is part of a short story called 'Water Them Geraniums', which can be read here.
Somewhere along the way, he shared a touching story about a hugely gifted Australian classical-guitarist friend who had been put-off playing the guitar by a 'well meaning, but foolish older brother', having been suggested/told/coerced-to-believe that his 5-hour-a-day-guitar-practicing was like-unto idol worship. Years later, he had to be 'tempted' into playing the guitar again - and rediscovering the profound joy of being human way of fully living in the abilities and gifts he had...
Further describing this 'groaning', he presented a three-way tension between these sentiments:
1) Pushing against all false faith sadly tied to the Old...
2) The New Life in the New Story...
3) Showing grace & wisdom to those who do not yet know the New...
In closing, he touched on Colossians 2:16 (and following) noting how a life lived by 'laws', legalism and 'religion' is characterised by to-and-fro-ing between self-justification and self-condemnation.
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