Bible Text: Let\u00adter to the Phil\u00adip\u00adpians | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Mat\u00adthi\u00adas Alt\u00adwegg | Series: Wel\u00adco\u00adme Home | Peo\u00adp\u00adle who see them\u00adsel\u00adves as guests on earth and have their home in hea\u00adven live refres\u00adhin\u00adgly dif\u00adfer\u00adent\u00adly. The exam\u00adp\u00adle of Paul from Phil\u00adip\u00adpians expli\u00adcit\u00adly sup\u00adports this the\u00adsis. Despi\u00adte impri\u00adson\u00adment with an open end, the basic melo\u00addy of his life is joy, free\u00addom from worries, sere\u00adni\u00adty and free\u00addom. We want to learn some\u00adthing from this inspi\u00adring example.<\/p>\n
\tWhat fee\u00adlings and thoughts do you asso\u00adcia\u00adte with the term \u00abhome\u00bb? Bible Text: Let\u00adter to the Phil\u00adip\u00adpians | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Mat\u00adthi\u00adas Alt\u00adwegg | Series: Wel\u00adco\u00adme Home | Peo\u00adp\u00adle who see them\u00adsel\u00adves as guests on earth and have their home in hea\u00adven live refres\u00adhin\u00adgly dif\u00adfer\u00adent\u00adly. The exam\u00adp\u00adle of Paul from Phil\u00adip\u00adpians expli\u00adcit\u00adly sup\u00adports this the\u00adsis. Despi\u00adte impri\u00adson\u00adment with an open end, the basic melo\u00addy of his life is joy, free\u00addom from worries, sere\u00adni\u00adty and\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[53],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":["wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","wpfc_sermon_series-willkommen-daheim","wpfc-sermon-single","post-2450","wpfc_sermon","type-wpfc_sermon","status-publish","hentry","wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"],"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nHow would you like to be? I\u2019ll make you a sug\u00adges\u00adti\u00adon: Your heart is full of joy, even when things get pret\u00adty tight in life. You are a plea\u00adsant con\u00adtem\u00adpo\u00adra\u00adry and do good to others. You are care\u00adfree and opti\u00admi\u00adstic. Even in times of gre\u00adat ten\u00adsi\u00adon you remain calm. Your inner peace is genui\u00adne and com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly inde\u00adpen\u00addent of the opi\u00adni\u00adon of others.
\nFor me, that is a desi\u00adra\u00adble atti\u00adtu\u00adde to life. It is the descrip\u00adti\u00adon of a per\u00adson who can say, \u00abBut my home is in hea\u00adven, whe\u00adre the Lord Jesus Christ lives.\u00bb Yes, that is how signi\u00adfi\u00adcant the know\u00adledge of home with God is. C.S. Lewis sums up the con\u00adnec\u00adtion bet\u00adween life as a sojour\u00adner on this earth and the cer\u00adtain\u00adty of a home in hea\u00adven: \u00abFrom histo\u00adry we see that it was tho\u00adse Chris\u00adti\u00adans who loo\u00adked most to the here\u00adaf\u00adter who also loo\u00adked most clo\u00adse\u00adly to this world. whoe\u00adver stri\u00adves for hea\u00adven, the earth will fall into his lap; whoe\u00adver stri\u00adves for earth, both hea\u00adven and earth will be lost.\u00bb Paul impres\u00adsi\u00adve\u00adly exem\u00adpli\u00adfied this truth. The Let\u00adter to the Phil\u00adip\u00adpians gives a cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00adding insight.
\nHome in heaven
\nPhil\u00adip\u00adpi had a spe\u00adcial sta\u00adtus at the time of the Roman Empire. As a remin\u00adder of the vic\u00adto\u00adry over the Cae\u00adsar mur\u00adde\u00adrers Bru\u00adtus and Cas\u00adsi\u00adus, the city was made a Roman colo\u00adny (Acts 16:12). This meant that Phil\u00adip\u00adpi was legal\u00adly regard\u00aded as if it were in Ita\u00adly, which came with cer\u00adtain pri\u00advi\u00adle\u00adges: the city could govern its\u00adelf and its citi\u00adzens had the same rights as the citi\u00adzens of Rome such as exemp\u00adti\u00adon from cer\u00adtain taxes and duties. For the inha\u00adbi\u00adtants of Phil\u00adip\u00adpi, it was clear what it meant to be a citi\u00adzen of a city that was far away.
\nIt is no coin\u00adci\u00addence that Paul wro\u00adte to the\u00adse peo\u00adp\u00adle: \u00abWe, on the other hand, are citi\u00adzens of hea\u00adven, and from hea\u00adven we also await our Saviour \u2013 Jesus Christ the Lord\u00bb (Phil\u00adip\u00adpians 3:20; NG\u00dc<\/span>). Endo\u00adwed with the rights of hea\u00adven, living on earth. The New Life Bible trans\u00adla\u00adtes: \u00abBut our home is in hea\u00adven, whe\u00adre the Lord Jesus Christ lives.\u00bb
\nThe home\u00adland we car\u00adry in our hearts influen\u00adces our exis\u00adtence. The\u00adre are many peo\u00adp\u00adle who live in Switz\u00ader\u00adland but are citi\u00adzens of ano\u00adther coun\u00adtry. On holi\u00adday, they then tra\u00advel to their home\u00adland to show it to their child\u00adren and brea\u00adthe in the home\u00adland air them\u00adsel\u00adves. They love to look at pho\u00adtos from their home coun\u00adtry and would never miss a DOK<\/span> pro\u00adgram\u00adme about their regi\u00adon. An Ita\u00adli\u00adan always remains Ita\u00adli\u00adan at heart. Our natio\u00adnal foot\u00adball play\u00aders with Koso\u00advar roots would never sing the Swiss anthem. To them, that would be like betray\u00ading their home\u00adland. Rather, they flaunt their natio\u00adna\u00adlist sym\u00adbols, such as the dou\u00adble-hea\u00added eagle.
\nPeo\u00adp\u00adle who\u00adse home is hea\u00adven should also live home-ori\u00aden\u00adted, sing \u00abthe hymn of hea\u00adven\u00bb, inves\u00adti\u00adga\u00adte what it is like the\u00adre and tell the child\u00adren about it. Is the home in hea\u00adven a topic at our din\u00adner tables?
\nGuest on earth
\nHe who has his home in hea\u00adven will see hims\u00adelf as a guest on this earth (Psalm 119:19). This puts many things into per\u00adspec\u00adti\u00adve and leads to a holy serenity.
\nPaul was in a very uncom\u00adfor\u00adta\u00adble situa\u00adti\u00adon when he wro\u00adte the Let\u00adter to the Phil\u00adip\u00adpians. For some time now, he has been in pre-tri\u00adal detenti\u00adon in Rome, awai\u00adting his sen\u00adtence. He does not know whe\u00adther he will be released again or whe\u00adther his life will soon be extin\u00adgu\u00adis\u00adhed. Nor\u00admal\u00adly, in such straits, peo\u00adp\u00adle grum\u00adble with the cir\u00adcum\u00ads\u00adtances or with them\u00adsel\u00adves. One is then suf\u00adfi\u00adci\u00adent\u00adly preoc\u00adcu\u00adp\u00adied with ones\u00adelf. Paul is quite different!
\nThe fol\u00adlo\u00adwing terms descri\u00adbe it and chall\u00adenge us at the same time:
\nJoy. The word \u00abjoy\u00bb appears 16 times in Phil\u00adip\u00adpians. It is also cal\u00adled a let\u00adter of joy. Despi\u00adte impri\u00adson\u00adment with an open-ended out\u00adco\u00adme, joy is the key\u00adnote of his life.
\nFree\u00addom from worry and peace in the heart. Spel\u00adled out in his own life, he recom\u00admends the peo\u00adp\u00adle in Phil\u00adip\u00adpi to do the same: \u00abDo not worry about any\u00adthing, but pray for ever\u00ady\u00adthing. Tell God what you need and thank him. You will expe\u00adri\u00adence God\u2019s peace, which is grea\u00adter than our human minds can ever com\u00adpre\u00adhend. His peace will keep your hearts and minds in faith in Jesus Christ\u00bb (4:6f). None of us has more reason to worry than Paul had. Tho\u00adse who do not worry will expe\u00adri\u00adence a peace so pro\u00adfound that it can\u00adnot even be com\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00added. Super\u00adna\u00adtu\u00adral. Like a litt\u00adle child at home with mom\u00admy and dad\u00addy, a Chris\u00adti\u00adan with a hea\u00adven\u00adly home con\u00adscious\u00adness never has to worry.
\nHigh tole\u00adrance of ambi\u00adgui\u00adty. This is the abili\u00adty to tole\u00adra\u00adte ambi\u00adguous situa\u00adtions and con\u00adtra\u00addic\u00adto\u00adry cour\u00adses of action. \u00abI have lear\u00adned to be con\u00adtent with what I have. Whe\u00adther I have a litt\u00adle or a lot, I have lear\u00adned to cope with any situa\u00adti\u00adon: I can have a full sto\u00admach or an emp\u00adty one, expe\u00adri\u00adence abun\u00addance or suf\u00adfer lack. For all things are pos\u00adsi\u00adble for me through Christ, who gives me the strength I need\u00bb (4:11\u201313). Paul\u2019s inner world is inde\u00adpen\u00addent of his outer expe\u00adri\u00adence. Even the opti\u00adon of dying soon is not a dan\u00adger for him, but only joy and serenity.
\nCor\u00adrect order of prio\u00adri\u00adties. A con\u00adscious look at the home in hea\u00adven helps to set the right prio\u00adri\u00adties in ever\u00ady\u00adday life. Paul prays for the Chris\u00adti\u00adans in Phil\u00adip\u00adpi: \u00abFor you should be able to dis\u00adcern what is important, so that you may stand pure and exem\u00adpla\u00adry befo\u00adre Christ when he comes again\u00bb (1:10).
\nEnthu\u00adsi\u00ada\u00adstic about Christ. In Paul\u2019s shoes, I\u2019d pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly try to save my skin and I might quar\u00adrel with God. Hey God, why do you let this hap\u00adpen? Paul has only one goal: to make Christ known so that many more peo\u00adp\u00adle will find a home with God (1:18).
\nUntoucha\u00adble. Paul binds his fate to God\u2019s will, to Christ. So the Romans can do what they want with him, they are only ful\u00adfil\u00adling God\u2019s will.
\nPray\u00ader. Paul is con\u00adnec\u00adted to home seve\u00adral times a day. He does this not out of a sen\u00adse of duty, but out of joy (1,4).
\nAs an inte\u00adres\u00adted and atten\u00adti\u00adve obser\u00adver, one can sum up by say\u00ading: As a guest on this earth, life is gre\u00adat in every situation!
\nKey to the homeland
\nAs a remin\u00adder of home in hea\u00adven, we dis\u00adtri\u00adbu\u00adted the engra\u00adved keys at the begin\u00adning of the year. What is the key to life as we see it in Paul?
\nThe ans\u00adwer is alre\u00ada\u00addy given: He was awa\u00adre of his home in hea\u00adven. So he lived with his head in hea\u00adven and his feet on earth. But what is the key to someone being able to say that his home is in hea\u00adven or is beco\u00adming more and more so?
\nPaul helps fur\u00adther: \u00abFor Christ is my life, and dying is my gain\u00bb (1:21; Lut). With peo\u00adp\u00adle for whom Christ is their life, dying can only be gain. But what does it mean that someone can say \u00abChrist is my life\u00bb? Actual\u00adly, any per\u00adson who has been bap\u00adti\u00adsed could say that. Bap\u00adtism expres\u00adses attach\u00adment to Jesus Christ. With him we give our old, own life to death. With him we are resur\u00adrec\u00adted to a new life that is shaped by him. Paul expres\u00adses this in Gala\u00adti\u00adans 2:20: \u00abI live, but no lon\u00adger mys\u00adelf, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earth\u00adly body by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and sacri\u00adfi\u00adced hims\u00adelf for me.\u00bb That is why in the begin\u00adning of Phil\u00adip\u00adpians he intro\u00addu\u00adces hims\u00adelf as a \u00abser\u00advant of Christ Jesus\u00bb (1:1). This is an hono\u00adri\u00adfic title and means that someone has given up their own rights and trus\u00adted Jesus com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly. It is the key to fin\u00adding a home with the Father in heaven.
\nTo con\u00adnect one\u2019s life com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly fateful\u00adly with Jesus Christ needs cou\u00adra\u00adge and trust. I can only let go if I trust that Jesus means well with me. And \u2013 I don\u2019t know in advance!
\nWith the tra\u00adpe\u00adze artists the\u00adre are \u00abfly\u00aders\u00bb and \u00abcat\u00adchers\u00bb. The fly\u00ader jumps off the plat\u00adform and swings through the air. He gains momen\u00adtum with his body and swings fas\u00adter and hig\u00adher. Mean\u00adwhile, the cat\u00adcher dan\u00adgles upsi\u00adde down from ano\u00adther tra\u00adpe\u00adze and has his hands free to grab. The moment of truth has come as soon as the fly\u00ader lets go. He whiz\u00adzes through the air wit\u00adhout stop\u00adping and does one or two somer\u00adsaults. At that moment, the\u00adre is abso\u00adlut\u00ade\u00adly not\u00adhing that could save the fly\u00ader from cras\u00adhing. But the next moment the cat\u00adcher swings into our field of visi\u00adon. He has tun\u00aded his pen\u00addulum move\u00adment per\u00adfect\u00adly and is right the\u00adre when the fly\u00ader loses momen\u00adtum and falls down. He grabs the arms of the fly\u00ader with his hands. The fly\u00ader can\u00adnot see him; but he feels hims\u00adelf being grab\u00adbed out of the air. The cat\u00adcher brings the fly\u00ader home. In an inter\u00adview, a tra\u00adpe\u00adze artist says: \u00abAs a fly\u00ader, I have to have com\u00adple\u00adte trust in the cat\u00adcher. The spec\u00adta\u00adtors may think I am the star on the tra\u00adpe\u00adze, but the real star is the cat\u00adcher. He has to be the\u00adre with split-second pre\u00adcis\u00adi\u00adon and grab me from the air. The fly\u00ader does not\u00adhing. The cat\u00adcher does ever\u00ady\u00adthing. That is the secret. When I fly towards the cat\u00adcher, I just have to stretch out my arms and hands and wait. A fly\u00ader has to trust, with arms outstret\u00adched, that his cat\u00adcher will be the\u00adre at the right moment.\u00bb It is even said to beco\u00adme real\u00adly dan\u00adge\u00adrous when the fly\u00ader tri\u00ades to grab the arms of the catcher.
\n\u00abChrist is my life\u00bb means let\u00adting go and trus\u00adting that Jesus will catch you. It\u2019s about sur\u00adren\u00adde\u00adring indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal are\u00adas of life to Jesus and say\u00ading, \u00abYou be in char\u00adge of that.\u00bb The only thing we have to do is jump. He holds us and chan\u00adges us. Paul explains this to the Phil\u00adip\u00adpians: \u00abI am quite sure that God, who began his good work in you, will con\u00adti\u00adnue and com\u00adple\u00adte it until the day Christ Jesus comes again\u00bb (1:6). Jesus Christ began the work in us, he will also com\u00adple\u00adte it. To com\u00adple\u00adte does not mean to per\u00adfect, but to come more and more to an undi\u00advi\u00added heart. To jump again and again, to be caught by Jesus Christ and brought home. This is Paul\u2019s key to a bril\u00adli\u00adant life.
\n
\nAs the quo\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon from C.S. Lewis expres\u00adsed, peo\u00adp\u00adle who have their home in hea\u00adven should con\u00adcern them\u00adsel\u00adves in depth with this world. Not nai\u00advely, world-wea\u00adry, all-kno\u00adwing or fata\u00adli\u00adstic, but inte\u00adres\u00adted, hop\u00adeful, uplif\u00adting and open-ended. We want to enga\u00adge with wis\u00addom, in mode\u00ads\u00adty and humi\u00adli\u00adty, in the dis\u00adcus\u00adsion on glo\u00adbal issues such as cli\u00adma\u00adte chan\u00adge, on socio-poli\u00adti\u00adcal issues such as mar\u00adria\u00adge for all or poli\u00adti\u00adcal issues such as Euro\u00adpean poli\u00adcy. Even more, we want to face our ever\u00ady\u00adday chal\u00adlenges. But all this in the know\u00adledge that we are guests on this earth and our home is in hea\u00adven. This chan\u00adges ever\u00ady\u00adthing and makes us plea\u00adsant, ser\u00ade\u00adne, hop\u00adeful and inde\u00adpen\u00addent people.
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\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead the Bible text: Phil\u00adip\u00adpians 4:1\u201313<\/p>\n
\n\tHow real do you live in the know\u00adledge that your home is in hea\u00adven? Whe\u00adre and when is this truth addres\u00adsed in your ever\u00ady\u00adday life?
\n\tLet\u2019s say you find that the world has beco\u00adme too much of a home: how could you muta\u00adte into a guest? What mea\u00adsu\u00adres would help you to be more awa\u00adre of your real home?
\n\t\u00abChrist is my life, dying is my gain.\u00bb What do you think about this sentence?
\n\tWhat qua\u00adli\u00adty that Paul iden\u00adti\u00adfied do you want for yourself?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"