Transforming: Work Out

Work Out – a Sermon

October 11, 2026

INTRO

We’re continuing in a series called “Transforming – Spiritual Depth in a Shallow World.” We’re exploring spirituality in Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, known to us today as “Philippians”. Today, we’ll be reading from Philppians 2, verses 1-12. Before we read God’s word together, will you pray with me the prayer of illumination? Let us pray

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

READING PHILIPPIANS 2:1-12, NRSVue

2:1 If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name,10 so that at the name given to 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. 12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

DARKNESS RETREAT (O1)

In 2023, the NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers decided to go on a four-day darkness retreat at what’s called “Sky Cave” in Southern Oregon. Rodgers spent 96 hours in a pitch dark 300 square foot room with nothing but a queen bed, a toilet, and a meditation mat. He went to unplug and discern whether to retire from the NFL.

It was unconventional, eccentric to some but impressive, even inspirational. I’ve had spiritual retreats but in daylight and not nearly as long.

Spiritual practices or spiritual techniques seem all the rage these days. Maybe not “darkness retreats” but spiritual practices like fasting, controlled breathing, and mediation are wildly popular.

HEADSPACE (O2)

You may know that there are several meditation apps that have flooded the market. One of the most popular, the Headspace App, has been downloaded over 105 million times (sorry for those of you who missed that stock option). On their website, the company claims to help over a hundred million people annually across two hundred regions and countries[1].

MEDITATION (O3)

And practices like meditation are not only popular –they can be really good for you.

A study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison analyzed the brains of eight expert Tibetan monks with between 10,000 and 50,000 hours of mediation under their belt. That many hours amount to between a little over a year and five and a half years of nonstop meditation! Researchers found an unusual amount of gamma waves while analyzing the monks’ brains while they meditated – gamma rays that were also noticeable even when they weren’t meditating. Gamma rays are associated with memory, learning, and conscious awareness.

Those monks are disciplined and inspirational. Meditation is good for you but to achieve the transforming benefits of meditation is A LOT of work.

One French writer, Emmanuel Carrere, while studying under a pro meditator described his own practice of meditation this way, (SLIDE 1) “You have to have opened the pelvic region, opened the shoulders, aligned the bandhas, aligned the chakras and mastered all the techniques of pranayama, and only then does this grand, transformative thing called meditation happen.” The pro meditator in the above case recommended ten years of diligent practice to achieve the state he was describing.

INDIVIDUALISTIC (U1)

This “grand, transformative thing” sounds inspirational, but it also sounds like something for most people that’s out of reach.

Last week, I said we live a culture of shallow spirituality because a lot of “spirituality” (in square quotes) is individualistic, unhinged, un-inspirational, and undisciplined.

But there’s nothing undisciplined or uninspiring about darkness retreats and Tibetan monks.

It’s inspiring. It’s disciplined. And if you can do so, get your gamma rays ON. I’m for you. Find your darkness.

The questions can and should be asked: How does this kind of spirituality shape relationships? How does this kind of spirituality form or deform spiritual communities?

ELITISTS & FAILURES (U2)

But spiritual progress focused on mastering technique, while good and helpful in our world of anxiety, and speed, and hyper-information is still individualistic. It’s still all about ME and what I can accomplish.

And there are natural hierarchies. There are masters and novices. There are elites and ordinaries. There are the haves and the have-nots. Mastery seems reserved for professional monks, meditators, athletes.

Which makes some better-than others, “I’m way more spiritual than him or her.”

For others, it can lead to self-criticism, “Am I even spiritual?”

For others, it can lead to apathy, “If that’s what it takes then why even try?” 

For others, it can lead to despair: Christian author Alan Noble, in his book on mental health On Getting Out of Bed, writes about the despair associated with the mastery of techniques, “Techniques… turn out to be another source of dread and shame… if there are answers and methods and practices that can solve my problems, that it really is my fault that I’m overwhelmed or a failure”.

I can relate. I pray. I have a Bible app on my phone. I “meditate” (well, I get distracted by the neighbor’s barking dog, and my that truck’s V8 engine, not to mention my short attention span. As a teenager I had ADHD. Maybe I need a darkness retreat. Maybe I’m just not that spiritual.)

One thing is for sure; the mastery of techniques won’t help us cultivate humility.

Setting personal goals and having ambitions can be help drive me, but it can also lead me to the delusion that I am self-made. Mark twain once observed, “a self-made man is like a self-made egg.” And I can’t disagree.

Spiritual techniques won’t necessarily lead us to the formation of genuine communities. 

PHILIPPIANS (A1)

Last week we started this conversation about transformation –making spiritual progress on the Chrisitan journey. We’re looking at the spirituality of Philippians. We’ve said that spiritual progress in living inspirational lives – living lives “worthy of the gospel”, a life like the Apostle Paul, requires us to STRIVE. Progress requires grit and discipline. It’s HARD. 

While this short letter to the church at Philippi does encourage spiritual practices like prayer (Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil 4:6). While Paul, the author of the letter encourages spiritual practices like contemplation (whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Phil. 4:8), Paul, in Philippians 1 and 2 seems more interesting in community-making.  

DEEP-SPIRITED FRIENDS (A2)

In Philippians chapter 2, Paul calls the Philippians church not to spiritual techniques but to certain attitudes, mindsets, and dispositions toward one other. He writes in Philippians 2 (SLIDE 2) “If you’ve gotten anything at all in following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if you have a heart, if you care, then do me a favor: agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends” (Phil 2:1-2 MSG)

RADICALLY DIVERSE (A3)

We know from reading Acts 16 that the Philippian church was radically diverse. The founding host of the church was a wealthy “dealer in purple cloth” named Lydia (Acts 16:13-14). It was also (most likely) comprised of a former slave girl who had a demonic spirit of fortune-telling that Paul had excised out of her (Acts 16:16-18). It was also comprised of a city jailer who went from contemplating suicide to having an existential crisis to having his entire household baptized all in the same night (16:26-34). “His entire household” implied not only children and relatives but his own slaves.

This gangly, diverse group of people had different socio-economic statuses. They had different backgrounds and experiences. This social experiment was ripe for hierarchies and “better-than” attitudes. How would deep-spirited friendship possibly emerge from such a diverse community?

SELF-FORGETFULNESS (A4)

Paul tells them do they would need to do the following, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others” (2:3-4). I know that sounds strange to those of us who grew up in the era of self-esteem, “regard others as better than yourselves”. Self-esteem and self-confidence are like the holy grail of our society.

I get that. A healthy self-conception IS important. I love how Eugene Peterson translates this same verse, “consider others better than yourselves” in his version, the Message: “Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”

See, “self-forgetfulness” I can get behind.

The New York Times Best Seiling Author and Reformed Pastor Tim Keller wrote an entire book about the freedom of “self-forgetfulness”. Succinctly, he says (SLIDE 3) “The essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less”. This results in freedom because instead of connecting every event to What does this say about me?  Instead, we have more freedom to focus on God and others.

See, Christian humility is not about debasing yourself or always telling yourself how miserable you are, what we might call “worm theology”, but having a healthy perspective on yourself and focusing on yourself less so that you can focus on God and others more.

That sounds like spiritual progress. That sounds like spiritual maturity AND emotional intelligence. It sounds community-making.

That said, even “emotional intelligence” can be reduced to the level of competition. It can still lend itself to hierarches, something we master – reserved for individuals who have the clarity to “get it” and the grit to “get on with it”. 

KNOWING CHRIST EXPERIENTIALLY (A5)

So, Paul adds this line, “let the same mind be in your that was in Christ Jesus”.

Be imitators of Jesus Christ. Be like Jesus. If the goal of Christian spirituality is community-making self-forgetfulness, then the source of Christian spiritualty is Jesus Christ.

From here, Paul breaks into prose. Many scholars think Paul quotes a song or hymn that the church was already singing. If it was a hymn, we have no idea how the melody goes. But this ancient hymn or poem tells Jesus’ story from the perspective of cosmic time: Let’s read it again, maybe to some cool, epic ambient music for effect. Do we have any music like that? (MUSIC CUE)

PHILLIPPIANS 2:6-11 (A6, SLIDE)

Have the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though in God’s form, did not regard his equality with God as something to exploited. But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And having a human appearance, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, yes, even the death of the cross. So, God has greatly exalted him, has given him the name which is over all names: That at the name of Jesus every knee within heaven shall bow—on earth, too, and under the earth; And every tongue shall confess that Jesus, Messiah, is Lord, to the glory of God, the father.” (Phil 2: 6-11).

That’s the Jesus story in prose. And I love that it’s a song or poem. Poems and songs are inspired not only from head knowledge but from heart knowledge. Art arises not only from information but from experience.

So the source of community-making humility is not just knowing about Jesus Christ, as a historical or a literary figure, but knowing Jesus experientially with an attentive reverence, gratitude, and awe for the ways he descended from heaven to be God with us. And for all the way he hung on the cross to be GOD for us.

AWED BY THE WONDER (A7)

Now, Paul is ready to pick back up the “work”, the “striving”, the conscious effort Christians who know, love, and trust this Jesus are called to not because of how great we are, but because of how great he is –(SLIDE) “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12, KJV) Again, “fear and trembling” might strike you as strange.

Fear in the Bible can be a bad thing, and most of the time when God shows up the first command is “Do not be afraid”. But fear in the Bible can be a good thing, as in reverence and awe, as it is here. The way we “work out” or “work at” our salvation life together is with a degree of seriousness, awed by the wonder of the Jesus story, reverent toward the Christ who knows us and whom we now know. Peterson says it like this, “Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God.”

PROGRESS & SOURCE (A7)

So, we see that Chrisitan spirituality in Philippians is both community-making and Jesus-centered. Real progress on the spiritual journey is “worked out” in relationships where we reflect the humility and love of Christ. And the source of for that kind of energy, posture, disposition, and attitude toward others is the beauty and truth of Jesus Christ.

BRUTAL CHURCH BOARD MEETING (W1)

At my previous call, during the pandemic, our church leaders met outside to have a church board meeting (session). There were several difficult conversations we were having: about when to reopen our sanctuary for worship, about how to care about people who were lonely or forgotten and about taking care of ourselves it what was a strange time. But one conversation became heated. We had decided to read a book together and the book chosen revolved around race relations in America. It was called Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation. This was a moment of cultural upheaval, as protests and in some cases, riots were breaking out in several cities around the police treatment of black people, ignited especially by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The tension around racial inequality and race relations was high, and we thought it would be a good idea to tackle it head on.

It wasn’t. It didn’t take long for the conversations to become defensive. Clear factions were distinguishable on our church leadership board. Some were clearly offended by the author’s presuppositions about white America. Others were offended that the former group was so offended. And still others just wanted us to try to “love our neighbor” and “one another” by avoiding the friction. As a result of those conversations, one leader left the board and, at least for a while, the church. It was brutal.

I resonate with author and public commentator David Brooks, who, in his book How to know a Person, describes our relational climate the past few years this way (SLIDE) “We live in an environment in which political animosities, technological dehumanization, and social breakdown undermine connection, strain friendships, erase intimacy, and foster distrust. We’re living in the middle of some sort of vast emotional, relational, and spiritual crisis.”

That scene on Session did feel like an emotional, relational, and spiritual crisis. How would we “work out our salvation” now? How would we be “deep-spirited friends” “in full accord and of one mind” in such a polarizing and toxic environment?

What I decided to do is try to bulid a bridge with one person on that board. I remember having coffee with a younger elder with a sharp mouth and a social perspective very different than my own. As we talked, I kept having to tell myself not to get defensive, but to stay humble and try to understand. As I did, I began to see that his position kind-a made sense. I mean, it made sense in a way. I mean, he wasn’t necessarily correct, but his perspective wasn’t ignorant or incoherent either. Plus, there were some things he said that I really did resonate with. By staying humble and practicing good listening rather than defending, criticizing, and speaking my mind, I wound up being shaped by him. And, I started to like him again as a person.

Notice that I didn’t become an imitator of him. I didn’t adopt his perspective. But his perspective helped me go back and reformulate my position, pray about my attitude, and listen for the Word of Christ amid it all. By seeking to be “in full accord” and of “one mind” with him, then focusing on Christ, I felt myself working through my own salvation - and not just my own – but the salvation of the church. This Christian brother went from being a naïve political enemy to a fellow pilgrim who saw the world differently that I did.  

A COMMUNAL SPIRITUALITY (Y1)

It’s in relationships with people who think differently than us, with people higher or lower on the social ladder than us, with people who are going through different life stages than us. These are the community moments wherein humility and self-forgetfulness are key. And it’s in these relationships where we, many times, unexpectedly experience deep-spirited friendship.

So, this isn’t a simply a spiritual technique to master, although techniques are fine and good. It’s not an opportunity to pat ourselves on the back, nor criticize ourselves for all the lack of progress.

Humility and self-forgetfulness are energized and graced by the great mystery of our faith: Christ has descended from his cosmic throne to be God with us AND Christ hung on a cross to prove God’s love for us. As we know Christ experientially, as we soak with reverent awe in the benefits and beauty of knowing and being known by him. as we stand in awe of Jesus, our hearts are moved to be more like him – to imitate him.

That’s how we work out our salvation, that’s how we make spiritual progress and that’s how others become aware that there is a difference in our lives – an exceptional difference- a deep difference.

In our hurried, frenzied, competitive, anxiety-driven world, people are looking for ways to calm down and feel a sense of peace. Let’s applaud that. Spiritual techniques are good for you. Meditate away! Find your darkness.

But Christian spirituality is community-making, and the glory doesn’t go to us, what we can accomplish, what we can master, but to the God who does the transformative work in us. As Paul says, “It is God who works in you, enabling you to will and work for his good pleasure”. Spiritual progress is less about mastering a technique and more about knowing the master. That leads not only to exceptional, disciplined lives but to exceptional communities. Amen.

[1] “About headspace” Headspace, accessed October 7, 2026, https://www.headspacehealth.com/about