Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The text for today’s meditation is Philipians 3:17-4: 1

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸ For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

The movie Young Frankenstein by Mel Brookes seems to be timeless. It was released in 1974 and yet young people like my grown children still watch it today. I’m not quite sure what the appeal is but there is a scene that is quite funny. Igor (the hunchback) says to Doctor Frankenstein "walk this way." As Igor awkwardly walks down the stairs Doctor Frankenstein follows him trying his best to imitate his limp. To this day when people ask me to walk this way I think of this scene and begin to walk like Igor. I imagine most people don’t get it but it is amusing to me.

How many times have you seen children imitate their parents? You see children of military families playing soldier like their mom or dad. Some children’s imitations are not always flattering to the parents. What about when a child lets loose some foul language in public after hearing it at home; not very funny.

Martin Luther’s table of duties in the Small Catechism points out parent’s responsibility to their children in Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." What is the best way to bring up or instruct children? Provide them a model of the way of the Lord. Modeling faithfully following Jesus is a significant part of the Holy Spirit’s bringing up of God’s children in the way they are to go. Paul wants us to be Συμμιμηταί (summimetai) in other words fellow-imitators. He wants us to imitate together. We never imitate alone since God saw that it was not good for us to be alone. We learn to follow Paul’s example in walking Christ’s way in the family, the congregation of His people.

Paul contrasts those who imitate him with the people that are heading toward their own destruction. He describes where both groups are heading in terms of what they see, hear, and what is in their hearts.

We have to recognize this earthly kingdom and the worldly culture we live in are gifts of the Creator of the earth, countries, and cultures and He happens to be all our Father. This earth is the Lord’s and He shares it with us, His children. We know we are to be in the world and not of the world but this is the Lord’s world, country, and culture and we better not abandoned it to the squatters, whose end is destruction. We must continually bear witness to our claim that this vineyard we know as earth really belongs to the Lord’s family, our family, the congregation of His people. Even though we are firmly planted here on earth, Paul insists our citizenship is in heaven. God planted you firmly here on earth but He doesn’t want your mind to be set on earthly things. God wants you to set your mind on Christ. He wants you to have the mind of Christ. As with any citizenship there must be papers, a passport. You see, your heavenly identity papers were issued in baptism. With your papers secure you are heading toward God’s throne and He commands your ultimate loyalty. One day He will come from heaven to reclaim you as His own. Until the day He reclaims you He wants you to live on His earth in the vocation into which He calls you. It is a privilege to serve Him here on earth by serving His creatures. That service can be tough at times. God doesn’t want you to long for escape from this privileged service. He wants you to long for Him and His return. But until that day who will you imitate? Will you imitate the squatters whose end is destruction? Will you follow those whose "god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things?" Or will you be Συμμιμηταί (summimetai) as Paul asks; fellow-imitators, imitators of Christ. Paul sets himself as an example to follow. Is that boasting? Is Paul elevating himself where he shouldn’t? No, he isn’t boasting. We see a better explanation in 1 Corinthians 11:1 where he says, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." Paul is imitating Christ. Paul is living in Christ’s footsteps in newness of life. This is what your baptism has recreated you to do. You are to care for the Lord’s creation while maintaining a heavenly mindset. You are to feed the hungry, cloth the needy, help the neighbor in need, and comfort those who mourn. You are to witness to the world about your loving Savior and about the forgiveness He gave you on the cross and the eternal life He earned for you when He rose from the dead. You are to be witnesses to His story just as Paul was.

You have a choice. You can choose to imitate those whose path leads to their destruction. Or you can choose to imitate Paul and Christ. You can choose to let your god be things of this earth, money, status, sex, job, any gift of God taken to an excess. Or you can choose to follow Christ and His example of compassion, forgiveness, and faithfulness. Flatter your Father in heaven by imitating Paul and Christ. He need not be ashamed of your imitation. Your home is not here on earth. Your home is in heaven you know this from your passport in your baptism. Those papers prepare you to keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in Paul and Christ. Listen to Paul who is saying "walk this way." Together, let’s "walk this way" and become fellow-imitators of Paul and Christ. Amen.