Start:Stop - Lessons from Lockdown

Rythme, Joie de vivre, Robert Delaunay, 1930

Hello and welcome to our Start:Stop reflection, my name is Phillip Dawson. You can find an audio version of this reflection here.

At Morning Prayer this week our New Testament readings are taken from St Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The letter was written whilst Paul was being held for an extended period under house arrest in either Ephesus or Rome. But despite his personal circumstances there are no grumbles here, only gratitude - every section of the letter is overflowing with joy. Paul explains how the restrictions of life under lockdown seem to be opportunities, not obstacles - even the “fake news” some are spreading about the gospel doesn’t seem to get him down;

 

Bible Reading - Philippians 1.12-18

 

I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear.

 

Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.

 

 

Reflection 

 

Last week we went to visit friends in our support bubble, one of whom recently had a nasty fall. Being in their company is always a great joy; and despite the circumstances this visit was no exception; they are generous hosts and enjoy sharing good food and wine! Their house is dotted with photographs from their trips around the world. Accomplished raconteurs, they will often choose to sit at large tables rather than alone, so that they can share their stories and make new friends. This of course all came to rather an abrupt end in March! They’re certainly no luddites - and have embraced internet shopping, stream concerts online to their TV and have kept going as many of their interests during the lockdown as it is possible to do via Zoom, but it would be impossible to claim that life had not changed - and seemingly for the worst. How then, I asked, have they remained so upbeat? The key, they explained, is getting into the “right frame of mind" - seeing all the ups and downs of life through the lens of what is really important. 

 

As a fellow globetrotter, you might have expected St Paul to have found life in lockdown especially difficult. As the biblical scholar Tom Wright explains, Paul was a "human dynamo" achieving more in his short, ten year ministry than most of us could dream of doing in a lifetime. Surely the last thing that someone who had found their calling as a travelling preacher would have wanted would be to spend years chained up under house arrest - and with grim prospects for the future. As Paul makes clear in his letter to the church in Philippi, a likely outcome of his eventual trial would be his death. 

 

Yet Paul is uncompromisingly upbeat. He isn’t in denial that his circumstances have changed - but he hasn’t allowed this new – and unforseen – outlook on life to overshadow his priority to preach the gospel; he has adapted to life in lockdown; seeing obstacles as opportunities.

 

Being chained to a different soldier each shift has meant that the whole Imperial Guard has come to learn of the reasons for Paul’s imprisonment - his belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Many Christians, Paul says, have been strengthened by his example - becoming more confident in their own proclamation of the gospel (although he leaves it to us to imagine how). There are others who seem to be preaching a false gospel - fake news - about Jesus; perhaps motivated by a desire to increase Paul’s suffering. But even here Paul sees the positive side - at least they are talking about Jesus, even if their testimony is false! 

 

Paul neither lets his unfortunate circumstances – nor the cynicial put downs of other people – rob him of joy.

 

Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi - the first church he founded in Europe - is an extended thank you note; prisoners like Paul relied on gifts of money to buy food - and the Philippians seem to have sent a generous donation. But main purpose of the letter seems to be to reveal Paul’s secret to living a joyful life under lockdown. Like our friends in our support bubble, Paul knew that the secret is being in the “right frame of mind" - seeing all the ups and downs of life through the lens of what is really important. For Paul there was nothing more important than Christ, his saving work and the promise of eternal life with Him.

We know from Paul’s other letters that he wasn’t always full of joy – he was under no illusions about the real pain and suffering he experienced – but while his feelings may have come and gone, his belief in Christ – his singular state of mind – never wavered. He appeals to the Philippians to learn to do likewise:

 

“make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.... Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”

And goes on to explain that this singular perspective is not only cerebral but physical:

“It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

 

This singular perspective frames our actions – heart and mind and voice in unity, guiding our lives as we seek to serve Christ by serving others – wherever we are and whatever life throws at us. As Tom Wright explains “We need to learn from Paul the art of seeing God’s purposes working out through problems and difficulties.” In his Letter to the Philippians, Paul reveals the secret of living a joyful life under lockdown.

As we fear the effects of changing circumstances, or find ourselves on the receiving end of the sharp tongues of others; let us keep our hearts and minds and voices set on the changelessness of God, the loving words of his Son, and the comforting presence of his Spirit.

Let us remember always that nothing, nobody can rob us of the joy of life in Christ.  

 

 

Meditation 

 

 

Prayer 

 

Words from St Patrick’s Breastplate;

 

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen 

 

 

Thank you for joining us for Start:Stop this week. Please do join us for our events and services in church and online this week. I hope you have a joyful week ahead.