This day, looking at what it means to live our lives in a way that is worthy of the good news of Jesus. Philippians 1:27-30. As we look to the reading of God’s word, if you’d please join with me in prayer. Lord God, we do ask that you would shed your light on us, that being rid of the darkness of our hearts, that we would come into the true light, which is Christ Jesus, who is the light of the world. We pray, Father, that you would continue to change and to transform us.
That you would instruct us in your living truth.
Father, we thank you for the many blessings that we receive from your hand. We pray all these things in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. Beginning in verse 27, only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that That you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Amen. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
As Christians, we are to live from life, not to life. We live from the new life that we have received from Jesus Christ, not that we live so that we would get new life from Christ. The right order is absolutely everything. We live from life, not to life. We live by grace, not in order to get grace.
Very clearly, Paul tells us in Ephesians 2. There he writes, but because of this great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. It is by grace that you have been saved. And God’s grace transforms us. So when we are told that we are to live a life worthy of the gospel, we do so As a response to what He has done.
Get the order reversed and you have left Christianity. Now, if you ask someone what it means to be religious, they might tell you that, well, it basically means you do some good things, try to live a good life so that one day you might make it to heaven. And if you were to tell them, well, Jesus has done everything for you, they still think That means you still do all the right things or you get tossed out. It’s still a focus on my works, what I do. Even receiving and accepting Jesus is something I have to do to maintain it.
It’s the opposite of Christianity. It is though what people can often hear when Paul says something like, live a life worthy of the gospel. People can think, well, that’s exactly what it means, that if I don’t do this, then somehow I don’t receive grace. That may be religion, but it’s not faith in Christ. Again, we live from life, not to life.
In our text, Paul highlights what this means to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel when dealing with opposition and suffering. That’s his specific focus. When others oppose us, the temptation is either to give in when we shouldn’t or we attack them.
We do fire for fire. And both of those are responses that are not what we are called to as followers of Jesus. He calls us to live in the new life that He’s provided and because we’ve been made alive with Christ, We now live in a way that brings honor to Him, glory to Him. And the question is, well, what does that look like? It looks like standing firm, even having tenacity in the face of opposition, and it looks like enduring suffering.
And Paul brings both of these points out here in the end of chapter 1. Well, looking at standing firm in Christ, Paul has been giving them so far an update of his current situation of being in prison. They’re concerned about him. They have sent someone to find out how he’s doing, and they want to know, are you okay, Paul? And Paul is telling them, of course, that he is in prison for preaching about Jesus and that he is okay.
He turns in the letter to address them, like, enough about me. And then he starts in verse 27. Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. He’s addressing them. And you can say your manner of life, some translations will say conduct yourself.
And this is one of the few places in the Bible where it’s difficult to translate from one language to another a word being used here. It’s sort of like if I were to say the men were sleeping in the barracks, you would automatically know I’m speaking of military men. As if I said the men are sleeping in a hotel, that would be very different. And Paul is using a particular word here that would have perked the ears of native Greek speakers. It’s a particular word that has an emphasis, a sentiment of citizenship.
He speaks here of living as a citizen. And it does mean living in a worthy manner, conducting yourself in the right way. The usual way that Paul says this in other letters, he says, walk in a manner worthy. Walk your Christian faith. But it’s not an accident he uses this particular word.
He uses it only here, and then in the book of Acts we see it. Because if you recall, Philippi, the city, it’s a special city. It’s a Roman colony. And they took great pride in being Roman citizens. He’s going to draw on this a little further in chapter 3 when he talks about our citizenship being in heaven.
Same root word. But Paul knows who he’s writing to, and he is wanting to connect with them a particular sense of civic pride. One writer puts this way, you know the pride and responsibility attached to living as a Roman colony. Remember though that you have a higher allegiance calling you to faithful conduct than just that.
He is calling them to a greater citizenship. And in one sense, we are all dual citizens. Regardless of that other citizenship, it’s always Christ first. That is what he’s making abundantly clear. Not Rome first, not England first, not China first, not America first.
If you are in Christ Jesus, he takes the absolute priority of your life. It has always been that way. And that means wherever you are on the globe, you are to live as a worthy citizen of your heavenly homeland. And the amazing thing is, is that this will make you actually a better citizen of the place that you do live in. Why?
Because Christ’s transforming love makes you a person who looks out to the interest of others. And if you live in a community where you’re caring about other people more than yourself, you’re a good citizen. Being a Christian ought to make you, in whatever land you find yourself, a good citizen because of your heavenly home. And that’s what Paul is reminding them of. That yes, you have a Roman passport and that’s a great thing for you, but you have something far greater.
Amen. You have a home in heaven, and that citizenship should dictate how you live in a worthy way of Christ Jesus. And so he continues, he says, so whether I come to you and see you or am absent, I may hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. They’re fighting a fight, and Paul is saying we’re on the same side. If you’ve been baptized in Jesus’ name, you are on the same team.
You face the same opposition. And the you that you read here is plural. It’s one of these changes in English over time. Of course, it’s natural these happen, but it’s a little bit unfortunate unless you come from the South where you’re used to y’all or you all. We don’t really do that anymore with English, we don’t do the ye, which speaks of plural.
Why is that important? Because in Paul’s letters, most of the time you see you, it’s plural. If Paul says, I’m talking to you, he’s saying all of you. All you all.
And most of the time we read the Bible as if it’s just speaking to me.
It’s all about me and what it’s speaking to. No, Christianity is a team sport. We’re on the same team. Our sanctification is also done in community with one another. And that’s why Paul is saying, you all.
This involves everybody in the church. And he goes on then. He says, not to be frightened in anything by your opponents. Who are they? Well, probably in Philippi, unlike some of the other places, it’s not so much that there’s a Jewish influence because they’re mostly Gentile.
But they’re facing opposition, certainly a social stigma from the name of Christ. Paul’s in jail because of it. It’s a clear sign, Paul says, of their destruction, but of your salvation and that from God. The ability to stand firm in the same fight shows your enemies that their number’s up. It’s the same unity also is a sign of our salvation.
All of this comes from the Lord. So Paul is telling them to be tenacious. Don’t give up, don’t give in, hold firm, hold fast to the end, don’t leave your post. Saying you live as a visible sign of what Christ has done, of the new life that you have received, and that is a sign to those with a hard heart of their destruction. But to those who are receiving it, it’s a sign of salvation and life.
Now, you’ve all seen in the epic battle scenes in movies, you know, all the soldiers are lined up and the shields, the swords, the spears, and just this impenetrable wall that’s facing an oncoming enemy. And you know what happens if a few people start to break ranks? Start to fall away, and that impenetrable wall suddenly becomes a pervious one where enemies can come through. And what happens then in battle? You’re routed.
But you also know the opposite. The reverse can happen as well when things seem to be going bad and things seem to be falling apart. And, and a few will rush up and hold the line, put the standard out there. The bugle sounds, the charge is, is given, and suddenly those who are weak and wavering come back. And they become that impenetrable wall.
And that’s because they’re in the same fight. And this is what Paul is saying, not to flee, to stand in this opposition. Don’t let it overcome you. Live as citizens of God’s kingdom, standing firm together, side by side. Our Christian faith is a life that is lived out.
It’s tangible. And in the midst of this opposition, whatever form it comes in, when we stand united, We are the sign and the symbol to the world of the reality of salvation in Christ Jesus. And that is why Paul consistently tells believers everywhere to live in a manner worthy of the gospel, of what you have received. Ephesians 4, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you’ve received. Colossians 1, we pray that you may live a life worthy of the Lord, 1 Thessalonians, we urge you to live lives worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom.
It’s not a secondary thought. Our standing firm flows out of what Christ has done. Our living from life received looks different than living from death of self-interest.
Paul is very aware of that. It’s a call to this new life in Jesus. To stand firm even as he is in prison standing firm and the message of the gospel is going out to those around him and it’s an encouragement to others to be bold, to be tenacious. And Paul also says that this new life brings with it suffering with Christ. Verse 29, but it’s been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him, but suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict you saw that I had, and now here I still have.
And here Paul speaks specifically of suffering which becomes because you belong to Jesus. Persecution, rejection, hardship, all because of your faith in Christ. Now it can be strange to hear about that as a privilege. It’s been granted to you. But for Paul, it is in the fires of persecution and affliction that our character is tested and forged.
That’s why you can look at this as a good thing. He speaks of it more fully in Romans 5. There he writes, we rejoice in our suffering. Not because he’s twisted, but because of what comes next. We rejoice in our suffering knowing our suffering produces endurance.
Endurance produces character. Character produces hope. And hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. It is a fact of this life. If you bear the name of Jesus, there will be some suffering or persecution that comes with it.
Paul’s not reveling in it. He’s saying that God is using this very act for your growth and good and for the glory of Christ. Now, I know some of you, when you came to faith in Christ, Without saying a word, your old friendships changed. Some of you know that. You come and you believe in Jesus and suddenly these friendships start moving around.
People are weird around you. Things are different. Because people notice and there’s something taking place in you that you are now different. And your life becomes to many a sign of their own hard-heartedness to God, and they don’t like it. You become a visible reminder of their own rebellion.
And that can come with faith in Christ. But there are also other kinds of suffering, to be sure. The New Testament deals with general afflictions, and we know that nothing happens outside of the Lord’s sovereign design. And that’s why that also is a trial and a testing of our faith. To trust in God’s superintendence of our lives when things aren’t going the way that we want to is hard.
One writer put it this way. He said, for the person whose life is committed in its totality to the service of Christ, every affliction, every frustration becomes an obstacle in fulfilling the goal of serving Jesus. And we recognize that. Amen. It’s hard when hard things happen and you’re the one submitted to the guy in control of it.
And you are needing to trust that his purposes in that suffering is for not only your good, but for his glory. And that is why Paul speaks of persecution, of trials, as the forging, the testing place of our faith. But here it’s very clear that the suffering comes from believers. Belonging to Jesus. Paul was personally experiencing imprisonment because he was telling people about Him.
There are whole groups of people, of Christians, who hear this message of suffering and treat it actually as a statement of unbelief or lack of faith. They camp out on the promises and the blessings and have almost little or nothing to do with the suffering part. But this is throughout the New Testament. Jesus told his disciples this very clearly. A servant is not greater than his master.
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
Paul says that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Let no one be moved by these afflictions, for you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand That we were to suffer afflictions just as it has come to pass, just as you know.
Peter fleshes this out in more detail. 1 Peter 4. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes to test you as though something strange were happening to you, but rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s suffering, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
Let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
To be clear, if you belong to Jesus, You’re going to have suffering in your life. And it is the normal part of a life lived in Christ. It is an aspect of the gospel that has been clear from the beginning. To live in Christ is going to garner, at times, persecution. At times, to be excluded from sometimes more severely, sometimes less.
For these Philippians, originally for them, it was more of just a social estrangement. It’s not very many years down the road when some of them are actually going to be put to death. But right now, it’s at a lower level. Things are going to get worse, but Paul is saying even for this lower level, people are like, wow, this is more than I bargained for. Paul is saying, nope, this is exactly what is yours in Christ Jesus.
That’s why he says, it has been granted to you for the sake of Christ that you should not only believe in Him but suffer for His sake. Now, he’s not saying suffering is good in itself, but it has been granted is the language of privilege because we get to share in Christ’s sufferings. And in this, you hear the echoes of Ephesians 2 again. Their salvation is a gift from God granted to them. Also is their suffering.
Bearing the cross of Jesus is an honor. These Philippian Christians have partnered with Paul in his ministry. They share in his afflictions. Now, they’re not in jail with him at this point, but when someone you love suffers for the name of Jesus, you suffer with them. We are to share in the same fight, the same sufferings.
And all of this, Paul tells us, is how we live in a manner worthy of the gospel. We live from life, not to life. Our life is a response to this heavenly gift with the love, the joy, and the gratitude of a transformed heart. If we are doing anything that dishonors our Savior, it ought to grieve our hearts. Amen.
Anything that is done that takes away from the majesty and the love and the wonder of Jesus should be something that deeply wounds us.
I’ve mentioned to you before John Patton. He was a missionary to the New Hebridean Islands in the 1800s. It’s near Fiji, if you know the South Pacific. And he was a missionary to these islands of the New Hebrides, and many of the people there, and in fact, the whole nation, countries came to faith in Christ over time. And a very, very telling autobiography that he wrote about that is quite amazing.
But backing up into his life, in his autobiography he wrote this about his father. He said, how much of my father’s prayers at this time impressed me, I can never explain, nor could any stranger understand. When on his knees, And all was kneeling around him in worship. He poured out his whole soul with tears for the conversion of the heathen world to the service of Jesus. And for every personal domestic need, we all felt as if in the presence of the living Savior, to know and to love him as our divine friend.
This is the home that he grew up in. And when Patton left for his ministerial training to school, he wrote this. My dear father walked with me the first 6 miles on the way. His counsel and tears and headling conversation on that parting journey are fresh in my heart as if it had been yesterday. Tears on my cheeks flow freely now whenever memory steels me back to that scene.
For the last half mile or so, we walked on together in almost unbroken silence. His lips kept moving in silent prayers for me. His tears fell fast, and when our eyes met each other in looks for which all speech was vain, we halted on reaching the appointed parting place. He grasped my hand firmly for a minute in silence, and then solemnly and affectionately said, God bless you, my son. Your Father’s God prosper you and keep you from all evil.
He turned and left, and Patton, just overcome, kind of went off into the side there and just wept. But he said, unable to say more, his lips kept moving in silent prayer. In tears we embraced and parted. I watched through blinding tears till his form faded from my gaze, and hasting on my way, vowed deeply and often. I will not forget.
By the help of God, to live and to act is never to grieve or dishonor such a father and mother as he had given me.
That, that is what living out the gospel in a worthy manner looks like.
When we consider what Jesus has done for us, We long to honor him in our conduct because of that, that relationship given. That the very thought of anything that I do that would take away from the majesty of Jesus would be deeply wounding to me. Not out of some slavish obedience or trying to look good, because when you have that kind of relationship with someone, you don’t want to do anything that dishonors that. It’s a joy to bring the wonder and the radiance of his name to the people around you that causes it to shine and to bring forth itself in just radiant splendor.
So much so that even if you are reviled for being a Christian or are made fun of, the response is to bless rather than to curse. People go, why? Why would you do that? Because that’s what Jesus did, and that’s what he tells me to do. I don’t have to understand it entirely.
It’s a privilege of living out this new life in him, so much so that even when there is opposition, that my response is such to them that there is a tenacity of my faith, but a tenacity to look like Jesus in those moments. Amen. To bless rather than to curse, to pray for, to be able to receive the wounds of Jesus without retaliating.
That’s because of a life transformed. And to the degree that we all struggle with that, we do. We recognize and say, Father, forgive me because I have done something that has taken away from the glory and the majesty of my Savior.
And when you walk behind Jesus and you’re following him, and he is the one who has led you by the hand from darkness into light, he is the one who has pulled you out of the pit and set you free, your first heart’s desire is one of joy and gratitude to express to him, uh, in the return of the love that we’ve received. You live from life, not to gain. You have already gained.
You’re not trying to impress Him. You’re not trying to maintain your hold on your faith. You’re simply responding to the faith given to you. His righteousness now is robing you.
And when you have walked with that, when you have seen that, you do nothing to take away from His blessed honor. Amen. That’s what Paul, when he speaks, that this is the life of believers, to bring honor, to live in a way that brings honor to Jesus because of who he is. And your life then becomes a sign, not only to hardened hearts against him, but also to those who respond, of the salvation that he has brought you. That is why Paul can point them back time and time again.
That is where Paul directs them. Yes. Live in this way because Jesus has washed you clean of your sins. You who were far away in rebellion and locked into just a selfish life dedicated to no one other than you, he has broken that.
And this is the motivation for the believer.
And anything that we have to do that takes away from that, it should be our heart’s desire to quickly come and say, Father, forgive me.
I’ve dishonored your Son. I’ve dishonored your name. And the kindness of the Father is to extend that forgiveness to us. Amen. Yes.
The justification by faith that we have received.
It changes everything.
This is what it means to walk in a manner worthy of Jesus.
And this is what it means when you and I receive opposition from friends, from family, from culture, from the world around us. This is where the hardest part of looking like Jesus is. Because we want to retaliate either to become like them and avoid persecution or we want to give what we’ve been taking.
And the way of Jesus says we don’t give in, we don’t become like them. Where you’ve been cursed, you bless.
Where you have been reviled, you speak good. Amen.
Why would I do that? Because that’s what Jesus did.
That’s what he’s calling you and I to do.
And in that, like a John Patton looking at his Father, we love him. We see who he is in light of the splendor of all that he’s done. And our lives given to that is hardly an effort at that point. It’s simply a laying down of worship and adoration, of honor to Jesus. Pray with me.
Father, we do pray and ask that you teach us to live from life.
And Lord, where we have failed to do so, we do ask that you would forgive us.
Amen. And Lord, we pray for the ongoing transformation of our lives as your people by your Spirit.
And Lord, that others would be able to see the love we have for one another, the love we have for your Son. And Lord, they would recognize that indeed you have sent him. And Father, where we have failed again, we pray that The majesty of Jesus would not be tarnished. And Lord, we would ask too that if there are any here who do not know the saving work of Jesus, who cannot call you Father, we ask that you would open their eyes to see, open their ears to hear, Father, that they would know the sweetness and the joy of salvation in your Son. Grant them saving faith, we would ask.
And this we would pray in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. Amen.
Discaimer: This sermon text was generated by an automated transcription service.