A Life Worthy Of The Gospel - [Philippians 1:27-30]

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Tonight we're gonna be in the the book of Philippians chapter 1. So if you want to get your Bibles ready What if we were to convene a panel we were to invite one of those panels, you know
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This Pierce Morgan type of thing. So let's see what these guys know bring them on Said hey, we're gonna do a little word association.
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We're gonna throw out some words see what kind of thoughts they elicit and You begin to toss out some words words like strive contend
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Conflict so depending on who's on your panel, maybe you have some of the leading prosperity teachers
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Maybe Joyce Meyer showed up or Kenneth Copeland or Joel Osteen or Benny Hinn any one of those people and then
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They'd say those aren't those aren't words of victory. Those aren't victorious words. You need to speak faith -filled words words that bring blessing inner peace prosperity
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Taking words like that into your spirit. It's not good for you. It's not good. It's it's it's not good for you It brings curse on your life. God wants you to be blessed
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Those type of words they don't they don't bring blessing Maybe the people on your panel There's some leading psychologists leading educators out there
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See what they know would throw these same words out there and they'll say the same types of things aren't positive words those don't lead to Self -actualization whatever the buzzwords are these days such words that they they don't allow a person to flourish reach their full potential
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Self -esteem won't flourish with with with those type of ideas in a person's head These words they're not there weren't words of inclusion or community or again, whatever the buzzwords are now what if the
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Apostle Paul were on your panel Larry King or Piers Morgan was able to get him and What would he say about such words again strive contend suffer
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Conflict what would the Apostle Paul have to say? I Think based on what we read in tonight's text. I believe
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Paul would say that these words are our words that that characterize that describe a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ and If some listening and maybe you just said to yourself, yeah
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Yeah that you know living that kind of life of striving for the gospel standing firm for the gospel
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That's great for the Apostle Paul. That might be great for for pastor Mike on no compromise radio
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Maybe a missionary in a hostile land has to strive and contend and and that sort of thing, but I'm comfortable
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Believing that Christ died for my sins Raising my family in a godly manner. I'm comfortable doing that.
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I'll just work go about my business raise my kids and Live my comfortable existence.
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Perhaps that's what you're thinking But Paul was not describing his life. He wasn't describing just a missionary in a hostile lands life
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He was telling the Saints at Philippi and by extension all Saints for all ages Bethlehem Bible Church included
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About the kind of life each and every one of us should live In light of the gospel of salvation through the work of Christ Jesus Christ died to save us and how should we respond and live in light of that?
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These characteristics should mark the life of every Christian every every person is called whether pastor missionary
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Just your average Christian in the pew they're called to live this type of life of standing firm in the gospel contending for the truth
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Contending for the gospel of Jesus Christ. So with that you turn to Philippians 1 27 through 30 will
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Get into the text. I think anytime you parachute down in a book like this some background information helps and With Philippians are so much related back to what we read about in Acts chapter 16 where Paul makes his way to Philippi on his one of his journeys so this book
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That Paul is writing to the Philippian church this epistle. He wrote while he was in prison likely in Rome around 62
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AD Probably death was imminent for him. He was he was had been there for some time charges
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Not serious, but it didn't matter He was he was preaching the gospel and and causing strife and problems wherever he seemed to go
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So he was he was pretty much an enemy of the state, wasn't he? And so he writes this letter to the
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Philippians. It's a letter full of hope of encouragement of joy of commendation Paul clearly had a special love for this church and this church was partnering with him the gospel we see for right from the beginning
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Thank you for your partnership in the gospel for standing with me for for supporting me whether it was financially prayerfully
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Whatever you you're doing. Thank you for your support Again from verse 1 verse 5 in chapter 1.
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We learned the Philippian Christians. They'd always been strong partners with him They they sent money. They they supported his journeys
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And we learn in Acts chapter 16 where we read about the beginning of this church This is this miraculous beginning almost
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Philip Philippi was the first place in Europe where the gospel was preached Paul He was determined.
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He was traveling through Asia. He's determined to push forward keep going through Asia keep Pushing the gospel into what is modern -day
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Turkey and then it says strangely in Acts 16 6
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It says that they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia Forbidden by the Spirit of God to preach the gospel and keep going where they they had intended to go
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Kind of a strange thing and then in Acts 16 7 the very next verse It confirms that that the
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Spirit of Jesus Did not allow them to continue their journey into Asia Minor We don't know exactly what happened to cause the the inspired writer to relate these events in such a way of the spirit
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Not permitting them to continue on we don't know why it was put that way or what exactly happened
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But God clearly had plans for Paul and his team his companions elsewhere Whatever happened
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God orchestrated events in such a way that Paul and his companions They felt constrained to go into Philippi to go into Macedonia or Europe In Acts 16 9 and 10 we read that God gave
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Paul a vision and you know Don't know this isn't something we should all expect. God doesn't speak to us in visions it's clearly special time special place
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God speaking to the Apostle in a dream and a vision and The vision was pretty clear a man from Macedonia Imploring Paul calling to Paul come to Macedonia and help us come and help us so there's clear where Paul had to go and So nothing subtle there that next morning he discusses it with his companions his team and says this is what
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I saw Well, that's where we're going. They go to Macedonia Again no quiet Providence like we learned about in Ruth this morning
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God gives a clear vision to his apostolic messenger says this is where you're going and this is what you're to do and so upon arriving there they they set sail they arrive in port and They decide they're gonna go to the principal city in that area in Macedonia And that's
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Philippi a city founded probably for 400 years earlier by Philip the second
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Alexander the Great's dad interestingly enough He the city was refounded and this is important in 42
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BC as a Roman colony at 1612 says that confirms that fact that The city was founded as a
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Roman colony and that's important because Everything about that city would have been Roman up politically culturally socially religiously it was pretty much a little
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Rome a mini Rome the way it functioned the way people worshipped pagan idols pagan gods the same
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Roman gods that you would find in the city of Rome and It says in Acts 16 13
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It was the Sabbath Paul arrived in the city and when Paul arrived in the city, what did he generally do?
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He would go someplace and he would go and he preached in the synagogue. He'd reason from the scriptures in the synagogue He would go and talk about Christ to the
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Jewish people in the city well in Philippi He found himself outside the gates at the riverside.
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There was no synagogue apparently to go to in in reading and studying this passage,
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I guess to have a Synagogue you need to have a quorum of a synagogue, which is ten
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Jewish males You had to have ten Jewish males in the whole city to convene a synagogue we could have a synagogue tonight, which is
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Good. So yeah, they couldn't even find on the Sabbath Paul doesn't find any synagogues anywhere to go to worship to reason from the scriptures to preach to people who are community
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He has to go outside the city and there by the river is a group of women One of them being a woman named
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Lydia. She was a wealthy merchant She sold purple cloths. It says made of expensive dyes
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And it says she was a worshiper of God. She clearly knew something of the scripture something of who
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God was and They were meeting in what was called a place of prayer. So perhaps this is where the
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Jewish people got together and prayed on the Sabbath and convened and there by the river
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Paul preaches to Lydia and Her heart is open It says God opened her heart and she believed and she was baptized and not only
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Lydia but our entire household believes And not only does
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God open her heart He also moves her heart to open her home to to house the church likely that that met in Philippi and so just in this amazing series of events
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God orchestrating everything in a powerful way to Create this foothold this this kind of beachhead in Europe for the gospel where the gospel be launched everything
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Orchestrated visions and dreams and the spirit forbidding them and they get there in this miraculous way almost and Lydia's heart being opened
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God Paul preaching the gospel opening this woman's heart and again the church being founded in that way later on we read about him casting a demon out of a little girl who was a fortune teller and That that wasn't taken well that ruined somebody's business a little little business he had going where she would give some fortunes and people would give her money and Paul ruined that and he ends up getting beaten putting chains thrown in jail and Again there we see
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God showing up in a miraculous way sending an earthquake shaking the doors of the prison setting his bonds loose and There you have this this jailer the suicidal desperate jail jailer saying what am
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I gonna do? And he runs to Paul and Paul inside said to say don't don't do what you're gonna do. Don't commit suicide
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Don't worry and they preach the gospel to him and he believes his entire household believes and again right there we see
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God establishing a beach at a God staging his own kind of D -day for the gospel right there in Europe and the gospel went forth from there and Again, God orchestrating it all in a miraculous way
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So with that the background in place and probably gonna be drawing on that throughout the sermon. Let's read a
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Philippians 1 27 through 30 Philippians 1 27 through 30
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Says only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ So that whether I come and see you or a maps and I may hear that you are standing firm in one spirit
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With one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel and not frightening anything by your opponents
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This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation in that from God For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ.
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You should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake Engaged in the same conflict that you saw
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I had and now here that I still have So we read in verse 27 only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ Many commentators they favor kind of a more literal rendering and The Greek word for that is
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Act as citizens behave as citizens Worthy of the gospel of Christ and that could make sense because we read later on in Philippians And Philippians 3 20 and 21.
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It says our citizenship is in heaven and from it We await a Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body
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By the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself
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So Paul writes this passage in Philippians 3 on the heels of warning the
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Philippians about the enemies of the cross of Christ people who Oppose the gospel.
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He gives a description of who these enemies are. They have their belly for their God. They're sensual they
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Go after their sinful passions and Probably one of these that turn the grace of God into a license to sin type type of thing
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They set their minds on earthly things they're preoccupied it with gain and glory in this life
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They aim to have their best life now if you will He contrasts that by saying you're citizens of heaven.
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You're just pilgrims in this life. You're just passing through in this world. That's it's passing away You you citizens of heaven you await your
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Savior your hope is not in in this earth and the things of this earth and and What you can gain here now?
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Your hope is in heaven Your pathetic lowly bodies, you know to put this in the context of what
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Paul's writing should be spent in the here And now for the advancement of the gospel Paul found himself in prison and then that meant fruitful labor for him.
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He says so Life in the here and now it's for the advancement of the gospel for the glory of the king to to make
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Christ known Because one day Christ will transform these corrupted frames these corrupted bodies and give us a body like his glorious body
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He'll transform us The perishable put on imperishable the mortal will put on immortality.
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That is a citizen of heaven again contrasted against These these false teachers who again their
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God was their belly. They pursued earthly pleasures and lusts and desires Someone that is not living for the here -and -now.
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That's that's a citizen of heaven not gratifying the flesh Not living for personal gain and personal glory the citizens citizen of heaven says with Paul to live as Christ to die as gain
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I find to live in the flesh. That means fruitful labor for me Yet which I will choose I cannot tell him hard -pressed between the two my desires to depart and be with Christ For that is far better So again living means being spent for the gospel of Christ being spent for Christ with hopes fixed on on Seeing him face to face in heaven having our hopes fixed upon him
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Another rendering of the verse only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. It says in the King James Version a
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Life that becomes becometh the gospel of Christ it becomes the gospel and one commentator already felt this was a pretty apt translation pretty apt way to put it because When you say that suit becomes him or that dress becomes her you're saying it
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You know, they're Joe there. He's a good -looking guy, you know, but that suit it just brings it out he it becomes him it fits him ugly clothes on a
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Good -looking person it would be out of place in the same way sinfully sinful
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Behaviors are out of place in a person that's been transformed by the gospel and that's the kind of language
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Paul is Using here that you've been transformed by Christ. You've been changed by the gospel you
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You are a new creation in Christ. May your behavior it should be become that it should
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Reflect that in the way you you go about your life So Paul is saying in that the manner of life a way to live that befits someone that has believed the gospel been
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Forgiving them all there's forgiven of all their sins inherited eternal life through Christ's work Demonstrate the inner reality of a life transformed by the gospel
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That gives you a picture what Paul is talking about here in verse 27. We see Where he's jumping off But we have to recognize that there's a progression here indicated in these verses one thing leads to another
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Martin Lloyd -jones says about this passage Paul puts conduct second to doctrine conduct is the outcome of certain things that have been believed and Then he follows that up by saying in the
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New Testament. You never see an appeal for good behavior to anybody but Christian people
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We don't The the apostles they never tell you to be good for being good sake
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They never tell you to be moral for morality sake behave for being behaving sake They say here's the gospel live in light of it.
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Here's what you know to be true live in light of that That's important. You can't get things out of order.
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Otherwise, we're talking about something else we're talking about the false teaching that Paul will address later of works and of Doing to be approved by God He always reminds people what
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God has done for them through Christ in Christ and then instructs them to live accordingly He reminds us his listeners of truth always the truth of the gospel first the objective truth the unchanging truths and Then calls them to live in light of those.
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So what are those truths? What is the gospel? You know, we know the word gospel means good news
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Everyone every anyone who went to Sunday school as a kid knows, you know, g -o -s -p -e -l. It means good news
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It's never about what you must do never about what you must do because that wouldn't be good news at all
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The gospel is always about what God has done in Christ to reconcile sinners to himself
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God is perfectly righteous. He demands perfect righteousness and The problem is that you have none.
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You don't have any righteousness to commend yourself to God The good news is that God sent his only son
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Christ Jesus to be born. He came as a man He lived as a perfect life of obedience before God a life of always pleasing
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God always doing what the father wanted A life impossible for you to live as we learn in Philippians chapter 2.
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He was obedient even unto death He even went to death on a cross Offering himself up as a perfect sacrifice for sinners completely satisfying the righteous demands of God He was buried and three days later
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God raised him from the dead and all who placed their faith in Christ and his work on their behalf received
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Christ's righteousness They inherit inherit internal life That's the message that that transformed
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Paul's life that caused Saul of Tarsus a persecutor of the church to become Paul the Apostle to the
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Gentiles and that's the message that opened Lydia's heart at that Riverside that day Transformed her and her whole family and that's the message that saved the
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Philippian jailer that Paul encountered Paul is calling the
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Philippian Christians that he's writing to and by extension again Christians in all ages To live in light of those glorious truths
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Live a life worthy of the gospel because all that Christ has done for for us in saving sinners of reconciling us to the father partaking our sins
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Satisfying the wrath of God all of that live in light of that and that's the gospel That Paul trumpeted and that's the gospel that transformed lives as he as he preached throughout
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Asia Macedonia on all his trips wherever he was wherever he found himself whether it was in prison or or again by the
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Riverside the verse continues Where Paul writes only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you
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Or I'm absent. I may hear of you He starts the entire phrase he says only letter or be that as it may
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Let your life be your manner of life be worthy This transition it should draw us right back up to the previous verse
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We should see in Philippians 1 18 and 26 Paul telling the church at Philippi About his imprisonment and how even in his affliction his desire was to honor
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Christ Verse 20 chapter 1 verse 20 whether by life or by death
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Paul wanted Christ to be honored in his body He tells him his dilemma we've already read about how he longs to be with Christ free from all his earthly travail and trials and Everything he's experiencing
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He would wish to be free from that But he also knows that as long as he lives
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It'll mean fruitful labor in the gospel ministry. He tells the Philippians that he says that on their account
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It was necessary even that that Paul be there that he'd be living and breathing Necessary for their encouragement for building them up in the faith
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We read in verse 25 of chapter 1 he was convinced that by being alive.
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He was contributing to their progress enjoying the faith He's ever the optimistic present prisoner
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Paul said he wished to come to them. He was convinced he might visit them again and See the
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Philippian Church these beloved people that partnered with him in the gospel that supported him in the gospel Presumably to to bestow some further spiritual benefit to them
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Be there pastorally spurring them on to it's even more progress in the faith You see
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Paul agonized over every church that he visited every church he helped found every church that he heard about he would pray for them and says in 2nd
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Corinthians 11 28 that Paul writing apart from other things There's the daily pressure on me of my exam anxiety for all the churches.
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He he sweated over these churches. He Travailed in prayer for them
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He wanted to see them grow to the gospel to truly take hold to watch them Be transformed by these truths and just grow and flourish in the gospel
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He desired to hear of their growth from afar if that was to be the case if he couldn't be to them
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He wanted to be with them. He wanted to lead them. He wanted to guide them Pastorally and then at this point
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Paul leaps into to an exhortation He says I'll only let or be that as it may
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Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel I Want to come to you. I want to be with you.
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I want to to guide your progress in the faith and watch you mature To the glory of God But whatever happens whether I come to you to lead and guide or remain in chains here in prison and I'm absent from you
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You need to live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ Imprisonment and suffering and trials and travails
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Are not just for Apostles is basically the message He's getting across standing for truth in the midst of all kind of adversity.
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It's not just for me the Apostle Paul It's for you as well. You should live this life worthy of the gospel
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Not just me not just me in prison You must live in a life a manner of worthy of the gospel again
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We see Martin Lloyd -jones says Paul did not say look here Philippians you go. Enjoy the meetings
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I will do the fighting for you. Leave it to me. I Will fight and contend for the faith and you enjoy your church life
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Not at all He exhorts everyone to make this his own personal fight and we must not contend just with cold -blooded
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Acquiescence in the Christian faith and in its glorious message. No, we must exert ourselves and rouse ourselves and enter into the fight
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End quote. So whether I Paul I'm absent Philippians you must live a life worthy of the gospel don't live a life worthy of Paul Don't don't be scared straight.
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You you see Paul Warning the Corinthians saying if I come to you, I'll come with a rod No, don't be scared straight by Paul coming to you
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Don't think that you owe it to Paul to grow and progress in the faith stand firm in the faith. Why? Because you're not accountable to Paul you're accountable to Christ.
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It's Christ who who saved you It's Christ who began a good work in you Philippians 1 6. It's Christ who will complete that work same verse
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It's Christ who gave you his his righteousness a righteousness. Not your own Philippians 3 9.
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It's Christ who granted you belief We'll see that verse in a minute Philippians 1 29 whether I come or not.
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You owe it to Christ to live a life worthy of the gospel St. Clair Ferguson said he does not mean that we earn
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God's favor But that our lives should be consistent with the gospel living illustrations of the gospel's power
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So in light of the truths of the gospel in light of your heavenly citizenship Philippians in light of your responsibility to Christ who who saved you?
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Who transformed you by the gospel? What kind of life should you live? What are the characteristics of a manner of life worthy of the gospel of Christ?
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You could divide this these verses up in many ways, but we're gonna look at three characteristics tonight of a life worthy of the gospel
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Three characteristics of a life worthy of the gospel Number one to live a life worthy of the gospel.
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You must stand firmly united in gospel ministry Again, not just Paul and the people on his team and his companions you you
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Bethlehem Bible Church you Philippians You must stand firmly united in gospel ministry
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Go back to verse 27 It continues after it says I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel
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We have this phrase standing firm in one spirit MacArthur writes that the word for standing firm.
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It's it refers to steadfastly holding one's ground regardless of danger or opposition
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And he says that the word was used of a soldier Who defended his position at all costs whether it was offensively defended a soldier who stood firm and would defend his position at all costs
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That's the responsibility of every every one of us every individual Christian to stand Thankfully though God is gracious God He puts us in communion community so that we might have fellowship with other
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Christians and Paul continues He says that we're to stand in one spirit We're united by a common salvation the same
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Holy Spirit that saved you saved me saved the Apostle Paul we're united in one spirit United by our salvation by the
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Holy Spirit we share this common salvation the common faith That should firmly unite our spirits together
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The verse goes on that we're to stand standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving side by side
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The NIV the the good NIV probably 1984 I think it was it renders this phrase as contending as one man
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Contending as one man. I like that a lot that kind of grasps You know, we we know about striving side by side toiling travailing for the gospel
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But again, they they translate as contending as one man which brings about the idea of unity And This this word for striving for contending
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It was used by athletes competing perhaps in the Olympic Games running that sort of thing
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But also for a contest of gladiators in an arena striving side by side holding your ground contending
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Battling that's the the idea we get here. So whether competitors an athletic contest
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Gladiator striving for victory or or personal glory the image here though is a little different It's one of unity and purpose that where they were going for their own personal glory a gladiators going to win
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You didn't go to the the arena to lose you lose probably meant death you went to win and they were going for personal glory
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But here he's saying you Contend as one man together. You're not fighting against each other. You're not striving against each other
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You're not contending with each other. You're contending together unified in purpose and This type of unity it's it's exhibited throughout
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Philippians. We've already mentioned that from the very beginning chapter 1 verse 5 Paul commends the
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Philippians for their partnership in the gospel Says here because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now since the very beginning
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You guys have been with me. You've been with me in the gospel Since God established that beachhead right there in your city and the gospel went forth into Europe.
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You've been with me You've been partnering with me. You've been prayerfully with me Financially with me this idea of one mind.
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It's it's very common. It goes on in chapter 2 right after the passage We're looking at it says in chapter 2 1 & 2
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So if there's any encouragement in Christ any comfort from love any participation in the spirit Any affection and sympathy complete my joy by being of the same mind having the same love being in full accord and of one
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Mind, he just keeps hitting and hammering away at this idea of unity and who knows that there wasn't some disunity there
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You see in the in chapter 4 where he exhorts Aeolia and Syntyche.
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He says that you guys should be united You should you should make up whatever you got to do, but you need to be unified.
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And so Paul keeps Hammering away at this idea and once more in chapter 4 verse 15
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Paul commends the Philippians again for their partnership in the gospel says there
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Chapter 4 15 and you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel when I left Macedonia No church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving
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Except you only These guys stood out. They were unified for the gospel and they were behind Paul no matter what
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So here we have this idea of being in one spirit, you know We what we have in common united in in our common salvation one mind
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Striving together working together not contending not being contentious but contending together side -by -side
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But what brings us all together? you know The last phrase in that verse is for the faith of the gospel if I were to use language like stand firm, you know strive contend
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Let's go. Let's do this Any any red -blooded man would would say? Yeah, let's let's do this in whatever endeavor
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If it was basketball or or a sales organization, whatever it was you use those words people are gonna get fired up, but this phrase right here
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For the faith of the gospel it differentiates you the church's objective from all others, you know
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We're not we're not going at this for personal glory We're not going at this for personal gain and that's not what Paul was calling them to He said you are together to be united in one mind for the faith of the gospel
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We stand firm for the faith of the gospel. We strive side by side contending as one man for the faith of the gospel our unity of spirit our unity of mind must find its basis in truth and This is not my truth your truth, but the truth.
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There's one truth. There's an objective truth that we stand unified in Not your faith or my faith, but the faith the faith of the gospel
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One commentator notes that this united striving was not by their faith It's not their subjective faith experience that united them.
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You know, you feel this way I feel that it wasn't any of that not by their faith but by their faithfulness to the apostolic teaching what the
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Apostles had passed on to them what they had given them in Scripture and in the Gospel and and labored, you know
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Paul laboring in cities for months and years and teaching and and again Travailing to bring the gospel to them.
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That's what we're united in This firm fixed objective message of the gospel of Christ is what we rally around That's what that's what
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Paul's talking about. He's not trying to get him pumped up just to He's saying we stand firm in a gospel and this gospel is objective.
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It's it's unchanging. It's it's here in Scriptures it's what I've taught you and Thankful Harry this morning.
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He in Sunday school. He alluded to this passage if you turn to Ephesians 4 11 through 14
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Ephesians 4 11 through 14 this these verses they bring together both of these ideas of Of not only the teaching of the
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Apostles, but also the idea of standing firm of being unwavering in the truth Ephesians 4 11 through 14 says and he gave the
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Apostles He gave the Apostles the foundation of the church the prophets the evangelists the shepherds and teachers to equip the
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Saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and Of the knowledge of the
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Son of God to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ So that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine
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By human cunning by craftiness and deceitful schemes He gave the Apostles he gave the
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Apostles to to pass on what Christ wanted to teach the church wanted to give the church
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And through that teaching we're to attain to to a unity of the faith. And again, that's what
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Paul is getting at How do we attain? Unity of spirit in mind, how can we ensure that we're standing firm by paying attention to the
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Apostles doctrine paying attention to what? They've taught us in in scriptures through the inspiration of the
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Spirit. So now that we've established our basis for unity if you just step back for a second and Think about this imagery
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We talked about standing how this was a soldier at his post defending his post at all costs
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We talked about striving attending like a gladiator in the arena or competitor in a in a sporting event
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The picture that came to my mind and I was just struck by I fixated on it. I Thought about soldiers going out into battle.
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I thought I I thought about This battle formation,
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I can remember my ninth grade teacher talking about the phalanx, I thought that's a cool word phalanx But not only that I I looked it up the other night and the first thing was a video of Philip the second the namesake of Philippi he perfected a military formation called the
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Macedonian phalanx, and that's what he used to To defeat the Greeks and to to expand his his little
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Empire In this formation, it was row upon row of soldiers and they would stand shoulder to shoulder in tight formation
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You couldn't squeeze anything in between them The soldiers on the perimeter they would all have their shields or big shields locked tight together
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No one could squeeze into the formation The soldiers in the middle rows, they would have these 18 foot long they call them pikes and they would balance these pikes on the the guys in front of them and they would all stand in this tight formation and As one man and that's what they use in this video that I saw explaining the format as one man
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The formation would move forward into the enemy line All the enemy would see was this this wall of shields and Spearheads these 18 foot long pikes coming at them at different locations, you know from the third row in the fifth row
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They were just all coming as one man. The formation was both offensive and defensive They were going forward into the line and they would just break through the line as one man moving slowly with their shields locked shoulder to shoulder with their their offensive weapons ready to go and also
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Taking attack the whole time but no one could break through This is the kind of picture.
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I think that Paul has given us here united as one in close formation Standing for truth opposing air repelling all attacks against the truth of God's Word Whether from a pagan culture that existed in Philippi false religions the latest philosophies, whatever were to stand for truth stand united stand shoulder to shoulder and That's the picture
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I got is just this this phalanx is moving forward In standing for the truth battling for the truth repelling all attacks against it and Harry I'm going to steal the quote you gave this morning in in Sunday school from Charles Spurgeon It says the
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Church of Christ is continually represented under the figure of an army Yet its captain is the Prince of Peace Its object is the establishment of peace and its soldiers are men of a peaceful disposition
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The spirit of war is at the extremely opposite point to the spirit of the gospel Yet nevertheless the church on earth has and until the
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Second Advent must be The church militant the church armed the church warring the church conquering and how is this?
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It is in the very order of things that so it must be truth could not be truth in this world if it were not a warring thing and We should at once suspect that it were not true if error were error were friends with it
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The spotless purity of truth must always be at war with the blackness of heresy and lies and I think that captures perfectly what
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What Paul is talking about here again moving forward? Fighting for the truth of the gospel as one man contending
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So characteristic of life worthy of the gospel number one, you must stand firmly united in gospel ministry number two to live a life worthy of the gospel you must fearlessly proclaim the gospel message even and And especially in the midst of opponents verse 28 chapter 1
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Says and not frightened by anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction
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But of your salvation and that from God Who are these opponents who who were
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Paul's opponents in Philippi? Paul's not clear who he's referring to But I think in the in the context of this passage.
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It's basically anyone who who? Impedes the progress of the gospel in any way When Paul cast out the demon that fortune -telling little girl he faced opponents
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They try to impede the gospel. They physically hurt him. They beat him with rods. They bound him.
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They threw him in prison That's an opponent impeded the progress of the gospel in his letter to the
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Philippians Paul anticipates other opponents says Philippians 3 2 & 3 Look out for the dogs.
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Look out for the evildoers Look out for those who mutilate the flesh For we are the circumcision who worship by the
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Spirit of God in glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh We already talked about there wasn't a large
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Jewish contingent there in Philippi It wasn't a enough to even make a synagogue apparently but it was only a matter of time and Paul knew this before legalism of the
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Judaizers and that type of legalism would make its way into Philippi and try to corrupt what the church had in and the pure gospel of Christ salvation by grace when you read dogs, don't think don't think
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Fido or fluffy or champ or Rex or whatever we call our dog.
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Don't think that if you ever been to another country Third world country and you see those scrawny growling
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Nasty dogs going through the streets and looking to eat anything even even you if you're not careful
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Eating trash and terrorizing everyone. That's the kind of dogs Paul's talking about. He's not talking about a jetty
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Terrorizing everyone these dogs They they turn the gospel of what God has graciously done for sinners into a message of do do keep the law be circumcised those types of things
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They strip the gospel of its power It's another opponent Philippians 3 18 and 19 same chapter
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Says for many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears walk as enemies of the cross of Christ Their end is destruction their
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God is their belly and their glory in their shame with mindset on earthly things These folks are there on the other end of the spectrum of the
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Judaizers. Like we discussed the These people they turn the grace of God into a license to sin
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They're seeking only to gratify the flesh and then they appeal to God's grace.
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They they sin willfully and freely and Then they throw their out. We're saved by grace doesn't doesn't matter
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Go mind your own business. I'm gonna sin God's grace is sufficient, right? Paul addressed this in Romans 6, you know, they're still enslaved to this and they don't they don't get it.
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They don't get grace They're still enslaved to their sin. And as it says in this passage their end is destruction
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It's another opponent opponents can be anything and be family can be friends. It can be false religions.
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It can be the the newest philosophy whatever you learn in institutions of higher education anything anyone preaching any message can be opponent to the truth of the gospel if it doesn't align with Scripture and That person is professing it.
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They're an opponent to the truth But it doesn't matter what the the opponent is.
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It doesn't matter what the opponent's preaching What matters is what Paul says is that we don't fear in the face of opposition
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That's his point. Don't fear. Don't be fearful of what they're doing what they're saying what they can do to you And Paul wasn't talking from he was in prison
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Beaten and Abandoned and he was in prison. He knew what he was talking about Go back to Philippians 1 verses 12 through 14
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Philippians 1 verses 12 through 14 Paul writes
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I want you to know brothers that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel So that has become known throughout the whole
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Imperial Guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ And most of the brothers having become confident in the
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Lord by my imprisonment are much more bold to speak the word without fear Again, and most of the brothers having become confident in the
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Lord by my imprisonment are much more bold to speak the word without fear Paul says my imprisoned should imprisonment should give you confidence.
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You shouldn't be fearful. It shouldn't make you fearful I'm in chains, but the gospel is not in chains
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You Philippians of all people you should know that you saw you saw the power of God when he freed me from that prison
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He broke the bonds. He opened the doors with that earthquake You saw it you were there
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Then you saw how the gospel the power of God into salvation not the power of God in an earthquake But the power of God and salvation
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Transformed the life of that desperate jailor ready to kill himself and God got a hold of him He said what must I do to be saved and God opened his heart and he believed as well and his household was baptized because of that Philippians because of that Bethlehem Bible Church, you should have confidence in the face of opposition
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Paul wrote to the flame. You should have confidence because of my current imprisonment because yes God's able to blow the doors off this place like he blew the doors off off of the prison in Philippi But if he doesn't the gospel is going forth.
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I want you to know that that That the entire Imperial Guard and everyone else around me. He says
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They know of my imprisonment and Why that it's for Christ and the gospel is advancing no matter what no matter what my situation is
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I'm gonna stand firm in the truth. I'm gonna give the gospel and lives will be transformed. He says don't don't fear rejoice
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Entire theme of Philippians can probably summed up in that word rejoice Philippians. I'm here. I'm in the
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I'm in the Prison here in Rome, but the entire period guard they know everyone around me knows why
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I'm here and that's for Christ They can do nothing to me and they can do nothing to you and whatever they do do that It'll only advance the gospel and we're down to the the glory of Christ and bring glory to God That was
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Paul's attitude when he faced opposition and that should be every Christians attitude in the face of opposition
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Paul tells us that such an attitude in the same verse that such an attitude is a sign of two things Number one, it's a sign of your opponents destruction
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Sign of your opponents destruction. They're opposing God. They're opposing his glorious gospel.
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They're marked out for destruction God will deal with them. You don't need to be fearful of them You don't need to be anxious about them and what they're doing.
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God will deal with them you you You be joyful you rejoice in suffering you you go forth and you give the gospel
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Sign of your opponents destructions, but it's a sign number two of your own salvation rejoicing in trials
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Seeing opposition as a means to advance the gospel What else can produce this type of response to suffering this type of attitude in the face of adversity and in an opposition?
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What else can produce this in a person but the Holy Spirit of God working in the life of a believer? I have to I Have to work this in here.
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I know we got fans here I couldn't listen to cool music as a kid like striper and that sort of thing they were off -limits as a
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Pentecostal pastor when I was back in the 80s who Wrote this big article how he saw demons floating off the people and everything
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But so I was resigned to contemporary Christian music early 90s mostly corny That being said
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I just thought of these lyrics as I read through Philippians from Stephen Curtis Chapman You might remember this song says what kind of joy is this that counts it a blessing to suffer?
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What kind of joy is this that gives the prisoner his song? What kind of joy could stare death in the face and see it as sweet victory?
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This is the joy of a soul that's forgiven and free and it's that kind of joy. You know, I just I Think that sums it up.
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Well, you know Even opposition seeing someone react in that way react with joy to suffering react and a hope -filled expressions in the midst of suffering and Being beaten or whatever the case may be
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That's the kind of joy that points to a life transformed by the gospel That kind of response to opposition causes even adversaries to wonder what motivates the response
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Why are they doing this and Paul tells us that this is a sign of their salvation of the
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Holy Spirit at work with within them and that's a sign of Your salvation when you respond to whatever trial in your day
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Whatever you might be going through in life you respond in joy You respond confidence in what God is doing that even that trial is brought into your life
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To advance the gospel to grow you to to make you more into the image of Christ Verse 28 ends and that from God where he's pointing back to your opponent's destruction your salvation
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They're sure they're secure because God will do it. He's he's decreed your salvation he's also decreed your opponent's destruction if they don't repent and Believe and we can be sure and we can just secure we don't need to worry.
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God will deal with our opponents So characteristics of a life worthy of the gospel number one, you must stand firmly united in gospel ministry number two, you must
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Fearlessly proclaim the gospel message even and especially in the midst of opponents and finally Number three to live a life worthy of the gospel.
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You must be willing to suffer for Christ Nobody wants to hear that word like our hypothetical at the beginning.
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No one wants to talk about suffering But as I got into this is just a powerful little passage
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Powerful verse of Scripture verse 29 chapter 1 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
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Starts out it says for It's a transition. You should always check what it what it's doing there
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What is it pointing back to and it's pointing back to the last verse these opponents that they're badgering you they're bothering you there
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They're making life difficult Those opponents that have been tracking the truth Trying to trip up the proclamation of the gospel those opponents that will do anything up to and including
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Throwing me and you and anyone in prison and ultimately killing you guess what Philippians guess what?
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Church Bethlehem Bible Church all of the trials caused by your opponents all the suffering that they are causing you to endure
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All the things that they're doing that we're trying to do to hinder the spread of the gospel truth God is he's orchestrated all of it.
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You say how can that be? What do you mean God God is orchestrated? Yes, even the suffering the suffering you are enduring is all a work of God's grace
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To grow you mature you form you more and more into the image of his Son The term translated here in verse 29 been granted, you know, the verb
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Has has been granted in this verse is a single Greek word and I won't even begin to try to pronounce it
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I once heard a preacher say that if you don't know Greek don't pretend that that you do So I won't try to but in the middle of that verb that means been granted wedge between the letters on either end
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Are these letters C H a R I s it's caris the grace of God God's Unmerited demerited favor we deserve ten thousands of eternities in hell because of our sins
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But God not only forgave us in Christ Graced us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places graced us with eternal life that grace of God that that caris
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Absolutely, no one here as we as we read here is not even great not For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ.
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You should not only believe no one here Would hesitate to say that our faith in Christ our belief in him and what he's done for us is a hundred percent
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The work of God's sovereign grace God regenerating our hearts Causing us to see the beauty and the glory and and the wonder of Christ and dying for sinners
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So that we might willingly Willingly repent of our sins and place our faith and trust in the
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Son of God Just as he graced you to believe in that way just as he graced you to believe Lydia just as he graced you to believe
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Philippian jailer in your entire household Just as he graced you to believe saints of BBC He has graced you that you should suffer for his sake
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What are the results of this work of grace? Let's let's turn there Romans 5 1 through 5 Romans 5 1 through 5
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Romans 5 verse 1 through 5 says therefore Since we have been justified by faith
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We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God Not only that but we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope and hope
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Does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured out poured into our hearts through the
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Holy Spirit Who has been giving given us? But Paul the suffering is so hard So hard, what are we gonna do?
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How can we bear up if you go back out Philippians 4 6 and 7
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Paul gives us the answer You don't have to turn I'll just read it Philippians 4 6 and 7. How can you bear up Philippians?
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It's hard Yes, I know. God's God's producing a new righteousness in a harvest of righteousness Producing all these godly characters in your life through suffering
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How do you bear up Philippians 4 6 and 7 says do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
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Let your request be known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus This is the promise of God to every
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Christian in the midst of trials everything that you may be going through everything by prayer
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Supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding
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Will guard your hearts and your minds you can bear up under suffering because God gives you that peace That's his promise to his his children verse 30 of chapter 1 getting back to our text finishing up Says in verse 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw
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I had and now here that I still have So it's been granted that you should not only believe but suffer for his sake
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Engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had a now Here that I still have
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I'm still in prison. I'm still here. I'm writing to you. I'm in prison and You saw firsthand
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Philippians. You saw me suffer you saw Me arrested and beaten with rods and thrown into prison you saw all that the conflict
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I had to deal with while I was in your midst beaten without cause and prison
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Not only that but they heard of how he suffered as he continued his journey Philippians 415 we had already read and you
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Philippians Yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel when I left Macedonia. No church entered into partnership with me in Giving and receiving except you only nobody supported him
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No, nobody was behind him except this this church in Philippi But you
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Philippians have you stood with me from day one as it says right in chapter when you stood with me since the beginning And I've suffered for the sake of the gospel and God has graced you with the same suffering
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He's giving you the same suffering. It's a grace of God So join me with saying as it says in Philippians 1 18 and 19.
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Yes, and I will rejoice For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This will turn out for my deliverance
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Saints of BBC God graces us with suffering. He graces us with trials As it says in first Peter 1 6 and 7 because of our trials in these trials you rejoice though now for a little while if necessary You have been grieved by various trials
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For seven so that the tested genuineness of your faith more precious than gold That perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ These trials test your faith the genuineness of your faith more precious than gold
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That perishes though it is tested by fire This may be to result in the praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Christ Jesus What a hope what a comfort to know
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That it's not in vain all the suffering all the trials that the Philippians go through that that you go through on a daily basis
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God is using it all he's using every bit of it to form us in you to the image of his son
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That we might look more like him so To conclude just to bring it around full circle.
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We started by talking about the words strive Contend suffer conflict. We look at what we looked at what those meant and what it entails for the the
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Christian life It's not a type of life that will attract the masses Certainly not the type of life that will draw the health wealth and prosperity hordes
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To BBC or any other church that's that's faithful to the gospel. These aren't concepts that they're popular out there in the culture at large
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However, we see here in Paul's letter to the Philippians that these are the words that describe and mark What I believe is a blessed life a joyous life a hope filled life a life worthy of the gospel of Christ Let's pray
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Father in heaven. We thank you that you have given us the truth. So clearly in your your word Our prayer for the
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Saints at Bethlehem Bible Church is that we stand firmly firmly united in the truth of the gospel
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May we strive to make that message known no matter where we find ourselves so that you might be pleased to save some who here
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May we be bold in the face of opposition and ridicule not shrinking back in fear knowing that joy in trials is what marks us as your children and Should suffering come and it will come father.
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May we hold fast to your promises confident That you graciously bring suffering into our lives that we may be confirmed more and more into the image of your blessed