Thinking Biblically

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Tag: unity

Unity, Joy, and Peace in Christ – Philippians 4:1-9

August 8, 2022 /
Philippians

This blog is based on a sermon from Philippians. You can listen to the sermon here (though not all of it got recorded).

So far in Philippians, there have been two main concerns:

  • External opposition (Phil 1:27-30; 3:1-2)
  • Internal division (Phil 2:1-4)

In the first three chapters (81 verses) there are 15 imperatives. In today’s text (Phil 4:1-9), there are nine imperatives in nine verses. In the last section of Philippians (Phil 4:10-23) there are no imperatives. Thus, the meat of the actionable commands Paul gives in Philippians are found in today’s text.

Sermon Text: Philippians 4:1-9

We are to stand firm in the Lord (1)

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

Verse one is a transitional verse. It says to “Stand firm” (also see Phil 1:27). Roman soldiers were commanded to “stand firm” and never retreat even when their life was in danger.

Likewise, Paul says to the Philippian church: stand firm! Whatever happens in this life, we are to stand firm in the Lord and pursue Him with all we have as we look for His return! I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10.

Matthew 10:28

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

We are to seek unity in Christ (2-3)

2-3 – entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul wants the Philippian church to be unified. In Phil 1:27, he writes that the church is to “stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”

Unity isn’t just essential for keeping the peace. It’s essential for the sake of the mission. We will never be a faithful Great Commission church to the extent that we are fighting amongst ourselves. The same thing holds true in the SBC, the convention of churches to which we belong. To be clear, I’m not advocating in any way the compromise of truth.

Keep in mind that Philippians was a letter delivered to the church (probably by Epaphroditus) that would be read in church. Paul names two ladies by name – Euodia and Syntyche.

As I read verses two and three, I’m reminded that our source of unity is Christ. In verses 2, Paul says, “agree in the Lord.” The glue that holds the church is our love for Christ. First John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.”

We also see that even those who love Christ will have disagreements. Notice what he says about these ladies: They have “labored side by side with me in the gospel.” Their names “are in the book of life.”

Churches die everyday because they forget that the mission of the church is not to draw a crowd, or to make themselves happy but to make disciples (Matt 28:18-20).

Paul is reminding the church who these two ladies are and reminding these women that the spread of the gospel is more important than their disagreement.

The same is true for us. The spread of the gospel and the making of disciples is more important than you getting your way or me getting my way.

The question we as a church need to answer when making decisions in the church is, “Will this help us make mature disciples of Jesus?”

The question every church needs to answer when making decisions is this: “Will this help us make mature disciples of Jesus?”

Third, we are to help one another resolve conflicts. Paul writes, “help these women [to agree in the Lord].” True companion or true partner refers to someone in the church. This could be a pastor or someone else. We simply don’t know.

We need to be people that tell our church members to “agree in the Lord.” Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt 5:9).

Will you seek unity with one another in the church?

Will you ask for help when you have a conflict in the church?

Are you willing to provide help to people in conflict?

We are to find our joy in Christ (4)

4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Paul tells the Philippians where to find their joy – “in the Lord”. He even repeats the command just in case they missed it (“again I will say, rejoice”). Paul writing from prison, wants these believers to know that their inner attitude does not have to reflect their outward circumstances.

Your inner attitude does not have to reflect your outward circumstances.

If Paul would’ve dwelled on his circumstances, he would have been bitter towards God and useless for the advance of the gospel. Instead, Paul was in prison writing a letter to the Philippian church.

Where do you find joy in your life? If I looked at your bank statement and your planner I could take a few guesses. Here are some possiblities:

  • Health
  • Money and possessions
  • Freedoms
  • Marriage
  • Children
  • Being liked by others
  • Sports

There is nothing wrong with any of these things per se, but if you are finding your joy in these things then your joy can be taken away.

  • Health – a car wreck, an accident on the job, a bad diagnosis
  • Money and possessions – fire, tornado, flood, stock market crashes
  • Freedoms – can be taken away
  • Marriage or children – your spouse isn’t perfect and your children are not worthy of your worship
  • Being liked by others– people are fickle and will disappoint you
  • Sports – your favorite team will lose and there will be dry spells

Most people think you will have joy when you get what you want, but real joy comes when you realize what you deserve. This is the truth of the gospel.

As sinners, as people who fall short of God’s glory, we deserve God’s wrath to be poured out on us. Instead, we are offered salvation through faith in Christ and his work on the cross. When you realize that you deserve judgement, but you’ve received salvation, this leads to great joy. True joy is not found in getting what you want, but being grateful for what you have in Christ.

True joy is not found in getting what you want, but being grateful for what you have in Christ.

Remember, Paul is writing from prison. In next week’s sermon, Paul tells the Philippians that he has learned how to be content in any situation. Would you like to have contentment in any situation?

If you want to have true contentment, then you have to get your joy from Christ! This is what Christ meant when He said that He came that we might have abundant life (John 10:10)! Abundant life comes from knowing Christ and treasuring Him above anything else.

Christian, rejoice in the Lord!

We are to be gracious people (5a)

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.”

The ESV says reasonableness, other translations: graciousness, considerate, gentle spirit, gentleness.

We need this kind of spirit to get along with others and to be reconciled when there is division. We need to respect one another, even when we have disagreement. It’s also important for our witness to a watching world. John 1:14 says that Jesus dwelt among us, and He was full of grace and truth.

If someone observed your life, would they describe you as gentle, gracious, and reasonable? What if we looked at your social media feed?

We are to be gracious and gentle people.

We are put off anxiety as we pray to God (5b-7)

Paul wants the church to know “The Lord is at hand” (5b)

This phrase could mean that the return of Jesus is near or it could mean that His presence is near.

Both statements were and are theologically true. I’m going to focus more on the latter meaning. For Christians, God is always near. We see this in verses like 1 Peter 3:12.

1 Pet 3:12a

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.

Have you ever been in a scary situation? In a museum one time, I stepped onto an elevator with my kids. They weren’t scared at first, but then the lights went out. At first they got really scared, but then they weren’t afraid. Why? Because I (their dad) was with them and they could hold my hand.

The same is true with God. Whatever we’re going through, we can reach out to our Father. This is a church that is suffering (Phil 1:29). We know that there is disunity, and that they are experiencing opposition from the Roman government and the Judaizers. They are concerned about Paul and Epaphroditus. In some sense, the church is in a “dark” place.

When you experience darkness in your life, how do you respond?

  • Do you have a panic attack?
  • Do you hit the bottle?
  • Do you call a friend?
  • Do you take some anxiety pills?

Paul is telling us, “The Lord is hand.” He goes further:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (6)

It’s no surprise that these verses are so close to v. 4. In v. 4 we are told to rejoice in the Lord. Here, Paul tells us to not be anxious. Anxiety (or worry) is the greatest thief of joy.

Prov 12:25 – Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down.

How is it possible to not be anxious about anything? Really, Paul?

Remember, Paul is in prison and is unsure whether or not he will be put to death for treason for declaring that Jesus, and not Caesar, is Lord.

Paul says not to be anxious about anything, but in everything we are to go to God in prayer with a heart of thanksgiving.

When we are anxious, we are acting like unbelievers.

  • We are doubting God’s goodness. We wonder, how could God be good if this is happening to me?
  • We are doubting God’s sovereignty. We wonder, how could God possibly use this for good?
  • We are doubting God’s power. We wonder, can God really deliver me from this trial?

But when we go to God in prayer, we are proclaiming to ourselves:

  • That God is a good and perfect Father and is worthy of our trust.
  • We are totally dependent on God and only He has the power to deliver us.

We sometimes pray that we could be closer to God but often we don’t like the methods He uses to answer our prayer.

Remember, if Jesus is your ultimate treasure and your source of joy, no matter what happens, He can never be taken away!

Philippians 1:21 – For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!

Am I or Paul saying that we never experience great pain in this life? Absolutely not. What Paul is saying, is that through the pain, don’t be anxious but go to God in prayer.

Proverbs 3:5a – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

When we do this, look at the result:

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (7)

Paul was chained to a Roman guard. There was no escaping. Paul is telling the Philippians: just as certain as I am being guarded by Roman guards, God will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.

True peace is not found in positive thinking or good vibes, but in knowing that God is in control.

True peace is not found in positive thinking or good vibes, but in knowing that God is in control.

What are you anxious about this morning?

  • The state of our country
  • Inflation, gas prices, and the stock market
  • How you’re raising your kids
  • Your marriage isn’t where you want it to be
  • Job security
  • Your health
  • Your finances
  • Getting older and closer to death

Do you find yourself anxious? Take time to prayerfully memorize and meditate on Philippians 4:4–7.

Defeat all of your anxiety by trusting in God’s goodness and in His sovereignty. The same God that Paul wrote about is the same God we serve today. He is just as worthy of our trust today as He was when Paul wrote these words.

I’ve never met someone who is faithful in prayer who is also anxious. Isaiah 26:3 says that God keeps him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him.

We could summarize verses 5-7 like this:

If you’re every anxious about anything, go to God in prayer and then you will have the peace that surpasses all understanding.

We are to think about excellent, praiseworthy things (8)

“if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Paul defines what things are excellent and praiseworthy: things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable.

Don’t fill your mind with anxious thoughts, but instead fill it with things that are excellent and praiseworthy.

Our thoughts should be focused on God, His Word, and the hope that we have in the gospel.

We are to be obedient to Christ (9)

9 – “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things”

Paul says the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – do them! The truths of Scripture only take root when we practice (obey) them.

As a pastor, I can teach my flock the Bible, but they have to choose to obey it. The end result of preaching and teaching is not Bible knowledge, but obedience to Christ!

Are you a follower of Christ that can say this: “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things?”

We can’t live the Christian life alone. Thankfully, God is with us (9b, 2:13).

In conclusion, there is a lot in this passage. Let’s obey it together for God’s glory!

We are to stand firm in the Lord (1)

We are to seek unity in Christ (2-3)

We are to find our joy in Christ (4)

We are to be gracious people (5a)

We are to put off anxiety as we pray to God (5b-7)

We are to think about excellent, praiseworthy things (8)

We are to be obedient to Christ (9)

Gospel Unity – Philippians 2:1-4

June 21, 2022 /
Philippians

This blog is based on a sermon from Philippians. You can listen to the sermon here (unfortunately, some of the sermon was not recorded).

Sermon Text: Philippians 2:1-4

If you’ve been a part of a church for a while, you’ve probably experienced or witnessed conflict within the church.

Why is it that so many churches seem to have so much conflict?

Of course, no church will never be able to eradicate all conflict because every church is made up of sinful people.

But what if there is some way that we can minimize conflict within the church? Our text this morning speaks to this issue.

Last week, as we finished Philippians 1, Paul began giving instructions to the Philippian church.

Paul told the Philippians to “live worthy of the gospel” by:

  • Being unified around the gospel (27)
  • Not fearing those who oppose the gospel (28)
  • Being willing to suffer for the sake of Christ and the gospel (29-30)

In last week’s text, Paul was addressing external opposition. In today’s text, we see Paul focusing on how to have unity within the church.

BIG IDEA: Our church will have unity as we practice Christlike humility and service.

Our church should be marked by unity (1-2)

We see in verse 2 Paul’s command to have unity. But before he gives the command, he provides the basis for Christian unity and fellowship in verse 1.

The basis of unity and Christian fellowship (1)

Phil 2:1 – So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

Paul uses the conditional statement “if” to get the Philippians to consider whether these qualities are present in their lives.

  • Encouragement in Christ – nothing should lift our spirits more than knowing that we are in Christ. Paul is encouraging these believers when he himself is in prison.
  • Comfort from love – because we know the love of Christ, we are to love others. See 1 John 4:19.
  • Participation (or fellowship) in the Spirit – since all who are in Christ have the Holy Spirit within them, this should bring unity.
    • If the Holy Spirit truly lives within us, then we will be united around the Bible, which is breathed out by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21).
    • If someone in the church consistently causes division, this text implies that they do not have the Holy Spirit living within them.
  • Affection and sympathy – affections and sympathy (or mercy) towards others flows from our union with Christ.

Because we are in Christ, we should be encouraged and comforted, knowing that we are loved by him.

Furthermore, because we are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit, we should have unity and love one another.

In other words, Paul is saying if we have truly come to know Christ, then as true believers, we will be progressing in the faith.

These qualities will be increasingly present in our lives. Remember, Paul said in Phil 1:6 that where God has begun a work, He will bring it to completion.

So, our union with Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit within our hearts is the basis for unity in the church.

We see the basis for unity in verse 1. We see the command for unity in verse 2.

The command for unity (2)

Phil 2:2 – complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Paul says to the Philippians, since the things from verse 1 are present in your lives, “Complete my joy”, or “Make my joy complete”.

How could the Philippians complete Paul’s joy?

First, by “being of the same mind” – As Christians, our minds should be in tune with God’s Word.

Second, Paul says, “Having the same love” – We should love Christ as well as other Christians.

And finally, “being in full accord and of one mind” – We should be in agreement about the purpose of the church – to make disciples of Jesus (Matt 28:18-20).

Each of these phrases Paul uses in verse 2 point to unity. Paul, who is imprisoned for the sake of the gospel, says that his joy would be complete if the Philippians would live in unity. This shows us how important unity is in the church.

Why is Paul so concerned with unity?

If believers cannot live in unity, the transformative power of the gospel comes into question and the gospel message loses credibility among unbelievers.

If believers cannot live in unity, the transformative power of the gospel comes into question and the gospel message loses credibility among unbelievers.

How can we say we believe the gospel and have been transformed by the gospel if we are unwilling to forgive one another and to serve others (see Matt 6:14-15; 18:21-35)?

Just as a house divided against itself cannot stand, neither can a divided church. A divided church will be spiritually weak and no threat to the kingdom of darkness.

What are some ways we can cultivate unity?

  • By assuming the best of others’ motives.
  • By listening in order to understand the perspective of others.
  • Be refusing to speak ill of our Christian brothers and sisters.

We should practice Christlike humility and service (3-4)

Phil 2:3 – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Remember from Phil 1:15 that Paul said some people were preaching out of envy and rivalry.

Some people, in their selfish ambition, join a church for the wrong reasons. They think it will increase their stature in the community – perhaps to win a vote or to market their business.

Others will leave a church and join another church if they are not given a certain position within the church. A person who is conceited believes he is always right and expects others to agree with him. He is only happy when he gets what he wants. I’ve heard it said that you see someone’s spiritual maturity (or the lack of it) when they don’t get their way.

Both those who are driven by selfish ambition and those driven by conceit are not seeking to make much of Christ, but to make much of themselves. They are seeking to advance their own agenda rather than that of Jesus.

This attitude is totally different than that of Jesus, who took emptied himself, took on the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Notice that Paul continues in v. 3: “but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

Paul wants us to see that selfish ambition will ruin a church, but humility helps build it.

Selfish ambition will ruin a church but humility helps build it.

When Paul wrote Philippians, humility was not considered a virtue. There were likely many retired Roman soldiers who were members of the Philippian church. These were proud men of position, but Paul told them to have humility.

Paul says that rather than being motivated by selfish ambition or conceit, we as Christians should walk in humility by counting others more significant than ourselves.

In verse 4, Paul shows what it looks like to put others first.

Phil 2:4 – “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

I’ve heard it said that humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. A humble person thinks of others while a selfish person thinks only of himself.

In a culture that is all about me, myself, and I, Paul says that we should seek to put others first.

Many people in America attend a worship service to get something (a good message, good music, God’s blessing) for themselves rather seeking to serve their fellow church members and exalt Jesus.

In reality, church is not a service you attend but a people to belong to – other baptized Christians who are seeking to further the kingdom of God.

Conclusion

So, Paul’s argument in vv. 1-4 is this: if we are truly Christians, then we should be unified. The problem is that in our flesh we are driven by selfish ambition and conceit. But we are to put off those things and grow in humility and service.

As we grow in humility and service, we will grow in unity.

First, how can we grow in humility?

1. We can grow in humility by reflecting on the cross (see Phil 2:6-8).

There is no room for pride when we realize that we deserve nothing but God’s wrath and eternal punishment.

2. We can grow in humility by reflecting on the glory of Jesus (see Phil 2:9-11).

Rather than making much of ourselves, we should bow the knee to King Jesus.

3. We can grow in humility through prayer.

When we refuse to pray, we are pridefully refusing to acknowledge that we need God’s help. We should also pray to God for humility, asking him to help us love others more than ourselves.

4. We can grow in humility by serving others (Mark 10:45)

Mark 10:45 – For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

As we serve others, we are reminded that we are not the center of the universe.

Second, what are some practical ways we can look to the interests of others within the church?

  • Pray for one another.
  • Show hospitality by having church members into your home, especially those that you don’t know well.
  • Invite someone to your Sunday school class.
  • Take someone a meal when they have a baby or are sick.
  • A younger Sunday school class might give up the nicer classroom on the first floor to the senior adults who have a hard time climbing the stairs.
  • Older members can serve younger members by being okay with adding an instrument or two to the church music (so long as the congregational voices are still featured).
  • Serve in the nursery even when you don’t have kids.

The important thing to remember is this – we should look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others.

We should not think in terms of “us vs them” but instead “let’s make much of Jesus together.”

When Christians are controlled by humility and love, they will be genuinely united in spirit and will not allow small differences to divide them or hinder their service for the Lord.

Why do many churches have so much conflict? Because of of pride and selfishness.

How can we avoid conflict within the church? Through humility and service.

As a church, are we united?

Are we humble?

More personally:

Has your life been changed by the gospel?

Are you walking in a manner worthy of the gospel?

Do you promote unity within the church?

Is your life marked by humility and service?

Living Worthy of the Gospel – Philippians 1:27-30

June 21, 2022 /
Philippians

This blog is based on a sermon from Philippians. You can listen to the sermon here.

Sermon Text: Philippians 1:27-30

So far in Philippians 1, Paul has reminded the Philippians that he is grateful for them and that they are a source of joy to him even in prison. He has informed them that the gospel continues to go forth even in his imprisonment. He has told them about his situation and that he hopes to visit them again.

In Phil 1:27-30, he begins to give some instructions to the Philippian church.

BIG IDEA: Our manner of life should be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

27

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (ESV)

Some translations say,  “as citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

We should probably start with an explanation of the gospel. The gospel starts with God. God is holy, perfect, and righteous. He created us in His image, but we have all fallen short of His perfect standard. Therefore, we deserve His just wrath. But in His love and mercy, God sent His perfect Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins in our place. Because of Jesus, we can be reconciled with God and spend eternity enjoying His presence rather than separated from Him in hell.

Paul is not saying that we could ever be worthy of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. He is saying that because Jesus has died for our sins, that we should live in a way that reflects our gratitude. As the hymn says, “Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe.”

Salvation is not a one-time decision. Salvation affects our whole lives. Someone that is truly saved will be truly changed.

Look at Romans 6:1-4:

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:1-4

Elsewhere, in Ephesians 4:1, Paul writes, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”

What Paul is saying in verse 27 is that “our manner of life” (the way we live) should be worthy of the gospel. We should live in a way that is consistent with the truth of the gospel.

When we live in a way that is inconsistent or contrary to the gospel we claim to believe, the world rightly sees us as hypocrites. Listen to these words from John MacArthur:

“When the unsaved look at the church and do not see holiness, purity, and virtue, there appears to be no reason to believe the gospel it proclaims. When pastors commit gross sins and are later restored to positions of leadership in the church; when church members lie, steal, cheat, gossip, and quarrel; and when congregations seem to care little about such sin and hypocrisy in their midst, the world is understandably repulsed by their claims to love and serve God. And the name of Christ is sullied and dishonored.”

John Macarthur

My hope is that all of us desire to live in a way that is worthy of the gospel. In our text, we see at least three ways we can live worthy of the gospel:

First, we should be unified around the gospel (27).

“Standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”

Many churches spend more time fighting one another than they do the real enemy. When Paul speaks of “standing firm,” he is using military language. Remember, many of the citizens of Philippi are retired Roman soldiers. Paul is saying to stand firm in the face of intimidation and external opposition.

Paul also says that he wants to find the Philippians “striving side by side.” This is sports language. Just as a team must be unified to win the game, as Christians and as church members, we must be unified around the gospel.

“When you get the gospel, you get joy. When you focus on the gospel, you get unity.”

Tony merida

In the church, our unity should not come from our financial status, our geographical location, our family ties, our skin color, or our worship style. Our unity comes from a shared understanding of the gospel and God’s Word.

When our unity comes from a right understanding of the gospel, our church can be a place where we have rich and poor people, people of all ethnicities, people of all ages, broken families, cowboys, and bikers.

We don’t have to have a church for only certain kinds of people because it’s the gospel that unites, not these other cheaper things.

We are to be unified around the gospel, but please don’t misunderstand me – we must never seek unity at the expense of truth. This is why I preach through books of the Bible and explain the gospel in every sermon.

Second, we should not be afraid of those who oppose the gospel (28).

“And not frightened in anything by your opponents”

Paul tells the Philippians that they are not to be frightened by their opponents.

Who are these opponents? Perhaps Paul is speaking of the Judaizers mentioned in chapter three, but more likely he is referring to pagans living in Philippi, maybe even civil authorities. Remember, Paul was arrested in Acts 16 because he was “advocating customs” that were not Roman in nature.

The fact is that we are not living worthy of the gospel when we fear men and refuse to stand up for the truth.

Listen to Jesus in Matt 10:28:

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.“

Jesus, Matthew 10:28

“this is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.”

Paul says that the church’s unity and boldness is a sure sign that these saints have indeed experienced salvation. When people are willing to endure great hardship for the sake of the gospel, it indicates that they truly believe and have been changed by it.

We live worthy of the gospel when we’re unified around the gospel and when we stand up to those who oppose the gospel. A third way we can live worthy of the gospel is to be willing to endure suffering for the sake of the gospel.

We should be willing to endure suffering for the sake of Christ and the gospel (29-30).

“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” (29)

We should not just believe in Christ, but be willing to live for Christ, even when it costs us. We saw this clearly in our Scripture reading from Luke 14.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.“

jesus, luke 14:26-27

Paul writes, “It has been granted to you.” Suffering is a gift in the sense that it helps us to see if we really belong to Christ. Many young adults make a profession of faith early in their childhood, but go to college and “abandon” the faith. In most cases, they were never Christians to begin with (1 John 2:19). Most never had their faith tested before leaving home. This is why it can be dangerous to baptize young children.[1]See here and here.

Saving faith is faith that is willing to suffer for Christ. Again, hear the words of Jesus from Matthew 10:

“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.“

Jesus, matthew 10:32-33

When we suffer for the sake of the gospel, we identify with Christ, who suffered on the cross for us.

Paul’s words are a much-needed corrective for us in the American church. So few of us have really had to count the cost of following Jesus and even fewer are prepared to suffer for Christ.

Most people want the benefits of the gospel without the cost of discipleship:

  • We are glad to have Jesus as our Savior. We don’t want him as Lord.
  • We want to go to heaven, but we don’t want to deny ourselves and forsake our sins.

Paul says that we should be willing to suffer for Christ, but many people can’t even make it to church more than once or twice a month.

  • Many give little or no money to the kingdom of God.
  • We would rather scroll through social media than the pages of God’s Word.
  • We think suffering is attending church instead of being on the lake or in the duck blind.
  • We think we’re suffering if we the worship service lasts more than an hour.

It’s no wonder that many church buildings are more than half empty most of the time. If we’re honest, most of the time, we don’t live lives that are worthy of the gospel.

I’m not trying to beat you up this morning, but rather I’m trying to challenge us to action.

30 – “engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have”

Paul was on the frontlines of gospel advancement and the Philippians were engaged in the same conflict that Paul was – spiritual war.

In Ephesians 6:11-13, Paul told the Ephesians to put on the armor of God. You only put on armor if you’re going to war. Friends, the devil is scheming against us! There are cosmic powers and spiritual forces of evil that want to destroy us. We are in a spiritual war!

We are crazy if we think that reaching people with the gospel will be easy. Paul was trying to spread the gospel message and he was imprisoned, awaiting trial. Satan wants to steal, kill and destroy people! Peter wrote that the devil is like a prowling lion, seeking who he may devour (1 Pet 5:8).

We cannot expect to win the spiritual war if we’re not ready to be engaged in battle and to be willing to suffer losses for the kingdom of God.

For us to win people to Christ:

  • It’s going to take more than letting the pastor do it.
  • It’s going to take prayer.
  • It’s going to require us to commit to Christ and the church and to not treat Sundays as an optional event in our schedules.
  • It’s going to take boldness.
  • It’s going to take us being willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel.
  • It’s going to take committing ourselves to the truth of the Word when it conflicts with our church’s traditions.

Church, we should live our lives in a way that is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Jesus died for us. Let us live for him!

Let’s be unified around the gospel.

Let’s not fear those who oppose the gospel.

Let’s be willing to endure true suffering for Christ and the gospel.

If we are willing to do those things, then we will indeed be living in a way that is worthy of the gospel!

References

References
↑1 See here and here.

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