WEBVTT 00:00:03.966 --> 00:00:04.700 Good morning church. 00:00:04.700 --> 00:00:07.700 How are we doing? 00:00:08.333 --> 00:00:10.699 It's a pleasure to open up God's word with you this morning. 00:00:10.699 --> 00:00:16.699 If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Philippians chapter one, verse 28. 00:00:16.699 --> 00:00:22.565 We're going to just look at four verses this morning, and I'm excited to continue our series. 00:00:22.565 --> 00:00:26.332 I don't need that. Yeah, I don't want that in my way. 00:00:26.332 --> 00:00:28.632 I like to flail my arms. No I don't. 00:00:28.632 --> 00:00:32.432 But glad to be with you this morning to share God's word with you. 00:00:32.432 --> 00:00:41.200 Pastor John is away visiting his son in Arizona, so I'm sure he's hanging off a cliff somewhere, I'm sure, or doing some dangerous bike ride or something. 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:45.633 But pray for Pastor John that he makes it back from this, from this endeavor. 00:00:45.633 --> 00:00:51.700 But, so glad that I get to share that word with you this morning, and we'll continue our series in the book of Philippians. 00:00:51.700 --> 00:00:56.299 And it's been great uncovering the truth in this book. 00:00:56.332 --> 00:01:01.165 It's such an important book to our faith, and I'm so thankful we have it. 00:01:01.165 --> 00:01:06.832 But as I was preparing, I remembered growing up that I was a horrible teammate. 00:01:07.799 --> 00:01:12.233 I played baseball growing up, and I recall not being a very good teammate. 00:01:12.233 --> 00:01:18.566 So I was the type of kid that if I was doing really well, I was all smiles and high fives. 00:01:18.566 --> 00:01:28.433 But if I was having a bad game, I didn't want anything to do with anybody and it wouldn't matter if were winning or losing, I had a bad attitude. 00:01:28.433 --> 00:01:31.500 And this kind of continued all the way up and through high school. 00:01:31.500 --> 00:01:36.433 And as I played, I still carry this attitude that my teammates were actually obstacles. 00:01:36.433 --> 00:01:44.433 They were in opposition to me, and they're keeping me from maybe being better or having more playing time or what have you. 00:01:44.433 --> 00:01:56.099 But by God's grace, through a couple of sports injuries, I ended up at a Christian college, and when I go there, I still carried over this attitude that I need to be number one. 00:01:56.099 --> 00:01:58.632 I don't really care about the team, I just want to play. 00:01:58.632 --> 00:02:00.766 I want to be at the center of everything. 00:02:00.766 --> 00:02:02.900 And so I still carry this attitude. 00:02:02.900 --> 00:02:11.233 I wasn't a very good teammate until I met my teammates on my college team, and these guys were the real deal. 00:02:12.332 --> 00:02:16.066 They love Jesus, and they were good at what they did on the field. 00:02:16.066 --> 00:02:21.699 And so they really changed my perspective in my attitude, slowly but surely. 00:02:21.699 --> 00:02:23.832 And seeing them live out their faith. 00:02:23.832 --> 00:02:25.832 Talk about their faith. 00:02:25.832 --> 00:02:31.099 It was eye opening to me because that actually made them good teammates. 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:34.532 And so, I had a lot of introspection at that point in my life. 00:02:34.532 --> 00:02:44.233 And then God, using that and other various things, he brought me to faith in Christ while I was a freshman at college on a baseball team. 00:02:44.233 --> 00:02:48.032 And as a result, I became a better teammate. 00:02:48.032 --> 00:02:52.066 I realized even in this sport, it's not about me. 00:02:52.066 --> 00:02:59.733 It's instead about the team that if we can lock arms, bolster together and we can build this team up, we can be even better. 00:02:59.733 --> 00:03:04.332 And in fact, when you put your team first, you actually make yourself better. 00:03:04.332 --> 00:03:13.400 So from the the practice field to the gym to even having team Bible studies, we were getting better because the team was first. 00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:29.300 And honestly, this was the first glimpse that I had of what the church was supposed to look like, because we're going to see this morning that we as the church, we are called to live a life that is worthy of the gospel that we profess. 00:03:29.300 --> 00:03:32.800 And to do that, it cannot be done by yourself. 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:42.066 It is implied and said all over the Bible that life, especially the Christian life, is meant to be in community together. 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.665 So when you see one big main idea this morning, here it is. 00:03:46.665 --> 00:03:58.099 A life worthy of the gospel is marked by standing firm in unity and sharing the gospel fearlessly. 00:03:59.099 --> 00:04:08.566 We're going to unpack three specific ways that Paul says, this is how you're supposed to live the Christian life, and a worthy way to do it. 00:04:08.566 --> 00:04:13.733 And so for my church people in the building, we are called to live a particular way. 00:04:13.866 --> 00:04:26.833 But if you don't consider yourself a Christian or you're or you're still entertaining this whole idea, bear with me, because there is beauty and fruit in this message that I believe God wants to speak to you this morning. 00:04:27.333 --> 00:04:34.600 But just to give us a little bit of context, I know Pastor John's already done this with the book, but this book is written by the Apostle Paul. 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:40.766 He goes to a place called Philippi in which he plants a church there. 00:04:40.766 --> 00:04:43.966 And so he now writes this letter back to them. 00:04:43.966 --> 00:04:49.233 What's interesting about Philippi is that this city is a Roman colony. 00:04:49.432 --> 00:04:56.533 It was its own city, but it was under the jurisdiction and authority of the Roman government in about 31 BC. 00:04:56.565 --> 00:05:00.065 There are some some folks called Octavian and Mark Antony. 00:05:00.065 --> 00:05:02.899 They were kind of important in Roman history. 00:05:02.899 --> 00:05:10.565 Octavian later became Caesar, but they came, took over Philippi and established a colony in this city. 00:05:10.565 --> 00:05:17.766 Now, what's interesting is they then took Roman veteran soldiers and colonized this city. 00:05:17.766 --> 00:05:27.533 So Philippi, as we're about to read even more in this book today, this was a city of veterans, a Roman city of veterans. 00:05:27.966 --> 00:05:31.833 And so they wanted to keep the the Roman persuasion there. 00:05:31.833 --> 00:05:33.833 They wanted to keep their authority over the city. 00:05:33.833 --> 00:05:36.800 And this was just one way in which they did it. 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:39.833 They highly valued this city. 00:05:39.833 --> 00:05:47.932 So you can imagine you can imagine the people of Philippi having a deep pride in their relationship to Rome. 00:05:47.932 --> 00:05:50.932 As you can imagine, they really cared about Rome. 00:05:50.932 --> 00:05:55.399 In fact, what was even greater is to be a Roman citizen. 00:05:55.399 --> 00:06:00.533 As we're going to unpack to this morning, they had a lot of pride in the fact that they were related to Rome. 00:06:00.533 --> 00:06:04.233 And some of them, many of them were Roman citizens. 00:06:04.365 --> 00:06:07.432 But Paul is going to address that directly in our text today. 00:06:07.432 --> 00:06:09.432 So let's look at Philippians. 00:06:09.432 --> 00:06:13.233 Actually, let me give you a little context too, because I've brought this in here. 00:06:13.233 --> 00:06:21.000 So in acts chapter 16, Paul visits the city, plants the church, and all of a sudden people get a little upset. 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:22.500 Look at this in Acts 16. 00:06:22.500 --> 00:06:25.233 This gives us a little picture of of what they valued. 00:06:25.233 --> 00:06:27.365 But this is Acts 16, verse 37. 00:06:27.365 --> 00:06:31.766 But Paul said to them, he's been thrown in prison, and this is what he says. 00:06:31.766 --> 00:06:36.565 They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned men who are Roman citizens. 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:42.966 So Paul says, I'm a Roman citizen, along with these people that are with me, they have thrown us into prison. 00:06:42.966 --> 00:06:49.733 And do they now throw us out secretly because they were thrown without due process, without a court case? 00:06:49.733 --> 00:06:53.333 And he says, no, let them come themselves and take us out. 00:06:53.333 --> 00:06:56.033 Let's make it as public as possible. 00:06:56.033 --> 00:07:01.733 The next verse the police reported these words that Paul spoke to the magistrates as the people over the city. 00:07:01.733 --> 00:07:06.000 They were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:10.432 Here's their idea of being a Roman citizen was very important to them. 00:07:10.432 --> 00:07:17.932 And so verse 39, they so they came and apologized to them, and they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 00:07:17.932 --> 00:07:21.833 So what was once an angry mob turned to in an apologetic crowd. 00:07:21.833 --> 00:07:24.766 I'm we're sorry, Paul, we didn't know you were a Roman citizen. 00:07:24.766 --> 00:07:26.033 That makes you better. 00:07:26.033 --> 00:07:27.565 You can get out of here. 00:07:27.565 --> 00:07:28.600 Just do it secretly. 00:07:29.699 --> 00:07:39.233 But as we're going to see in this very first verse, just being a Roman citizen should not disregard our Christian citizenship. 00:07:39.233 --> 00:07:42.833 Look at this Philippians chapter one, verse 27. 00:07:43.132 --> 00:07:53.500 The main point in our passage, this morning, it says, only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:07:54.632 --> 00:07:56.632 You unpack this. 00:07:56.632 --> 00:08:04.132 This is basically Paul saying, the way that you live your life should match up with what you confess to believe. 00:08:04.132 --> 00:08:08.266 If you talk the talk, you should walk the walk, right? 00:08:08.266 --> 00:08:13.766 If you confess to believe in Jesus, then your life should show up as being a Christian. 00:08:13.766 --> 00:08:18.500 And so this phrase here, let your manner of life, let your manner of life. 00:08:18.500 --> 00:08:22.432 That phrase is actually one Greek word. 00:08:23.733 --> 00:08:28.033 The New Testament was written in the Greek, and it was a common language at this point. 00:08:28.033 --> 00:08:31.466 And Paul's very specific about what he's doing here. 00:08:31.466 --> 00:08:39.399 Paul uses this phrase or this word, this Greek word that is politically charged on purpose. 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:45.200 The word literally means to be a citizen, to be a citizen. 00:08:46.066 --> 00:08:48.232 But notice in this verse he tags on the end of it. 00:08:48.232 --> 00:08:49.666 He says, you need to be. 00:08:49.666 --> 00:08:55.166 You need to be a citizen that walks worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:58.100 So what is he saying here? 00:08:58.100 --> 00:09:05.600 He's saying that if you claim to be a Christian, you should live a life that is worthy of being a citizen of heaven. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:08.166 That's what he's getting at. 00:09:08.166 --> 00:09:17.899 He could have easily used another word which he commonly used in his letters, but he specifically uses this one for a particular purpose because he knows where the Philippians allegiance lie. 00:09:17.899 --> 00:09:22.732 It's in Rome, it's in their citizenship. 00:09:22.765 --> 00:09:36.265 And so let me say this this morning, Christians have transferred their citizenship to heaven and reside on earth, passing through as sojourners. 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:39.799 You've heard the phrase right, this is not my home. 00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:42.799 I'm just passing through right? 00:09:43.732 --> 00:09:55.166 It is so clear in the Word of God that when we accept Christ, when we come to faith in Jesus, our citizenship is now transferred to another place. 00:09:55.166 --> 00:10:05.033 But this isn't our home, that our main identity is not rooted and grounded in the place that we live now, but in the place that we're heading. 00:10:05.033 --> 00:10:08.033 Our citizenship is in heaven. 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:20.666 And here's the temptation, I think, even for us, that we could probably share with the Philippians, we too can put a deep rooted pride in America above our citizenship in heaven. 00:10:20.865 --> 00:10:25.232 We can elevate our citizenship as being Americans as great as our country is. 00:10:25.232 --> 00:10:36.265 As much as I love our country as being greater than our citizenship, citizenship in heaven, that is, I find my identity more as an American than I do as a Christian. 00:10:36.265 --> 00:10:38.732 So Paul's challenging them. 00:10:38.732 --> 00:10:45.265 If you're a Christian and you're in Philippi, where does your allegiance primarily reside? 00:10:45.633 --> 00:10:47.633 Is it in Caesar? 00:10:47.633 --> 00:10:53.633 Is it in Rome, or is it with Christ in the Kingdom of God? 00:10:53.633 --> 00:10:55.466 So he's already charging them. 00:10:55.466 --> 00:10:56.232 How are you? 00:10:56.232 --> 00:10:57.399 How are you living your life? 00:10:57.399 --> 00:11:03.299 Are you living your life worthy of the gospel, or is it just worthy of being another Roman citizen? 00:11:03.365 --> 00:11:06.299 Here's another way easy way to put it for us this morning. 00:11:06.299 --> 00:11:11.600 With a heavenly citizenship should come a heavenly way of life. 00:11:12.700 --> 00:11:22.332 So if we claim to follow Christ, if we have been transferred into the citizenship of heaven to be a Christian, a child of God, then our life should reflect that. 00:11:24.265 --> 00:11:26.732 And Lord knows that all of us in this room are imperfect. 00:11:26.732 --> 00:11:30.765 No one's showing up today saying, I have achieved perfection. 00:11:30.765 --> 00:11:33.765 If you have come, talk to me. 00:11:34.633 --> 00:11:40.432 But here's the reality your life should match up with what you confess. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:53.966 Because as Christians, we have now inherited a new moral code that is higher and better and greater than any constitution or document or governmental authority that we could find on this earth. 00:11:53.966 --> 00:11:56.365 We are called to a greater place. 00:11:56.365 --> 00:12:04.799 That's why Jesus says, you have to keep the great commandment, which is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:07.799 He says to love your enemies. 00:12:08.066 --> 00:12:10.865 Find that in the Constitution. 00:12:10.865 --> 00:12:12.299 I'm going to bash the Constitution, something. 00:12:12.299 --> 00:12:20.365 The Constitution is one of the most beautiful documents ever written. But the Great commandment is far greater. 00:12:20.365 --> 00:12:26.899 We have an allegiance to Christ that needs to take priority and is the primary thing that we need to focus on. 00:12:26.899 --> 00:12:28.700 So he goes on here. So here's the point. 00:12:28.700 --> 00:12:32.666 Let your life or live, live your life in a manner that's worthy of the gospel. 00:12:32.666 --> 00:12:39.265 And he goes on here so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you. 00:12:39.265 --> 00:12:42.966 So he said this last week, I want to come see you. 00:12:42.966 --> 00:12:51.166 If I can't come see you, at least want to hear about you, that you are living your life for the gospel. 00:12:51.166 --> 00:13:00.533 And so we expands on it, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind. 00:13:02.033 --> 00:13:09.765 This is a really cool phrase here to stand firm it and he kind of gives this military kind of imagery here. 00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:26.932 What was interesting about Philippi is they were on a road in which the Roman army would often travel around Philippi, and they would often see these Roman armies, these Roman soldiers marching along to do battle or to or to make, or to travel somewhere. 00:13:26.932 --> 00:13:28.932 So this was something that they would see often. 00:13:28.932 --> 00:13:31.566 And he's saying, stand firm like this. 00:13:32.566 --> 00:13:38.399 And in fact, with all these veteran soldiers in this city, this clearly would have hit home for them. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:44.633 So Paul saying, we need to stand firm in two ways, in one spirit and in one mind. 00:13:44.899 --> 00:13:54.232 Now there's been disagreement about what one spirit means, whether it's the Holy Spirit or whether it's having a common spirit between believers. But both are true. 00:13:54.232 --> 00:13:55.432 So whichever way you go. 00:13:55.432 --> 00:13:57.100 But here's what Paul's trying to say. 00:13:57.100 --> 00:14:10.332 We need to be together and unified in our beliefs, unified in our purpose, unified in our direction, unified in our conviction, unified together as the body of Christ. 00:14:10.332 --> 00:14:13.332 That's his point here. 00:14:13.432 --> 00:14:19.399 And so if I can make this first point, this is the first mark that we're going to see that Paul gives us this morning. 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:28.100 So the first mark is that we are called to stand firm in unity, to stand firm in unity. 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:35.365 Just incredible imagery that Paul gives to lock arms with our brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:14:35.365 --> 00:14:40.265 And no matter what comes our way, we're not going to budge. 00:14:40.299 --> 00:14:44.865 We're not going to let the culture sway us off of the gospel. 00:14:45.633 --> 00:14:52.066 At Valley View, we we strive that everything that we do is grounded in God's Word. 00:14:52.066 --> 00:14:53.133 It's while we emphasize it. 00:14:53.133 --> 00:14:54.166 On Sunday morning. 00:14:54.166 --> 00:15:01.566 It's why we encourage you to have a personal, ongoing Bible devotion that you're in God's Word. Personally. 00:15:01.566 --> 00:15:06.365 It's why we encourage you to attend a live group to get in God's Word in community. 00:15:06.365 --> 00:15:09.033 It's why we have our groups on Wednesday. 00:15:09.033 --> 00:15:23.700 In fact, pastor has a something called a pastor's class where he meets over here and on the side of the lobby and one of these rooms, and he basically takes us through who Valley View is, where we're getting our theology, where we're getting our doctrine. 00:15:23.700 --> 00:15:31.832 And he has a lot of question and answer because we want to be as transparent as possible, that this church is grounded on God's Word, and we're unified in it. 00:15:31.832 --> 00:15:39.000 Amen. And so because of that, we should be unified in where we're headed, the Great Commission. 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:51.700 The purpose of why we exist is not to stay within this room, but to go out into the south, into the community and spread beyond that, that we can reach the nation, this nation and beyond with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:15:51.700 --> 00:15:53.865 We all are unified in that. 00:15:53.865 --> 00:15:58.332 So Paul says, you know what it looks like to live a life worthy. 00:15:58.633 --> 00:16:02.200 The gospel is your unified. 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:10.000 You're in a body of Bible believing Christians where you are pursuing Christ and you all are heading in the same direction. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.832 And I pray that would be said of Valley View. 00:16:12.832 --> 00:16:18.765 So he goes on in verse 27, first he says, standing firm in one spirit, with one mind. 00:16:18.765 --> 00:16:25.899 But then he adds this really important phrase, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. 00:16:26.966 --> 00:16:33.265 So first Paul gives us this like military imagery, but now he gives us a little athletic imagery. 00:16:33.265 --> 00:16:37.100 This word striving side by side is is the word athletic. 00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:39.666 So do you know that you kind of hear what that sounds like? 00:16:39.666 --> 00:16:42.666 Athlete, athletic, athlete. 00:16:42.832 --> 00:16:54.033 He's saying that as Christians, we are called to be athletes on the same team competing against an opponent. 00:16:54.033 --> 00:17:02.033 And so he's saying here is we should be striving side by side together for the faith of the gospel. 00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:09.633 My daughter recently just started, soccer here at Valley View. 00:17:09.633 --> 00:17:15.032 I don't know if you all have ever attended a four year old soccer match. 00:17:15.965 --> 00:17:20.266 If you haven't, you're more than welcome to come watch on Saturday. 00:17:20.333 --> 00:17:21.766 It's free admission. 00:17:21.766 --> 00:17:25.400 It's the best four year old soccer you're going to find in the state of Kentucky. 00:17:26.766 --> 00:17:36.865 And it's so interesting that when the whistle is blown and the match starts, it is the most organized chaos I've ever seen. 00:17:37.932 --> 00:17:41.465 Because it ceases to be about the team. 00:17:41.865 --> 00:17:50.532 Every kid is now out to get that ball, and it is no matter which side the ball's going on, the kids is going to go after it. 00:17:50.532 --> 00:17:58.200 And thank God that that Keith has gotten them t shirts, because if they didn't have t shirts on, we wouldn’t know who's team they are on. 00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:14.200 But it's kind of a funny way to see that sometimes this is kind of the way that the church can look, where you can't tell who's on who's team, and in fact, it's just you're competing against each other. 00:18:14.665 --> 00:18:18.766 But what Paul says is we need to strive side by side. 00:18:18.766 --> 00:18:20.633 We need to labor. 00:18:20.633 --> 00:18:24.633 We need to compete with each other against the opponent. 00:18:26.232 --> 00:18:27.066 There is this picture. 00:18:27.066 --> 00:18:33.365 We are on Team Jesus and we're competing against the opponent. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:35.599 But you know what? 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:40.099 A life worthy of the gospel doesn't look like Christians fighting each other. 00:18:40.099 --> 00:18:42.633 That's the exact opposite. 00:18:42.633 --> 00:18:46.566 So listen, Paul is saying something very specific here. 00:18:46.566 --> 00:18:51.532 You're not just striving side by side for your own personal faith, he says. 00:18:51.532 --> 00:18:58.465 You're striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, meaning we are striving to share the gospel. 00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:06.532 It is an outward sending of believers sharing the gospel by our conduct, by our life, and by our words. 00:19:06.532 --> 00:19:10.665 We are sharing people the good news of Jesus. 00:19:10.665 --> 00:19:18.700 So listen the labor of evangelism or sharing our gospel is a team effort that all Christians are called to do. 00:19:20.365 --> 00:19:27.532 Sharing your faith in evangelism is not reserved for the Christians with degrees. 00:19:29.066 --> 00:19:34.732 It's not reserved to bald Christians, if I could give another category. 00:19:34.732 --> 00:19:39.333 It's not reserved to Christians who have the whole Bible memorized. 00:19:39.333 --> 00:19:44.932 The first Christians that we're really starting to believe in, Jesus were still figuring out their faith. 00:19:44.932 --> 00:19:48.299 Paul's talking to a church that's not very old. 00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:51.465 It's not about how much Bible memorize you've had. 00:19:51.465 --> 00:20:00.200 Although we want you to memorize the Bible, but instead, if you've accepted Christ and even professing to believe you're now on the team. 00:20:00.365 --> 00:20:01.465 But here's the problem. 00:20:01.465 --> 00:20:03.532 Sometimes we take the approaches. 00:20:03.532 --> 00:20:06.232 I'm going to take the bench roll. 00:20:06.232 --> 00:20:07.833 Good luck. 00:20:07.833 --> 00:20:09.900 I'm a cheer you on too. 00:20:09.900 --> 00:20:11.732 I'll even say a prayer for you. 00:20:11.732 --> 00:20:14.232 Oh, you need to share your faith with someone at your work. 00:20:14.232 --> 00:20:18.000 I'm going to say a prayer for you, but I'm going to stay back on the bench. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:18.965 Rah rah rah rah. 00:20:21.633 --> 00:20:25.032 That's not the way the church is called to be. 00:20:25.099 --> 00:20:29.232 If we want to live a life worthy of the gospel, we have to get into the game. 00:20:29.232 --> 00:20:33.965 We have to take a step of faith and to live out our life and share the gospel. 00:20:33.965 --> 00:20:36.965 Us personally. 00:20:37.465 --> 00:20:42.865 If it's reserved to a select few, we will not reach as many people as Christ is calling us to. 00:20:42.865 --> 00:20:44.566 But but you know what? 00:20:44.566 --> 00:20:45.766 Say everyone in this room? 00:20:45.766 --> 00:20:52.099 We reach one person this year, the room would double. 00:20:52.099 --> 00:20:54.833 We wouldn't be able to fit anybody in here. 00:20:54.833 --> 00:20:57.032 So what's stopping us? 00:20:57.032 --> 00:21:01.732 Paul is saying we need to bear arms, walk together. 00:21:01.732 --> 00:21:06.133 We're on the same team, and we're marching because we want to share the faith of the gospel. Amen. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:14.633 So the second mark, to live a life worthy of the gospel is to labor together for the spread of the gospel. 00:21:14.633 --> 00:21:18.932 You and me, to labor together for the spread of the gospel. 00:21:18.932 --> 00:21:39.833 So whether it's at school related, a workplace, whether it's in your own home, whether it's the person you interact with through the drive thru or at the grocery store, that we have a calling to live our life in such a way that it is a billboard for the gospel, and we need to use our words. 00:21:39.833 --> 00:21:40.732 Now I want to give you. 00:21:40.732 --> 00:21:44.566 I wish I could spend more time on this, I can't, I want to share just one verse here. 00:21:44.566 --> 00:21:50.665 15 - but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared. 00:21:50.732 --> 00:21:58.865 Be ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason, for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect. 00:21:59.333 --> 00:22:04.732 Two key words, gentleness and respect. 00:22:04.732 --> 00:22:09.700 And preparing to share your faith doesn't happen when that coworker asks you that question. 00:22:09.700 --> 00:22:16.200 Preparing to share your faith doesn't happen when you see that that person that's that's crying, and you need to go and minister to them. 00:22:16.200 --> 00:22:19.732 Preparing you for your faith happened yesterday. 00:22:19.732 --> 00:22:21.266 It's a daily, ongoing process. 00:22:21.266 --> 00:22:27.500 And so we need to actually defend and share our faith with these two words, gentleness and respect. 00:22:27.500 --> 00:22:29.799 Out of at a pastor, I heard him just recently. 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:33.099 He said, gentleness is strength under control. 00:22:33.099 --> 00:22:35.165 It's like wrestling your grandkids. 00:22:35.165 --> 00:22:37.299 It's wrestling your kids. 00:22:37.299 --> 00:22:40.799 So when we share the gospel, we are gentle in how we talk to them. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:44.165 We are gentle and asking questions and getting their their words. 00:22:44.165 --> 00:22:50.932 And then we gently nudge them and lead them towards the gospel with truth and grace, and to do it with respect. 00:22:52.465 --> 00:22:56.266 So let's get on to verse 28 and not frightened Paul. 00:22:56.266 --> 00:23:05.833 Now he's giving another example of, of our mark of to live a life worthy of the gospel, verse 28, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. 00:23:05.833 --> 00:23:12.133 This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation in that from God. 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:15.700 In other words, don't be intimidated. 00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:18.700 And he says in anything. 00:23:20.665 --> 00:23:28.799 The threats, the maligning, the threat to cancel you, maybe even a threat to fire you. 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:39.133 We should be on unashamed of the gospel, but doing it within means not to be rude or disrespectful or to shove it down their throat. 00:23:39.133 --> 00:23:41.665 But with gentleness and respect, we share the gospel. 00:23:41.665 --> 00:23:46.066 And he says, don't be intimidated by anything. 00:23:46.066 --> 00:23:46.799 And here's the truth. 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:52.900 If you haven't figured this out already, when you take a firm stance on anything, you will inevitably find opponents. 00:23:54.232 --> 00:24:00.566 If you take a firm stance on being a UK fan or a U of L fan, you're going to find opponents in this room. 00:24:00.566 --> 00:24:10.633 If you take a firm stance on whether noodles should be in Chili or not, you're going to fight opponents and maybe even in your own row, in your own household. 00:24:10.633 --> 00:24:13.266 And all those things are are minor and silly, right? 00:24:13.266 --> 00:24:20.766 But to be serious, if you take a firm stance against abortion. 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:23.465 You're going to find opponents. 00:24:23.465 --> 00:24:31.900 If you take a firm stance against homosexuality and gender ideology and CRT, you're going to find opponents. 00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:41.633 But again, all of that to say, we take a firm stance with love, with truth, with gentleness, with respect. 00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:44.099 That's the call. 00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:48.000 But when you do it, don't be afraid to get pushback. 00:24:50.232 --> 00:25:03.865 But here's the cool part when the church takes a firm stance and is not intimidated by the threats, by the threats to be beaten, mocked, scorned, killed, two things happen. 00:25:03.865 --> 00:25:06.766 Two things that your opponents will recognize. 00:25:06.766 --> 00:25:12.732 If the church does this, they will realize that they are paving their way to eternal destruction. 00:25:12.732 --> 00:25:17.432 But they'll also see that the church is on the narrow path of salvation. 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:22.400 It'll occur to them, I can't do anything to these people. 00:25:23.032 --> 00:25:26.032 All I can do is kill them. 00:25:26.432 --> 00:25:27.500 What else can I do? 00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:28.965 They won't stop preaching. 00:25:28.965 --> 00:25:29.932 They won't stop living. 00:25:29.932 --> 00:25:30.833 They won't stop loving. 00:25:30.833 --> 00:25:32.333 They won't stop sharing the truth. 00:25:32.333 --> 00:25:33.465 Even though they. 00:25:33.465 --> 00:25:37.665 Even though I hate them, they still love me. 00:25:37.932 --> 00:25:39.333 That's the power. 00:25:39.333 --> 00:25:42.566 Then they realize I may be heading down the wrong path. 00:25:43.665 --> 00:25:46.965 I need to take their path on the road to salvation. 00:25:46.965 --> 00:25:49.965 Hey, what do you mean by all this stuff? 00:25:52.465 --> 00:25:55.133 So here's the third mark. 00:25:55.133 --> 00:25:59.532 To live a life worthy of the gospel is to live fearlessly. 00:26:00.133 --> 00:26:06.165 To not live with a fear of man, but a fear of God. 00:26:06.165 --> 00:26:06.900 Look at what? 00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:15.566 28 and do not fear those who can kill the body, but cannot kill your soul. 00:26:15.566 --> 00:26:22.665 The worst thing that our opponents can do is to take our life now, but they can't take our eternity. 00:26:22.665 --> 00:26:36.432 But instead we should fear who fear him, who can destroy both soul and body in him, to fear God, to fear the one who who created us and made us and has every authority over every person who's ever lived. 00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:41.900 He is the one we need to fear and live for. 00:26:41.965 --> 00:26:44.865 So jumping our last two verses this morning 29 and 30, 00:26:44.865 --> 00:26:56.500 29-30, it has been granted also is this this word that means graciously give, for it has been granted or graciously given to you. 00:26:56.500 --> 00:27:03.833 And notice what he says, that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him, but also suffer two things. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:05.333 Also suffer for his sake. 00:27:05.333 --> 00:27:10.133 Engage in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. 00:27:10.133 --> 00:27:16.400 Now this might seem silly or wrong. 00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:22.200 Why would God graciously give or grant us suffering? 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:28.133 He's a good God when he make my life easy. 00:27:28.566 --> 00:27:34.799 In fact, the Greek readers who read this in the Roman readers who would have read this, they would have been like, this is unthinkable. 00:27:37.066 --> 00:27:41.133 But in our Christian faith, we have a God who sees the bigger picture beyond. 00:27:41.133 --> 00:27:43.133 Just today. 00:27:43.133 --> 00:27:47.299 So here, this, this morning, both our salvation and our suffering. 00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:53.633 Listen, are gifts of grace from God. 00:27:53.700 --> 00:27:59.865 Many conversations I've had this morning and this week about people who are suffering in the church today. 00:28:00.532 --> 00:28:04.965 And many of them are suffering for the sake of Christ. 00:28:06.566 --> 00:28:10.700 Understand that that is a gift of grace from God. 00:28:12.266 --> 00:28:13.665 Now how can I possibly say that? 00:28:13.665 --> 00:28:19.165 How could Paul possibly say that our suffering is a gift of grace from God? 00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:29.900 Let me say it this way Christians suffering is evidence that you are living a life worthy of the gospel. 00:28:29.900 --> 00:28:47.200 When you are living a life that is worthy of the gospel, when you're standing firm in unity in the church on His Word, when you're striving to share your faith and you do it fearlessly and you suffer for that, that is evidence that you're going down the right path. 00:28:47.465 --> 00:28:50.266 So don't take suffering as a Christian, as a negative. 00:28:50.266 --> 00:28:57.833 It is a gift of grace to remind you and me that I am on the right path with the Lord. 00:28:57.900 --> 00:29:01.365 And if I could share just a couple verses we draw to a close in John's Gospel. 00:29:01.365 --> 00:29:04.432 He gives such a beautiful picture and illustrates this. 00:29:04.432 --> 00:29:09.032 This is Jesus speaking to the disciples, one of the final times he speaks with them. 00:29:09.032 --> 00:29:17.066 Look at this in John 15 verse 18, if the world hates you, know that it is hated me before day to day. You. 00:29:17.066 --> 00:29:20.566 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. 00:29:20.566 --> 00:29:22.665 But because you are not of the world. 00:29:22.665 --> 00:29:27.500 But I chose you out of the world. 00:29:27.833 --> 00:29:29.266 Therefore the world hates you. 00:29:30.865 --> 00:29:40.465 And he says very famously, remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master. 00:29:41.032 --> 00:29:44.333 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 00:29:44.333 --> 00:29:46.432 If they kept my word, they will also keep your. 00:29:46.432 --> 00:29:51.465 So what's Jesus saying when you suffer for my name's sake? 00:29:51.465 --> 00:29:53.299 Two things. 00:29:53.299 --> 00:30:00.799 When you suffer for my name's sake, that's proof in evidence that you've been taken out of the world into a heavenly citizenship. 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:03.799 It also proves that they hate me. 00:30:05.066 --> 00:30:07.432 The world hates Christians because they hate Christ. 00:30:07.432 --> 00:30:09.766 The world hates Christians because they hate the truth. 00:30:09.766 --> 00:30:13.732 The world hates Christians because of what Christ stood for. 00:30:13.732 --> 00:30:24.099 And so today, we need to be reminded, as Paul, try to remind the Philippines that if you suffer for your faith because you're following Jesus 100%, you're fully synced with Jesus, then guess what? 00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:25.532 That's proof that you're doing right. 00:30:28.133 --> 00:30:38.766 It is a blessed privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ, because it is a reminder that Christ chose you out of the world. 00:30:39.833 --> 00:30:42.833 Let that be a gift to you today. 00:30:43.732 --> 00:30:51.000 Let that gift to be to you today who are nervous about sharing your faith, or being canceled or being fired. 00:30:51.133 --> 00:31:05.432 You think God's too small to know and to to work in that situation any way, but God can take that and remind you that you are doing what you need to do as a Christian, you are living a life that is worthy of the gospel. 00:31:05.432 --> 00:31:13.532 And that's my final point tonight on This Morning, live a life that is worthy of it. 00:31:13.532 --> 00:31:16.432 Isn't that what a Christian wants? 00:31:16.432 --> 00:31:22.200 That I want to live a life that's worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's what I want. 00:31:25.032 --> 00:31:28.500 And if you can't say that. 00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:33.732 It might be because you're on the bench and you're not in the game. 00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:40.465 Valley View Church we don't need bench players. 00:31:40.732 --> 00:31:43.599 We need you in the game. 00:31:43.599 --> 00:32:00.599 We need you to live out your faith and share the gospel so that we can reach this out in with the gospel, so that in eternity we can see our neighbors, see your coworkers, see our family members side by side as we get to praise and glorify God for the rest of eternity. 00:32:00.599 --> 00:32:03.599 Get in the game. 00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:10.032 When I think about this, a person who's lived their life worthy of the gospel, a couple people come to mind. 00:32:10.032 --> 00:32:18.432 And it just so happened that we've lost them recently, John MacArthur, who's a pastor in California, famous pastor, famous writer. 00:32:18.432 --> 00:32:22.633 I say famous because he's just well known, but he would not want to be famous. 00:32:22.633 --> 00:32:33.500 But he's such a great he was a great teacher, a pastor, a husband, a father, and he lived his life unashamedly for the gospel and shared the gospel day in and day out and lived it worthily. 00:32:34.900 --> 00:32:44.500 And even on Thursday, I was preparing my message and the news hit that Voddie Baucham, who is also a pastor, passed away unexpectedly at 56 years old. 00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:49.799 He is a father, a husband. 00:32:50.066 --> 00:32:50.500 Thank you. 00:32:50.500 --> 00:32:52.432 I think he has 7 or 9 kids. 00:32:52.432 --> 00:32:56.099 Some of them are adopted pastor, teacher, speaker. 00:32:56.099 --> 00:32:59.566 He planted a seminary in Africa. 00:33:01.665 --> 00:33:05.665 This man is someone that I look to and say, that is a man who lived his life worthy of the gospel. 00:33:05.665 --> 00:33:12.865 But if I can share with just one more group of people because we can easily look at the famous and the people that are well known. 00:33:12.865 --> 00:33:25.799 But even right now, many, many may not know that in the Congo right now, every day Christians are being slaughtered, abducted and killed for their faith. 00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:29.932 And we think we live in a in a in a 21st century world. 00:33:29.932 --> 00:33:31.865 But that doesn't really happen anymore. 00:33:31.865 --> 00:33:33.532 It does. 00:33:33.532 --> 00:33:36.532 We just don't get media coverage on it. 00:33:36.665 --> 00:33:45.365 But the Congo is I mean, one day there's 50 people slaughtered at a burnt out at a vigil in the summer in July. 00:33:46.965 --> 00:33:48.066 We've never heard about that. 00:33:48.066 --> 00:34:02.633 But these Christians, if you live out your faith in a place like the Congo, just by simply standing firm in a church, living out your faith, sharing the gospel and you're not going to budge over it, you can be killed. 00:34:03.833 --> 00:34:09.532 In church, I want to live a life that's worthy of the gospel. 00:34:10.733 --> 00:34:24.833 And I pray and wish that Valley View Church would want to be a church that is living a life worthy of the gospel, that it's not about us, it's ultimately about the South End, and this nation, and this world, to see them come to know Christ. 00:34:24.833 --> 00:34:29.199 So, church, will you live your life worthy of the gospel? 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:31.766 Are you doing it? 00:34:31.766 --> 00:34:33.865 This is not an attempt to guilt you. 00:34:33.865 --> 00:34:36.865 This is an attempt to stir you up. 00:34:38.065 --> 00:34:40.733 It's not to make you feel bad, it's to make you get up. 00:34:40.733 --> 00:34:48.666 And like a coach is shouting out to his team is to get us motivated, to get in the game. 00:34:49.300 --> 00:34:53.333 So where are you at today church? 00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:55.266 Let's pray. 00:34:55.266 --> 00:35:02.632 Father, thank you for your word and how clearly it tells us the marks of a life that is worthy of the gospel. 00:35:02.632 --> 00:35:10.000 And I pray God that we would meditate on that this week, that that would become more real in our hearts and our lives. 00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:30.699 I pray, father, that you would send us next door to the grocery store, to the to the ball field, to our workplace, with a heart that is set on leading people to Christ with gentleness and respect and truth and grace and love. 00:35:31.365 --> 00:35:38.965 And that God we would see this church be transformed by your grace and for your glory. 00:35:38.965 --> 00:35:44.699 Because we have a group of people that are in this church that aren't sitting on the bench, but they're getting in the game. 00:35:44.699 --> 00:35:47.766 I pray this morning that you would encourage us to do so. 00:35:47.766 --> 00:36:02.565 And for those who haven't accepted Christ that are here today and are entertaining, the idea that it is the greatest decision that they can make today to follow Jesus, the very person who died on the cross for our sins, the debt we deserve. 00:36:02.565 --> 00:36:07.233 But God, you sent Jesus to die on the cross so that we didn't have to. 00:36:07.233 --> 00:36:11.632 And by faith in Jesus placing our trust in him, that we can be saved. 00:36:13.065 --> 00:36:18.065 And I pray, father, that people would move today in light of the message in Jesus name, Amen.