WEBVTT 00:00:41.109 --> 00:00:46.469 Hear the word of the Lord, Philippians 1:27 through 30. 00:00:46.789 --> 00:01:08.789 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come to and see you or am absent, 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, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. 00:01:09.109 --> 00:01:16.150 This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of our salvation, and that from God. 00:01:17.269 --> 00:01:26.229 For it has been granted to you that for Christ, for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake. 00:01:26.629 --> 00:01:33.430 Engaged in the same conflict that you saw ahead, and now hear that I still have. 00:01:33.909 --> 00:01:36.069 This is the word of the Lord. 00:01:49.830 --> 00:01:50.870 Good morning, church. 00:01:50.949 --> 00:01:52.150 Let's pray over the word this morning. 00:01:52.310 --> 00:01:56.870 Father God, thank you for the opportunity, the privilege we have to gather and open your word. 00:01:57.030 --> 00:02:03.349 I pray for Robert this morning for clarity of mind, uh, for boldness to speak the truth that you've given him. 00:02:03.669 --> 00:02:06.550 To speak this morning to those to this prompting of the Spirit. 00:02:06.710 --> 00:02:25.430 Lord, I pray as we open your word this morning, we will see our brother Paul as he encourages us and challenges us to be obedient to the manner of the calling of the gospel that we uh humbly received and that we uh uh admit that we did nothing uh to receive that gospel, Lord. 00:02:25.509 --> 00:02:39.430 But I pray that through the through the uh calling this morning, we'd be obedient and then maybe spark encouraging uh encouragement and and obedience from other brothers and sisters as they see we walk uh in a manner worthy of the calling of the gospel. 00:02:39.509 --> 00:02:42.069 I pray for open ears and soft hearts this morning, Lord. 00:02:42.150 --> 00:02:42.949 In your name we pray. 00:02:43.109 --> 00:02:43.669 Amen. 00:02:43.990 --> 00:02:44.389 Amen. 00:02:44.550 --> 00:02:45.189 Thank you, brothers. 00:02:45.430 --> 00:02:46.629 You guys can be seated. 00:02:47.109 --> 00:02:52.789 If you haven't already done so, let me invite you to open your copy of scripture to Philippians chapter one. 00:02:53.110 --> 00:03:00.710 We're gonna be finishing up, Lord willing, chapter one, this morning, as as Bobby read for us. 00:03:00.789 --> 00:03:03.909 We're in verses 27 through 30. 00:03:05.110 --> 00:03:12.150 And I this isn't in my notes, but I was thinking about this, and my wife mentioned this as we were singing that last song. 00:03:12.310 --> 00:03:15.750 Like, you don't even need to preach, just sing that song, right? 00:03:16.069 --> 00:03:17.110 Just sing that song. 00:03:17.270 --> 00:03:21.270 It's beautiful and so true to what we see in the text this morning. 00:03:21.510 --> 00:03:29.030 As we begin, I I want to pose some questions for you, and you can either jot your answers down on the piece of paper. 00:03:29.510 --> 00:03:32.710 At the very least, I would encourage you to put them in your mind. 00:03:33.590 --> 00:03:37.270 Questions like, Who are you? 00:03:38.069 --> 00:03:39.110 Who are you? 00:03:39.430 --> 00:03:41.030 How would you define yourself? 00:03:41.270 --> 00:03:44.390 How would people around you define you? 00:03:44.789 --> 00:03:47.189 Are you a lone ranger in your faith? 00:03:47.349 --> 00:03:50.310 What does church membership look like in your life? 00:03:50.550 --> 00:04:00.870 And perhaps the most important question and the one that is most pertinent to our sermon text this morning, does the testimony of your life match the gospel proclamation of your lips? 00:04:01.510 --> 00:04:12.950 I don't know if you have noticed, if you were here last week and then this week, or if you've just read through Philippians 1, there's pretty significant shift of language that takes place in verse 27. 00:04:13.110 --> 00:04:21.269 Paul shifts to say, watch your conduct and be on guard about your character, of your character. 00:04:21.589 --> 00:04:31.990 See, the main thrust of what we see in verses 27 through 30 is Paul exhorting the Philippians to live in a manner that communicates the gospel is worthy. 00:04:32.230 --> 00:04:35.829 And he's doing that from two standpoints, and we can't miss this. 00:04:35.990 --> 00:04:41.029 He is doing that to them and towards them, both individually and corporately. 00:04:41.189 --> 00:04:46.870 So you are to live in this way as a follower of Jesus, and you're to live this way together as the church. 00:04:46.949 --> 00:04:49.589 So we're going to see that later on as we work our way through the text. 00:04:49.750 --> 00:05:01.589 He's challenging them to ensure that their lives and the testimony of their personal lives and the church at Philippi is the beauty of the gospel, and that they should do that together. 00:05:02.149 --> 00:05:10.069 It's absolutely essential that the character of the church and the character of followers of Jesus, individual Christians, matches their message. 00:05:10.149 --> 00:05:18.549 That doesn't mean that we are to be perfect and without any hiccups or sin, because we all know that is impossible in this life. 00:05:18.629 --> 00:05:28.870 But it does mean that the overall character of our lives and testimony of our actions should point people to the glory and the beauty of the gospel. 00:05:29.269 --> 00:05:30.870 And may I say this? 00:05:31.029 --> 00:05:36.389 Like Paul is saying this to the church at Philippi some 2,000 years ago. 00:05:36.789 --> 00:05:43.109 Christians and the church still face the very same challenges that they faced 2,000 years ago. 00:05:43.269 --> 00:05:45.909 Otherwise, Paul wouldn't be saying this to them, right? 00:05:46.149 --> 00:05:51.750 So it's so beautiful to read this and know he is writing this not to us, but to the church at Philippi. 00:05:51.829 --> 00:05:58.789 But the application is very similar because our tendencies are the same as was the brothers and sisters in Philippi. 00:05:58.870 --> 00:06:02.229 And Paul gives what I believe to be three broad evidences. 00:06:02.389 --> 00:06:08.549 So he challenges them and he gives them three broad evidences of a life worthy of the gospel. 00:06:08.629 --> 00:06:13.109 And with within each one, uh have I sent Michael, I believe it's going to be on the screen. 00:06:13.349 --> 00:06:23.750 Within each one, he within each of the three broad categories, there's some specific distinctions between living a life worthy of the gospel and and not living a life worthy of the gospel. 00:06:23.989 --> 00:06:33.829 I started this week to go systematically through each of the three main points and then also through each of the subpoints, and I just ran out of word count and we were going to be here for like two hours. 00:06:33.909 --> 00:06:40.949 So I decided not to go systematically through each of the subpoints, but they're going to be on the screen for your benefit and for your convenience. 00:06:41.029 --> 00:06:49.909 So what we're going to see, verse 27, faithful labor, verse 28, fearless obedience, and verse 29 and 30 is fervent suffering. 00:06:50.069 --> 00:06:52.629 Let's begin by looking at faithful labor. 00:06:52.709 --> 00:06:54.949 There's so much packed into these three verses. 00:06:55.109 --> 00:07:00.469 I found myself wanting to press pause and say, hey, let's make this three different sermons. 00:07:00.549 --> 00:07:05.269 And then as I dug into it more, you could have three sermons on verse 27 alone. 00:07:05.349 --> 00:07:08.310 So there's so much rich truth in here. 00:07:08.709 --> 00:07:15.989 You might remember from our uh time thus far in Philippians that Paul loved the people in Philippi. 00:07:16.069 --> 00:07:19.509 He loved the church, he had deep affection for the church. 00:07:19.589 --> 00:07:23.109 He talked about the church being on his mind, having this desire to be with them. 00:07:23.269 --> 00:07:26.709 He prayed for them, he loved the Philippians. 00:07:27.349 --> 00:07:41.750 And in verse 27, which is where we see the main thrust of today's sermon text, he reminds them that they are to live their lives in a way that gives testimony, testimony to the beauty of the gospel. 00:07:42.069 --> 00:07:43.989 Anyone remember Matthew 7, right? 00:07:44.069 --> 00:07:46.229 The narrow path and the wide path. 00:07:46.629 --> 00:07:53.909 In essence, he's saying, You are to live your life in a way that gives testimony that you are walking down the narrow path. 00:07:54.629 --> 00:07:55.029 Right? 00:07:55.109 --> 00:07:57.509 I'm married to a beautiful woman. 00:07:57.669 --> 00:07:59.109 I say that all the time. 00:07:59.349 --> 00:08:00.310 I say that to her. 00:08:00.389 --> 00:08:01.589 I say that to my little girl. 00:08:01.669 --> 00:08:03.429 I'll say, Hey, beautiful, good morning. 00:08:03.669 --> 00:08:05.829 She's over there smiling, melting my heart. 00:08:05.989 --> 00:08:08.149 Hey, beautiful, good morning, beautiful. 00:08:08.310 --> 00:08:09.589 I say that all the time. 00:08:09.669 --> 00:08:15.269 I would venture to say that many of us say that to our kids or to our spouses. 00:08:15.829 --> 00:08:17.509 We describe people in that way. 00:08:17.669 --> 00:08:19.589 Sometimes we see things with our eyes. 00:08:19.750 --> 00:08:21.989 We're like, man, that is a beautiful picture. 00:08:22.069 --> 00:08:23.909 That is a beautiful sunset, right? 00:08:23.989 --> 00:08:28.069 That is the beauty of God's glory in what I see in creation. 00:08:28.549 --> 00:08:30.310 We say that often. 00:08:32.470 --> 00:08:34.710 Do we say that about the gospel? 00:08:36.070 --> 00:08:37.509 Do we say that about the gospel? 00:08:37.669 --> 00:08:42.549 Do we say use that same descriptor about the gospel? 00:08:42.950 --> 00:08:45.269 Further, and this is probably a harder one to answer. 00:08:45.429 --> 00:08:49.429 Do we live in a manner that communicates the beauty of the gospel? 00:08:49.590 --> 00:08:55.350 So not only do we say that it is beautiful, do we live in a way that communicates that it is beautiful? 00:08:55.590 --> 00:09:00.629 A life worthy of the gospel of Christ is what we see in the text. 00:09:00.870 --> 00:09:04.070 A life worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:09:04.230 --> 00:09:07.429 That is a life that treasures Christ above all. 00:09:07.909 --> 00:09:14.470 A life that is worthy of the gospel of Christ is a life being lived out that treasures Christ above all else. 00:09:15.189 --> 00:09:25.189 We know that Jesus Christ, the Son, I say this and I have to remind myself to slow down and not speed up because I say it so often and we can hear it and grow callous to it. 00:09:25.269 --> 00:09:27.909 But the impact of it is beautiful. 00:09:28.149 --> 00:09:33.509 Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to this earth when he didn't have to. 00:09:42.069 --> 00:09:47.429 And he died a death that we couldn't die because he provided atonement for our sins. 00:09:47.590 --> 00:09:51.750 We couldn't provide atonement for our own sins, but he could provide it for us. 00:09:51.990 --> 00:09:54.069 He rose three days later. 00:09:54.389 --> 00:10:01.110 He ascended into heaven and he is sitting at the right hand of the Father right now, interceding for you and I. 00:10:01.269 --> 00:10:03.990 And we get so used to that that, oh, here we go. 00:10:04.069 --> 00:10:05.189 Here's the gospel again. 00:10:05.350 --> 00:10:07.509 He says that every week, or they say that all the time. 00:10:07.669 --> 00:10:08.470 Here we go. 00:10:08.709 --> 00:10:10.230 It is beautiful. 00:10:10.870 --> 00:10:12.149 It is beautiful. 00:10:12.230 --> 00:10:17.909 I don't care how many times we hear it, it shouldn't lose its impact because it is gorgeous. 00:10:18.230 --> 00:10:19.590 It is beautiful. 00:10:20.230 --> 00:10:28.949 And a life that treasures Christ is a life that communicates that that message that I just said is infinitely beautiful. 00:10:30.870 --> 00:10:38.549 Without getting into the specifics of the Greek language, verse 27, there's a statement, manner of life, right? 00:10:38.789 --> 00:10:48.149 Manner of life, it should make us think about, again, without getting into all the specifics of the original language, it should make us think about this word citizenship, right? 00:10:49.269 --> 00:10:51.189 Live as citizens, right? 00:10:51.350 --> 00:10:55.110 Live as citizens worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:10:55.350 --> 00:10:58.709 Live as citizens of heaven, not earth. 00:11:00.389 --> 00:11:05.269 And that's not just some flippant thing to be tossed around. 00:11:05.590 --> 00:11:18.470 The only capacity and reason we have or ability we have to live as citizens of heaven is because of the benefit and privilege of the cross. 00:11:18.709 --> 00:11:20.069 That's the only way. 00:11:20.789 --> 00:11:26.470 Living as citizens of heaven doesn't mean what so many people think it means, right? 00:11:26.549 --> 00:11:40.149 It's not that we have this arrogance or ignorance on earth, or that we look at other people who don't have that as being less than us because they don't have what we have. 00:11:42.069 --> 00:11:45.669 From a biblical standpoint, it means that we live as sojourners. 00:11:45.829 --> 00:11:48.069 You guys have probably heard me use that word before. 00:11:48.309 --> 00:11:52.309 We live as sojourners here because we're not permanent citizens here. 00:11:52.470 --> 00:11:55.990 Our permanent citizenship is not here, it's in heaven. 00:11:56.230 --> 00:11:57.829 I am a post, right? 00:11:58.069 --> 00:12:01.590 You can make all kinds of jokes: fence post, post office, whatever you want to make. 00:12:01.750 --> 00:12:03.350 Ashley's maiden name is Brown. 00:12:03.509 --> 00:12:07.829 She didn't say Ashley Brown Post because she didn't want to be called a Brown Post all the time, right? 00:12:08.709 --> 00:12:09.750 I am a post. 00:12:11.110 --> 00:12:15.669 I'm a native Tennessee and I'm currently a Mississippian. 00:12:15.990 --> 00:12:20.149 I am an American, but praise God, I'm heavens first. 00:12:21.350 --> 00:12:24.069 Praise God, I'm I'm not a Mississippian first. 00:12:24.149 --> 00:12:25.350 I'm not an American first. 00:12:25.509 --> 00:12:26.789 I'm not a post first. 00:12:26.949 --> 00:12:28.629 I am heavens first. 00:12:29.029 --> 00:12:35.829 You see, if we live as citizens here first, we are not living a life that is worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:12:38.549 --> 00:12:43.350 The treasure of the gospel most primarily is Jesus Christ. 00:12:43.750 --> 00:12:45.429 That is what we are to treasure. 00:12:45.509 --> 00:12:51.429 And if we treasure something more than that, we are not living a life worthy of Christ. 00:12:53.029 --> 00:12:59.350 Which begs us to ask the question what in our lives or in your life do you treasure more than Christ? 00:13:00.470 --> 00:13:02.629 That can be a hard question to answer. 00:13:03.590 --> 00:13:05.829 What do you treasure more than Christ? 00:13:06.149 --> 00:13:09.110 We are called to treasure Christ above all. 00:13:09.750 --> 00:13:11.750 But do we do that? 00:13:11.990 --> 00:13:19.110 He goes on to say that we are to stand firm in one spirit with one mind, striving side by side for for the faith. 00:13:19.350 --> 00:13:22.149 One spirit, one mind side by side. 00:13:22.309 --> 00:13:24.949 One spirit, one mind side by side. 00:13:25.110 --> 00:13:27.189 This isn't unity for the sake of unity. 00:13:27.269 --> 00:13:29.189 We toss that unity a word around a lot. 00:13:29.269 --> 00:13:34.549 And I think sometimes it just gets confused with uh being nice to everybody and oh yes, yes, yes. 00:13:34.629 --> 00:13:37.750 Let's let me smile at that person, they'll smile back at me, and we're in unity. 00:13:37.829 --> 00:13:38.949 We're we're good. 00:13:39.189 --> 00:13:41.269 No, this is not that type of unity. 00:13:41.509 --> 00:13:45.669 One spirit, one mind, side by side. 00:13:45.829 --> 00:13:49.509 This is unity that is rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:13:50.149 --> 00:13:54.389 I read one commentator say it this way, and I love the way he phrased it. 00:13:54.629 --> 00:13:57.350 We are more like magnets than marbles. 00:13:58.069 --> 00:14:02.870 Our unity is internal, it is spiritual, it's not external. 00:14:03.350 --> 00:14:03.669 Right? 00:14:03.750 --> 00:14:06.149 We're more like magnets than marbles. 00:14:07.110 --> 00:14:12.389 This is a funny story that I think expresses this truth. 00:14:12.470 --> 00:14:21.350 This past summer we were traveling back to Tennessee and we had gone into some fast food restaurant that my kids wanted to go to, but I certainly didn't want to go to. 00:14:21.669 --> 00:14:25.509 I'm not a big fast food fan, but we went into this fast food restaurant. 00:14:26.069 --> 00:14:28.309 Marcus, all the kids had ordered their food. 00:14:28.549 --> 00:14:29.990 Marcus had already gotten his. 00:14:30.149 --> 00:14:30.709 I hugged him. 00:14:30.789 --> 00:14:31.909 I'm talking to him for a minute. 00:14:32.069 --> 00:14:33.909 He's we're talking back and forth. 00:14:34.230 --> 00:14:36.629 He's like, all right, Dad, can I go back to the car? 00:14:36.789 --> 00:14:40.870 So I it will, I the car was running, so I didn't send my kid to a hot car. 00:14:40.949 --> 00:14:41.669 Let me just clarify. 00:14:42.230 --> 00:14:43.750 So I was like, yeah, son, you can go back to the car. 00:14:43.829 --> 00:14:44.470 So we walked out. 00:14:44.549 --> 00:14:45.829 I could see the car from inside. 00:14:45.909 --> 00:14:48.149 So I also just didn't send him outside by himself. 00:14:48.309 --> 00:14:50.470 Just making sure you guys know that. 00:14:51.350 --> 00:14:55.829 There was a lady who can't, I noticed that her and her family just kept looking at me. 00:14:55.909 --> 00:14:58.789 And I was like, Man, that's that's not uncommon, right? 00:14:58.949 --> 00:15:01.350 For for our family sometimes, that's not uncommon. 00:15:01.509 --> 00:15:06.870 And when I was hugging Marcus and talking to him, she just was looking, like, what's going on over there? 00:15:07.429 --> 00:15:13.029 After Marcus walked out and I saw him get in the car, I heard a hey hun, hey honey, honey. 00:15:13.189 --> 00:15:16.470 And I'm like looking around, like, you talking to me? 00:15:16.709 --> 00:15:17.350 Hey, sir. 00:15:17.429 --> 00:15:20.389 And I finally walked over the table and I was like, Yes, yes, ma'am. 00:15:20.629 --> 00:15:23.669 And she said, Was that boy your baby? 00:15:24.069 --> 00:15:26.549 I said, Yes, ma'am, that boy is my baby. 00:15:26.709 --> 00:15:28.629 That boy is my baby. 00:15:28.870 --> 00:15:31.269 And her reply, and I love this. 00:15:31.429 --> 00:15:34.069 I could tell that baby looks just like you. 00:15:38.309 --> 00:15:39.350 So sweet. 00:15:40.230 --> 00:15:46.789 And of course, uh, tell my story in the car with Marcus, and I can see him in the background, like in the mirror. 00:15:46.870 --> 00:15:54.949 And he, as soon as I'm in the middle of the story, and he, as soon as I say looks just like you, I can see this little grin come like this mischievous grin. 00:15:55.029 --> 00:15:58.949 You're if you're a parent, you know what I'm talking about, just smiling back at me. 00:15:59.509 --> 00:16:06.949 And I said, I told him the whole story, and he like waited for me to stop talking in a polite way, like he always does. 00:16:07.029 --> 00:16:10.870 And he said, Daddy, you must have been looking real good today. 00:16:19.750 --> 00:16:24.629 But what a beautiful, uh silly and it's a beautiful picture, right, on this earth. 00:16:24.709 --> 00:16:28.230 But what a beautiful picture of what we see in verse 27. 00:16:30.069 --> 00:16:34.230 Marcus is my son without a doubt, and I'll go into that all the time. 00:16:34.470 --> 00:16:36.789 I'm not ashamed of that, and I'll fight for that. 00:16:37.029 --> 00:16:43.750 But what is even more unifying than the fact that he is my little boy is that he is my brother in Christ. 00:16:44.629 --> 00:16:46.069 He is my brother in Christ. 00:16:46.149 --> 00:16:53.990 And our unity as co-laborers for the gospel isn't some worldly reality of something that we have in common. 00:16:54.309 --> 00:16:56.629 We all like the same sports teams. 00:16:57.110 --> 00:17:03.990 We all like the same color, we all like the same colored chairs, we all like the same types of lights, we all look like the same looking building. 00:17:04.150 --> 00:17:04.870 No, no, no. 00:17:05.029 --> 00:17:07.190 That's not what unity is. 00:17:07.430 --> 00:17:16.390 Our unity is that we stand firm in one spirit with one mind, striving side by side for the same gospel. 00:17:16.710 --> 00:17:18.549 That is what unity is. 00:17:19.430 --> 00:17:21.509 I've said this before. 00:17:22.150 --> 00:17:37.750 We should have more in common with a brother or sister in Christ that lives 7,000 miles from us, that speaks a different language, that comes from a different culture, that has different parents, than we do with some people in our own family who are not followers of Jesus. 00:17:38.069 --> 00:17:40.950 That is the reality of biblical unity. 00:17:41.269 --> 00:17:46.870 One spirit, one mind, side by side, striving for the same gospel. 00:17:47.190 --> 00:17:50.870 There is no greater unity than that. 00:17:51.269 --> 00:17:51.830 Period. 00:17:52.070 --> 00:17:54.150 Nothing is greater than that. 00:17:54.310 --> 00:17:57.670 We are in this together, not alone. 00:17:58.070 --> 00:18:07.430 And Paul is exhorting the Philippine, Philippians saying, Hey, you are standing side by side and you are standing firm on the only true gospel that exists. 00:18:09.190 --> 00:18:16.550 But sometimes we see the Great Commission in the Christian life as something that is individualistic when in reality it's corporate. 00:18:16.870 --> 00:18:20.870 It's corporate in nature, it's not individual individualistic. 00:18:21.110 --> 00:18:32.310 And in the same way, in verse 27, we also see, in addition to citizenship, we see him point to athletics and to military by emphasizing standing with one another. 00:18:32.550 --> 00:18:36.790 In other words, we as a church, we can seek the same direction. 00:18:36.950 --> 00:18:39.990 Listen, because this can be complicated if I don't word it right. 00:18:40.230 --> 00:18:48.150 We can seek the same direction with one another, excuse me, with one another, but not do it together. 00:18:48.550 --> 00:18:52.550 We can seek the same direction with one another, but not do it together. 00:18:52.710 --> 00:18:54.150 It would be like a basketball team. 00:18:54.230 --> 00:19:01.670 You have five players on the court, they're all seeking to score points for the team, but they're not working together to get it done. 00:19:01.910 --> 00:19:03.190 You see the difference? 00:19:03.750 --> 00:19:12.150 There is a difference than striving for the same goal and striving for the same goal, standing side by side together. 00:19:14.790 --> 00:19:18.950 Something I hit all I think about often is about getting hit by a bus. 00:19:19.509 --> 00:19:20.070 Right? 00:19:21.430 --> 00:19:39.750 If I get hit by a bus and I'm gone tomorrow, if the other brothers that are elders here who are faithfully called to shepherd you, if you guys as a church lose your direction, then I was a pretty terrible shepherd. 00:19:41.509 --> 00:19:45.830 I was building something on me, and that's not what I'm called to do. 00:19:45.910 --> 00:19:51.509 I'm called to stand firm with one another for the sake of the gospel. 00:19:52.950 --> 00:19:55.350 Paul is emphasizing in these verses. 00:19:55.509 --> 00:19:58.470 This is one of the beautiful things I I love about these four verses. 00:19:58.630 --> 00:20:04.870 Paul is saying, Hey, Philippians, as much as I have been helpful for you, you don't need me. 00:20:05.030 --> 00:20:08.310 You need the gospel and you need to do it together. 00:20:09.509 --> 00:20:12.470 You need the gospel, not Paul. 00:20:12.950 --> 00:20:20.950 He's saying, labor together, labor together, work together for the same purpose. 00:20:21.030 --> 00:20:24.950 And that purpose is what we see in the text for the faith of the gospel. 00:20:25.350 --> 00:20:36.310 See, striving side by side for faith of the gospel is to say this: your goals are my goals, your treasure is my treasure, and that treasure is Christ. 00:20:36.390 --> 00:20:45.830 And whatever we do, whatever we need to do together to help one another strive towards Christ and to help reach the nations together, we will do it. 00:20:45.990 --> 00:20:49.509 Whatever it is, pain and suffering, bring it on. 00:20:50.390 --> 00:20:53.269 Giving up everything for the cause of Christ, bring it on. 00:20:53.430 --> 00:20:54.870 Show me where to sign up. 00:20:54.950 --> 00:20:56.790 Where is the dotted line? 00:20:57.110 --> 00:21:07.030 Unity is more than agreeing, it is the willingness to lay down your life for your fellow believer as you strive in unity for the gospel. 00:21:09.670 --> 00:21:11.670 Which brings us to verse 28. 00:21:12.870 --> 00:21:15.030 Fearless obedience. 00:21:15.670 --> 00:21:17.430 Notice the statement in the text. 00:21:17.509 --> 00:21:21.990 It says, not frightened in anything by your opponents. 00:21:22.630 --> 00:21:23.990 Sit with that for a second. 00:21:24.150 --> 00:21:27.110 Not frightened by anything. 00:21:28.870 --> 00:21:30.790 Paul was in prison, right? 00:21:30.950 --> 00:21:35.190 Which puts a different perspective and a different level of emphasis on those words. 00:21:35.350 --> 00:21:38.950 Not frightened in anything by your opponents. 00:21:39.269 --> 00:21:45.190 Further, it also gives us some kind of inclination that Paul, obviously, Paul said this with reason, right? 00:21:45.269 --> 00:21:49.990 He said it with reason, which means the Philippian church had to have faced something, right? 00:21:50.070 --> 00:21:51.670 We don't know the specifics of what that is. 00:21:51.830 --> 00:21:55.110 Maybe multiple things that they were facing that were instilling fear. 00:21:55.269 --> 00:22:06.550 I'm sure the fact that the person who shared the gospel with them that planted the church being in prison instilled some sort of fear, but they were going through something that instilled fear, had the potential to instill fear. 00:22:07.750 --> 00:22:20.230 And whatever it was that was causing the fear or had the potential to cause the fear, he is saying push through with courageous persistence and not cowardice. 00:22:20.710 --> 00:22:21.910 Push through. 00:22:23.110 --> 00:22:29.350 I don't know about you guys, but often maybe I don't need to admit this from a platform, but I'm gonna do it anyways. 00:22:29.509 --> 00:22:38.150 But often the easy thing to do in in life, even even in our walk with Christ, in our labor for the gospel, is to simply say, you know what? 00:22:38.230 --> 00:22:39.430 What the heck with this? 00:22:40.390 --> 00:22:41.110 The heck with it. 00:22:41.190 --> 00:22:41.750 I'm out. 00:22:42.150 --> 00:22:43.750 I'm so tired. 00:22:43.990 --> 00:22:46.470 This is getting really old. 00:22:46.710 --> 00:22:48.870 I am tired of being tired. 00:22:49.190 --> 00:22:51.030 Can I get an amen to that, right? 00:22:51.190 --> 00:22:53.509 I am tired of being tired. 00:22:53.670 --> 00:22:57.110 I am tired of having to constantly battle. 00:22:57.350 --> 00:22:58.630 I am done. 00:22:59.910 --> 00:23:03.110 But brothers and sisters, don't miss this in the text. 00:23:03.269 --> 00:23:14.790 Your courageous persistence in those moments, in the face of the difficulty, in the face of the impossible, the things that should instill fear is a sign from God, according to verse 28. 00:23:15.030 --> 00:23:16.070 It's a sign from God. 00:23:16.230 --> 00:23:17.190 Listen to this. 00:23:17.509 --> 00:23:22.390 Your persistence in the gospel, in the impossible, highlights for the watching world, right? 00:23:22.470 --> 00:23:34.710 The lost coworker, the lost family member, the lost friend, the lost loved one, that they are destined for destruction because they lack the same saving faith that you have. 00:23:36.470 --> 00:23:52.470 Further, the courageous persistence of a believer highlights the eternal damnation of a lost person while at the same time, and this is the further part, while at the same time communicates the saving pace, saving faith of a saved person. 00:23:54.550 --> 00:23:56.070 But this can be so hard. 00:23:56.150 --> 00:23:58.630 And I I understand, and here's why. 00:23:58.870 --> 00:24:13.030 We have this perception that, man, if I'm faithful, if I endure, if I do all the things that I'm supposed to do, if I'm obedient to the commands that I see in God's word, if if I persist, then things should get easier. 00:24:13.350 --> 00:24:15.030 They should get easier. 00:24:15.350 --> 00:24:17.350 Conflict should subside. 00:24:18.870 --> 00:24:25.830 As though we are guaranteed an ease to life that includes the absence of difficulty and the absence of conflict. 00:24:26.870 --> 00:24:37.590 But that is so far, that's a good American ideal, but that is so far from the biblical truth that is consistently communicated page after page within God's word. 00:24:39.190 --> 00:24:48.630 Rather, what we see in the word is if we are faithful in the gospel and for the gospel, conflict will be the norm, not the exception. 00:24:48.870 --> 00:24:51.030 It will be the norm, not the exception. 00:24:51.269 --> 00:24:53.590 And sometimes we see that within the church, right? 00:24:53.750 --> 00:25:00.870 Which is a different sermon for a different day, as this is primarily about conflict or opposition with those who were lost or outside the church. 00:25:00.950 --> 00:25:03.590 But I think it's appropriate to do a quick aside here. 00:25:03.830 --> 00:25:06.950 Conflict within the church is normal. 00:25:07.430 --> 00:25:08.390 It is normal. 00:25:08.550 --> 00:25:12.630 That is why the Lord has given us instruction on how to handle conflict. 00:25:12.870 --> 00:25:18.150 Do you think there would be passages about handling conflict if the Lord didn't think there was going to be any conflict? 00:25:18.470 --> 00:25:19.110 Right? 00:25:19.430 --> 00:25:25.750 Things like go to a brother or sister, not go talk about a brother or sister to someone else. 00:25:26.150 --> 00:25:33.830 Again, a different sermon for a different day, but there is going to be conflict within the church, and there's going to be conflict outside of the church. 00:25:34.310 --> 00:25:39.509 Conflict out of the side of the church, or those who are outside of the faith is to be expected. 00:25:39.670 --> 00:25:41.350 It is to be expected. 00:25:41.509 --> 00:25:47.509 And that is why we see him hit it on the text here, both in verse 27 and in verse 28. 00:25:47.910 --> 00:25:55.430 Those who do not call the name of Jesus are this, they are enemies of the very cross that the follower of Jesus is to treasure. 00:25:57.750 --> 00:26:05.990 Those who do not call the name of Jesus are enemies of the very cross that followers of Jesus are called to treasure. 00:26:06.230 --> 00:26:14.470 So by simple logic, if Christ and the cross is the great privilege for the believer, it is a great privilege for the believer. 00:26:15.190 --> 00:26:24.150 It is beautiful for the believer, and it's the enemy for the non-believer, then there will be no shortage of adversarial conflict. 00:26:25.509 --> 00:26:28.710 How do we even begin to face external conflict? 00:26:28.950 --> 00:26:33.030 How are we not riddled or handicapped by fear? 00:26:33.430 --> 00:26:34.230 Here's how. 00:27:49.590 --> 00:27:53.590 Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 00:27:53.750 --> 00:27:57.269 Be courageous in your great commission efforts. 00:27:57.590 --> 00:28:02.070 And be prepared to be attacked for your great commission efforts. 00:28:03.430 --> 00:28:15.910 In my experience, the more obedient a person is to the commands of Christ, the more difficult your life will become, the more conflict that will come your way, and the more hardship that you will face. 00:28:17.670 --> 00:28:19.350 Do not ignore difficulty. 00:28:19.430 --> 00:28:22.070 Do not ignore conflict in an unbiblical way. 00:28:22.310 --> 00:28:33.910 And a quick aside here this I think is important to say, I think sometimes we hide being a jerk behind, oh, I'm just being obedient for Christ. 00:28:34.550 --> 00:28:43.190 There's a difference between being obedient and facing difficulty and being a jerk and facing difficulty. 00:28:45.190 --> 00:28:49.430 Be obedient to the commands of Christ. 00:28:50.390 --> 00:28:53.269 And in the midst of difficulty, be fearless. 00:28:53.430 --> 00:28:57.750 And lastly, in verse 29 and 30, fervent suffering. 00:28:58.150 --> 00:28:59.430 Fervent suffering. 00:28:59.670 --> 00:29:02.310 When you face intense suffering, what comes to mind? 00:29:02.790 --> 00:29:04.070 What comes to your mind? 00:29:04.950 --> 00:29:08.630 How do you think about your suffering in the path of obedience? 00:29:09.269 --> 00:29:10.630 And here's where I'm going with that. 00:29:10.710 --> 00:29:12.790 You know, we we have crosses in here. 00:29:13.670 --> 00:29:19.910 Some of you I know have tattoos of crosses, we have jewelries of crosses, we have crosses hung up in our houses. 00:29:20.550 --> 00:29:25.830 And we look at the cross, and it's easy to think, man, this is a God-given gift. 00:29:26.550 --> 00:29:29.030 What beautiful reality is this? 00:29:29.190 --> 00:29:31.750 What beauty is the cross? 00:29:31.910 --> 00:29:36.150 You know, in a few moments, when I finish, we're going to participate in the Lord's Supper together. 00:29:36.230 --> 00:29:43.269 It's easy to look at the cup and look at the bread and say, man, the blood and body of Jesus. 00:29:43.509 --> 00:29:47.110 What a beautiful God-given gift. 00:29:50.390 --> 00:30:02.470 But do you know and comprehend that the suffering that you endure in the path of obedience for Christ is God ordained and it is a God-given gift as well? 00:30:02.710 --> 00:30:04.790 That goes back to what we talked about last week. 00:30:04.950 --> 00:30:09.590 Our suffering for his sake should be our joy, right? 00:30:09.750 --> 00:30:11.190 It is our joy. 00:30:11.350 --> 00:30:19.590 We are invited into life with him, which means we also are invited into suffering in him. 00:30:19.910 --> 00:30:23.030 We're not only saved by him, but we suffer with him. 00:30:23.269 --> 00:30:27.110 This should radically impact the posture in which we face suffering. 00:30:27.509 --> 00:30:32.470 We'll really hit on this more in chapter three when we get to that in several weeks. 00:30:32.550 --> 00:30:39.670 But I pulled from some stuff from a sermon in Acts that we that I can't remember the date that we went through Acts, but it's been quite some time. 00:30:40.070 --> 00:30:43.990 Because people can attempt to suppress the gospel. 00:30:44.150 --> 00:30:48.710 People can attempt to suppress your gospel proclamation efforts. 00:30:49.030 --> 00:30:55.990 But what we learned then and what we see throughout scripture is if God wills it, the gospel will spread. 00:30:56.230 --> 00:30:58.550 And there's nothing you can do about it. 00:30:58.790 --> 00:31:01.350 If God wills it, the gospel will spread. 00:31:01.509 --> 00:31:07.990 People can punish those sharing the gospel, but if God wills it, the gospel will spread. 00:31:08.070 --> 00:31:12.070 People can harass Christians, but if God wills it, the gospel will spread. 00:31:12.310 --> 00:31:17.350 People can financially punish Christians, but if God wills it, the gospel will spread. 00:31:17.590 --> 00:31:20.790 People can blame Christians for their pain and their suffering. 00:31:20.950 --> 00:31:24.630 Just read about Nero, but if God wills it, the gospel will spread. 00:31:24.790 --> 00:31:28.310 People can take your freedoms, but if God wills it, the gospel will spread. 00:31:28.550 --> 00:31:33.190 People can take your life, but if God wills it, the gospel will spread. 00:31:33.350 --> 00:31:43.110 And I want to read for you a passage out of Acts five, because this should be incredibly encouraging for all of us, specifically for those who are in a season of suffering. 00:31:43.430 --> 00:31:44.150 Acts five. 00:31:44.310 --> 00:31:53.269 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 00:31:53.509 --> 00:32:00.390 And every day in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. 00:32:00.710 --> 00:32:07.269 They rejoiced that they even had the opportunity to suffer for the sake of the gospel. 00:32:07.670 --> 00:32:11.830 This is so important for us in our context. 00:32:12.230 --> 00:32:28.630 Because so often in cultures and in situations that are favorable to Christianity or even just simply safe, Christians often lose the biblical reality of the suffering that we are called to. 00:32:28.790 --> 00:32:33.910 I'm not saying go self-annihilate yourself, but be prepared when you face difficulty. 00:32:34.070 --> 00:32:43.750 Matthew 5 says this Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you, persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 00:32:43.990 --> 00:32:47.990 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. 00:32:48.150 --> 00:32:52.230 For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 00:32:53.750 --> 00:32:55.430 This isn't some new ideal. 00:32:55.509 --> 00:32:59.190 This has been a reality since Jesus walked the earth. 00:32:59.350 --> 00:33:00.710 And that's what he's saying there. 00:33:00.870 --> 00:33:01.670 Be prepared. 00:33:01.830 --> 00:33:03.110 It's gonna happen. 00:33:03.350 --> 00:33:04.230 Get ready. 00:33:04.470 --> 00:33:09.350 I read this week in a commentary, it said this listen carefully. 00:33:09.590 --> 00:33:15.830 A man may suffer in a bad cause, and then he suffers justly. 00:33:16.710 --> 00:33:25.030 Or he may suffer in a good cause, cause, but with a wrong mind, and then his sufferings lose their value. 00:33:25.910 --> 00:33:26.710 Listen to this. 00:33:26.790 --> 00:33:34.630 You see, the obedient nature of our suffering is both dependent on the cause of our suffering and the posture of our suffering. 00:33:35.110 --> 00:33:38.470 Okay, the cause and the posture both. 00:33:38.710 --> 00:33:56.310 If you are suffering because of prideful arrogance, that that jerk nature that I spoke to a minute ago, or suffering for something other than the true gospel, even if you are suffering well, the value of your suffering is minimal. 00:33:57.190 --> 00:33:57.830 Minimal. 00:34:02.150 --> 00:34:08.469 Suffering for a message that is not the message of the gospel is not suffering for the cause of Christ. 00:34:08.710 --> 00:34:16.789 Suffering because you're prideful and you're arrogant and people are responding to you harshly is not suffering for the cause of Christ. 00:34:17.670 --> 00:34:26.949 There's not much value in your suffering other than the prayerful hope that the Spirit will use that to open your eyes to you being wrong and in sin. 00:34:28.630 --> 00:34:29.429 Here's the other. 00:34:29.590 --> 00:34:32.469 If you're suffering because of obedience in Christ, right? 00:34:32.550 --> 00:34:42.469 And if you're suffering because of obedience in Christ and you are prideful and self-reliant in your suffering, then the value of your suffering is minimal. 00:34:44.389 --> 00:34:45.909 It's minimal. 00:34:46.070 --> 00:34:48.470 It's about the cause and the posture. 00:34:48.710 --> 00:35:13.510 But, and here's what we see in scripture: if you are enduring suffering because of your obedience to the commands of Christ that are laid out for you in his word, and you are enduring through prayerful obedience and reliance on the Lord and your people around you that God has put around you, then the value of your suffering is limitless. 00:35:13.990 --> 00:35:14.950 Think about that. 00:35:15.110 --> 00:35:17.030 It is limitless. 00:35:17.510 --> 00:35:20.950 This takes us all the way back to where we began the sermon. 00:35:21.110 --> 00:35:22.230 Who are you? 00:35:22.710 --> 00:35:23.430 Who are you? 00:35:23.590 --> 00:35:29.990 Are you known for your faithful labor, your fearful obedience, your fervent suffering? 00:35:32.710 --> 00:35:38.869