Philippians 1:27-2:4 | Living Worthy of The Gospel
Notes
Transcript
Handout
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Paul’s ONE desire is that we live our lives in a manner “worthy” of the gospel of Christ…
What is the Gospel of Christ?
How do we live worthy of this Gospel? … firstly we must
Stand Firm
Securely
Why should we stand firm?
We are commanded to
Jesus is worth it
What does it mean to Stand Firm
Opposing false doctrine
Herald His Truth
Matthew 7:15 “15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
2 Timothy 4:3–4 “3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
Galatians 1:6–8 “6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
Opposing oppositional forces
Physical / Supernatural
Herald Christ’s Lordship
Galatians 1:10 “10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Acts 5:27–29 “27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”
Ephesians 6:10–13 “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”
Martin Luther: "Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God."
John Calvin: "A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent."
What are we to stand firm in?
Spirit / Mind = faith and practice
Now to live worthy of this Gospel … Paul says we must Stand Firm but also we must…
Strive Together
Synchronously
What does it mean to Strive Together
to toil together with someone in a struggle, implying opposition and/or competition—‘to labor alongside of, to toil with.
Why does Paul command/encourage us to do this…
Matthew 28:18–20 “18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
Jude 3–4 “3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
for the faith of the gospel!!
The enemy is real and very powerful
We are weak when we are alone
John 15:5 “5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
This is what we were made for
1 Corinthians 12:27 “27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
This is how we grow
Colossians 1:28–29 “28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
We need one another's gifts… this is how God designed His kingdom to grow
1 Corinthians 3:6–8 “6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.”
A.W. Tozer: "Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?"
Orchestra Performance
Crew Rowing Team
So to live worthy of this Gospel, not only must we Stand Firm and Strive Together but we must also…
Serve Selflessly
What does it look like ot serve selflessly?
stepping up when you are needed if you are able
stepping up when you are needed if you are able even when you don’t want to… !
Serving without grumbling or complaining
Love your neighbor as yourself…
are you striving for the promotion at work or making sure others get noticed?
are you annoyed at not getting noticed or thanked when you go the extra mile?
Galatians 5:13 “13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
John 13:14–15 “14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
1 Peter 4:10 “10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:”
Romans 12:10 “10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Thomas Aquinas: "To love is to will the good of the other."
Mother Teresa: "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."
Now according to Paul to live worthy of this Gospel… we must Stand Firm we must Strive Together we must Serve Selflessly and lastly we must …
Suffer Readily
Steadfastly
Not many want to sign up for this but this is what Jesus himself said…
Matthew 16:24 “24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Listen to Pauls wording…
Philippians 1:29 “29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,”
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 57.102 χαρίζομαι
to give or grant graciously and generously, with the implication of good will on the part of the giver
The invitation of Jesus is come and die !!.. but there is a promise!
Matthew 5:10–12 “10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
1 Peter 4:12–13 “12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
Romans 8:17–18 “17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
2 Timothy 3:12 “12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”
Charles Spurgeon: "I have learned to kiss the wave that tosses me against the Rock of Ages."
For this is a sign...
Their Destruction
there is a judgement !
Your Salvation
There is redemption !
2 Thessalonians 1:5 “5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—”
Acts 14:22 “22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 10:28 “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.”
Romans 8:31 “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Application: This passage encourages Christians to embody the values of the gospel through their interactions with one another. It challenges us to prioritize unity, encourage one another, and live out our faith in community, especially during challenging times.
Would you say you are seeking to live a life worthy of the gospel? Start today!
Group Questions
Group Questions
What does it mean to live “worthy of the gospel,” and how can we practically pursue unity within our community?
In what ways can our local church community better reflect the unity that is spoken of in Philippians 1:27? In what ways have you seen or experienced the strength that comes from standing firm together in faith during challenging times?
How can suffering for Christ deepen our relationships within the church rather than divide us? How might we cultivate an environment where suffering for the sake of the gospel is viewed as a shared journey among believers?
What practical steps would you recommend we take to ensure our interactions reflect the values of love and encouragement mentioned in Philippians 2?
How can we hold each other accountable in our pursuit of living out the gospel together in our community?
How does sharing the same Spirit influence our purpose and unity as believers?
In what areas of your life do you need to practice humility and serve others selflessly?
What are some specific examples of ways we could serve one another selflessly this week?
In your personal relationships, how can you practice valuing others above yourself as instructed in Philippians 2?
Reflecting on Philippians 1:29-30, how can we shift our perspective on suffering to see it as an opportunity for growth in our faith community?
