The Gospel Changes Everything

Intro: Today we begin a new series on the Book of Philippians. Entitle the Gospel changes everything.

Generally speaking, when we think of disruption, we think of something bad. And I certainly do not mean disruptive in a bad way.

A Simple definition is this

Disruption: To Cause major interruption or change to the normal way something happens

What we will see over the next several weeks is that the Gospel is a wonderful disruption that changes everything

Over the next seven weeks, we're going to see what happens when the Gospel gets hold of a person's life. The Gospel doesn't simply change where we spend our time on Sundays. The Gospel changes everything—our priorities, our relationships, our view of suffering, our identity, our purpose, and ultimately the way we live everyday in the world.

Today, as we look primarily at the first 26 verses of chapter 1, we will see how the Gospel has changed Paul’s priorities in life. From persecuting the saints to living every day for the Kingdom’s purpose, the Gospel radically changed Paul’s priorities—and it will change ours.

Background:

Philippians was authored by Paul from Prison around A.D. 60. It is one of four prison epistles or letters.

The audience would have been mostly Gentile converts with a few jewish converts sprinkled in.

The church at Philippi was most likely the first church Paul planted in Europe.

“Philippi was founded by Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, and later became an important Roman colony.”

“After the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, and during the subsequent Augustan settlement, Philippi became a Roman colony with many Roman veterans living there.”

We will see later in the series how this background information affected the choice of illustration and wording that Paul used to cement his main ideas.

A. Paul’s Greeting

Philippians 1:1–2 CSB

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So in letters that were written at this time there was a pretty standard format. In this format was to start each letter off with a greeting. While we often to look to the greeting as something that we need to study, In fact I think often we skip over it like it’s just necessary to get to the meat of the passage.

But the greeting is very important for it sets the tone of the letter.

Listen to what Paul calls the believers at Philippi . He calls them “saints”.

The word saint means

Saint - All those who belong to God.

So right from the beginning Paul is highlighting a fundamental truth. That those who are in Christ are all equals. There is a beautiful unity that is expressed in this word “saint.”

So much so, even Paul as one of the main apostle in the Christian world places himself in this same category. We are those who belong to God. We are servants of the most High.

Next we see this confidence proclaimed in verse The father through Jesus Christ extends his grace and peace to you.

Why is this such an important part of a letter. Well in many cases Paul is writing to encourage and correct. If the correction that is given is first seen through the grace and peace of Christ then one will know that this is not a correction through anger of God but rather due to the love of God.

So even when you need correction God is extending His grace and peace to all those who are in Christ Jesus.

This the love of God not his anger.

Now one of my Goals as your pastor is to continually raise the bar of your ability to see and study God’s word. So I am going to show you how the logic of this text and how Paul arranged it.

So rather then go through this selected passage verse by verse in order. Paul arranges this passage in a chiastic structure that points to his main idea. I l’ll show you what this looks like.

So in other words, Paul is creating a big arrow that points to his main idea. Now we don’t typically think or writes this way. But in order to highlight this idea I have arranged the sermon point to reflect this structure and point to the Big idea.

B. The Gospel Changes our Partnerships.

Whether you realize it or not, you are partnering with something. What you give your time, money, and resources to reveals what you value and what you value will determine how you partner. But since we all have time and resources, we are all partnering with something.

To see this idea I want you to ask yourself the Who, What, and Why of partnership as we read this passage together.

#1 With whom do I partner?

#2 With What do I partner?

#3 Why Am I partnering?

Philippians 1:3–11 CSB

3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Notice with me that selfless partnership in the gospel produces joy between the those involved in the cooperation.

To this day, one of my closest friends is a guy, that 18 years ago I partnered with in Gospel work.

There is a lasting joy and bond between brothers and sisters that partner sacrificially together for the Gospel. If you show me a church where it’s members sacrificially work together for the sake of Christ, I will show you a place that has deep bonds of love, trust, and community. Want close lasting relationships center them on the work of Christ.

Paul see’s this in the church at Philippi.

Philippians 1:3–11 CSB

6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:30 CSB

30 since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.

So Paul in the context of partnership in the Gospel, prays that they would learn to approve those things which are superior.

In other words, that as they grow in Christ they would learn to discern and center thier lives around those things that really matter in light of the Gospel.

Those there is a principle here that I don’t want you to miss.

Christian growth results in a shift in priorities. The Gospel will change what we partner with.

Whether you realize it or not you are a partner to something.

Who are spending your limited time on something. Paul’s prayer was that the Gospel would grab a hold of the Philippians that God could take what is finite and through it move in an eternal way.

I want you to get this...It is like We are giving God a finite currency, that is time itself and by spending it on the things of God we are investing in something eternal.

In this way not are we being discerning about what is important and approving what is superior we are partnering for the Gospel.

If you want to know if you are growing in Christ than look at what you are prioritizing. have your priorities shifted since you started following Christ. Do you find yourself less satisfied with finite things?

Christian growth results in a shift in priorities. The Gospel will change what we partner with.

C. The Gospel advances through and because of Suffering.

Philippians 1:12–18 CSB

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. 14 Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word fearlessly. 15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will. 16 These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice

Philippians 1:27–30 CSB

27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, 28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your salvation—and this is from God. 29 For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.

So here we see Paul showing how his suffering if because of the Gospel and actually advances the Gospel so that the church may see that their suffering will do the same.

Notice with me that the Gospel is so powerful that it even overcomes the insincere motives of the charlatan.

But then he goes on to say look what God has done through my imprisonment.

There are important principles here.

#1 Whenever you feel like circumstances beyond your control are hindering your gospel work look around because God is using it to increase the Gospel’s visibility to those around you.

#2 When we recognize that the power of the Gospel cannot be contained our perception of our situation changes.

This is important becasue with out this vantage point the next statement in this Chaistic structure won’t make any sense to you.

D. Christ will be magnified in both life and death.

Philippians 1:19–20 CSB

19 because I know this will lead to my salvation through your prayers and help from the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 20 My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all courage, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.

Philippians 1:22–26 CSB

22 Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. 23 I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ—which is far better— 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that, because of my coming to you again, your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound.

Notice with me that it seems that Paul’s desire is for his work on earth to be done. In other words, Paul is tired but yet submissive to the will of God and in this finds comfort, strength and Joy.

It appears that he views death as easier than continuing his suffering on earth, but for the sake of his love for God and his love for others he says that we stay for a while longer.

Now or course this brings questions...did God give him a choice. It’s possible that God did. But instead of getting distracted by the what if’s Paul has been pointing us to this one thing

X. The Gospel changes how I see my purpose.

Phil. 1:21 is the crescendo if you will. It is the main idea of this passage. Paul is showing the Philipian beleivers that they are to have this same attitude. That in life they live for Christ in death they gain the reward of thier salvation.

Philippians 1:21 CSB

21 For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Notice with me that Paul due to his circumstances is insinuating an non natural death. That even if he should face execution.....He gains.

This atittude is how we as believers can check our maturity in Christ. This scripture is how we are able to weigh our motives. This Scripture is how we are able to discern what is worthwhile and what is a waste of time.

To live is Christ and to Die is gain.

So you see the Gospel when taken root in us changes everything.