Worthy of the Gospel

Have you ever taken time to think about how important one missing element can be to a project?

Illustration:

Some of you have an evening bowl of cereal. Have you ever poured the bowl of dry cereal, and then when you go to the refrigerator you realize that you are out of one important ingredient.

Maybe you didn’t think of how important following instructions could be.

Illustration: One year, I was spreading fertilizer in our yard. Since I know that fertilizer is good for our yard, I did not want to waste any, so I poured the final amount in a concentrated area....it killed the grass in that area...

Small missing elements can make a big difference. In addition, overlooking certain instructions can also lead to issues.

Notice how Paul introduces this lesson, and how he weaves the account together.

An emphasis on the gospel - Begin

“Only”

By the time he gets to our text, you understand the the gospel advances and must continue to advance in the face of struggle....but then Paul uses this word “ONLY” to make a point of emphasis…WHATEVER HAPPENS...

It is Paul’s way of saying, “Don’t let this ONE THING be missing...” THE CEREAL IS POURED BUT YOU BETTER MAKE SURE YOU DON’T FORGET THIS....

What is it? Paul is telling the Christians to ensure that they don’t leave out the conduct that is worthy of the gospel!

Proposition:

It is imperative that believers allow their conduct to be worthy of the gospel! What then does this mean?

1. Gospel-worthy conduct: Behavior that can keep going without the presence of human personality -

The work continues because it is the Lord’s work - ,

Paul is continually emphasizing Jesus Christ to these Christians.

“Conversation”

The verb is built on the noun polis (“city”) and connotes the political duties of citizens of a city.” There are a couple of things to keep in mind here.

First, the church in Philippi had been started with highly unlikely people and through persecution. Please take time to read . At the conclusion of the story when Paul and Silas are going to be released, Paul makes known that he was a Roman citizen (). The response of the people to this new found information shows how important Roman citizenship was in this Roman colony of Philippi. Hence, when Paul uses this verb about citizenship it would have resonated with the people.

Second, Paul is speaking to believers. The believer’s citizenship is in Heaven. seems to allude to this fact. The believers in Philippi need to live as citizens of their heavenly country while they are in their earthly country. See also , where Paul uses the same word to clearly stated that our citizenship is in Heaven.

Application:

Jesus Christ must be so central to our lives that we realize our accountability, even when human personalities are not there.

This is difficult because we have become accustomed to justifying deception and what we consider to be small sins.

This means that we commit to the advancement of the gospel locally, even if friends are not going to show up.

This means that we commit to the advancement of the gospel even when someone is not there to see you.

While I have an appreciation for social media, we must keep our motives pure before the Lord.

Illustration:

Christian Girl Instagram:

“Are you a Christian girl who loves taking pictures of her devotions. Do you spend hours framing the perfect picture without the payoff of people noticing how spiritual you are on the internet?” Introducing Christian Girl Instagram. 101 Tips/Tricks to get more likes...”

This means that we spend time in closet prayer asking God to use us for the advancement of the gospel.

2. Gospel-worthy conduct: Behavior that testifies of unity -

(1) stand fast in one spirit - soldier-like emphasis to maintain position or take position of adversary; standing firm is rooted in one spirit. Our spirits find unity in the Holy Spirit. See - closest parallel verse; see also immediate context of - the supply of the Spirit;

(1) stand fast in one spirit - soldier-like emphasis to maintain position or take position of adversary; standing firm is rooted in one spirit. Our spirits find unity in the Holy Spirit. See - closest parallel verse; see also immediate context of - the supply of the Spirit;

(2) with one mind (psyche - mind & action) striving together for the faith of the gospel - this moves to the athletic analogy of contending as one man; the idea is that of a team working together; see also ;

The team effort supplied by the church would present the gospel to the world. Together the members also would explore the implications of the gospel in each other’s lives.

Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 90). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

They are to be “contending” for it, a positive statement of their need to promote and protect the message of Christ, while at the same time implying that adversaries must be faced. The use of the compound form synathlountes (“contending together”) conveys the need for joint effort. The athletic metaphor of teamwork reinforces the previous references to “one spirit” and “one soul,” and is a reminder that a unified effort is needed if they are to be victorious in the contest.

Kent, H. A., Jr. (1981). Philippians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, pp. 118–119). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

(3) (v. 28) And not terrified by your adversaries

Failure of the church to be intimidated by enemies was a token of the ultimate failure of the enemies of God. The adversaries may not have recognized this, but it was nonetheless a sign that their attacks were futile and that the church would prevail. This sign or token was intended for the adversaries..., but it was a sign to them of how things: their ultimate destruction and the salvation of the believers. “And that by God” refers grammatically neither to “salvation” nor to “sign”..., but to the entire fact that believers have been granted courage from God to stand firm in their struggles and so are demonstrating their salvation.

Kent, H. A., Jr. (1981). Philippians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 119). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Application:

This means that the differences of opinion you have with others must be effectively dealt with by the gospel.

This means that it does matter what you think about the other person.

Unfortunately, our commitment to independence works against us here.

Illustration:

Collin Marshal and Tony Payne wrote a book called “The Trellis and the Vine” - the cover of the book has a picture of a Trellis and a Vine. The point of the book is to show that He is the Vine and we are the branches. The church puts structure in place, like trellis to further the growth of the vine by bearing the weight of fruit produced.

This means that it does matter what you think about the other person.

This means that as the church structures opportunities for advancement, we work together with the same mind and by the power of the same Spirit.

3. Gospel-worthy conduct: Behavior that is committed to the advancement of the gospel -

Application:

This means that we will expect struggle as the gospel is advanced

What does this passage help us to understand? This passage shows to us how the priority of struggling together (striving, contending) for the gospel is more important than suffering that can lead to distraction (1:23 - 26). In other words, difficulty is not worthy of distracting us from the struggle for the faith of the gospel. Tell me, what if tragedy strikes personally or professionally. Please explain how this tragedy could in any way be of greater importance than the struggle for the gospel.

This means that we will see that our lives are propagating the gospel individually and corporately.

Conclusions:

(i) When considering hindrances, see the worthiness of the gospel

Communicating the Gospel

There is a dramatic story concerning the life and influence of King George V. In the latter years of his reign, it was his custom to broadcast a Christmas message to the empire. During one of these broadcasts, when the ears of the world were waiting to hear the voice of the king, an engineer observed that an important wire had snapped. America was cut off! Time was of the essence. Suddenly, as though nudged by an angel, a mechanic seized the broken wires. Holding one in each hand, he was thus able to complete the circuit which permitted the royal message to be transmitted to the United States. The voice of the king passed through the body of the engineer.

In the broken connections of our world, how can the Word of the Lord be heard unless it passes through the preacher?

Jones, G. C. (1986). 1000 illustrations for preaching and teaching (p. 301). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

(ii) When considering division with a brother, see the worthiness of the gospel

(iii) When considering your commitments, see the worthiness of the gospel

4054 Left With The Gospel

Dr. Baldwin, who was pastor of a church for forty-one years, says, “With another, I testify that at thirty, after examining as best I could the philosophies and religions of the world, I said, “Nothing is better than the Gospel of Christ.” At forty, when burdens began to press heavily, and years seemed to hasten, I said, “Nothing is as good as the Gospel.”

“At fifty, when there were empty chairs in the home, and the mound builders had done me service, I said, “There is nothing to be compared with the Gospel.” At sixty, when my second sight saw through the delusions and vanities of earthly things, I said, “There is nothing but the Gospel.” At seventy, amid many limitations and deprivations, I sing:

“ “Should all the forms that men devise

Attack my faith with treacherous art,

I’d call them vanities and lies,

And bind the Gospel to my heart.” ”

—Gospel Herald

Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 936). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.