Life & Death: Living Worthily
Notes
Transcript
Engage
Engage
Citizen Boy Scout
Citizen Boy Scout
It’s no secret, I am very active in the scouting program. My son is a Cub Scout and I am his Cub Master. I grew up in the program and am myself an Eagle Scout so I knew that there were values in scouting that I wanted to pass on to my son.
Don’t get me wrong: There are definitely things about scouting and the current management of the program that give me pause, but by and large I appreciate the values of the program. Not to mention how cool looking the uniform is!
You first thought of the program, is probably the same as mine. That it is a camping and outdoors based program, but one of the main goals of the program is to instruct on how to be a good citizen of the country.
The Scout Law, which is recited at every meeting states:
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
These are the marks of a good citizen, and there is an expectation when you see someone waring the khaki and green that they model these values as examples of citizenship.
I am afraid that the concept of being a good citizen of our country, adhering to a certain code of conduit because of our citizenship, is a virtue in our society, that has been mostly disregarded.
That wouldn’t have been true for the Philippians in Rome. They were a Roman colony and as such were afforded rights not available to those who weren’t citizens. Historians believe that in Philippi specifically, they were extremely preoccupied with the honor of their citizenship, and that there were inscriptions throughout the city reminding them of that honor. In my mind I envision the hallway of a high school with the school spirit motto’s painted on the walls.
As we turn to Philippians this morning, Chapter 1, verse 27; Paul turns the attention of the Philippians, not to the citizenship of their country, but to the citizenship of the gospel. He writes:
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
We continue our series “Life & Death” today with a message entitled “Living Worthily”
Pray
Tension
Tension
Citizen Christian
Citizen Christian
As we open this verse, Paul is addressing the believers conversation. For you and I to read that word, we immediately think of a dialog between individuals but the english word used to mean something different, and the underlying Greek word
Conversation, πολιτεύομαι (politeuomai) means to live as a citizen. We can see it in the word a little as it has carried through to our language. The “polit” is the same as we have in our word “politics”.
The Apostle here, is intentionally leaning on the civic pride understood by the readers, but he doesn’t appeal to their duty as citizens of Rome, instead he is appealing to their citizenship in the Gospel of Christ.
Conduct Becoming Christians
Conduct Becoming Christians
To continue the illustration I started with. As a scout, a lot of things are done entirely on the honor system. I can’t tell you how many times over the years where someone would ask if proof was required that this or that was done, the response was invariably “A Scout is Trustworthy”. There was an expected standard for conduct, it wasn’t a negotiation or a value that we hoped would be followed. It was the minimum standard. It’s not that a scout should be trustworthy, but that a scout is trustworthy. If you aren’t trustworthy, well then you aren’t much of a scout, your just a kid in a uniform.
We often approach the standards that God has set out for us a Christians not as standards but as suggestions or goals. Paul is instructing the Philippians here that they conduct themselves in a way that is becoming of the Gospel of Christ.
Paul brings this idea up elsewhere in the book of 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 20.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Just as a political ambassador is the representative of a nation to a foreign land or an international council like the United Nations, as Christians we are representatives of Christ to the world.
Not Legalism
Not Legalism
We need to be careful to not get this confused with legalism. See, the easier thing to do is what the Jewish religious leaders at the time did. What did Jesus say of them in Matthew 23:27
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Today we can spot a German Baptist or Amish person a mile away by the outward appearance that they display. But that is only a facade. There are many reported cases of cruelty, harshness and gossip that run rampant throughout that culture.
But that ought not surprise us. Gossip is the hallmark of legalism. When a religion is based on strict adherence to outward appearance, it tends to give liberty to judgmental attitudes that feed the fleshes desire to feel superior by tearing someone else down.
See the Pharisee’s were able to put up a facade of holiness, so that everyone could recognize them by their physical appearance as being holy, but inside the were corrupted.
Heart Conduct
Heart Conduct
Paul says that the church’s conversation, their conduct ought to be that conduct which is becoming of the Gospel of Christ.
In scouting we had a list of things that defined the character of a scout, the ideal of what the program thinks a good citizen should be. As Christians we aren’t lacking for a similar list. Turn to Gal 5:22-23, you likely know this passage well.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Just as I said that gossip is the hallmark of legalism, here we find the hallmarks of grace, the hallmarks of those who would conduct themselves in a way becoming the gospel of Christ. We should be able to respond “A Christian is gentle” or “A Christian is Meek” just as matter of factly as a Scout can say “A Scout is Trustworthy”
Truth
Truth
At all cost
At all cost
Our church can be defined by a lot of things. You can visit our church website and there is a section that goes over a number of our beliefs. Ours is pretty generic, but I am often surprised what pet doctrines, churches allow themselves to be defined by.
In verse 27, it starts with the word “only”. This use of the word isn’t saying that what follows is the singular thing for consideration.
Only, the word μόνον (monon) is placed first and is emphatic, which gives it the meaning of singular importance. What follows is instruction from Paul that we should consider to be above all and to be followed at all costs.
When Paul writes to the church of what is of singular importance there are a lot of things he could have included on the list. Some of course, I am sure he didn’t write about because there was no need. These were after all Christians. Those subjects that define orthodoxy, things like the Tri-une Nature of God, The Virgin Birth of Christ, The Deity of Christ and his Death and Resurrection. Those are givens, you have to have those right to even be considered a church.
When it comes to the church, the item of singular importance is this command that our
conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ
That we behave as good citizens of the gospel
It looks like Unity
It looks like Unity
When I was a kid in school, I wasn’t necessarily the most well behaved student. It wasn’t out of belligerence or malice, I was just distracted easily and often was a distraction in class.
At the time, nobody really knew much about Attention Deficit Disorder, but in hindsight, I was a textbook case. I remember distinctly in 1st or 2nd grade having either a smiley face or sad face pinned to my shirt as a report to my parents on my behavior that day.
My parents weren’t present, but they were going to to get a report, and that is what Paul is saying here of the Church in the middle of v27
Whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs
I am going to get a report, and here is what I hope to hear.
that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Stand Fast
Stand Fast
When Paul says that he hopes to hear that they stand fast, he is bringing to mind a picture of the Roman Phalanx. Soldiers would stand together, with shields in the common defense of their unit, creating something of a hardened shell that could withstand arrows and spears. The soldiers would have to stand their ground and trust their brothers in arms in order to resist the advance of the enemy.
Like the Roman soldiers, Paul writes that the church has to stand together, in one spirit, with one attitude against the attacks of our enemy.
Warren Wiersby writes:
The Christian life is not a playground; it’s a battleground.
And if that isn’t how we look at our faith, then you underestimate your enemy, the devil. If he can sneak in an attitude of dis-unity and break the ranks of the church, then he can focus his attack on that weakness and destroy it.
Striving Together
Striving Together
Paul then shifts out of the military picture and into a picture of athletes when he says that the church should “strive together”
We typically think of Roman sports being single person events, Chariot races, Gladiator battles, and Olympic style competition. But they had a game, referred to as “small ball”
The game was a lot like football or even more so like rugby, where a softball sized ball was advanced by a team of players to the opponents goal.
Teamwork and strategy was essential in this game. And so Paul says that if we are going to advance the faith of the gospel, if we are going to grow as Christians and impact others for the cause of Christ. Then, we are going to have to strive together, and work as a team.
Inspiration
Inspiration
Division is Reality
Division is Reality
Division is unfortunately a reality for the church. I often wonder how much more effective we would be as Christians if we spent less time concerned about the things that divide us and more time focused on the gospel of Christ.
Paul and Barnabas
Paul and Barnabas
Paul wasn’t immune to division either, and he divided even with great men of God. We famously know of his contention with Barnabas over the bringing on John Mark in Acts 15:35-40, so turn over there with me.
35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. 37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. 39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; 40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
I have heard over and over that this was a no-fault disagreement between the two, but I am not so sure. Something happens earlier in the chapter that Paul references again later. Take a look at Acts 15:1 with me
1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Now, follow with me here, this is going to be a bit of a study: In verse 1 we see the introduction of legalism into the church, requiring gentile converts to be circumcised.
In verse 2, Paul and Barnabas argued with them over this topic.
In verse 6 we find that the Apostles and Elders discussed the matter,
In verse 7 Peter makes the statement of inclusion of the Gentiles
And in verse 9 continues that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in them, in that their hearts are purified by grace.
In verse 10 Peter concludes:
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
We are going to look at Paul discussing these events in his letter to Galatians, but before we do, take a look at the location of where all this is goin on in Acts. Look at how verse 15 begins
Paul and Barnabas continued (where?) in Antioch
Now turn to Galatians 2:11-13
11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
So we find that in Antioch, the church leaders finally settled on the truth, but before then the legalism of separation, Jew from Gentile, over the subject of circumcision had become so divisive that not only did Peter get into the face of Paul about it, but Barnabas was carried away as well.
Our bible uses the word dissimulation, but do you know what that word is in the Greek? ὑπόκρισις (hypokrisis).
Sure, Paul and Barnabas parted ways over the subject of John Mark, but we need to understand that this came on the heels of Barnabas being carried away with hypocrisy.
It is my belief, and please remember that this is my opinion, not something that we can read directly from scripture, that Paul lost confidence in Barnabas’ judgment. And they had to separate because Paul was on a path where there couldn’t be wavering, there couldn’t be a drift towards hypocrisy or an abandonment of the cause as was in John Mark’s past.
Euodia & Syntyche
Euodia & Syntyche
In Philippi there were divisions that Paul had to address. In Chapter 4:2 we are introduced to Euodias (EE-Yo-Diah) and Syntyche (Seen-Tee-Kay)
2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
They need to be on the same page. There are plenty of places we can differ on preference and opinion, but when it comes the the Lord, the things of God, we need to be on the same page.
Action
Action
A Call for Unity
A Call for Unity
One in Christ
One in Christ
Today we look at a country and a culture that divides itself on as many topics as is imaginable. Politics, race, gender, social class, neighborhoods, you name it, if people can divide over it, they will.
It has left Americans feeling more lonely and isolated then ever. Maybe it has left you feeling lonely and isolated.
We know that as the holiday season approaches, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year are times of gathering. For some it is a time of loneliness instead, separation when others seem to be gathering. Especially in days like we are in now
1 Corinthians 6:17 reads:
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
If you are unreconciled with God, If you are relying on your own abilities to get you through life and into the Kingdom of God. That is a lonely place to be, and a place that will ultimately lead to eternal disappointment.
Jesus wants you to be reconciled, to turn away from your sin and to put your faith and trust in him for your salvation, both in life and in death.
Please don’t leave here or if you are watching from, please don’t turn off the screen before you make that decision, to replace loneliness with fellowship with the Lord and with his church.
One in the Church
One in the Church
And for the church. The expectation Paul has of the Philippians is the expectation we should have for Harvest.
That we should behave with conduct becoming the gospel, that we are in one mind and one spirit together in for the cause of faith.
This requires a couple of things.
It requires leadership that can be followed. Pray for me that I can live up to the seemingly impossible standard that Paul exemplifies when he says in 1 Corinthians 11:1
1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
See, if leadership isn’t in line with Christ, then leadership can’t be followed.
But, if the church is working for the cause of Christ. We need to be on the same page. We need to stand fast in defending against our common enemy and we need to strive together towards our common goal.
This is what Paul hopes to hear of the church in Philippi when the report is given, and it is my hope, that this is what is said of Harvest, when the report is given of us as well.
Let’s Pray