A Worthy Life
Notes
Transcript
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.
What is the gospel?
God
God
The first thing to know about the good news of Jesus is that “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). Everything starts from that point, so if you get that point wrong then everything else that follows will be wrong. Because God created everything—including us—he has the right to tell us how to live. You have to understand that in order to understand the good news about Jesus. To understand just how glorious and life-giving the gospel of Jesus Christ is, we have to understand that God is also holy and righteous. He is determined never to ignore or tolerate sin. Including ours!
Man
Man
When God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, he intended for them to live under his righteous rule in perfect joy—obeying him and living in fellowship with him. When Adam disobeyed God, though, and ate the one fruit that God had told him not to eat, that fellowship with God was broken. Moreover, Adam and Eve had declared rebellion against God. They were denying his authority over their lives.
It’s not just Adam and Eve who are guilty of sin. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is the rejection of God himself and his authority over those to whom he gives life.
Once you understand sin in that light, you begin to understand why “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). That’s not just physical death, but spiritual death, a forceful separating of our sinful, rebellious selves from the presence of God forever. The Bible teaches that the final destiny for unbelieving sinners is eternal, active judgment in a place called “hell.”
But . . .
Christ
Christ
The word “Christ” means “anointed one,” referring to anointing a king with oil when he is crowned. So, when we say “Jesus Christ,” we’re saying that Jesus is a King!
When Jesus began his public ministry, he told the people, “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus died on a cross, the awful weight of all our sins fell on his shoulders. The sentence of death God had pronounced against rebellious sinners struck. And Jesus died. For you and me!
But the story doesn’t end there. Jesus the Crucified is no longer dead. The Bible tells us that he rose from the grave. Jesus’s rising from the grave was God’s way of saying, “What Jesus claimed about who he is and what he came to do is true!”
Our Response
Our Response
What does God expect us to do with the information that Jesus died in our place so we can be saved from God’s righteous wrath against our sins? He expects us to respond with repentance and faith.
God who created everything perfectly. Put man in paradise and then walked and talked with them. But man spit in the face of God and rebelled. Then for thousands of years continued rebelling continued to spit in the face of the almighty creator. Man who was formed from dust has had the audacity to talk back to God and disobey.
But instead of destroying all of mankind. God made away. God sent his Son Jesus Christ to earth to take the weight of our sin. He was punished, beaten, tortured to save people who didn’t want to be saved. He was tortured and killed so he could save the people who were torturing and killing him.
What in the world would a life worthy of that gospel look like?
First time preaching on this subject.
I thought a life worthy of the gospel was one that was completely sold out for God. But what does that imply? That i could live a life like that. That I could be so sold out for God it would be worthy of what he did for me. It’s works based.
A life worthy of this gospel is not a life that is perfectly sold out for God. The whole point of the gospel is that we can’t live that way.
A life worthy of the gospel is a life that is fully dependent on the gospel. One that believes and trusts in the gospel for their everything. A life that finds its identity in the gospel. The only life that is worthy of the gospel is a life that rests completely in the gospel.
But that’s not the whole story. Because a life that rest completely in the gospel should lead somewhere. There should be some tangible fruit. But your life will never be worth the gospel because you achieved something. You can never work hard enough to live worthy of the gospel. A life worthy of the gospel is a life fully dependent on the gospel.
Philippians 1:27-28
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, and not frightened in anything by your opponents
What is the result of living a life worthy of the Gospel? Notice that little word “so.”
standing in one spirit
with one mind
striving for the faith of the gospel
without fear
Now that phrase standing in one spirit is a little confusing. Apparently the greek is really tough to translate.
How does the NIV translate it?
What do you think that means?
To stand in the one Spirit is to stand in the Holy Spirit. It has the idea of getting your source of power and ability not from yourself but the Holy Spirit. Which makes sense if that is the result of resting completely in the gospel.
The Holy Spirit is who is working in us. Without the Holy Spirit we are nothing we can do nothing. So Paul urges us to stand in the Spirit. Stop standing in your own ability. Stop standing in your own performance. Stop standing in your own works. Stand in the Spirit.
What does “one mind” mean?
One mind could be translated one person.
The NIV translates it just as “one.” The idea is that we are to stand in the one and only Spirit as one body as one person.
We are to be so laser focused on what is important on what matters that it is as if we are one.
But what is our goal. What are we to do according to these verses?
What does that mean?
Striving together is actually an athletic term. It means to work together as a team to accomplish a common goal.
What’s the goal according to these verses? What does that mean?
Striving for the faith of the gospel. That is an interesting phrase. It could be translated for the faith that is contained in the gospel. Even what that means is unclear.
I think however that in context it become a little more clear. Look back at Phil. 1:24 Paul wants them to progress in their joy in the faith.
think this idea of striving side by side for the gospel has the idea of evangelism and discipleship wrapped up in it. So they are striving to share the gospel with others and watch it grow. But they are also striving to grow deeper in their own understanding of the faith fo the gospel and growing in joy.
But the main point is that this is there one singular goal. They are not to be distracted with other lesser goals. They are to stand in the one Spirit, with one mind, striving together for one goal.
A single minded pursuit is so important for us because it can become so easy to be distracted with good but lesser goals.
But how are they to do it? What’s a characteristic of this striving?
English Standard Version Chapter 1
and not frightened in anything by your opponents
They are to strive completely unafraid of what others may think of them. They are to risk the disdain of others to work together to accomplish the spread of the gospel.
Last we talked about risking something for Jesus. The only way you will be willing to risk something for Jesus is if you are unafraid of what others will think of you.
How did you guys summarize this portion of the text?
A life in full trust, confidence, rest, and belief in the gospel leads to standing firm in the one Spirit, as one body, striving for one goal, without fear.
Guys this is it. This is our calling. We are called to strive together for the sake of the gospel. This is your calling in life.
What does that look like?
Friendships need to go deeper.
You need to push each other spiritually
We need to speak the word to each other
We need to be praying for each other
We need to be sharing the gospel together
We need to risk things for Jesus together
We need to come to Youth Group ready to love and serve each other.
Let’s look briefly at verse 29 and 30
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.
What has been granted to us as believers?
Why do you think it is important to view our suffering as something granted to us by God?
So we don’t run from it when it comes. But we learn to lean into our pain. But we lean into it together unconcerned with what people think of us.
You want joy guys. Follow you purpose. Risk it for Jesus. Rest in the gospel. Stand in the Spirit, Stand together. Strive Together. Strive unafraid.
