Sermon Tone Analysis

One of the great themes of the NT is the position of the Christian.

So much of our daily living, our daily growth in holiness is an expression of our understanding and application of our position in Christ.

That is something entirely unique about Christianity.

The Bible does not simply tell you to be a good person.

It does not say, “Shame on you, you need to be better.”

It does not simply say, “Just go out and live a moral life.”

So many times in the NT, God’s Word invites us to reckon to be true our position in Christ.

And because of what Christ has done for us, because we are united to Christ, because of our position as believers, let that grand spiritual true ignite loving joyful obedience unto holiness.

There are so many grand wondrous truths about Christians because of our union with Christ!

Romans 8:17 (ESV)

17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,

And we could go on and on!

This wonderful, beautiful truth of our position in Christ, often called our union with Christ, ought to motivate us by love to glad obedience.

This morning we are going to look at our position in Christ!

We are going to look at one of these wonderful truths that is the believer’s present reality in Christ.

Notice carefully the beginning of the verse.

Our citizenship IS in heaven!

Not our citizenship WILL BE in heaven, no, our citizenship is even now in heaven.

It is even now a fact—not that we are going to be, but that we are!

If you are united to Christ, if you have been born again, you have a new citizenship.

Because you are in Christ and thus you share the same privileges as Christ, you already are a citizen of heaven.

The Christian is already sitting together with Christ Jesus in heavenly places— we are there in a spiritual sense, we are citizens of heaven.

We have already been transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son.

It is already your reality!

Our citizenship is in heaven!

Citizenship- the place or location in which one has the right to be a citizen

c.f. Phil 1:27

New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, Volumes 1–5 (πόλις)

“as citizens of heaven live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

“You know the pride and responsibility attached to living in a Roman colony: remember that you have a higher allegiance calling you to faithful conduct”

“the background of the word, in this context, is the situation of the readers who live in a city which was a Roman military colony directly related to the capital city of Rome” (The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians [1959], 160–61).

As Roman subjects, the Philippian Christians owed an allegiance to the far-off capital city of Rome.

At the same time, they had “another king, one called Jesus” (Acts 17:7).

Hence, on earth they are resident aliens who dwell temporarily in a foreign country; their true home is elsewhere (cf.

Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 1:1; 2:11; Jas 1:1; Diogn.

5.4–5, 9–10).

Yes, you are citizens of the USA.

Yes, you take pride in that citizenship.

But, there is another citizenship that must take precedent.

Because you are in Christ, you have been translated to a new kingdom.

You are now an exile, a stranger, a sojourner.

Your true home, your true country has a heavenly address.

This must affect how you live here and now!

As citizens of heaven, as people blessed beyond measure because we are in Christ, how should that effect our daily living?

How should our higher allegiance to our heavenly kingdom dictate our earthly conduct?

1. Citizens of heaven eagerly look forward to the return of their King

We await- to await eagerly or expectantly for some future event

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we are continually and eagerly looking forward to and awaiting expectantly a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is the Apostle’s great passion in life!

For Paul, it is all about Jesus Christ.

He is eagerly awaiting his King!

His Savior!

The Lord Jesus Christ!

This is the focus, this is what is most important!

This is wonderful!

This is glorious!

This is our great hope, but the thing that Paul was really waiting for was Christ Himself!

This is how citizen’s of heaven really live.

They are constantly, eagerly, expectantly waiting for their king!

Eagerly looking forward to something.

- Johnny, the day after his birthday, telling me what he wants for his next birthday breakfast.

What are you longing for?

What are you eagerly and expectantly waiting for?

Are you waiting for Jesus to return?

Do you talk about it with others?

Does it come up in your prayer life?

Do you fill your thoughts often with what it will be like when Christ who is our life appears, then we also will appear with Him in glory?

This is something a citizen of heaven does all the time.

2. Citizens of heaven take an interest in what really matters in this earthly life

“Now, of course, when Paul tells us that our citizenship is in heaven, he is not teaching that the Christian should not take any interest in this world and the affairs of this life.”

—Dr.

Martyn Lloyd Jones

It matters a great deal how we spend our earthly lives.

It matters how we involve ourselves in earthly affairs.

We cannot treat the time we spend here and now flippantly or carelessly.

But, citizens of heaven will spend their lives on things that really matter, things that have eternal value- that is other people.

The Philippians to Paul were people he loved and longed for, they were his joy and crown.

For Paul, what consumed his life while on this earth was others!

Who is your joy? or crown of boasting?

Who is your glory and joy?

That is all that keeps citizens of heaven tied to this earthly life.

This is how citizens of heaven should think!

How about you?

3. Citizens of heaven selflessly work to maintain unity

I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche-

Εὐοδία and Συντύχη

παρακαλέω- entreat, urge, appeal, plead, implore, encourage

I strongly urge Euodia and I strongly urge Syntyche (repeated use!)

To agree in the Lord-

φρονέω- to have an attitude, to think in a particular manner, to dispose the mind in a certain way

Used 7x’s in Philippians!!

Paul is strongly urging these ladies to strive for unity within the local church!

How does Paul go about encouraging unity within the local church at Philippi?

By encouraging every believer to have the same mind in the Lord.

Only when we have the mind of Christ, only when we share that mindset in common with one another, can we maintain the unity of the local church!

True companion?

Timothy, Epaphroditus / also Silas, Lydia, / Syzyge (proper name) or even Paul’s wife.

No way to be sure, but the local church at Philippi would have known.

The point here is that this disagreement between these ladies was so deep that Paul knew they were going to need help from another church member to restore fellowship.

Citizens of heaven work diligently to maintain unity in the body!

I also want you to notice what else Paul says about these ladies!