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.”

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

We are going to look at one of the 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.

Our citizenship is in heaven!

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

Play on words- dual idea because of the Philippians Roman citizenship.

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

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.

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!)

Notice: Paul does not command, he does not use the imperative in v. 2.

He does not say, “You must agree!”

Rather, he entreats, he urges, he encourages, he pleads with these ladies to agree in the Lord.

What is Paul urging these ladies to do?

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!

What is that mindset?

It is the very mindset that caused Jesus to lower Himself (not grasping onto his equality with God, but willingly lowering his position because of Jesus’ desire to provide salvation for all).

It is the very mindset that caused Jesus to empty Himself (through addition) by adding to his divine nature a fully human nature and by taking the form of a slave.

It is the very mindset that caused Jesus to humble Himself- through perfect obedience to the will of the Father.

In Jesus’ case that meant becoming obedient to the point of death, even a cross death.

The mindset of Jesus was humility, self-sacrificial love, glad obedience, all for the sake of other people.

He did not count his Himself as more significant that other people, he did not operate out of selfish ambition or conceit, instead he looked to the interests of others.

This is the path of unity in the local church.

We must all think this way.

We must have this common mindset.

Our focus must be on Jesus and on the gospel and on other people.

When that dominates our thinking- so many other things that might cause disunity and division- just go away.

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!

Ephesians 4:1–3 (ESV)

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

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

Labored side by side with me in the gospel!

These ladies were active in gospel ministry.

They were at one time co-laborers and fellow workers, but now they are divided and they are hindering the work of the gospel.

How easy is it to get distracted in gospel ministry?

How important is the proper mindset for the local church?

Make the main thing the main thing!

Whose names are in the book of life!

Be careful about calling into question someone else’s salvation!

Work selflessly to maintain the unity of the church-

You can only do this by putting on the mind of Christ- by thinking the same way- by having your mind fixed on others, fixed on the gospel, fixed on the glory of your Savior!

Why should you live this way?