IMB Conference: Philippians 1:27-30: Striving Together

Introduction

Trips to China - Loved for my blonde hair and fair skin - wanted to move there…

One of my greatest joys in ministry has been partnership with IMB missionaries. Privilege to lead people to live on mission and a privilege to form life-long relationships with a few missionaries that I love dearly.

Philippians - Paul’s joyful gratitude for the partnership he had with the believers at Philippi. (Ph. 1:3-4)

Paul in prison in Rome - a time of suffering - but also a time of joyful thanksgiving as he reflects on his relationship with the Philippians.

He doesn’t know what’s going to happen to him, “To live is Christ, to die is gain,” but whatever time God gives him, Paul wants to use to encourage the Philippians…

Encouragement to live worthy of the Gospel. Because of what Jesus has done for you, He is worthy… Worthy = deserving. What does Jesus deserve because of the investment He has made into your life? I think that’s what Paul is getting to in Ph. 1:27-30.

Four ways Paul challenges us to live worthy of the Gospel:

The life of a Christian is not a playground but a battleground. We think joy is on the playground - when life is going our way. But, Paul found joy on the battle ground, and he wanted the church at Philippi to find joy on the battleground.

Life was getting hard for the believers in Philippi - a Roman colony modeled after the city of Rome itself. If you walked down the streets of Philippi, you felt like you were in Rome. Citizens of Philippi were citizens of Rome.

PRIDE being a citizen of Rome. Much like we take pride in being Americans. Not everyone who was a part of the empire were Roman citizens. For example, the Romans conquered many different groups of people, but that didn’t make the conquered people Roman citizens.

If you were a citizen of Rome, you were a part of the most dominant and most advanced empire the world had ever known. You could own property. You could vote. You could hold office. You were exempt from certain taxes. If you were not a Roman citizen, you didn’t have these rights.

The Philippians - a privileged people. PRIDE - Then Paul drops the bombshell - “Let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel...” Life translated from a Greek word that has polis (city) at its root. English word = politics. NLT: Live a citizens of heaven… (See Ph. 3:20)

To believers in Jesus Christ who held Roman citizenship: know where your true citizenship lies. Not Rome, but heaven. Therefore, live worthy of the Gospel NOT worthy of Rome. Roman citizen expect to show your ultimate loyalty not to Jesus but to Caesar. Caesar was lord in Rome! Caesar has done nothing of eternal value for you!

Paul trying to help believers in Philippi shift their mindset.

Conflict! The Philippians could expect suffering because of their conviction that Jesus was their Lord and not Caesar. (Look at what happened to Paul, a Roman citizen, because he chose to live as a citizen of heaven.)

The difficulty of living for Jesus when the culture around the lived for Caesar! The battleground! The attacks on Christians! The persecution!

The difficulty for you to live worthy of the Gospel when the world around you is screaming, “live worthy of....”

Enemy fire is coming. How do we live worthy of the Gospel? How do we live as citizens of heaven and not of earth. And, is it even possible to live worthy of such a great gift given to us by Jesus?

Be consistent.

“Whether I come and see you or not...” Paul wants to hear that the Philippians aren’t wavering - but are continuing to show their allegiance to Jesus. Jesus knows… Be consistent in your walk with the Lord. Consistency is a daily choice to give God your allegiance. Consistency is where we struggle most because of our fickle hearts. It’s why we need the church - much easier to be consistent when I’m connected.

Easy to slide in consistency when your life is ministry. The demands of ministry keep you from consistency in your pursuit of God. The isolation of ministry keeps you from consistency in your pursuit

Easy to slide in consistency when you are away from the body of Christ. COVID challenged the way we worship. You’re away from your sending church. Some IMB in extreme isolation. Be careful, and the local church needs to do a better job.

You can slide, but you can’t hide. God knows. (Hebrews 4:12)

Be grounded.

“Stand firm.” Military term. Greatest and most intimidating army in the world was the Roman army. Paul - you’re a part of a greater army. The church is a family, but the church is also an army of soldiers empowered by the King Himself holding their ground and defended the truth of Jesus. Be grounded? You’re grounded, right? After all, you’re a missionary… Remember:

God if far more interested in who you are becoming than what you are doing. Because when you are becoming who God wants you to be, you’ll do what God wants you to do. You can’t stand on what you don’t know. As the people of God, we cannot be moved in what we believe. We’re dogmatic about the truth of Jesus Christ. How are you growing in your understanding of who God is? When’s the last time you read a theological book?

Becoming who God wants you to be is always inward and outward. Inward growth that is expressed in outward obedience to God’s call on your life. Being grounded is FAR MORE than what you know about God theologically… Being grounded is becoming like the ONE that you know. Even those of us is full time ministry need that reminder - because people in full time ministry fall just like people who are not in full time ministry fall.

Joey sitting firm - some of you are sitting firm - choosing not to live in the victory that Jesus has given you - the victory of a new life - AND service has become duty rather than delight.

Be together.

Notice - oneness. We’re in this battle together. Shifts metaphors. Striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel. Root word of strive = athleo or athlete. Imagery of team work. Think about a defensive or offensive line - every member of that line using his athletic prowess to either help the ball advance or defend the goal. We’re always stronger together than we are apart.

Fight the temptation to become possessive in ministry. “This is my ministry...” No, it’s our calling… Or, “This is my church...” I’m the pastor, but I’m simply playing out my God given role on the team… my mission or God’s mission?

Fight the temptation to become prideful in ministry. “I’m the only one who can...” “I’m the most experienced, the most gifted… I’ve made the biggest impact on our team...” Any success you have due to God AND the people God has placed around you.

Fight the temptation to become private in ministry. No accountability, not sharing your struggles, not praying for others… Isolation is a HUGE problem in ministry. Who are your 3-5 that you can trust your life with?

Be bold.

To Philippi: “You have no reason to be frightened by your opponents.” Why? Romans 8:31 - No one can be against us! We’re not only a team, we’re on the winning team! We’re not only an army, we’re a part of the army of the Lord Most High who is already victorious!

Be bold because you have found joy. Paul: you’re going to suffer - especially in a culture that is opposed to the Gospel. Your suffering for the Gospel is a sign of your salvation! People are going to question the way you live. People are going to think you’re crazy for believing someone died 2,000 years ago and came back to life. People are going to think you’re crazy for believing an ancient book is the Word of God. People are going to think you’re bigoted for being pro-life and pro-family. People are going to think you’re crazy for raising your kids the way you do. But, let people think you’re crazy. Don’t fear the persecution. The snide remarks. The funny looks. The questions. Because you have found something - you’ve found joy!

Be bold because Jesus is worth it. Jesus is worth it! He deserves you a life worthy of the Gospel! Jesus is worth you being consistent in your walk with Him. He’s worth you being grounded. He’s worth you being together on the same team with other believers. He’s worth you being bold in your faith.

Why is Jesus worth it? The Gospel. At the cross, Jesus was treated as if He had done everything you did, so that you might be treated as if you had done everything He did. He was treated as a murderer. He was treated as a hardened criminal, a liar, a gossip, etc. He was punished so you might never be punished. He rose from the dead proving He was God who came to deliver you from your sins. Turn to Him in faith and repentance.

If you are not consistent, grounded, together, and bold, you will fall on the battleground of life. You’ll be easily compromised and swaying back and forth.