Church: Heaven on Earth

27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, 28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your salvation—and this is from God. 29 For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.

Church: Heaven on Earth

Let’s recap briefly the history of the city of Philippi, where these Christians lived.

About 90 years before the arrival of Paul with the Gospel, the city became heavily populated by Roman soldiers. Essentially becoming an outpost of Rome and its army, so it acquired the status of being a “colony” which meant that the privileges and rights of Roman citizenship were granted to everyone in Philippi, treated as if they were living in Italy. They acted like they were living there. They operate under Roman law and principles.

Philippi might have been geographically located in Macedonia, but to all the people of Philippi it was Rome in Greece.

Paul, here in v.27 and in , builds his imperatives in this letter upon the civic pride of these citizens. To the church, he is saying you may be citizens there, but as saints in Christ, your primary citizenship is now in heaven.

Fast forward a couple thousand years, God through Paul is saying to us, “You may be citizens of Union County, Illinois and the USA but as saints in Christ, your primary citizenship is now in heaven.”

How many of you remember Curly.

Not the fat Bald guy with the 3 Stooges.

I am talking about the cattle driving, big hat wearing cowboy from the movie “City Slickers”

Picture of Curly on Screen

Curly (Played by Jack Palance) asks Mitch (Played by Billy Crystal)

“Do you know what the Secret of Life is?

Mithc

Holding up 1 finger: “This!”

Mitch: Your Finger?

Curly: One thing. Just One thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean anything!

Mitch: But, what’s the one thing?

Curly: That’s what you have to find out

“Just One Thing”

Paul begins his first imperative with that emphatic phrase, meaning “above all, at all cost.” Paul’s one thing is to be our one thing. Make your Church Heaven on Earth, just as they made their city Rome in Greece.

How: Live Like It!! Live worthy of the grace that has been bestowed upon you!! Live worthy of the Gospel.

The joyful spirit of Paul is unquestionable. It comes through loud and clear. The only thing that would have saddened Paul, the leader in planting this church, is if he heard or came and visited to find this group of professed Christ followers failing to live worthy of the gospel. Finding they lowered the standards of holiness in the church. Finding they were refusing to live harmoniously around the sole purpose of Christ - lost people being saved by the same gospel that saved them.

Anyone know James Phillips Edwards and Joel Boggis?

I hope not because that would mean you are over 200 years old.

These two men are a big reason why you sit here today. Edwards addressed the people gathered for worship in the home of Boggis. From that gathering came Clear Creek Church in 1818, which now gathers for worship right where you sit as JFBC.

Now imagine we received a letter, if it were possible, from Rev. Edwards and His companion, that they were planning a visit and wished to see what fine of a job their church plant was doing 200 years later as they were living and worshipping in unity together, and these two were looking to hear and see how many souls were being saved because the 200 year old church plant was still working hard together for the gospel. Imagine if you read in the letter how anxious these men were to see the colony of heaven on earth in Jonesboro.

What is Paul saying here with that phrase? What does it mean? What is God telling us?

We have from God here the direct order from the ruler of the homeland in heaven.

God is commanding us who profess ourselves as committed Christ followers, to live worthy of the gospel that we say saved us.

What is Paul saying here with that phrase? What does it mean? What is God telling us?

God is commanding us who profess ourselves as committed Christ followers, to live worthy of the gospel that we say saved us.

Don’t just give the gospel lip service. Give the gospel life service.

The gospel is about transformation

2 Corinthians 5:17 TEV

17 Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.

so we better live as transformed people. Different from who we were. Different from the world.

Every citizen has to have a valid ID. That ID is evidence, the proof of residence saying hey I am a citizen of this place.

Many states have voter ID laws. Every citizen has to have a valid ID for the state in which they live in. That ID is evidence, the proof of residence saying hey I am a citizen of this place.

Your life and my life needs to be proof of the grace, the privilege of heavenly citizenship. Our attitudes and our actions act as our valid ID of being a citizen of heaven. Your and my manner of life as this new creation needs to reflect the level of gratitude deserving of the grace that has been poured down upon us so abundantly from heaven.

You and I have civic duties we are to uphold if we are to be model citizens of America. Patriotic people are people who live by the constitution and principles of America. We exude the American spirit.

Paul was saying to the Philippian Christians, “Listen, Just One thing, as patriotic and proud as you are about being a Roman citizen, let your citizenship of heaven be twice as emphatic.

God is telling us that our passion for our country and politics better take a back seat to our passion for the gospel and the church.

Be People who live by the spirit not by the flesh.

Galatians 5:16-

Galatians 5:16–17 CSB

16 I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.

The gospel is about love so we should be known as loving people.

Galatians 5:14–15 TEV

14 For the whole Law is summed up in one commandment: “Love your neighbour as you love yourself.” 15 But if you act like wild animals, hurting and harming each other, then watch out, or you will completely destroy one another.

Galatians 5:13–15 TEV

13 As for you, my brothers and sisters, you were called to be free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you. Instead, let love make you serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is summed up in one commandment: “Love your neighbour as you love yourself.” 15 But if you act like wild animals, hurting and harming each other, then watch out, or you will completely destroy one another.

Galatians 5:13-

1 John 4:7–8 CSB

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:

1 John 4:7–9 CSB

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.

The gospel is about grace so we better be gracious people.

Colossians 4:6 CSB

6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

Ephesians 2:8 CSB

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—

The gospel is about compassion and forgiveness so we better be compassionate and forgiving people.

Luke 7:47 NASB95

47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Matthew 6:12 CSB

12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:32 CSB

32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

The gospel is truth so we better be truthful people.

Colossians 3:9 CSB

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices

Colossians

Proverbs 19:9 CSB

9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies perishes.

1 John 2:21 CSB

21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth.

The gospel is about unselfish sacrifice so we better be unselfish and sacrificial people.

Romans 12:1 CSB

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.

1 Peter

1 Peter 2:5 CSB

5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

James 3:14-1

James 3:14–16 CSB

14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.

The gospel is about Jesus as the Suffering Servant who taught servanthood as the highest honor so we better be servant people.

Psalm 100:2 CSB

2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Psalm 100:2 CSB

2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Psalm 100:3 CSB

3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his— his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Galatians 5:13 CSB

13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.

Ephesians 6:7 CSB

7 Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people,

The gospel is about a relationship with Christ so we better have a relationship with Jesus and be friendly relational people.

1 John 1:6 NASB95

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

Acts 2:42 CSB

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

The gospel is about giving us liberty so we best not be legalistic people.

Isaiah 61:1 CSB

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;

Isaiah

Romans 8:32 CSB

32 He did not even spare his own Son but offered him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?

Romans 8:2 CSB

2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 5:6 CSB

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.

Romans 6:14 NASB95

14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

The gospel is all about humility, Jesus humbled himself even unto the cross (), it is our duty to become humble people. (Humility is not a feeling. Like love, Humility is and action.)

James

James 4:6 CSB

6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

1 Peter 5:6 CSB

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,

Philippians 2:3 CSB

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

The gospel is about unity around the mission of rescuing lost souls, and God intends for us who are Christians to be unified people.

So we need to be unified and harmonious people.

Spiritual unity. Unified with one heartbeat. A heart that beats to see lost people saved.

Paul uses two terms to illustrate the kind of unity God intends for his church. (Unity is not a feeling. Like love and humility, it is an action.)

v.27 - “stand firm” is the 1st term - it is a military term. It is a commanding officer’s orders given to the soldiers to hold their ground in the battle. A soldier is then determined to not budge one inch. Do not let the enemy win.

Who is our enemy? Satan.

Satan will attack through people of the world and people of the church. If satan can cause chaos in a church he can bring about its destructive downfall, but through unity around sacrificing self for the good of others, and for the gospel God can build it back. He can revitalize it.

Let me remind each and everyone of you. We are in a war. A spiritual battle, not against flesh and blood. Satan may use them, but our battle is spiritual. We are to never take off our spiritual armor because the battle can come at anytime.

We are soldiers in God’s Army meant for battle against the gates of hell. Soldiers hold their ground. Soldiers hold it only through unity. We are in a battle for God’s church. For This church. Satan is seeking to destroy this church. Stand firm. Hold your ground. Do not move an inch when it comes to the gospel. Do not move an inch when it comes to God’s glory in this place, from His people.

You hold your head high and come together for the gospel.

Do you know the plan of salvation to help someone find salvation in Christ?

Look how chaotic things have gotten in America. Why have you not heard much about the division lately? People have come together united around a common goal. People came together and went on mission.

The gospel is about one man suffering for the good of others, so the world needs to see us be courageous people, willful people, shameless people, who give up our rights for the good/salvation of others.

v.27 - “stand firm” is a military term. It is a commanding officers orders to hold your ground in the battle. Do not let the enemy win.

We are soldiers in God’s Army meant for battle against the gates of hell. Soldiers hold their ground only through unity.

The gospel is about unity around the mission of rescuing lost souls, and God intends for us who are Christians to be unified people. Spiritual unity. Unified with one heartbeat. A heart that beats to see lost people saved.

You hold your head high and come together for the gospel.

“The community saved by grace is shaped by grace so that it can share that grace together with the world.”

“contending” or “striving” or “laboring” - all words used to translated Paul’s 2nd term. It is the Greek word in v.27 - synathleo - which is an athletic term, athleo from which we get athlete. The word also gives the connotation of team. Christianity is a team effort. side by side and hand in hand with the gospel going into the world. A team that wins, that is successful it together, together with one purpose and concern.

If you are in this church, on this team or in this army, and your focus is not solely the glory of God here and us going with the gospel and seeing people saved. You are in the wrong army, you are on the wrong team, and you are at the wrong church. If you say or do anything at this church that does not line up with the gospel, you are wrong. If you say or do anything here that is a hindrance or a roadblock to the gospel, you are wrong. If your heart cares more about keeping the money where it is, items where they are, and things just the way they are, than you care about lost people being saved from where they are going, then you are wrong and you may need to reconsider if you are at the right church.

This church was planted 200 years ago by the gospel and for the gospel and is intended to still go out 200 years later with the gospel.

“The community saved by grace is shaped by grace so that it can share that grace together with the world.”

The gospel should form our lives and the gospel should fall off of our lips.

Do you know the plan of salvation to help someone find salvation in Christ?

v.28-30 - Living as a citizen of God’s kingdom means living in opposition to the Kingdom of satan. Satan will seek to destroy and tear down a citizen of heaven as often as he possibly can. He does this through suffering and persecution.

Then stand up in the community for what is right, true and moral. Do you face ridicule and rejection? Then stand up in the church for what is right, true, moral and about the gospel. Do you get scolded, warned about what might happen if you do? Do you get ridiculed and rejected? Do you hear more gossip than the gospel? Then you are a citizen of heaven.

Attacks on religious liberty in American has risen 135% in the last 5 years

Living a life worthy of the gospel - may mean suffering, may mean ridicule, may mean persecution, may mean being attacked when you are simply trying to live right, worship right, and stand for what is right. Satan will attack through people of the world and people of the church. If satan can cause chaos in a church he can bring about its destructive downfall, but through unity around sacrificing self for the good of others, for the gospel can build it and revitalize it.

What if the American government suddenly declared that all rights of Christians are being stripped from them? Could you still live as a citizen of heaven? Could should still live the Christian life if you were a citizen of North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, India, Sudan?

v.29 - Paul declares in many places how it is a honor to suffer opposition and that persecution for Jesus is a privilege given to citizens of heaven.

Look how chaotic things have gotten in America. Why have you not heard much about the division lately? People have come together united around a common goal. People came together and went on mission.

v.29 - Paul declares in many places how it is a honor to suffer opposition and persecution for Jesus is a privilege given to citizens of heaven.

God never created a person Jesus did not die for nor did God ever create a person we should not seek to tell the gospel.

“The community saved by grace is shaped by grace so that it can share that grace together with the world.”

v.29 - Paul declares in many places how it is a honor to suffer opposition and persecution for Jesus

Do you know the plan of salvation to help someone find salvation in Christ?

You want to know for sure if you are a Christian and are a true citizen of heaven?

But listen to what Paul says, “not in anyway terrified...”

Don’t you get intimidated or discouraged in standing firm, and speaking up!!!! God has this thing!!!

You hold your head high and come together with other believers for the gospel.

Conclusion: As you do, take comfort in the gospel.

The gospel is about the cross. We are all equal at the cross. Equally sinful. Equally saved. Equally servants.

The gospel is about faith, so we must have it to see what we can’t see so we will see it. You might not see much now, but together with each other and God, we can with faith.

The gospel is about progress not perfection. Living a life worthy does not mean pretending to be perfect. Lydia, the slave girl, and the jailer, and their family members saved at Philippi - didn’t have it all together instantly. They weren’t saved and made instant super saints, but they came together with the Spirit and each other and let God work.

So if you are struggling in some of these areas, the Spirit is at work - join him and join each other. Stand together with each other. Look ahead to the future in faith.

Remember - Good News Produces good lives.

Remember - we don’t engage in this battle alone. Got a call Friday, “Hey just wanted you to know I am praying for you.” Man that lifted my spirits. When I see people stand together with me against what the enemy tries to do I am encouraged.

Remember Good News Produces good lives.

Remember - we fight are meant to fight together side by side, not against one another. Paul addresses more of that in the next sermon.

Remember - Never let what others say or do control your joy or stop the gospel.

Invitation to Respond

The gospel is about conviction. We have times where we must be people with convictions, but also times where we become convicted people.

The great news is that the gospel is not just about conviction but about redemption and reconciliation, but neither happens w/o repentance.

We repent of sin against God to be redeemed and reconciled to him.

We repent to of sin against others to be reconciled to them.

We repent to come together and be a colony of heaven on earth.

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Church: Heaven on Earth

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Church: Heaven on Earth

Invitation to Respond