Sermon Tone Analysis

Unity Through Humility

Welcome:

Good Morning Church!

I hope you all are well this morning.

It’s a joy to be back with you again.

Introduction:

This morning, we’re going to continue to walk through the book of Philippians,

Reading:

Join with me in the reading of God’s word.

Prayer

Exposition

A Basis for Humility

In this opening verse, Paul

A Call to Unity

In these opening verses, Paul calls his readers to live in unity.

He points to their common experience, derived from each one’s identity in Christ, to serve as the basis for this unity.

He reminds the Philippians of the benefits of their union with Christ.

Perhaps he was thinking back to when he first started his ministry in Philippi, when he saw the gospel take root in their lives, setting them free from the power of sin.

Is there any encouragement in Christ?

Is there any comfort from his love?

Is there any participation in the Spirit?

Is there any affection or Sympathy?

Or Sympathy?

Remind them of their identity… Why?

Because indicatives must always precede imperatives.

Our identity in Christ lays the foundation for everything we are called to do in the gospel.

Paul’s language here isn’t, “Do this, so that you might become....” but rather, “Do this, because of who you are in Christ.”

Paul’s call to unity was based on their shared identity in Christ.

Because of who they are and what they have in Christ, he continues, “Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”

Here, Paul is leading us back to , where Paul says:

When Paul says, “Complete my joy,” urging them back to this charge - that is, to live as good citizens worthy of the Gospel.

As Christians, they were called to magnify Christ through labor and through loss, but how could they ensure that they did that well?

How could they ensure that their lives, their mission was worthy of the gospel?

Paul’s answer?

The Philippians could ensure they were living lives worthy of the gospel by pursuing unity with one another.

You can cut yourself off from community and still be a Christian, but let me be clear, you won’t be a good one.

God didn’t just call one person.

He called a church.

The gospel is rooted deeper and is lifted higher when Christians commit themselves to living in community with one another.

How is the gospel rooted deeper?

Kalie and I, Jack Bauer example

I would love to think that I’ve served Kalie well since we’ve started dating.

I make her quesadillas, take out the trash, and put down the toilet seat.

What more could a girl ask for?

Actually, I didn’t realize how selfish I was until I started dating Kalie.

Doing life in close proximity with other people has a funny way of revealing your own selfishness.

Kalie and I, Jack Bauer example

It’s in the context of covenant relationships that we are able to see our sin and self-service more clearly, which presents us with more opportunities to repent and trust in Jesus’s saving work

How is the gospel lifted higher?

When the world sees Christians come together, leveraging everything they have for the glory of Jesus, genuinely loving one another and, as often as necessary, forgiving one another, what they actually see is the gospel at work.

A Definition of Humility

Paul continues in verses 3-4, saying “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit.”

Without a doubt, Paul is calling out the those who “preached Christ from envy and rivalry...” in .

There is says that they proclaimed Christ out of selfish ambition, thinking to afflict Paul in his imprisonment.

In other words, these “Christians” sought to create a greater divide between themselves and the apostle.

Why doesn’t selfishness have a place in the church?

Because it leads to brokenness and division.

The world doesn’t need the church to find brokenness and division.

A Bridge to Humility

Application

Call to Unity… B. B. Warfield

Self-sacrifice brought Christ into the world.

And self-sacrifice will lead us, His followers, not away from but into the midst of men.

Wherever men suffer, there will we be to comfort.

Wherever men strive, there will we be to help.

Wherever men fail, there will be we to uplift.

Wherever men succeed, there will we be to rejoice.

Self-sacrifice means not indifference to our times and our fellows: it means absorption in them.

It means forgetfulness of self in others.

It means entering into every man’s hopes and fears, longings and despairs: it means manysidedness of spirit, multiform activity, multiplicity of sympathies.

It means richness of development.

It means not that we should live one life, but a thousand lives,—binding ourselves to a thousand souls by the filaments of so loving a sympathy that their lives become ours.

Wherever men suffer, there will we be to comfort.

Wherever men strive, there will we be to help.

Wherever men fail, there will be we to uplift.

Wherever men succeed, there will we be to rejoice.

Self-sacrifice means not indifference to our times and our fellows: it means absorption in them.

It means forgetfulness of self in others.

It means entering into every man’s hopes and fears, longings and despairs: it means manysidedness of spirit, multiform activity, multiplicity of sympathies.

It means richness of development.

It means not that we should live one life, but a thousand lives,—binding ourselves to a thousand souls by the filaments of so loving a sympathy that their lives become ours.

Prayer