Responsible Faith
Notes
Transcript
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
LAST PREACHED IN NEW HOLLAND….MAY WANT TO DO SOME WORK OR GO BACK TO A PREVIOUS COPY
Scripture: Philippians 1:27-2:4
Sermon Title: Responsible Faith
Just a little bit of background before we read our passage tonight. Paul loved the church in Philippi, and it appears that he had planted this church. It has been described as the first European church, and we read of its earliest days in Acts 16. The city of Philippi was where Paul met Lydia, the purple cloth dealer, and where Paul and Silas were imprisoned, when an earthquake freed them from their shackles. From those days of bringing the gospel to a few people, this church appears to have blossomed into one of the most faithful congregations in the region.
Up to this point in chapter 1, Paul’s introduction has mainly been an update in terms of his life, his ministry, and his whole-hearted hope for the preaching of the gospel of Christ Jesus. In verse 20 and 21 he wrote, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death,” and then the familiar verse 22, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Now as we come to our text for tonight, he turns to the church and what he hoped from them.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, what does it mean to be a citizen? That can be a testy question to ask when a spotlight has been on our nation and the world as we see discussions and protests around immigration policies and refugees over the past couple of years. I saw in the bulletin that Pastor John plans to preach on the issue of immigration next Sunday night. I don’t want to get too much into that tonight other than to say, it’s a very complicated matter, and people feel passionately about their views
I want to try to define expectations or assumptions about what citizenship involves, though. I think we would all agree that a citizen is expected to follow the laws that have been approved and set in place. Failure to do so brings with it the potential for just consequences, and obeying the law should carry with it the benefit of freedom and living unobstructed. A citizen can be expected to operate in the political sphere—voting, staying engaged and educated with what’s going on in political processes. A citizen pays taxes whether they like it or not. A citizen in our land should be able to assume protection by local and national law enforcement and military.
Citizenship isn’t just rules though, but it can give a person pride in things having to do with where we are a citizen of. When the Olympics take place, most people are cheering on the athletes of their own country. Being a citizen of the Chicagoland area for my youth years has instilled in me a love of the Chicago White Sox baseball team and the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team.
We also tend to associate that place of our initial citizenship as “home.” For most of you here tonight, this is home—rural South Dakota, Douglas or Charles Mix or Aurora county. This is where you have long been a citizen of. So too, we hear from those who have immigrated from another country, they often call their country of origin “home.” Perhaps some of you heard it from family that immigrated from the Netherlands—that was the “homeland.”
All of this to say, when we think of ourselves or someone else as citizens—we recognize that comes as being part of a nation, a town, or a community. For many people, there is pride and love for where we came from. There are also expectations, rules, order, authority that we identify ourselves under. If we are citizens—we are a citizen to and under something. We are responsible to that entity.
Why am I talking about citizenship and responsibility? Well, it’s because of the word conduct in verse 27. In the Greek, the word is poleituesthe, which has the beginning root word, “polis.” If you think of the word “metropolis” or a city like Minneapolis—that is the Dakota Sioux word “mni” for water and the Greek “polis” for city. Minneapolis on the banks of the Mississippi River is named based on its geography. Back to Philippians 1, Paul used this word, poleituesthe, that would make them think about their conduct relative to their government, their nationality, their society. Just as the Philippians had responsibilities and expectations there, Paul says conduct yourselves, citizen yourselves, in a way worthy of the gospel. There is a responsible “gospel citizenship” so to speak.
Paul wrote with this thought quite often in his letters. Christians back then and Christians today do live in the world. There is a respect that is to be shown to authorities and the government based on our earthly citizenship. But we must understand that we are still strangers. There is a citizenship to the world—to living in a manner that satisfies our pleasures, our lusts, our desires to do what we want. But then, Paul says in Philippians 3 verse 20, “Our [true or most important] citizenship is in heaven.”
What does this mean practically? As Christians, it points us to recognize who has authority, who ultimately has a right to call us to live a certain way, setting standards for our lives. This who is Jesus, our Lord and Savior. In confessing our faith, we are pledging our allegiance to him. We are citizens to and under his kingdom, his glory, his holiness. Rooted in our understanding of the love of Jesus is a call to obedience. He said in John 14 verse 15, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” The gospel invites us and draws us to live in a way that shows our hope. By our faith, we have a responsible gospel citizenship—that’s our first point tonight.
I mentioned a little while ago, that what often first comes to mind when we think about citizenship are rules and regulations. Paul having encouraged these believers to live worthy of the gospel, we might expect some demands—some “Thou shalls” and “Thou shall nots.” But that was not the route we heard him go. That doesn’t mean he’s forgotten that there are sins which need to be warned against. Not at all, but for the moment, for these people—he gives them a code of conduct—that’s our second point. Essentially, this is what can be expected of gospel citizens. From verses 27 through 29, “Stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you…For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.”
What is conduct worthy of the gospel that all believers are to adapt their behavior and lifestyle to? Standing firm in unity against all opponents in belief and in suffering. A life worthy of the gospel requires dedication to the gospel. I want to encourage you tonight, brothers and sisters, because I believe you are a group that is dedicated to the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ. I believe that you don’t often let things get in the way or become more important in your understanding of faith than to dwell on what God has done for you. So, I encourage you to continue to stand strong against any evils and any oppositions that come your way.
I want to challenge you too though. It’s not an easy task, but I challenge you that as you see the value in a strong faith, in strong convictions—to seek ways to spread that in the body of Christ. That’s not shoving lessons or theology down peoples’ throats in a way of self-righteousness, that you can be puffed up over someone else. No, in Corsica this morning I mentioned how at times our faith can be small or weak—the circumstances of our lives and often our inattention can weaken us. Those are times when the rest of the body of Christ needs to help, needs to pay special attention to their weakened brothers and sisters. What that looks like is in our churches, can we identify people to pray for, to disciple, or to mentor? Who does God give you an opportunity not to talk or gossip about, but an opportunity for you to walk alongside of with compassion? Our code of conduct, living worthy of the gospel of Christ, invites us into these relationships by which we mature together in the journey of faith.
The third thing that we find in our passage tonight is that our citizenship also involves affirmation and support. We are not left in sin’s shame nor are we exalted higher than we ought to be. Rather we are affirmed when we live as responsible gospel citizens. If we look back to chapter 2 verse 1, we find the word “if” used 4 times. For us, if usually can entail some uncertainty. “If this works out, then consider doing this.” “If our team wins then they will continue in the playoffs, but it’s not a sure thing.” The way “if” is used for the church in Philippi though is actually Paul saying, “you are doing this.” He knows they are united with Christ, and so be encouraged. He knew that they had comfort from his love—and so had strength and security. They had fellowship with the Holy Spirit, they experienced tenderness and compassion.
He’s pumping them up like a coach or an influential player might do for his or her team. “You’ve got this going for you, these strengths, these successes, these building blocks that show who you are and what mature Christians should see in your lives!” He is recognizing them as examples of what all Christians are supposed to do and be about. From there the affirmation leads into supporting on-going goals for them. “Be like-minded having the same love, one in spirit and purpose.” These virtues and practices emphasize being humble, respecting and giving ourselves to others, seeking to encourage the positive gifts of the church.
This most certainly doesn’t mean that we should become doctrinally weak or let all convictions go. “Let’s just love with actions and forget about truth.” No, not at all. We must seek to encourage discipleship, to encourage discipline in our churches and families, to encourage piety and sacred living. We do those things, though, wanting to develop believers, encouraging them even when it gets hard and it seems like we or they are beginning to backslide. Dr. Steve Timmermans, the executive director of the CRC, reported at our classis meeting this past week that discipleship is one of the areas that CRC congregations tend to be committed to and excel or at least do well in. We do this, in part, because of our covenant theology—that we have promised to take care of and urge one another on in our journeys of faith.
In his commentary on Philippians, Pastor James Boice writes, “Paul…knew that Christians have a duty to see more than another Christian’s faults. Christians must also see the person, and they must love him or her with a love patterned on the love with which God the Father loves us. The person who really loves the other Christian in this way will not seek to separate from him because he is cantankerous or because she sees some minor doctrine differently. He will seek to know him, to learn from him, and to help him on spiritually as together they advance in the Christian life…Jesus Christ taught this to his disciples just before his crucifixion. He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
This statement leaves no room for qualification. Your love for other Christians must be like Christ’s love for you. Have you experienced this love? If you are a believer, you have understood something of its meaning. Does God cast away the one who offends him or makes a doctrinal mistake or sins? On the contrary, his love reaches out even farther as he seeks to draw the sinner to himself. That love must flow through you, and it must be your pattern.”
This is the kind of affirmation and support Paul is providing—true love that seeks after the truth. It encourages when things go well, it disciplines when things go wrong, but it consistently seeks to build the other person up. In our citizenship for the kingdom of God, this is how we are to live—recognizing the purpose for which God has put us in one another’s life. We can stand firm; we can be united around truth.
Brothers and sisters, let us take encouragement from our faith, but even more let us take hope in the faith that God gives us, desiring us to be responsible to him and his kingdom. He has given us truth, he has given us principles to live by, and he gives us the clear call to follow our Lord. Keep your guard strong, the enemy is coming, know your Savior. Amen.