Sermon Manuscript

Philippians 1:27; Citizens in Sync with the Gospel ~ 20231008 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

10/08 Philippians 1:27; Citizens in Sync with the Gospel; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20231008_philippians-1_27.mp3

Paul’s overarching desire is that Christ be magnified in his body, whether by life or by death. Some brothers are preaching Christ out of envy and selfish ambition, seeking to add affliction to his imprisonment. But Paul is willing to rejoice that the truth of the good news about Jesus is being proclaimed, regardless the motives.

Paul weighs his options. If the choice were his to make, he is not sure which to choose, life or death. To die is to be with Christ, which is far better. To remain in the flesh means fruitful labor, and is more necessary for the churches that he serves for their progress and joy in the faith. So

Philippians 1:25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Paul’s future is uncertain. He hopes for the opportunity to visit them again, but he doesn’t want them to be dependent in an unhealthy way on his physical presence with them. So he says:

Philippians 1:27 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,

Only [Μόνον]

The presence or absence of the Apostle should not determine the conduct of believers.

Paul has expressed his confidence ‘that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ’ (Phil.1:6). Now he says ‘only’. One thing he desires for them; one instruction he has for them. One thing to focus on. One thing to purse. One thing. This is important. Only this.

Live As Citizens [πολιτεύεσθε]

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. The verb translated ‘let your manner of life be’ is [πολιτεύεσθε]; from the Greek word [πολίτης]; or ‘citizen’. Live as a citizen, conduct yourself as a citizen. Back in Acts 22, when Paul was about to be examined by flogging,

Acts 22:25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”

When Paul claimed to be a citizen by birth,

Acts 22:29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

Citizenship carried rights and responsibilities. Philippi was a Roman colony, so the Philippians would have understood this. The next day the tribune brought Paul before the Jewish council to find out what he was being accused of.

Acts 23:1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”

Speaking to fellow Jews, he uses this same word there; I lived my life as a citizen. I lived as a citizen before God in all good conscience. He understood the rights and responsibilities of his citizenship as one of God’s chosen people.

Paul tells the Gentile believers in Ephesus

Ephesians 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

In chapter 3 Paul will tell the Philippians

Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

As followers of Jesus, we have a new identity; we belong to a people, we are fellow-citizens with the saints, members of the household of God. Our citizenship is in heaven, with all the attendant rights and responsibilities.

A citizen is a member of an organization bigger than oneself, a part of a community, a person who voluntarily lays aside some rights and preferences for the good of the society as a whole. A citizen gives his allegiance to the state and is entitled to enjoy protection by that state. There are civic responsiblities expected of citizens to promote the public welfare.

Worthy [ἀξίως]

So Paul exhorts them to this one thing; only let your conduct as citizens be worthy of the gospel of Christ. What is conduct worthy of the gospel?

Here is what it does not mean; it does not meant that you can by your own efforts or good deeds become worthy of the gospel. The gospel by definition is the good news of God’s grace freely given to those who don’t deserve it and could never earn it. To be worthy of the gospel is to simply own the fact that you are a sinner in need of a gift you cannot earn, and humbly receive God’s grace extended to you in Jesus. But that’s not what this verse is talking about.

The word translated ‘worthy’ is [ἀξίως], where we get our word ‘axiom’ or ‘axiomatic’. An axiom is a self-evident truth, something so obviously true it does not need to be proved. [ἀξίως] means ‘of similar weight or value, suitable, fitting, appropriate’. Let your conduct as citizens be fit to the gospel, suitable, appropriate, of similar weight and value to the gospel. Conduct yourselves in sync with the gospel. It ought to be self-evident that we are gospel people, living consistent with the gospel.

In Galatians 2:14, Paul confronted Peter publicly because his ‘conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel’. He was acting hypocritically, separating himself, acting as if he were better than Gentile believers, too good to eat with them.

If the gospel is the good news about Jesus, that he freely forgives undeserving sinners who simply ask, then conduct out of sync with the gospel would be like the servant in Jesus’ parable (Mt.18:23), who had defrauded his master and owed him an insurmountable mountain of debt, who was freely forgiven, who turned around and began to choke his fellow servant who owed him a minuscule fraction of his forgiven debt.

Gospel Unity

The specific ways he exhorts the Philippian church to live consistent with our gospel citizenship is gospel unity.

Unity Created by the Spirit

Present or absent, Paul wants to know that they are standing firm in one Spirit

The unity of believers is rooted in the Holy Spirit. The Ephesians passage that names us as fellow-citizens begins with this kind of gospel unity;

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Through Jesus we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Again in Ephesians 4 he urges conduct consistent with the gospel;

Ephesians 4:1 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. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Maintain the unity of the Spirit; we were united into one body by the Holy Spirit. There is one Spirit, one Lord, one God, the foundation of our unity.

Speaking of the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul says:

1 Corinthians 12:11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

Our unity as one body is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Paul’s desire is that we are standing firm in one Spirit, as soldiers, feet firmly planted, persevering, refusing to back down, not giving an inch to the enemy.

Striving Together on the Same Team

Paul shifts the metaphor from soldiers to athletes; [συναθλοῦντες] athletes or athletics, striving as athletes on the same team for the common goal. Not only not giving ground, but advancing down the field together, in unison, as one man, toward the goal.

We saw in verse 25 that Paul desires to remain with them for their progress and joy in the faith. Now he exhorts them whether he is present or absent to a unified passion advancing the faith of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ crucified for sinners.

He repeats some of these same words in his specific exhortations in chapter 4.

Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel ...

Stand firm in the Lord; these women who are in conflict have labored side by side with me as athletes on the same team to advance the gospel.

We have a choice. Demand our own rights, Struggle with one another in tension with each other, live inconsistent with the gospel. Or stand firm in the unity of the Spirit, live out the gospel, lay down our rights and struggle side by side together to advance the faith, to advance the gospel.

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2023.10.08 Sermon Notes

Philippians 1:27; Citizens in Sync with the Gospel

to live as a citizen

with all its rights and responsibilities

Acts 22:24- 23:1

Ephesians 2:19-21

Philippians 3:20

worthy; to live consistent with the gospel

Galatians 2:14

Matthew 18:23-35

Stand firm in unity created by the Spirit

Ephesians 2:13-18

Ephesians 4:1-6

1 Corinthians 12:11-13

Strive together as athletes on the same team advancing toward the same goal

Philippians 4:1-3

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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org