A New Year Resolution: Live Right In A Wrong Living World

Sermon – A New Year Resolution: Live Right in a Wrong Living World

Philippians 1:27-30 “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.” NLT

Introduction: What is your new year’s resolution? Paul exhorts the Christians at Philippi and all of us to Live as Citizens of Heaven! Uncertain whether he (Paul) would see his Philippian converts again, Paul entreats them to fulfill his hopes, by mutual love and boldness in maintaining their Christian profession (27-30); exhorts them to unity, humility, and generous hospitality. Paul call them to follow after the example of their Lord and urges them to persevere in holy obedience which lives out the truth of the gospel. Although Paul was facing martyrdom, the prospect of hearing a good report from them would bring joy to his heart. He promises to send Timothy, and hopes to come himself shortly; but He sends Epaphroditus at once, because of their earnest love to one whose labors and sufferings deserve their highest esteem (25-30).

The phrase “let your conversation” refers to their conduct and lifestyle. The Christian life has a proper behavior, dress code, and manner of life, We are citizens of Heaven, and we behave as citizens, we walk worth of the gospel of Christ. Contrary to popular opinion, everybody is not doing it. There will always be those who will live right in a wrong living world. Knowing the strong influence of the culture, and the attraction of sin, Paul exhorts these called out believers to live Right in a wrong living world.

Throughout scripture we find people who lived right in a wrong living world. Today, we will look at the secret to living right and gaining heaven. If you and I are going to successful, we must make a conscious decision for God, his Laws and His ways. Every generation has faced its own pandemics, temptations, and difficulties. No one ever successfully follow God without decision. If believers are going to live Right in a wrong living world, they must make a necessary decision.

1. A Necessary Decision–Joshua 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Living right in a wrong living world is a decision. Life comes down to one of two choices, you either are going to serve Jesus or you are going to serve the world. It is a choice that everyone has to make, you cannot straddle the fence, you can’t be lukewarm, this is an all or nothing decision. Joshua saw life in black and white, and told the people, his family was going to live right in a wrong living world.

Mt 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” If believers are going to live Right in a wrong living world, they must a make a necessary decision. Then we must make a faith declaration.

2. A Faith Declaration–Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

This is a bold faith declaration, “O King, we are not careful to give you an answer on this, because it is simply like this: our God can deliver us out of the fiery furnace or He can choose to let us burn in the fire. But either way we want you to know one thing, we aren’t bowing to this world. If you are going to live right in a wrong living world, you have got to have a no matter what spirit. No matter what happens to me, I am not giving up on God, I am not serving this world. If things go good for me, fine, if they don’t, it is well with my soul. Paul knew that righteous living would attract undeserved attacks from the world. He knew the world would accuse them of being fanatically, too narrow, holier than thou but they were to stand strong. You see righteous living require a necessary decision, a faith declaration, and a consoling discovery.