LIVE LIVES WORTHY OF GOD’S GOSPEL (Outline)
September 30, 2007 -
PENTECOST 18 -
Philippians 1:18b-27
INTRO: Every day you and I and everyone else in this world make choices, value judgments. According to our standards we decide what is important or not important. We judge what is valuable or not so valuable. This is a fact of life. At times we use the age-old excuse of “I don’t have time” when we have judged something not to be worth our time or effort. Today’s text once again provides with a great comfort and encouragement in our daily living. The Lord God Almighty, our heavenly Father has judged that we are worthy of his time. In God’s eyes every soul is eternally important and valuable to him. As believers we have been given grace to see God’s great love for each one of us though we are, the worst of sinners. "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life"(1 TIMOTHY 1:16). Our text reminds us of the believers’ response to God’s great love and free grace. We are moved to
LIVE LIVES WORTHY OF GOD’S GOSPEL.
We want to live lives worthy of God’s gospel because:
I. We are united by faith to God and believers, and; II. we are joyful in faith.
I. UNITED BY FAITH
A. The apostle Paul wrote this letter as hundreds of miles separated him from this congregation.
1. Paul was presently in Rome and in prison and in chains. Yet, here are words of confidence.
2. Paul’s earthly outcome was unknown. Whether life or death he was confident, verses 20b, 21.
B. Paul struggled with life and death. He had seen everything and longed to be in heaven, verse 22.
1. Paul wonders out loud for these believers his struggle, verse 23. Paul was torn.
2. Verse 24. The decision is made and Paul is to stay to encourage the believers.
C. Even in prison and in chains Paul was confident in his faith. He was united to Christ by faith
1. Paul also found great comfort and encouragement as he was united by faith to other believers.
2. Paul felt their prayers for him! Verse 19. His deliverance was assured – in living or by death.
D. As believers we live by faith and not by sight. This is what our heavenly Father wants us to remember in these verses. Our lives have been drastically changed by God’s grace. No longer do we sit in the dark. We are God’s children of light. No longer do we serve ourselves selfishly and without concern for our neighbor. We are united to God by faith. We want to live lives worthy of God’s gospel. This is done not by our own reason or strength. God-pleasing lives are possible solely by the power of God and God alone. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me"(GALATIANS 2:20).
E. Paul pens these words as a prisoner who is separated from his Christian friends and family. Yet there is confidence in this prisoner alone in solitary confinement. First, Paul knows and believes that God has not forsaken him. Paul knows that his fellow believers also care for him. They are praying for him. This is the boldness and confidence we all have as believers in our Father who sent His Son to die in our place. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need"(HEBREWS 4:16). NOTE: that we will “receive mercy and find grace” in our time of need. There is no mention of healing or blessing or deliverance (though God can and does provide them) here. Truly we need to receive God’s divine mercy and free grace!
F. It takes a journey and life of faith to have the same struggle that Paul describes here. Not too many who are young in age or in faith say “I have seen enough and done enough, I am ready to be in heaven”. Such a statement in longing for heaven seems to come with a mature faith. Many may even have some of the gray hairs of wisdom to change their love of earthly things into a longing for the heavenly. This is good that we live our lives here longing for the best that is yet to come. It does take faith. "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it"(2 CORINTHIANS 5:8,9). While living here longing for heaven we still make it our goal to please him.
LIVE LIVES WORTHY OF GOD’S GOSPEL being united by faith and then, joyful in faith.
II. JOYFUL IN FAITH
A. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is a letter of joy and rejoicing. Please read this letter soon.
1. Paul was joyful because even in prison in Rome the gospel was being preached.
2. Verse 18b. Paul was going to continue to rejoice because the gospel was freely proclaimed.
3. By being a prisoner influential government people listened to Paul’s testimony of faith.
B. Remember that Paul also found great joy in being united to believers who prayed for him, verse 19.
1. Paul did not really know if he would see them again, face-to-face, verse 27b.
2. Paul did know that he was to remain for their benefit and their joy of a growing faith, verse 25.
3. Paul’s joy was contagious. The believers’ joy was to be the same, overflowing, verse 26.
C. ALL the believers had joy as they were united by faith to God and one another, verse 27a.
D. We would have to admit that in our nation and at this time of history we are blessed with great freedom. There is a certain joy in being able to do what we want when we want without persecution for our individual choices of freedom. There is an even greater joy for every believer. We are reminded that at one time we were prisoners. We were held captive by our own sinful nature. Now, by God’s grace and gift of faith we have been set free from the power of sin, death, and the devil. We rejoice and continue to rejoice for this simple gospel truth that is ours. "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand"(PSALM 19:11).
E. It is also true that we may not always find joy in everything in this life. We might feel forgotten or rejected because of our stand on the teachings of Scripture. God’s word still calls wickedness and rebellion sin. The world does not like that word and may include you as a radical extremist to believe to literally in the Bible. The disciples felt persecution was a joy because it meant that others saw in them Christ – whom the world not only persecuted but also even put to death. "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed"(1 PETER 4:13).
F. Our lives are filled with joy – always. This is especially true in our day and age and world that looks and looks and looks and finds very little, if anything at all, to be joyful about. Here is the great difference between believers and everyone else. We are joyful in the midst of sadness. We find hope when others look at hopelessness. We find help when we realize how helpless we are. The world around us, those without faith, quickly give up and give in to overwhelming feelings of despair. They are alone because they are not united to Christ. Joy is missing for them. May that never ever be in your life! "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit"(ROMANS 15:13). May your hope always overflow into the lives of others!
CONC.: Christ came to earth to live and suffer and die for us. He became poor so that we might become rich. Our souls are valuable in God’s eyes. Christ rose from the dead and now prepares a place for us in heaven. Our reaction!?! We LIVE LIVES WORTHY OF GOD’S GOSPEL. We can do this because we are united by faith to God and other believers. This bond provides us with joy. "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace"(ACTS 20:24).
Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
WORSHIP SER.: SAT – 1:00pm @ NCF Min., &
SUN – 9:30am @ Church & 12:00pm @ NCF Medium
Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM + www.kqnk.com
PENTECOST 18 readings:
AMOS 8:4-7;
1 TIMOTHY 2:1-8;
LUKE 16:1-13
(PSALM 38)
