Just a few years ago (February 2013), Great Britain's Food Standards Agency closed a slaughterhouse and a processing plant after investigators found horse carcasses had been used to make beef burgers and kebabs sold in Britain. A month later, Swedish furniture giant IKEA was drawn into the food labeling scandal as authorities said they had detected horsemeat in frozen meatballs labeled as beef and pork and sold in 13 countries across the continent.
Shortly after the European horsemeat scandal broke, officials in Iceland decided to run tests to make sure the same thing wasn't happening in Iceland. Fortunately, Icelandic meat inspectors didn't find any horsemeat, but one brand of locally produced beef pie left it stumped: it contained no meat at all. Instead it appeared to be some kind of vegetable product. One of the lead inspectors said, “That was the peculiar thing. It was labeled as beef pie, so it should be beef pie.” (CBCNews, “Horsemeat found in IKEA meatballs in Europe”, 2-25-13; CBCNews, “Iceland tests find meat pies contain no meat at all", 3-1-13; www.PreachingToday.com)
We carry the label “Christian.” What then do you suppose people should expect to find in our lives? Well, if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Philippians 1, Philippians 1, where the Bible clearly spells that out.
Philippians 1:27a Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ… (ESV)
The Bible is very clear. If you call yourself a “Christian,” you should…
LIVE IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL.
Conduct yourself in a way that brings honor to the good news of Jesus Christ. Relate to one another in a way that glorifies the One who died for you and rose again.
Nearly 40 years ago (1978), when the New York Yankees were the dominant team in major league baseball, the manager would say to the rookies, “Boys, it's an honor just to put on the New York pinstripes. So when you put them on, play like world champions. Play like Yankees. Play proud.” (Bill Hybels, "The Certainty of Suffering," Preaching Today, Tape No.164)
That’s exactly the idea we have here. We have put on Christ. The Bible says we are clothed in His righteousness. Therefore, we should live like champions. We should conduct ourselves as real CHRISTIANS.
In the original language, verse 27 literally says, “Politic in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ.” I suppose our politics today are anything but worthy of the Gospel, but in Bible days “politics” was a good word. It spoke of living together in a community. So verse 27 tells us that the good news of Christ’s love should have a profound effect on how we relate to one another.
A young lady named Sally took a seminary class taught by Professor Smith, who was known for his elaborate object lessons. One day, Sally walked into class to find a large target placed on the wall, with several darts resting on a nearby table. Professor Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked or someone who had made them angry – and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.
Sally's friend (on her right), drew a picture of another woman who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture of his younger brother. Sally drew a picture of Professor Smith, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on his face! She was quite pleased at the overall effect she'd achieved.
The class lined up and began throwing darts amidst much laughter. Some of the students threw with such force that they ripped apart their targets. But Sally, looking forward to her turn, was filled with disappointment when Professor Smith asked the students to return to their seats so he could begin his lecture. As Sally fumed about missing her chance to throw the darts, the professor began removing the target from the wall.
Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled image of their Savior – holes and jagged marks covered his face. His eyes were virtually pierced out.
Professor Smith said only these words, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Lee Rhodes, Wheeler, Michigan)
Tell me. Do you think throwing darts of bitterness, criticism, and gossip is worthy of our dear Savior’s love? I don’t think so. The Bible says, “Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
Well, what does that mean, exactly? What does that look like in our relationships with one another? Look again at verse 27
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… (ESV)
What does it mean to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel? It means…
STAND TOGETHER IN THE FIGHT.
Stand with one spirit. Strive with one mind, or more literally, as one soul.
To put it simply, we have to come together at the deepest parts of our being. Our spirits and our souls must unite as one spirit and soul.
Now, the words, “spirit” and “soul,” literally mean wind and breath. And if you can picture a great choir, with each member taking all their breaths at the same time, you get the picture we have here. How many of you have ever sung in a choir? Then you know how important it is to start and end each phrase at exactly the same time. The choir music even has breath marks, so the choir members know when to breathe. That way they sound like one voice, rather than 50 different voices, each trying to do their own thing.
In fact, recent research has found that the heart rates of choir members actually synchronize when they sing together. Using pulse monitors attached to the singers’ ears, researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden measured the changes in the choir members' heart rates as they navigated the intricate harmonies of a Swedish hymn. When the choir began to sing, their heart rates slowed down. But what really surprised them was that it took almost no time at all for the singers' heart rates to become synchronized. The readout from the pulse monitors started as a jumble of jagged lines, but quickly became a series of uniform peaks. The heart rates fell into a shared rhythm guided by the song's tempo. (Anna Haensch, “When Choirs Sing, Many Hearts Beat as One”, Shots Health News from NPR, July 10, 2013; http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/07/09/200390454/when-choirs-sing-many-hearts-beat-as-one)
Wow! What a picture of the way the church is supposed to function. When we come together as a one great choir, with one wind, and with one breath, are hearts are in sync, and we make God’s praise glorious! Not that we’re all going to be singing the same notes, because God made each of us different. But those notes must come together in perfect harmony, as we work together to bring honor and glory to our Lord, Jesus Christ. If we want to live worthy of the Gospel, we must come together.
Then we can compete together. We can “strive side by side” verse 27 says. The word is sunathleo, and it literally means we can be athletes together, playing as a team for the faith of the Gospel.
Francis Schaffer once said, “We cannot expect the world to believe that the Father sent the Son, that Jesus' claims are true, and that Christianity is true, unless the world sees some reality of oneness of true Christians. (Francis Schaeffer, “The Church Before the Watching World;” Christianity Today, Vol. 34, no.1)
In other words, if we don’t come together, the world will have no reason to believe that the Gospel is true. Do you see how important our unity is? Do you see how important it is that we work out our differences in the body of Christ? It has a direct bearing on whether or not people believe the Gospel. Our unity, or lack of it, can make the difference between heaven or hell for some people. That’s how important it is! When we come together, we can fight together for the faith of the Gospel.
Then and only then will we win together. Then and only then will we see men and women, boys and girls, coming to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Then and only then will we multiply disciples of Christ and accomplish the mission God has called us to.
Philippians 1:27-28 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. (ESV)
Our unity is a sign of the enemy’s destruction. But it’s also a sign of our salvation, our ultimate victory over the evil one. When we come together as one fighting unit, then we have no reason to be intimidated by anyone. We have no reason to be afraid. We have no reason to be scared, because victory is assured.
There is a popular YouTube video that shows four lions pouncing on three Cape buffalo as the buffalo drink from a watering hole. The Cape buffalo – mother, father, and calf – scatter when attacked, but the four lions are able to get hold of the tiny calf, and it doesn't look good. Gnawing, biting, tearing, and dragging, the lions fight to bring the calf out of the water to the ground. Then, some crocodiles get in on what seems to be a food fight. The little buffalo has no way of retaliating. All he can do is hang in there.
That's when the herd shows up. Take a look… (show Battle at Kruger video clip)
There are at least a hundred Cape buffalo. A solid wall of muscle and horns encircles the four lions. The largest, strongest bulls stand side by side, forming a battering ram of horns at the front of the mass. One at a time, the largest bulls take turns charging the lions. One bull gores a lion, throwing it ten feet in the air. The other lions keep gnawing at the calf, which is still alive, but now out of the water and away from the crocodiles. The lions don't take the herd seriously—until another lion gets gored. And another gets stampeded. Finally, the calf breaks free from the last lion, and the largest bulls chase the pride of lions away.
What no single buffalo could do alone – chase away four lions – the community of buffalo easily did together. In the end, the calf walked away without a limp. One animal expert explained that Cape buffalo typically function in various individual groups and even fight with each other. But, she added, “If a youngster is threatened, both the harem males and bachelor males – which usually fight with one another – will get together to try to rescue it.” (John S. Dickerson, The Great Evangelical Recession, Baker Books, 2013, p. 153; www. PreachingToday.com)
When we come together to fight together. Then we win together. The enemy loses, and people are rescued from his clutches. Do you want to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ? Then, 1st of all, stand together in the fight. Then 2nd…
SUFFER TOGETHER FOR CHRIST.
Go through some hard times together. Experience some pain together. Struggle together in the cause of Christ.
Philippians 1:29-30 For it has been granted to you [i.e., freely given to as a favor] 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.
Paul and the early Believers struggled together in the cause of Christ, and they considered it a privilege. And that’s exactly what it is! Suffering is a gift of God’s grace, freely given to us as a favor from heaven, along with our faith.
You say, “Phil, that’s nuts! How in the world can suffering be considered a favor from heaven?” Well, it IS a favor, because of what it accomplishes. Romans 5 tells us that suffering produces perseverance, character, and…hope (Romans 5:3-4). James 1 tells us that suffering develops perseverance, maturity, and completeness. And this passage, Philippians 1, implies that suffering brings us into fellowship with Christ and each other like nothing else can.
Helen Roseveare was a British medical doctor who worked for many years as a missionary in Zaire. During the revolution of the 1960s, she often faced brutal beatings and other forms of physical torture. On one occasion, when she was about to be executed, she feared God had forsaken her.
In that moment, she sensed the Holy Spirit saying to her: “Twenty years ago you asked me for the privilege of being identified with me. This is it. Don’t you want it? This is what it means. These are not your sufferings; they are my sufferings. All I ask of you is the loan of your body.”
The privilege of serving Christ through her sufferings overwhelmed Dr. Roseveare. After she was delivered, she wrote about her experience with God: “He didn’t stop the sufferings. He didn’t stop the wickedness, the cruelties, the humiliation or anything. It was all there. The pain was just as bad. The fear was just as bad. But it was altogether different. It was in Jesus, for him, with him.” (Philip Ryken, The Message of Salvation, Inter-Varsity Press, 2001; www.PreachingToday.com)
Our pain and suffering is a gift of God’s grace, which allows us to share in Christ’s sufferings. It brings us into intimate communion with Jesus Himself, because our suffering allows us to share something with Him that no one else shares.
But not only does our pain bring us closer to Christ; it brings us closer to one another.
Several years ago (2001), a lion (Leo), a Bengal tiger (Shere Kahn), and an American black bear (Baloo) were rescued from their owner, a drug dealer, who didn’t take care of them very well. The bear's harness had grown into its skin, because the owner didn't loosen it as the animal grew. All three animals were abused and neglected until they were rescued in 2001. The bear's harness was surgically removed, and all three have recovered 100 percent. They were taken in by Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary in Georgia.
The staff initially tried to separate them, thinking the three large predators would fight, but they acted out all the more. During separation, the animals were uncooperative. But once they were reunited, they calmed down and behaved well. Today, the three friends spend their days together playing ball, cuddling, chasing each other, and eating cookies. Allison Hedgecoth of Noah's Ark said, “They live together and they don't see their differences.” (Steve Osunsami, “Lion, Tiger and Bear Make for Odd, Yet Happy Family at Ga. Sanctuary,” abcnews.com, 8-10-13; www.PreachingToday.com)
Their shared suffering brought these natural enemies together like nothing else could, and that’s what hard times do. They bring people together. As we suffer together, we can have a stronger bond than we’ve ever had before, but only if we believe, only if we take the faith that God gives us, along with the suffering, and use it to depend on Him. We must trust God. We must believe God. Otherwise our trials will serve only to tear us apart, rather than bring us together.
How about it? Will you believe God with me? Will you trust God to bring good out our struggles together? Will you depend God to bring us together as never before? I hope so, because that’s the only way we’ll ever live worthy of the Gospel. That’s the only way we’ll ever bring honor to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
If we want to promote the good news of God’s love, then we must stand together in suffering for the Savior. Stand together in the fight, and suffer together for Christ. That’s what it takes.
Nicholas Kristof is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times, who just last year (March 2015) wrote a column entitled, “A Little Respect for Dr. Foster.” Kristof makes it clear that he isn't an evangelical Christian yet, but, he says, “I've been truly awed by those I've seen in so many remote places, combating illiteracy and warlords, famine and disease, humbly struggling to do the Lord's work as they see it… “ In the column, he focuses on “Dr. Stephen Foster, 65, a white-haired missionary surgeon who has lived in Angola for 37 years – much of that in a period when the Angolan regime was Marxist and hostile to Christians.”
“We were granted visas,” [Foster] said, “by the very people who would tell us publicly, ‘your churches are going to disappear in 20 years,’ but privately, ‘you are the only ones we now willing to serve in the midst of the fire.’”
Kristof writes, “One son contracted polio; a daughter survived cerebral malaria; and the family nearly starved when the area was besieged during war and Dr. Foster insisted on sharing the family rations with 100 famished villagers.”
Kristof concludes: “The next time you hear someone at a cocktail party mock evangelicals, think of Dr. Foster and those like him. These are folks who don't so much proclaim the gospel as live it. They deserve better.” (Nicholas Kristof, “A Little Respect for Dr. Foster,” The New York Times Sunday Review, 3-28-15; www.PreachingToday.com)
May the same be said of you and me who bear the name “Christian” or “Evangelical.” Let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ.
