When he wrote to the Philippian church, he was in prison. In prison he knew that he faced a capital crime and that he might be executed. If you were in prison and you thought that you might die, what kind of letter would you write?
We do not have to guess at what kind of letter the Apostle Paul would write, the letter to the Philippians is his letter.
Paul said in a previous sermon that for him to, "Live is Christ and to die was gain". This man of God was not afraid of dying, but he was concerned about what his death might do to others.
After giving his perspective on life and death, Paul turns his attention to admonishing the Philippians to have that same perspective in the Christian life.
And it is that Christian lifestyle that we will deal with today. Let me show you several interesting things in this passage of scripture, such as:
I. OUR CONDUCT
Look at verse 27, we read, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
Notice, this verse starts with the word “Only”.
Paul states that:
• Whether he lives or dies
• Whether he remains captive or free
• Whether he is able to come see them or not
They are to let their conduct be worthy of the gospel of Jesus.
Paul is saying that no matter what happens to him, they must have ONE desire, ONE AIM, and that is to live the Christian life, putting Christ FIRST in their life.
WHY IS HE SAYING THAT? Because many times things can happen to a loved one, and a person will blame God for it and will go so far as to quit serving the Lord.
Today, we live in an age where people do not want to accept responsibility for anything, and if they can find someone to blame things on - THEY WILL!
Illus: For example, today…
• If a man cuts his finger off while slicing salami at work, he blames the restaurant.
• If a man smokes three packs a day for 40 years and dies of lung cancer, his family blames the tobacco company.
• If a man crashes into a tree while driving home drunk, he blames the bartender.
• If your grandchildren are brats without manners, you blame television.
• If your friend is shot by a deranged madman, you blame the gun manufacturer.
• And if a crazed person breaks into the cockpit and tries to kill the pilot at 35,000 feet, and the passengers kill him instead, the mother of the deceased blames the airline.
Illus: Someone that spent a lot of time in front of a computer said, “I must have lived too long to understand the world as it is anymore. So, if I die while I am parked in front of this computer, I want you to blame Bill Gates...okay?”
Nobody wants to take any responsibility these days, they just want to blame someone else for what goes wrong.
Illus: An elderly couple left the restaurant after finishing their meal. The elderly woman left her glasses on the table, but she didn't miss them until they were back on the road. By then, they had to travel quite a distance before they could find a place to turn around. The elderly and grouchy old man fussed and complained all the way back to the restaurant. She said, “The reason I forgot my eye glasses was because you were rushing me to get in the car to leave.” He just wouldn't let up one minute. He told her how careless and forgetful she had become. When they finally arrived at the restaurant, as the woman got out of the car to get her eye glasses, her husband yelled to her, "While you're in there, you might as well get my hat."
People are not willing to take responsibility. They are going to find someone to blame their mistakes on even if they have to blame them on God.
Illus: For example, a man in his 60’s used to attend church regularly but now will not go to church. Why? Because he blames God for a drunk driver who smashed into his father’s car and killed him. Listen, God wasn’t driving that car that killed his father, if he is going to blame anyone, he should blame the drunk driver who was driving the car.
Paul wanted to come and see them, but he knew that there was a good chance he might not be able come because he might be executed for his faith. Paul did not want them to let circumstances control their faith.
Their conduct should not depend on circumstances. Regardless of what happened Paul wanted them to conduct their lives in a manner worthy of the gospel. Our conduct reflects the kind of faith we have in the Lord.
Look at the word “conversation” in verse 27. When we think of the word “conversation” we think of speaking. Actually it has a much broader meaning here.
• We communicate with our words
• We also communicate with our conduct
Sometimes our DEEDS speak louder than our WORDS.
When I tell people that I am a Christian, my conduct should be the same as Christ’s conduct would be. Paul said that OUR CONDUCT should be worthy of the Savior we represent.
Illus: Suppose you were pulled over by a police officer for speeding. I know that it would never happen to any of you because you all go the speed limit.
Suppose this policeman who pulled you over came up to your car and said, "Look, we can forget about this whole thing if you give me $25.”
Most of us would be pretty shocked at such behavior. We would think to ourselves, “What kind of policeman is this?” His behavior would certainly not be worthy of the law he represents.
Today, the CONDUCT of many people who profess to be saved is not very becoming to the Savior that they are supposed to represent.
While we may be wrong in our conduct, that does not take away from the worth of Christ, just as a dishonest police officer does not take away from the worth of the law he is supposed to uphold.
The problem is not the SAVIOR Christians represent, the problem is the way they represent THE SAVIOR. Paul is telling them to let their conduct be worthy of Christ.
The beginning of verse 27 literally reads in Greek, "Perform your duties as a good citizen". Later on, he tells them in Philippians 3:20, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,"
We are citizens of Heaven living on earth. The lost world will judge heaven, by it’s citizens.
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger was on a mission trip in Jamaica. Anyone who has been there knows that these folks do not do things like we do in America. He was in the lobby of the hotel when a tour group of Americans arrived at the motel. They were LOUD and they were RUDE! Several of the people who were trying to register and assign them a room were giving each other that look of disgust, as if to say, “Can you believe these Americans!”
Christians are CITIZENS of heaven passing through this life here on earth. We need to always remember that our conduct is supposed to represent heaven.
Listen to Paul’s words to another group of believers. In Colossians 1:10, he says, "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."
We see three things in this verse that will make our conduct worthy of the Lord.
(1) OUR CONDUCT MUST BE FULLY PLEASING TO HIM
In other words we need to bring glory to the Lord by our conduct. Ask yourself:
• Have I done anything this week that brought glory to the Lord?
• Did I please Him in some way this week?
• Was I loyal to the Lord, loyal to His commandments and teachings?
If not, you need to change your conduct. We need to please God by being a worthy and loyal citizen of heaven.
Illus: One thing that really upsets people is a person who would betray their country. Back during the Viet Nam War, Jane Fonda went over on the enemy’s side and got in one of the tanks that was pointed toward American Soldiers. This country has never forgiven her for that disloyalty and she has been branded as “Hanoi Jane” every since then.
Yet in the Christian community we see disloyal citizens all the time, people who do not walk worthy of the Lord.
(2) OUR CONDUCT SHOULD PRODUCE GOOD WORKS
“being fruitful in every good work” In other words, being a Christian does not just mean coming to church and sitting on a pew each week.
We are to be doing good works, being fruitful for the Lord. If your are not doing good works and serving the Lord as you should, your conduct is not worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
(3) OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD SHOULD BE INCREASING
Are we growing Spiritually? Are we learning more and more about God as we go through this life?
The best way to increase your knowledge of God is to:
• Attend Sunday School every Sunday
• Go to church and listen to the sermons
• Read His word for yourself
You need to be reading the Bible every day, praying that God would speak to you through His word.
For our conduct to be worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must:
• Be loyal to Him, bring Him glory
• Do good works that will also glorify Him
• Grow in the knowledge of God
But look at another word in verse 27 we need to consider, it is the word “becometh”.
Illus: When we see this word we think of fashion! Some folks do not know how to dress. They put the:
• Wrong Colors together
• Wrong Fabrics together
• Wrong patterns together.
In fact, some dress in such a way that it causes people to look at them and shake their heads in unbelief.
But notice something else he says in verse 27. In the second part of that verse Paul states, "That you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,"
Stand fast means that we are to stand together, with no compromise. We are to remain loyal to the Lord, helping one another, encouraging one another, building each other up in the holy faith.
Paul states that we are to be in, "one spirit and one mind".
When a church is pulled in different directions, with each person doing their own thing, not much can be accomplished. That is why Paul states we must be one in Spirit and mind.
We must set goals and work together to see those goals reached for the glory of God.
Illus: Now one in spirit and mind does not mean that we are all going to agree on every issue that comes up. That didn’t happen in Paul’s day, and it isn’t going to happen here. One spirit and one mind means we are to be united in purpose, and that purpose needs to be to see Christ glorified.
Paul tells us that we are to be "steadfast" in one spirit.
• Don’t let distractions turn us from the path which God has put before us.
• Don’t let things that happen in the church cause us to lose our direction.
• Don’t let things that happen at home, or at work cause us to deviate from the road God is leading this Church on, the road He’s leading each one of us on.
Paul also states that there is to be a unity of labor among the believers. Here Paul writes that we need to be "striving together”.
The Greek word which is translated "striving together" is the same word that we get the English word "athletics" from. What Paul is saying here is that we need teamwork in accomplishing the work of the gospel. We cannot do it alone.
Each born-again Christian has been given a gift that God wants that individual to use. We are given gifts and talents to use in accomplishing the work of the Gospel. To not use the gifts and talents that Lord has given you is to have conduct which is not worthy of the gospel.
II. OUR COURAGE
Look at verses 28-30, we read, “And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”
Living in an evil society likes ours takes courage. The Christian believer is sometimes: ridiculed, mocked, cursed, rejected, slandered, persecuted, imprisoned and sometimes martyred.
But we are not to be “terrified” by our adversaries. Why are we not to be terrified? Paul list a number of reasons, such as:
(1) PERSECUTION IS A SIGN OF DAMNATION
Paul told the Philippian Christians do not be TERRIFIED. WHY? “Which is to them an evident token of perdition, ….”
Persecution is a sign of “PERDITION” or DAMNATION to the LOST. The Philippians could be assured that God would judge those who persecuted them for Jesus’ sake. The persecutors would finally be destroyed.
But another reason we should not be terrified is-
(2) PERSECUTION IS A SIGN OF SALVATION FOR US
“And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, BUT TO YOU OF SALVATION, AND THAT OF GOD.”
Look at 2 Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
When a believer stands fast in their persecution it is proof they truly know the Lord Jesus.
(3) PERSECUTION IS A PRIVILEGE NOT A TERROR
When we are persecuted for our faith, we are being persecuted for Christ. It is not something we have done that we are being persecuted for, it is because of Christ.
Conclusion:
Let’s bring this sermon to the point where we can step back and look to see where we fit in.
As we have looked at the different aspects of these verses, we need to ask ourselves:
• "Is my conduct worthy of the Gospel?"
• “Am I a good citizen of the Kingdom of God?”
• “Am I gaining in knowledge of God?"
• “Does my conduct reflect my faith?”
These are the questions we need to ask ourselves. We need to ask them and we need to be truthful with the answers because a lot depends on it.
I. OUR CONDUCT
II. OUR COURAGE
