Introduction:
Before I give the introductory information, which may not be exciting to all, I just want you to know that we’re going to cover the exciting topic of how to experience a bit of Heaven on earth. The doctor who says, "The good news is you’re going to Heaven, the bad news is you’re going on Monday," has a limited knowledge of what Heaven is like.
Revelations 21:1-4 tells us, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
So "going to Heaven" and "bad news" should never be in the same sentence. Before we go further, let’s review some old and look at some new introductory information.
We are studying through the letter to the Philippians, written by the Apostle Paul from a Roman prison cell around 60 AD. The church at Philippi, to which this letter was sent, was a diverse church made up of Asians, Greeks and Romans.
The city, Philippi, which was named after Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, became a colony of the Roman Empire around 42 BC. As a result many Roman veterans and Roman citizens settled in Philippi. Therefore, many in Philippi were loyal and proud citizens of Rome, but living far from Rome.
From our knowledge of this setting, we can better understand this morning’s portion of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Chapter 1, verses 27-30.
We will be looking at this passage under the framework of bringing some of Heaven to earth. This framework comes from the observation made in verse 27, where the Greek word translated into the English word, "conduct" can be more accurately translated as, "to live as a citizen." So we can read verse 27 as, "Whatever happens, live as a citizen worthy of the gospel of Christ." The gospel of Christ is the good news that God has come as man in Jesus Christ to die on the cross to make right a relationship with sinners, with you and me. A right relationship with God includes the promise of Heaven, and a new identity as a citizen of Heaven.
Paul is writing to the Christians in Philippi, who understand the reality of Roman citizens not living in Rome but living in Philippi, and Paul uses this analogy to encourage Christians, who are citizens of Heaven not yet living in Heaven but living on earth.
Hebrews 11:13-16 tells us about those who have faith in God’s provision of Heaven: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."
This morning we’re going to answer some of the following questions: "How should we live as citizens of Heaven while on earth?" "How can we endure the difficulties of a fallen world, when we have received the promise of a perfect world?" "How can we be heavenly minded and be earthly good?" "How can we enjoy some of Heaven on earth?" And "Can we bring some of Heaven to earth?"
Paul points out three ways for us to bring some of Heaven to earth, so that we can enjoy some of Heaven on earth.
The first way to bring some of Heaven to earth is for citizens of Heaven to stand together for the good news of Jesus Christ. We read this in verses 27b-28a.
Living as citizens of Heaven on earth is often made difficult when citizens of Heaven are not standing together for the good news of Jesus Christ. The frequent observation that Christians shoot their own wounded is the opposite of what Paul calls us to do. I have not seen this kind of foolishness at our church. But in some churches, they will admit to being sinners saved by God’s favor and not of their own effort. Yet, when a brother or sister is caught in sin or weakness, they are less compassionate toward him or her than the citizens of earth are toward him or her.
In other Christian gatherings, they will admit to living by the grace and mercy of God, yet they expect their brother or sister to live according to an impossible standard. In still other Christian gatherings, they rejoice in being forgiven, yet they will not forgive the wrongs done against them by others. We cannot bring some of Heaven to earth when we live divided lives on earth.
Federal General, Ulysses S. Grant, appraised the bloody Battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War by noting, "The troops on both sides were Americans, and united they need not fear any foreign foe." Yet, in the Civil War, the enemies of the American citizens were other American citizens.
In a past issue of Leadership Journal, I read about a militant group of demonstrators violently trying to break into a worship service. During this crisis, the pastor of that small Caucasian church called a fellow African American pastor of a church in the same town. Within minutes, a busload of African Americans in choir robes showed up in front of the little church and began to sing. They worked their way around the militant demonstrators and formed a barrier in front of the church entrance. Soon another busload came, and more and louder singing muffled the profanity of the demonstrators until the demonstrators slowly walked off.
Paul calls us to stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened or intimidated in any way by those who oppose you. Those who opposed the Christians at Philippi could have been religious teachers, militant demonstrators or the Roman government. Paul doesn’t give us the specifics. But whoever they were, they were opposing the good news that God has come not to condemn the world but to save it.
Yet, no matter what or who our opposition is, when citizens of Heaven stand together for the good news of Jesus Christ, we need not fear any opposition. This means no citizen of Heaven can stand alone by himself or by herself trying to demonstrate God’s good news.
The good news is God loves you, and He has chosen us to demonstrate that love to you. The good news is that God provides for your every need, and He has chosen us to demonstrate His abundance to you. The good news is that God forgives you of your wrongs, and He has chosen us to demonstrate His forgiveness to you. The good news is that God is preparing a people for Heaven, and He has chosen us to demonstrate what kind of people you will be living with in Heaven.
Each one of us needs to grow in our ability to be God’s man or God’s woman in the life of another Christian. In the book of Acts, chapter 2, verses 44-45, we observe the working out of such standing together, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." The Bible does not command that we live a communal lifestyle but an unselfish and generous lifestyle.
Susan and I plan to serve God and to serve the church without reserve. We don’t need to look out for ourselves first, because we are confident that you, as the church, will meet the needs we have that we cannot meet on our own. Not only should the pastor and his family have this confidence, but every member in this church should be confident that if you have needs that you cannot legitimately meet, we as the church will help meet them.
Unifying with citizens of Heaven to show the favor of God is the best way to stand up for what you believe and to bring some of Heaven to earth. Someone wrote this, "You are writing a Gospel, a chapter each day, by the deeds that you do and the words that you say. Men read what you write, whether faithful or true; just what is the gospel according to you?"
The gospel or good news of Jesus Christ is simply recorded in Luke 4:18-19, where Jesus tells us, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." In other words, the good news is God has come to set us free from the barriers that keep us from Himself and from one another.
If we stand together as citizens of Heaven for the faith of the gospel, we will not only be able to help each other cope with the difficulties of a fallen world, but we can transform the fallen world into a bit of Heaven. We can bring some of Heaven to earth.
The second way to bring some of Heaven to earth is for citizens of Heaven to trust in Christ. We read this in verses 28-29a.
When what you see around you appears to oppose you and oppose God, do you trust that God is in control? The news of meaningless violence and unnecessary famine in many countries around the world would lead many of us to question whether God is in control.
And in our own home front, the self-proclaimed model nation, the killing of innocent babies, the crumbling of family systems, the redefining of values and the lack of difference some churches make has lead many to seek change through the government. Many are hoping to vote the opposition out of the White House this year, whether your opposition is the Democrats or the Republicans?
Dr. Tony Evans gives us a wonderful perspective when he said, "God does not ride on the backs of donkeys or elephants. He has not come to take sides, but He has come to take control." I’m going to vote, but I don’t believe that government is the ultimate solution or the root problem. I believe that God is in charge and He has the ultimate solution, which is Jesus Christ, to the root problem, which is sin in humankind.
God has told us the root problem, "There is no one righteous, not even one." From one of God’s great prophets, Jeremiah, we are reminded, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" The problem is not the government or the institutions, but the individuals who make up the government and institutions.
The solution is a new heart, given to individuals who trust in Jesus Christ. Christians have a permanent Resident in our hearts, the Holy Spirit, Who serves as the Guide in our lives. Paul tells us in verse 29a, "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him...." We have the gift of trusting Christ, not the government, not school reformation, not a philosophy, not strong military power, but to trust in the resurrected Christ as our ultimate and eternal solution.
A father was getting ready to enjoy his evening paper, when his five-year-old son came into the room looking for someone to play with. The father took a page of his paper with a map of the world, and he tore the page into little pieces. He gave the pieces to his son as a puzzle to put together, hoping to get half an hour of quiet. His son came back in 5 minutes, with the map of the world put together correctly.
The father asked, "Son, how did you know which piece of the world went with which piece of the world?"
The son replied, "Well, Dad, on the back side of the world picture was a picture of a man. I knew that when I got the man right, I was sure the world would be right also."
So many of us believe that money, government, legislation, military force or trade embargo will get the world right. As citizens of Heaven, we need to trust Jesus Christ to get the man right, by renewing the men and women who are wrong with God into men and women who are right with God.
If you want to bring some of Heaven to earth, you need to partner with God in the great commission of making men and women right with God. Furthermore, you need to pray to God for the changes in human hearts that prison reform, stricter laws and more money can not change. A wicked heart can only be changed through the power of Christ at work in the individual. When an unbeliever becomes a believer, not only is his or her heart made new but a bit of Heaven is brought to earth.
Finally, a third way to bring some of Heaven to earth is for citizens of Heaven to suffer for Christ. We read this in verses 29-30.
Most of us here do not see our suffering for Christ as a gift from God as Paul sees suffering for Christ. Just as God granted the faith to believe in Christ, God also granted us the opportunity to suffer for Christ.
Let me clarify that not all suffering in the life of Christians will bring some of Heaven to earth, because some of the suffering of Christians are not for Christ’s sake. Some of us suffer because of bad choices we made in life. Others of us suffer because of sins committed against us. Still others of us suffer because of ignorance; we did not know better.
But the gift to suffer for Christ occurs when God calls us to stand for Christ and we obey. John 15:18-20 reads, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me (Jesus) first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: `No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also."
The moral teachings of Jesus Christ are far from being popular. Whether we discuss, teach or live out our Christian faith, we can expect people to make fun of us or to us call old fashion. In other countries, teaching and living out the Christian faith can get you beaten, imprisoned and killed. In America, it seems too much to obey when Christ calls us to save sex for our marriage partner, keep our word even when doing so would hurt us financially or inconvenience us or forgive others repeatedly for hurting us.
When we obey the teachings of Christ, we can expect to sacrifice some temporary pleasure, sacrifice some convenience or even sacrifice some justice. When we obey these teachings, we can expect to suffer some loss in the short run, but in the long run we will have gained and brought some of Heaven to earth.
When we save sex for our marriage partner, we will have brought some of the security of Heaven to our marriage partner. When we keep our promise despite inconvenience, we will have brought the trustworthiness of Heaven to our interaction with others. When we forgive those who hurt us, we will have brought the forgiveness of Heaven to our enemies.
The Apostle Peter reminds us in his second letter, chapter 2, verses 19-21: "For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."
When we suffer for Christ, and God does not intervene, recognize that He is in control. He wants to give you and me the opportunity to bring some of Heaven to earth.
Conclusion:
Heaven is not far away. Heaven is not on the other side of the clouds. The kingdom of Heaven is where the King of Heaven rules. If God rules in your heart, there the kingdom of Heaven is. If God rules in your marriage, there the kingdom of Heaven is. If God rules in your family, there the kingdom of Heaven is. If God rules in this church, here the kingdom of Heaven is.
A story is told of two pastors doing a funeral. One began to pray, and the other realized he left his notes in his car. So he whispered to the one praying, "Keep on praying until I come back."
That’s what Jesus calls us to do, to keep on praying until He comes back. He will come back to usher in Heaven completely, but meanwhile, this is what we are to pray: (taken from the instructions for prayer by Jesus in the book of Matthew, New Living Translation)
"Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.
May your kingdom come soon.
May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.
Give us food for today, and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
