Walk In A Manner Worthy

I. In the 2022 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks took a cornerback in the fourth round who has an interesting name: Coby Bryant. I say his name is interesting because he was named after the professional basketball player, Kobe Bryant.

After the draft, he was asked by a reporter whether there was any pressure in being named after one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He responded, “Not really pressure—more of a privilege, honestly. It just means I have to work twice as hard to live up that name and set a name for myself as well, too, and most importantly, represent him as well as I can.” He knew that his parents had been great fans of the basketball player and had so named him in his honor, and was determined to live up to that name.

A. Walt Disney’s children also had to contend with wearing a famous name. When Charles Lindbergh’s son was kidnapped, Walt realized that celebrity’s families were at risk, so he completely shielded his daughters from publicity and never took them to big Disney events. In so doing, he protected them, but also kept them ignorant of the family legacy. When his daughter Dianne was six, a friend at school excitedly asked, “Is your father really Walt Disney?” Later that night, when Walt was reading the paper, Dianne exclaimed in exasperation, “Daddy, you never told me you were Walt Disney!”

B. As Christians, we too wear a great name. Unlike Dianne Disney, we know exactly who our namesake is. Like Coby, we are challenged with living up to the name that we wear. How often have we looked at a young man or woman on the verge of making their own way in the world and said, “He/she is going to be just like his/her father/mother?” Rom 8:28-29 speaks of our becoming like Christ. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” [NKJV]

This passage tells us that God’s plan for those who love Him is that they be “conformed to the image of His Son.” We wear Christ’s name; we need to do so in a manner that honors that great name. People need to look at us and say, “He/she is just like his Heavenly Father.”

C. Paul urged the Philippian brethren to consider that in Phil 1:27. “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Paul laid out in the surrounding verses three particular ways in which they needed to conduct themselves worthily of Christ in the face of the coming persecution: stand fast, be united, and not let the world’s opposition deter them. This is not the only place where Paul counsels Christians to walk worthily. Let’s look at what else Paul has to say on this topic.

II. Turn to 1 Thes 2:10-12. “You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

Paul speaks of how he behaved when with the Thessalonians. Like a father toward his children, he exhorted (or encouraged) and comforted them. In particular, like a father toward his children he gave them a solemn charge to walk worthily of God. He is saying, “Live in such a way that you bring honor to your Father in heaven.”

III. In Col 1:9-12, Paul again describes how to walk worthily. “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

A. In verse 9, Paul says “for this reason we also, since the day we heard it.” Obviously, we began reading here in the middle of a thought. It refers back to verse 4, where he speaks of having heard of their faith and acts of love. Recognizing their love for God, Paul now prays in verses 9-12 that they might in all ways conduct themselves worthily of the Lord in order to fully please him. Paul tells us much here about how to do that, expanding still further upon his comments to the Philippians that we looked at previously.