The Gospel-Shaped Life: Together to Do Battle

THE GOSPEL-SHAPED LIFE: TOGETHER TO DO BATTLE  

An Exposition of Philippians 1:27-30

By Pastor Brian Wilbur

Date:   April 15, 2018

Series: Philippians: Gospel Partnership on Mission in the World

Note:   Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION

At the beginning of Philippians 1:27, Paul exhorts Christians to “Only let [their] manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Last week we reflected at length on this short but foundational instruction, which stands at the beginning of a 34-verse section that runs from Philippians 1:27 to Philippians 2:30. The basic idea throughout this section is that the gospel ought to be shaping our life together as God’s people. If Christ’s gospel is shaping our manner of life, then our manner of life will be worthy of Christ’s gospel.

While the gospel-shaped life will necessarily get expressed in every aspect of our life, the most pressing application on Paul’s mind at the end chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2 is how the gospel ought to shape our life together as a church family, as a community of Christians. How does the gospel shape our attitudes and priorities?

In the previous sermon I discussed our distinctly Christian “manner of life” in terms of citizenship. We believers are citizens in God’s kingdom. As fellow citizens in God’s kingdom, it is our great privilege and responsibility to be faithful to King Jesus, to be faithful to His kingdom and its message of truth and life, and to be faithful to one another as fellow members of Jesus’ kingdom. As we do these things, “[we] shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

The sermon preached last Lord’s Day, the sermon preached today, and – Lord-willing – the sermons preached over the next few weeks, are all tightly connected. The theme is the “manner of life” that is “worthy of the gospel” or the way of life that is shaped by the gospel. In Philippians 1:27-30 (today’s passage) we will see that the gospel-shaped life means that we Christians are together to do battle. When we get to Philippians 2:1-4 we will see that the gospel-shaped life means that we Christians are together in deep spiritual unity and together to honor and serve one another. Then in Philippians 2:5-11 we will see that Christ’s pattern of obedience-suffering-and-death followed by resurrection-and-glory is the foundation of our togetherness in Philippians 1:27–2:4. So, it all hangs together. But we are taking it a few verses at a time in order to draw out the riches that are there for our spiritual nourishment.

Our first stop on this Pauline tour of the gospel-shaped life is a look at what Christians have long-called ‘the church militant’ – the church in battle and at war.

If we are unfamiliar with the unfolding of God’s plan in the Bible, we may be surprised to hear that the church is summoned to battle. We might ask, ‘If Christ has already fought the battle, won the victory, and promised peace to our hearts and rest for our souls, then what do we have to fight for?’ That is a fair question. The answer is that while Christ has indeed won the decisive victory for His people on the cross of Calvary, His victory gets implemented through His church, one battle at a time, in the midst of a hostile world. Christ suffered at the hands of this hostile world, and He calls His followers to join Him in this arena of suffering and hostility. We have peace in Christ, but we are at odds with the world, and the world is opposed to us. Conducting this war is not for the faint of heart, and it must not be attempted alone.

THE SCRIPTURAL TEXT

So then, let me read Philippians 1:27-30. Brothers and sisters, I invite you to hear the life-giving words of our God. His holy Scripture says:

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, ²⁸ 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. ²⁹ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, ³⁰ engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (Philippians 1:27-30)

AN OVERVIEW OF THE PASSAGE

Let’s first get a handle on the big picture of these four verses. As we have seen, Paul is encouraging the Philippians to conduct their life in a gospel-worthy manner (v. 27a). But before Paul begins painting a picture of what that looks like, he tells them that he wants them to live well as Christians so that he can either see with his eyes or at least hear with his ears that they are doing so (v. 27b). Paul wants to know that they are living as faithful Christians. This gives us a window into the heart of spiritual leadership in God’s kingdom, namely, that healthy church leaders experience great joy when they find out that the people they have been teaching and influencing are living and growing in the gospel. The apostle John put it this way: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 4) Paul is exhibiting this same mindset here in Philippians.

What then does this gospel-worthy manner of life look like, which Paul hopes to see on display in the Philippian congregation? It looks like this: a unified, fearless, and graced army of suffering soldiers who do battle for the cause of the gospel (v. 27c-30).

The language of battle occurs throughout these verses: “standing firm” (v. 27c), “striving side by side” (v. 27c), having “opponents” (v. 28), suffering (v. 29), and “[engaging] in … conflict” (v. 30). In your early years of discipleship as a Christian, did they teach you about the battle, the conflict, the opposition, the suffering that we are called to take up?

We conduct this battle as a unified army of soldiers. We are to “[stand] firm in one spirit” (v. 27c), to strive “with one mind” (v. 27c), and to strive “side by side” (v. 27c). We are fellow soldiers whose hearts are knit together, whose arms are locked together, who have each other’s back, and who are fighting for the same cause.

Indeed, we conduct this battle as a unified army of soldiers who do battle for the cause of the gospel (v. 27c). Our “striving side by side” has a point – an objective – namely, “for the faith of the gospel.” Don Carson draws this apt conclusion: “… conduct worthy of the gospel is above all conduct that promotes the gospel.”[1]

Our battle takes place amid opposition. The enemies of the gospel oppose the church’s message, but we must preserve that message in its comprehensive truthfulness and continue to cherish it, proclaim it, and put it into practice. We must “contend for the faith” (Jude 3). The enemies of the gospel also oppose the church’s mission, but we must press on to further the mission, so that the strongholds of unbelief are toppled and more people in more places are awakened to saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a third thing that the enemies of the gospel oppose: the church’s members. But we must help our brothers and sisters remain faithful to the gospel, be strong in the battle, and persevere to the end.

We do battle for the cause of the gospel not only as a unified army of soldiers, but also as a fearless army of soldiers. Our fearlessness is not the result of Stoic indifference or brazen swagger, but is instead the fruit of confidence in our Lord. Though we are opposed, misrepresented, and persecuted, we are “not frightened in anything by [our] opponents” (v. 28). We suffer and are threatened, but we do not fear. Why are we fearless? Well, think about what Paul tells us in this letter. We are saints who belong to the Lord (Philippians 1:1). Divine grace and peace are flowing to us from the Father and the Son (Philippians 1:2). God has begun a good work in the church and He intends to complete it (Philippians 1:6). God is able to and does take our suffering and uses it “to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). Whereas opponents of God’s kingdom will meet with destruction (Philippians 1:28, 3:18-19), we who are citizens of God’s kingdom will be transformed by Christ to share in His resurrection glory (Philippians 1:28, 3:18-21). In all these things, we “believe in him” (Philippians 1:29). We not only believe that the Bible’s teaching is true, but if we are true Christians then we actually believe in our Lord: we trust in Him and rely on Him. As a well-known hymn puts it:

“My faith has found a resting place,

Not in device or creed;

I trust the Ever-living One,

His wounds for me shall plead.

“Enough for me that Jesus saves,

This ends my fear and doubt;

A sinful soul I come to Him,

He’ll never cast me out.”[2]

Since the Lord is our ever-present Helper who holds us close and will never cast us out, what can men do to us that we should fear them? Therefore, as we believe in Him and bank on His promises, there really is nothing to fear. (See Hebrews 13:6)

When we stand firm and strive together for the gospel in a unified and fearless spirit, then that overall manner of conducting the battle becomes a sign to our opponents that they will be destroyed but that are heirs of salvation: “This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God” (v. 28). Note well that we will not portray this sign to our opponents if we are frightened by them, or if we are fighting for the wrong thing (i.e., something other than “the faith of the gospel”), or if our relationships with each other are fractured or fragmented. The sign to the world of their coming destruction is our unified, fearless, and rightly-focused battle. If we sense that we are falling short in the presentation of this sign, then we have our questions: Are we truly unified with each other in the Lord? Are we truly fearless because of our faith in Jesus? Are we truly focused on the right things, the best things, the things of the gospel?

We do battle for the cause of the gospel not only as a unified and fearless army of soldiers, but also as a graced army of suffering soldiers (v. 29-30a). Paul had already told us that our salvation is “from God” (v. 28). Now in verses 29-30 we learn that suffering for Christ’s sake and fighting in His battle is itself a gift of grace.

“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict….” (v. 29-30)

Paul is here speaking the language of a royal grant. God the Father grants – freely gives – whatever gifts He determines to whomever He chooses. While this principle applies to any and every good gift that the Father might choose to give or withhold, in this passage Paul is focused on the most precious gifts that the Father might choose to give or withhold. The Father grants these most precious gifts only to His chosen ones, and not to the world at large. What are these gifts?

The first gift is the gift of faith itself: “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him.” The gift of saving faith isn’t the focus of this passage, but Paul mentions it nonetheless – and He mentions it for good reason. The only way into God’s family, the only way into the church community, the only way into the riches of gospel fellowship, the only way into enlistment in the Lord’s army, is through the door of faith – not a vague faith in mystical powers, but a clearly defined faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (“believe in him” italics added). How does one get this faith? Well, Scripture is clear that left to ourselves, we are dead in our “trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), that “no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:11) and “no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:12). Since we are all engulfed and blinded in such spiritual darkness, how do the lights get turned on? Well, that’s just it: the lights have to get turned on by someone else, indeed, by the Holy Spirit. God awakens saving faith in the hearts of His chosen ones through the preaching of the gospel, and this is how a sinner is converted to faith in Jesus. This first gift, faith, is “more precious than gold” (1 Peter 1:7). The heart thus opened in faith to Jesus enters into a personal, covenantal relationship with God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit makes the new believer an active participant in the Lord’s unified, fearless, and graced army that battles for the cause of the gospel.

And that leads us right into the second gift, which is actually the focus of verses 29-30. Whenever the Father grants the first gift, He follows it with a second gift: “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake.” This suffering (v. 29) is connected to engaging in conflict for the cause of the gospel (v. 30). Do you understand that suffering for Jesus is a gift from the Father, and therefore a tremendous privilege?

We cannot fully appreciate the richness of this gift unless we understand the concept our participation in Christ and our conformity to the pattern of His life. Christ, our Pioneer, left the glories of heaven and became a true Man, a faithful servant of the Father who walked in obedience and suffered greatly for our salvation. Our calling and privilege as believers is to follow Him: to leave behind any ambition for earthly glory and to clothe ourselves with the attitude of a humble servant, to take up our cross and die to ourselves, to say ‘No’ to self so that we can say a joyful ‘Yes’ to Jesus, and to therefore suffer with Him as we are engaged in the battle – doing battle “side by side for the faith of the gospel.”

Do you understand what a privilege this is? It is a privilege because in suffering for Jesus we get to know Jesus better. Do you want to know Jesus better? Then follow Him. The servant who would know his Lord must stay close to his Lord, must do his Lord’s work, and must follow his Lord’s example. When we follow in our Lord’s steps and suffer graciously as soldiers of the cross, we are representing Jesus to the world and reflecting Jesus’ attitude of humble service.  Suffering for Jesus is a privilege for another reason as well: suffering for Jesus is the pathway to being glorified with Jesus. Striving and suffering is for the present time. In this present life, we share in our Lord’s humility, obedience, suffering, and mission. But just as our crucified Lord was raised up and exalted to God’s right hand (Philippians 2:9-10), so we who follow Jesus on the path of suffering will follow Him all the way up to exaltation and glory (Philippians 3:10-21). If you’re not on the path of suffering for Him, then you’re not on the path that leads to glory with Him (see Romans 8:17).      

One more thing to conclude our overview of the passage. Brothers and sisters, we do battle for the cause of the gospel not only as a unified, fearless, and graced army of suffering soldiers, but also in fellowship with our gospel partners in other parts of the world. The Philippians, says Paul, are “engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have” (v. 30). We have already seen that Paul himself is battling for the sake of the gospel. Paul proclaimed the gospel in order to reach more people, and he also proclaimed the gospel in order to strengthen the church. Paul was devoted to “the defense and confirmation of the gospel” (Philippians 1:7). He experienced suffering, opposition, and imprisonment because of his gospel ministry (Philippians 1:7, 12-14). He delighted to see that the gospel was ‘on the move’ – whether through him or through others (Philippians 1:12-18a). Paul was engaged in conflict for the sake of the gospel, and the Philippians were “engaged in the same conflict.” They had a work to do in Philippi, and Paul had a work to do in other parts of the Roman Empire. We have a work to do in the Oxford Hills, and our missionaries have a work to do in other parts of the world, and indeed all true Christians and all gospel-loving congregations have a work to do in their little part of the globe. We are all on the same team, working to advance the same mission, and suffering for the same Lord, our beloved Savior Jesus Christ. South Paris Baptist Church is one battalion in the Lord’s great army, and we have a work to do here. 

EMBRACING OUR ROLE AS THE CHURCH MILITANT

With this overview in mind, I want to encourage us to embrace our role as ‘the church militant’. In today’s politically correct world with sensitivities about militant religious groups, it may be seen as risky to speak of the church as ‘the church militant’ and to speak of the church’s members as soldiers of the cross. And yet, this is a true and critically important part of our identity as God’s holy people. So, I want to take a few minutes and highlight the reality of this battle from other parts of the Bible.

Warlike Mission

A good place to start is Matthew 16, where Jesus told Peter and the other disciples, “… I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) Jesus’ mission to build His church is an assaulting or storming of ‘the gates of hell’. Jesus is on offense, moving the ball up the field, and hell is on defense, and its defenses will fail. Jesus will succeed at rescuing God’s chosen ones from the domain of darkness and bringing them through the gates of God’s heavenly kingdom. Jesus will succeed at building His church because He has sovereign authority to do so. The Great Commission must be understood in this context. In Matthew 28 the risen Lord Jesus Christ declared to His disciples,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you all always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The sovereign Lord, who has authority over all, is with us as we carry out His work of making disciples and thereby building His church. The Lord is the One who builds His church, and He graciously involves us in His work.

Another passage that helps us to understand the battle to which we are called is 1 John 3, where the apostle John says, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8) It is clear from the context that John is not only referring to the devil’s direct works, but also to the devil’s indirect works through sinful human beings. In other words, Jesus came in order to destroy the devilish works of human unrighteousness. We want people to escape from Satan’s ownership and influential grip on their lives. And the only way for sinners to be rescued from the power of evil is through the gospel. Thus the risen Lord Jesus Christ commissioned the apostle Paul,

“… I am sending you to open their eyes [the eyes of the Gentiles], so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:17-18)

As we conduct warlike missions in enemy territory, the beautiful thing is that we are not seeking to destroy people, but seeking to deliver them from bondage to Satan and sin. We are not seeking to ruin people, but seeking to rescue them from deception and death. We are not seeking to slay people, but rather to save them through the power of the gospel.

The Reality of Opposition

And yet, as we go about our mission, Jesus told us that we would experience opposition and persecution: “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). And Paul taught us that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). In Philippians 1:28 Paul refers to “[our] opponents” and in Philippians 3:18 he refers to the “enemies of the cross of Christ.” These are real flesh-and-blood men who oppose us and our message, and yet we love them and would be glad for them to be converted. Even so, we remember that

“… we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)

And what does Paul tell us in Philippians 1:27? To “[stand] firm in one spirit.” Brothers and sisters, we are involved in a spiritual battle of cosmic proportions with ‘a heaven to be gained and a hell to be feared.’[3] What shall we do? Stand firm in the grace and truth of the gospel, plant our feet on the solid foundation that we have in Christ and His Word, hold the ground that we have already gained, and withstand whatever opposition comes our way.

We Must Hold Firmly to the Truth

And though there is this opposition, and though we face various threats and apparent setbacks, we must “[strive] side by side for the faith of the gospel.” This means among other things that we must hold tenaciously to all that the gospel teaches and entails.[4]

If the threat is the false doctrine of legalism and saving ourselves by our good deeds, then we hit back with the gospel truth that we are forgiven and accepted by God only on the basis of the perfect life, sacrificial death, and triumphant resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If the threat is the false doctrine of cheap grace and the idea that since we are saved by grace it doesn’t matter how we live, then we hit back with the gospel truth that when the Lord saves His people He not only pardons their sin but also purifies their heart and empowers them to live a godly life.

If the threat is the false doctrine of universalism and the idea that all will be saved, then we hit back with the gospel truth that only those who repent of their sins and turn to Jesus in true faith are saved – while God’s righteous judgment abides on everyone else (see John 3:36). And we don’t proclaim this truth with an air of superiority, but in humility and love we plead with men to be reconciled to God.

If the threat is the false doctrine of gender confusion and sexual corruption, then we proclaim the gospel truth that those who persist in immorality and rebellion will not inherit God’s kingdom, and we offer the gospel as the way to be reconciled to God and restored to the beauty of our humanity – and part of this beauty is the God-given objective biologically-grounded distinction between ‘male’ and ‘female’ and its expression of complementarity in marriage between one man and one woman. And take note: it is this particular threat in the area of human sexuality that will result in American Christians being fined, jailed, fired, slandered, or otherwise pushed to the margins of society – indeed, it has already begun. But be “not frightened in anything by your opponents.” The truth is, it doesn’t really matter how the gospel plays publicly in the eyes of men. What matters is being faithful to God and fighting the battle in His strength. Paul wrote: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

We Must Strengthen One Another

Of course, it is important not only to get the message right, but also to get the “manner of life” right. In fact, it is the message of gospel truth that shapes the manner of our Christian life. While we battle for the gospel in response to threats from outside the Christian community, at the same time we must battle for the gospel in response to threats from inside the Christian community. Each one of us has a responsibility to fight against our own sins and sinful tendencies. The Bible calls us to put our sin to death and to do so in God’s strength (Romans 5:13, Colossians 3:1-5). The Bible also calls us to help each other fight against sin: “… exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13) Being a good soldier includes helping your fellow soldiers experience “progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25) so that they live a gospel-shaped life and are all the more ready to do battle alongside us “for the faith of the gospel” (v. 27). Help each other be strong in grace!

Along the same line, note well the words of Fleming Rutledge: “Resisting temptation is infinitely more difficult for the Christian when he or she is not securely lodged in the community of faith….”[5] Are you “securely lodged in the community of faith”?

Our congregational life is designed to strengthen us in these things. Our weekly worship gatherings are an opportunity to be together and to remember and celebrate the greatness of our God and the mighty deeds that He has accomplished for our salvation. Doing this together helps us to cultivate “one spirit” and “one mind.” Faithful preaching from the pulpit, and faithful teaching in Sunday School and small group Bible Studies, helps us to be anchored in “the faith of the gospel,” to understand it and apply it rightly. Fellowship activities – Men’s Breakfast (1^st Saturdays), Men’s Group (1^st and 3^rd Monday evenings), Ladies’ Breakfast (3^rd Saturdays), Breakfast at Crosstone (3^rd Fridays), church-wide meals that we have about once a month – these things invite conversations and interactions that help us to grow together in unity. Prayer gatherings (Prayer Fellowship on Wednesday evenings, Ladies’ Praise, Prayer and Fellowship on Tuesday mornings) are an occasion to unite our hearts before the throne of God, and ask Him to do His work in us, through us, and around us. Specific ministry teams – the Elders, the Finance Team, the Outreach Team, The Praise Team, The Sewing Group, the Trustees, the Youth Leadership Team – these are an opportunity to work together as Spirit-empowered Christians in a particular aspect of congregational life. Don’t approach such work in a merely administrative or pragmatic fashion. Your ministry team is a mini-community within the larger community, and all that you do as a mini-community ought to be done in a manner that is “worthy of the gospel of Christ.” All these things ought to encourage us to be faithful Christians when we return to our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods, where we continue to stand firm and do battle for the cause of the gospel in a hostile world.

Repent of the Sin of Non-Participation

Perhaps there are some of you who are refusing to participate in this unified “side by side” spiritual battle. You show up sometimes on Sundays, and that’s it. You are not hindered by sickness or extensive job travel from additional connecting, you simply have no inward compulsion to participate in congregational life. If that describes you, you need to know that you are sinning against God. To sin means ‘to miss the mark’. Well, what is ‘the mark’ of Philippians 1:27? “… standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.” That’s part of ‘the mark’, and that’s not even half of it. The call to active participation in the church family is actually heightened in Philippians 2:1-4. I urge you, dear non-participating friend, to repent of the sin of non-participation, to receive Christ’s forgiveness, and then to take your place alongside us as a fellow soldier in the battle. We would love to have you utilizing your gifts and skills in order to strengthen the spiritual life and mission of our church family.

Of course, it is entirely possible that the reason for your non-participation in congregational life is because you’re not a Christian at all. I’m not saying that such is the reason in your particular case, for it is also possible that you are a true Christian who is demonstrating faith in a number of other ways, but for whatever reason the issue of active church involvement is a gap in your walk. Fair enough, we all have gaps – but just because we all have gaps doesn’t mean the gaps are okay. They are not okay. They are not worthy of Christ’s gospel. And I’m here to summon you to grow.

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

That said, I want to conclude this sermon with an evangelistic appeal by asking all of you, Which side are you on? In the final analysis, after you cut through all the superficial characteristics of different sub-groups in our complex world, there really are only two groups of people. One group is gospel-loving people who believe in Jesus, walk with Jesus, and “suffer for his sake” – these are destined for “salvation, and that from God.” The other group is everyone else: gospel-rejecting people who do not believe in Jesus and are rightly described as “opponents” who are destined for “destruction.” While Paul may have had a specific group of opponents in mind in verse 28, the fact is that Scripture refers to every unrepentant sinner as an enemy of God. Paul describes the unconverted life in terms of “following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:2-3) Not a flattering picture!

But the good news of the gospel is that this very day you can be delivered from your enemy status. You can lay down your opposition to the glory of God and surrender yourself to God’s rightful and gracious claim upon your life. Your sins – all of them, and the darkest ones that no one else knows about except you and God – your sins can be forgiven through the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ. Though you walked into this church service today as a guilty person weighed down with guilt, you can walk out of here today as a free man, accepted by God, justified by His grace, and clothed in garments of grace and peace. Though you joined us today as an enemy, you can depart as a friend and, more than that, as a beloved child of God. What must you do to enter into this salvation? You must turn away from the sins and lies that have held you captive, and turn your face toward the once crucified, now glorified Jesus Christ – and “believe in him.” Cry out, Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner! (see Luke 18:13) Come to Jesus, and He will save you!

Let us pray.

ENDNOTES

[1] Carson, D. A. Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996: p. 55.

[2] Lidie H. Edmunds, “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place.”

[3] This is a somewhat well-known quote, but I don’t know who originally authored it.

[4] With respect to Philippians 1:27-28, see Silva’s reference to and discussion of “Tenacity,” which is the word he uses to headline his commentary on these two verses. Silva, Moisés. Philippians: Second Edition (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005: p. 81-83.

[5] Rutledge, Fleming. The Battle for Middle-Earth: Tolkien’s Divine Design in The Lord of the Rings. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004: p. 227.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

NOTE: My inclusion of a bibliography reflects my interaction with other teachers in the preparation of my sermon. While the main part of my preparation involves my direct interaction with the biblical text, I find it helpful to invite other “discussion partners” into my preparation process. My mention of these teachers (writers, speakers, etc.) does not imply any particular level of agreement with them, nor does it constitute an endorsement of their work. That said, I am appreciative of those – past and present – who are seeking to faithfully teach God’s Word, and I am happy to benefit from their labor.

Boice, James Montgomery. Philippians: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000.

Calvin, John. Calvin’s Bible Commentaries: Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. Translated by John King. Forgotten Books: 2007 (orig. 16^th century).

Carson, D. A. Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996.

Hansen, G. Walter. The Letter to the Philippians (Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009. 

Hellerman, Joseph H. Embracing Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why It Matters Today. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2013.

Silva, Moisés. Philippians: Second Edition (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.