Well, good morning. If you haven't already, go ahead and turn in your Bible to Philippians chapter one. We seek to conclude a series, at least the first chapter of a series that we started beginning of 2019. I think this is our fourth or fifth visit to the book of Philippians. I treasure the opportunities that I have to preach, and I hope that It's not too hard to recall again the things that have already been laid out in front of us in the 26 verses that preceded the text we look at this morning. And Dan certainly did highlight a key contextual element that we have in remembering Paul's words that for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. We're going to see that this morning. You'll recognize that every phrase, really, if you're just turning there in chapter 1, is just dripping with encouragement. And that's Paul's goal, exactly, to encourage the church of Philippi to put courage in to the church. That's what we mean when we say encouraged. Sometimes that word just takes on a meaning of just, it's kind of fluffy and fuzzy and warm. But he's calling for people to take a stand, as we see here. and to strive. He's trying to put courage into them where it may be lacking. So what we have here is not just Paul's words, though. We have God's word. And it's with a message of encouragement for the church in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And this is encouragement that knows no boundaries. Again, in the context, we already have read by up to this point about trials, imprisonment, separation anxiety, Envies, rivalries, selfish ambition, and even life and death situations in the life of Paul as he ministers the Word. Yet Paul testifies that there is, as he says in verse 26, right before we come to our text today, what? There is cause to glory in Christ through all of that. There's no boundaries for this encouragement. It enters every situation no matter what's going on. And that's where we left off in verse 26. And that's the preamble, so to speak, of the message today. In verse 27, Paul makes the turn from his own set of circumstances, having seen God work his grace in his own life through all these things. And he focuses now on what is going on in the church in Philippi. Knowing firsthand that the opposition to the gospel is very great, And it's very dark and ever darkening. Paul reiterates that he wants to be there with these people. But if he's not able to do so, and because he may be put to death, he wants them to recognize the clear warning that fear, passivity, and timidity, in the face of opposition to the gospel, foils the Christian message of hope. This is a needful warning for the church in America today, as Dan even mentioned in his prayer. We are a church nationally, it seems, culturally, that just seeks to really to enjoy the ease that we have here in our world. Where political and social pressures of our day would cause us to remain silent even when a gospel issue is at stake, and where many gospel preaching pulpits have changed the message of their ministry. where comfort has taken the priority in life. Such manifestations of compromise are themselves self-defeating to the life of the church, as it is the believer who then obscures the clearest gospel signposts, as we'll see here, signposts of salvation to a lost and dying world. They do this when they abandon faith in the face of opposition. So take courage today. Flowing directly from what he said in verse 21, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Paul aims to encourage the church that they would not fear the opposition in their day. And may that be said of us as well here. Fear not for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. And it's like Paul is adding to that statement. And what's more, to suffer is Christ. I think too many Christians content themselves with the idea of living for Christ and dying for Christ, because everyone's going to live and die, right? But this whole suffering part, we'd like to opt out of that if possible, right? We'd like to just avoid that. Yeah, living, dying, we get that. That's going to happen. So let's do it in Christ. But the suffering part, we kind of just like to Let's see if we can get by without that. But Paul here is making it very clear how seemingly inseparable suffering is from true Christianity. So this message today is, if nothing more, it's a wake-up call for us to recognize this mere reality, as it may become more and more apparent to us in the years to come. This is God's concern for the church. today would do well to listen. But amid all the particular circumstances that Paul is thinking of and seeking to address, there's another captivating theme that is being highlighted here in Philippians 1. In these four verses, we come face to face with this aspect of worthiness, as you see even in the title today, to live worthy of the gospel. It's the just desserts, so to speak. of Christianity. And we see this from two different yet related propositions. The first is this. Will Jesus get his just desserts? Will the lamb who is slain receive the reward of his sufferings? This is how Paul goes about exhorting the church at the beginning of our text today. Will Jesus get his just desserts of a sanctified people having bought for himself that people? Then secondly, what are the just desserts for the church? And will we get them? Will we recognize them? What should our expectations be living as followers of Jesus Christ in a dark and ever darkening world that is in opposition to the gospel? What are our just desserts as followers of Christ? What lies ahead for the church? Our consideration of these begins with the first of two main points in this message today. Paul addresses, first of all, in verses 27 and just the beginning of verse 28, the Christian's conduct. The Christian's conduct. Please look with me again, if you would, where he writes 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 opponent." Let's look just kind of word by word at verse 27 here as we begin. We see the word only at the very beginning at the front end of this passage, comes as like an arrow. It's a fine-pointed tip on Paul's main concern for this flock, and helps us see the intensity behind his encouragement. It's like he's saying, please, if you do but one thing, let it be this. Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Let this be the generalization of all that you do. Let that be your main endeavor. Truly, this sentence sets the theme for all the gospel exhortations that will follow in this letter. I don't know how long it will take us to get through the other chapters of Philippians, but there are many gospel exhortations that come, and they flow from this very reality that Paul is seeking to encourage in this congregation. Paul uses his words carefully, and his audience in Philippi would have resonated with the next one that they encounter in this letter. which in our English translation is glossed as six English terms. When Paul says, let your manner of life be, there's really one term there. And it speaks to modeling citizenship. He's calling them to be a model citizen of the community in which they live. And as you may be aware, citizenship was a precious commodity for people in the early church. Not everyone enjoyed the advantages of being a Roman citizen in a Rome-dominated world. It left many people in distress. But those in Philippi did enjoy Roman citizenship. It was given to them. It was conferred on them as a colony of Rome by Octavian and Mark Antony 100 years before Paul wrote this letter. And the city there, Still, in this day, was priding itself as a Roman colony. Because this was a privileged gift for those who would reside in the area. And so in a single word, Paul has the attention of his audience. He's calling them to live as a citizen. Live who you really say you are. Live who you are. But Paul is not merely talking about an earthly citizenship, though, certainly, The gospel does impact how we ought to live out, how these Philippians ought to have lived out as Philippians, how we today, if we're Americans, should live out as Americans. He's also hinting though, at a point that he'll make more concrete later in this letter, in chapter three, verse 20, where we understand as believers, we have a heavenly citizenship. And so as citizens of God, we must give ourselves to live in accordance to the realities of God's of governance, of God's rule, of new life in Christ, the work of His Spirit in us. Christians are to be model citizens at the local, national, eternal, supreme levels. And here's where our next tricky word in our sermon title comes up. Worthy, living worthy of the gospel. I think many of us know what this is saying, but a simple reading of this, apart from the context, might lead someone to conclude that Christianity is all about personal achievement. That salvation, even, is granted to those who are worthy of receiving it. And that it is even possible for a person to attain salvation by their own merits. But that's not what Paul is saying. Neither is that the teaching of Scripture. But because Paul is not writing to those outside of the church, this encouragement, because that would be a false hope for those, he's writing to those in the church, those who already have the gospel of Jesus Christ and who hold it well, who are saved by faith. Paul is writing to Christians. This is key. The title Christian is one you don't receive, as a consequence of your living up to it. And yet it is one that demands of you that you live worthy of it." Do we understand that? The title Christian is one that you don't receive as a consequence of your living up to it. And yet it is one that demands of you that you live worthy of it. The gospel should change everything for the believer. So let's be reminded here that none of us approach God worthy of His love. And this is why we know God's love for us as a gift of grace, because we don't deserve it. This is exactly why the gospel is good news. In Jesus, we've been given a title that we're not worthy of, and yet it's one that we have been entrusted with to actually demonstrate by the power and comfort of the Spirit of Christ. We are unworthy recipients of a worthwhile gift. Therefore, live in accordance to the gospel of Christ." But what does that look like? Right? What expectation does Paul have of these believers and how a Christian should conduct themselves? Well, he gives two broad expectations here in verse 27 and 28. that help us understand the Christians' conduct. First, we see this idea of standing together. He writes, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit. Nothing befits the gospel quite like the unity of the body of Christ. What ought to distinguish the church to the world is the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, Paul writes in Ephesians 4. Paul highlights here the new commandment that Jesus brings, where he says in John 13 that we love one another. We'll love one another just as he loved us. We also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that we are his, Disciples, if we have love for one another. It is the very prayer of Jesus to the Heavenly Father in His high priestly prayer, that we would be one, just as He and the Father are one. We are to stand together in the Gospel, not factioned out by our own little differences of opinions. We're to unite together in what is true of Jesus and of us. But secondly, we're called to strive together. In verse 27 and 8, it continues. He says, in one mind, striving side by side, arm in arm, so to speak, for the faith of the gospel, not frightened in anything of your opponents. This togetherness is not a retreat to a spiritual ghetto, a religious suburb where we've got our walls up, The outside doesn't know what's going on in here, and it's a good thing they don't, because they'd come, and it would send a wave in our society that would really disrupt our comforts. It's not what Paul's calling for here when he says striving. Paul expects the kingdom to advance. He's talking about the gospel beyond the doors of the church building. Notice the beginning of verse 29. He's calling them to do this, even when facing the reality of those who do not want you to live out the gospel of faith in words and deeds to other people. So a people standing together and striving together in one spirit for the faith. This is what Christ purchased with his blood. The question is, will he get his just desserts? Or will his chosen people relive the covenant faithlessness of the Old Testament generations? This is the challenge before us all today. And it's also why there can be no other motivation for heavenly citizenship than the gospel itself, because Jesus guarantees that he will get his just desserts by his Spirit. He guarantees this outcome by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Truly, the one Spirit that it says here in verse 27, standing firm in one Spirit, is the Holy Spirit. And Paul indicates in verse 19 that it is the Spirit, if you look up there, that motivated him with gladness to remain in the flesh and to continue with them all by the time he gets to verse 25. Verse 19, he's encouraged, I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this will turn out for my deliverance. This is a ministry of the Spirit that assures Christ's reward of His people. So will God's redemption of a people for Himself take place? Will it fail? By no means will it fail. Remember again, the assurance we have in verse 6 of this text, again, The reason why what we're seeing today is so powerful is because of all the ground Paul has already tread in doctrine. Verse six, what does he say? I am sure of this, that he who began a work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. When God sets out to do something, he finishes it. He's never half-hearted about anything. You see, standing together and striving together may sound generic, But verse 27 is so meaningful because of all that's been said before it. And it brings us to some harsh realities of our own day. I think even Pastor Dave tonight is going to highlight that to give him a little commercial to come and see. I must say that a church like this, standing and striving together, seems hard to find in 2020. Christendom itself is a very splintered society of thousands and thousands of denominations, and even subsequent cults, these factions. The national and cultural ideologies of believers have led to countless bitter disagreements within the church throughout its history. Some have been really petty and inconsequential, right? But others have been downright horrific and bloody. In our own day, and even perhaps our own congregation, We failed to live out our heavenly citizenship well with one another. If nothing else, COVID-19 has shown many of us are true callers about how brittle this bond of peace that we share one with another really is. We refuse to gather together. We're bitter at people who do or don't wear masks. We believe that the church is more about the events and the programs it does, rather than the actual community that it is. These are all problems, people. We would do well to pray that God would let the impact of all that 2020 is bringing to have its full and fruitful effect. I mean, do we really believe that God can work all things together for good? We would do well to repent of our pride and arrogance in these areas. So may God grant us faith to do so. Because we find an interesting dichotomy between ourselves, the current church, and the church of Paul's day. And I think these are things that we must give our attention to. In Paul's day, just about anything that claimed to be Christian really was. You're asking for nonsensical, You were—I'm blanking on the word—you were asking for persecution, for no reason at all, if you really weren't Christian. Just about anything that claimed itself to be Christian truly was. But almost the exact opposite could be said today. We'd like to think that every person with a cross around their neck, or who's quoted a Bible phrase or something on their Instagram page, really actually believes it. That's just wishful thinking. I'd love to believe that everyone who said that they have a grandfather who was a preacher, anybody ever heard that? You start a conversation with someone, oh, I have a grandfather, like that's good for them. You'd like to think that they actually believe that man is totally depraved, and they need and must believe the doctrines of grace. But that's wishful thinking. It'd be nice to think that everyone who's ever quoted the Bible actually believes it is the breathed out, inspired and errant Word of God. But that's not true. True Christianity is few and far between. And I hope that's not shocking for us today. But I could understand why living in America. Jesus tells us, though, in Matthew 7, for the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life. And those who find it are Few. And what he says, what he said to his disciples in Matthew 7, that we heard not long ago in our series, through the pulpit here with Pastor Eric, still applies to us today in July 4th, 1776 in the First Amendment. Don't negate that. It doesn't make what Jesus said irrelevant just because we live in America. The reality is that wherever the gospel advances, there will be opposition. And we're selling ourselves short. We're giving ourselves a false comfort of true faith and practice when we think it's all just comfortable in our Christianity. With that in mind, let us consider the expected outcome of living contrary to the world. So we see the Christian's conduct gives way to a Christian conflict. Number two here, the Christian's conflict. Look at the remainder of 28, verse 28 through 30. This, is a clear sign. And when he says this, he's speaking of this reality that should be in the church. They're standing and striving together. That should be a sign, a clear sign to them, that is the opposition, of their destruction. That is their destruction of you. But it's of your salvation, and that from God. 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 that you saw I had, and now hear that I still have." We need not look any further than the pages of Scripture itself, much less Paul's own example, to discover what really becomes a church who lives in a manner worthy of the gospel. Opposition will abound. And when opposition abounds, it takes decisive action. Hence Paul's call to stand and struggle, to strive together. We need one another in this, that we would not faint. So that fear, it says here, would not take hold of anyone, not to be a frightened. There is a precious role. Do we see it? that our steadfastness together in the gospel works within the church. It works two things. First, it works salvation. This is apparent enough. It is our faith in Christ that we understand salvation. Paul tells us here that our steadfastness, the standing and striving together in the church, serves as an indicator of two things. In verse 28, indicates that there are two outcomes of our citizenship in the gospel. First, the salvation marks us out to those who oppose Christ. It marks us out to those who oppose Christ. Wait, I thought we're supposed to be trying to fly under the radar here, Michael. The church's outspoken The pressing of the gospel and the world around it is a motivating factor for opposition, because the gospel brings everything to its knees before Jesus. And to the natural man, that just won't go. There will be opposition. And this was the expected sequence of events in the early church, because to the populace of Rome, only Caesar was God. So it was a clear sign. Who needed to be snuffed out if anybody said anything otherwise? For anyone to steadfastly profess faith in Jesus had to be silenced. Our standing and striving together will mark us out to those who oppose Christ. So to truly live out your faith inevitably drew attention to yourself in Paul's day and to the cross. But secondly, it's a clear sign of something else. Living as God's citizens against growing opposition serves as a sign or a proof of legitimate salvation. It's a signpost to us of our own salvation that God is at work in us. How is this so? Well, because endurance is a work of God's grace in the life of his people. That's what we read in Romans 5, verse 3, and James 1, verse 3, where it says, suffering or the testing of your faith works what? Steadfastness, endurance, commitment to suffer, destruction for your beliefs is the true mark of an all-in disciple. Nothing measures a true follower quite like the one who will take it to a bitter end. And these are those whom Jesus says in Matthew 10, verse 32, "'So everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven.'" God working steadfastness in His church amid opposition is a precious assurance to us of His salvation, that He is presently ministering in our own lives. And to the early church, this was a ready comfort. The early church understood that to take up your cross and follow Christ truly meant painting a target on your back. Not willfully, like, hey. But it just happened because you were living out Jesus, and that's going to bristle in a dark and darkening world. And I fear that much of what we call Christianity today has dialed down any emphasis on the gospel. And it's focused more on more palatable ministries and humanitarian things and loving things that are easier for society to swallow. But may God grant us faith to conclude with Paul For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain, and what's more, to suffer is Christ. Finally, look then, if you would, to verses 29 and 30. The conflict of the Christian leads, as it's very apparent, leads to suffering. It leads to suffering. Verse 29, for it's 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 that you saw I had, and now here, that I still have." There are those who would say that a follower of Jesus should have a carefree life. All of their problems are going to fade away within days. You can name it and claim victory in any area of your life. It's just going to be your best life now. But that's not what we see here. For truly, that is not the case. However, it is the gospel news that God is fitting for His people, what? Ultimate peace and rest and comfort, right? Only it is to be known fully and eternally with Him. in heaven. These truly are just desserts. Eternal rest in Christ, with Him in heaven, all eternity. Not because we're worthy of them, again, but because we've been granted them in Christ. This assurance is what grounds us in our faith and motivates us to live worthy of the gospel. And yet we're called still to endure suffering. See, it's easy to really grab that other stuff of living and dying in Christ. We have a great hope, so much so that even when we go to a funeral of a dear brother or sister in Christ, we don't need to sorrow as others sorrow. But boy, suffering is hard. We're called to it, though. We're called to endure suffering in this life. We're not to go around asking for it. But we are called to live. This is key. We're called to live in a fashion that, when naturally demonstrated, would inevitably lead to opposition. And we shouldn't be surprised. Is that not what Christ said? They persecuted me. They're going to persecute you. We should not be surprised. Rather, we should be mindful that we've not suffered first, and we have not suffered most. Here at the end of chapter one, Paul encourages us to know that we walk a road that's been blazed by our Lord. And that's been faithfully walked step by step by many others in the faith throughout church history. With these few words, even, Paul says there in 30, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had, and now here that I still have. Hello, I'm in prison. He's reminding them of his own situation again, encouraging them to know that they will not be alone in this. He's not encouraging them in any endeavor that would be beneath him. He's in there with them. Likewise, we need not fear. And I cannot tell you, as we close here, what the rest of 2020 has in store for us. or 2021. Perhaps it will be, as Pastor Dave said earlier, these will be the good old days. Hopefully our perspective that Paul's giving us here in the gospel will alleviate any sort of delusions of grandeur that we have of the past. And it helps us to reach for what is eternal in Christ. But I can tell you, apart from whatever does come, that none of it will nullify the encouragement. that we have here in Christ. No matter who's elected into office, no matter how long masks are a regular feature in society, no matter how many natural disasters ravish our forests or our coasts, or no matter who threatens to burn down your city, to destroy your livelihood, a much more pressing matter is at hand. Do you believe that? And it's this, the standing together and the striving together of God's people for the sake of his name. So all those other things aside, don't let them detract you and distract you from the task at hand. And that's what Paul's encouraging these folks in. To remember that fear and passivity and timidity in the face of opposition to the gospel really is a foil It blocks the Christian message of hope. We're called to endurance, an endurance that only is a product of the grace that God works in our lives through faith in Christ by His Spirit. So may God grant us faith to endure. May we strengthen, perhaps we should do better here, the bonds of peace that we should have one with another, if we have seen them to be brittle over the last several months. that the world would look in at this congregation, and they would see the kind of love that causes them to wonder and be perplexed. That they would know undeniably, yeah, that's a church that they really mean what they mean when they say they follow Jesus. They truly live as citizens on another plane, citizens of heaven. We may see 2020 as a terrible blotch in our life. But may our prayer be that we would see it used for the sake of His name in our community. And when, not if, but when we face opposition, may God grant us boldness of faith to even suffer for His name's sake. Let's pray and ask God to do this in our hearts even now. Father, we pray that You would give us a loose grip on the things of this world, that they would ever so slightly slip from our grasp, that You would give us a taste of what is eternal and true in Christ and Him alone. Father, we for too long have grown lethargic in our religiosity, And perhaps all the social distancing and the parameters we've set even here in worship have caused many to simply be content with a comfortable, cushiony Christianity that knows nothing of this true standing together, and this arm in arm striving together that we ought to show as your people. This is a wake up call to us, Father. We pray that you would knit our hearts by Your Spirit to this encouragement, and that there would be courage put into these people here today. Father, we thank You for Christ, that in Him we have eternity with You. That You looked past our broken sin, and You dealt with it in Him on the cross, perfect atonement, and you've not just simply taken care of our sin, but you've brought us to be near you in the righteousness of Christ. Father, this is our hope. This is the hope the world needs. We pray for boldness as we carry this around, as we