Philippians chapter three. Please stand. Coming down to the end of chapter three, verse number 20. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Heavenly Father, as we touch on just a small portion of this scripture, we pray that we would be under your control, whether we be speaking or hearing. We ask, Heavenly Father, that you move our hearts to be anxious for that transition, that our Savior might be glorified more fully in what little we have to offer. Thank you for these scriptures, for these words in Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. There has been flying around evangelical Christianity for a number of years, a term that many of you have probably heard. From the very beginning, there have been pastors and evangelists who have been bi-vocational, bi-vocational. It's not a biblical word, and I'm not even sure it's a good biblical principle, but it gets the job done. There were times in Paul's life when he had to support himself in the ministry by working in the world. For example, in Acts chapter 18, we have the suggestion, it doesn't really come out in declared, but we have the suggestion that Paul worked with Aquila in a tent making business. He was both an evangelist and a craftsman. He had two vocations. He was bivocational. And outside of the professional religions, like Catholicism and most of Protestantism, thousands of servants of God have been forced to be craftsmen or farmers or merchants or co-porters in order to support their family and enable them to continue in the ministry. Brother Fulton, Pastor Doug Brown and Estes Park have their own businesses. And so did I before becoming a janitor so I could come and pastor here at this church. But as I just suggested, this idea of bivocationalism might not be a particularly special or outstanding word. Because the fact is, we are all supposed to be somewhat bivocational. 1 Peter 2.9, ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. Why? That ye might show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Beyond whatever else we are in this world, we are also potentially or actually kings and priests. We have been chosen by God to be in holy nation. We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, even while we are citizens in various countries here on this planet. We can be fishers of men while we are fishers of fish. We can be tent makers while we are mansion building. in a sense. We can be mathematics professors Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then teachers of the Word of God on the Lord's Day. We are ambassadors for another kingdom while serving tables here in this world. This brings us through the back door into what Paul gives to us initially in verse number 20. But you might not see it right away. For our conversation is in heaven. From whence we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. For our conversation is in heaven. There are a great many Christians who say that evolution is a myth, that it does not exist. It's not exactly true, but of course, there is no biological Darwinianism. There is no amoeba evolving into a butterfly or anything like that. But in other areas, quite a few other areas, like vocabulary, for example, there is an evolution, been going on for not billions of years, sometimes just decades, and sometimes two or three or four hundred years. But there's a change. One very obvious example is the word gay. Used to be a perfectly good word. But it no longer means what our grandparents thought that it means. It's changed. It's evolved. Anyway, the King James Bible may be the only Bible version which has the word conversation here in verse number 20. I didn't check them all. I've got maybe a dozen, but the ASV and the ESV and the new King James Version all say, for our citizenship is in heaven. The RSV says, for our commonwealth is in heaven. The reason for that difference conversation, citizenship, commonwealth, is not because of any error in this particular Bible, because the English language has evolved over the last 400 years. When Tyndale and the translators of the King James, others, translated the Greek word, politiomoahi, that's probably not pronounced correctly, When they translated that word as conversation, it hit the nail on the head according to the definition that they were using at that time. But conversation has moved on. And now a conversation is a chinwag, a dialogue, a chat. So we who are still using the King James Bible simply have to learn the correct original meaning of the word. It's not too difficult. For our conversation is in heaven. It means our citizenship is in heaven. But I'm not through trying to confuse you. This citizenship is not a piece of paper that says this Canadian is now a citizen of the United States. This biblical citizenship refers to living like a Christian. It's not just legal, it's not just political, it is practical. The English word conversation originated in the French language, well actually it was before that, but it came through the French language into Middle English as conversation, meaning behavior. or the manner of conducting oneself. Simply put, the word Paul used refers to our manner of life as citizens, our conversation, our citizenship, our manner of life as citizens. And that becomes apparent when we look at the only other time this Greek word is used in the New Testament. Acts 23 and verse number 1 says, Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. I have lived is the same word as conversation. Paul declared himself to be a good citizen. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have been arrested. I'm a good citizen, and he proved it by his way of life. Trying not to belabor this point too much, cousins of this word, by the way, the root sounds almost, well, it's political. Cousins of this word are found throughout the New Testament. Listen to Galatians 1.13. For ye have heard of my conversation, this is Paul's testimony, ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it. His old way of life was persecution. Philippians 127, same book we're looking at, chapter one, 127. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come to see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, I may hear of how you are living your life, that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. Live as though the gospel of Christ made a difference in your life. I'll come back to this verse in just a minute. One more, 1 Peter 1, verse 15. As he which hath called you is holy, be ye holy in all manner of conversation. That's not just talking about the way you talk. All manner of, every area of your life should be patterned after the Lord who is holy. As he which is holy hath called you into this life, may your manner of life be like his. All manner of conversation in everything you do, in everything you think, you speak, you believe, you live, be holy like your heavenly father. And with this, I come back to Philippians 3.20. The Christian's conversation is in heaven. Our citizenship, our manner of life is now heavenly because we have been born from above, because we are born again. Turn to Ephesians chapter two, very familiar passage of scripture. I'd like you to highlight a couple of things here. Ephesians chapter two, verse number one. And you hath he quickened, you who have been given new life. You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Before our salvation, we were citizens of another kingdom, an evil kingdom. And we followed that king, who by the way was our spiritual father, we might say. We followed him. We gave full proof of that citizenship. That which we had at the time. Among whom also we all had our conversation. Our manner of life in times past. Conversation once again referring to our manner of living. Before our salvation, we live like children of our evil father, citizens of that wicked kingdom, among whom also we had all our conversation in time past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, the desires of the mind. We were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Our conversation, our manner of life was sinful until our citizenship was changed by God's grace. But God, who is rich in his mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved. and hath raised us up together and made us sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. I hope that you can see that these verses first bring together the idea of earthly citizenship and wicked living. They're tied together. And then we have new heavenly citizenship, which produces a new way of living, a new manner of life, a new conversation, a new citizenship. In order that today and throughout the ages to come, God might show the exceeding riches of his grace toward us through Christ Jesus, our Savior. But Paul isn't finished with that theme yet. Skip down to verse number 15 there in chapter two. Christ is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make himself of twain one new man, so making peace. and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, You are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. Fellow citizens. Scripture after scripture remind us of our heavenly citizenship and our heavenly conversation. In Matthew 6, Our Lord exhorted the people of his kingdom, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt and thieves break through and steal. Rather, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. There are some parents who open bank accounts in the name of their babies. And often on throughout their infant lives, parents are making deposits in this baby's account and encouraging them when they're able to make deposits of their own. You could say that our heavenly father opened a bank account, opened an account in the bank of heaven under Your name. Not only has he been making regular deposits on your behalf, but he's encouraged you to make deposits as well. As citizens of heaven, we have heavenly investments. As citizens of heaven, we have treasures. And there our hearts should be. Pilate. The governor was worried about the potential threat against Rome that Christ posed. So he asked the Lord about his kingdom. Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from hence. The king of the heavenly kingdom is not of this world, and neither should be, neither are the citizens of that kingdom. As such, his citizens find their lives and their joys, their privileges, their hope in the things of heaven, not the things of the earth. Not only that, but they have heaven's laws, heaven's morality, heaven's definition of right and wrong. They're rooted in heaven and in the king of heaven. Don't get angry with me for constantly going back to Colossians chapter three, but it should never get old. If ye then be risen with Christ, if you are indeed a citizen of heaven, if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. How is it possible, if our conversation is in heaven, that we have so little real interest in our future home? Why should we minimize our citizenship, our real citizenship? For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Our citizenship guarantees that when the Lord comes for us, in whichever way he does, we will enter our new eternal home. If we prize that citizenship, then we should set our hearts on our transition, our translation, our being carried into that new home, that new kingdom, into the capital. But what if our conduct doesn't match our professed citizenship? If our conduct doesn't match, can we have any Right to say, hey, I'm a citizen of heaven. I've been saved. I'm a child of God. Our lives are supposed to match our citizenship. Our conversation should match our profession. Again, I take you back to Hebrews 11, which we looked at on Sunday. and what the writer there says about Abraham. Abraham did not consider himself a citizen of Canaan, just as Christians are not citizens of the United States or Canada or Mexico. By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out. not knowing whither he went. By faith, he sojourned. In land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise, because he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Abraham had a conversation in heaven, he had a citizenship in heaven, and the world around him was just unnecessary evil, shall we say. People ask me why I haven't gone to the trouble of becoming a United States citizen. Why should I become a citizen of this God-forsaken nation? I don't see that. I'm looking forward to a city whose builder and maker is God, not one with other founding fathers, however well-intentioned they might have been. Heaven is my resting place. I'm not looking for a peaceful residence here. the right number of laws, the right laws, the right power enforcing those laws are gonna make my life here good. It's never gonna be good. Heaven is where my King and Savior reside. I'm a citizen of that country. And as my Savior has encouraged me, I rejoice because my name is written in heaven. Not in Washington, D.C. If that makes me a stranger, if that makes me a foreigner, if that makes me an alien, then, oh, okay, I can live with that. I'm not here long. But just because our citizenship is heavenly, the fact remains, our lives are lived here. I am an alien living in the United States. I'm bound to obey the laws that surround me, for example. I'm really looking forward to paying my taxes this year. Let's keep in mind the context of this clause. Our citizenship, our conversation is in heaven. It already exists in heaven. It is kept safe and sound for us in heaven. But verse number 17 begins with, brethren, be followers together of me. And why should we be followers of Paul? Because there are many out there who are the enemies of the cross of Christ. And what are some of the characteristics of those people? Most of them, as Paul tells us here, are concerned with nothing but their bellies, their flesh, their pride. Whose God is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind only earthly things, and therefore whose end is destruction. This sounds very much like Ephesians chapter 2 that we read just a moment ago. But in drastic contrast to them, our conversation, our citizenship, our way of life are holy and heavenly. Yes, we're still living in a world which is controlled by its own evil and inferior God, Satan. That's all the more reason to remember our true citizenship and live like it. That's all the more reason to make sure that our conversation is heavenly and not earthly. The Savior's coming again. We're anxiously awaiting him. But in the meantime, we have heavenly work to do in this unheavenly place. An interesting rabbit trail, which we won't follow to any great degree, would be a comparison of our heavenly citizenship with Roman citizenship. Paul was a Roman citizen because of where he was born. And it became quite important to his ministry and the saving of his life. And the same was true of the native-born Philippians. There were relatively few Roman citizens living outside of Rome. And even some important individuals had to pull strings in order to have that citizenship. The chief captain, the man under whose authority Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and was about to beat Paul when Paul said, hey, you better rethink this thing. He demanded, tell me, art thou a Roman? And Paul said, yea. And the chief captain answered, with a great sum obtain I this freedom. And Paul said, but I was free born. That could bring up an investigation of the three ways in which people obtain Roman citizenship. Initially, the people of the Macedonian city of Philippi were gifted Roman citizenship by their city's service to Rome. The Romans just said, you're one of our colonies, your citizens are our citizens. This Roman captain tells us he bought his citizenship, but Paul was born in a Roman colonial city and his citizenship came through his birth. How were you made a citizen of heaven? You didn't buy it. You didn't earn it. You were born that way. You were born again a child of heaven. If you're a citizen of that wonderful kingdom, it's by God's grace. And you first heard about the possibility of that grace through the gospel. And that's why Paul brings that up in chapter one, verse number 17. Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. How did you become a citizen of this kingdom? Grace. How'd you hear about it? The gospel. Make sure your life befits the gospel, your conversation, your citizenship. The responsibility of living like a heavenly citizen becomes all the more vivid and important when we understand how it came about. Grace. Grace. Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. I'll close now. Notice that the citizens of Satan's earthly kingdom will find their end in destruction. Verse number 19. But those whose conversation is in heaven look for the return of their savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. When he comes, he shall change our vile body. We'll deal with this next weekend. that the vile body might be fashioned like unto his glorious body. What's keeping us from fully enjoying our citizenship? Fully enjoying, we're kept from it because of this body. That's gonna be changed. Limitations of our flesh. Christ is coming again. He shall make us better fit for our eternal home when we see him in however we have that meeting. But in the meantime, let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. And as he which hath called you is holy, be ye holy in all manner of conversation. every aspect of your citizenship. I'll stop with that.