Well, as we get into our time together, I ask that you would turn with me to Philippians chapter three. I didn't even plan for the siren to go off in between the awkward page turning. It's probably the only time you'll get some musical accompaniment. Before we begin, if you would pray with and for me as we open our time. Gracious God, we thank you for your word that illuminates our path, that keeps us from sinning if we hide it in our heart, that shows us who you are, what you have done, and how we live in light of that. I ask that you would give me clarity of speech, that I would speak how I ought to speak with humility, that you would speak through me, and I and everyone else would hear you and grow because of it. Do what only you can do, we ask, Lord. Help us, we pray. In Jesus' name, amen. Our focus today will be verses 17 of chapter three through verse one of chapter four, but I wanna read the entirety of chapter three to give us some context. Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble for me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs. Look out for the evildoers. Look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. Circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As to the law, a Pharisee. As to zeal, a persecutor of the church. As to righteousness under the law, blameless. But, whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this, or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. But those of us who are mature think this way. And if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. This is God's holy word. I have spent a great deal of time pondering how to spend our time together this morning. I thought long and hard about one question. If this were the last message I were to ever give you, what would I want to say? What would I want to remind you of from God's word? So as God speaks to us through his word this morning, it is my hope and prayer that we remember two things. that we are citizens of another kingdom and to stand firm in light of that reality. We are citizens of heaven and we ought to stand firm in light of where we belong. So you know where we're going. But as we jump into Philippians 3, I want to give you the context. As we've just read, here in chapter three, Paul has been warning the Philippians, again, to avoid the legalistic evildoers whom malign the saints and the gospel, and reminding them that Jesus is everything. If you remember the sermon I preached back in October, then you would remember that we went through Philippians 3. Don't worry, I didn't either. But Jesus is everything. Jesus is the only one worth living for. And that is what Paul spent his life proclaiming and exemplifying. He had it all as a Jew, and now he's given it all up for the sake of Christ, as he says in verses three, chapter three, verses seven to 10, 11. And then, we move to verse 17. Look at verse 17 with me. Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. So Paul's been describing his personal pursuit and life goal of knowing Jesus, but has transitioned to now saying, this prioritization of knowing Jesus that I have should mark all of our lives. Two verses earlier, Paul says, let those of us who are mature think this way. The point is essentially, we should all have the same goal that Paul does. of counting loss, everything is lost for the sake of Christ, of being found in him, attaining life in Jesus. Paul wants that and he wants all his beloved saints to join him in wanting that. How do we do that? We become imitators of Paul and fix our gaze on those who are also imitating and following his example. We look to the word to set the pattern and then look to others who are following that pattern. And I wanna point out, if you look at verse 17, Paul doesn't just encourage us to follow those who occasionally seem to act like someone who values Jesus above all else. He says, keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. And when the Bible uses the word walk, it speaks generally to the way a person lives, his or her lifestyle. In Ephesians chapter five, Paul says, be careful how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise. And it's clear that he's not saying, hey, watch your strut, don't walk like a fool. It's more than the gait of your steps. He's saying, live a life of wisdom, a general way you live. And in modern vernacular, we might say, let your walk match your talk. And we mean, let the way you live reflect what you say you believe. So this is not a momentary lapse from a usual pattern of life. This is not where someone just happens for a moment to count everything as lost for the sake of Christ. This is the pattern of life. So Paul encourages us to imitate his example, that of Timothy, and others who are like-minded. And then he gives two reasons for why we are to imitate him. The first reason we are to imitate Paul is that there are many who don't. Look at verse 18. He says, Notice Paul's tone. When he exhorts the saints in Philippi to follow him, he's deathly serious. There is a sorrow, a weeping plea that comes with his call. In verse one of chapter three, Paul tells the Philippians, to write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Here he says, I have often told you and now tell you again, even with tears running down my face. The Apostle Paul is not just describing the enemies of the cross of Christ glibly or with indifference. This is not just the reality that he ignores, It's a reality that many walk as enemies and it breaks the Apostle's heart. It seems unlikely, if we want to try and identify this group that causes the Apostle Paul to weep, it seems unlikely that he would speak so warmly of the Philippian church throughout his letter if there were many who were walking as enemies of the cross within the body of believers there. And it also seems unlikely that he would weep over non-Christians. So what seems to be most likely is that he's talking about individuals who profess to love Jesus but are actually more consumed with themselves and may lead the other beloved saints astray. So what does it mean to be an enemy of the cross of Christ? Well first I want you to notice once again the word walk. These people walk as enemies. Just like in verse 17, the word walk speaks to a pattern of living. Their lifestyle is not in keeping with a person who belongs to Jesus. They are not just briefly off the path of following Jesus, a momentary sin and a desire and pattern of living that values Jesus above all else. These are people who are enemies, who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. It's who they are, it's how they live. They walk as enemies. And when we see the word enemy, we recognize that this is war language. They are not merely indifferent to the cross of Christ. They are in drag down, all out war. A coup has been staged, they are in open rebellion against the king of kings, and they are fighting and making themselves aggressive enemies of the cross. And whether you and I think we are enemies of God or not, there is no such thing as indifference to Christ, especially in how we live. The Bible is clear. If you are not a friend of God, you are his enemy. And if you haven't already, you might notice the sad irony. They are enemies of what? The cross of Christ. In essence, they are in opposition to the very thing that is their only means of hope and life. They're entrenched on a battlefield, staged against the one method of salvation, against the only one who can rescue them from their state. If we were to look at Psalm 52, verse one. David says, why do you boast of evil, oh mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. Which, when you first read it, seems rather odd. You might expect to see, why are you boasting of evil, oh mighty man? God is mightier, God is in charge, and God will ultimately get the victory. And he'll punish you, so stop it. And he does that later in the psalm, but here in verse one he says, the steadfast love of the Lord endures all the day. And basically what God says through David is, you are boasting in wickedness when you could be delighting in God's love. Why are you bragging about what will be your downfall when you could be enjoying the love of the Almighty who alone saves? And yet, they walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. They may not recognize, they may not say that they're walking as enemies. They may, in fact, say they go to church. They love Jesus, they talk about God, but they're walking as enemies. We'll see how in just a moment. Paul will get to the rest of the description of these people, but right out of the gate, he reminds us of the outcome. What is the outcome of those who walk as enemies? Verse 19, their end is destruction. It's almost like he's telling us the first sentence of the story, then flips to the end of the book and tells us the ending. First sentence, they walk as enemies. Oh wait, spoiler, their end is destruction. God may allow these people to be enemies now, but their end is coming. Understand this, no enemy of the cross will win in God's kingdom. The result is sure and the judgment is swift. It is sad, but it is the reality. We need not worry about the final end of the enemies of God. God is always just and he always gets the final word. The end of the many who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ is destruction. So they are enemies of the cross of Christ, their end is destruction, and why? Well, it should be no surprise to us that those who rebel against the reign of the ruler of the universe have put their own God on their measly makeshift throne. Who is this God of their own choosing? Look again with me at verse 19. Their end is destruction, their God is their belly. Their God is their belly. This is two meanings, it's both literal and figurative. Literally, they're gluttons who stuff themselves with food, like Titus 1.12 speaks about. This is not the enjoyment of food, this is the excess devouring of food. They never stop eating. This is not eating for small enjoyment to satisfy hunger, this is food as a source of fulfillment, a primary source of happiness. Instead of worshiping God as the rightful ruler that he is, they erected a makeshift throne of their own and put their favorite meal on it. Psalm 78, 18 describes the Israelites' obsession with food, saying, they tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They worship that God, they pay homage to their food, they praise and delight in it, and it goes in direct opposition to the worship of God. Jumping to the New Testament, in John chapter six, Jesus has given the feeding of the 5,000, And then he goes on to cross the sea and the people follow him. They go wherever he goes, not because he is the bread of life, but because he gave them a free meal last time. And they're saying, hey, honey, grab the kids. Let's see if Jesus does it again tonight. And Jesus stops them and he says, hey, you're missing it. You're looking for food here and now, but I give you a food that satisfies deeper hunger than a rumbly in the tumbly. And they still don't get it. They say, wow, great. Not just one meal, Jesus will give us food forever. Love that. Awesome. Their minds are still focused on the here and now. They are focused on their belly rather than the God who made their belly and has come to save them from their sin. Which brings us to the second aspect of this phrase. For while their God is their belly in a literal sense of gluttonous living and indulging in food and a pseudo-worship of it, it also speaks more figuratively to indulging in whatever their gut wants. In the Bible, this focus on the belly can be either literal or figurative or both. Because whether it's literal or figurative gluttony, it is all idolatry. Literally, it's gluttony that worships food over God. Figuratively, it's a worship of self and self-satisfaction over God. Their God is their own pleasure. Their God is their belly because they like the way food makes them feel and because ultimately it's not the food that sits on their DIY throne, it's their belly. It's themselves. Their God is their belly because ultimately they worship themselves. They want to feel good, and they will do anything and everything that accomplishes that end. Listen to Romans chapter 16, verse 18. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the hearts of the naive. or listen to 2 Timothy chapter three, verse four. They are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. It's not that enjoying God's good gifts is wrong. It's when that enjoyment turns to pursuit of the pleasure from the gifts rather than praise to the gift giver. It's not that enjoying God's good gifts is wrong, it's when that enjoyment turns to pursuit of the pleasure from the gifts rather than praise to the gift giver. Their love of pleasure isn't just the sin of overindulgence, it's idolatry. It's high treason against the God of the universe because while they ought to be lovers of God, they are lovers of pleasure, lovers of self. So the enemies of the cross of Christ make God their bellies, and they glory in their shame. This is the next part, if you look back at Philippians chapter three. They walk as enemies of the cross of Christ, their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame. In other words, these people delight in their shame. They celebrate it. The example I can think of is this is like being in someone's home as they walk you through their front door and show you the office, the living room, the backyard, their favorite features of their house and beloved possessions. And then their pace quickens as they usher you out the front door. down the walkway, and they almost are running to the side of the house as they gesture you to follow them, as they stand in front of the object that is their greatest prize, and they say, and best of all, this is my favorite place to be, my most prized possession, my garbage can. Smell it. Enjoy it. Breathe in the aroma. Bask in its breathtaking atmosphere. Let the stench soak into you and your clothes. I love my garbage can. It's the best garbage can in the whole world. You laugh. Chances are no one has ever, ever, ever said that to you. My wife hates the garbage so much that I am taking it out sometimes when it's half full, just because she hates the garbage so much. So the fact that someone might delight in their garbage can and the smells that protrude there out of would be strange. But that's what these people are doing. They glory in their shame just like someone who admires their trash can. But in a serious tone, This is far worse, far more agonizing, and far more awful than some quirky person who admires their garbage receptacle. Turn with me to Romans 1. Romans chapter 1. Paul in Romans one goes through an entire litany of sins that people commit in defiance of what they know they ought to do based on what they know about God. They ought to worship him for what is revealed in creation, yet they worship the creature. They indulge themselves. That's bad enough, but then at the end of the chapter in verse 32, Paul writes, Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them, but give approval to those who practice them. Like a child who is told not to stand on the coffee table, he defiantly stands on the coffee table, and then grabs his buddies and pulls them back up onto this coffee table too. In the same way, They know God's righteous decree, but they disobey anyway. They know the penalty for their actions is a death sentence, and they don't care, they do it anyway. But on top of that, they not only do them, they celebrate those who practice these same capital punishment worthy crimes against the king of kings. They endeavor to drown out the warning of impending death with their celebratory cheers. They're on death row in blissful contentment. These are people heading to their death, and rather than don clothes of grief or confession, they proudly wear their party hats and blast noisemakers with energetic glee, and it's heartbreaking. They glory in what ought to be their shame. So back to Philippians chapter three. The enemies of the cross of Christ make their bellies their God, they glory in their shame, and they ultimately do this because they have minds set on earthly things. We desire to set our minds on things above, like Colossians 3.3 says, but that is not just the least of their desires, it is the greatest of their hatreds. They have no desire for anything other than the earthly things they can see and enjoy. Their mental energies are exerted on what engages their senses. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. This is what consumes their mind, their hearts. Their first and greatest commandment is love what is on earth with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second is like the first, love yourself. Their mind is set, it's fixed, locked in, focused on earthly things. It's all they know, it's all they have, it's all they want. Perhaps now we can see the reason Paul includes this description and reminder of the enemies of the cross. Paul talks about giving everything up to gain Christ. He recognizes that losing everything is nothing compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus. And then he encourages the saints, join me in this. Why? because there are many who do not see Jesus as better, as worth losing everything for. While Paul wants to know and be known by Christ, they walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Paul is looking to attain the resurrection of the dead. Their end is destruction. Paul counts everything as loss for the sake of his Lord Jesus. They make their God their belly, and they glory in their shame. Paul looks to eternal, heavenly realities, calls us to this, and they have minds fixed on earthly things. The contrast is obvious, I hope. Paul states, my desire is Jesus and only Jesus. He encourages the saints to follow him in this desire because there are many who are in direct opposition to that desire in every possible way. And Paul is imploring, don't be like them. There are many who walk with this, but you walk better. Imitate the higher way. And before we move on, I want to remind us of Paul's tone. In describing these people, these enemies of the cross of Christ, he's not using dismissive language as, it's a shame, but there's nothing to be done, oh well. He's also not arrogant about it, as if those fools can't get with the program and be better like him. And he's also not angry, yelling at them for being so self-centered. No, look at verse 18. What is his tone? What is he doing? He describes and tells the Philippians about these people, and now tells them even with tears. He's weeping as he describes them. It's like Paul is telling you a story, a demise of a blind man who put in earplugs to block out the cries of those who tried to warn him. This defiant blind man is mere feet away from his sad demise. His end is and can only be destruction, and he's set on it, and oh, how sad it is to watch. Paul says, I have often told you and now tell you with tears, and we can only weep with them. Before we are tempted to be dismissive or condemn those people who walk as enemies, remember why Paul mentions them. There is a reason that he inserts this description. It's a reason for the exhortation to follow his example. What's the implication? If you do not savor and press on toward the prize of knowing Jesus, then you will very quickly find yourself tempted to make a God in your own image, and delighting in fleeting pleasures that will never satisfy and bring your own destruction. Paul says, with tears, there are many who claim to be Christ but are his enemy. Like our Lord said, there are many who will say, Lord, Lord, and he will say, depart from me, I never knew you. So don't be like them. Keep your eyes fixed on those who walk according to the example. The reality is we should be filled with understanding, empathetic grief. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul gives an entire list of sins that will bar people from entrance into the kingdom of God. And then the very words that follow that list are, and such were some of you. but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God. Paul says in Romans 5.10, for if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to the, sorry, if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more now that we are reconciled shall we be saved by his life. But notice, Who Paul says we were, we were enemies. Then we were reconciled and now we shall be saved. How did we go from being enemies to being saved? That phrase in the middle of the verse, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. Such were some of you, such were some of us. We were enemies. We gloried in our shame. We made gods of our bellies. We had minds set on earthly things, and our end was destruction, and we blissfully did not care. Our story had a tragic ending, but the script was flipped. We who were once enemies have now been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God. So the description of verses 18 to 19 was once a description of us. So when Paul describes this, we lived what he describes. We know and we weep right alongside Paul. They have not tasted and seen that the Lord is good. As a reminder, Paul started this section commanding the saints to be imitators of me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. He then gave the first reason to imitate his example and that is that there are many who live as people of this world, enemies of the cross of Christ. But now Paul gives his second reason for why we are to keep our eyes on good examples. We are citizens of heaven. First reason, there are people who live as enemies of the cross and live of this world. Second reason, we are citizens of heaven. In contrast to the many who claim to be Christians but live like this world, Paul reminds us who we are, who the saints in Philippi are, citizens of another kingdom, another world. So while these others have mindset on earthly things, we're different. Those people have their minds firmly fixated on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven. And here's one of the exciting parts about this contrast. In verse 19, Paul says the enemies of the cross of Christ have their minds set on earthly things, but we, the friends of God, have our entire identity in Christ in heaven. Heaven is more than just our house address, it is our home country, our national pride, our dwelling place, our final rest, the place of love and happiness, the place where our family, the family of God is. And ultimately, best of all, it is where our heavenly father, our redeemer and king, our great bridegroom and God of all dwells. We are not just heaven dwellers or heaven destined, we are heaven citizens. Heaven is where we belong. And if we are citizens of heaven, how should we live? Like citizens of heaven, right? That's the whole reason Paul mentions our citizenship, because the expectation is that we live like where we're from. You wouldn't expect someone who is a citizen of the United States belting God Save the Queen and trying to form a parliament, any more than you'd see an Englishman trying to vote in for the next presidential election. In the same way, we should live like the citizens of heaven that we are. If you are in Christ, you are a citizen of heaven, and we ought to live like it. We should be patient, love one another, value Christ, and make him our own as he has made us his own. We are citizens of heaven where the cross is not our enemy, it is our only hope. The God of the universe is God, not our bellies. We glorify him, not our shame. And we have our minds set on things above where Christ is, not on things below. I think there are numerous ways we could think of to live this out. But one that comes to mind is patience. Being a citizen of heaven puts the rest of this life in perspective of patience. What I mean by that is if we have a right perspective of eternity, a right reminder of where our citizenship is, where our identity and home country is, it changes our order of priorities. Why am I going to get frustrated by someone who cut me off when Christ is coming soon? When I'm driving in traffic as a citizen of heaven, I recognize that God knows every single driver on that road, including the one who is making me tempted to be frustrated, and he has ordained in his wisdom the exact time I am to arrive at my destination. So when I remember I'm a citizen of his kingdom, I am choosing to value living as such rather than fighting for my timetable now. Or, if I remember I'm a citizen, how could I not be patient with my brother or sister in Christ when we are fellow citizens of heaven? Our Savior is coming, and he has been more patient with me so I can extend this same patience to others, especially those who have been bought with Christ's blood. When we recognize that we are citizens of the sovereign God's kingdom, co-heirs of grace, and everything is going exactly according to God's plan, what could this world possibly bring that could ruffle my feathers when I know that God has made me his own and a member of his family, and a citizen of his kingdom? Now, the reality is, my life is filled with impatience. Just ask my wife. But I think that I am often most impatient when I have forgotten where my citizenship lies. When I remember that I'm a citizen of heaven and I belong to Christ, then my priorities naturally shift and I learn and relearn and relearn and learn again to live with patience and the perspective of eternity in my sights. Unlike those who live with mindset on earthly things and their own agenda, we choose to live with a mindset on things above, and it will be reflected in the way we live, especially in the way we interact with each other. But it gets even better. Paul does not just say that our citizenship is in heaven. but continues that thought by saying that we are expecting something from our homeland, or rather, someone. Look at verse 20. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The word await speaks to eager expectation. Eager expectation. This is looking forward with great excitement. This is the kid who has his eyes plastered on the window looking for dad to drive up, or the unbridled anticipation of the clock counting down the hours to Christmas morning. But oh, this is so much better than a Christmas morning. What are we eagerly awaiting? A savior, specifically the Lord Jesus Christ. Now Paul is not leaving an option as though just any Savior might come when he says a Savior, but is emphasizing the fact that Christ is coming from heaven as a Savior. The title for Christ that Paul uses was intentional, reminding who he is. If we think about what our Lord said to us in John 14, that he's going to prepare a place for us and then return, what is Paul saying? Jesus has promised and he will come back. Just as surely as Christ saved us from our sins, just as surely he will return. Do you long to see Jesus? Are your thoughts filled with an eager excitement for his return? Are we, like Paul, excited to meet our Savior face to face? It ought to change everything about the way we live. It's easy, I know how easy it is to think about the schedule just of today, after this service. No one has scheduled in Christ coming back. And so we forget about it, because it's not on our schedules. It's not on our timetable. I wish there was a category in calendars that you could just put soon on it, Because then the answer would be Christ is coming soon. It may not be scheduled for Monday in July, but he's coming soon. And we need to remember that. Because when we remember Christ is coming back, it fills us with eager expectation. It changes everything. We await a Savior, the one who has rescued us out of darkness into his marvelous light. But he has not just rescued our souls, though he has done that. He is redeeming us body and soul. For while Paul says that we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, what specifically are we waiting for him to do? Look at verse 21. Who will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Just as surely as Christ has rescued us and our souls from the power of sin, so he will rescue our bodies from the presence of sin. As Christ has rescued our souls from the power of sin, so he will rescue our bodies from its presence. We are already a citizen of heaven, but we still feel the strain of our bodies on living in this sin-filled world. We experience fatigue, decay, the effects of sin and death. Our bodies groan, like Paul says in Romans 8, longing for redemption. And while we groan, we do not groan without hope, for that redemption is coming in the person of our Lord Jesus. He will take these weak bodies and absolutely transform them in a moment to be like His glorious body. Then we shall be redeemed and restored by the grace of God in both body and soul. Is this not our hope? Christ is coming and He will redeem and restore, as Romans 8 says, justified, sanctified, and ultimately glorified. It's the end of all things, the final chapter. We keep our eyes on those who walk according to the example, and we remember where our victory comes from. We are citizens of heaven awaiting the final victory, the final realization of all that Christ has done and begun. Whatever difficulties we face, whatever injustice or wrongdoing comes our way, Whatever heartache and tears and pain we encounter in this world, it all finds its resolution in the coming Savior who has promised to make everything new. All things new. We eagerly await one day when everything will be made right. A Savior and the transformation He brings. And how will He accomplish this transformation? by the power that enables him even subject all things to himself. God will transform us by the same power with which he brings all things in subjection under his feet. The same power by which he rules the universe is the same power by which he will finish his ultimate plan of redemption. Satan cannot stop him, death has been defeated, and all things are subject to him so that the transformation is as sure as the God who sits on his throne. So we delight in our citizenship, we await our Savior, we await our transformation, and we await the finalization of all these things. He is coming soon, saints. I can hardly wait. This is why Paul mentions our citizenship as a reason for imitating his example. It may be tempting to imitate those who celebrate darkness. It's enticing to relax the standards, to ease the grip, slow the pace, and join them in their self-focused idol worship. Again, Christ's coming is not marked on most of our calendars. So when we look around us, we become more distracted as we notice people who aren't living like citizens because they aren't citizens. But Paul says, no, follow me. Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. Why? Because it is easy to forget our citizenship. We are citizens of a kingdom we do not yet see and all around us there are people who do not live in the eternal realities we love. But if we forget our citizenship, we become much more easily prone to stop imitating. We are more easily distracted, more likely to take our eyes off of heaven and Christ. We need to remember our citizenship, our savior, and the transformation that is coming. Lastly, Paul gives one final exhortation. He started the section with, follow me. He ends with the call to stand firm. The call to stand firm. Because we are citizens of a coming kingdom and a coming savior, we should stand firm. Look, first one, therefore my brothers whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. Before we get there, I just want to point out the affection and tenderness with which that overwhelms his writing. He says, brothers whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, and then the last words of that sentence, my beloved. Paul is overflowing with love. when he gives this appeal to them. These are not just brothers and sisters, but saints he loves and longs to see. There is joy. The word crown speaks to a victor's crown given to a winner of an Olympic game. In essence, Paul is saying, you are my prize, the reward of my faithful service. So dear ones, stand firm in the Lord, my beloved, these saints who he has toiled long with. And if I can extend the same words Paul uses towards the Philippians, dear ones, beloved saints of West Sand Lake Community Church, who I love and long for, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. Stand firm. What does it mean to stand firm? It means to be rooted without wavering. No tide can sweep away, no wind can knock down, no force can overcome. It is the imagery of a soldier standing firm in battle. When we are citizens of heaven, no battle is too fierce, no lying whispers can deceive us into letting down our guard. We will stand firm in truth and in love. But notice Paul qualifies this. He says, stand firm, but stand firm how? In the Lord. This is not stand firm on your own, fight with your own effort, just power through, but stand firm in the Lord. It is God who upholds you, defends you, keeps you. I can't even wake up in the morning on my own without messing things up. How could I expect to live out my citizenship and follow the examples set in scripture? How could any of us do that? We must stand firm, recognizing that it is only the Lord and in the Lord that we stand at all. We must stand firm, recognizing that it is the Lord who helps us stand at all. It is His grace that sufficiently sustains you, and it is only His strength and might that will keep you standing firm to the end. He alone will hold us fast. So stand firm. Stand firm in the Lord. This morning, we have been encouraged to follow the examples we have in scripture and godly states because there are many who walk in a manner opposed to the gospel. We do this knowing that our citizenship is in heaven and that we are awaiting a great savior and the transformation he will bring. And because of all of that, we stand firm in the Lord, looking for that day when he comes to take us home. I think this hymn sums up that thought quite well. Listen to these words. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus. Sing his mercy and his grace. In the mansions bright and blessed, he'll prepare for us a place. Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day. Just one glimpse of him in glory will the toils of life repay. When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout to victory. Onward to the prize before us. Soon his beauty will behold. Soon the pearly gates will open. We shall tread the streets of gold. When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout to victory. Ah, yes. What a day of rejoicing that will be when we see Jesus. Beloved saints, he is coming soon. Stand firm in the Lord. Would you pray with me? Gracious God, our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your Word, the truths that are in here that remind us of who we are and what you call us to do. I ask that you would help me, help us, to follow the example you have set forth in your Word that has been demonstrated by other saints, Help us to not live any other way but with total focus on our Jesus who is everything. Help us to make Jesus our greatest priority, our supreme joy. Remind us of your coming and that you are coming soon. And until you come, Lord, keep us waiting, keep us watching, help us to stand firm, hold us fast, keep us, we pray. We love you, and we cannot wait to see you come soon. We pray all these things in the mighty, precious name of Jesus, the coming Savior, amen. Just a closing word from 1 Thessalonians 3, 12 through 13. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all as we do for you. so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. Amen.