Good morning, Verse by Verse family…so glad to see you this morning!

We’ll pick up the text at verse 27… (Philippians 1.25-30)

Going to step back a bit to verse 25 for context…

25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

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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.

Paul now draws the content of this first chapter, his opening remarks, to a close with a pointed application for the Philippians…after assuring them of his heartfelt affection for them, he prays for them for more love, coupled with knowledge and discernment, and the common sense to make good, biblical decisions; Paul assures the Philippian church that even in his imprisonment, he remains steadfast and joyful, confident that the gospel is going out to the world despite the false motives of some preachers; and finally Paul comforts the church that he is hopeful of regaining his freedom and reuniting with them soon, but if he is not released, that whether he lives or dies, that Christ will be honored in his body, knowing that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (1.21)

Now Paul turns to his Philippian brothers and sisters with a pointed admonition in verses 27 to 28a (Philippians 1.27-28a)

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 common refrain from the apostle -- he uses it often, nearly always at the introduction of his letters

Ephesians 4.1-3

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

Colossians 1.10

10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 

II Thessalonians 1.11

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 

I’m sure some of the Philippians wanted to ask, “What do you mean, Paul? We could never be worthy of all that Jesus has done for us…we’re only living at all because of His grace.”

That’s true…none of us are worthy. Anyone who has been saved by God’s grace through God-given faith knows well how unworthy we are in ourselves, how far from salvation we were before He redeemed us from the slave market of sin, how dead we were in our trespasses before He brought us to life…but that’s actually the point 

The word “worthy” renders the Gr word “axios” which is also rendered “worthily” -- “considered worthy” -- “deserving” -- Paul’s prayer is that everything about us, our “manner of life” is fitting, suitable, appropriate to the life that Christ has given us…only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…you could say, “live worthily of the gospel of Christ”

Paul’s prayer is that the way we live -- our “manner of life” -- would be suited to our identity as Christ-followers…that the way we live each day, our actions, our words, our attitudes, our relationships, our decisions, everything about us -- would be appropriate -- fitting -- for those who bear the Name that is above every name

What a shame it would be if the lives we live as Christians would be so unsuited, so inappropriate, so ill-fitting to the calling we’ve received from the Lord that no one could tell whose we were…what a failure of our integrity that would be…since we understand integrity as living out in practice what you say you believe, how shameful it would be to fail in our witness, our actions, so completely that our very lives contradicted our words of profession of faith in Jesus

Paul admonishes us to live a life that honors, not dishonors, our Lord

And Paul emphasizes the point by the Greek word that is translated into the English phrase, “let your manner of life be” -- it’s the word ‘politeuomai’ -- only used twice in the NT -- the root of words like “polity” and “politics” -- it means to live as a citizen, to lead one’s life in a way to upholds the truths, beliefs, and values of your city…as a Greek, it would mean to uphold the name and identity of the city of which you were a citizen

The point for us is clear: we are to live as citizens of Heaven, faithfully living as rightful citizens of our Father’s heavenly kingdom even while we are residing on earth as aliens and exiles, to borrow Peter’s words…let your manner of life as those who love and follow Jesus identify you as citizens who do not need to be ashamed of their conduct, who walk worthily of the very calling of God on your life

Now Paul begins to describe some details of what that “worthy life” looks like…let’s examine them together

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.

First, the lives of the Philippians don’t depend on whether or not Paul is released and returns to them, or he does not…Paul only desires that in either case, if he is present in Philippi again or if he is absent, that the lives of the members of that fellowship will reflect the very life of Christ

And that life will be characterized by “standing firm in one spirit”…”standing firm” well translates the word ‘stekete’ which means to hold one’s ground, to maintain a position, to be steadfast under pressure; implied is the pressure of a battle; it reminds us of the admonition of Paul in Ephesians 6.13

13 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. 

Brig Gen Joshua Chamberlain, the commander of Union forces at the Battle of Little Round Top near Gettysburg, said this: “I knew I may die, but I would not die with a bullet in my back in retreat…I am, at least, like the apostle Paul who wrote, ‘I press on toward the mark’” -- stand firm in the faith of Jesus

And we are to stand with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel…we do not all think the same or feel the same, but we do all have the mind of Christ, and in that we can strive, or fight, side by side…the word means to work or struggle alongside each other…the picture is one of battle or conflict, with two soldiers fighting together against the enemy, shoulder to shoulder…or two workers, struggling to finish the job at the end of a long, tiring day…I think back to my dad and his 12 brothers and sisters, all of whom grew up picking cotton in the summer heat until their fingertips bled…I picture him finishing a long row of cotton on sharecropped land in north Texas with his brother Wint on one side and his brother Jay on the other…striving side by side, not giving up, determined to finish the job…that’s Paul’s hope for his beloved Philippian church

And Paul would also say to those believers, “don’t you be afraid” -- and not frightened in anything by your opponents

This Greek word, ‘ptyro’ is only used here in all the NT -- a more full translation would be this: “don’t let anyone intimidate you” -- don’t you let your enemies back you down from living for Jesus

I recall the story of Nehemiah as he and the Israelites were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem…we pick it up in Nehemiah 6.1-4

Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.

When the enemies of God want to stop the work of God through the people of God, they can threaten us and try to intimidate and scare us…but the people of God look them in the eyes and say, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.”

Don’t you let the world and those of the world intimidate you…listen to the word of God in I John 4.4

…you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

We have nothing to fear, for our God is in us and with us and fights for us!

Paul follows that admonition with an affirmation in verses 27b-28

This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

The faithful lives of God’s people tells the story…”clear sign” is a good translation of the Greek word ‘endeixis’ -- it’s also translated “demonstration” or “proof”

Paul’s point is this: as you live for Jesus…obediently, diligently, faithfully, each day, no matter what… 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…when we live like that, it’s proof of the truth of the gospel…it’s a demonstration of the very power of God at work in people…as Paul says in II Corinthians 4.6-7

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 

The two outcomes could not be more clear nor more different: “destruction” is synonymous with annihilation, ruin, hell itself, while “salvation” is the exact opposite, redemption, deliverance, rescue…heaven

Our very lives are witnesses…on the one hand, we are witnesses to the glory and praise and grace of God, who would choose to save unworthy sinners like you and me

But on the other hand, our lives also stand as witnesses to the eventual destruction of all those who would refuse the precious grace of the Father, who deny the truth of the meaning of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for the sins of mankind, and it’s a demonstration and a proof to the judgment and wrath that await those who reject Him

Do we rejoice in that? That destruction and divine retribution are in the future of all those who will not turn in repentance and humility before the Almighty God? I don’t rejoice in that judgment…and that’s why we live in such a way in this world that our faithful walk in Christ can serve as a beacon to those who still need to turn to Him

Paul tells us clearly at the end of verse 28 that those outcomes are apportioned from Him: “and that from God” -- while we don’t always understand the sovereignty authority of God, we can still trust in Him 

Now we come to the final truth in these opening remarks of the apostle

The agony: 29-30

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.

Sometimes the Lord gives us gifts that we don’t expect or ask for…Paul says that to the Philippian believers -- and to us -- it “has been granted” to us -- this has the sound of something that just gets dropped off on your doorstep that you weren’t necessarily expecting…you didn’t ask for it, but it showed up anyway…but that isn’t really what this word means…the word is ‘echaristhe’ -- it’s drawn from the root word ‘charis,’ usually translated “grace” -- and the word in this passage, ‘echaristhe,’ is very dependent on context for it’s translation…most often, it’s translated “forgive” or “forgave” or “forgiven” but is also rendered in other passages as “bestowed” and “give” … in this verse, probably the best way to understand it is if it read “for it has been graciously given to you for the sake of Christ…”

The word carries the idea that God is acting in kindness and grace toward us…what makes this translation a little curious is in the two short phrases that follow

“believe in Him” -- we absolutely understand that -- what a blessing it is to be granted faith according to Ephesians 2.8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

The scripture is very clear on this point: that God graciously gives us faith

Paul describes salvation as an act of grace, unmerited favor, through the vehicle, if you will, of faith…then the Word says clearly “this is not of your own doing…” the word “this” could refer back to the entire act of salvation -- that we are saved by grace through faith -- or it could refer to the immediately preceding statement, that we are saved through faith…

In either case, the only conclusion we can draw is that neither salvation, nor the faith through which salvation is appropriated to us, arises from within us…we don’t conjure up faith in God…in our lost state, the scripture says we are blind and deaf to the things of God, and to the degree that we are told there is a God, we are hostile toward Him, the Word says “at enmity” with Him…we reject His authority and sovereignty over us, we persist in pursuing our own way, and we gravitate to and love the world instead

As lost humanity, we are not looking for God and seeking to believe in Him…we might well be seeking what we would call “blessings” like joy, peace, love, purpose, and a host of other things, but we aren’t looking for God…Romans 3.10-18 is clear on this…

10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

11    no one understands;

   no one seeks for God.

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

   no one does good,

   not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave;

   they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

14    “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16    in their paths are ruin and misery,

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

18    “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

That’s mankind apart from God.

We must always recognize that the faith by which we turn to and place our trust in God is itself a gift from God

So we can understand now that “it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him”

But we have to continue reading the verse and see that there is one more thing that the Lord has graciously given to us…to “suffer for his sake,”

The word “suffer” renders the Greek word ‘pascho’ -- and it means…to suffer. It means just what you think it means…it’s used 42 times in the NT and it’s always translated the same…to endure pain, an unpleasant situation, evil…the English word is used in the NT with reference to physical disease, violence, spiritual suffering, to suffer harm or injury or misfortune, even to be tortured

Paul uses the word “suffer” often, as does Peter, and the gospel writers, too…it’s applied to Jesus, the apostles, the disciples, and humankind in general

But let’s not miss a key point in this passage in Philippians…we are graciously granted to “suffer for his sake” -- not just suffering as we all do for one thing or another, but suffering because of our relationship to Jesus Christ, and for His sake

Peter writes in I Peter 3.13-18

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, -- He is our example, even in learning to suffer 

So what does suffering as a believer look like? How should we respond when it happens?

Jesus promised the apostles and other disciples that they would suffer for His Name…and indeed they did…look at Acts 5.40-42

and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 

So the apostles were beaten and abused, and “suffered dishonor” for the Name of Jesus

So what did they do next? They kept right on teaching and preaching the gospel…v 42

42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Will we suffer for Jesus? Yes…and when we do, we are to keep right on living for Him, in His power, by His grace, telling the good news of forgiveness to people who need to hear it...and we won’t be surprised when suffering comes our way, because Jesus said it would

And there is much goodness that comes from our suffering…Romans 5.1-5 says this:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Suffering produces endurance as we bear up under the dishonor and slander and abuse; and that endurance, over time, produces godly character as we are shaped and molded into the image of Christ; and that character produces hope -- a certainty of our secured future in Jesus

But what if we live our lives in such a way that we don’t encounter suffering for Christ? What if we remain quiet when we should speak, remain still when we should act, and never let anyone except maybe a few other “safe” believers know that we are Christians? That lack of suffering for Christ fails to produce the godly character promised in Romans 5, which in turn fails to produce in us the hope of eternal life…

Instead, live out loud for Jesus and let the world bring on what it will.

And here in Philippians, Paul goes on to speak to the nature of the suffering we will face:

30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

“Conflict” renders the Greek word ‘agona’ the source of our English word, “agony” -- Paul endured that conflict and struggle throughout his ministry…it’s what resulted in his arrest and imprisonment in Philippi and again in Rome…he lived for Jesus and it cost him -- II Corinthians 11.23b-28 … Paul recounts his life…

far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

Yes, Paul suffered for the cause of Christ -- God willing, we’ll live such holy lives that we would be called to suffer for Him as well -- to the degree Paul did, we don’t know -- but to some degree, yes

That conflict, that struggle, isn’t just for super-believers, for apostles, for missionaries…it’s for all who blatantly identify with Jesus Christ right in the face of the world…for you can be sure that when we do that, the world will respond…get ready now for that day

I want to close with a story…I pay little attention to popular culture, so if you ask me if I’ve seen a recent movie, the answer will be “no”…but a movie was released 23 years ago that I did see -- it was called “Saving Private Ryan” -- a story set in the latter days of World War II. A squad of U.S. soldiers who survived D-Day together and advanced into the interior of France are pulled away from the overarching mission of defeating Nazi Germany and are told to go find and secure a single Army private, named James D. Ryan. Private Ryan’s three brothers had already died in the war, and the Department of War and the Army Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, were determined that the fourth and final Ryan brother, James, the sole surviving son of his parents, would not die on a French battlefield, so the decision was made to send this small group of soldiers, led by Capt John Miller, out to find Private Ryan and get him safely back home. Eventually they find Private Ryan in a French village, are attacked by a German armor unit, and most of the squad is killed in the battle. Capt Miller is mortally wounded, and as he lay dying in France, in an obscure village, on a bridge leaning against a truck tire, he finally meets Private James D. Ryan face to face, as the private realizes the enormous sacrifice made for him. He motions for Ryan to bend down near him, and as he does, Miller whispers into his ear, “earn this” -- the scene shifts to a national cemetery, as a now-aged James D. Ryan stands over Capt John Miller’s grave, thinking about the sacrifice that others made that Private Ryan might live…and the scene fades to black as an American flag gently waves.

Let me close with this thought: can we ever live a life deserving of the sacrifice Jesus made to save us? Is there anything we could ever do or say, in a thousand lifetimes, that could equal what He has done for us? No -- never. For truly, God’s grace is His “unmerited” favor -- we can never “earn” what He has done for us.

But while we cannot “earn this” -- we can, by God’s grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit, live a life worthy of the calling God has placed on our lives…Paul’s repeated admonition to “walk worthy of the calling” is our enduring challenge, asking of us every bit of obedience and energy and patience and faithfulness we have as we live our lives in Jesus’s Name. In the next three chapters we’ll learn more about what it means to live a life worthy of the gospel. 

May we spend our lives in that pursuit.