God Helps Those Who _____

God Helps Those Who _____

Philippians 2: 12 – 13

Introduction

Perhaps you are familiar with the expression, “God helps those who help themselves.”  This is such a popular expression that many people actually believe it is a biblical quote…But, it’s not found anywhere in the Bible.

Do you know why it is not in the Bible?  Because this expression does NOT fit into Christian theology.  It presents a vision of God and Grace and humanity contrary to basic Christian theology.

 “God helps those who help themselves,” fits very nicely into American cultural values.  We teach our children about the importance of putting forth the effort to make themselves better.  Get an education; find an “entry-level” job; work hard every day; and eventually you can climb the ladder to success.  If you put forth the effort and make the appropriate sacrifices, then you can achieve your dreams…  Anyone who works hard deserves to have a successful life.

Where does God fit into this view of the world?  God is secondary to human effort.  As long as we work hard to accomplish everything we are capable of doing on our own, God will step in and do the rest.  This is not a good understanding of God.

A second problem with “God helps those who help themselves” is what it says about humanity.  The underlying assumption is that human beings are capable of meeting our own needs and accomplishing good things in our lives.  However, this is not the Christian view of humanity.  Instead, we believe humans are sinful and wholly incapable of doing what is right and good.

Christian theology is all about Grace.  Humanity is sinful and underserving of God’s good gifts.  God does not give us what we deserve.  God gives us what we could never deserve.  “God helps those who help themselves,” does not describe Grace.  Grace is “God’s unmerited favor.”  Everything we have as Christians (from salvation to material blessings) is a direct result of God’s Grace, which does not depend on our merit.

This proper understanding of God and Grace and humanity makes reading our Scripture difficult.  I’m sure there are people who interpret Philippians 2: 12 – 13 to sound like “God helps those who help themselves.”  Such a reading contradicts Paul’s teaching about Grace as well as the entire biblical witness about God and Grace and humanity.

Philippians 2: 12 – 13

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

There are several things in verse 12 which set the context for what follows.  The Book of Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul and sent to the Christians at Philippi.  He wrote to them, because he was separated from them.  They were enjoying their freedom, while Paul was “in chains” in Rome.

Notice that Paul addresses the Philippians as “my dear friends.”  He has a special relationship with them.  The Book of Acts tells us that Paul was the first Christian preacher / missionary to preach the Gospel in Philippi.  Paul helped those first Christian converts to establish the first Christian church in Philippi—the first Christian church on what we now call the Continent of Europe.  Paul continued to visit his friends at Philippi on his missionary journeys and maintained a close relationship with them.

Also notice how Paul compliments them on their obedience.  Paul never criticizes the Philippians on their faith and obedience.  Instead, he encourages them for what they have been doing and encourages them to continue doing the same things.

Perhaps Paul’s encouragement about obedience should be read in light of the Scripture we read last Sunday.  Philippians 2: 5 – 11 are probably the lyrics from a familiar hymn about Jesus.  One way to read / sing this hymn is to think of Jesus as an example of humility—Jesus had equality with God, but did not consider equality with God something to be grasped / held onto / to be leveraged to his advantage…Instead, Jesus humbled himself by taking on human nature and suffering the death of a slave on the cross.

Another way to read / sing the hymn is to think of Jesus as an example of obedience.  Everything Jesus did (humbling himself, serving other people and suffering the Crucifixion) was in obedience to God.  Jesus fulfilled God’s plan to save sinners and offer us eternal life.  God’s plan was successful, because Jesus obeyed. 

Therefore, Jesus is our model of both humility and obedience. 

Working Out and Working In

Maybe this is what Paul means when he writes, “Work out your salvation…”  Maybe he means something like, “Do everything in your power to live up to the example Jesus set…Be more like Jesus.”

I would believe this is what Paul wanted us to hear, if Paul had stopped writing at verse 12.  But, he didn’t stop at verse 12.  He doesn’t say, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling (PERIOD).”  No.  He goes on from there to add, “…for it is God who works in you.”

Let’s compare what Paul says about salvation in Philippians to what he says about salvation in Ephesians—another one of Paul’s letters:

Ephesians 2: 8 – 10…  8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

According to Paul (in Ephesians), salvation is a work of God’s Grace.  It is not in any way dependent on human effort.  We do not save ourselves.  God saves us by his Grace.  BUT, Paul does not stop when he describes salvation by Grace alone.  He goes on to describe the way saved people are supposed to live.  Saved people are changed people—changed by the Grace of God.  The purpose of this Grace is that we might do good works which God has prepared in advance for us to do.

Another way to describe this is in terms of the relationship between Grace and good works.  Salvation is always God’s work / God’s initiative / God’s gift.  Then, salvation results in a life of good works.

This relationship between Grace and good works is a better way to interpret Philippians 2: 12 – 13.  Paul does not tell us to work FOR our salvation.  Instead, Paul tells us to work OUT our salvation.  There’s a big difference between working FOR salvation and working OUT salvation.  The difference is that every person who works FOR salvation will fail…There is no way to earn salvation through human works.

One way to think of this is to think in terms of cooperation.  Salvation is not a human work.  But once we are saved, there is work to do.  God asks us to work out our salvation in obedience and in following the example of Jesus.

We need to be careful when we talk about the good works that Christian people perform.  It is possible to slip back into the notion that “God helps those who help themselves” by saying something like “God works best when Christians do the right things (or abstain from the wrong things).”

The proper view of working out salvation comes from the next verse.  God is the One who works in us.  Interestingly, Paul uses a different Greek word for work when he is talking about what God does.  He uses a Greek word that is very similar to our English word “energy.”  Therefore, we could translate Paul’s encouraging words like this, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, because God provides the energy to will and to accomplish his good purpose.”

No one can work FOR salvation.  Salvation is God’s work in us.  And, Christians would not even be able to work OUT salvation without God, who provides the energy.

Every Christian has God at work in our lives.  Theologically speaking, we say that we have received the Holy Spirit.  No one has more Spirit than others.  And no one receives the Holy Spirit incrementally—a little bit of the Spirit today and a little more next Sunday until one day we are completely full of the Spirit.  No.  A person receives the Holy Spirit completely and has all the resources he or she needs to live the life God wants.  The question should not be, “How much of the Holy Spirit do you have?”  Instead, the question should be, “How much of you does the Holy Spirit have?”

Many people hold out aspects of their lives and resist what the Spirit wants to do in us.  Some people might say, “God, you can have every Sunday.  But, I’m going to hang on to Monday through Saturday.”  Some people might say, “God, you can have my church life and my family life.  But, I’m going to hang on to my work life.”  There are even people who are willing to give God control over their work life and their church life while hanging on to their sex life or their relationships.

A couple of weeks ago, the City of Lufkin tore up a section of my front yard.  They had to dig a hole to work on some underground lines.  For a few days, I had a section of my yard that was nothing but dirt.  Then, they came back and put down sod.  They told me to keep it watered, because they would not bring more sod.  So, I got out the hose and a sprinkler to water the new grass.  My hose was held together by duct tape.  I had to buy a new hose.  But, I didn’t know how long a hose I needed…So, I bought a 100 foot hose!  I can now water the yards of four of my neighbors!

The problem with having a 100 foot hose is keeping it stretched out.  Once I get the sprinkler in position and the water turned on, I have to go back and make sure there aren’t any kinks in the hose.  Even when the water is turned on and the sprinkler is in the right position, the hose is useless if there is a kink preventing the water from flowing.

This is what happens when Christians hang on to certain parts of life.  We can prevent God’s work in our lives.  God provides the energy we need to accomplish God’s purpose in our lives.  However, willful disobedience, sin, and going back to our old way of life keep us from being the individuals God wants us to be.

Pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is telling you.  He will convict you of your sins and prompt you to confess those sins.  God wants to forgive your sins so that he can continue to work in your life to accomplish his good purpose.

You and Y’all 

There is one more thing I want you to notice about this Scripture.  When Paul describes salvation here, he is describing it as a community experience.  A proper, East Texas translation of these verses would use the word “y’all” instead of “you.”

Work out your (y’all’s) salvation, for God works in y’all.

This is one of those places where our American cultural values come into conflict with what the Bible teaches us.  As Americans, we like to think of salvation only as an individual experience.  It often comes up during election season.  A candidate promises that his Christian faith will not affect the way he governs.  Or, a candidate professes his faith in Jesus, and other people say we shouldn’t talk about such things, because faith is personal and individual.  Faith is something we keep to ourselves.

The Bible teaches something completely different about salvation.  Yes.  Salvation is personal and individual.  Everyone must have his or her own faith in Jesus in order to be saved.  However, the biblical view of salvation is that it is ALWAYS lived out in community with other believers.  The biblical word for this community is “church.”

Oh I know there are people who claim to be Christians and do not need the church.  This is a foreign concept in the New Testament.  The New Testament describes the church as the Body of Christ.  Every member is a part of the Body.  The Body is not complete without every member.  No one Christian is complete by himself or herself.  We need each other.

We need each other to worship together.  We need each other to grow in discipleship.  We need each other to do the work of evangelism and missions.  And, God is at work in the church to accomplish these good works.

Conclusion

Let’s go back to the expression “God helps those who help themselves”…

It is probably better for us to say “God helps those who ALLOW HIM;” or “God helps those who STOP RESISTING the call of the Spirit;” or even “God helps those who GET OUT OF THE WAY.”

There are two ways we allow God to work in our lives…

First, we must yield every aspect of our lives to God…allowing the Holy Spirit to have complete control over everything.

Second, we must become a part of a church which is filled by the Holy Spirit and completely led by the Spirit.

Work out your salvation by allowing God to work in you and in us.

(Inspired by Dr. Roger Olson's sermon: Grace Works)

There's No "I" in Team (or Church): A Sermon on Humility

There’s No “I” in Team (or Church)
Philippians 2: 1 – 11

Introduction

Our Scripture from Philippians this morning is a challenge for me, and is probably a challenge for all preachers and for all Christians.  This is a topic we all struggle with…Humility.  I think the best person to preach on humility would probably be the guest preacher…Someone who comes in and preaches one sermon to the congregation, then gets in his car and drives home.  The guest preacher has an advantage over your pastor, because I live with you, and you can observe how I live my life.

When I think of humility, I remember something Benjamin Franklin once said.  Benjamin Franklin developed a list of 13 virtues he wanted to live out in his daily life.  He kept a list of these 13 virtues in his journal and graded himself every day on each virtue.

“In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly (sic) overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.”  Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin started with a list of only 12 virtues.  He eventually added humility as his thirteenth virtue.  He didn’t want to add it, because he was afraid that if he became too humble, he would be proud of his humility.

One of my favorite Scriptures about humility is found in Numbers 12: 3…

“Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”  Numbers 12: 3, Moses

Tradition tells us that the first five books of the Old Testament were written by Moses.  Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, NUMBERS and Deuteronomy…  Now that’s ironic.  Moses said, “I am more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” 

More than likely, Moses was the source of the oral tradition behind Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  The books were written down at a later date.  So, Moses never actually said that about himself.

But what if Moses did say that about himself?  All that really proves is that Moses was actually human.  As a human, Moses struggled with sin just like we do.  And, Moses probably struggled with the sin of Pride…just like we do.

Most of you are probably familiar with C. S. Lewis and his book, Mere Christianity.  In this book, Lewis makes the argument that Pride is the “Great Sin.”  It is great, because it is wide spread.  Every person struggles with Pride, and every person struggles to develop and attitude of humility. 

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”  C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Philippians 2: 1 – 11

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 

7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

There are a couple of recurring themes in the Book of Philippians.  Obviously, Paul writes about Joy in the Book of Philippians—Joy which does not depend on the circumstances of our lives…Joy which only comes from Christ in us.  A second theme is the theme of Unity.  Paul wrote this book to one of the churches he founded.  Chapter 4 seems to indicate a division in the church, and chapter 1 suggests that the church was facing some kind of persecution from outside sources.

Perhaps the church was facing cultural pressures to water down the Christian message to conform to the shifting cultural values.  It is also possible the church was facing political pressure to abandon Jesus as Lord and to confess Caesar is lord.  Whatever the church might have been facing, there was only one solution.  Paul challenged the Philippian church to “stand firm” and to “contend for the Gospel” united together as if they are one person.

Chapter 2 begins with a series of conditional sentences…If, then.  But, don’t let Paul’s use of the word “if” confuse you.  Paul is not trying to create doubt about the encouragement and comfort Christians receive from Christ.  Instead, he is affirming the reality that we do receive encouragement and comfort from Christ.

It’s like when we say to someone, “If I am your friend (and I am your friend), then you can count on me.”  Another way to express this is the use the word “since” in place of the word “if.”  “Since I am your friend, you can count on me.”

In Philippians 2: 1, we can translate Paul as saying, “Since you have encouragement from being united with Christ…Since you have comfort from his love…Since you have fellowship with the Spirit…Since you have experienced tenderness and compassion…Make my joy complete…”

Then Paul tells the Christians at Philippi what will make his joy complete.  He wants them to live together in unity.  He wants the church to experience a kind of fellowship that is different from the rest of the world.  He knows this is the only way the church stands a chance in a culture of opposition…to be united in mind, united in love, and united in spirit and purpose.

This does not mean we are all supposed to think and act alike.  No.  There is supposed to be diversity within the Body of Christ.  We have different gifts from the Holy Spirit.  We have different personalities and temperaments.  And, we all have different life experiences.  God uses all of that diversity and brings us together to accomplish one purpose through us.

Diversity is not the greatest threat to unity within the church.  Diversity is a wonderful part of God’s plan that God uses to make us better together than we can be individually.  The greatest threat to church unity is Pride which causes us to think more about ourselves than about the purpose for the church.

To be united in one mind does not mean we all think the same thoughts.  Instead, being united in one mind means that no one is supposed to think of himself or herself as the most important person in the church.  No one is to place personal ambition ahead of what God has called the church to do.

A Church of One Mind

Paul spells this out by describing a couple of different attitudes which are inappropriate for church members to hold. 

It is always inappropriate for church members to have an attitude of selfish ambition.  We might recognize this better under the labels of rivalry and competition. 

Sometimes rivalry is a very personal attitude.  A person compares himself or herself to other people and has a superior opinion of themselves.  They are richer or better dressed and therefore think they deserve to be treated better than anyone else in the church.  Or, they know more about the Bible than anyone else and think their opinions are more important.  (Some people think their opinions are more important because their family has been in the church longer than all those new people who have joined less than 50 years ago.)

And this is the problem with Pride.  No one wants to intelligent…They want to be more intelligent than their friends.  No one wants to be rich…They want to be the richest person in the world!  Pride is a competition with other people, and Pride can never be satisfied.  There will always be someone better, smarter or richer to compare to yourself. 

Sometimes rivalry is between groups of people rather than individuals.  Perhaps the younger folks think they are more important than the older folks—or the older folks think they are more important than the younger folks.  Or, even worse, maybe there are cliques of people who divide up according to social standing and consider their clique the most important clique.

A church cannot fulfill her God-given mission and purpose as long as there are rivalries within the Body of Christ.

Another attitude which has no place in the church is the attitude of “vain conceit.”  There might not be a lot of difference between rivalry and vain conceit.  “Vain conceit” literally means “empty opinion.”  People who have empty opinions are people who think more highly of themselves than they think of other people.  Empty opinions lead people to feel jealous of other people and to the desire to fight to prove they are right and everyone else is wrong.  A church cannot be of one mind when everyone is trying to be right.

When I was in seminary, one of my professors invited a marriage counselor to speak to our class.  He told a story about a couple who came to him for counseling.  They disagreed about everything.  If he said it was black, she said it was white.  If she said it was up, he said it was down.  Finally, the counselor stopped the arguing and said, “Listen, you have to make a choice.  Do you want to be right?  Or, do you want to be married?  Because you can’t be both.”  I think that is pretty good advice for marriage, but it also works for the church.  Do you want to be right?  Or, do you want to be church?

Humility

Humility is not very popular in American culture.  But, it wasn’t very popular in the First Century Roman Empire either.  In fact, no one in Rome of Paul’s day considered humility a virtue.  They thought of humility as a weakness.  Humility was considered the opposite of pride, and the Romans considered pride a virtue.

The word Paul used for humility was associated with slavery.  We might even say that Paul is telling the Philippian Christians they ought to adopt the mentality of a slave.  They should think of themselves as the lowest of social standings and unfit.

Perhaps Paul is thinking about the Old Testament teachings about how God works.  For example, the Old Testament teaches us that God often chooses people who seem to be small and insignificant to accomplish big things through them.  It also teaches us that God shows grace to the humble and opposes the proud (Proverbs 3: 34).

It seems there are two ways we are supposed to be humble.  We are to demonstrate humility in our behavior toward other people, both inside and outside the church.  And, we are to be humble in the way we approach God.  God hears our prayers when we approach him as people who are unfit and unworthy.

Jesus as the Model of Humility

It would be good enough for Paul to appeal to an Old Testament text or story to describe Christian humility.  However, Paul went one step farther.  Instead of appealing to the Old Testament, Paul appealed to the character of Jesus himself.

More than likely, Philippians 2: 6 – 11, contains the words of an ancient hymn.  Modern translations like the New International Version recognize this as a long quotation and set these verses apart with indentations.

Since Paul does not cite his sources, we are left with some unanswered questions.  Did Paul write this hymn?  Did Paul quote from a familiar hymn sung in the Philippian churches?  Of course, that doesn’t really matter.  What matters is what the theology of the hymn teaches us about Jesus and how Paul uses that theology to inform his ethical teaching about humility.

One way to read the hymn is to note the way Jesus moves from Heaven to earth and back to Heaven.  The preexistent Jesus left Heaven and came down to earth.  The earthly Jesus went to the cross—the lowest point of his earthly life and the lowest point of the hymn.  But, the cross is neither the end of Jesus nor the end of the hymn.  Jesus went from the cross to being exalted by God in the resurrection, and now Jesus lives in an exalted status at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.

One of the differences between us and Jesus is the fact that our lives had a beginning.  There was a time—before my birth—when I did not exist.  There was never a time when Jesus did not exist.  We read about this in John 1: 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  (Then John connects the preexistent Word with Jesus in John 1: 14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…”)

Just as John says the Word was with God and the Word was God, Paul tells us that the preexistent Jesus was every bit of the nature of God in his essential nature.  Yet, Paul tells us, Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.

What do you think it means to say Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped?

I can think of two examples of people who tried to grasp equality with God.

The first example comes from the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  God had placed Adam and Eve in the middle of Paradise.  They did not have to work for their food, because they were living in perfect harmony with God’s creation.  All the food they could ever desire was right there for the taking.  Adam and Eve didn’t need clothing or shelter, because there was no shame to separate them and no danger for them as long as they were caretakers of God’s creation.  But, that wasn’t enough for Adam and Eve.  They were not satisfied with their status as creatures in God’s creation.  They wanted to be equal to God.  Because they considered equality with God something to be grasped, they overstepped God’s boundaries.  As a result of their sin, Adam and Eve lost Paradise…and all of humanity now experiences separation from God.

The second example comes from the traditional understanding of Satan himself.  According to legend, Satan started out as one of God’s angels named Lucifer.  Lucifer was not satisfied with being one of the angels.  Instead, he considered equality with God something to be grasped.  When Lucifer tried to grasp equality with God, he fell from Heaven to Hell.

These two stories have something in common.  Adam and Lucifer had a misconception of what it means to be equal with God.  They were tempted, because they thought equality with God means they could do whatever they wanted to do.  They thought equality with God means having your own way and getting everything you desire.

According to the hymn in Philippians 2, this is not what Jesus demonstrated.  Jesus had equality with God.  In his preexistent state, Jesus was equal to God.  Yet, Jesus did not consider this equality something to be grasped or held on to.

So, in verse 7, we read that Jesus made himself nothing.  He emptied himself.  He poured himself out.  Jesus took on the nature of a slave, a human being.  And, Jesus poured himself out on the cross…the most humiliating form of death ever known.

Jesus shows us what true equality with God really looks like.  Equality with God is not having your own way and getting everything you want.  Equality with God is giving yourself away.  Because Jesus has the character of God, Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice for others.  The cross is the ultimate symbol of humility.

Because Jesus humbled himself and went to the cross on our behalf, God exalted Jesus in the resurrection and ascension.  Today, Jesus occupies the highest status possible.  Jesus is Lord…the name above all names…the name that brings all creatures and all kingdoms to their knees.  Jesus was exalted because he willingly humbled himself and gave his life away for others.

Conclusion

A couple of Saturdays ago, I was flipping channels between college football games and came across a game between Rutgers and Arkansas.  Under normal circumstances, I would not be interested in Rutgers and Arkansas.  But there was something different about this game.  The Rutgers’ players were wearing special uniforms…

(Source)

Notice the back of the players’ jersey.  Most teams print the players’ names across the back of the jersey.  The Rutgers’ jerseys are different.

 (Source)

F.A.M.I.L.Y. is an acronym for “Forget About Me I Love You.”  Rutgers has discovered that a football team is stronger when individual team members think about others ahead of themselves.  If a football team in New Jersey can figure that out, then surely a church in Lufkin, Texas can figure it out too.  This is what Paul was teaching us in Philippians: The church is stronger when we think of ourselves less…  Jesus is our example.

A Life Worthy of the Gospel

A Life Worthy of the Gospel
Philippians 1: 27 – 30

Introduction

In my sermon preparation this week, I began the week with a very basic question.  Our Scripture this morning begins with a rather interesting commandment: “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.”

We have already established that the Book of Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul and addressed to the Christians at Philippi.  Paul was the first person to preach the Gospel in Philippi.  The first people to accept the Gospel in Philippi eventually organized themselves (with Paul’s help) into the first Christian church in their area.  (Incidentally, this was the first Christian church on the continent of Europe.)

Paul preached the Gospel in Philippi.  The people accepted the Gospel and formed the first Christian church in Europe.  Now, Paul is challenging the Christians at Philippi to live “worthy of the Gospel.” 

All this talk about “the Gospel” raises a question for me:  “What is the Gospel?”

Sometimes we use the phrase “preach the Gospel” in reference to a sermon about salvation.  Like two Sundays ago when Richard Jackson was here and walked us through his marked New Testament.  In this sense, Gospel refers to the way a person can be saved…Saved from sin and saved from eternal death in Hell.

Other times we use the word Gospel to describe the first four books of the New Testament.  There is the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John.  In this context, Gospel refers to a type of literature—books of the Bible which describe the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus.

In both of these examples, we are trying to define the Twenty-First Century meaning of the Gospel.  We are trying to determine what people like you and I mean when we talk about the Gospel.  I don’t think this helps us to interpret Philippians 1.  Instead of focusing on ourselves and our understanding of the Gospel, I think we need to focus on what the Gospel meant in the First Century.  Specifically, we need to determine what Paul meant when he wrote about the Gospel and preached the Gospel.

The Greek word we translate “the Gospel” is the word euangelion.  It literally means “Good News” and we typically think of the Gospel as a distinctly Christian word.  However, that was not the case in the First Century Roman world.  In fact, the Romans were talking about good news and using the word gospel before the Christians.  The earliest usage of the Greek word for good news comes from a Roman inscription, dated 9 B.C.

The providence which has ordered the whole of our life, showing concern and zeal, has ordained the most perfect consummation for human life by giving to it Augustus, by filling him with virtue for doing the work of a benefactor among men, and by sending in him, as it were, a savior for us and those who come after us, to make war to cease, to create order everywhere…; the birthday of the god (Augustus) was the beginning for the world of the good news that has come to men through him…(N.T. Wright, What Saint Paul Really Said. [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1997.], p. 43.)

This inscription shows us that ancient people associated good news with the announcement of a new king.  The installation of a new king or emperor was a very hopeful time.  Perhaps this king would be better than the last king.  Perhaps this king will be everything we have ever hoped for—peace and prosperity like we’ve never known before…a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.

Paul understood this contextual meaning and preached a new Gospel.  Do not place your hope in the government.  There is a new king, a better king, a king who will fulfill all your hopes for a better future.  This king is not Augustus, Claudius, Nero or any other Caesar.  The only King who can bring about a better future is King Jesus.  King Jesus is not the king over Israel or the Roman Empire.  Jesus is the King of a new realm—the Kingdom of God.

For Paul, the Gospel is the final chapter in what God has been doing since the very beginning.  God called the people of Israel to be the People of God.  Now, in the Person of Jesus, God has issued an open invitation to all people, all races and all nations to become a part of the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God transcends all human boundaries, and Jesus is the only way to enter God’s Kingdom.

The Gospel cannot be separated from the life of Jesus.  If we do not talk about Jesus, then all we have left is a series of commandments and propositions and good deeds that don’t really make a lot of sense.  Paul’s teachings can only make sense in light of the life, crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. 

Ultimately, this is the Gospel…Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God who came to earth to establish the Kingdom of God through his life, crucifixion and Resurrection.

To believe the Gospel affects everything about our lives.  It affects  our theology (what we believe about God), because we come face to face with the reality that God loves us and provided the way for us to be saved.  It affects our ethics (the way we live our lives), because God has given us the life of Jesus as the example we ought to follow / imitate.  It affects our worldview (the way we view and interpret society around us), because we recognize that this world is at odds with the message of the Gospel.  This world has an upside down value system, and one day God will put things in their proper order.  This world needs to know Jesus and receive his invitation into the Kingdom of God.

Philippians 1: 27 – 30

 27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

This first verse has always been troubling to me.  The Gospel is what God is doing and has already done for us through Jesus.  The Gospel is not what we can do for God.  For that matter, the Gospel is a free gift of God’s Grace.  Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins and rose again as the promise of new and eternal life.  This is not something we can ever earn or deserve.  It is simply a gift of Grace…A gift we accept by faith in Jesus.  In this sense, we could never be worthy of the Gospel.

Conduct Yourselves

Since we can never live worthy of the Gospel, this leads me to believe we are focusing on the wrong word as the key to interpret Paul’s command.  Perhaps we would do better to focus on Paul’s word that is translated “conduct yourselves” in the NIV.

The Greek word Paul uses here is an unusual word for Paul.  In fact, this is the only place where Paul uses this particular word.  He typically uses the Greek word peripateo to give ethical instructions to his congregations.  In this case, he uses the word politeusthe, which is related to the Greek word for city (polis) and where we get our English word “politics.”  A literal translation of this Greek word would be something like “live as a good citizen.”  Therefore, Philippians 1: 27 can be translated literally, “Live as good citizens of the Gospel.”

I think Paul intentionally used this word, knowing that it would resonate with his Philippian audience.  Historians tell us that Philippi was a Roman which operated like a smaller version of the city of Rome.  Roman culture and customs were a part of everyday life in Philippi.  There was also a large Roman military base in Philippi.  As a result, the Philippian population had a large number of both active and retired military.  This tells us there were a lot of Roman citizens living in Philippi.  Of course, not everyone in Philippi was a Roman citizen…Not everyone in the Roman Empire was a Roman citizen.

In the ancient world, Roman citizenship was a very valuable thing to have.  Citizenship brought several privileges that noncitizens did not enjoy.  Roman citizens did not have to pay Roman taxes.  Roman citizens were promised due process when they got in trouble with the law. The Book of Acts tells us that Paul was a Roman citizen, who appealed to his citizenship several times to make sure that he received a fair trial.  (Acts 16 tells the story of Paul and Silas in Philippi.  They were arrested and held in prison overnight.  The next morning, the Romans wanted to release Paul and Silas quietly.  But Paul appealed to his Roman citizenship and insisted that they could not go away without due process.)

Even though Paul was a Roman citizen, he didn’t go around bragging about his status.  He didn’t tell the Philippians that they needed to do everything in their power to gain Roman citizenship like his.  No.  In places like this, Paul is teaching us that there is another citizenship which is infinitely more valuable than being a citizen of the most powerful nation in the world.

We might even make a case that Paul held dual citizenship.  On one hand, he was a citizen of Rome.  And Roman citizenship was valuable to Paul.  It helped him get out of some sticky situations.  On the other hand, Paul was a citizen of the Kingdom of God.  And, this was the citizenship most valuable to Paul.  An eternal citizenship which can never be taken away is more valuable than any earthly citizenship.

This is the key to understanding Paul’s instructions.  To the Philippians, Paul says: “If you have to choose between being a good Roman citizen and a good citizen of the Kingdom of God, choose the Gospel over Rome.”  To American Christians like you and me, Paul says: “If you have to choose between being a good American citizen and a good citizen of the Kingdom of God, choose the Gospel over America.”

American citizenship is a wonderful thing.  I wouldn’t want to be a citizen of any other nation.  We value freedom and respect for all people.  And, there is nothing wrong with being a citizen of both the United States of America and a citizen of the Kingdom of God…as long as the two are not at odds.  When American values conflict with Christian values, we need to follow Paul’s instructions to place the Gospel above all other values.

Paul describes how to live as good citizens of the Kingdom of God with three military illustrations.

Stand Firm

Another way to state this is to say, “stand your ground.”  When the culture is seducing you and pulling you away from the Gospel, “stand your ground.”

In the Roman military, soldiers were equipped with shields.  One shield was just big enough to protect one soldier.  However, a group of soldiers could stand shoulder to shoulder with their shields in front of them to protect a larger area.  This fortification was only successful as long as the soldiers could stay together with their shields as close together as possible.  If anyone broke ranks, the protection would fail.

Contending as One “Man”

“Contending” could be used either in military settings or in athletic competitions—specifically wrestling.  Two wrestlers would contend against each other.  Two soldiers would contend together against a common enemy.

In this context, Paul is not encouraging the church to fight against each other.  No.  Conflict inside the church makes the church weaker.  Instead, Paul encourages the church to fight together as “one man.”  Literally, he says as one psyche—one soul, or one spirit.  (This is not the typical word used to refer to the Holy Spirit, so Paul has something else in mind.  Perhaps he is referring to something like “team spirit” within the church.)

The idea here is that we struggle against the same enemy.  When we go out in many different directions, we are not working together.  But, when we operate with the same spirit in the same direction toward the same goal, we are stronger together

Without Being Afraid

If the Philippians were living as good citizens of the Kingdom of God, then they would find themselves at odds with the culture around them.  There were good things about Rome and all the benefits afforded to colonies like Philippi.  However, their ultimate allegiance was not to Rome or to Caesar.  Ultimately, their citizenship was in Heaven and Jesus was their Lord.  As a result, they could expect some opposition and persecution from the powers that be.

So, Paul encourages them not to be afraid of the government or the consequences they will face.

The Bible teaches us that we should always honor and respect the government.  Jesus said to “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.”  Paul tells us to obey the authorities, because ultimately government authorities work for God and will answer to God one day.

But, the Bible also teaches us that there is only One who is to be feared.  We honor and respect the government and its leaders.  We worship God alone.

In each of these three illustrations, Paul is teaching us that there is strength in numbers.  A lone Christian could never stand up under opposition and persecution.  However, a group of Christians—a church of Christians—has the strength to stand our ground, to fight together (as one team) against a common enemy and not be afraid of whatever we face…Because we face it together.

Conclusion

 A story is told about a man who was driving his car down an old country road.  For whatever reason, his car slipped off the road and into a ditch.  He was stuck and didn’t know how he would get his car out of the ditch.

Eventually, a farmer came up riding a cart being pulled by an old blind mule named Gus.  The man asked the farmer for help.  The farmer unhitched old Gus from the cart and hitched old Gus to the car in the ditch.

The farmer cracked his whip and yelled, “Yaa, Sam.  Pull.”  Gus just stood there.  He cracked the whip again and yelled, “Yaa, Jake.  Pull.”  Again, Gus just stood there.  He cracked the whip a third time and yelled, “Yaa, Gus.  Pull.”  Old Gus came to life and steadily pulled the car out of the ditch.

Out of curiosity, the driver asked the farmer why he called all those other names.  The farmer replied, “Old Gus is blind.  If he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn’t have even tried.  But, if Gus thinks he is working with a team, he is stronger than he thinks he is.”

As a member of a team / a church, we are stronger than we think we are.  Live as good citizens of the Gospel / the Kingdom of God…You are never alone…We are in this struggle together…You are stronger than you think you are.

A Win-Win Situation

A Win-Win Situation
Philippians 1: 18b – 26

Introduction

I’ve mentioned this before…I am preaching through the Book of Philippians on Sunday mornings.  I hesitate to call this a “sermon series,” because I haven’t gone into it with any predetermined themes.  Instead, I prefer to call this a journey through Philippians.  I want to remain open to what the Bible has to say…and I want to be surprised by what God has to say to us through Scripture.

One of the surprising themes in the Book of Philippians is the theme of Joy.  While it is probably not accurate to say that Joy appears in Philippians more than any other book in the New Testament, it is true that Joy appears more in these four chapters than any other four chapters in the New Testament.  For some reason, Paul was preoccupied with Joy when he wrote this book.

There is a temptation for most for most of us to read Paul’s words and make an assumption.  We assume that things MUST have been going well for Paul when he wrote these words.  Perhaps Paul was having the very best year of his life when he sat down to write to his friends at Philippi.  At the very least, surely Paul was having a very good day…

However, this is not the case.  Paul had been falsely accused by the Jews in Jerusalem.  He was arrested.  The Romans and Jews were willing to make an example of Paul and rush him to some kind of punishment.  But, Paul made an appeal to Caesar.  Since he was a Roman citizen, he could not be punished without due process.  So, the Romans shipped him off to Rome where Paul would wait for Caesar to hear his case.

Of course, the Romans didn’t set Paul up in a luxury hotel to wait on his trial.  They didn’t even turn him loose on his own recognizance.  No.  Paul lived under house arrest.  He had to pay rent; he was responsible for his own financial needs (things like food); and he was chained to a Roman soldier 24 hours a day.  He wasn’t actually in prison.  However, it probably felt like a prison.

But, the worst part of house arrest was not that it limited Paul’s freedom to come and go as he pleased.  The worst part was the uncertainty.  No one knew how Caesar would rule in Paul’s case.  It was possible that Caesar would find Paul “not guilty” and release him.  It was also possible that Caesar would find Paul “guilty” and sentence him to death.

Yet, in the midst of all this uncertainty, Paul still wrote about Joy to the Philippians.

Philippians 1: 18b – 26

And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.  

There are a couple of ways we can interpret Paul’s words in this passage.  It is possible that Paul is writing to the Christians in Philippi to let them know how he is doing.  Or, it is possible that the Christians in Philippi had gotten word that Paul was in prison and sent a message to find out how Paul is doing.  Either, the Philippians had inquired about how Paul was doing, or Paul had taken the initiative to let them know he was OK.

Remember that Paul is not a free man.  He was waiting for someone else to determine his future.  He did not know what the Romans would do with him.  It is fair to say that Paul was going through a crisis.  At the very least, this was a personal crisis—waiting in chains and not knowing what the future holds.  At worst, this was a crisis for the Christian faith—this might affect the spread of the Gospel!

People in the ancient world were a lot like people in our modern world.  There were people who would wonder if Paul really was called by God.  After all, if God had called Paul to preach the Gospel and plant new churches, then God would have been able to protect Paul from arrest.  Others would use Paul’s arrest as an opportunity to express their doubts in God.  If God were sovereign and omnipotent, then God could have prevented this crisis.  Therefore, Paul’s crisis might suggest that there is no God.

Paul had a completely different interpretation of his imprisonment.  Even though Paul was no longer able to preach the Gospel, God was using this crisis to bring about a good result.  This doesn’t mean that God caused Paul’s crisis.  It means that God can use bad circumstances to bring about good results.

God’s Good Purpose

One of the reasons why Paul can speak about Joy and Rejoicing from his arrest is the fact that he can see God at work in three ways…

First, Paul knows that being in chains has given him the unique opportunity to share his faith with the prison guards and officials.  Instead of being angry at God for allowing him to go to jail, Paul thought of this as a divine opportunity.  Because of his imprisonment, people get to hear the Gospel who might not have heard it otherwise.

Second, Paul knows that being in prison has caused a new generation of preachers and pastors to take up Paul’s work while he is away.  Instead of sitting in chains feeling sorry for himself, Paul gives thanks to God for raising up new leaders for the Christian faith.

Third, Paul has heard reports of something else taking place on the mission field.  Other preachers and missionaries are using Paul’s imprisonment to make a name for themselves.  Before Paul went to jail, he was the most famous Christian missionary.  Other missionaries did not have the reputation Paul had, and they had not experienced the same kind of success Paul had.  Now, they are trying to surpass Paul by planting churches while he is away and growing their reputations.  Ironically, Paul sees this as a good thing.  It does not matter what the preachers’ motives might be…At least the Gospel is being preached.

There is a part of me that thinks Paul was very fortunate that God allowed him to see the good being done while Paul was in prison.  It is easier for us to experience suffering when we can see a purpose in our suffering.  When we do not see a purpose in our sufferings, they are unbearable.

There is another part of me that thinks Paul was able to see God’s work in his crisis as a result of Paul’s faith.  Paul’s faith caused him to look for God’s good purpose instead of focusing on his own troubles.

When we experience sufferings in life, we have to make a choice.  The natural choice is for us to focus on ourselves…our own pain…loneliness…loss…  The unnatural choice to for us to focus on God…and to think about how God might be at work in these circumstances…to search for God’s purpose in our suffering.

What would happen if we looked at our sufferings through eyes of faith?  Of course, this will never be our first reaction.  Our first reaction will always be survival and self-preservation.  But what will we do next?  Paul gives us a good example.  Eventually, Paul was able to look at his crisis through eyes of faith…searching for the ways God could use his crisis to accomplish something good.

You will always find what you are looking for.  If you are looking for a reason to complain and feel sorry for yourself…you will find it.  If you are looking for the ways God is at work in the midst of your suffering…you will find it.  And, if we look at the crises of life through the eyes of faith, we will also find a reason to Rejoice.  God is at work in all circumstances.  God is at work in the crisis.

 God’s Salvation

In verse 19, Paul said something that sounds confusing.  He does not know what the future holds for him.  He does not know if his captors will let him live or die.  He does not know if he will ever get out of chains.  But, he says that what has happened to him will “turn out for his deliverance.”  AND, he writes as if the final decision is up to him!

The word “deliverance” makes it sound like Paul thinks he will get out and everything will be OK.  But, when we read it in context, we discover that Paul might be writing about something bigger than his deliverance from chains…

Philippians 1: 18b – 21…Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 

Perhaps “salvation” is a better translation than “deliverance.”  Paul is not saying that he is confident that he will be delivered from chains.  Instead, he is saying he is confident that he will be delivered from his crisis.  Paul knows that he might experience deliverance in this life or by going to Heaven to be with the Lord.  Either Paul will be delivered by a prison guard with a key, or he will be delivered by God himself.

I think this is one more reason why Paul was able to find Joy in his crisis.  He knew he had nothing to lose.  What was the worst that could happen to Paul?

If he got out of prison, he would be able to continue his ministry by preaching the Gospel, planting new churches and encouraging existing churches.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  If Paul never got out of prison, he would go to be with his Lord in Heaven.  There’s nothing wrong with that either.  Paul was in the ultimate win-win situation.

This win-win view of the future is something only available through faith in Jesus.  If Paul goes on living, he will live his life to the glory of God.  If Paul either dies in chains or is executed, he will die to the glory of God.  He knew that whether he lives or dies, it will be for the glory of God and for Paul’s salvation. 

Life will give Paul an opportunity to continue to live for the Lord.  Death will give Paul release from the pain and struggle he is experiencing right now…and usher him into the presence of the Lord.

Through faith, Paul has found a reason to Rejoice in what has happened in his past, AND has found a reason to rejoice in what will happen in his future.  No crisis could take this Joy away from Paul.

Paul was able to rejoice in the midst of suffering, because he lived his life for something bigger than himself.  He lived for Christ…and for Christ alone.  He didn’t have all the distractions that keep us from living for Christ.

Perhaps this is a silly illustration, but it makes sense to me.  I enjoy watching college football.  I check the rankings every week to see who has gone up and who has gone down.  Before I went to bed last night, I turned the TV to ESPN.  I wasn’t very interested in the Washington and Stanford game.  All I wanted to do was read the scroll at the bottom of the screen to see who won and who lost—or to see if any coaches got fired.

I enjoy college football.  But, that is not what I live for.  If I lived for college football, then I would have something to live for only four or five months of the year.  The rest of the year, I would have no purpose.  And, I wouldn’t really be living during the four or five months of the season.  I would be sitting back, watching life unfold before me…with no control over how things turn out.

It is not enough to live for something other than yourself.  We must live for something BIGGER than self.

Conclusion

Perhaps you have heard the story of a missionary named Jim Elliot.  In the 1950’s, Jim Elliot felt called by God to make contact with a remote people group deep within the nation of Ecuador.  This group lived so isolated that the only way they could be reached was by aircraft.

Jim Elliot and his mission team had several friendly encounters with this people group.  But things turned hostile on January 8, 1956.  Ten tribal warriors attacked the mission team and killed them.

After his death, Jim Elliot’s widow (Elizabeth Elliot) published two books about his life and death.  In her books, she shared a quote Jim Elliot had written in his journal seven years before his death. 

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”[1]

Life is something that no one can keep.  There is coming a day when every person will face death.  Life will not last forever.

However, faith in Jesus promises us eternal life that goes beyond the life we now know.  The Resurrection of Jesus is a promise that we too will experience Resurrection and live eternally with the Lord.  Eternal means that it is something we can never lose.

Paul found Joy in his sufferings, because he was willing to give away what he knew he could not keep.  He was willing to give away his own life for something BIGGER than himself—he was willing to live for Christ.

Paul found Joy in his sufferings, because he knew he would gain what he could never lose.  He was willing to die for Christ or to die IN Christ.  He knew he would be with the Lord forever, and no one—not even Caesar could take that away from him.

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[1]Billy Graham Center archives:  http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/faq/20.htm