"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…" - Philippians 1:27
Main Readings: Acts 5:27-42 & Philippians 1:12-30
Related Reading: Ephesians 4 & Luke 12:1-11
Paul says, in verse 27, ‘Whatever happens…’ It links to what he’s already said. He’s writing to the believers in Christ at Philippi. He’s in Rome, where he’s in chains for Christ. He’s already stated his confidence that God will deliver him. He doesn’t know the how of how that deliverance will pan out. But he knows his God will deliver. Because his God does. He is confident - though he is in a desperate place.
Paul’s in a real life and death situation when he writes these four verses, 27 – 30. If I was in his sandals and had four verses to write, I know what they’d be about. My desperate situation – me! But what an example Paul is! Paul says, ‘Whatever happens…’, like ‘to me… I want to talk about you.’ He wants to talk about the life of those believers. To instruct them in living the Christ life. Pauls’ concern is less whether he’s released from prison. And more, that others are set free to serve Christ. Cos Paul knows there’s so much that holds us back - and chains us - from living our lives in Christ to their full potential.
And that’s what this section’s about. Life in Christ means living a certain way. In the past, I’ve met Christians who were so focused on life after death that I’m not sure… they believed in life beforehand! But Paul did. And he wanted others to. You have new life in Christ, so live - live a ‘life worthy of the gospel.’ That’s the title of this section in the NIV. And it’s Paul’s instruction in verse 27, ‘conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.’ It’s like Paul’s saying, ‘Your lives have something to say – the way you live speaks to others.’ So what should our lives be saying?
The clue’s in the word ‘worthy’. It’s about ‘worth’ - value. Our lives, lived in Christ, will inform others just how much, or otherwise, we truly value God’s gift to us. Paul wants us to live lives that reflect the value of the good news about Jesus. Because, if we do, then our lives will speak. In a way that’s guaranteed to be heard. Our lives will like a letter. Which is guaranteed to be read. What do I mean?
Well, when I was a boy, I used to receive gifts - birthdays and Christmas and the like. From wider family and family friends. But you may not know this about my childhood – my parents were unbelievably cruel! ‘What, didn’t they give you gifts?’ Worse than that! When I got gifts, they made me write thankyou letters! How unreasonable?!
It took time. My hand suffered so bad. It wasn’t like I didn’t want the gifts – Just that sometimes the gift didn’t seem worth the ordeal of the letter. But I knew if I wrote that, I’d be for it! I wanted to – ‘Dear Mr Kindly-Heart… You recently gifted me a pen. I’ve written this thankyou letter with it and enjoyed it so much… NOT! You really shouldn’t have! Please, please, please… DON’T do it again! Lots of love, Paul.’
I didn’t write that but what I wrote probably conveyed that. I just couldn’t be bothered and that would’ve showed. But sometimes it was different. Sometimes I received something that was so good – that it was so easy to write. Cos I had something to say. To say about how much the gift meant to me.
And that’s what Paul’s saying here. Our lives should be lived like a thankyou letter. Think about how much God’s gift of new life in Christ really means. How much is that gift worth – then live a life worth-y – worthy. When? On Sundays at Church? No! – not just then. Always! Paul covers that here. After instructing these believers to live a life worthy, he says, ‘Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence…’ Paul might be coming to visit them. But he might not. Their living for Jesus mustn’t be dependent on the on-off presence of Paul in their living room – but on the always presence of Christ in their newly-living hearts.
Do our lives say something different, depending on who’s watching? They shouldn’t. Although it’s an error we easily make. Our God’s always watching. And, as Paul, is about to tell us, the unbelieving world is always watching too. Are our lives always consistent with what we believe? When they are, our lives will say something - something profound to others! By the way we live, they will know… And Paul says here, ‘I will know…’
And at the end of verse 27, when he says, ‘I will know…’ he then shows us what he’s really looking for. Cos our lives as individual Christians will speak to others – but our lives as Christians together will say more. Paul says, ‘I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit… striving together… as one… for the faith of the gospel.’ This is the Church united – us - the local Church – together.
But how on earth are broken people like us gunna keep it all together… together? Paul tells us. It’s not ‘how on earth’! It’s how from heaven! ‘Stand firm in the one Spirit.’ Look to be empowered by the Spirit of Christ. Pray to be empowered by the Spirit of Christ. Cos if there’s one thing God wants Church life to speak clearly of – and to picture – it’s Christ.
In several places in the New Testament, the Church is likened to the body of Christ. Like Ephesians 4. It’s an illustration that’s regularly repeated. And used to help us understand how important each small part of the church jigsaw is. Even if we feel that our role in Church life is tiny, without us the Church picture is incomplete. And when our life together is meant to present a picture of Christ to the unbelieving world – we should want that picture to be as complete as possible. If we are united – together - we will picture Christ.
But imagine - I give you a gift. It’s in a plain cardboard box. I tell you the truth - inside is the most beautiful picture you’ll ever see. So, you excitedly open the box. But there’s just a broken-up jigsaw. Lots of separated pieces just rattling around. Would you appreciate the beautiful picture? No. Cos you wouldn’t be able to see it!
So, with the Church. Our Church life can only truly picture Christ when we’re joined together. If Church living is united… then Church living will look so different. And so good. If we’re fractured and broken apart, what will people see? Nothing that they haven’t seen before. Like, everywhere they’ve ever looked. Who could blame them if they looked away?
But when the Church stands firm, in the one Spirit of Christ, displaying the full picture of Christ – even people with their eyes shut as tightly as possible, they’ll get a glimpse. Of something they’ve rarely seen. Anywhere they’ve ever looked. Who would blame them if they looked again?
In verse 28, we have the circumstances in which we are to hold fast together. ‘striving together… 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.’ Church life together, it will show something… powerfully. Something read by those round about. It will be a picture of power and beauty. Something that tells others that we have God’s saving forgiveness in Christ. And that we’re so thankful, we’ve become both a forgiven and a forgiving people.
Cos, how is the Church gunna stand firm together? By getting everything right all the time? No! That’s the reason human relationships so regularly break-up – the fact that none of us get everything right all the time. In fact, if you’re anything like me then getting some things right – sometimes – that’s progress!
We’ll need the capacity to forgive and forget, if we’re going to live together well. But isn’t that the essence of the gospel of Christ. In God’s eyes we got nothing right – none of the time. But - in Christ - he forgave and forgot. And he calls us to stand firm, in the one Spirit of Christ - with that same spirit of Christ.
Church life lived like this will be visible - ‘this is a sign.’ A sign of what? And in what context? Well, context first. These verses have it. Verse 28 has ‘those who oppose you.’ Verse 29 mentions Christ. It says, ‘suffer for him.’ That’s part and parcel of the Christian life. And verse 30 has ‘struggle.’ These three verses highlight hard things. The Christian life involves suffering and struggle and opposition. Little wonder that God in his wisdom has designed it to be lived together.
Recently I read an article about Mount Everest. The only way to reach the summit is on foot. It’s a journey that involves struggle and suffering. It isn’t easy. But the wonder of it – and the reward of it - makes people do it. Loads of people. There have been about 12000 successful summittings. 12000! But do you know how many of those have been done solo – without any support. Almost none. Do you know why? Cos it’s not easy.
So, with the Christian life. It’s not easy. It involves suffering and struggle. But suffering and struggle that are meant to be shared. And meant to be received as a gift granted. We so easily understand that God’s saving of us in Christ is a gift granted. But do we see suffering in the same way. This is much harder to grasp. But it’s clear in verse 29. ‘For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.’ Suffering for following Christ – that’s as much God’s gift to you as saving you was! How so?
Well, there’s that wonderful illustration in Acts 5. It’s in the early days of the Church of Christ. Some of the Church leaders are facing proper opposition. People are rubbishing their message about Jesus. Not only do they suffer verbal threat. But they get flogged for good measure. They must’ve looked so weak to their opponents. Just a few people against a whole crowd. People with no social standing up against those living life on the top rung of the ladder. Their opponents had authority and establishment backing. ‘They ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and (then) let them go.’
Now they’d stop! They expected those believers to leave feeling sorry for themselves – the most natural reaction to suffering. But their reaction was not natural – it was supernatural. ‘(They) left… rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (of Christ).’
What a sign that must’ve been to those who opposed them. What had looked so weak, suddenly looked so powerful. If we’re Christians, we too will experience pressure to conform to society’s mould. When we’re being pressed into a mould, it’s easy to feel like jelly. Those men probably felt that way. But together they acted differently. And they looked so different. They didn’t look like jelly. They looked like Jesus.
They realised that people had identified them with Christ. He was their new identity and people recognising that made them rejoice, even in proper-hard circumstances. And God had counted them worthy. Imagine that. When we come to Christ by faith, we aren’t saved because we’re worthy. But because we believe that Christ is. But when God allows us the privilege – when he grants us suffering – it’s because he has now counted us worthy of being identified with his precious Son. This caused those men to have a different mindset towards suffering. And helped their lives to speak powerfully about the power of Christ.
So, with the Church together now. The unbelieving world sees us as a weak thing. But when it sees us standing firm together it will see more. It will see power despite weakness. And like in verse 28 – ‘this will be a sign to them.’
What’s it like? It’s a bit like driving down the motorway. There’s several lanes filled with humans on journeys. But most of those lanes are gunna close. Because, up ahead, they’re being dug up. Carry on in those lanes and you’re going down a big hole. But then something happens. People start slowing down from their mad rush. People start moving over to the lane that keeps going onwards. Cos of the big flashing sign! People see it and their behaviour changes. Cos, they don’t want to end up in a hole. But there’s always one who keeps going. But even they notice eventually. They question, ‘why are all those people together in that one lane?’ And they see that sign. The way they’re going is probably gunna go badly. And even they may then start to move over.
So with the Church. Living a life worthy. United in our direction of travel. Firm in our commitment to Christ as the only way forward. Others will see. And it will be a sign. Some of them will realise that the lane they’re in is wrong, and they’ll start to move over.
We want to reach others for Christ - but they refuse to listen to what we’re saying. Then let our lives speak. Let them be a letter of thanksgiving that reflects the value of God’s gift – a life worthy of the gospel of Christ.
I’ve two examples to give of how this works out. Recently, we were on holiday and joined with another Church for worship. The preacher that day mentioned his family that didn’t believe. But some of them sometimes had contact with his Church family, at events and stuff. He said this – ‘When my non-Christian family see my Church family, living together and loving together, it blows their minds more that doctrine ever could.’
Also, recently I heard about the testimony of a young lady. She’s not from a church background but has been to church youth groups and church events. She went away with one Church. And she was struck by what she saw. She hadn’t seen it elsewhere in the same way. She said, ‘they were happy and unified in Christ.’ What she saw was a sign – that instructed her to move forward in a new direction. Towards a better future. She returned home. And asked God to forgive her sin. And change her heart. And change her life. And so, in Christ, he has.
Oh, Church of Christ do not doubt how powerfully your lives can speak. I’m reminded of the old saying – You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. How true – we can try to tell unbelievers about Jesus, but we can’t force them to listen. Think of all the sermons that have been preached. But they aren’t gunna hear. Think of all the great books that have been written about the wonder of God’s love in Christ. Volumes upon volumes that they will not read. How can we reach those lost people for Christ? And then Philippians 1 says, ‘Here’s how! – Volumes and volumes left on the shelves. Do not worry. Your lives can speak volumes!’
Christians’re called to live a life worth… worth-y of the good news message of Jesus. Christians’re granted the gift and the privilege of suffering for him. It’ll probably take a bit of work for most of us to see that as a privilege. Why must we suffer for being identified with him? Well chapter two is going to explain it more. But – spoiler alert – here’s the very brief reason. It’s both sides of God’s great coin of salvation. We must suffer for being identified with him. Because he suffered for being identified with us. The awful letter written with all the hideous details of our old life was gifted to him. And he nailed it to the cross! He took our sin and shame there, to give us God’s gift of new life. And he calls us to live that life worthy.
Years ago, my mother and father asked me to write thankyou letters. I saw it as an unreasonable request. The gift didn’t warrant it. But now our Heavenly Father is making a similar request. After what God has gifted us – in Christ - that request is beyond reasonable. By his grace – his ongoing supply of our lives in Christ – may we be empowered ‘to do this more and more’ (1 Thessalonians 4 1?).