Nathaniel R. Martin

Our Shepherd: Psalm 23:1-3

No image in Scripture has haunted me more than the image of a shepherd. It is haunting because the image is often used negatively throughout the Bible. The Lord indicts the leaders of Israel for being self-serving, rather than feeding the sheep they feed themselves. 

Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. (Eze 34:2–5)

Passages like this remind pastors of the gravity of their tasks. Pastors are called to lead, protect, and provide for the sheep. 

After I walk through the valley of the hauting rebukes of these unfaithful shepherds, I see light breaking in on the horizon. The shepherd image offers a comfort that shines so brightly, the darkness cannot overcome it. God himself becomes our shepherd and does so most intimately in Jesus Christ. 

The rebukes of the shepherds in Ezekiel 34 are followed by the promise that God himself will become the shepherd using language filled with messianic hope and expectation. 

15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. (Eze 34:15–16)

And listen carefully to verses 23-24 which remind us that there is one shepherd whom God will set up over us. 

23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken. (Eze 34:23–24)

There is hardly a better passage to contemplate the Lord as a shepherd for his people than Psalm 23. It is a royal Psalm of David, who was once a shepherd of sheep before being called to shepherd the people of Israel. In its verses we are led to the green pastures and still waters found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In the next few posts, I’ll try and wring as much edifying truth as I can out of these verses. Today, I’ll reflect on verses 1-3, verse 4 next and conclude with verses 5-6.  For now, I want us to see that the Lord is our shepherd who provides for our needs and guides our souls to rest, refreshment, and righteousness.

I.) The Lord provides for His sheep (23:1)

  1. The Lord provides because we are his sheep: The Lord is my shepherd (Ps 23:1)

Notice how David speaks of God as his shepherd in a personal and intimate way. God is not a shepherd generally, but particularly. He has a flock and the flock is cared for by God who is their shepherd. This is why the Psalms also employ the shepherd image corporately, but no less intimately. Consider the corporate language of Psalm 100.

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Ps 100:3)

This thought alone is worthy of our reflection, gratitude, and praise. The God who created all things by the Word of his power, who sustains all things by his sovereign hand so cares for his people, the church, that he uses the image of a shepherd,so we might know the personal and intimate way he leads us. 

“What condescension is this, that the infinite Lord assumes toward his people the office and character of a shepherd! It should be the subject of grateful admiration that the great God allows himself to be compared to anything which will set forth his great love and care for his own people.”- Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

This, of course, should lead to a question. Can you speak of God in this intimate way? God is only the shepherd of those who have humbled themselves in absolute dependence upon the Lord. God is only the shepherd of those who have embraced their weakness, and who know they need to be led, provided for, and protected. 

This humble act of dependence is faith in Jesus Christ, who is the good shepherd. 

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (Jn 10:9–11)

All of the benefits in Psalm 23 depend on whether you have humbled yourself and placed your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit through the Psalmist is proclaiming to us the grace of God in Jesus Christ, calling any who have not to repented of their sin to trust in the Lord, finding rest in the God who will become a shepherd in Jesus Christ. 

  1. The Lord provides so that we shall not want: I shall not want (Ps. 23:1) 

As our shepherd, the Lord provides for all that we need. As a shepherd meets the needs of sheep—providing food and whatever else is necessary, so the Lord provides what his people need, so that they are not in want. This does not mean that we will always have whatever we want, but that we shall not want. When the Lord is your shepherd, life circumstances don’t determine your safety and security. 

Those who depend on the Lord as their shepherd can say with Paul, 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Php 4:12–13)

So, whatever season of life you’re entering, let me encourage you: don’t fear the uncertainty or be anxious about tomorrow. The one who feeds the birds of the air and clothes the Lilies of the field is providing for you as a shepherd. 

On a more personal and individual level, some of you need to hear that although you don’t have everything you wish for, you shall not want. How often does the devil tempt us toward ingratitude and discontentment because he convinces us that we deserve all that we wish for? 

This text offers an opportunity to reflect on God’s goodness and provision for you. Yes, there are material blessings, but more than that, there are spiritual blessings in Christ: the forgiveness of sin, fellowship with the saints, and a future inheritance that awaits us in heaven. As God’s people, we shall not want. All of this provision by God should lead us to ponder his goodness and praise his name. 

II.) The Lord guides His sheep (23:2-3) 

  1. The Lord’s guidance leads to rest: He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. (Ps 23:2) 

A good shepherd knows where to lead his sheep so they can safely rest and enjoy the lush pasture. The image we are given is a green pasture covered in fresh vegetation that has grown after good rain. 

To be sure, there is an aspect here of material provision: food, comfort, and security. But there is most certainly a spiritual significance to this image. Those who have placed their faith in Christ rest spiritually while being guided by their shepherd.

The gospel of John equates this pasture to the abundant life that comes in Jesus Christ.  9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture….I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (Jn 10:9–10)

We experience God’s guidance to green pastures through the ordinary means of grace: the Word of God, prayer, and the ordinances. Through these means God again and again makes us lie down in the green pastures of the gospel. We hear and we see the grace of God in Jesus Christ. We are led to rest from our works and rest in the finished work of Christ. We are led to rest from our anxiety and rest in God’s care for us. 

We could spend all morning parsing out how God leads us to green pastures through the ordinary means of grace, but let’s consider just prayer for a moment. 

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Php 4:6–7)

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Pe 5:6–7)

These are not empty promises. Rest is found in the good shepherd who leads you to the green pastures of the gospel. 

We should be concerned about the state of our souls when we seek rest in the things we know will fail to provide it. Perhaps during busy seasons of life and stress, you find yourself scrolling through social media an unhealthy amount. Perhaps you find yourself streaming show after show. Maybe you think spending money can offer rest and comfort. We can do this in many different ways: overeating, excessive drinking, etc. 

When we find ourselves in these unhealthy patterns, we’ve taken our eyes off the shepherd’s lead and begun to wander off on our own way. What we are doing is foolishly trying to find rest in “pastures” of our own making. Christ leads us on a better path.

Notice what happens when we are led by the Lord to rest. He restores our soul.

  1. The Lord’s guidance restores the soul: He restores my soul. (Ps 23:3)

Again the words of Spurgeon are too good not to share, “When the soul grows sorrowful he revives it; when it is sinful he sanctifies it; when it is weak he strengthens it.”

I am willing to bet some of you are sorrowful as you read this. Others of you are broken because of repeated temptation and sin. Many of you are weak emotionally, spiritually, and maybe even physically. Perhaps you’re carying more than you’re able to share with a church member or friend.

When we gather on the Lord’s day we are to attune our hearts and minds to God our shepherd who in Jesus Christ by His Spirit will restore our souls as we follow him. We are to be reminded of the gospel of grace, the promise of the indwelling Spirit, and the hope of Christ’s return. All of these truths offer comfort for those in sorrow, forgiveness for those who have fallen, and strength for those not sure they can continue to stand. 

Listen to the voice of your shepherd and believe he is the God of all comfort and Father of mercies. Confess your sin and believe that he is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Believe that you are weak and that the grace of God is sufficient for you today. 

  1. The Lord’s guidance leads to righteousness: He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Ps 23:3)

The rest and restoration that God provides lead us in paths of righteousness. God restores our souls not so we’ll keep sinning or be apathetic toward his holiness but so that we’ll live righteously before him and before the world. The righteousness mentioned here is the standard of God’s covenant, which reflects God’s righteous character. 

In the Wisdom literature of the Bible, there are two paths that one might walk. One path leads to life and the other leads to death. When the Proverbs personifies Lady Folly we read in Proverbs 5, her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it. (Pr 5:5–6)

The early Christians reflected on this in one of the earliest Christian writings called the Didache. The opening verse reads, There are two Ways: a Way of Life and a Way of Death, and the difference between these two Ways is great. (Didache 1:1) 

The Lord shepherds us by leading us into the path of righteousness, which is the way of life. His Word reveals his character and his character is righteous. We are to walk in righteousness so that we might live. 

The ultimate way that God leads us to paths of righteousness is to lead us to Jesus Christ, who is the righteous one. No matter how much righteous law we hear, we turn our ears, go our own way, and so have no righteousness of our own. The good news of the gospel is that we may be found righteous in Christ Jesus whose perfect obedience to the law is attributed to us through faith. 

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Co 5:21)

For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith (Php 3:8–9)

It is the person who has been led by God to Jesus Christ who truly learns the paths of righteousness. After we are justified, we are, with the help of the Spirit, transformed into the image of Christ and less like our old self in Adam. We are sanctified and grow ever more to become what God has declared that we are—righteous. 

What are you looking to for rest? Think about the habits and patterns of your life. How much of your pursuit of rest can be described as mindless, a distraction, or the pursuit of pleasure? Can your Christian life and the way you worship be characterized by the language of green pastures and still waters? Are you always in motion and never still? Are you always speaking and never silent? 

The Lord is our shepherd who provides for our needs and guides our souls to rest, refreshment, and righteousness.

Praise be to God.

Nathaniel R. Martin

The Joy-Filled Christian Life: Philippians 1:12-26

Sermon Idea: The joy-filled Christian life trusts that God works in us to advance the gospel and for our progress in the faith. 

Introduction: C.T. Studd was a renowned cricket player in England, the best of his time. He was the son of a wealthy father and inherited a large inheritance upon his father’s death. His story is not one of fame or fortune but of forsaking both. 

Studd gave away a large inheritance and became a missionary to China with the China Inland Mission in 1885. According to the Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions, this decision “caused a sensation in the public press.” Except for some breaks because of health reasons, Studd would spend his life committed to foreign missions, first in China and then in Africa, until he died in 1931. Part of his legacy is a poem with a famous refrain. I want to read a portion of this poem to you, and I would be grateful if you could listen to the refrain at the end of each stanza. 

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,

In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e’er the strife,

Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last. 

Studd’s life and this famous poem testify to a single devotion: Christ is all of life, and all of life is for Christ.

We can say this and more about the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:12-26. As Paul provides an update about his circumstances, he sums up how he understands his entire Christian life in two verses. 

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel… (Php 1:12)

25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith (Php 1:25)

The word “advance” in verse 12 and the word “progress” in verse 25 are the same, just translated differently to better fit the context. 

Paul sums up his whole life in two ways: the advance of the gospel, and the progress of Christians in the faith.

This is why one of my former professors, Andy Davis, speaks of the Christian life as two journeys: the inward journey of sanctification and the outward journey of gospel advancement. We are to grow more like Christ and to proclaim Christ to the glory and praise of God. 

These ways, Paul tells us, are the way of joy. Paul knows joy in all circumstances because his life is Christ and all his life is considered in light of Christ.  

So this morning I want us to learn from Paul about the joy-filled Christian life. 

I want us to see that the joy-filled Christian life trusts that God works in us to advance the gospel and for our progress in the faith.

I.) God works in us to advance the gospel (Phil. 1:12-18) 

Verses 12-26 are essentially an update about Paul’s missionary efforts, much like we would hope to receive from missionaries that we support. He wants the Philippians to know that God is still at work even through his imprisonment. Their partnership and friendship are still needed. 

There is one encouraging update that Paul wants to give the Philippians: his imprisonment has served to advance the gospel, and he provides two means of testimony to support this. 

The first testimony Paul gives is that the gospel has advanced so much, that even the imperial guard and many others have come to learn that Paul is imprisoned for Christ.

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. (Php 1:12–13)

In Rome, where Paul is likely imprisoned, those held were done so as they awaited a trial or waited to be executed. Paul doesn’t share the details of his imprisonment, but we know that he was chained. The phrase “my imprisonment” is literally “my chains,” as the NIV and NKJV translate it. Whatever the details, it was not a pleasant experience. It was one of suffering, and it was suffering in chains. 

Paul would likely have been chained to a rotation of guards who changed shifts every four hours. This would provide Paul with numerous opportunities to share the reason for his imprisonment, the gospel of Jesus Christ. So words begin to get around, and that word is about Christ. 

Not only did these chains not stop the gospel, but Paul’s chains became the means for the gospel’s advancement, even among the imperial guard, which was an elite group of troops who were like special bodyguards for Ceasar. 

The second form of testimony is found in verse 14. Many people have been inspired toward greater confidence and faithfulness in preaching the gospel. 

14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Php 1:14)

It is not that these brothers were excited about imprisonment and suffering, but saw firsthand what God was doing through Paul’s suffering in chains and it was God’s work in this situation that made them confident in the Lord, and so they began to preach Christ boldly without fear. 

God has used Paul’s imprisonment as a servant for gospel advancement. The chains of Paul become a means to accomplish God’s purposes. 

There is nothing that a government can do foreign or domestic to subvert, silence, or stop the advancement of God’s Word in the gospel. Paul’s testimony in Philippians reminds me of God’s promise in Isaiah 55 about his Word and purpose. 

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, 

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Is 55:10–11)

The gospel’s advancement is not only one way Paul understands his life purpose and current circumstances; it is a source of joy. Even when Paul reports that some are preaching with poor motives, Paul’s focus is rejoicing that Christ is being proclaimed. 

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. (Php 1:15–18)

A lot of ink has been spilled in an attempt to understand the nature of this division. Are these two factions of one larger group of true brothers and sisters in the Lord? Or are these two different groups? What matters most though is not the historical background, but Paul’s perspective. 

Paul’s life is of such singular devotion that he rejoices in the proclamation of Christ no matter the motive.

So, if God works through Paul’s imprisonment and works in others to advance the gospel, how might we reflect on God’s providence in our own lives so that the gospel might advance through our lives? 

How has God providentially ordered your life? What neighborhood do you live in? What vocation do you have? What recreation spaces do you find yourself in? Who are the people that God has brought close to you? 

If Paul can view his suffering and imprisonment as a means for gospel advancement, why can’t we view our regular lives that way? 

Who has God brought close to you? Have you considered that God might be preparing someone for salvation by bringing them near to you? 

If you want to rob yourself of joy in this life, view all of your circumstances apart from God’s providence and apart from the purpose of advancing the gospel. 

Your job is not a cosmic accident. God was not careless when your realtor found your house. Your networks of recreation—sports, dance, outdoors, etc— are not meaningless extracurricular activities. 

In the words of a dear friend of mine, God has you where has you to advance the gospel through you. 

A really practical way to respond is to start thinking about the people in those areas of your life. Write down one person in your neighborhood whom you can pray for, get to know, and befriend. Do the same for your job, your recreation space, etc. 

What might happen if we all thought about our regular lives in light of God’s providence to advance the gospel? 

Paul’s joy is not only in the gospel’s advance but in the truth that Christ is his life. Paul’s life is for Christ, for the progress and joy of others in the faith. His life is Christ, so that even in death he gains more of Christ. 

Let’s look at the end of verse 18 and see that God works in us for our progress and joy in the faith. 

II.) God works in us for our progress and joy in the faith (Phil. 1:18-26) 

Paul is confident that he will ultimately be saved or delivered despite his suffering. Now, Paul might be convinced that he will soon be released from prison, and that makes sense because he expresses his hope to revisit Philippi in verse 26, “so that in my you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.” 

He may be convinced of this, but he is confident in much more than this. He is confident that he will be saved and delivered no matter what happens to him. 

Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Php 1:18–21)

If he is executed for preaching Christ, he will share in the suffering of Christ in his body but will be saved through prayer and the help of the Spirit. Paul isn’t going to compromise, he isn’t going to fall away, he isn’t going stop preaching Christ. He will honor Christ in his body even in death. And if he dies, he will die in Christ and live forever in the presence of Christ.

Last week, I introduced the sermon with a question from the Heidelberg Catechism. The most famous question of that Catechism is the first one. It fits our text perfectly and is simply too rich not to share.  

Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul,

in life and in death—to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Finding comfort in these glorious truths, memorized by Christians for hundreds of years is only possible by someone who believes what Paul has written in verses 20-21. 

as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

The deliverance that Paul is confident of his salvation in Christ Jesus by God’s grace, a salvation that will be fully realized in glory. Salvation in Christ is the only way death becomes gain! 

Paul believes that death is gain, but we must not miss what it means to live as Christ.

22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. (Php 1:22–23)

All of Paul’s life is for Christ, and so if he continues to live in the flesh, he will fruitfully continue labor. He will preach the gospel, make disciples, plant churches, and strengthen other believers. 

Paul speaks as if he’s hard-pressed between life and death, not because he is suicidal or hoping to die. It’s a rhetorical device that speaks of his life in uncertain terms. Paul may not be released and at worst be executed. Paul may be released and at best continue to be fruitful in ministry. 

By speaking of both with uncertainty, we have to consider equally what both life and death mean for someone who is in Christ. Paul wants us to see death as gain in Christ and life as Christ that consists of fruitful labor in the gospel. 

His love and affection for the Philippians leads him to ultimately say that he desires to pursue their progress and joy in the faith. 

24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 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. (Php 1:24–26)

Much like God used Paul’s sufferings to advance the gospel, God is going to use Paul’s life toward the progress and joy of the Philippians faith. In the next few weeks, Paul is going to parse out what this progress looks like. To progress in the faith means to live in a manner worthy of the gospel (1:27), to stand firm in one spirit (1:27), and to live in humility, seeking the interest of others over one’s own (2:1-4). 

We will get to that in time, but what I want us to see is that God works in us, often through others, for our progress in the faith. We are meant to grow in our adoration of Christ and into great Christlikeness. 

This is the way of joy! A life that is spiritually stagnant, discontent, and apathetic toward sin will not cultivate joy. 

A joy-filled Christian life progresses in the faith and works toward the progress and joy of other believers. Every Lord’s Day gathering is an opportunity to walk into this building to contribute to another believer’s progress and joy in the faith. 

This is one of the primary drives of my entire life. It is to show myself progressing in the faith and laboring toward the progress and joy of God’s church. Another occurrence of “progress” appears in 1 Timothy, and its use is similar to Philippians 1:25. 

15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Ti 4:15–16)

One of the things God is doing in your life at this very moment is working through the preaching of the Word toward your progress in the faith and toward greater joy in the faith. 

Friends, sin is the path of shame and guilt masquerading as a path toward joy. Our sin patterns are broken cisterns. They’ll never satisfied, and they will never be a source of Joy. 

Believe God and trust His Word. Believe that a life devoted to a single vision is the path to joy.  Christ is our life, and our life is for Christ. 

When we do this, we’ll see our lives as a means of gospel advancement, and we’ll work toward not only our progress and joy but the progress and joy of other believers. This is a life’s purpose worthy of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Nathaniel R. Martin

Praying With Joy: Philippians 1:3-11

Sermon Idea: God strengthens his church and advances the gospel through the prayers of his people. 

Introduction: Historically, churches have used catechisms to instruct and disciple Christians in the faith. A catechism teaches biblical and doctrinal truths through questions and answers. 

One of the richest and most widely used catechisms was published in 1563 by a young theology professor at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. It consists of 129 questions, and although few things would please me more than to read all 129 to you this morning I just want you to listen to question 116. 

Question: Why do Christians need to pray? 

Answer: Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. 

And also because God will give his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who continually and with heartfelt longing ask God for these gifts and thank him for them. 

In our text this morning, Paul exemplifies thanksgiving to God and a heartfelt longing for God’s gifts of grace for the church in Philippi. 

His aim is that saints in Philippi live in a manner worthy of the gospel so that they might be unified and in partnership for gospel advancement. 

Paul understands that if this is going to happen, it will be because of God’s grace working in their lives. He further understands that God’s work of grace is accessed through the prayers of God’s people. 

Prayer is the means God has appointed by his sovereign providence to accomplish his purposes in the church and the world. This is why the Heidelberg Catechism says, “God will give his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who continually and with heartfelt longing ask God for these gifts…”

As we study these verses, I want you to believe that God strengthens his church and advances the gospel through the prayers of his people.

If we believe that, we will seek to follow Paul’s example. We will pray with thanksgiving to God, with affection for God’s people, and by interceding for God’s people. 

I.) Pray with thanksgiving to God (Philp. 1:3-6)

The first thing that Paul does is thank God for his grace to the Philippians and for bringing them into partnership in the gospel. 

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy (Php 1:3–4)

Notice how Paul personally addresses God, “I thank my God.” Prayer for Paul is not a mere exercise of religion. It is not another task on the to-do list. Prayer for Paul is communion with the God who has saved him. 

Paul is not praying to some distant, unknown being. This is a thankful address to the God and Father of his Lord Jesus Christ. 

When we pray to the Lord, we should enter into God’s presence with the confidence of a child running into the arms of a loving parent. We pray to the God who knows us and has made us his own. 

The personal nature of Paul’s prayer reminds me of Psalm 100.

3  Know that the Lord, he is God! 

It is he who made us, and we are his; 

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 

4  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, 

and his courts with praise! 

Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Ps 100:3–4)

Thanksgiving is the appropriate response to God for all his blessings and good gifts to us, but this is not the only reason we should pray with thanksgiving. 

We will never seek more of what we are not thankful for. 

Thankfulness for God and his gifts directs the heart to seek more of God and his gifts through prayer. That is why Paul intercedes in prayer for them in verses 9-11. 

The Philippians are already in partnership with Paul for gospel advancement. He testifies to his confidence in God’s work in their lives. He is thankful for both of these things. 

This thankfulness does not conclude his prayers for them. It continues his prayers for them. Thankfulness for God’s past grace drives praying for God’s present and future grace. 

So it is worth asking, what can we be thankful to God for? Is thankfulness a feature of our prayer life as a church? Does thankfulness describe your private prayers in your own Christian life? 

The reason why Paul is thankful is worth our consideration. Look at verse 5. 

5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (1:5-6)

Paul prays with thanksgiving and joy because of God’s work in the church in Philippi. Paul remembers how the church was planted because he was the planter. He knows how Lydia, the Philippian jailer, and many after received the gospel. They became partners in the gospel because they first shared in God’s grace through the gospel. 

The word translated partnership is the same word often translated fellowship. We tend to think of fellowship as leisure and casual conversation with other Christians, but it is more. 

A relationship that became a partnership has become a source of thanksgiving and joy for Paul. 

When we refuse to build good relationships with others, other pastors, church planters, missionaries, etc., we cut ourselves off from a source of joy and thanksgiving. 

Paul is thankful not only because of their current partnership but also because of his confidence that God’s work will continue in their lives. 

The work God began in them is saving them by his grace through their faith in Jesus Christ, which has resulted in their becoming partners with Paul in the gospel. This work God will complete, that is, bring to perfection at the day of Jesus Christ. 

Paul is teaching us about God’s work in preserving his people so that they persevere in the faith. 

There is not a single born-again believer in Jesus Christ who does not, by grace and the power of the Spirit, continue in the faith unto glory. In Romans 8, Paul goes as far as to say that God’s good work in Christians begins not when they receive the gospel but before the foundation of the world by his sovereign providence. 

30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Ro 8:30)

Friends, this is incredible. What grace this is! What a grace it is to have confidence that the completion of our salvation rests not with us but with God, who will complete the work begun in us. 

The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 has a wonderful article on perseverance, and it’s worth reading together.

All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. – Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Article V

So Paul prays with thanksgiving and joy because of their partnership and his confidence in God to complete his work of salvation in them. 

This confidence leads Paul to pray more for them, not less! And it should do the same for us. 

Transition: As good friends do, Paul is going to give them some affirming words. He is going to explain why he is right to feel this way about them and he does so with deep affection. So let’s look at verses 7-8 and be encouraged to pray with affection for God’s people. 

II.) Pray with affection for God’s people (Philp. 1:7-8)

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (Php 1:7–8)

Never underestimate the power of affirming words from a friend. Paul says it is right for me to feel this way about you because you were partners with me not only when I was defending the gospel and confirming the gospel but also in my imprisonment. 

What makes their support worthy of affirmation is what they know and what they don’t know. 

What they know is that following Christ can include suffering, in this case, imprisonment. When that happened, the Philippians didn’t back away; they didn’t run when things became difficult, and they weren’t afraid to be associated the an apostle who was imprisoned for preaching the gospel.  

What they don’t know is that God has used Paul’s imprisonment to advance the gospel. 

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ (Php 1:12–13)

One could have equally assumed that Paul’s imprisonment would be an unproductive time for Paul’s ministry. That would have been a reasonable thought. They didn’t know that God was doing far more than they could think, but they supported him still. 

Paul affirms them because he has great affection for them! He calls God as a witness to testify to how real and genuine his affection is. This relationship is not circumstantial. They are not a means to an end. Paul loves them, and his love is an extension of Christ’s love for them.

This is what is meant by, I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (1:8)

I understand this is not the same situation, but I know what’s like to experience the love of Christ through the affections of a mentor in the gospel. 

Shortly after I expressed an aspiration for ministry, Joe Buchanan was called to pastor FBC, Metropolis. I was 17, a mess, and a blank slate. I mean, I knew nothing. It didn’t take long before Joe invested his time and energy into me and others. Every Thursday evening, we would go to his house, eat, read books, and just learn from a seasoned pastor. 

He was the first person to allow me to preach. First, on a Wednesday night then eventually Sunday evening, and then Sunday morning. Y’all I have preached so many bad sermons at FBC, Metropolis. 18-year-old preachers just aren’t good and I wasn’t, but he kept investing. 

After my final sermon before leaving for College, Joe hugged me before the congregation with tears falling down his face. Hearing public, affirming words through the voice of a tearful pastor was one of the more meaningful moments of my life. 

So when he texts me, like he has every Sunday morning since becoming your pastor, “I’m praying for you. Preach Christ” I know it comes from someone who loves me with the affection of Christ. 

As we seek to develop and love our ministry partners well, we should always affirm all we can, encourage more of it, and extend the affection of Christ Jesus to them. 

Because Paul is thankful to God for his work in the Philippians and his affection for them, he intercedes in prayer for them in verses 9-11. Look with me there as we are encouraged to pray by interceding with others. 

III.) Pray by interceding for God’s people (Philp. 1:9-11) 

9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Php 1:9–12) 

Paul’s prayers for others are among the richest and most edifying prayers you’ll ever read. As much as Paul has expressed thanksgiving and affection for them, he knows God’s work in them is progressing toward perfection. So he keeps praying for God to work in them toward that end. He is not content to celebrate where they are and move on like their race is complete. He intercedes for them. 

The structure of the prayer is simple, but it’s important to see how it all works together. 

Paul makes one request in verse 9, “…it is my prayer that your love may abound and abound more and more.” 

For a purpose in verse 10, “so that you may approve what is excellent.”

This purpose has an expected result found in verses 10-11, “and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The foundation for all of it is love, but love is supplemented with knowledge and discernment. Remember, true love for one another does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. This is not mere emotion or sentiment; it is a love that pursues the best for one another in accordance with God’s Word. 

As love abounds with knowledge and discernment, they can approve what is excellent. In other words, Paul prays that the church in Phillipi would be able to choose what is best. This is not a matter of dividing right and wrong; it’s a prayer for not settling for average, but choosing what’s best for the church and in their individual Christian lives.

The expected result is that the church will be pure and blameless, bearing the fruit of righteousness to the glory and praise of God.

Friends, there are a lot of things that you can do that aren’t necessarily wrong, but they simply are not best for you. 

There are a host of things we can do as a church that are not wrong, but they are not the best. 

There are habits and patterns in your marriage that aren’t necessarily wrong, but they aren’t the best. 

Think about how powerful this prayer could be if you prayed it for your life, your family, and your church. 

How would your use of time change if you asked God to increase your love for him and his church so you can choose what is best?

How would your marriage change if you asked God to deepen your love for one another so that you’ll choose what is best and not settle for “just not wrong.”

How might your teenager change as you ask God to deepen their love for Christ and his church so that you’ll choose what is best? 

Go before God, seek him again and again, and pray this prayer for yourself and pray it for others. 

Why? Because God has a plan for us to be pure and blameless on the day of Christ to the praise of his glory! I want to experience as much of that ahead of time as I can. I don’t want to push it off for another day. 

Prayer is the means that God has appointed to strengthen us and others, so let’s pray!

Nathaniel R. Martin

Citizens Worthy of the Gospel of Christ: An Introduction and Overview of Philippians

 

Introduction: Paul’s letter to the Philippians is the most gospel-centered, Christ-exalting, joy-filled “thank you” letter ever written. Its original intent was to thank the church in Philippi for their continual partnership in the gospel, and as Paul is known to do, address some problems along the way. 

It contains some of the more memorable verses in the New Testament. 

Verses like… 

 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Php 1:20–21)

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Php 4:13)

Philippians contains one of the richest passages about Jesus Christ in the Bible, Philippians 2:5-11. 

Because of texts like these, I want to begin this series by preaching an overview of the letter. We might use the analogy of a forest. The trees in Philippians are so memorable and wonderful that we can run the risk of missing the forest altogether.

 When that happens, we miss out on the fullness of what God is saying to us. This morning is an effort to help us see the forest so that as we examine each of the verses over the next several months, we won’t miss all that God is teaching us.  

Philippians is a letter written to a church that Paul planted, had partnered with, and had a deep affection for. 

Acts 16 tells the wonderful story of Paul’s ministry in Macedonia and how he met Lydia, whose heart was opened to believe the gospel. She was soon baptized with her household. It also tells the story of Paul’s imprisonment and the conversion of the Philippian jailer. He and his household received the gospel and were baptized. 

These people became the core of what would become the church in Philippi. When Paul left the area, the church in Philippi supported his missionary efforts. As we will see, that support was not a one-time gift, but an ongoing partnership. 

When Paul writes this letter, he is in prison. The church in Philippi had sent one of their members, Epaphroditus, to minister to Paul and give him a monetary gift. As you might expect, Epaphroditus also updated Paul on the current health of the church, which was not without its problems. In this case, division and disunity had arisen. While he is with Paul, he becomes so ill that he nearly dies, thus delaying his return. 

So Paul writes the letter to thank the church for their gift, assure them that Epaphroditus fulfilled his responsibility, and address the disunity within the church. 

Paul does this by connecting his situation and the Philippians to the gospel and gospel advancement.

Paul’s imprisonment is connected to the gospel and its advancement. 

The Philippian’s partnership and gift are connected to the gospel and its advancement. 

The disunity in the church is treated with the gospel because disunity threatens gospel advancement. 

Considering all of this, how might we simply state what Philippians is about? I want to offer a one-sentence summary of the book. 

(Transition) Sermon Idea: Philippians is about living in a manner worthy of the gospel so that we might be unified and in partnership for gospel advancement. 

As we survey the books this morning, I want to support this summary by discussing four major themes. 

  1. Gospel Citizenship 
  2. Gospel Partnership 
  3. Gospel Unity 
  4. Gospel Joy 

As you can see, the gospel is the foundation on which the other themes are built. You don’t have to read very far to see that the gospel is foundational to all that Philippians has to teach us. The gospel is referenced numerous times just in chapter one. 

Paul praises God for their, “partnership in the gospel…” (vs. 1:5) 

Paul thanks them for joining him in the “defense and confirmation of the gospel” (vs. 1:7)

Paul states that his imprisonment has served to “advance the gospel…” (vs. 1:12) 

And the verse most important for us this morning, is 1:27. 

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 (Php 1:27)

The gospel is central to the letter, and every command that Paul gives to us is rooted in the gospel. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is the good news that he has come, lived, died on the cross for sinners, been buried, and is now the ascended Lord of all. Now, any who come to him in repentance and faith can have their sins forgiven, be reconciled to God, and be gifted righteousness in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:8-11)

Paul has no interest in calling the Philippians to merely modify their behavior. He wants them to remember the gospel, reflect on who they are because of the gospel, and then live in light of the gospel. 

In his wonderful book The Gospel-Driven Church, Jared Wilson warns against drawing people to biblical principles apart from the biblical Christ. 

“If you win people to biblical principles but fail to win them to the biblical Christ, you will simply create religious people who lack the power to change. We create tidy unbelievers.”

Philippians will not have none of that. From beginning to end all of Paul’s major themes are built on the foundation of the gospel. 

(Transition): So let’s look again at 1:27 and see our first major theme, gospel citizenship. 

I.) Gospel Citizenship 

The main body of the letter begins in verse 27 of chapter 1. Before that, we have your typical letter opening. There is a greeting, a prayer of thanksgiving, and then an update about Paul’s own situation. 

The main body of the letter, where Paul addresses the church directly to instruct them, begins at 1:27. This is Paul’s thesis statement, it is the aim of this writing. 

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 (Php 1:27)

This is one of those few times when I think another translation captures better what Paul is getting at. The phrase “manner of life” refers to the duties and responsibilities of a citizen. Listen to how the CSB translates verse 27. 

27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ… (Php 1:27)

Why is this worth mentioning? It is worth mentioning because Paul bookends the main body of this letter with references to citizenship. In 3:21, Paul makes it clear that Christians share a citizenship that is in heaven. 

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Php 3:20)

We are to live our Christian lives on earth as citizens of heaven who live worthy of the gospel. It is not that we neglect our citizenship to our country, but that our ultimate allegiance is to Christ, who has made us citizens of heaven. 

Philippians encourages us not to live our Christian lives at the mercy of circumstance. We are to be a people who remain faithful to Christ, united to one another, and on mission because we are first and foremost citizens of heaven. 

Paul is saying that no matter what happens, we are to live worthy of the gospel. 

Whether he is present with them or he is absent, they are to live as citizens of heaven worthy of the gospel. 

Whether our preferred politician wins the election or loses the election, we live as citizens of heaven worthy of the gospel. 

Whether we are prosperous or persecuted, we are to live as citizens of heaven worthy of the gospel. 

The way that we do this is further described as standing firm, “…that I may hear that you are standing firm in one spirit” and further describedas “striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”   

Living as citizens of heaven worthy of the gospel means following Jesus into suffering if necessary. We don’t seek it out, but neither do we compromise our faith to avoid it. 

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, (Php 1:29)

To live as citizens of heaven worthy of the gospel, we must also hold fast to the word of life. 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain (Php 2:16)

What is the ultimate reason we can remain here as citizens of heaven no matter what comes? Because we have hope beyond our circumstances. 

we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Php 3:20–21)

Philippians is about how to be gospel citizens, to live in whatever circumstance as citizens of heaven firm, steadfast, united, and mission for God’s glory. 

(Transition) The advancement of the gospel is not something that can be achieved by one person, so another major theme in Philippians is gospel partnership. 

II.) Gospel Partnership 

One of my favorite stories in Baptist history is about the friendship between Willam Cary and Andrew Fuller. I suspect that many of you have heard of William Cary, he is often called the Father of modern missions. He was a missionary to India who played a vital role in starting the first Baptist Missionary Society. 

His friend Andrew Fuller, did not go overseas as a missionary but stayed home to represent the Baptist Missionary Society and to raise funds in support of missionaries.  

Carey went to India; Fuller remained at home. Only one went, but both labored for the gospel’s advancement among the nations. 

Before leaving for India William Cary, famously said to Fuller, “I will go down into the pit if you will hold the ropes.”

Philippians is a beautiful picture of a gospel partnership. Paul had gone down into the pit, and the Philippians held the ropes. 

Paul praises God at the beginning of the letter and describes his relationship with the church in Philippi as a “partnership in the gospel.” (1:5)

In chapter 4, Paul thanks them because not only did they support him financially, but at first, they were the only church that supported him. 

14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. (Php 4:14–16)

Gospel partnerships locally and globally are important for gospel advancement for the simple reason that we can do more together than we can apart. 

Baptists have a long history of cooperation. It’s who we are. We don’t do it carelessly or without limits, but we should understand that our ability to advance the gospel will be limited if we take on the task ourselves. 

Baptists are such a cooperative people, that there is an entire article on cooperation in the Baptist Faith & Message. 

Members of New Testament churches should cooperate with one another in carrying forward the missionary, educational, and benevolent ministries for the extension of Christ’s Kingdom…Cooperation is desirable between the various Christian denominations, when the end to be attained is itself justified, and when such cooperation involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament. – Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Article XIV

So it’s good for us to develop partnerships with churches, sending agencies, and individuals who are committed to making disciples, planting churches, training pastors, etc. 

We should know who the missionaries we support are, how we can encourage them, and how to pray for them. As pastors, we need to do a good job communicating to you what those relationships are and in what ways our support assists in their work. 

(Transition) Gospel citizenship and gospel partnerships are important, but division in the life of the church can hurt both, so the third major theme is gospel unity.  

III.) Gospel Unity 

Churches are to have gospel unity, that is unity in Christ Jesus. This is the inference of verse 1 as Paul addresses the church as, “saints in Christ Jesus who at Philippi.” (1:1) 

Paul calls the church to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind (1:27) 

Again, in 2:2,complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (Php 2:2)

We are given the details about the disunity in 4:2-3. Paul has heard that two women are at odds, and he implores them to agree. 

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Php 4:2–3)

Division in a local church distracts from the mission of the church. That’s why it’s dangerous. 

Focusing on the mission limits the possibility of division. I think this is why Paul speaks so much about the gospel advancing while he is in prison, about how his partnership with the church in Philippi has helped advance the gospel, and why he speaks of these women as laborers in the gospel. 

By highlighting the gospel and the gospel’s advancement, Paul provides a motive for agreement, unity, and humility. He wants to press upon them the risk of damaging the good work they are doing. 

A couple of years ago, I was at the SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans at a late-night event hosted by 9Marks, a ministry I’ve always appreciated. There was a panel discussion with several men, one of whom was Danny Akin, who is the president of Southeastern Seminary from where I graduated. 

I don’t remember what the panel was about, but I do remember this one statement by Dr. Akin because I’ve thought about it a lot. He said, “Churches focused on the great commission simply have fewer problems.”

The gospel and gospel advancement are so prominent in Philippians because they are sources of unity. Churches are united in Christ, in what they believe, in who they are as gospel citizens, and in their mission.

If you want to be an edifying, unifying presence at Waldo Baptist Church treasure the gospel and be zealous about its advancement. 

If you want to be a source of division and disunity, then treasure yourself, your ministry, and your ambitions. You do that and watch the distractions follow and division soon after. When your ministry role is all about you, we begin to move slowly away from knowing God and making Him known. 

There is a better path and Paul’s letter to the Philippians shows us the way. 

(Transition) There is one final theme worthy of discussion. All of Philippians, from beginning to end, is about gospel joy! 

IV.) Gospel Joy 

The Christian life is one of joy in the gospel by the Spirit. It is joy in the gospel’s advancement to the praise of God in Christ by the Spirit. Just listen to the number of times that joy appears.

1:4, “Praying with joy…” 

1:18, “Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice…” 

1:19, “Yes, I will rejoice…” 

1:25, “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith.”

2:2, “Complete my joy…”

2:17-18, “I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.”

3:1, “Rejoice in the Lord…”

4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again, I will say, rejoice. 

4:10, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly…

The joy that Paul speaks of here is not about a particular personality; it has little to do with life circumstances. This joy comes in Jesus Christ by the work of the Spirit. He is the source of joy! We may know real joy even through tears because no matter what we encounter, we know that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come to judge the living and the dead. 

Philippians reminds us that obedience to the Lord is not contrary to our joy. God has created us and redeemed us to experience real, lasting joy in Christ as we know, worship, and obey him. 

This is the reason for our existence.

Q1: What is the chief end of man?

A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

Philippians is about living in a manner worthy of the gospel so that we might be unified and in partnership for gospel advancement.

And we should add, with joy!