Nathaniel R. Martin

For God Works in Us: Philippians 2:12-13

Sermon Idea: The Christian life is a journey of working out our salvation,  empowered by God who works in us.

Introduction: Many consider Johnathan Edwards to be the greatest and most influential theologian in American history. He served as a pastor for several years, a missionary among Native Americans, and, before his death, briefly as the president of what is now Princeton University. 

As a young man, about 18 or 19 years old, Edwards wrote 70 resolutions in an attempt to live in light of eternity. Here are some examples. 

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before. 

43. Resolved, never henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s…

Edward’s preamble to this long list of resolutions makes it clear that he is totally dependent on God’s grace and power in his Christian life. This power leads him to action, not apathy. Thus, he resolved to live before God in light of eternity, wishing not to waste any time. 

“Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.” 

Edwards did not believe that God’s saving grace resulted in an apathetic Christian life in which the believer coasts to glory. He believed that the Christian life was the working out of our salvation because of God’s gracious work in us for salvation. 

This morning’s text teaches us that the Christian life is a journey of working out our salvation, empowered by God, who works in us.

I began with Edwards’s preamble because I want to be explicit and clear that our work as believers is only possible because of God’s work of grace in us. With Edwards, I want us to read a passage like Philippians 2, believing we cannot do anything without God’s help and that we need God’s grace to enable us to work out our salvation as we are called to do in these verses. 


In a passage like this, it is obvious that God is at work, and believers are to work. However, God’s work and our work are not equal. It is not a cooperation where God does his part, and then we do our part. God’s work is primary, so anything a believer does completely depends on the work God does in us. 

The context reinforces this important point. The exhortation for the Philippians to work out their salvation is an elaboration of 1:27, Paul’s main purpose for writing this letter. 

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 fleshed out beautifully in 2:1-11, where the example of Christ’s humiliation in the incarnation and his death on the cross shows how the church is to live among one another humbly. Christ’s life and death are the pattern and the power for the Christian life. Why is this important?

It is important because of the word “therefore” in verse 12. We are to work out our salvation because of what God has done for us in the life and death of Jesus Christ, the gospel. Our manner of life is to be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so we work out our salvation toward that end. 

The Christian life is working out our salvation empowered by God, who works in us.

I.) The Christian life is working out our salvation (Philippians 2:12) 

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, (Php 2:12)

As a good friend should, Paul begins with a word of affirmation before giving them instruction. He mentions how they’ve obeyed Christ but wants them not to depend on his presence. He wants them to mature and live faithfully, whether he is with them or not. Paul describes this obedience as working out their salvation. 

The idea to “work out,” as Paul uses it here, means cultivating, practicing, or living out. This may seem odd to us because few themes in Scripture are more prominent than salvation, being total of God’s grace and not of our works (Eph. 2:8-10; Gal. 2:15-16; Titus 3:5). This is a precious truth, and everything Paul teaches us here in Philippians 2 is consistent with it. 

That is because when the Bible speaks of salvation, it does so with tension. Salvation, in one sense, is completed; in another, it is incomplete. It is already, but not yet. 

Salvation is complete in that we have been justified before God, forgiven of our sins, reconciled to God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and so saved from the guilt of our sins. Just as Jesus cries out on the cross, “It is finished!” All who place their faith in Christ can rest knowing their salvation is secure because of the finished work of Christ. 

Salvation is also incomplete in another sense because we don’t now experience all that salvation has accomplished. We can still be troubled by temptation and sin. We know we’re not fully all who God has declared us to be in Christ. This means we can speak of salvation as past, present, and future: we are saved from sin’s guilt, we are being saved from sin’s power, and we will one day be saved from sin’s presence. 

The New Testament speaks of salvation in the future in a number of passages. Here are just a few examples. 

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Ro 5:9–10)

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 4:16)

18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Ti 4:18)

When Paul encourages us to work out our salvation, he does not mean that we contribute to our salvation in any sense. Paul has in mind the totality of salvation so that “working out your salvation” is the believer’s work by God’s grace in becoming more of who God has already declared them to be: holy in Christ Jesus. 

What Paul has in mind is what we would normally call sanctification, the process by which we become more like Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit who works in us. 

Charles Spurgeon once described hearing about good sculptors who see a block of marble and see there is a statue hidden in it. In their minds, all they need to do is remove all the extra useless material to reveal the beauty of the statue inside. 

Spurgeon then used this to illustrate how we are to work out our salvation to reveal the beauty of the image of Christ that God has made us. 

“Believer, you are that block of marble…God has sketched the image of his Son in you; and you have but to go chipping away these sins, infirmities, and corruptions, till the fair likeness of the Incarnate God shall be seen by all.”

We might also think about watching the sunrise. As it rises, we can often only see portions of its bright glory, but it’s there nonetheless. So the Christian life in sanctification is like the rising of the sun. We are holy saints in Christ Jesus, but life in this fallen world and life in our fallen bodies dims this reality. Working out our salvation over time slowly makes us more of what God has made us to be.

These verses make clear that believers should be diligent and make every effort to care for their own souls. Our spiritual lives will not coast unattended into greater Christ-likeness. 

Many godly pastors before me have noted that no one drifts into godliness. If we are drifting, we are drifting from sound doctrine, godly character, and the church. We don’t drift into greater holiness and love for God. We only drift away from it. 

Spiritual growth in Christ requires grace-fueled, Spirit-empowered working out of our salvation in the fear and trembling of the Lord. In the words of Hebrews, it is to “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)

The question naturally arises: how might we do this? The answer is much simpler than you may like, and that is truly good news for you. Too many Christians think true spiritual growth only comes through big, spiritual experiences. The truth is that God has promised to work in us by his grace and Spirit through ordinary means. Before moving to verse 13, I want to encourage you to work out your salvation in three ways. So much more can be said, but these three ways are primary. 

  1. Work out your salvation by confessing and repenting as often as you sin. 

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn 1:9)

Don’t suppress the Spirit’s work on your conscience, even this morning. If you’re burdened by sin, confess it before the Lord this morning. Hear the reassuring grace of the gospel, and ask God for the grace to change. The finished work of Christ on the cross is sufficient for every sin and transgression of God’s law. Trust in the cleansing and renewing power of the gospel. 

2. Work out your salvation by making use of God’s ordinary means of grace, especially the Word of God, and prayer. 

According to our statement of faith, sanctification “is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit… in the continual use of the appointed means- especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer.”

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Ti 3:16–17) 

16 vRejoice always, 17 wpray without ceasing, 18 xgive thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess. 5:16-18)

As the new year approaches, pray about making a plan for the disciplined reading of God’s Word. Read it prayerfully to meet with the Lord, hear from Him, commune with Him, and be transformed by the grace of his presence. 

With Jonathan Edward, be resolved “…to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

3. Work out your own salvation by committing to gather on the Lord’s Day with your local church. 

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Heb 10:24–25)

One of the most important ways to work out your salvation is to be committed to gathering with the church for corporate worship. This is much more than simply “going to church.” It is to gather with the saints of your local church to worship God and be nourished by the ordinary means of grace (preaching, prayer, & the ordinances) in covenant fellowship with one another.  The corporate worship gathering is God’s plan A for making his people more like Jesus Christ. 

How might your Spiritual life look like a year from now if you committed in 2025 to faithfully read God’s Word daily, cultivated a habit of daily prayer, and resolved yourself to be faithfully present every Lord’s day, gathering as far as it depended on you? 

II.) The Christian life is empowered by God, who works in us (Philippians 2:13)

13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Php 2:13)

God’s work in us for his good pleasure is the ground and motivation for working out our salvation. We should remember the glorious promise of 1:6, 6 And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ. (Php 1:6)

God’s work in us has two ends: to will and to work. 

  1. God works in you to will. God’s work in us changes our will or desires so that we’ll want to obey him in great holiness and godliness. Every desire we have to defeat sin, turn from it, and be free of it comes from the gracious work of God in us. Every desire for God, his Word, and his church comes from the gracious work of God in us. 
  1. God works in us to work for his good pleasure. Not only does he change our desires by his grace, but he enables and empowers us to obey His Word. Beloved, the power of God and the grace to change is available for all those who are in Christ Jesus through faith. 

It is amazing to think that God works in us what pleases him. He works in our desires of holiness so that he might be pleased with our holiness. He works in our obedience so that he might be pleased with our obedience to him.

I can’t help but wonder then if some of our troubles in seeing progress against temptation and sin are rooted in unspoken unbelief that God really is working in us to will and work for his good pleasure. 

Friends, if you’re in Christ Jesus, please know with assurance that God is at work in you. Believe that the grace to grow, change, and mature is at work in you through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

Reflection Questions 

  1. How would you describe your spiritual life? Are you working out your salvation, or are you coasting aimlessly? 
  1. Is your private devotional life with God consistent with your public displays of devotion to God? 

3. Are you fueled by God’s grace in your life to pursue greater holiness and joy in God? Or do you think about your spiritual life apart from God’s work of grace, as if it’s all on your shoulders or as if you’re trying to earn favor with God? 

We work out our salvation, but we do so because of God’s gracious work in us! Let’s believe we’re only working out what God has worked in. The work he began in the past will be completed in the future. That is all that grace we need to work out our salvation in the present. 

Nathaniel R. Martin

The Christ of Christmas: Matthew 1:18-25

Introduction: A recurring theme throughout the Bible magnifies God’s miraculous work in the world. When things have gone wrong, and there is a need for God’s great work among his people, the Lord accomplishes his purposes in a most vulnerable and unsuspecting way. There is always a woman who gets pregnant by the miraculous hand of God. 

Sarah was old and barren when God promised to give her and Abraham a son. 

The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him (Ge 21:1–2)

During the time of the judges, when things were very bad for Israel, the angel of the LORD appeared to a barren woman and promised she would bear a child. 

3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. (Jdg 13:3)

24 And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him (Jdg 13:25-25)

There is also Hannah, who had no children because the Lord had closed her womb. Hannah knew God loved her, so she lamented, wept, and prayed for a son. 

And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” (1 Sa 1:19–20)

I love the way theologian Ben Myers sums up this theme, “This is how it goes in the Old Testament: at the great turning point in history, we find a woman, pregnant, and an infant child brought into the world by the powerful promise of God. Israel’s story is a story of miraculous births.” 

So when we open the Gospel of Luke, our hearts should begin to beat with excitement when we read about Elizabeth, “But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.” (Luke 1:7) 

The birth of John the Baptist marked an important turning point in redemptive history as he would prepare the way for the Lord. 

What greater turning point in history could there be than the birth of the Messiah, who will save his people from their sins? This birth should be the most miraculous of all, the Son of God in human flesh born of a virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit. 

This morning, we will reflect on the Christ of Christmas from the Gospel of Matthew. I want us to think about what it means for Jesus to be born of a virgin and why he needs to be the son of David. I want us to think about how Christmas leads to the cross, as the one born of a virgin is named Jesus, who saves his people from their sins. I want us to think about Jesus Christ being the promised Messiah in fulfillment of the Scriptures, Immanuel, God with us. 

As we do so, we’ll see who Jesus is and why his birth is truly the turning point in history. We will see that the Christ of Christmas is a son of David, born of a virgin; Jesus, the savior of sinners; and Immanuel, fulfilling the Scriptures. 

I.) The Christ of Christmas is a son of David, born of a virgin (Matt. 1:18-20) 

To fully appreciate all that the Gospel of Matthew is doing in these verses, we have to understand the Old Testament hope that God would provide a Messiah, who would be a descendent of Kind David. 

The promise begins in 2 Samuel, who promises that a descendent of David will sit on his throne forever. 

12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2 Sa 7:12–13)

Notice two things about this promise. It is a promise about a coming king and about a kingdom that will be established forever.

Throughout the Old Testament, this theme is developed, especially in the prophets.  

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. (Is 9:7)

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.)

Matthew wants to show us that Jesus was born as an Israelite in the line of David. Now, I can’t do the implications of Jesus coming in the line of David justice. Trying in one sermon to capture all the theological connections Matthew makes between Jesus and David is like splashing at the waves, hoping to feel the depths of the ocean.

From the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ humanity, especially his being in the line of David, is in view. Look with me at Chapter 1, verse 1. 

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Mt 1:1)

Although David comes after Abraham in history, Matthew identifies Jesus first as the son of David. It’s as if Matthew is writing in crayon, making it as plain as possible. This is what I want to show you. 

He does something similar in verse 20. How does the angel of the LORD refer to Joseph? “Joseph, son of David…” (Matt. 1:20). 

Now let’s return to Matthew 1:18-20. Here Matthew is going to show us how Jesus, who is born of a virgin, can be a son of David in fulfillment of God’s promises in Scripture. Key to this part is Joseph himself. So let’s look at these verses together. 

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. (Mt 1:18–29)

Mary’s pregnancy comes as quite a shock to Joseph, who would have no reason to assume conception by the Holy Spirit to be the most obvious explanation. 

To properly understand what happens next, we must know that the betrothal period before the marriage ceremony and consummation was much more serious than our modern understanding of engagement. Joesph and Mary are already legally bound to one another and this commitment can only be ended by death or through a legal separation under certain circumstances like sexual infidelity.

Based on Joseph’s limited information at the time, he could only assume Mary had been unfaithful; therefore, he was obligated to separate from Mary. Matthew means this when he describes Joseph as a “just man.” Joseph wants to do what is right according to the law. Yet, he wants to do so in a merciful way. Joseph does not wish to make an example out of Mary and not shame her in a public trial. So he seeks this separation, “quietly.”

This raises several problems for Mary and the story of Jesus. If Joseph divorces Mary quietly and never looks back, then Jesus cannot be a descendant of David. If Joseph divorces Mary quietly, Paul cannot speak of the gospel like he does in Romans 1, the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh (Ro 1:1–3) 

The Lord intervenes through an angel to assure Joseph knows the truth about Mary and to assure that the Messiah is a descendant of David. Look with me at verse 20, 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, (Mt 1:20–21). 

Joseph learns of the miracle of the Virgin’s conception and birth. Notice that the text of Matthew makes it clear that Mary is a passive vessel in this entire miracle: “…that which is conceived in here is from the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the source of Jesus’s conception, but the Spirit is not an agent who acts in conceiving Jesus. Mary is a passive vessel in the conception of Jesus, not a participant in conceiving Jesus. 

Luke describes it this way, 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

This is a mystery, and we should allow it to be. Trying to make everything about the Christian life void of mystery is a mistake. It is beyond us because God’s ways are not our ways. 

That said, it is helpful to think about how the virgin birth fits God’s ways and works in salvation. Much could be said here, but we’ll mention just a few examples.

For example, the virgin birth by the conception of the Holy Spirit is most fitting because Jesus is one person with two natures. He is fully God and fully man. The miraculous nature of Jesus’ conception fits the miraculous nature of the incarnation. 

The virgin birth is fitting because it shows the uniqueness of the Son’s relationship to God the Father. A key theme in the gospels is that Jesus is from the Father. To see Jesus is to see the Father. When we think of Jesus as a son, we are to think of him as the Son of God. The virgin birth prioritizes this relationship over his relationship with Joseph. 

The virgin birth is fitting because it fulfills Old Testament prophecy. 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Is 7:14) God ordained the virgin birth and promised it through the prophets, and so it is the most fitting way for Jesus to be born. 

The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is an important doctrine that has been treasured by Christians for ages. It should be a source of joy and worship, not embarrassment. 

“Don’t be embarrassed by the virgin birth; rather, teach it, preach it, and share it as part of the gospel story so that when a person responds in faith, they will know whom they believe. Pray to see the miracle of Christ conceived in their hearts the way he was conceived in Mary’s womb.”- R. Albert Mohler

Now, let’s get back to Joseph. The angel does not give this information to Joseph just so that he might feel better and sleep easier at night. Joseph is meant to respond to the message. Look at verse 21 again, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus…” 

According to verses 24-25, this is exactly what Joseph does. He does not break off the betrothal, takes Mary as his wife, and names the baby Jesus. 

This is significant for two reasons. The first is that Joseph takes him officially as his legal heir by naming the baby. Jesus becomes the son of Joseph, the son of David. The boy born of a virgin now has a lineage and a genealogy working backward from Joseph to David to Abraham. 

The Christ of Christmas is a son of David, born of a virgin. 

The second reason this is significant is because the name “Jesus” tells us a lot about what God is doing through the son who is born of a virgin. This brings us to our second point. The Christ of Christmas is Jesus, the Savior.

II.) The Christ of Christmas is Jesus, the savior of sinners (Matt. 1:21)

The name Jesus was not an uncommon name. You can see why faithful Jewish mommies and daddies might name their son Jesus because it means “Yahweh saves.” That is religious sentiment. For the baby born of a virgin, it is the reality of salvation because he is the reason for salvation.

Jesus is the name he is given because “he will save his people from their sins.”

To be sure, “his people” immediately refers to Israel, but it will be abundantly clear as Matthew unfolds that Jesus will not be a savior for Israel alone but of people from every tribe, nation, and tongue.

The language that the angel uses is the language of both forgiveness and freedom. Jesus comes to save “people from their sins.” 

We are guilty of sin but also in bondage to sin. Sin is something we need forgiveness for, but also deliverance from. 

What Jesus is going to do is what Ezekiel promised. Listen to the words of the prophet.  

23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 37:23)

This is what Jesus has come to do. He will do so not by riding a horse and bearing a sword but by riding a donkey and bearing a cross. 

So later in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says, “…the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28) 

This means celebrating Christmas means anticipating the cross. The cradle and the cross are connected. No Christian celebration of Christmas dares to separate them. 

The Christ of Christmas is Jesus, the savior of sinners. 

Beloved, when you’re tempted to return to the sins you’ve committed, remember that Christ came to save you from your sins. He was born, lived, died, and rose again so that you can be forgiven and free. So that you can be among the people of God and God can be your God. Beloved, be free from sin.

The Christ of Christmas is Jesus, the savior of sinners.

Transition: As the son of David and the savior of sinners, the presence of Jesus Christ fulfills the promises of God through the prophets. Let’s look at verses 22-25 and see that the Christ of Christmas is Immanuel, fulfilling the Scriptures. 

III.) The Christ of Christmas is Immanuel, fulfilling the Scriptures (Matt. 1:22-2) 

As is so typical of Matthew’s writing, he connects the event we just read with Old Testament prophecy, “All of this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet…” 

Matthew then quotes Isaiah 7:14, most likely because he is reading Isaiah 7:14 in the larger context of Isaiah 7-9. 

6  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government 

shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful 

Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Is 9:6).

I can’t retrace what Matthews seems to be doing, but it is clear that the promise of a baby born and named Immanuel in Isaiah 7 finds its full and ultimate fulfillment when Jesus is born, who is not merely named Immanuel, but who is Immanuel. The presence of Jesus is the very presence of God. 

The Christ of Christmas is Immanuel, God with us. 

The presence of God in Jesus Christ is important in Matthew’s gospel, as many scholars have pointed out. Matthew stresses the presence of Christ in the beginning, middle, and end of the gospel. 

The presence of God in Christ begins Matthew’s gospel here in the virgin birth narrative. 

The presence of God in Christ is reaffirmed in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Mt 18:20).

The presence of God in Christ ends Matthews, literally. These are the final words in Matthew 28:20, And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20)

If you’re ever tempted to doubt this, I want you to remember that the Lord has left us some tangible experiences to remind us that he is here. 

What do I say after I read Scripture? “This is the Word of the Lord.” 

What I say when I invite you to share communion. “This is my body broken for you, do this in remembrance of me. This is my cup of the new covenant in my blood, do this in remembrance of me.” 

I can’t think of anything more comforting than this. Christmas reminds us that God is not distant but with us. Beloved, if you’re in Christ Jesus, then he is anything but far from you.

Application 

1. Rejoice in Jesus’ humanity- Jesus took on humanity so that he could save a people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. That is not possible without the incarnation. Let it lead us to worship. 

    2. Trust Jesus as savior- Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and freedom from sin? Trust Jesus and respond by professing your faith in baptism. 

    3. Believe in God’s promises- Christmas is an annual reminder that God is faithful to his promises. Believe in God and trust his word. As sure as Christ was born fulfilling Isaiah 7, so will Christ come fulfilling the promises of his return. God is faithful. Trust him.

    4. Rest in Christ’s presence– Christ is always with us. Our circumstances don’t determine God’s presence, but Christ does. 

    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

    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!