Sunday Service Online Stream

This page has the notes for the sermon and links for songs used during children’s music time each week. Scroll down to the bottom for the children’s info.

A Worthy Life

Sunday, March 12, 2023
Pastor Jojo Ma

Weekly Bulletin | Worship Lyrics

Philippians 1:27-30

 

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

I.          The call to a worthy life [v27]
II.        The practice of a worthy life [vv27-28]
III.       The grace for a worthy life [vv29-30]

I.         The call to a worthy life [v27]
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…

“Only let your manner of life as citizens be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

We must remember the priority of our heavenly citizenship and let that heavenly citizenship shape and inform the way we live in our respective earthly homelands.

Phil 2:10-11 at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

How does this good news transform us day to day? And are there areas that you know you need to change, to repent of and trust God, toward a more gospel-worthy life? Church, let us be reminded today of our call to a gospel-worthy life.

II.        The practice of a worthy life [vv27-28]
27…so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

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

Make no mistake, loyalty to Jesus Christ and his gospel, making our heavenly citizenship a top priority, practicing a gospel-worthy life, are costly.

As citizens of this country, we honor our leaders, we abide by our laws, we pay our taxes, we pray for our presidents and authorities, we vote for people and parties…but we bow only to Jesus our Lord.

27…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.

This is why we want to see churches planted around the world and support missions --- so that there can be communities of faith in the Lord Jesus that are steadfast and strive together, side by side, to advance the gospel.

Don’t let church life be peripheral, don’t let Sundays be optional. The Lord’s Day is crucial to spiritual well-being, steadfastness, and striving together for the faith of the gospel.

28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

Paul says don’t panic like that. Keep the gospel central, remain steadfast and firm, work together side by side as the church, and remember your citizensh is in heaven and Jesus is in control.

III.      The grace for a worthy life [vv29-30]
29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

If you are saved by Christ, you have been graced by a sovereign God and you should consider this a kind gift. If you are suffering for Christ, you have been graced by a sovereign God and you should consider this a kind gift as well. They are twin gifts of grace. They cannot be separated in the Christian life.

Phil 3:10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

The gospel is good news but it is not easy news. Grace is opposed to earning, not to effort. And grace is not just for believing in Christ but also for suffering for Christ.

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

Let us here at CrossLife stand together, let us strive side by side without fear, and let us live worthy as citizens of another world until our Lord comes for us.