Philippians - Consistency, Cooperation, Confidence

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all we had to do was enjoy the fellowship of the gospel? Or if all we had to do was just promote the furtherance of the gospel? It's a real joy to fellowship with God's people and to study the Word of God, and it's a delight to witness to people and to share the message of the good news of salvation.

Well, you find the fellowship of the gospel in Philippians 1:3-11, and then you find the furtherance of the gospel in Philippians 1:12-26. But when you come to Philippians 1:27, you move into striving together for the faith of the gospel. We are not just simply sons who enjoy the fellowship in the family or servants who enjoy furthering the gospel. We are soldiers, we're in a conflict. The Christian life is not a playground, the Christian life is a battleground.

Let's read Philippians 1 and begin at verse 27 down through verse 30. Paul writes to his friends at Philippi and says, "Only let your conduct be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. And in nothing be terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, judgment, but to you of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now here to be in me." He's talking here about the church defending the gospel, striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Now there are some saints of God who only enjoy the fellowship of the gospel. There are others who all they talk about is the furtherance of the gospel, and we're glad for these things. But how about striving together for the faith of the gospel? When Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, his workers had a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. If we don't defend the faith that's been delivered to the saints, there won't be any gospel to share. We're going to lose ground and the enemy is going to take over.

The church today must fight for the faith of the gospel. And if we're going to win that battle and defeat the enemy, three essentials are important. And here they are. Number one, consistency. "Let your conduct be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." Consistency. Secondly, cooperation. Standing fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. And thirdly, confidence. In nothing be terrified by your adversaries. Can you remember those three essentials?

You see, if you're going to have joy in your ministry, you have to defend the gospel. You have to defend the faith that's been once and for all given to the saints. And if you're going to do this, there has to be consistency, cooperation, and confidence. Paul is giving us three different pictures of the Christian life here, isn't he? Consistency, he talks about us as citizens. Cooperation, he's uses the picture of an athlete. Confidence, he changes the image to that of a soldier. And so with these three images in mind, and these three essentials, let's look together at Philippians 1:27-30. If we are going to defeat the enemy and carry on the ministry of the Word of God, there has to be consistency. "Only let your conduct be as it becometh the gospel of Christ."

Now this word "conduct" means literally politics. It's the Greek word that gives us our word politics. It means behavior. It means how you conduct yourself in the circumstances where you are. You must remember that the city of Philippi was a colony of Rome. Now what was a Roman colony? Well, the Roman government was very wise. They realized that the best way to keep peace was to have more of Rome in the places where they conquered. And so what they would do is they would take a city and they would make it a Roman colony. They said, "Philippi, you are a Roman colony. Even though you are not located in Italy, even though you're not next to the city of Rome, you're going to be a Roman colony."

This means that you are going to be governed by Roman law, your officers are going to have Roman titles, you'll be protected by Rome, you'll have all the privileges of Rome, but you must remember that you are a Rome away from Rome. You're a colony of Rome. Now you show all the people around you how wonderful it is to be a Roman. Sometimes the Roman Empire would transport their own Roman citizens into these colonies to set the example of how wonderful it was to be a Roman. That's what God has done in the church. Your church is a colony of heaven on earth.

Now God wants to win people to Himself. This is not the day of judgment, this is the day of grace, the day of salvation. And God has planted your church there in your city to be a colony of heaven on earth. And you are to show to the people around you how wonderful it is to be a citizen of heaven. You see, Rome's philosophy was this: If we plant Romans out there in Greece and Asia Minor and other places, and if these Romans are good examples, everybody will want to be a Roman. And we won't have any problem with the people disobeying the law or revolting against the Empire. Consistency.

Now what does it mean to be a citizen of heaven on earth? The church that I'm a part of, the church that you're a part of, is a colony of heaven on earth. We are enrolled in heaven's register. We're citizens of heaven. Jesus said one day, "Don't rejoice because the demons are subject to you, but rejoice that your names have been written down in heaven." Our names are written in heaven. Every Roman citizen carried proof of his citizenship. He was proud of his citizenship.

Now you and I are enrolled on heaven's register. We're not embarrassed or ashamed that we belong to Jesus Christ. We speak heaven's language. John wrote in 1 John 4, "They speak of the world and the world hears them because they belong to the world." Now when we speak, people who belong to Christ listen to us. You can tell what people belong to by what they talk about. You can tell what they're interested in by what they talk about. We speak heaven's language. That doesn't mean we use some strange language. No. It just means that all of our speech is seasoned with the things of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We obey heaven's laws. The apostles said we ought to obey God rather than men. Now we don't deliberately, proudly, arrogantly, belligerently disobey man's laws. If ever there comes a real conflict of conscience and we cannot obey the laws of men, then we have to obey the laws of God. But we better be very, very careful that we're not just creating a problem. "As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

And so we're enrolled on heaven's register, we speak heaven's language, we obey heaven's laws, we're loyal to heaven's cause. The Romans in Philippi were loyal to Rome, and we're waiting for heaven's Lord. They never knew at Philippi when Caesar might show up, or when some great general might come, or some official to examine the books. You and I don't know when the Lord is going to come back. That's why Paul says in Philippians 3:20, "Our citizenship is in heaven." "From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." Consistency. The greatest weapon we have against the enemy is a consistent Christian life. Not debates, not lawsuits, not carrying flags and banners, the greatest weapon the church has against the enemy today is consistent Christians living the way Christians are supposed to live. "Let your conduct be as it becomes the gospel of Christ." Pay your bills, love your neighbors, do your homework, earn an honest day's wages, live like a Christian should live. Consistency, that's the first essential.

The second is cooperation. Paul says that I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. The picture here is of an athletic team. The little phrase "striving together" is a Greek word that gives us our word athletics. It's an athletic team working together to win the game.

Now I must confess to you, I am not a good athlete. When I was a student at Washington School in East Chicago, Indiana, I want you to know that year after year I was the last person chosen for every team. Whether it was the intramural team or the physical ed department, our gym class, I was the last one chosen. Nobody wanted me on the team. I'm just lacking in athletic skill. But I know this much about sports: If you're going to be on the team, you have to believe in teamwork. There cannot be a glory hound who has to make all the goals. We have to work together.

And that means the same thing in the church. There should be one spirit, one enthusiasm. There should be one mind to strive together, to work together, to be a team working together. God has given to each of us a specific task to do. If a team is going to win the game, each player must do the job that he's been given to do. Paul compares us to a bunch of runners over in Philippians 3, that we're running the race. Philippians 3:14, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Each one of us has been given the opportunity of winning a reward.

Now the important thing is that we don't get in the way of the other people. What is our rule book for the game of life? The Bible. Who is the coach? The Lord Jesus Christ. Who's the team? All other Christians, not just the people in your church or your Sunday school class or your denomination, all of God's people. And if each one is doing the job God's given him to do, running on the track God assigned to him, fighting the battle God gave to him, if each one is doing his job and there is cooperation, we're going to win and we're going to defeat the enemy.

The tragedy is today we have division and dissension, and this Christian criticizes that Christian, and this ministry opposes that ministry. If we're going to fight the fight of faith and defeat the enemy, if we're going to strive together for the faith of the gospel, there must be consistency and there must be cooperation.

Thirdly, there must be confidence. He said, "Don't be afraid." That word "terrified" is a picture of horses stampeding. Don't stampede. When you see the enemy coming, here's what you should know. Number one, these battles are proof that you are really born again. Philippians 1:29, "Unto you it's given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." The fact that you're fighting these battles is proof that you're born again. Secondly, it's an opportunity for you to grow. Thirdly, you're not fighting alone. You're not fighting alone. All of us are involved in this. Philippians 1:30, "Having the same conflict." Agony. It's the same word used of the Lord Jesus when he was in the garden praying. "Having the same conflict which you saw in me at Philippi, and now you hear to be in me at Rome."

They'd seen Paul when he was arrested, and Paul was beaten, and Paul was humiliated. And Paul says, "Look, we're all in this together." You heard perhaps about the two ladies who had never flown before, and they were up in the plane, and the pilot came on and said, "You may have noticed that the motor on the left side of the plane has quit working." And the one lady said to the other lady, "Well, thank the Lord, we're sitting on the right side of the plane." Well, what difference does it make? You're all in it together. Now don't rejoice when you hear about some Christian who failed, because his failure is going to hurt you. And don't be envious when you hear about some church that's really growing and doing something for God. Their growth is going to strengthen you. We're all in this together. Cooperation, confidence.

Now don't be afraid of the enemy. In fact, Paul tells us here the fact that you stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ will do two things. Number one, it will bring your salvation, and number two, it will bring them condemnation. Paul is referring to his own case in Rome. He said, "I'm going to stand up boldly. As always, so now I'm going to be bold in my defense. And if I win this battle in Rome, it's going to help you in Philippi."

That's why we need to pray for all the saints. Are you praying for those who are involved in great battles today, striving together for the faith of the gospel? Now the enemy is there trying to hurt us all he can. And when he sees us stampeding, he knows he's won the battle. But you must remember that suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ, battling for the Lord Jesus Christ is a great privilege. "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him," that's how you're saved, "but also to suffer for His sake." We don't suffer for nothing, we suffer for something, the glory of Christ. We don't suffer for no one, we suffer for someone, the greatest in all the world, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now let's review these three essentials. If you want to have joy in your ministry, you've got to expect battles. If you're striving together to serve the Lord, you're going to have battles. Number one, there must be consistency. Let's walk like those who are citizens of heaven. I want to say it again, the greatest weapon we have to defeat the enemy is the consistent Christian life of God's people. Consistency. Number two, cooperation. Let's work together. Let's not try to be glory hounds. Let's not all worry about whose name is going to be first on the list. Cooperation. Praying together, working together, rejoicing together, sharing together in the work of the Lord. And finally, confidence. Don't be afraid. "In nothing be terrified by your adversaries." Jesus said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." And you and I are not only involved in the fellowship of the gospel and the furtherance of the gospel, but God wants to help us to strive together for the faith of the gospel.

If you're not having joy in your ministry today, it may be that you are not looking to the Lord Jesus Christ as your role model. Perhaps you're modeling yourself after some super saint, some super preacher who may not be modeling himself after the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's read the passage, Philippians 2:1-11. "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, fulfill ye my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better or more important than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind, this attitude, be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery, something selfishly to be held on to, to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, literally he emptied himself, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul lays down three conditions that we must meet if we are going to follow the Lord Jesus Christ as our model and our example. Let me give you those three conditions. The first one I just read to you, Philippians 2:1-11, we must submit to the person above us. Even as Jesus Christ submitted to the Father and came to do the will of the Father, so we must submit to the person above us. That's Philippians 2:1-11.

In Philippians 2:12-16, the second condition is this: We must surrender to the power within us. It is God who works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. You see, by nature we can't do this, but we can do it only if we surrender to the power within us.

And then Philippians 2:17-30, we must serve the people around us. Paul talks about his service, about Timothy's service, about the service of Epaphroditus, who had been sent from the Philippian church. Now can you remember those three conditions? If we're going to follow Jesus Christ as the model for our ministry. Number one, we must submit to the person above us. Number two, we must surrender to the power within us. And number three, we must serve the people around us.

Now we'll look at Philippians 2:1-11 and let's take a little inventory. Am I really submitted to the person above me? You see, all of us should be under somebody's authority. Children must be under the authority of their parents. Parents must be under the authority of the Lord, and certainly of the church. I believe that every Christian ought to be a member of a local church and be under the authority of that church. We are people who are under authority. Nobody should exercise authority who is not under authority. And the model here is the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, too many times pastors or elders or Sunday school leaders or church officers think that they are the authority. And as a consequence, they become rather dictatorial. And this is why Paul points out in Philippians 2:1-11 that we must follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now there are four questions I'm going to ask, and I'm asking my own heart these questions: If I am really submitted to the person above me, the answers to these questions will reveal it. Number one, do I think first of others? In Philippians 2:1-4, he talks about that. Philippians 2:3, "Let each esteem others more important than themselves." Philippians 2:4, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." Throughout the New Testament, you find this little phrase, "one another, one another." "Love one another, minister to one another, forgive one another, serve one another." Others.

Many years ago, the Salvation Army was having their annual conference, and the founder of the Salvation Army, General William Booth, was not able to attend. He was too old and weak. And they asked him to send a message to be read to the conference. And General William Booth sent a cablegram with one word in it: "Others." That's a good word, "others." Do I think first of others?

Here is the Lord Jesus Christ who had all of the privileges and glories of heaven, but He thought of others. Didn't think of Himself. Am I thinking first of others? "Let this attitude be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Now when we think of others, we're going to be a part of the answer and not a part of the problem. We'll be motivated by Christ. "If there be therefore any consolation, any stimulus, any incentive in Christ. Any encouragement of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, fulfill ye my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Don't do anything through strife and vain glory. Think about others." Father, help us to have this attitude. Oh, may we sacrifice and serve to the glory of Your name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.