Sermon Notes for “Gospel-Community” Phil 2:19-30

A Servant’s Gospel – Community

Philippians 2:19-30

 ¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.  ²⁰ For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.  ²¹ They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.  ²² But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.  ²³ I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,  ²⁴ and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.  ²⁵ I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,  ²⁶ for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.  ²⁷ Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.  ²⁸ I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.  ²⁹ So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,  ³⁰ for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

 This is the last of four messages on how the gospel forms us into being servants of Jesus Christ.

Gospel- Cause             The gospel defines the cause for which we live.

Gospel-Character        The gospel forms the character of our lives.

Gospel-Conduct           The gospel empowers the conduct of our lives.

Gospel-Community     The gospel establishes a new community through our lives.

The gospel of God’s grace intends to bring about a transformation in our lives that reflects that grace in relation to others and to the work of the Lord. Gospel-grace offers a freedom from our need to keep the law, freedom from the burden of achieving our own righteousness, and freedom from the condemnation that we deserve because of the idolatry and rebellion of our lives. However, grace can be misunderstood.  Grace can be abused, Grace can be distorted. Grace is not antithetical to spiritual discipline, holiness, obedience, commitment, responsibility, etc. All of the above without the gospel of grace end up in self-effort and forms of legalism and religiosity.Nevertheless, to claim an experience with the gospel of grace without a concomitant (simultaneous) commitment to holiness, obedience, and responsibility should cause you to wonder whether or not you have the real thing. Read more »

Discussion Questions on Phil 2:12-18

PHILIPPIANS 2:12-18

The Gospel Conduct of a Servant

Questions for Further Discussion

 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,  ¹³ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.  ¹⁴ Do all things without grumbling or questioning,  ¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 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. ¹⁷ Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸ Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

1. How does the phrase ‘as you have always obeyed’ help us understand what ‘work out your own salvation’ means?
2. How does the word ‘therefore’ indicate that the kind of obedience required here is motivated by the gospel?
3. What does it mean to have ‘gospel-obedience’? How does this differ from other forms of obedience?
4. What does it mean practically, when Paul says that God is working in us constantly, purposefully, and effectively?
5. Explain this statement: The powerful gospel-work of the Spirit cannot be contained within the soul; it breaks forth into a life of gospel-obedience or into the misery of resisting His work.
6. with fear and trembling: Do you agree with this statement? Those who live by faith with a view of the cross are always awed by the terror of God’s holiness against our rebellion as he judges His Son for our sin and are moved by his extraordinary power in bringing Jesus out of the grave.
7. What do you think of this statement: The gospel does not produce a frivolous, irresponsible freedom to live as one wants, but a careful, solemn commitment to live in a freedom guided by His grace.
8. Why does the gospel produce obedience that is without grumbling and disputing?
9. How does gospel-obedience become a light that shines in a dark world?
10.  In what way is gospel-obedience an offering up of our lives as sacrifices?
11.  Why do Jesus’ words (IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS) neatly sum up gospel-obedience?

A Synopsis of the Sermon on January 9, 2011

Pursuing the Gospel-Character of a Servant of Jesus Christ

Philippians 2:1-11

 This passage is one of the most wonderful texts on the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The phrase translated in the ESV and NIV “made himself nothing” is literally – ‘he emptied himself. We will see later in the message exactly what that means, but for now let me say that this is the heart of a Gospel-character is to be emptied of self.

 Interestingly, philosophers and cultural analysts talk about the empty self.  By ‘empty self’ they actually describe something that that is the opposite of being ’emptied of self. To psychology the ‘empty self’ is a condition to be remedied but here it is a condition to be pursued. Actually the ‘empty-self’ of psychology is a life that is full of self. The cure for an empty self is to become emptied of self. Read more »

Discussion Questions on “The Servant’s Gospel Cause”

A Servant’s Gospel-Cause

Phil 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. (Phi 1:27-30 ESV)

1. In what ways does Jesus set the ultimate example of being a servant

⁴² And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³ But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  ⁴⁴ and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mar 10:42-45 ESV)

 2. Explain was Paul means by “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

 3. Define the gospel.

4. Does the following statement reflect your experience in the gospel?

 The Gospel brings us the most passionate love, the deepest mercy, the most magnificent grace, the most underserving forgiveness, and the greatest transforming power.

5. What should be some of the implications of the gospel and our experience of the gospel on a personal, church, and societal level?

6. What do these verses say about how Paul measured the value of the gospel in his own life?

 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, 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 is through faith in Christ– the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

7. Why does the gospel and the cause of the gospel provide the best basis for unity in a church?

8. How do we ‘contend as one man for the faith of the gospel’?

9. In what way does the gospel and our experience in the gospel become a sign of judgment and salvation?

10. What are the two grace-gifts given to us on behalf of Jesus Christ?

11. Why do we fail to appreciate and value both of these gifts?

 12. Why should the cause of the gospel be worth living and dying for?

A Servant’s Gospel-Cause (A synopsis of the message preached on January 2, 2011)

INTRODUCTION:

Today I want to look at the servant’s Gospel-cause. What or Whom will I serve? Will I serve the cause of Patriotism, the cause of Justice, the cause of Success, the cause of Money, the cause of self-preservation, or the cause of the gospel

 Listen to our text today:

 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.

 In this text Paul only has one exhortation that sets forth our cause and encompasses the Christian’s responsibility to live for Christ – let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

 We are to Serve the Cause of the Gospel. Read more »