Making the Gospel the Center of Everything

Let’s start today by considering things that would cause a complete change in your life…

Imagine you receive a letter in the mail from a Lawyer asking you to contact their firm because you are named on a will for which they are acting as executors. They look legit and the name of the deceased reminds you of a story your grandfather used to tell. After meeting with the lawyer in a beautiful downtown office where they tell you the story of a long-lost relative who has left their estate in your name and then slide you a Bank Check drafted in your name in the amount of $100 million Dollars. Could this be real? And if it is, would that change your life? Would that change how you choose to live?

It certainly changes circumstances, but what I want to talk about is something that changes you – changes who you are and changes who you live…

A better example that many of you can relate to much more clearly…For all of the parents in the room, I want you to think back to the day when you first heard the news that you were going to be a father…A mother…Consider the lifestyle that you lived as a single young man or woman, first life changed some when you were married – but now, a new life and you are responsible. That knocks you back on your heels…

When the idea of being a Father sunk in…did it change your thinking? Did it change your priorities? It is not just that diapers and midnight feedings that will change my life, though at that point, that certainly scared me too…but when I think of the importance of being a Father, the responsibility that came with that…priorities began to change. There is a new motivation to live in a way that is worthy of that high calling, a child who I have not even met is worth more than any amount of money, worth more than anything I could gain in this world.

But you know – that is still not the most valuable thing that I can imagine

So let me take this one step further – What about the moment that you were born…born again that is…for those who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ, it is that moment in our lives that caused the most dramatic change in anyone’s life…

Paul described this moment to the Church in Ephesus when his wrote:

Eph 2:4-6 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

What I want to help us fix our eyes upon today is the gospel. Whether you heard the gospel 5 decades ago or whether you are hearing the gospel for the first time today, my prayer is that we might see the truth that it is the most valuable truth, the most life changing truth that we can image – and thankfully, this is not about imagination, we are talking about life changing gospel truth…

This year, we chose an Annual Theme of Growing in Gospel Gratitude because of the impact, the change that it can produce in our lives when we see the fullness and the beauty of the gospel and choose to respond to it, whether on the first day of a new life, or in the 5^th decade…

Sometimes, we cruise right into the passage and we talk about the gospel and I ask if you have questions or if you want to respond, but I don’t always spend enough time describing what the gospel truth is…so let me slow down a little today…

We must understand the truth of the gospel to fully comprehend why it is so important to today’s passage…

The Gospel begins with a truth about who God is and who we are…

The one True God, is the God who created the Universe and everything in it, and that means you and me as well. God created each one of us in His image that we might represent Him, that we might worship Him. He created us because He loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. This is clear right from the first two chapters of Genesis.

But what is also true and clear from the book of Genesis is man sinned and broke our relationship with God, our sin separates us from a Holy God and it was not just Adam and Eve, but God’s word tells us in Romans that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

It is also true that there is nothing that you and I can do on our own to restore what we have broken. Our sins cannot be covered over by our good deeds.

Thankfully, God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son. He loved us so much that He humbled himself, taking the form of man, living a sinless life and choosing to accept my penalty, to pay my debt before the Father by willingly, dying on the cross, being unjustly and brutally murdered, but that wasn’t the whole of it, He also took the Father’s wrath upon himself to pay my penalty. There was no other way.

And now, through Grace, you and I can receive at no cost, the most valuable gift that has ever been given. Salvation by grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ Alone.

That is the gospel truth, The truth about God, about our sin and when we see the surpassing value of Christ, and we allow it to fully permeate our lives, we cannot help but be changed by it which is why today as we continue in Philippians together, we are going to rejoice in

Making the Gospel the Center of Everything.

To see how God is calling us to make the gospel central in our lives, please open with me to Philippians and we will read together…I am going to overlap from last week so that we can recall the heart and desire that leads to the pivotal statement we will discuss today

READ Phil 1:21-30

After describing the depth of his desire to know and be with Christ, something Paul will later describe as the surpassing value of Christ, He presents us with a command on how we are called to live with the Gospel as the center of everything in our lives and as such, he provides us with

3 Recentering Truths of the Gospel.

The first truth that we see from our text is that…

I. The Gospel is Worthy of Changing Every Aspect of Your Life

Philippians 1:27a – Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…

Let’s begin by breaking down the verse…

When I studied this passage in seminary, the first word caught my eye from the beginning – Only. That is a strange way to begin a sentence. I don’t speak that way. But what Paul was doing saying “Only,” was that he wants us to understand that what he is about to say is of critical importance, that to only conduct yourselves in this manner calls us to making this exclusive.

We are not to conduct ourselves in this manner, plus a few other ways that we like to live, but only in this way. Then the call to live in a “manner worthy of the gospel” is an expression summarizing all that is required for Christian living.

A manner worthy… what does that mean? It is not that our conduct becomes worthy, or worth any value, but that our conduct is based on the unsurpassed worth of the gospel.

Think about how we defined the gospel earlier – a free gift of Grace received by faith alone and none of our efforts were a part of our salvation. But gifts have a cost to someone.

When you receive the most beautiful gift at your birthday from someone who loves you, that gift still had a cost to the giver, yet they were willing to give the gift as an act of love.

For those who receive the gospel, the free gift of eternal life with Christ Jesus came with a price-tag that only God could or would be willing to pay.

Do you see the gospel as a gift that came at a high price? Is the gospel of Christ worthy to be placed at the center of your life thus changing you forever and changing the way that you live?

Delete the DA Carson Quote

Because it is based on the truths of the gospel, that Paul is calling us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel…why? Because

A. He Is Worthy

Having an accurate view of Christ is the first step to enable you and I to live our lives worthy of the gospel. More than knowing who I am, I have to know who he is, particularly in comparison to us.

Recall that we began our definition of the gospel by knowing the truth that God created the Universe and he is the one who created you and me. He is perfection in every one of his attributes and that should create awe and wonder in our hearts, it should create fear in our heart, but we can’t stop there. God is not a benevolent dictator who cares for us so that we will respond in obedience. God is our loving Father with a heart for you and I that we cannot fathom.

To begin to know God, to begin to know Christ is to also seek the whole of his heart – One of the best books I have read recently is

Because it helped me to unpack God’s truths about his own heart, the very heart of Christ who chose to die for me. The truth’s that God’s Word showed me did not point to a vengeful God condemning my sin, but a Holy God, gentle and lowly in heart, slow to anger and overflowing in Grace.

Seeing the truth about Christ brought me to the only conclusion possible – that He is Worthy

A Christian who lives their life under this understanding, that He is worthy, will live differently from the world.

And as if that were not enough – The identity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God to cause us to follow Him -

No Video clip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP4A3C3E4Cs)

Because of who He, the rest of the gospel is inseparable. Because of the depth, height and breadth of God’s love for his creation, it was impossible for Him to not send the good news of the gospel for all of humanity.

So by recentering the gospel in our lives, we see the truth that

B. The Gospel is Worthy

Of changing every aspect of our live.

The gospel reveals the depth of our sin. It is too easy to look at myself and choose a non-gospel lens that simply compares my actions to my own view of good.

Well, how do you think that goes for me – it generally leads one of two places…

I am a pretty good guy, certainly compared to what I see in the news…now who am I seeing as worthy? Clearly I am worthy of God’s notice and favor and surely he will see my actions as good and reward me for my life…but that’s not the gospel – my life alone will never satisfy a Holy God

There another possible destination – Woe is me, I am a failure, my life is so broken and my actions have been so horrid that there is no way that God could ever love me let alone choose to save me…but that is not the gospel either because it fails to grasp the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice on my behalf…I am the one now taking myself out of my loving Father’s arms.

The gospel does not take me to either of these places – yet it must see the unbridgeable gap between my sin and God’s Holiness while at the same time being in awe of Christ’s response to my sin…one quote from gentle and lowly that just truly caught my heart, Dane Ortlund writes “Time and again it is the morally disgusting, the socially reviled, the inexcusable and undeserving, who do not simply receive Christ's mercy but to whom Christ most naturally gravitates. He is, by his enemies’ testimony, the friend of sinners.“

The gospel shows not just how high God is and how low I am, but the extent to which Christ comes to me in my lowliness to lift me up in his righteousness.

When we can grasp this truth, we can begin to grow in seeing the worthiness of the Gospel that we would bring it to the center of our lives choosing to allow the gospel to change every aspect of our lives that we might conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.

How do we get there? We need to rehearse gospel truths daily…ready for your homework, I mean first step towards growth? I want you to write these things down:

On a 3x5 Card – on one side – Write out Phil 1:27

On the other side – write out the definition of the Gospel

Place the card in your wallet or Purse

Review Daily

And give thanks that the Gospel is worthy to change our daily lives

Another option would be to purchase The Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent, you can get it for under $10. It has daily readings that will help you rehearse why the Gospel is worthy to change our lives.

The second truth that recenters the gospel in our lives is that

II. The Gospel is Worth Courageously Standing Up For

When Paul commands the church at Philippi to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel, he does not give a set of rules or actions to take, but rather describe what the outcome of their faithful obedience will be, with observable traits that will pervade the church as seen by

A. Unity with other Gospel Driven Believers

It is important that we remember that it matters to God how we live our lives Grace does not diminish our responsibility to the moral requirements of what God requires grace does not lower the standard. Rather grace enables us to meet it. Grace empowers us to fulfill what God requires. And it is grace that empowers us to stand together for the gospel.

Philippians 1:27b – I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel

Unity with other gospel driven believers set the people of God apart from the world around them when we see the following as described in the rest of verse 27

i. Standing Firm

Standing firms could be described a being stationary or in a fixed position. The ideas is not to be pushed around by another force but to be anchored in one place. Think of it like a soldier holding the line. I will give everything I have that they enemy will not take this position away from me.

We live in a pluralistic culture, that values that people might think and believe different things. As a Christian, do I value that as well? When we consider the truths about God creating every man and woman in His image, one of the aspects of being made in the image of God is that we think and seek truth, but the gospel reminds us of the sin in the world which causes some to reject the truth and choose their own truth. I love that person enough to know that they are just like me and I am not the one who can change their heart. But just like me, when exposed to the truth, it is God who will be at work and a such, my role is to stand Firm upon the truth, to not be tossed to and fro by the latest view in culture. With the gospel at the center – I can stand firm.

ii. One Spirit

As the church, as the body of Christ, it is more than just individuals standing firm. We are called to do so in One Spirit. This refers to the Unity from which there is strength to bee drawn from the common commitment to the gospel.

This call upon Philippi applies to every believer today. It matters what we believe and how we stand strong together in faith.

I want to give thanks for the body of Christ and how this church has stood together for 57 years. There have been times were we have had to stand united for gospel truths that have not been supported our community or sometimes even by other churches, but holding to the anchor of God’s sufficient Word has allowed our church to stand firm in one Spirit.

If you are here today and asking what this is all about – who are these people, what to they believe and why do they do what they do – I want to invite you that it is not too late to join the Introduction to Faith Class on Wednesday night. One of the purposes of the class is so that you can ask any question that you have. We would never want anyone to feel that they had connected themselves to this local body of Christ and later be surprised by how we stand firm in one spirit.

The continuation of this phrase – with one Mind

iii. one mind

can be connected to being of One Spirit, but I have separated it here because I also want to help us see what it is not…

Being of one Spirit with one mind is not to say that we all think exactly alike…

For example – let me read a few comments from the SMP survey results

(Read contrasting examples)

In listening to that, Have we failed as a church family? Some of the responses could not be more antithetical! Not at all – are these things I read anchored in the gospel? If not, then God’s word opens the door to Christian liberties and freedom.

Paul describes this in far more details in Romans 14 when he says -

Romans 14:5-7 – One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself…

In standing firm in one spirit and with one mind, we can love our neighbors at every point in their walk with Christ, in their journey of growth and sanctification when we center the gospel and anchor ourselves to gospel truths. So that we might then

iv. Strive together.

The progress of the gospel will reach far greater heights when we strive together. What Paul is describing here is the idea of someone competing with maximum effort, leaving everything out on the field of play. Christians are called to contend together for the faith, to fight together against the world, the flesh and the devil as we live out the convictions of the truth.

B. In Opposition to Opponents of the Gospel

When we stand firm, we can also be assured that the world will fight back. Jesus reminds us in John 15 that He chose us out of the world and because of this the world hates you.

That may show in a large cultural stage such as standing firm for the sanctity of life and protection of an unborn child or it may show up in our personal lives when a co-worker or even your boss ridicules you for believing the Bible. How we respond matters to God and he gives us assurances of what He is doing.

When we are standing firm, in opposition to anything that does not hold gospel truth, Paul echoes a word from God throughout Scripture – Do not fear – or as he says here, we are to be.

Philippians 1:28 – in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.

Do not fear when you stand firm, in one spirit with one mind, striving together in Unity because God is the one who determines the outcome.

C. Two-fold Results:

The unity that we share provides…

i. Assurance of salvation for believers

When you experience opposition because of gospel truths – this is an assurance to you that you are on the right path. Steven Lawson describes it this way – “the spiritual adversity city that the Philippine light for the faith is a confirming sign that they are genuinely converted to Christ.”

On the contrary – we have to ask ourselves, does my faith in gospel bring any push back? A lack of opposition, may tell you that you are not truly standing firm, that you are living in doubt which James describes as being like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. standing firm and experiencing opposition can provide the assurance that it is God who is at work in your life for your good and the good of those around you.

On the flip side for those who have not believed in the gospel it is a far more dire warning for it is the assurance of defeat

ii. Assurance of defeat for unbelievers

Delete Joshua 2:9-13

The stance for the gospel by the Philippians was also a sign of destruction for the false teachers of the time and those who were following their twisted gospel. Again from Steven Lawson, he states – “this speaks the final judgment and eternal doom for those who pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Paul speaks very clearly to this in Galatians when addressing false teaching…

Gal 1:8-9 “But even if we, or an Angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be a cursed! As we have said before so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received he is to be accursed!”

We are called to live with the Gospel central to our lives and nothing else.

How are we called to stand firm for the gospel. First, the application I gave earlier to write out and rehearse the gospel daily will help you to be anchored to truth, but now I ask how will you stand firm?

I am not calling you upon each of us to take up our soap box and cry out in the wilderness, but I want to encourage you that you can stand firm in many ways…

When a friend or family member who does not believe in the gospel is hurting, are you willing to offer the comfort of the gospel? Or will you just sit quietly thinking they don’t want to hear that anyway?

When co-workers start on a rant about today’s social issues, will you sit quietly in the minority, or will you ask them if they would like to hear what God’s Word has to say on the issue…

Standing firm does not mean you win the debate, but the question is are you willing to make it known what you believe even when it is unpopular. You do not even have to engage the debate when it does not feel like they will listen, but do they know that you stand firm upon the gospel?

Now, I know that as a Pastor to challenge each of you in this way, is not pointing you to easy street. Paul is calling is to hard work, striving together requires great effort and running in the face of opposition makes it even harder,

But the third truth that helps recenter the gospel in out lives tells us that

III. The Gospel is Worth Engaging in the Conflicts That It Inevitably Will Bring

Think about the gift of grace at the heart of the gospel and how we receive it and consider what it means to receive saving faith. This truth echoes through the New Testament

for by grace you been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2)

fixing our eyes on Jesus, author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12)

and on the basis of faith in his name , it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see in know; And the faith which comes through him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all (Acts 3)

But if we are to receive this gift we must also see the gift described here in Philippians

A. Suffering for the Gospel is a Gift

Philippians 1:29 – For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake

For you it has been granted, gifted for Christ’s sake that we might suffer for His sake. Richard Mellick in his commentary on Philippians helps us to see that even suffering is a gift of grace “Paul lived with persecution, and he realized its redemptive value”…for Christ’s sake… indicating that our suffering will result in the purpose of Christ to be achieved, and that purpose is part of what we were created for – for every believer, our greatest good is to be conformed to the image of Christ so that he might be the first born among many brothers.

Knowing that suffering in our lives can possibly knock us off our axis, causing us to let loose from the anchor of gospel truth. Paul teaches us in Ephesians 4 why God brings us together the way he does as a church. Starting in verse 11 he says “he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the Saints for the work of service , to the building up of the body of Christ;”

God forms the body of Christ as a place we come for the equipping that will allow us to stand firm and to face the trials and suffering that we know will come. And he does so for a purpose. Listen to how Paul continues…the teaching and equipping continue “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” And finishing with.

Ephesians 4:14 – As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

Suffering for the gospel is a gift and we can trust that God will equip us with all we need that we might stand firm while engaging the conflicts in our paths.

B. Engaging in the conflict is our privilege as believers

Philippians 1:30 – experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me

Not only it a gift, but it is also a privilege when it brings us together as believers. We can give thanks when we are in a fight for the gospel because we are not alone. Paul went before us and our brothers and sisters in the Lord walk along with us today.

What Paul wrote to the Philippians has come down through the ages to you and to me. Our town may not be in ancient Greece and our church is not called Faith Philippi, however the message is the same, nothing has changed. Living for the gospel means suffering for the gospel and for that I say Rejoice.

Before we close, I want to remind you of the challenge for this week…

Repeat the Slide with 3x5 Card HW (All appearing at once)

Read Philippians in one sitting

Make your 3x5 Card with Phil 1:27 and spelling out the gospel on the other

We are called to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel

We are not called to be needlessly offensive, never backing down, we are called to stand firm in speaking and living out s truth in love.

The gospel is good news, but it is never easy news. It is a demanding call to repentance and faith that requires a full sacrifice from each one of us. But it is worth the sacrifice we make, because it is the gospel that saves and it is a redeemed life that advances that gospel into the world.