THE WORTHY LIFE
- Pastor Daniel Duce
- Mar 16
- 9 min read
Philippians 1:27-30 ESV
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy[h] 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.
Philippians 1:27 ESV
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy [Only behave as citizens worthy] of the gospel of Christ,
ONLY → Paul is adding emphasis
Paul is saying, “Pay attention!”
What has Paul just finished saying?
Philippians 1:23-24 ESV
23 …My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
Paul says, “...whether I come and see you or am absent…”
Philippians 1:27 ESV
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy [Only behave as citizens worthy] of the gospel of Christ,
Literal → “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel…”
‘Conduct yourselves’ → ‘politeuomai’
Comes from the root word: polis (city)
Behave as a citizen
Be a good citizen
What kind of city is Philippi?
If Roman citizens can live their lives so devoted to Rome…how much more should we be devoted to the kingdom of our savior-king, Jesus?
Philippians 1:27 ESV
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy [Only behave as citizens worthy] of the gospel of Christ,
What does it mean to live a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
What is the gospel worth to you?
What is Jesus worth to you?
To conduct our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus…is to live here on earth as faithful citizens of heaven.
Allegiance to the kingdom of God.
Allegiance to the King of kings.
We serve Him.
We are devoted to Him.
We are committed to Him.
We are committed to His cause.
We are committed to His mission.
We are loyal to Jesus.
To live life in a manner worthy of the gospel…is to live life under the constant, compassionate, holy gaze of our Lord
The fear of the LORD.
Proverbs 1:7 ESV
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 9:10 ESV
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Proverbs 14:26-27 ESV
26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Proverbs 15:31-33 ESV
31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
33 The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 16:6-7 ESV
6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
7 When a man's ways please the LORD,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Proverbs 19:23 ESV
23 The fear of the LORD leads to life,
and whoever has it rests satisfied;
he will not be visited by harm.
Proverbs 22:4 ESV
4 The reward for humility and fear of the LORD
is riches and honor and life.
Proverbs 23:17 ESV
17 Let not your heart envy sinners,
but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.
To live LIFE in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus…is to walk with the fear of the LORD before our eyes
Philippians 1:27 ESV
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,
Ephesians 4:1 ESV
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Colossians 1:10 ESV
10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
1 Thessalonians 2:12 ESV
12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
Philippians 1:27 ESV
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,
What is the gospel?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV
15 Now I would remind you, brothers [and sisters, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
True, saving faith → transformed life
Worthy Life
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ESV
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, [God was in Christ] reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He [God] made Him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in [Jesus] we might become the righteousness of God.
To live LIFE in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus…is to live LIFE in response to the love of Jesus
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
To live LIFE in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus…is to live LIFE captivated by Jesus
Philippians 1:27 ESV
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.
Four Attributes of the WORTHY LIFE
Standing Firm
Solidarity
Striving
Suffering
STANDING FIRM
…so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm
Steadfastness
Enduring faithfulness
Philippians 4:1 ESV
Therefore, my brothers [and sisters], whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
We stand for…
For Jesus
For holiness
For righteousness
For purity
For truth
For the sake of the gospel
1 Corinthians 16:13 ESV
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
We stand against…
Against the devil
Against sin
Against lies & deception & falsehood & a twisting of the truth
Against anything that is contrary to the Word of God
We refuse to allow sin to dominate us
Galatians 5:1 ESV
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV
27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
The devil wants us disqualified
The devil wants us to quit
The devil wants us to compromise
The devil wants us to stop fighting that sin
The devil wants us to stop praying…
The devil wants us to NOT stand firm
We STAND FIRM against the devil, his forces, his schemes & tactics
Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
SOLIDARITY
Philippians 1:27 ESV
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…
Solidarity is Unity
Holy Spirit-empowered unity
Hebrews 12:14 ESV
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
United in our convictions & our passions
United together on mission
United in our shared responsibilities
Spiritual household.
Spiritual family
Brothers & sisters.
Fathers & mothers.
One body.
Philippians 2:2-4 ESV
2 …[be] of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Jesus prays for us…
John 17:21-23 ESV
21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
The WORTHY LIFE is a life where we live…in Holy Spirit-empowered unity together
STRIVING TOGETHER
Philippians 1:27 ESV
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.
STRIVING TOGETHER
Synathleō → compete with, compete alongside
The WORTHY LIFE is a life lived while striving together
Life with Jesus
SUFFER TOGETHER
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.
“...”it has been granted to you…”
We have been allowed to believe in Jesus
God is the one Who has opened our eyes to the reality of the gospel
Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV
4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
God has gifted us with the incredible gift of faith.
God has also gifted us to SUFFER
The WORTHY LIFE is a life in which we suffer together.
We strive to SUFFER WELL.
We are engaged in the same conflict that Paul & Jesus had
Ephesians 6:12 ESV
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Our enemies/opponents will come at us with everything they can
Revelation 12:17 ESV
17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
But Jesus tells us not to be afraid or timid or surprised
John 16:33 ESV
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
The WORTHY LIFE is a life in which we strive to SUFFER WELL
Four Attributes of the WORTHY LIFE
Standing Firm
Solidarity (Holy Spirit empowered unity)
Striving together
Suffering together
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