Living The Gospel In Unity

The speaker begins by referencing Philippians chapter one, verse 27, and emphasizes the importance of living a life worthy of the gospel of Christ. They discuss the need for unity among believers and the role of individual commitment in achieving corporate unity. The speaker then moves on to Philippians chapter two, verse one, and highlights the comfort and encouragement found in Jesus Christ. They emphasize the importance of salvation and the presence of Christ within believers. The speaker encourages listeners to live in unity and find consolation in their relationship with Christ. morning, turn to Philippians chapter one, starting in verse 27, Philippians chapter one, verse 27, and I forgot to put these in the slides this morning, so you'll need to use your Bible or listen along, Philippians chapter one, verse 27, and it says this, only let your conversation 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 and with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and that nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you salvation of that of God, for unto you it is given in behalf of the gospel 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 bear to be in me. Let's go to God in prayer. Lord, we come to you now, and I just thank you for this day. I thank you for the special that was brought forth to remind us that we can trust in you, and you are our stronghold, our refuge to go to. God, I thank you for how you're working in these services even now with your Holy Spirit, and I just pray that you'll continue to work. I ask you to just use the scripture written, God, use this message and everything for your honor and your glory. God, be working in each and every one of us with your Holy Spirit, and we may do what you would have us to do, whatever that may be. God, I thank you for all that you do. We thank you for Jesus. I ask you'll just be with me as I deliver this message you've laid on my heart, Lord, that you may be glorified in it. I pray most of all, God, if there are any here that do not know you as Savior yet, that they will make that decision before late. Lord, I pray that if there are those here that need to make decisions to grow closer to you, to take that step of deeper faith, Lord, that they will do it even today. Thank you, Jesus, for all that you do. Just stand in prayer. Amen. The last time that we had preached, or I'd preached through Philippians, or at least the first chapter, we talked about how Paul, what was his desire? What was Paul's desire? His desire was simply that, in verse 27, that they grow in unity and that everything that they do, it says their conversation be as we come with the gospel of Christ, but literally what that is saying, that you are living a life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Paul gave several examples during the first chapter how he would live an example during suffering, living an exemplary life for the gospel of Christ during suffering, when also it's the Christians just living in their daily lives, that everything that they're doing is done for the glory of God, for the glory of Jesus Christ, that they're living worthy of the gospel of Christ, and then also just in their personal walk one-on-one with God. Now we come down to chapter 2, and Paul takes a broad theme and really applies it and gets down to the heart of what he's getting at in Philippians, that as we're living worthy of the gospel of Christ, that also applies to us corporately as Christians, but I will say it must first start individually. If you individually, if me, I, individually, and not living worthy for the gospel of Christ, living a life worthy of the gospel of Christ, we together as a church cannot live to our fullest potential as a church living worthy of the gospel of Christ. And I'm kind of stepping a little bit ahead of probably where I should, but we are all one body. We are a body, Paul describes, made of many different parts, many different functions. God has blessed you to serve and do in a capacity that I cannot. He's also blessed me to serve and do in a capacity that maybe others cannot. We all each have a very specific, very blessed role that God has given us that we may be able to glorify him, but in doing that, let's all do it in unity, unity. That is a word we're going to be hearing continually, living the gospel in unity. And that brings us to chapter two, verse one, chapter two, verse one. And it says, if there be therefore any consolation in Christ, any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, and if any vows of mercy, fulfill ye my joy that you be like minded, having the same love and being of one accord. And before we go into this, of course, Paul, I want to say he's speaking to Christians. Do you want to live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ? Do you want to live a life in unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ with the church? Have you been saved? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as Savior? That's going to be the first step that has to be taken because if you have not taken that step, you are not in unity with God. You are not following the Lord. In fact, you are going away from him because the way to salvation, the way to the Lord is straight and narrow, but the way to destruction is wide and broad. There are many that go that way, Jesus says, but few that follow the straight and narrow path. And that straight and narrow path is Jesus Christ, knowing that we're sinners, knowing that he died for our sins and trusting in him for our salvation. That he rose again three days later, did all that he said he did. He was the perfect sacrifice, that he can cleanse you of all your sins and save you. And when you come to that point of trust in Jesus and you ask him to come into your heart, you are saved, you're baptized into a local church, and you become part of the body of Christ at that point, then comes further growth and discipleship. And that is the desire of Paul that he's getting at in what we're going to see in these first two verses of Philippians chapter 2. And it says, if there therefore be any consolation in Jesus Christ. So what does the word consolation mean? Consolation is comfort, it's encouragement. If there be any encouragement or comfort in Jesus Christ. That's an odd thing to say, isn't it? If there be. What Paul's getting at, he's really getting the Christians to think, as he's writing to them in Philippi, it's more of since. Since there is consolation in Jesus Christ. He's wanting them to really think back of all the comfort, all the encouragement, everything that they get just because of Jesus Christ. And I think Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 16 says, now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and even our God and God and even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. See consolation comes through consolation, true comfort comes through Jesus Christ. More specifically, first off, Christ in you. And I say that specifically, Christ in you. Why do I say that? Because at that moment of salvation, what happens? God does an amazing work and Jesus said he would do it. That when I go, I'm going to send somebody like me. And that somebody that's like me, he's going to come in you, he's going to dwell with you, he's going to be with you, he's going to guide you, he's going to comfort you, he's all comforter. And Jesus says that he will be with you. Says again, second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 16, now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting comfort and good hope through grace. Ephesians chapter 2, for by grace you are saved through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of the Lord, it's the gift of Jesus Christ. Christ in you simply is this, salvation. We can have comfort because of our salvation. We can have comfort because of the hope, our good hope, our consolation of hope that we have. Paul writes about this in Philippians chapter 1 verse 21 when he talks about his hope. Of course Paul, as we have discussed in Philippians chapter 1, he was in a situation that wasn't the best of terms, but yet he was still glorifying God. It says that in Philippians chapter 1 verse 21, for me to live is Christ. Everything that he was going to do is for Jesus Christ, but yet he said for me to die is gain. Is there any comfort, is there any consolation in Jesus Christ? Absolutely. And if we are to live in unity as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, we must recognize that consolation, that comfort as we have together in the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 55 says this, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, you steadfast unmovable abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain. And all of that comes because of the salvation, the comfort that we have in Jesus Christ. No matter what comes, even if death comes, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is our victory? Jesus Christ has rose up in victory. He is alive, so we have consolation because of our salvation in Him. And now we come to this next point, consolation of you in Christ. Why do I say consolation of you in Christ? Because the thing is though, I don't know how long you've been saved. I don't know if you were saved when you were young. I was saved at eight years old, but I've also known men that were saved in their forties. I've heard of men being saved in their fifties and on up. I've even heard of men being saved just before they had passed away. But the problem is, is that even though we are saved and we are eternally secure, Jesus Christ is in us. We still have the flesh. We still have sin nature that we're battling against. And it's a day in, day out struggle. Yes, but it's more of a training as we seek the Lord Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit's in us, working in us to conform us to His image. But yet, though Christ may be in us, though Christ may be in us, we may not be walking with Him. Or in other words, we may not be in Christ. When I say you in Christ, I'm talking about a faithful walk. We can have consolation. We can have comfort as we are walking with the Lord Jesus Christ. I'll make reference to the Sunday school lesson this morning that I was teaching in Psalms chapter 63. David, a man after God's own heart, he was out in the wilderness running again, hiding for his life with his group of men there. And yet, as he knew he was in the will of the Lord, he said, God, I trust you. God, I still desire for you. God, you are everything I need. And so if we have consolation in Christ, it's not only us being saved, but us walking with Him side by side as He guides us and commands us to walk, to live as He lives, to be holy as God is holy. Matthew chapter 5 verse 11 says this. Matthew chapter 5 verse 11 says, blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all men are of evil things against you falsely for my sake. Verse 12, rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted the prophets which were before you. Why do I bring up this verse? Blessed are those that are persecuted. Go back to Philippians chapter 1. Look at verse 28. And it says, And nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, 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 Him. So in other words, Jesus is saying, blessed are you when you suffer for Him, for my name's sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Why? Because great is your reward in heaven. As Christ is in us and we are walking with Him, Jesus says that the servant is not greater than its master. If we are living for the Lord, the world is going to be contrary to us and will desire to put us down and to put disunity within the church and will desire that we do not live for Him. But yet, as we are living for Him, great is our reward in heaven. But likewise, there's blessings in this life as He is with us through it all. We have consolations in the trials as we live for Him. 2 Corinthians 1 3-5. If you'll turn there with me, 2 Corinthians 1 3-5. And I think it's interesting, that fact of trials on the life of a believer. It says, blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Comfort in the Lord Jesus Christ, right? Unity because of that consolation. Who comforted us in all our tribulation. God's with us right there with it. That we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble. And by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God, for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation abounded by Christ. So our consolation abounded by Christ. Back to Philippians chapter 2 verse 1. Any consolation in Christ. Remember, in the context of the scheme of things, these Christians are facing suffering. And we may not be facing the same suffering that they were facing. And I think it's safe to say that most of us haven't faced the suffering that some of them have faced. But yet it says, even in the moment of suffering, God Himself, Christ is comforting us. And then likewise, that comfort that He's giving us is also acting as comfort to others as they are seeing how God is working in your life through the trials and therefore bringing more unity within the members, within the body of Christ. Suffering has an effect on others. Not to grow in fear but rather unity and faithfulness in Christ. Because of salvation we don't have to fear death. Because of Christ we don't fear what this life can hold. Christ is our comfort, our consolation as we walk with Him and Him in us that we may be walking unified for Him, for His sake, for the gospel. Living that worthy life for the gospel. Does that make all sense? Does that make sense? Remember Stephen as he was being stoned. Of course the Holy Spirit had come in. He had poured out over all the believers there in the upper room. They're going out sharing the gospel. And the gospel's spreading like wildfire. And Stephen goes and gives his speech and lo and behold the Pharisees there didn't like it and they were stoned and they said stone them. Even in the midst of that suffering, what happened? Did he cower down in fear and say, no don't I deny the name of Christ? No. What he said is this. Similar words to what Jesus Christ said. Forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. And he looked up at Jesus and he saw Jesus and Jesus stood up. Jesus stood up for them. And then he went to be with the Lord. What happened after that? The church grew stronger. The gospel spread like wildfire. The gospel turned the world upside down. Jesus Christ worked through it. There is consolation in Jesus Christ because no matter what happens in this life, we win because of the Lord, through the Lord and for his glory. No matter what happens. It's a wonderful thing. And so we go on to the next point and it says this. If any comfort of love. So there's consolation in Christ first off. Christ in you. Unified by Christ in you. Next, consolation in Jesus Christ unified by Christ through you. We are unified by Christ working through us. At salvation I mentioned something that happens. It's a wonderful thing. The Holy Spirit comes in and dwells the believer. And we see the effects on that individual. Christ begins working in us and to use us to show his love to others. To grow in likeness to him. Love as described here or used here is any comfort in love. Literally it's that word agape that we're so familiar with. The word agape is that self-giving love which God shows us unconditionally. As I was doing my study, there was a quote that I'd written down. It says love can only be shown through the action it prompts. Love can only be shown through the action it prompts. Where did we first see love shown? Where did we first see love shown? Turn to Romans chapter 5 verse 8. Romans chapter 5 verse 8. Love can only be shown through the action it prompts. It says this, but God commended his love towards us. He showed his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than now being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. You see, we are saved through Christ. We are unified through consolation due to Christ. We're also unified by Christ working through us because he first showed his love to us. The love of Christ that is shown in us. Of course, 1 John chapter 3 verse 16 says this, hereby we perceive it. Hereby we see it, the love of God. How did God show us his love? Because he laid himself down. He laid his life down for us. God showed us his love that we may lay down our lives for the brethren. If any comfort, any consolation and love, I think we can find comfort and consolation in the love of Christ that we may be unified as brothers and sisters in Christ. We see the effect of accepting the love of Christ. It's sonship. It's salvation. It's the spiritual gifts that come along with that. Galatians chapter 5 verse 22 speaks of the fruit of the spirit that comes on. The first fruit that is listed there is love. Then it goes on to joy, peace, longsuffering. This is all one fruit that all comes upon salvation. This is the work of God. Because of the love of Christ, we are changed drastically from the inside out as Christ has come within us. He begins to take that comfort of love. If there be any comfort of love, he takes the love that he's given us that we may be able to extend it from the inside that he's put in us that we may show it outwardly. That you may show love one to another. Have you shown love to the brother or sister that may be going through a hard time? Have you called them? Have you written them a note? Have you given them a letter? I hate to say it, but I'm guilty of not doing that, not showing love in the way I should have. What are ways that we can show the love of Christ that we can let the love of Christ be shown through us, the love of Christ through you? How does the love of Christ cause us to behave in a comforting way and especially to the brothers and sisters in Christ? Love can only be shown through the action it prompts. Because of the love of God, he said to his son, because of the love that God has put within us through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, we ought to act accordingly. We continue on. John chapter 13 verse 35 says this about love and how it is the trademark of a Christian. And why is it the trademark of a Christian? Does the world naturally love? Does the world selflessly give as Christ commands us to? As you look down and you see where sin takes root, you will see selfishness. You will see an ego that will not share the love to one another. John chapter 13 verse 35 says this, by this all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another. Philippians, when Paul is writing to the church of Philippi here, I want you to reign back in. When Paul is writing to the church of Philippi, he is wanting them to be unified. He is wanting them to live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ. And he is saying if there is any consolation in Christ, and there is, there is salvation. If there is any comfort or consolation in love, are we loving one another as brothers and sisters in Christ? Are you checking on one another? Are you showing the love, the self-giving, sacrificing love one to another? And Paul is writing to the church here and he is going to be talking about how the church and their love and how their actions carry on to the world later down in the chapter that we will likely get to tonight, hopefully. But are you loving your brother or sister in Christ? That you may show to the world the love of God that is in you and that Jesus Christ truly is the Savior that can make a difference in any heart and that can change you, that can change them. Is Jesus really all who he says that he is? Because the world is watching, but are we living in a way that he has commanded us to and has given us all the ability to? Love changes our response to evil, in fact. You don't have to turn there, but Romans chapter 12 verse 14 says, Bless them that persecute you, or bless and curse not. Matthew, as he was talking to Peter, and Peter asked him, Well, how many times should I forgive them? My brother, that's wrong me. And he said, 70 times 7. How is that possible? It's through the love of Christ. And we continue on. There's an importance of comforting love that is identified in that scripture reading that we had this morning in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. If you'll go back there one more time, 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 3. And it says, And though I bestow all my goods and feed to the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity or love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long in its kind. Love envieth not. Love vaunted itself not. It's not puffed up. Love does not behave unseemly, nor seeketh her own. It is not easily provoked, and thinks no evil. Love applied. We see here how love responds to many situations. The love of the brethren ought to flow out naturally from the believer, because the love that has been shown to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. As love is demonstrating, it is uplifting and encouraging and not seeking itself, but rather seeking the good of others, creating a closer unity in the faith for the glory of God. So we are unified through the consolation of our Savior Jesus Christ. We are unified through the love of the brethren as we are growing close to the Lord. And we are also unified by Christ working through us. Paul begins to bring that idea that takes it from deep within, just Christ and you working, to Christ through you working, and now Christ through us all working. Why do I say that? Let's keep on looking. It says, if any, fellowship of the Spirit. It says first, consolation of Christ, salvation, what Christ has done for us, what he does with us and helps with us in every situation. Comfort of love, that's comforting to the brethren, one to another, helping as you go on. And then finally it gets on, if you have any, fellowship in the Spirit. Now that takes it to a broader sense. That's what we're all doing, not just one to another, but all doing together. Fellowship in the Spirit. Fellowship is defined in Barnes Commentary, it's that which is common to two or more. That which is common to two or more. All Christians share the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost. He is dwelling within the believers, that they may have different attributes. And even though they, Christians may have different attributes, we all have the same Spirit and we all have the same fellowship in the Spirit. How do we receive that Spirit? How do we receive the Spirit, Him, that He comes within us? Salvation. We are the Lord's, 1 Corinthians 3, verse 16. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 16 says that, know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Of course he was writing to the Corinthians and they were doing all sorts of things that they shouldn't have been doing. And it says, but know you not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? And you are Christ and Christ is God's. We have that common fellowship of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. We have that unifying Spirit within us to help us to do all that the Lord would have us to do. Romans chapter 8, verse 14 says, for as many as that are led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God. And so we see the fellowship of the Holy Spirit that's in us because we have Him within us. But also we see the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is working through us that we may be unified by Christ one to another. Where do we see the fellowship and unity carried out in Scripture? I think we can see a bunch of different examples. But one of the first examples that we see is in Acts, specifically Acts chapter 4. If you will turn there, I'd like us to note this. Acts chapter 4, verse 31. And it says, And when they had prayed, the place was shaken, where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Through the fellowship of the Spirit, we had boldness. And the multitude, all the people that were there that were saved, the Holy Spirit just indwelled them, and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, one soul. They were unified. And neither of them said anything that ought of things that which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. They were taking care of one another. They were sharing with one another. They were loving on one another. They were making sure that everybody had what they needed, that nobody lacked anything. We are all unified by Christ, working through the Holy Spirit to use the gifts that he has given us. Of course, I made the example, and no need to go through it again, how God has blessed some of us with different gifts, different things that you do. Are you a kind person, or are you just naturally a kind person? And you go out and you help people. You're a helper, you're a servant, a teacher. Has God blessed you with teaching? As the Holy Spirit works in you, that fellowship of the Spirit, he is going to use that to unify the body, to grow it. And he goes on, talks about the body. If the whole body were an eye, and we did all the same thing, where were the hearing if the whole hearing were smelling? But now God has set members of everyone in the body as it had pleased him. He goes on in 1 Corinthians 12, 24, for as the comely parts have no need, but God has tempered the body together, has put the body together, having given more abundance to the honor to the part which it lacked, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. Or one member be dishonored, all the members rejoice with it. And all that's done, is done in Christian love, through Christian fellowship, because of Christ in us, and we are all unified together. It finally goes on to say, at the end of verse 1 in chapter 2, if any vows, and if any mercies, speaking of that love from the innermost part of the person, of course the group talked about love, it came from the vows. The Christians and the Hebrews, it was more from the heart, but it was still the same idea. The love for one another, from the heart, from the love that Christ has given us. And likewise, it says mercies. Mercies isn't necessarily, in this place, withholding what we do deserve, but rather it's compassion, it's pity, it's looking on the brethren that may be lacking, that may be in a trial, that may need help, and saying, hey, because I love you, I will humble myself, I will help you, I will serve you, I will help you to lift you up, and as we are all working together in unity, we can all live life worthy of the gospel. Of course, this is the idea, this is the whole point, and this is why Paul desires that all this happens in verse 2. It says, fulfill ye my joy, that you be like-minded, having the same love, being one accord, and of one mind. That comes to the last point, if you can, Brother Darby, go to the last slide. Are you living unified because of Christ? And if our musician can come forward for the invitation. Are you living unified because of the love of Christ? Is Christ in you? Are you saved? Is the love of Christ being expressed through you? And as it's happening, as we're growing in unity, now this is a challenge for us as a church. Are we growing in fellowship with the Spirit and allowing God to work in each and every one of us? Do you have a gift that you know God has blessed you with? Maybe you're good at decorating, maybe you can do some awesome things. I had to ask Angela, praise the Lord she's back, amen. I had to ask her, hey, does this match? Is this alright this morning? She has that gift, I don't. Teaching. Are you a teacher? God's blessed you with it. But maybe you say, oh no, it's time to retire. It's not time to retire. There's still time that God has given us to bless us with to serve Him. Maybe you're good at choosing someone to disciple and really getting on that one-to-one basis. Use the gift that God has blessed you with. Are you just a good servant and you say, hey, I can make the tea over in the village ball for potluck? Praise the Lord. We need some people who know how to make tea better than I do. Apparently it's not sweet enough and those who know what I'm talking about will get the reference. But y'all, there's so many different ways that we can work in unity for the Lord Jesus Christ. But yet, are you living unified because of Him? As we stand for the invitation, I pray that whatever decision you make, that all of it works together to grow you in closer love, closer relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you living in a unified way for Him as we sing?