Philippians 1:27 - 2:2

"The Marks of Discipleship"

Marine Drill Sergeants say it all the time to new enlistees: “Men you're Marines now. Better start acting like Marines.” I think that the Apostle Paul is saying something like this to the Christians at Philippi in our text for this morning.

Thirty years ago, when the New York Yankees had sort of a dynasty and were the dominant team in major league baseball, the manager would say to the rookies, “Boys, it’s an honor just to put on the New York pinstripes. So when you put them on, play like world champions ... play like Yankees … play proud.”

In similar fashion, the Apostle Paul is attempting to inspire and motivate the believers at the Church in Philippi. And he does so, by challenging them to live lives worthy of the name by which they are called. In verse 27 he says: “Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I want to know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel.” In other words, “You claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. You've put on his uniform. Therefore, live accordingly. Live a life worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Now, why is Paul issuing this challenge to the Church at Philippi? It’s because he understands that the Church’s mission is to “Reach the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ and to make disciples.” And Paul knows that Christianity has its greatest impact when believers live for Christ in their particular arena of influence. So, Paul is saying, if you really want to impact your world for Christ …if you want to make a difference for Jesus in this world, then live as purely, ethically and morally, as Jesus did. Love as deeply as Jesus loved. Serve as humbly as Jesus served. Show compassion to others as Jesus did. If you want to turn some heads and reach people for Christ, then you confront hypocrisy as aggressively as Christ did. Stand up for the truth the way Christ did. Defend and come to the aid of the disadvantaged, the poor, and the needy as Christ did. You get elbow deep in people' struggles and show the love of God, as Christ did.

If you want to make a difference for Christ in this world, “Then wear the uniform proudly. Become so acquainted with the Jesus of the Gospels that it becomes second nature for you to act like he would have acted in all of your daily situations.

That’s what Paul is saying here, because Paul wanted the Church at Philippi, and he wanted us to know, that there is no more serious business in this life, than the business of being a Christian.

This challenge comes just after Paul has declared in verse 21, “For me to live is Christ!” Paul says that my whole reason for being is to glorify Christ and to advance the cause of Christ. “For me to live is Christ!” And then, here in verse 27, Paul is asking the question: What about you? Are you going to live for Christ? Are you going to start risking, growing, and taking this business of being a follower of Jesus seriously? Paul says, “I hope so. I really hope so. Because never forget, that you bear his name.”

You see, Paul understood that the Church’s mission is to reach the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ and to make disciples. And he understood that people outside the church form their conclusions about Jesus Christ primarily on the basis of how believers live their lives. Paul recognized that people outside the Church are watching every move that Christians make. And it's not how knowledgeable we are ... it's not how well we know our Bibles or how astute we are in doctrinal matters. It's how we live our lives that have the greatest impact. It’s whether our behavior matches up to our beliefs and confessions about Christ.

And so, the heart of what Paul is driving at in this passage, is that he's trying to help us identify: What are the Marks of Discipleship that will enable us to reach people for Christ in our arena of influence? What kind of Christian behavior will best communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those outside the family of God? And in this passage, I think Paul identifies three crucial “Marks of Discipleship”.

At the top of his list, in verse 27, is the mark of Consistency. Paul uses the phrase, “standing firm.” He says: “Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm.” That's how he begins, talking about “being consistent … standing firm in the faith”.

Let me ask you a question: What is your initial reaction when someone outside the Christian faith claims that they’ve had a life-changing conversion to Jesus Christ? What do most people say when they hear this? When someone comes up all excited and says, “I have just given my life to Jesus Christ, and it's like a whole new thing has happened to me!” What do people say, virtually 100% of the time?

“Sure ... Right. So, you’re going to be like one of those born again types now, huh? Didn't Bob Dylan do that for a couple of months? Didn't John Delorian claim that when he got indicted? Yeah, like whose next ... Madonna? Howard Stern?”

You see, we have to understand that almost every non-Christian we know can give you the names of at least five people they know who have claimed to have had a conversion experience of some sort, only to revert back to their previous behavior in a month or two.

Most non-Christians, when they learn of someone who suddenly professes to be a Christian, will view that announcement with the same level of cynicism they would if someone told they were going on a diet or going to stop smoking. They say, “Right … sure.” But they'd be willing to bet their mortgage that things will be back to usual in a short time.

In our culture today, the generation that is the most un-churched is our youth and young adults. Studies upon studies are being done to try to figure out why churches of all denominations are failing to reach the young people of our culture today. And you want to know what they’re discovering. It’s not the lack of programs, or facilities, or resources, or ministries provided. It’s the lack of consistency in the faith of those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.

The reason young people say that they are not connecting with the church today, is that they have watched the lack of a consistent witness lived out by their parents and by church members. They see us behaving one way on Sunday morning and then they see us behaving another way at work or at home. And they say, “If that is what being a Christian is all about, I don’t want any part of it. It’s not real.”

Do you see what Paul is driving at here? Paul says, “Listen, if you want to make a difference for Christ in this world … if you really want to reach people and point them to Jesus Christ …then live consistently before them. Stand firm!”

Live for Jesus Christ day in and day out! Live for Christ when the charts are going down, as well as when they're going up. Live for Christ when you're passed over for the promotion. Live for Christ when unexpected tragedy takes your breath away. Live for Christ not only when you’re at church, but in all areas of your life. Live for Christ over the long haul. Paul says that your mere consistency ... your stability and endurance will have a profound influence on the people's lives you're trying to impact.

When you ask people about how they came to know Jesus Christ, they'll often tell you something like, “Someone at work became a Christian, and I was suspicious when I first heard that, because I knew him. So, I watched him. First, for a month ... then for 6 months ... then for a year ... maybe two. And over time, I saw in their life what I needed in mine ... an inner strength, a peace and a purpose that was missing in my life.”

You see, “consistency in the faith” is a powerful influence. It's a powerful witness to the reality of Christ in our lives. Therefore, Paul says to the believers at Philippi, “Stand firm! Be consistent in your faith!” because it’s one of the greatest witnesses you can have for reaching others for Jesus Christ.

And if Paul were writing this message to us, the believers here at First United Methodist Church, I think he would ask us the same thing: “Are we leading steadfast lives? Are we being consistent in our faith?” Or, have we lost that passion for Christ that once gripped our souls?

Here’s something we need to recognize. Consistency in our behavior before the world hinges on how consistent we are in our time alone, humbled before God each day. Which is why I will challenge you as long as I am here as your pastor, to make time to meet with the Lord every day. We cannot become consistent before the world, until we learn how to become consistent in our brokenness before the Lord each day. To be faithful witnesses in the world, we have to take the time daily to yield our lives to him and to pray, “Help me today to live my life for you, Jesus.” This daily time of submitting and reordering our lives, leads to a consistency in our behavior that can make a difference in people's lives.

The next Mark of Discipleship that Paul says will capture the attention of people outside the faith, is “Christian unity” or “Christian community”. In verse 27, he says, “I want to know that you're standing firm (How?) in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel.”

Folks, you want to know what really destroys people’s interest in spiritual matters? You want to know what really turns people off to the Christian faith and to the Church? Christian hostility and Christian in-fighting. People outside Church observe political infighting and ugly power struggles all the time. They see it in government, their places at work, in organizations, and it grieves them. Many of the people outside the church have been victimized by those kinds of infightings and struggles in organizations. And many have come out of families that have been destroyed by fighting and unresolved conflict.

So, people outside the Church are saying, “If that’s what the Church is like, I don’t want any part of that. I have to deal with that enough already.” And they’re asking, “Will I ever be able to find a group or a community where people come together and relate authentically?” Will I ever be able to be a part of a community where people are genuine? Where Christ-like love truly abounds? Where can I find a community of people who are unified under a higher purpose than themselves and who are doing something worthwhile together?

That sounds like what the Church ought to be, doesn’t it? Clearly, this is what Jesus hoped his church would be. But, often we are not. Therefore, we have to understand and continually guard against the fact that our Christian unity and witness is destroyed by destructive behaviors … such as gossip, divisive talk, and un-Christian behavior toward each other. Nobody wants to be a part of a community where that exists!

Paul is saying that, as a Church representing Jesus Christ, we are to live in such a way and relate to each other in such a way that it says to all those surrounding us, “If you’re looking for an authentically, unified community of people … come join us!” We don't claim to be perfect, but we are striving to be authentic. We don't claim to see eye-to-eye on everything in this church, but we seek to disagree with dignity and grace, seeking to tell the truth in love. We don't claim to be without friction and misunderstanding, but we are committed to Matthew 18:15 and the other texts on conflict resolution, that lead us to go to one another humbly and lovingly, seeking to restore wounded relationships. Join us, if you want to be a part of a Christian community that is pursuing the most important work in the world!

Paul is saying, show the people outside the family, by how you live, love, work together, that the Church is the only hope for a high-integrity, relational community that really loves one another. If you really want to influence the people around you for Christ, Paul says, to demonstrate consistency in your Christian living. And demonstrate unity, love, and Christian community among yourselves. Strive together for the faith of the gospel.

As we talked about a couple of weeks ago, we must be committed and unified around our mission as church, which is “to build a Christian community that is seeking to make disciples of Jesus Christ.” Well, if we are really going to be about “making disciples of Jesus Christ”, then we need to let people see that much of the thrill of the Christian life is wrapped up in being together with like-minded brothers and sisters, accomplishing together what no one could ever achieve alone. We need to let those around us have a glimpse of what God can do when believers live and work together in unity. And we need to include in our witness to others, a description of the deep fellowship that we enjoy with each other. Because this is what many in this world are desperately searching for.

But if we can't talk about this or share this with others, because we haven't experienced it enough to talk about it with integrity, then I would challenge you to work together to make it so. Seek out this kind of fellowship. Become part of a small group or begin one with like-minded friends. Let some people into your life, and get involved in some other lives. Let’s create a quality of community here together that we are excited about inviting others to be a part of. Not only will it do an amazing work in your own life, after a while, the effects will become obvious to others. They'll want what you have. And eventually, that will give you a platform to lead them to Christ.

Finally, Paul says if you really want to impact the lives of others around you for Christ, then learn how to “Suffer with dignity”. In verse 29 and 30, Paul says, “For he has graciously granted you the privilege, not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well – since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”

Paul is referring here to his own imprisonment. You see, Paul has seen the power that suffering for Christ can have on people. From his own experience, Paul had been beaten and thrown into a dungeon there in Philippi. And instead of questioning God or stewing in self pity, Paul and Silas decide to suffer with dignity and faith. They sang hymns to God half the night. And in doing so, they so impacted the life of that jailer, that he and his whole family were led to Christ. And you know what caused the softening of that jailer’s heart and prepared the soil of his soul? It was how he watched a Christian suffer with dignity and faith.

Please listen. Perhaps more than anything else we can do for the cause of Christ,

is to suffer with faith ... to suffer with an eye on eternity ... to suffer, but to not lose hope. This has always been the most powerful witness we have for the reality of Christ in our lives.

You’ve seen it and so have I, when people who don't have the Lord in their lives have their world cave in around them, they realize they don't have anything to hang onto. So, they panic. They do destructive things. They become fatalistic, hopeless, and despairing.

The truth is, that most people in our society today don't know how to suffer very well, especially people of my generation and younger. We haven't gone through a Depression. We didn't lose half our graduating class in World War II. People today in our country really doesn't know how to suffer. The scriptures are clear, though, that none of us are going to cruise through this life without a certain amount of suffering. Jesus said, “While you are in this world, you’re going to experience trials and suffering ... because it rains on the just and the unjust.”

And when we encounter those times of suffering, whether it be emotional, relational, physical, or financial suffering, Paul says, “That very thing may give you the greatest opportunity to make a difference for Christ.” Because, if we learn how to suffer well … if we learn how to endure great hardship with a quiet, courageous, confidence in Christ, people will see the barrenness of their own souls and they will hopefully look to the source of our strength to become theirs. Suffering with faith may enable us to impact more lives for Christ than anything else we do in this life.

As I reflect over my own life, I have found that those who God has used to impact me the most are people who have demonstrated these three marks of Christian discipleship that Paul mentions here. The people who have made the deepest impact on my life are those who have demonstrated consistent faithfulness and steadfastness in their Christian behavior. Watching them live through the ups and downs of life, with a consistent hope and peace in Christ, has inspired my own journey.

Throughout my life, I find my heart moved deeply when I see people, such as many of you, organized into small groups, ministry teams and serving ministries, growing together in the faith, and advancing the cause of Christ. You have no idea, what an impact you, as the people of this church, have upon my life, when I see you working together in unity for the cause of Christ. I often just stand back and give God praise when I see it.

And throughout my life, God has used the courage of the sufferers to inspire me. In 25 years of pastoring churches, I have witnessed the suffering of many. When one of

our wounded or suffering members just trusts in one more day ... just keeps believing; just keeps worshipping; just keeps serving; and hanging on. As homesick for heaven as they may be, they just keep saying, “Until I get there, today I'm going to live for Christ.” To witness such suffering with faith, is to hear the Holy Spirit whisper, “This is a miracle. This is what I'm all about. My power is perfected in weakness. My grace is sufficient.”

So, in the words of Paul: “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind … in Christ Jesus.”

And let us do it, not only for our sake, but for the sake the world around us and for the sake of Christ.