Let Your Manner of Life Be Worthy! Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30

Today we’re going to talk about living in a way that’s worthy of the gospel. Phil. 1:27 says, Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Jesus says to whom much is given, much is required. As a citizen of a free land like ours, we have many rights and privileges. But with those privileges come responsibilities.

In the same way, as members of the Body of Christ, we have many blessings, and with those many blessings come many responsibilities.

With Baptism comes the responsibility of living in a way that reflects the grace we’ve been given.

With forgiveness comes the responsibility to forgive. As we said last Sunday, not forgiving is not an option for forgiven people.

In the same way, living un-gracefully, is not an option for those who’ve been given grace.

When we live a life given over to sin and selfishness, that’s living un-gracefully.

When we live a life that strives to be good and loving as Jesus is, that’s living a life that’s honors God and is thankful for the grace we’ve been given in Christ.

Our Old Testament lesson tells us to seek the Lord and His grace today. Seek the Lord while he may be found.  Tomorrow may be too late; I may not be here tomorrow to seek the Lord and his mercy.

Seeking the Lord is one of those things not to procrastinate on.

Procrastinating can be very costly. It can be costly to your pocket book, to your relationships, and to your health.

For example, putting off exercising or eating healthy foods or seeing the doctor, can be very costly to your health later in life. 

Putting off repentance, seeking the Lord and trusting in him, can be very costly to your spirit. Therefore Isaiah says, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Jesus teaches about this abundant grace in our Gospel with a parable. Like so many of his parables, this one uses a farming analogy.

Early in the morning, a farmer hired some people to work all day in his vineyard for a denarius, which was a typical day’s wage. Sort of like back in the day, when people worked for a dollar.

Seeing he needed more help, the vineyard owner hired more workers at mid-morning, noon, mid-afternoon, and very late in the afternoon.

When the work day was over he paid the workers: first the ones he hired later, and then the ones he hired earlier. And he gave them all a denarius.

When the ones hired earlier saw that those hired later got the same amount, they complained.

The owner said, “We agreed on a denarius for a day’s wages, and that’s what I paid you. It’s no concern of yours that I was generous and chose to pay the others the same. Instead of being jealous of them, be happy for them, and take your money and go.”  

Jesus was teaching the religious people not be jealous of the “riffraff” if you will, the worldly people who repented and followed Jesus after he had forgiven their sins.

This teaches us that there’s no place for jealousy and pride in the Kingdom of God. If we’re saved, we’re saved by God’s grace in Christ, not by our works. And if we believe in Christ, we have that grace he won on the cross.

So if your brother who was lost in the world, is now forgiven by God, rejoice, and give thanks that he has the same grace to live by that we have.

Today’s epistle teaches us to live in a manner worthy of the grace we’ve been so generously given.

Philippians is one of Paul’s captivity letters. He wrote this while he was in prison.

Even in prison, he could see the Holy Spirit at work in his life.

So when your life seems to be in a dire or difficult place, know that the Holy Spirit is still working good for you and through you. 

Paul told the Philippians that his imprisonment was an opportunity for him to share the gospel with the imperial or Roman guards. And it may have gone way up the ranks.

Also, Paul’s boldness in sharing the gospel gave confidence to his fellow missionaries in their difficulties, and they became more bold to share the message of Christ.

Paul said that his imprisonment, like his life, was meant to bring honor to Christ. I will not be at all ashamed (of being in prison), but that with full courage, now as always, Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain… and then he goes on and says, but I am pressed between the two.

Paul was hoping to be released from prison, not because he was afraid to die, but  so that he could continue his missionary work.

But there was also a part of him that yearned to be in heaven. He said, My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 

He must have been exhausted from his missionary journeys, and all the persecutions and punishments he endured.

As we go along in life, this fallen world, and our fallen, decaying bodies, can start to wear us down, and we yearn to be free of it all in heaven.

But like Paul we’re pressed or torn between the two. A part of us wants to be here for our families; or may struggle to let go of our earthly blessings and experiences; or may feel some fear or dread of the process of dying. These are normal things to feel.

But in our minds, which have been enlightened by the gospel, we know that there are much greater blessings waiting for us in heaven. So in the end, as to whether we live or die, we can only leave it Gods’ hands.

All we can do is live life today; live by God’s grace today, striving to make use of all that we are, and all that today is, to honor God.   As the Psalm says, Today is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Here are three things from our lessons to apply to our lives this week.

1.     Strive to live a life worthy of the grace you’ve been freely given.

 

To live by grace is a very high calling. Grace is a high thing to live by, much higher than any worldly thing. It can’t be “achieved” in any way, only given by God through faith in Christ.

 

So when you’re tempted to live your life in a lower way, that’s more consistent with sin than with grace, remember your higher calling in the gospel; and strive to walk that way, in love and godliness, keeping step with the Spirit, as Galatians 5:25 says. We walk with the Spirit when we live by grace, and follow God’s Word.  

 

2.     Be on your guard against jealousy toward your brothers and sisters in Christ, or against pride in your spiritual life.

 

Jealousy toward your brothers and sisters in any thing is bad for your relationships, but jealousy toward others because of the grace they’ve been given, or because of their spiritual growth and godliness of life, is especially unbecoming for a person who lives by grace.

 

As we said earlier, being ungraceful toward others is not an option for those who have been given grace.

 

Nor is being proud. Our salvation has nothing to do with our earthly achievements. So let us be humble in our walk.  

 

Humility makes us much more loving and compassionate toward our neighbor. Pride makes us remote and inaccessible to our neighbor in need. But we’re called to be there for our neighbor.

 

3.      Do it now. Don’t put off seeking the Lord until tomorrow. Seek the Lord in His gospel today, while you’re still here to find him.

 

In the same way, don’t put off striving to live a life that’s worthy of the gospel until tomorrow, because there’s love that needs to be shown to others today.

There’s an example of godliness that needs to be shared today. And we all need those examples to encourage us.

 

Strive to live in a manner worthy of the grace you’ve been given. Living by grace is the highest calling there is.

Be on your guard against spiritual pride and jealousy, which stand in the way of your calling to be there for others. Instead seek the Lord today, and strive to live in a way that’s worthy of the gospel.

Finally, let me add joy to all of this. Rejoice in this life you’ve been called to!

It’s not always easy to live for Christ, but it’s always best way to live; and it has the best and happiest outcome.

And, it’s the way that includes the peace that passes understanding. May it always guard your heart and mind, in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.