In all this messed up world, with the reality that every person on the planet is deeply flawed, deeply hurting, and deeply in trouble; in all of that the only hope for change is the gospel! [The work that Christ did on the cross and the life-transforming result of that work in everyone who believes – this is the only hope for any person and for mankind.]

The Gospel deserves to be the singular focus of our lives and the only reasonable response to the mandate of the gospel is discipleship (personal and as a lifestyle).

Review Chapter 1 The centrality of the gospel in Paul’s life – not just the message of salvation, but the grace of God expressed in the life and sacrifice of Christ, and the resulting transformation of our lives.

 This became the reason for Paul’s existence and the joy of his life  It also became the reason for his joy in the Philippians and others who shared this life purpose with him  He willingly and gladly submitted his life and the circumstances of his life to whatever God had for him as long as God was glorified and the gospel’s impact was increased

His exhortation to the Philippians (even though he has already said that they were fully partners with him in the gospel) was to live as citizens of the gospel-spawned kingdom, worthy of the gospel which is the foundation of that kingdom. Drink deeply of this life-changing and world-changing gospel! Let it shape what you think, what you do, who you are, how you live.

What does this look like? Stand firm in one spirit (a ‘culture’ created by the impact of the gospel in all of them) Contend as ‘one man’ (fellow-souled) for the faith of the gospel – a true team in synchrony with each other

Fail to be afraid despite opposition  Which will be a sign from God to the opponents that they will be destroyed  AND a sign from God that they would be saved  Because both their faith in Christ and their suffering are grace gifts from God and therefore in no sense anything to be fearful about

The effect of the gospel in their lives; The Fruit that the Gospel bore in the environment of their hearts

-> Encouragement (exhortation, admonition) from being united with Christ -> Comfort from knowing his love -> Fellowship (shared eternal life and purpose) with the Spirit ->Tenderness and compassion (shed abroad in our hearts) by the Spirit of God

Resulting in:  Same love  One in spirit and purpose  Nothing done our of selfish ambition (building my own faction or ‘party’)  Nothing from vain pride  In humility considering others better than themselves  Looking to others interests in addition to their own

So we all know that this is the best way to live, these are the most important things eternally – why is it that we don’t always live this way? On the one hand these all describe the effects of the gospel in our lives, generated by the life of Christ in us, not by our own effort or decision. However, relinquishing our lives to His will and way is costly; costly to the desires of the human heart and lethal to the ways and desires of the flesh.

We can know that the gospel is supremely important, even experience the impact of its change in us; We still have to choose, to make the decision to live a life shaped by this purpose.

The Supreme Example

These life (2:2-4) is perfectly seen in the acts of the Lord Jesus in the incarnation in human form and in his substitutionary death to atone for sin. – ‘have this thought constantly in you which inspired the Lord Jesus, which was always in Him’

‘being in very nature God’

‘did not consider equality with God something to be grasped’

He made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness”

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross”

The super-eminent exaltation

What is the appropriate response?

To be a disciple! Phil. 2:2-4

The Great Commission! This whole thing is a reiteration of the great commission, given by Jesus to his disciples and now reiterated by Paul to the Philippians and to us

Paul’s whole point: the gospel calls us to be disciples, calls us to a life (like Christ’s life, like the life Paul is describing here) of self-denial and humility, for the sake of being able to freely and effectively proclaim the gospel and make disciples of Jesus.

“The Gospel deserves to be the singular focus of our lives and the only reasonable response to the mandate of the gospel is discipleship (personal and as a lifestyle).”

Example of Timothy – lest you think this is unachievable, Paul brings forward the wonderful example of Timothy. Now we see:  The example of Jesus  The example of Paul  The example of the Philippians  The examples of Timothy and Epaphroditis

The Pattern  The sacrificial life Jesus lived and the sacrificial death He died  Exaltation of Christ by the Father  Establishes the supreme importance of the gospel to every person (recognized or not)  Calls for a life response in us to follow Jesus  In His sacrificial life  In the proclaiming of His message