NIV Philippians 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God.
Live for the Day of Christ Jesus!
I. as Partners in the Gospel.
II. as Students of Christ’s Love.
Introduction: Do you know what you want for Christmas? Do you know what I want for Christmas? Many of you over the past week have asked me, ‘What does Pastor Schneider and his family want? I know what Pastor Schneider wants for Christmas. It’s not a palm pilot. It’s not a secretary. It’s not a change in ministry. He wants a congregation that Lives for the Day of Christ Jesus, Living as partners in the gospel and students of Christ’s love with him and his family.
The apostle Paul enjoyed an excellent relationship with all the congregations he served with the gospel. In just about every letter he follows his greetings with thanksgiving for what the gospel accomplished among the believers. But there was something extra special between Paul and the Philippians believers. Paul called them my joy and my crown. Whenever he thought about them, you can imagine a smile growing on his face from ear to ear. And each memory filled him with joy. So much joy that he could even smile and laugh as he wrote from prison awaiting trial before Caesar himself in Rome.
Whenever Paul thought about Philippi, he must have remembered his first day of preaching along a river, when he met Lydia, who believed and then opened her house up to the missionaries in order to start mission work headquarters. How could he ever forget the jailer of Philippi who heard the imprisoned missionaries singing in their cells after they nearly were whipped to death. Then miraculously all the prison doors swung open, and yet Paul and the Silas didn’t run away. The jailer was ready to end his life and enter hell, when Paul stopped him reminded him of the gospel truth of Jesus Christ and he was saved. But not only the jailer but he too opened his home for Paul to preach to his entire household; slaves and all. Paul must have also remembered how the Philippians’ had generously sent him gifts to support his gospel work, soon after he had left their city. And the reports of the Philippians faith love and loyalty to the Gospel continually flowed in wherever Paul was working. All of these memories, Paul wraps up into one phrase. One phrase that brought Paul great joy –Your partnership in the gospel.
The Holy Spirit’s work in the Philippians heart through the gospel had brought them into a wonderful partnership with Paul and with all believers. The essence of that partnership – we sometimes also call fellowship – is a mutual sharing in the blessings of forgiveness and salvation won by Christ and in the new spiritual life the Holy Spirit creates in a sinner’s heart through faith in Christ.
We aren’t joined together because you liked the way I look or the way I speak. I didn’t team up with you because of the great pay or the great benefits. When I accepted the call to be your servant that was a call from God to serve my partners in the gospel. We are united in our faith. The partnership that we have we sometimes call fellowship is one of common priorities. We all together are All for one. You and I know and believe that by ourselves we are like rotten garbage in God’s nose. All our righteous acts are like filthy rags, that need to be thrown out into the garbage. We have a common faith in God’s Mercy, so that we repent of our sins and humbly come into his presence with confidence because of his son’s life and death on the cross for us. We are joined together by the Holy Spirit. All of us have been changed by God’s Love into His family members. You are my brothers and sisters.
Today the common philosophy of life is ‘Whatever.” You say black, I say white, “Whatever.” There is no truth. Life is completely subjective. What’s true to you is false to me. A life of whatever is a life alone. But this partnership that we have in the gospel separates us from “Whatever” to “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you he is Christ the Lord.” You and I have the same priority list in life. We look at life the same way. God first. Family second.
What great joy this partnership can bring us. When I took the call to be your guest pastor, there was no guarantee it would bring my family and I joy. Our partnership in the gospel could have brought my family and I many heartaches and sadness. But it didn’t. You brought me much joy. Believers who have been brought together into a gospel partnership joyfully give expression to their new partners. They do this in many ways. They worship, pray and study God’s Word. They joyfully acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters. They show to one another a special measure of gernosity and love. They encourage one another in Christian living and they work together to promote the cause of the gospel. One body for all. “Nothing keeps a family together like having one car in the shop.”
I have great joy as I look back at the time I spent with you. I’m happy because you as a congregation expressed your partnership with me. Through Bible Study, Sermons, devotions and personal talks you were filled with enthusiasm for our Savior’s cause. In doing so you made my work a joy.
The partnership that we have together is higher and nobler than ordinary earthly relationships, but too often we tend to regard the precious gospel partnerships of our congregation and synodical memberships too lightly. Do you realize what a great blessing it is to be able to call from a group of men that all believe and teach the same faith you have? That is a benefit we receive from the great partnership we have in the WELS. What a tremendous blessing. Our synod, our offerings, our worship, our time together, our generosity, our bible study with each other is special. Find joy in working together as partners in the gospel. All for one and One for all.
Surprisingly to some people, but God has built his kingdom on the basis of the family. A family that depends on each other to survive and flourish. We are connected to each other because that is God’s construction plan. Even if you are not a sports fan, you can appreciate the fact that a team cannot winone with one great player. We all know that a team is not about one player with all the abilities and the rest of the team cheering him on. All of us are connected to Jesus and through Jesus. Since we are all interconnected our sinful hearts lash out and hurt each other sometimes maliciously and sometimes accidentally. Like all families, we have the potential of giving each other great joy or great heartache. What hurts you more: Picture yourself driving alone HWY 1604 when a car tries merging into your lane, and as it does you glance at the driver and see him making a rude gesture with his hand out the window? Or when you must discipline your little girl and she begins to cry and hollers “I hate you daddy!” Our loved ones have the power to hurt us or bring us great joy. Inside of each of us lies that terrible awesome power. Thank God that he has given us help. Live for the Day of Christ Jesus as Students of Christ’s love.
NIV Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-- more than that, who was raised to life-- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any power NIV NIV Romans 8:39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Through the gospel, God had continue to nourish and strengthen their faith and toi fill them with enthusiasms for their Savior’s cause. Paul was confident that, through that same Gospel, the Lord would continue this gracious work until the day of Christ Jesus return.
The apostle is certianly not advocating overconfidence and a laissez faire attitude. Once a person has been brought to faith he can lose the blessings God has given. In the very next chapter, Paul urges the believers to use diligently the spiritual weapons and powers the Lord has given them to fight against sin and temptation and to grow in faith. Here Paul is encouraging believers, you and me, with God’s own promise. God graciously brings believers to faith and assures them that as they continue to use his word and the sacraments, he will preserve them in faith. A Christians spiritual security, therefore does not depend on their own sin tainted efforts. It rests on the promises and the power of God.
4 lessons from the geese
The team effort is God’s plan. We all know that when geese migrate south for the winter they fly in a V formation. Science has discovered some interesting things about those geese as they work together as partners. By flying together in that V-formation, the whole flock add at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flies on it sown. (Just think. Christians who share a common faith and express the partnership in the gospel can get where they are going quicker and easier.)
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddebnlbly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the air lift from the others. (If we had as much sense as geese, we as Christians with a common faith would stop trying to go our own way, but stay with our fellow believers. When the lead goose tires, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. (Christians as partners are not too proud to ask for help and assistance, while Christna partners are never to tired too help out a fellow brother or sister.) You all know how geese honk right? Did you know that the honking is coming from the back of the v-formation to encourage the leaders to keep up the speed? (As partners in the gospel we must encourage each other to continue the work of gospel toward the day of Christ Jesus.) Finally one more point about geese, Did you know that when a goose become sick, or is wounded by a shot and falls out, 2 geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. And unbelievably they stay with him until he is either able to fly or dead. (What commitment what partnership, what love we are to have for each other. How in the world are we going to be that committed and that loving toward each other?)
There is just one love story that is so moving and profound! And we all know it! The passion of our Savior Jesus. May his passion for each sinner be your passion for your fellow believers and especially your new pastor as your bring honor and glory to Jesus in the coming year. Live for the Day of Christ Jesus! He will return soon, but in the meantime keep flying in the V. Honk at your leaders, drop out of formation for the hurt and lonely. And most of all, stay in formation as Christian brothers and sisters kept safe by the Message of forgiveness. Amen.
