The Meaning of Life.

Steve Gentry

[0:01] Lord we proclaim that we do trust you. [0:06] Lord you will deliver on every one of your promises because you are a faithful God. [0:13] Lord you’ve proven it over and over. [0:16] And ultimately you’ve proved it forever in your son Jesus Christ.

[0:23] Lord we desire to see you move. [0:25] We desire to see you work. [0:28] And so my prayer in this moment is that you would work in our hearts and in our lives [0:33] this morning Lord. [0:35] Or that you would use your word to change us.

[0:40] God give us faith. [0:43] Help us to trust that you are faithful and everyone else is a liar. [0:48] Or that we may follow you, that we may trust you, that we would not trust the enemy. [0:54] Or that we would not believe his lies Lord, that we would not believe the lies that would [0:59] discourage us from following you but instead Lord give us the strength. [1:05] Give us the hope.

[1:06] Give us the faith that you are a God who keeps your promises. [1:10] You are a God who will work. [1:11] You are a God who is victorious in your gospel.

[1:16] Lord help us to follow you.

[1:20] It’s in the name of Christ I pray. [1:22] Amen. [1:24] Well alright go ahead and have a seat. [1:25] Welcome to Village Church. [1:26] If this is the first time you’ve been here. [1:28] My name is Steve.

[1:29] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church and as always I am thankful and grateful to [1:33] see each and every one of you this morning. [1:36] If you have your Bible go ahead and open it to Philippians chapter 1. [1:40] We’re going to start in verse 27 this morning. [1:43] We’re going to finish Philippians 1 this morning and after Easter move into Philippians [1:50] 2.

[1:51] Easter is next Sunday. [1:52] That is the day that we reflect and we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [1:58] So we will preach about that next Sunday. [2:01] So I encourage you that if you’ve been waiting for a good opportunity to invite someone to [2:08] church or if you’re waiting for an opportunity where they may be more agreeable to attend [2:14] church with you.

[2:15] Next Sunday is a great opportunity for that. [2:18] So please invite them but even more than that come prepared to worship Jesus our risen [2:24] King. [2:26] But we’ve been going through Philippians chapter 1 and in that we see Paul pack so much into [2:35] this one chapter where he lets us into what he’s experiencing in his life but he writes [2:42] it in such a way that it applies to so many different areas of our lives.

[2:47] He talks to us about how to view different areas of our lives through the lens of the [2:53] gospel by telling us how it’s impacted him. [2:56] He’s told us that the gospel reshapes our relationships. [3:02] The gospel of Jesus reshapes our reactions to difficult circumstances.

[3:09] Shapes the way that we deal with the people that intentionally seek to do us harm or intentionally [3:16] seek to ruin our reputation and it even reshapes the way that we view the very purpose for [3:24] why we exist. [3:26] And Paul wanted the church at Philippi to understand how faith in Jesus isn’t just [3:32] something that we agree with in theory. [3:34] It isn’t just some academic exercise that we agree to its validity but instead it is

[3:41] something that shapes our lives and that when we come to faith in Jesus we follow [3:47] him in a way that makes everything new. [3:51] The entire destination that we are walking the road that we are on changes when we trust [3:58] in Jesus when we put our faith in him. [4:02] Following Jesus creates a lifestyle.

[4:06] It must impact your every day. [4:08] It must drive the way that you live because anything other than seeking to obey the calling [4:13] of Christ in your life if you trust him must be seen as a wasted life. [4:19] It must be seen as wasted time because the only thing that you will ultimately do in [4:23] your life that will matter is what you do with faith in Jesus. [4:29] And so Paul makes an important shift in this section of Philippians 1 because up until

[4:35] this point he’s been declaring a truth. [4:38] He’s been telling us what his life is like, how the gospel has taken him down some specific [4:45] paths, how it has changed the way that he sees what he’s doing and in verse 27 he changes [4:51] his focus and he now turns to the church at Philippi and I would say he turns to you [4:56] and me. [4:58] And he wants us to understand that what has happened in his life isn’t just reshaping

[5:04] but God means for his story to reshape us. [5:08] And so he begins to speak to us in an imperative way and he makes a command and here’s where [5:14] he starts in verse 27. [5:17] He says only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. [5:25] And I think that’s different than the way most of us are conditioned to think about [5:29] the gospel.

[5:31] Because so often when we think about grace we reduce it to what we get from God. [5:39] We say well I have forgiveness, the gospel earns me that. [5:42] I have a right standing with God. [5:44] He will not hold my sin against me. [5:46] I have that because of grace. [5:50] We say my destination is certain.

[5:52] I will be in heaven. [5:53] I will be with God. [5:54] I get that in the gospel. [5:56] But so often we don’t meet that what we get with the tension of what we give into the [6:02] gospel. [6:03] The gospel is not only the gift of what you receive from Jesus but it is also the calling

[6:08] of where God wants to take your life in the future.

[6:14] That’s where he makes what I think is one of the hardest statements in scripture. [6:20] Is when he actually tells us you live worthy of the gospel. [6:28] That Jesus means to change your life and he continues. [6:32] And he says so that whether I come and see you or I am absent I may hear of you that [6:37] you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving side by side for the faith [6:43] of the gospel.

[6:44] And not frightened in anything by your opponents. [6:49] This is a clear sign of them of their destruction but of your salvation and that from God. [6:56] For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe [7:01] in him but also suffer for his sake engaged in the same type of conflict that you saw [7:08] I had and now here that I still have.

[7:14] Number one this morning live what you believe. [7:18] Live what you believe. [7:20] Now I initially wrote that a little bit differently and I decided to be a little more winsome [7:25] but I’m going to remove my winsomeness because I’m going to revert to what I originally [7:28] wanted to say is live what you claim to believe. [7:34] You live what you believe.

[7:37] No matter what you say you believe. [7:40] So you may say I believe this I believe that I believe the other thing but what you actually [7:47] believe and what you actually put your hope in and what you actually put your trust in [7:51] always comes out in the way that you live your everyday life in the decisions that you [7:57] make in the choices you make for one thing over another thing in your reaction to the [8:03] things that happen to you.

[8:04] What you believe is actually seen in how you act and the apostle Paul here is saying [8:11] you claim to believe the gospel live worthy of what you claim.

[8:20] In the original language the Christian standard Bible actually gets a little closer to the [8:26] says just one thing as citizens of heaven live your life worthy of the gospel. [8:37] The verb that the apostle Paul uses here is used in the book of Acts to describe citizenship [8:43] and he’s saying live worthy of the citizenship that you have but in this context he says [8:50] your citizenship is in heaven.

[8:54] You believe that God will install his kingdom in the future therefore what you believe [9:01] about what history is working towards is what is supposed to shape your everyday life on [9:08] this earth live as a citizen of heaven and that’s so awkward because what we see right [9:18] in front of our eyes is not heaven what we see right in front of our eyes is of this [9:22] earth so our default mode is to live as a citizen of this world but what the apostle [9:29] is saying in this text he’s saying you are to live in what you claim the resurrection

[9:34] proves.

[9:37] Jesus has says he’s going to return and he’s going to take you to heaven and he’s going [9:42] to make this earth his physical kingdom he will refine everything that is wrong about [9:50] this world and he will make it right in this world and you begin to live right now under [9:56] what you believe God is going to do in this world in the future when he makes all the [10:01] wrong things right.

[10:06] When we often think about the way that we live for the gospel we will see live worthy [10:12] of the gospel and we will begin to talk about all of the things that we avoid all of the [10:19] things that we don’t do so when I believe the gospel so I don’t do this I don’t do [10:25] that I don’t do this other thing and if all that we have on what the gospel is doing in [10:32] our lives are things that we avoid we are missing it surely the gospel does make you [10:39] avoid and abstain from a host of things but that is only the beginning of the work of

[10:45] the gospel in our lives. [10:47] You see when Paul writes be citizens of heaven he says this again in chapter 3 and what [10:54] he’s talking about is something that John MacArthur says that Roman citizens which the [11:00] church at Philippi was in a Roman colony to a Roman citizen this made sense because the [11:05] comes from Roman life and in Roman life when you lived outside of Rome in a different [11:13] colony if you were a citizen of Rome that meant something and so your life was spent

[11:20] in showing the honor of being a citizen of Rome so it was not just a list of things [11:26] that they did not do it was a lifestyle that they encompassed that everything that they [11:32] did was to show the honor of what it meant to live in Rome and so Paul turns that on [11:39] its head for these Roman citizens and he says you do not live to show the honor of what [11:44] it means to be a Roman citizen you show the world the honor of what it means to be a citizen [11:50] of the kingdom of God.

[11:55] He’s telling the church if you are a follower of Jesus you are a citizen of heaven live [12:01] like one live what you believe about your future and that’s a faith that you have to [12:11] walk by that’s a faith that changes why you do what you do and that is a faith that demands [12:18] that your eyes stop simply being reserved to this physical realm and be determined [12:25] by what this world demands that we live for but that’s so much easier it’s so much easier [12:33] for your life to be driven by your career ambitions it’s so much easier for your life

[12:39] to be driven by the power structures of this world it’s so much easier because it’s right [12:45] in front of our face to allow our bank account to determine our value to allow your bank [12:52] account to determine tomorrow’s ventures. [12:58] Paul writes that is what a citizen of this world determines their future by you are [13:04] a citizen of heaven so the way that you view your career the way that you view your power [13:10] structure the way that you view your bank account it must be seen through the lens of

[13:15] a person that believes that not only is Jesus going to be king but Jesus is currently your [13:22] king and he determines your identity he determines your future he determines where your life [13:31] is going and how you shape your today how you view your career how you spend your money [13:38] how you wield your authority he says live as a citizen of heaven do something with [13:51] it in Ephesians chapter 4 he uses similar language to talk to the Ephesian church and [13:58] says I’m a prisoner for the Lord and in light of that I urge you to walk in a manner worthy

[14:07] of your calling to which you have been called he says the gospel is a calling on your life [14:15] I think Christians have a strange notion of calling and they think that there are certain [14:20] people called to live worthy of the gospel that’s a special office that’s a pastoral [14:27] office see the text here though is not reserved to the pastoral office he’s writing to the [14:37] you are citizens of heaven if you put your trust in Jesus therefore all of you are called [14:45] to live for the gospel of Jesus Christ and in verse 27 at the very beginning when he

[14:54] says citizens of heaven he jumps off and he qualifies it by the phrase in the ESV only [15:00] that’s easy to skip over I mean only is only only so it’s just not something that really [15:06] sticks out to us but it can be translated as this in the CSB just one thing it encompasses [15:13] more than kind of our vernacular in the ESV shows forward he’s isolating he’s saying this [15:20] is the only thing that you need to make your concerns about this is what your focus needs [15:28] is the meaning of life Jesus calls us to live by faith in him and this means literally

[15:38] orienting our lives around him this means doing things that we would not do unless we [15:45] had faith in him is your faith drive your life I mean if you actually look at your [15:55] life are there things in there to say if it was not for the truth of who Jesus is [16:03] if Jesus was not my king if Jesus did not determine my destiny then I would not do [16:10] these things it is only because of what I believe about Jesus that this aspect and [16:16] that aspect and that aspect of my life makes any sense or if Jesus wasn’t the king would

[16:23] your life still make sense he said well if Jesus wasn’t God and I threw my faith in [16:29] him away tomorrow it really wouldn’t impact my life that much and for most that is the [16:34] reality your citizenship is what defines who you are and if you are a citizen of heaven [16:45] then just one thing live worthy of the gospel of Jesus and if you are a citizen of heaven [16:53] Christ faith must drive your life it must make you take a step in the direction of [17:02] where you believe Jesus is going because that is what he will use to pull the potential

[17:09] out of your life and make something happen with your life that can obviously give him [17:15] glory that will obviously show that Jesus is your God that will obviously show to the [17:20] world around you I am following Christ in 2007 I had probably the hardest year of my [17:31] life it was a difficult year for me and so if I think back I am like would I want to [17:36] live that part of my life because I will be honest life has been awesome for me I love [17:42] life I was talking to people yesterday at a wedding and we were talking about college

[17:45] and high school and I am like I had a great time in college I had a great time in high [17:50] school and somebody was like have you ever not had a great time and I thought to myself [17:54] well that one time in 2007 it was pretty much it I was physically ill for a good chunk [18:02] of the year I was having pain that just didn’t register and I couldn’t make a lot of sense [18:07] of it and digestively things were strange it is not that it was gross it is more so [18:13] that it was painful and so I was struggling and one night it led to I was literally keeled

[18:21] over on the apartment floor and my wife was trying to help me and figure out what is [18:25] wrong with me have you ever had a moment where you had no real way to speak and so you are [18:30] just breathing words and I was like I think I need to go to the hospital something is [18:36] wrong and you know and my wife had never dealt with me like that before because usually [18:42] I will be sick for weeks and never tell anyone I am just in a bad mood and so my wife is [18:47] like clearly something is wrong here because he wouldn’t be reacting so I go to the hospital

[18:52] and it was the strangest thing because I was misdiagnosed but I wasn’t misdiagnosed to [18:58] where I didn’t think it was as serious as it was I was misdiagnosed to the extent where [19:03] I thought it was way worse than it actually was and what ended up just being an outpatient [19:09] surgery in that night it was a death sentence and I walked away a shell of a man that I [19:18] had been before and I really believed for close to a month that 27 may be it I may [19:27] not live to see 28 and it was the discipline of God in my life it was the most gracious

[19:37] thing outside of that initial step of faith in Jesus Christ that the Lord has ever done [19:43] for me because over the next month of my life God dealt with me in a way that he had not [19:49] previously dealt with me and I was having lunch with a couple of guys from the staff [19:53] this week and I talked about how Village Church came and it was because of that experience [19:59] and he asked me he was like have you shared that in the last five years because there [20:03] was a lot of people at Village now that weren’t there back then and then I said I really

[20:07] haven’t and so then I was praying over this text and I was like man this would be a good [20:12] opportunity. So I spent the next month thinking that life might be more fleeting than I thought [20:20] it was and I remember a couple of days after I had been to the emergency room and told [20:24] to follow up with an internal medicine specialist I was reading in Genesis chapter one in my [20:30] office that was in our bedroom and I had read through the first verse and I couldn’t [20:35] get any further and it said in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and

[20:42] in that moment I was struck. I said this is the God that knows me. This is the God that [20:54] saved me. This is the God who sent his son to die for me. This is the God that has invested [21:04] in my life. This is the God who has stewarded me to follow his son. This is the God that [21:12] knows my name and I am wasting that potential and I despaired in that moment as I had never [21:23] despaired nor have I ever despaired since because I said I will die nothing but potential

[21:34] because I had wasted everything that God had ever invested in me. Now remember the [21:45] next couple of days I didn’t know what my future was going to be like. Two days later [21:51] I walked into Pastor Nate’s office. We worked in the same building at the jobs that we [21:56] had at the college and we had talked for a long time man we should go start a church [22:02] somewhere when things line up. When it’s convenient. Have you ever done said that to God? Lord [22:11] when I get through this I’ll do. What I’ve learned is that you never get through this

[22:17] and even if you do get through this something else comes up. I walked in his office and [22:22] he had known we had been very good friends for a long time and I just looked at him [22:25] and I said we got to do this. We got to start a church. That day we walked down to a guy [22:33] that had been mentoring me Dr. David Wheeler who had been telling me for the better part [22:38] of the year Steve you guys need to start a church. Steve God wants you to plant a church. [22:45] Steve God wants to use this and I was very agreeable. I said that sounds great. Thumbs

[22:50] up. I nod my head. I’m not doing anything right now. I’m busy. But that day I walked [22:58] in and with the potential that I had seen the father had invested in my life through [23:04] his grace not because of who I am but because of how gracious he is. We walked in there [23:09] and I said Dr. Wheeler we got to go. We got to plant a church and he got on the phone [23:15] immediately because that’s the kind of guy he is and he put me on the phone with a guy [23:19] that was a church planting strategist in Virginia and he immediately started talking to us

[23:24] and Dr. Wheeler said Larry I got a couple of guys here that are going to start a church [23:27] for you. I was like really? I didn’t know that. And he said where do you need churches? [23:34] And he said well first words out of his mouth there’s this neighborhood called Charter [23:39] Colony in this place called Midlothian. Have you ever heard of it? And my reaction was [23:47] anywhere but there Lord. Not there. I said yeah I grew up there and I’m not going back. [23:57] It was my Jonah moment. No fish has swallowed me thank God. But over the weeks and months

[24:08] we prayed and we said that’s where the Lord is leading us and we moved here and we started [24:13] this church because of the discipline of the Lord because God looked to me and he said

[24:35] that’s where the Lord is leading us and we started this church because of the discipline [24:36] of the Lord because God looked to me and he said that’s where the Lord is leading us [24:37] and we started this church because of the discipline of the Lord because God looked

[25:16] to me and he said that’s where the Lord is leading us and we started this church [25:21] [25:21] [25:21] I can put potential in you to change the world

[25:27] If you will just walk by faith if you will just follow Jesus

[25:35] There were no earthly guarantees for what I knew God was calling us to do [25:40] But I was a citizen of heaven and he can do it and I can trust him [25:48] But I had to stop wasting my life and walk into the future that I believed about God more than I believed about myself

[25:58] Number two it’s only by standing that you will ever strive [26:02] It’s only by standing that you will ever strive the Apostle Paul then says something very interesting in the second half of verse [26:08] 27 when he says this

[26:12] He says whether I come and see you or am absent [26:15] See Paul is in prison and he doesn’t know if he’s ever going to get out

[26:21] He won’t [26:22] But Paul is saying [26:23] Whether I come is not the issue or whether I am absent is not the issue. I want to hear

[26:32] What God’s doing with you I [26:35] Want to hear that you are standing firm by one spirit with one mind [26:41] striving side by side for the faith of the gospel [26:45] He packed so much into these verses. He says first I want to hear that you are standing firm

[26:56] That’s a hard call [26:58] It’s an unnatural calling [27:01] The Apostle Paul says I want to hear that your feet are planted and that you are [27:07] Immovable about the truth of who Jesus is what Jesus has done and what Jesus has promised you [27:14] I want you to stand firm in that but some of us will hear that the wrong way [27:20] We will hear that as I need to stand still

[27:25] No [27:25] Every time in Scripture that the Lord says be still or the Lord says stand firm [27:33] What he’s saying is don’t go back

[27:37] Because that’s the moment where you are tempted to retreat [27:41] If you look at the history of Israel when they’re about to cross the Red Sea the Lord says be still and then he says [27:47] Move forward in the next verse and you might say is this double talk [27:50] No, because Israel wanted to go backwards. They wanted to retreat to Egypt and the Lord says don’t you retreat you stand still and [27:57] It’s similar notion here when he says stand firm. He’s talking about two different things first. He’s talking about your knowledge [28:04] He’s talking about growing in the knowledge of Jesus

[28:08] But I’m not too concerned about the facts of Jesus here [28:13] Because many of you know facts you tell me facts all the time. You’re well versed you know about [28:21] Jesus, but I don’t want you to just know about Jesus. I want you to know [28:29] Jesus [28:31] And yes, you need to know all of the facts, but do they change you do they impact you are you [28:38] Intimately knowledgeable about Jesus. Are you affectionate about Jesus in your life?

[28:43] Is he causing movement in your life? [28:47] Is he compelling you to walk towards him because if you stand firm the text says you will strive [28:56] You will move [28:58] When you stand firm and you just know about [29:03] Jesus you can get weak knees and you can begin to falter and you can begin to get a little wobbly and [29:10] You can begin to say I got a step back for a second. I

[29:14] Am gonna step out of following Jesus for a minute [29:18] And God says no [29:20] Stand firm. Don’t go backwards. The only motion that Jesus is going is forwards

[29:28] But there’s always one thing for us [29:31] For most of us there’s that one thing that if that gets threatened if that relationship

[29:40] weakens [29:41] You’ll get a little wobbly [29:43] if that person begins to think about you a different way and that your faith in Jesus is beginning to [29:50] Creep into the relationships that you have and those people are uncomfortable with that you get a little wobbly [29:55] If God wants you to actually take a step in a direction that you are comfort [30:01] You’re uncomfortable with and he actually wants you to move in a direction that you didn’t think your life was going to go in

[30:08] You get a little wobbly and you start to stand a little less firm and you get those jello knees and you say I [30:14] Can’t do this. I got a step back

[30:20] When you know about Jesus that’s what happens [30:24] But when you know Jesus [30:28] When you get the facts and they change you when you get the facts and your affections begin to grow and your intimacy with [30:36] Christ and your relationship with him is what is determining your life [30:40] And you say I will live as a citizen of heaven [30:42] Then you begin to stand firm because the only reason you would need to stand firm is if there are

[30:49] Forces that are seeking to push you over [30:52] See because sometimes we believe a lie we believe God tells us to stand firm. Oh good news [30:57] No one’s ever gonna try to hurt me [31:00] Because God told me to stand firm and if I stand firm nobody’s gonna hurt me [31:03] No, the only reason you need to stand firm is so that you will be immovable because people will seek to move you [31:10] emotions will seek to move you

[31:14] discouragement will seek to move you and it is [31:17] Discouragement that I have seen is the strongest force that people struggle with in your lives [31:23] Sometimes people have more faith in [31:26] Discouragement than they do in the God of all encouragement [31:31] This is the God who rose his son from the dead [31:34] This is the God who has power over sin who has power over death

[31:39] But you have so many moments in your life where you will be discouraged because of hurt [31:43] You will be discouraged because of something that happened and you will in that moment place all of your faith and your [31:50] Discouragement and you will say God I cannot [31:53] Because I am discouraged and the Lord says I rose my son from the dead be [31:59] encouraged

[32:02] There’s no force in this world that should be powerful enough to discourage you from going the direction that Jesus wants you to go [32:10] You say I don’t have that kind of thing

[32:14] And I say friend do you know Jesus or do you know about Jesus?

[32:22] So because the Lord that called me to follow him that was the Lord that was crucified on a cross [32:26] That was the Lord that was taken off without a heartbeat [32:29] That is the Lord who was put in a tomb that is the Lord who had the stone rolled on to that tomb and next Sunday [32:35] We will celebrate and we will talk about and we will worship that Lord that said death [32:41] Cannot hold me down and he got up and he walked out of that grave [32:46] And then he shared some pancakes with friends and then he went to heaven and he said I’m coming again

[32:56] Tell that to your discouragement and you stand firm

[33:04] See the thing that people get twisted the thing that confuses people is that they believe there will never be [33:10] Discouragement. Oh, no, there are plenty of reasons to be discouraged [33:16] There are plenty of people who will discourage you there are plenty of events that will discourage you [33:23] There are plenty of emotions that will tell you be discouraged and in that moment when you know [33:29] Jesus you look to those and you say I have the strength of a God whom death could not hold down I

[33:39] Will believe the truth of the God of encouragement and the discouragement is always a lie and yes [33:46] He’s telling you to stop being weak. I [33:50] Can say some things that offend people sometimes and [33:54] Sometimes man if I actually say something that offends somebody and and I was wrong for saying it I say I’m sorry [34:00] Asked my wife. I have to say I’m sorry all the time. She’s a very forgiving woman [34:05] This is a side note if you’re a husband those are the most two those are two most important words you can know

[34:10] I’m sorry [34:11] Because you’re you were wrong. Just trust me you you were [34:16] 95% of the time that’s true and I go with the percentages

[34:22] And I’m just like I don’t even care about the other 5% where I was right I’m still wrong in the way I was right [34:28] so

[34:30] But a lot of times the things that will offend people are because you know about Jesus and you’re not knowing Jesus and [34:38] You’ll come to me with some offense and I’ll be like that offended you [34:42] That offended you and what you don’t know is is that what I do with that is I use it to try to offend you more [34:48] And you say why would you do that because some of you need to get offended towards Jesus [34:54] Some of you need to get offended out of discouragement [34:57] Some of you need to get offended out of wasting your life because you are allowing weakness

[35:04] To determine your future you are allowing discouragement to determine your tomorrow [35:09] You are allowing something someone said about you yesterday to determine how you feel about yourself today [35:15] And the path that you will walk tomorrow, but God says stop being discouraged grow up [35:22] Stand firm be strong and strive [35:26] side by side

[35:31] So this is where you get confused about community [35:36] Because there are so many people that we make the call be in community come together be [35:42] Discipled you cannot disciple yourself you cannot as an [35:48] individual by your [35:50] Become the person that God wants you to be and your response sometimes is I do not have time to go sit in a room [35:58] With people and hear about their problems and hear something that I think I’m already applying really well

[36:04] I mean that sounds like a huge waste of time for me [36:07] But then I will look to you and I will say you cannot stand firm in the gospel by [36:12] Yourself because the Apostle Paul says that you are to stand firm in what in one? [36:18] Spirit you are to stand firm in one mind [36:22] striving side by side for the faith of the gospel and what that means is that you cannot [36:31] Stand firm as an individual you cannot strive as an individual you need people around you

[36:38] No matter what you think think about it [36:41] No matter what you believe about what’s happening if you think it’s a waste of time [36:46] If you think it is beneath you if you think these people are all stupid if you think these people are all awful if you [36:53] Think I’m better than them. I’m smarter than them, and I know it

[36:58] That doesn’t change one thing [37:00] But it does say that you are prideful it does say that you are negating the clear command of God [37:07] It does say that you don’t want discipleship [37:11] It does say that you don’t want to follow Jesus because Jesus is not [37:16] Concerned with the direction that you think he needs to go on because you are his precious little [37:22] Snowflake that he gifted in this certain way to be by yourself doing your thing under your strength in your way

[37:30] He’s saying this is not about you [37:33] This is about a community that has something worth fighting for because you as a Christian have found something worth living [37:40] for

[37:45] And sometimes we’ll look and we’ll say but why

[37:50] And that’s where my faith says because Jesus said so

[37:55] You see [37:57] The amazing thing about the gospel of Jesus Christ is it puts authority back where it needs to be I love when my children [38:04] challenge me [38:06] Because I look at them and I say the words that all parents need to learn no matter what anybody tells you

[38:16] Because I said so

[38:22] And you might think why don’t you just reason with them? I’ll tell you why I don’t reason with them because I’m the boss

[38:31] That’s why I don’t reason with them because I don’t care what they think in that moment [38:36] I don’t care what they understand they’re going to bed whether they want to or not whether they agree with my [38:43] Definition of how much sleep they need they’re gonna clean their room [38:46] They’re gonna change their underpants every single day whether they understand hygiene or not and the reason is because I [38:55] said so [38:56] You are in the kingdom of Steve

[39:05] And [39:05] Because we have a culture that hates authority so much sometimes you want Jesus to come down to your level and say well [39:12] Let me just break it down for you

[39:16] You’ve already lost [39:17] You’ve already determined not to be discipled you’ve already determined you don’t need his word [39:22] But what you need to understand is the reason that you need [39:25] Is the same reason that you need to stand firm is the same reason that you are a citizen of heaven is because [39:31] Jesus said so your job is to submit to his wisdom [39:35] But you are so pent up in the wisdom of this world and in the wisdom that you think you have that you

[39:42] Cannot even for a moment admit to your own foolishness [39:46] Some of you come and you’ve got all these wise words to me, but you have no [39:51] Biblical reason for why you think that you are wise but all that you know is that you are too proud to admit that you’re [39:59] foolish and [40:01] So you’re just gonna keep doing life your way under your rules [40:05] And I’ll just go Jesus’s way, and I’m just gonna say keep coming man see community

[40:11] Forces you to stand firm community forces you to strive side-by-side [40:16] But that is where a lot of you get uncomfortable because you like [40:18] Relationships until that person has to push you in the direction that you need to go or that person needs to pull you in [40:24] The direction that you need to go and instead of saying thank you for the wisdom you will look and you will say who do [40:29] You think you are? [40:31] Let me answer that for you right now

[40:33] My name is Steve Gentry, and I’m seeking to follow Jesus [40:36] And I would love to have you join me, and that’s why I do all that I do for the right reasons that I do them [40:42] Because Jesus said so

[40:46] Number three the work is a gift [40:48] The work is a gift [40:51] Note what the apostle says starting in verse 28 [40:54] He says you will strive side-by-side for the faith of the gospel and not frightened by anything [41:01] by your opponents [41:04] There’s that discouragement again. There’s that fear that can dictate your life

[41:08] There’s that weakness that can creep in and make you afraid and you say where does the Bible say? [41:13] I’m not supposed to be afraid Ephesians 4 28 in [41:16] Anything by your opponents people will stand against you this is and here’s the beauty of it [41:22] This is a clear sign to them of their destruction some of you think you’re gonna nice everybody into heaven

[41:30] That’s not a very nice thing that Paul says there, but it’s a true thing [41:34] You stand firm you strive because it will offend some [41:40] So much that it shows them their path of destruction and then they will repent into [41:46] The family of God, but then he says but it is also a sign of your salvation from God [41:52] For it has been granted to you and the key to understand there is that term granted [41:57] There is the exact same term for gift and grace for it has been

[42:02] Gifted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only be in him [42:07] But also suffer for his sake engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now here that I still have

[42:18] So many times we are tempted to believe that if it feels like work, then it obviously isn’t spiritual and [42:27] That worship has to always feel this you know [42:32] This fairy dusts been sprinkled on me [42:35] And I feel like I’m floating through the air and my emotions are all charged in the right direction [42:40] And I just get that ooey gooey feeling and I’m like Jesus

[42:47] Worship takes work [42:51] If you don’t do the work you will not receive the worship [42:56] See there is a lot of effort in worshipping God God created us and he designed us for work [43:03] verse 29 informs us of that it says that God gifted us with belief and he gifts us with suffering and [43:10] He gifts us with conflict that we will have to struggle with [43:16] You might have this false notion God will never bring anything hard into my life

[43:21] God will never bring suffering in my life. He likes me too much [43:26] God will never [43:28] Bring physical suffering in my God will never bring people into my life that are hard to deal with God will never allow [43:36] Anything hard to enter into my life the only way to believe that is if you don’t believe the Bible

[43:43] He literally says in this text that God grants us [43:49] suffering for his sake [43:53] Sometimes the most blessed moments of your life will be the moments that you see suffering and you will actually [44:00] Have the wisdom from the Bible to say how will God use this to his glory? [44:06] But too often you spend all of your time [44:09] Retreating from hard moments and so you never get to engage and see just how God was going to use that

[44:16] To his glory for your joy

[44:20] The Apostle Paul says in Colossians chapter 1 [44:24] He talks about the work of the gospel [44:27] He says Jesus we proclaim warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone [44:34] Mature in Christ. That’s the work. But note what he says in 29 for this I [44:40] toil

[44:42] That’s a term that we don’t use very often but it’s a term that legitimately means he worked himself to the bone

[44:52] He worked harder than anyone [44:54] Struggling with all of God’s energy that God powerfully worked within Paul [45:02] See his energy that God powerfully worked in him was used by God to do a hard work [45:09] Through Paul and it wasn’t that Paul floated through it not feeling like any effort was being exerted [45:15] No pauses that I toiled at this

[45:18] The work is a gift the energy is a gift following Jesus [45:22] The hard work of it is a gift from God that will grow you into the person that God wants you to be [45:29] But so long as you spend your time looking for the easy way out [45:34] You will never grow

[45:40] But so many of you have conditioned yourselves to believe that following Jesus is supposed to be easy

[45:48] And then you’ll even sometimes in the confusion say I don’t understand why I’m not growing

[45:55] But I don’t understand why I don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere, but I can tell you very quickly [45:59] it’s because you’re the type of person that thinks that following Jesus is easy and [46:04] You look for the easy way out of everything and the moment that it gets hard [46:08] That is where you disengage because discouragement dictates your life

[46:17] So, what do you do [46:20] You need to trust the process [46:23] Friend the most meaningful thing you can do in this world is to grow in your faith [46:29] The most meaningful thing that you can do is to do the hard work of growing [46:34] You do the hard work of becoming the person that God wants you to be you [46:39] Refuse to flounder through life you pursue growth you do the hard work commit

[46:47] Commit commit [46:50] You step out [46:53] And actually commit to the things that God has made clear what I have learned is that 80% of it is showing up

[47:03] If you ask me who are the people Steve that you have seen grow the most in the first nine years of the life of [47:10] Village Church and I will tell you the people that showed up more than the people that didn’t [47:16] Those are the people that have grown [47:17] Who saw a volunteer opportunity and they showed up they changed their schedule, but I get it you when things come up [47:24] You will say I just don’t have the time. I don’t have the energy. I don’t have the margin trust me [47:29] There are so many reasons why you cannot commit to entering into the environments that God says will grow you I get it and that’s one of the difficulties that you need to overcome is that following Jesus demands that you live as a citizen of heaven more than you live as a citizens of this world and you say I need to change my schedule if Jesus is who he says he is when you show up God uses you

[47:59] But when you spend all of your time waiting for something better to come along

[48:08] Because you believe what’s got to be something better than that hard work [48:13] You miss out on the growth opportunities you miss out on God investing in your life [48:22] Do you want the amazing moments of faith to happen in your life

[48:27] Stop waiting for them and pursue them [48:32] Stop sitting there wondering why God isn’t working in your life and get up and follow Jesus [48:37] Get up and let your faith lead you somewhere [48:40] Get up and begin to take steps of faith [48:43] Because those amazing moments of faith usually happen to those who commit to the long hard process of discipleship

[48:52] Doing things that no one notices over a number of years and then looking back to the road behind you and realizing that you have grown in your faith in ways that you didn’t even imagine were possible [49:06] But for that to happen you have to trust the process [49:09] You have to strive side by side in community with each other [49:13] Otherwise you will just trust your own foolish wisdom to the point of looking back and seeing no work of God behind you and no potential in front of you [49:27] And when you find yourself in that moment, friend, have faith [49:33] Faith works, faith grows, faith follows, faith commits, faith has meaning because it causes you to live out your heavenly citizenship

[49:44] Seeing the work of grace all along and you take that one step [49:50] And that one step leads to God opening a door of potential that will define your future [50:00] Of bringing him glory and receiving his joy

[50:06] I tell you friends, Jesus has the power [50:09] He’s proven it in the resurrection [50:11] End your doubts by walking in faith [50:18] As the band comes forward [50:22] As I said at the beginning, I believe that this is one of the hardest commands [50:27] If not the hardest in all of scripture for us to apply to our lives

[50:32] Because there are so many reasons to sit on the sidelines [50:36] There are so many reasons to despair about our lack of faith [50:41] To despair about the lack of God’s work in us [50:44] To despair and be discouraged by what is happening all around us in our lives [50:49] But Jesus comes in and he says, trust me [50:53] And when you trust him, you will get up and depend on him

[50:59] That’s hard [51:00] Some of you in this room probably need to take the initial step [51:05] Because you’ve never really had faith in Jesus [51:07] You’ve never trusted him with your life [51:12] You’re letting sin determine your future [51:15] You’re letting your wisdom, which is corrupt, to determine your life

[51:20] And to you I say, trust Jesus and he will save you [51:24] Put your faith in Jesus Christ and he will change your life forever [51:29] He died on the cross for your sin [51:31] And he rose from the dead so that he could give you a new life [51:35] And you can begin the journey of following him right now, today [51:42] If that’s you, I’m just gonna ask in just a moment

[51:45] Maybe you’ll step out in the foyer and pray with someone [51:49] Maybe you have questions that someone could answer for you [51:52] Do it privately [51:54] But for those of you that are in here and you would say, I’ve taken that step [51:57] I’ve put my trust in Jesus, I want to follow him [52:00] But my knees are wobbly

[52:03] I struggle to stand firm, I want to retreat [52:06] When things get difficult, I just want to back out [52:12] I want to encourage you today to look at all of the reasons why you would back out [52:16] Look at all of the reasons that you would retreat [52:18] Look at all of the reasons that you’re struggling to stand firm [52:21] And you look at that discouragement and you apply the resurrection of Jesus Christ to that discouragement

[52:28] Because the God who rose from the dead is the God who’s empowering you to stand firm [52:33] He’s empowering you to endure suffering [52:35] He is empowering you to go through the hard things [52:39] So that you can do the hard things to build a life of faith [52:43] Stand firm [52:47] And strive side by side with the people of the church and community

[52:52] I want to reflect on that today as we reflect every week [52:55] The bread represents the broken body of Christ [52:59] The cup represents his shed blood [53:01] His body broken, his blood shed to forgive you [53:06] And as you eat and drink, you proclaim your faith in Jesus [53:10] And then as you walk out of those doors today

[53:13] Go and live as citizens of heaven

[53:19] When you are ready