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8/12/2019 2005 Issue 5 - The Strategy of Witness: The Body of Christ - Counsel of Chalcedon
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THE STRATEGY OF WIT ESS
THE BODY OF CHRIST
Philippians
1:1-30
Message III
in
the Witness Series
Rev
Joe Morecraft
Introduction
The
church today
has a
serious need
and a
heartfelt cry. She
needs to
recover an
urgent,
compelling, life-consuming vision of her mission
to
the world.
Her
cry is for intimate unity
and
fellowship with one another
in
the midst of a
fragmented
world. Both the
need
and the cry
dovetail in Philippians 1.
One
is inseparably
involved
in the
other. Where
there
is
failure in
mission,
there
is deficiency
in
fellowship, and
vice
versa. What Paul says about
fellowship
in
Philippians brings
them
together into
a
complete
Christian
experience.
Exposition
Paul's themes in his epistles can often be stated
in single words
or phrases:
Romans is the
righteousness of
God;
Ephesians
is
union with
Christ; Colossians is
completeness in
Christ; and
Philippians
is
fellowship
and
joy in
the
gospel.
Fellowship
(koinonia)
is
not an emotional
experience or a warm feeling in
someone's
presence,
it is participation
in something
with
someone.
Christians
share
with
one another
in
a common possession, i.e.,
the
gospel, 1:5,
the Spirit,
2:1, union
with
Christ, 3:9 . Fellowship does not
mean
a friendly atmosphere, instead
it
points
to
our participation
in an
objective work
or
relationship,
beyond the subjective experience,
such
as
participation in the truth, in
world
mission, in the sufferings of Christ,
etc.
Gospel in Philippians denotes, not simply
the
story of
the
historical accomplishment
of
salvation in the
life,
death and resurrection of
Jesus
Christ, but the apostolic ministry
and
work of
spreading
the gospel, (evangelism
and
discipleship)- gathering and perfecting
the saints -which
the
church through
her
membership, ordinances and
officers, has
been
divinely
commissioned
and empowered by
the
Spirit to carryon.
As
the Westminster
Larger
Catechism, a
younger cousin of your Heidelbe
Catechism, confesses: Unto this
catholic
visib
church Christ has
given
the ministry,
oracles,
and
ordinances of
God, for the
gathering
and
perfecting of the saints,
in
this life, to the end
of the world: and does, by His own
presence
a
Spirit, according to
His
promise, make them
effectual thereunto.
Notice
the
following
points in
this answer: 1
The
mission of the church
is
the gathering and
perfecting of
the saints-one
aspect
directed
t
the sinful world and the other directed
toward
the membership
of
the church; (2).
This is
the
mission
of
the visible catholic church; (3).
Essential to evangelism and world mission
is
bringing people to Christ and into
His visible
church under
His
headship;
(4).
The power th
makes
our
mission
effective is
the presence of
Christ,
the
work of His
Spirit and
His revealed
promise;
(5).
The divinely-ordained means by
which this
mission
is
to be
carried out are: th
ministry of the Word
in
preaching and witnes
the oracles
of God,
and the ordinances of
God
such
as
the sacraments and prayer.
That the word
gospel
in Philippians refers
primarily
to
the
church's
work
of
spreading
th
gospel
is
evidenced
in
such passages as:
1. (1:3-5)
I thank my God in all my remembrance of
you, always offering prayer with joy in my every praye
for you all in view of your participation
in
the
gospel
from the first day until now. Here Paul expresses his
gratitude to God and his affection for the Philippians
because of their sharing with him in the spread of the
gospel with him from the very beginning to the presen
2.
1:7) For it is only right for me to feel this way abo
you all, because I have you in my heaIi, since both in
imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation o
the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. Th
closeness Paul feels toward the Philippians grows out
the
COUNSEL
of
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The trategy of
Witne J J:
The
ody
of
Chrut
of their common participation in the grace of God and
in
the
defense and confirmation ofthe gospel, i.e., the
disarming of prejudice and overcoming of objections
to the truth leading to the coming to faith of those
formerly critical of the gospel. Whether Paul is in
prison, arraigned before a judge or traveling freely, they
shared with him in his God-given commission of world
evangelization.
3. (1:12)
Now I want you to know, brethren, that my
circumstances have turned out for the greater progress
of the gospel. Although
in
prison, Paul is encouraged by
one overriding fact: Christ is being proclaimed. In fact,
his very imprisonment, instead of curtailing the spread
of the gospel, has led to its extension.
4. (2:22)
But you know of his (Timothy's) proven worth
that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel
like a child serving his father. Timothy enjoys Paul's
complete confidence and approval because of his close
association with Paul in his apostolic labors of spreading
the
gospel on his perilous missionary journeys.
5 (4:3)
Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help
these women who have shared my struggle in the cause
of the gospel together with Clement also, and the rest
of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of
life. Two women in the Philippian church were having
conflict. Paul enlists the aid of
an
unnamed, close and
trusted friend there to help them work out their problem,
because he does not want their great usefulness in the
struggles to spread the gospel of Christ to be hindered.
6 (4:15)
And you yourselves know, Philippians, that
at the beginning of the gospel, after I departed from
Macedonia, no church shared with me in
the
matter of
giving and receiving but you alone. Paul is looking back
to the day when he first began his ministry of evangelism
and
discipleship among them, preaching the gospel to
them.
Philippians
has
been called an epistle of joy
because
it
teaches
us why the
Christian
life is
a life
of continual
rejoicing. This
little book is
full
of words like joy and rejoice .
What
is
the cause of this profound joy ih
a
believer's
life?
1).
The consciousness of living
in
vital
union and communion
with
Jesus
Christ
as
Lord
and
Savior, 3:8-14;
(2).
The
consciousness of
living under
God's
sovereignty and care for us,
4:6,11,19; and (3).
The
knowledge
that
we are
being used
by God
in
the
salvation
of sinners,
1:4.
And
the angel said to them,
Do
not be
afraid; for
behold,
I bring you good news
of
great joy which shall be for all the people, for
today in
the city of David
there
has
been
born
for you a
Savior,
who
is
Christ
the Lord, Luke
19
the
COUNSEL
of
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2:10.
Rejoice
with
me,
for I have
found
my
sheep which
was lost. I
tell
you that
in the
same
way, there will
be
more joy in
heaven
over
one sinner
who
repents,
than over ninety-nine
righteous persons
who
need
no
repentance,
Luk
15:7-10. We are to run the race
of
life with our
eyes
fixed
on Jesus the author and perfecter
of
faith, who for the
joy
set
before
Him endured
the
cross, despising
its
shame, and
has sat
down
at the
right hand
of the throne
of God,
Hebrews
12:2. He
shall
see the
travail
of his soul and be
satisfied; by
His knowledge
the Righteous One
My
Servant,
will
justify
many, as He will
bear
their iniquities, Isaiah 53:11.
With these
key words defined,
let
us now look
a
how Paul links the faithfulness of a church in th
work of Christian witness with
the
sense
of
unit
and loving affection the
church
experiences
among her members.
I. (1:1-4) THE CHURCH LIVES UPON AND
COMMUNICATES CHRIST'S WORD OF GRACE
AND PEACE
We
continue
to receive
and live under Christ's
benediction
by faith in
Him. And we
are
called
to communicate Christ's benediction and to
press home its
claims. We can
communicate
only
that
which we ourselves are living
out
of
and feeding
on.
Lack of
communication of the
Word robs spiritual food of
its nutritional
value
II.
(1:5-8)
THE
CHURCH'S UNITY AND LOVE
IS DEEPENED AS IT IS OF ONE HEART IN TH
ADVANCE OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
No fellowship is
true
and
lasting unless
it is
fellowship
in
Christ and
in the
work of the
gospel-For whoever
wishes to save his life shal
lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake
and the gospel's shall save it, Mark 8:35. Real
fellowship shows itself
in intercessory prayer
and concrete participation in
Christian
witness
together.
A
1:5) Fellowship (or participation) in th
Gospel
Those who
participate in
the
gospel-mission
together share a profound sense of oneness
in
the Body
of
Christ
and loving
affection
for
one
another- I thank my God for
every
remembranc
of
you.
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'Fellowship in the gospel points to concrete,
.
joint-effort and support in the evangelization
of the world
and the
edification of
the
church.
The
Philippians
indicated the
reality
of their
partnership in the
gospel,
not by
a
quiet
enjoyment
of it, but by a
keen
activity
in
the
interest of it, as financial supporters and actual
co-laborers.
Notice Paul's words of endearment to and about
those
who
are
involved
in the gospel-mission
with him, 1:3-4, 7-8. This closeness
of
fellow
feeling is
based on
a
common participation
in
the grace and
mission of
the Gospel and a
deep sense of oneness
in
that gospel
although
Paul
and the
church
at
Philippi are separated
by distance. Lasting closeness
is
impossible
outside
of
joint-commitment in the mission
of the gospel. Hence fellowship is
deepened,
not by trying to
have
meetings to pump up
artificial,
purely
emotional experiences, but
by increasing involvement in
the
mission of
the church together.
Fellowship is
maintained
by
involvement in
each
other's
lives through
fervent, frequent
intercessory
prayer and
thanksgiving
for
each other
and
persevering
involvement together in the
gathering
and
perfecting of the saints. (Such
prayer and
involvement
demands familiarity
with each
other.)
Of course
the effectiveness
of
our
prayers
and
our witness, as well as the unity and affection we
long
for
in
each
other
are
not produced
by
our
own
efforts. They are all the results of the work
of the Spirit of God in
our
church.
B 2:1)
Fellowship
in the Spirit
This
phrase
is better
translated, participation
in
the
Spirit or
fellowship
with
the Spirit. t is
only as we are equipped
by
the
Holy
Spirit
and
empowered by the
Holy
Spirit, whom the risen
Christ has
sent to live and work
in
the Church
and in the
lives of
the individual members of
the Church that we
are
able to accomplish
the
Spirit's purposes-If we are to guide people
into the
truth, being
convicted of their sin,
and lead them to
glorify
Christ
by
faith, we
must
be empowered by the
Holy
Spirit
to do
so-And He, when He comes, will convict the
world concerning sin
He will
guide
you
into
all
truth He
shall
glorify Me; for He
shall take
of
Mine and shall disclose
it
to
you,
John 16:8-14.
If we are
to bear witness of Christ
effectively
in
this hostile world, we must
be
empowered by
His
Spirit,
for He said, When
the Helper
come
whom I
will
send to
you
from the
Father,
that
is the
Spirit
of truth, who
proceeds from
the
Father,
He
will bear witness of Me and
you w
bear witness
also
.. John 15:26-27. Oneness
in
the Spirit
is
inseparable
from
cooperation in t
Spirit's mission.
C
(3:10)
Fellowship of His
sufferings
This
thought
is breath-taking. The
apostle
longs to know Christ in such a personal and
intimate
way that
he may enter into the
deep
experience of the power of
His
resurrection an
the
fellowship of His
sufferings.
He
wants to
desire what
Christ desires, and to be privilege
to know
even
closer union with
Him by
being
able to
be
persecuted
in
the cause of the gospe
The
thought of spiritual
union
with Christ
in
h
death
and resurrection is the very heart of
Pau
experience and apostolic
teaching.
I
Corinthi
speaks of this union and
fellowship
with the
S
of
God
in
His saving mission-God is faithful,
through whom
you
were called
into
fellowship
with
His
Son,
Jesus
Christ our Lord.
We
are n
close to Christ, to the Spirit,
and
to each othe
in the church, unless
we
are
actively involved
gospel-mission
for the sake of Christ-Therefo
knowing the fear of the
Lord,
we persuade me
for
the
love of
Christ controls uS Therefore
if
any
man
is
in
Christ,
he
is a new
creation;
the
old things passed
away;
behold, new things ha
come. Now all these
things are
from God who
reconciled us to Himself through Christ,
and
gave us the
ministry
of reconciliation,
namely
that
God
was
in
Christ reconciling the world t
Himself,
not counting their
trespasses
against
them,
and He has committed to us the word
of
reconciliation. Therefore,
we
are ambassador
for Christ, as though God were entreating
through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to
God.
He made
Him who
knew
no sin
to be sin
on our behalf, that we
might
become the righteousness of
God
in
Him,
II
Corinthians 5:11-21.
D.
APPLICATION
The reason
for
our cry for
deeper
fellowship is
our lack of any urgent sense of and
continuing
participation
in
the fellowship of the gospel.
Without involvement in
this
mission, we will
be
held
together by such
frail
cords
that
the
smallest crisis in
the
church
will
break them.
But fellowship in the gospel is an
unbreakable
cord,
regardless
of
the int ensity of the
crisis.
the
COUNSEL of CH LCEDON
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The Strategy
oj
Witlledd The
OdlJ
oj hrut
Such participation
in the spread of
the gospel
brings
fellowship of
the most
intimate
sort.
Furthermore, unless
you
are
involved
in this
global
mission,
you will be
a source
of conflict
and tension
in
the church.
Lack of fellowship
with
each
other and
disobedience
in
the
mission of
the gospel both
stem from
a
breakdown
in
our fellowship with
Christ and a
weakening of
our submission
to
His Word. Recommit
yourself
to Him. Retrace
your steps to
see
when
and
why
you
left your
first
love
and earnestly pray
that
God
would
rekindle your love
for Him.
Follow Christ s
example
in
Mark 10:45-be more
concerned with
serving
than
being served, more concerned with
ministering than being ministered to, with being
a
friend
than having one, with
mission than
with
fellowship,
and
fellowship
will come.
Involve
yourself and your
family
in
the
mission of
gathering and
perfecting the
saints and
you
will
know joy
that
is
inexpressible and
full
of
glory.
III.
1:9-11) THE CHURCH S INCREASING
EFFECTIVENESS
FLOWS FROM
HER
GROWTH
IN THREE AREAS
A THE MATURING OF ITS LOVE
IN
KNOWLEDGE AND
IN DEPTH
OF
INSIGHT
B. THE MATURING OF
ITS
KNOWLEDGE
IN
DISCERNMENT,
PURITY AND HOPE
C
THE
MATURING
OF ITS
DISCERNMENT
IN
THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE
GLORY OF GOD
D. APPLICATIONS
Effectiveness
in the
spread
of
the gospel is
inseparable
from a
life
of love, truth
and
righteousness.
Make Paul s
petitions
for
the
Philippians
the
petitions of your prayers
for
yourself and
your church:
that
your
love
would abound
more and
more;
that your love would abound
in
knowledge, wisdom
and discernment;
that
your life would be filled with Christlike
fruit
of
righteousness;
that
the goal
of
all your
activity
would be the
glory
of God.
Love abounds as our
knowledge of God s
word
and our
wisdom in applying
it
grows.
As these
develop
our
discernment sharpens; and
as that
21
the
COUNSEL
of
CH LCEDON
improves our sincerity increases. With th,
are filled
with the fruit
of
righteousness to \
praise of God.
Notice
three inseparables: 10,
and
knowledge; knowledge
and
wisdom;
and
knowledge
and righteousness.
Abounding love, increasing knowledge of God s
word and
the ability
to
apply
it practically,
alon
with
a
life of faith in
and
obedience to Christ
are absolutely essential in bringing
glory
to Go
and
in
being effective in
carrying
out
the Great
Commission.
IV. (1:12-26) THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE
CHURCH
IN
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND
IN
THE
FELLOWSHIP
OF THE GOSPEL IS THE
GLORY OF GOD. (Connect 1:11
with
1:12-16.)
A 1:12-14)
Paul glorifies
Christ by being
content with His will, being confident that
Christ
is
in
total
control of his
life
and
ministry
sovereignly
bringing things
to pass
in
Paul s
life
in
order
to advance His
gospel
through
Paul.
This
causes
Paul
to
persevere under
fierc
persecution.
B
1:15-18)
Paul glorifies
Christ by rejoicing
that
Christ s
gospel is being
preached regardles
of who
is
doing it or who
receives
the credit for
doing it.
Paul
is
not
condoning, however, any
tampering with
the
gospel. For
him
there is on
one
gospel,
Galatians 1:8f, and i
anyone
tampe
with it
he will
be
accursed. Here
he is
speaking
of different motives for declaring
the
gospel, no
of
declaring different gospels.
C (1:19-26) Paul glorifies Christ
by being
so
devoted to Him and
to
spreading His
gospel,
that he
is willing
to
go
to any length
to please
Him
and
to advance
His
kingdom,
whether
life
or death. Paul summarized
his whole life with
one word-CHRIST, who was for him the source
goal, content, sustenance, joy and
motive
of
his
life. Without
Him, life
means nothing, 3: lOf. I
there anything in your life that
you
desire
with
a greater
intensity
than
to
know
Christ and
to
serve Him?
