Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text for this evening is the Epistle Lesson just read, from Phil. 1. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- One of my uncle’s once told me – when I was but a young man – that he considered God to be his partner in life. I was somewhat taken aback by what he said – but didn’t express disagreement in that he was my elder.
- Perhaps you’ve seen the bumper sticker that reads: “God is my co-pilot.” My reaction to this is exactly the same – why not have God as your pilot? The fact is, God is our pilot – and He does not desire to have us as His partners in life, but rather as His children, He being our Father and our Lord.
- Still, there is a certain sense of truthfulness to the idea that God wants to “partner up” with us – not in the sense of being equal partners, but in the sense that He imbues us with privileges of being part of His work in the world, that of the work of the Gospel, of bringing people to faith and salvation.
- You remember that Jesus changes our relationship with God. He told His disciples: “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” [Jn. 15:15] Still, we are friends who have a Lord and Master – our dear Savior Jesus, the Son of God.
- But there is a partnership that is attributed to us – a partnership in the Gospel with the apostles and our fellow believers. It is a partnership established and created by God – and one that should bring us the greatest joy. We might call this partnership “the Church” – and that is what the church is!
- Alas, we struggle today to think of the church as a divine partnership – and often we do not want any part of this partnership; we would prefer to fly solo and not be dragged down by the people around us – even though these are the very people whom Jesus calls His friends!
- So let us consider our text, this Word from God, that we not only receive our place in this partnership, but that we do so with great joy! For:
I. This Partnership Is All God’s Work – His Bringing Us To Repentance, To Faith, And To Our Good Works, The Fruits Of Righteousness
Text: “I am sure of this, that He Who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Statement: We often forget this – that our place within the church, our knowledge of Christ, all good that we find within us and in our lives – all of this comes from God, as His free gift. We didn’t initiate a good work in ourselves; God has redeemed us, and called us to faith by His Word, or in our Baptism. He “re-birthed” us by water and the Spirit. He is transforming us – recreating us in His image, from one degree of glory to another. [2 Cor. 3:18] He is the One Who has called us into His kingdom, and into His partnership, into His church. We are here by His gracious gift, not by our good decisions!
Application: We can opt out of the partnership – by rejecting faith and repentance, and insisting that we will do life on our own, outside of the fellowship of God’s partnership, the church. But we cannot opt in – the church is God’s creation, for His own purposes, governed by His own order through the means He has determined, His Word and Sacraments. Though our sinful nature may find this partnership less than appealing, or even repugnant, it is actually the greatest privilege we can have in life, a blessed privilege bestowed upon us by God Himself. We should find joy in this, the greatest joy! So:
II. Now We Are Partners In This Work Of The Gospel
Text: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. . . . It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel.”
Statement: The “partnership” is one of “partaking” of God’s grace – His forgiveness, new life, and salvation in Christ Jesus, the great gift of God. The joy of partaking in God’s salvation in the same, whether I think about my reception of it or I think about others receiving it! We feel this way about each other – because God’s love for all puts us in one another’s hearts.
Application: But the partnership is not always easy. It exists in imprisonment and persecution and even martyrdom. It has to do both with the “defense” of the Gospel and also the “confirmation” of the Gospel. This all has to do with conflict, the conflict that evil has brought into the world, and God’s gracious response to that conflict – His forgiveness and mercy in Christ Jesus. We are partners in this conflict – and as fellow-soldiers, teammates, we must take care not to attack one another but to remain united and loyal, so as to provide a common and forceful defense and confirmation of the Gospel!
All of this should give us great joy – living together in the gracious love of God, and serving God together in this work of God, the spread and victory of the Gospel in the world. We should also yearn for one another in the affection of Christ – in the joy of Christ! And this is part of Paul’s joy – which he seeks to infect us with, for:
III. Now We Yearn For One Another To Be Blessed In The Affection Of Christ Jesus Our Lord
Text: “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
A. We Yearn That Our Love Should Abound For One Another
Text: “It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more.”
B. We Pray That Our Knowledge And Discernment Be Full And Perfect
Text: “It is my prayer . . . that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment.”
C. So That Together We Continue To Affirm And Approve What Is Excellent
Text: “so that you may approve what is excellent.”
D. And We Pray That All Remain Pure And Blameless In Christ, Filled With Good Fruits Of Love And Kindness
Text: “so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.”
E. So That God Be Praised And Glorified Throughout The World
Text: “to the glory and praise of God.”
Statement: I know that we all have many other ambitions and desires in life. But there can be no greater or more important or more joyous goal and aim than this – to be partners in the Gospel, filled with love, knowledge, and discernment, fully committed to what is truly excellent, pure and blameless in God’s gracious forgiveness and cleansing, and producing truly good fruits of righteousness to the glory and praise of God! This is what friendship with Christ is all about – knowing the Father and His blessed will!
Application: We’ve already acknowledged that this is no easy street! It involves the crucifying of our sinful nature – its desires and compulsions. It involves “continuing” in Christ’s Word, the Holy Scripture, so that we may know the truth and be freed by the truth. It is hard work to grow in knowledge and discernment. It is conflict with the world to “approve what is excellent.” And the fruit of righteousness is contrary to our selfish sinful nature.
But again, this is God’s work, and all of this “comes through Jesus Christ,” so that all glory and praise is given to God. It is a partnership – but one of His grace and blessing. And there is the deepest joy in being a partaker of this grace of God, and being an active part of His gracious will for the advancement of the Gospel, its defense and confirmation!
Conclusion: So let us see these things clearly, and affirm them, and have great joy in approving them – in our partnership in the Gospel. How could we think of “going away” – if we know the blessedness, privilege, and joy of our partnership within the church!
And let us take care to value this partnership properly – that we honor it and honor all or our “partners.” This, to the glory and praise of God! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.