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Philippians 1:27-3027Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the

gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear aboutyou in my absence, I will know that you stand rm in one spirit,contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28without beingfrightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to themthat they will be destroyed, but that you will be savedand that by God.

29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believeon him, but also to suffer for him, 30since you are going through thesame struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

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conduct yourselvesThe standard Jewish metaphor Paul uses for living life is walking.

Deuteronomy 5:33Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you2 Corinthians 5:7. . . for we walk by faith, not by sight Galatians 5:16But I say, walk by the Spirit

Here, however, he uses a political metaphor. The word forconduct carries the idea of exercising the rights and duties ascitizens.

Phil 3:20,21But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from

there, the Lord Jesus Christ


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conduct yourselvesThe Philippians likely took pride in having been made a Roman

colony by Caesar Augustus which brought the privileges andprestige of Roman citizenship.

Jesus reects the foreign citizenship idea in his own ministry.

John 18:36 Jesus answered [Pilot], "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be ghting sothat I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My

kingdom is not of this realm."


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conduct yourselves

In using the citizen metaphor Paul was likely communicating . . .

1. Community: the very idea of a citizen requires an individual tosee themselves as connected to a larger group.

2. Obligation: Citizens were required to live by the laws of the land.


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worthy of the gospel of Christ As Roman citizens they were expected to live in accordance with

the laws and ways of the empire. As citizens of Gods kingdom, thePhilippians are exhorted to live in a way that is governed by theJesus story. The gospel is supposed to have implications for theway we actually live our lives . . . its not simply a story that only getsheard and believed upon . . . it also gets lived out!

Titus 2:9-10Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to

be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior inevery respect.


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stand rm in one spiritThe specic piece of the Jesus story that needs to be live out by the

Philippians is steadfast unity.

John 17:20-21I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in

you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Paul proceeds to explain what this steadfast unity will look like intheir current situation . . . .


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contending as one mancontending = contending together (plural)

The singular form of this word appears in . . .

2 Tim 2:5,Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive thevictor's crown unless he competes according to the rules.

Paul switches to an athletic metaphor. Perhaps it conjured upimages of gladiators or the military. Since Philippi was a colonypopulated by retired military ofcers this image would have gone along way (as was the case with the citizen metaphor).


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those who oppose youKeep in mind this is a Roman military colony with generational

allegiances to the emperor who was venerated as lord and savior.

Public events served as an opportunity for the citizenry to declare,Caesar is lord much like the Pledge of Allegiance and the StarSpangled Banner are utilized in public events here in our country.

Christians were regularly placed in situations in which they had tomake choices against the Empire.


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disunity and fearCalling the working class in the UK to action . . .

When working people realize that the ruling class invest billions insuch a mass media for their own purposes and intents - to keepworkers confused, fearful and divided - as disunity and fear areclose allies of the employing class; When working people realizethat the employing class do these things because THEIR OWNgreatest fear is to see the working class awake and to be madeaware of our plight and who are no longer apathetic but active andprepared for class struggle. Workers who will commit ourselves.Workers who will prepare together to organize, to unite ourselves forthe common goal of liberation.

http://ag.blackened.net/af/org/issue68/letter_slavery_abolition.html


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and that by GodMoises Silva paraphrase:

"The conicts that you are experiencing may appear frightening andthus threaten to discourage you, but you cannot allow that tohappen. Perhaps you are tempted to interpret these conicts as abad omen, as though God is displeased with you and intends todestroy you. But that is exactly wrong. You must interpret what ishappening as evidence of God's design to save you! Why?Because suffering is the way to glory, God's gift of salvation for Hischildren."


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granted to believe and sufferThe Message:

Your courage and unity will show them what they're up against:defeat for them, victory for youand both because of God. There'sfar more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for

him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting.

The faith they need to remain in unity is a gift from God, but so alsois the very suffering that is requiring this faith.

on behalf ofExact parallel of the phrase used frequently in the NT, especially byPaul, to describe Christs suffering and death for others.(1Thes 5:10 & Rom 5:8; 1 Cor 15:3 & Gal 1:4; Rom 8:32 & Gal 2:20;John 10:15; Heb 2:9).


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Suffering

John 15:20Remember the words I [Jesus] spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.

Acts 5:41 after calling the apostles in, they [Jewish Council] ogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council,

rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for

His name.


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Suffering

Acts 14:21-22They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,

strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true tothe faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdomof God ,

Philippians 3:10that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and thefellowship of His sufferings , being conformed to His death;


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Thousands of young aspiring missionaries in China who are

ready and expecting to die for the gospel during their missionsojourns.

"The Muslim and Buddhist nations can torture us, imprison us, andstarve us, but they can do no more than we have alreadyexperienced in China. . . . We are not only ready to die for thegospel, we are expecting it."


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Acts 16:19-24

When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them intothe marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them beforethe magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwingour city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for usRomans to accept or practice. The crowd joined in the attack

against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely ogged , they were thrown into prison , and the jailer was commanded to guard

them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.


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Sow What?Unity within the church is characteristic of people living out

the Jesus story and is critical for the gospel to makeprogress. The beliefs and practices of those living outtheir ultimate citizenship will always generate oppositionform the empire (the dominating, godless culturalsystem). At times these responses from the empire can befrightening but the unity among Gods people allows thegospel to advance even in the presence of opposition andfear.

1. Do you see evidence of unity in your community of faith?

2. How has this provided encouragement to overcomeopposition and fear related to living the Jesus story?


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3. How is living out the Jesus story creating opposition

from the empire in your own life?

4. If there is any disunity between yourself and someoneelse in your community of faith take steps towardreconciliation so the progress of the gospel will not behindered.

Phil 1_27-30 Web

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