Week 6 – Monday - Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel

The end of chapter one is in sight people! In the same way that I devoured the last piece of key lime pie for breakfast this morning, we are going to demolish the last few verses of Philippians Chapter 1.

Go read Chapter 1 for review.
<> What are the main points of Philippians Chapter 1 if you had to summarize it?
<> Now reread Philippians 1:27-30: at first glance what does it say?

Trust Fund Kids
Some of the most frustrating people in the world are people who don’t appreciate what they’ve been given. I’m not saying this is always the case, but surprisingly, a child who could live off of the interest of his trust fund for the rest of his life without ever having to work a day – sometimes that kid turns our lazy. To people who work hard to try to earn enough money to eat and pay the bills – that kid gets under the skin. If you check your heart well enough, there could be some jealousy in there somewhere but on a bigger level there is a notion that “of him who has been given much, much is expected.” The child’s frustrated parents wouldn’t be off in looking at him and saying, “Billy! Conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the trust fund that allows you to own a small petting zoo in our backyard!”

<> Does a child have to do anything to earn the trust fund?
<> Have you ever known anyone who lived lazily as a result of being given a lot of money?
<> Have you ever known someone who conducted himself well in light of what he had been given?

Jesus is not like any other anything in the world. Every religion in the world teaches you how to earn your daily spiritual allotment. Jesus is offers freely a spiritual trust fund. He offers forgiveness, holiness, hope, life and a His indwelling Spirit for new life FREE OF CHARGE.

AND . . . the trustfund comes with some expectations. (Read Philippians 1:27) If there is nothing more obnoxious than a kid who doesn’t understand what he’s been financially given; there is nothing more annoying spiritually than someone who claims Christ but lives in a manner that says they don’t really care about what they’ve been given.

<> What have you been given according to the gospel of Christ?
<> Do you live in a manner worthy of the gift you have received in Christ?
<> If you analyzed the behavior of your life, what parts scream out “DO YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR ME?!” ?
<> If you analyzed the behavior of your life, what parts scream out “I AM A SELFISH KID WHO ABUSES WHAT I’VE BEEN GIVEN!!!” ?

Inside Out Transformation
As long as Midtown exists, part of our mission will be to fight religion. Religion teaches that if you change the external behavior consistently enough for long enough, eventually you can change who you are internally in your soul. The Bible does not teach this. Scripture teaches us that we are desperately in need of internal life change -- that we need new hearts. After Christ changes our hearts, the only proper response is to behave in a way that screams out what he has done.

<> In a daily way are you allowing Christ to change your heart?
<> Are you growing internally in your spiritual maturity or only externally?
<> Is your external behavior a reflection of what Jesus is doing internally?