A Life Worthy of the Gospel

Phil. 1:27 Philippians

In this sermon, preached at Trinity Baptist Church's first service in their new building, Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds Philippians 1:27-30, issuing a 'clarion call to a life worthy of the gospel.' He emphasizes that this command is of crucial importance, comes as a weighty and continuous divine imperative, and uses the vivid imagery of living as citizens of God's kingdom. Martin explains that living 'worthy of the gospel' means reflecting that one has been mastered by the gospel, allowing its truths about God's glory, salvation from sin, unmerited favor, and reconciliation to God and man to shape every facet of life. He applies this to the congregation's responsibility to validate the preached Word through their holy, joyful, and unified lifestyle.

2 illustrations in this sermon

The Crucial Importance and Weighty Form of the Exhortation

auto_stories story

Parents' Instructions to Children Home Alone

Driving home: In other words Paul was binding their consciences with these words even with the authority of the living God.

This story illustrates the meaning of the word 'only' as emphasizing supreme importance, like a parent giving many instructions but then saying 'whatever else you do, ONLY do this one thing.'

One has translated this word I should say paraphrased it but whatever happens this should be your concern. Whether I live, whether I die don't let that be your concern let this thing be the point of your concentration. For instance, who of us who remembers growing up at all cannot remember the time when mom and dad first of all began to trust us with being home alone in the evening and they were going to be out late and they gave us all kinds of instructions but then at the end they said but whatever else you do don't go to bed with the dog and the cat out don't go to bed without being sure th...

12:11 - 12:56 Read in full sermon

Living Worthy of the Gospel: Right Relationships and Congregational Responsibility

compare analogy

Sin as a Boxed-In Building

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that the gospel secures right relationships with God and men, breaking down barriers. He applies this to the Philippians' need for unity and then to the…

This analogy illustrates how sin alienates us from God (a roof overhead) and from fellow men (walls on the side), and how the gospel 'blows the roof off' and 'knocks the walls flat,' restoring right relationships.

Read Ephesians 2. The gospel breaks down, down middle walls of partition between Jew and Gentile. It opens up a way of access between the sinner and his God. The illustration I came across years ago has been a great help to me.

39:13 - 39:28 Read in full sermon

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