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Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians)

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Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians)

The book of Philippians compels us to revel in the beauty, satisfaction, and transforming power of Jesus and his gospel-the good news of what God has done to accomplish his purposes and deal with our sin through the life, death, and resurrection of his eternal Son, Jesus Christ. The gospel is in fact the book's pivotal theme-more specifically, what it will take for the people of God to participate joyfully and unwaveringly in this gospel. In other words, Philippians is about gospel mission and gospel community. This is the note on which Paul opens the book in 1:3-5: "I thank my God every time I remember you. . . . because of your partnership in the gospel." And this is the note he closes on in 4:15: "And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only." And in between Paul again and again strikes this note of gospel partnership-partnership in the gospel and for the gospel. "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that . . . I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel" (1:27). Gospel mission and gospel community. Mission and community have an organic relationship in Paul's vision for the church. On the one hand, it is gospel mission that gives birth to community-through the gospel of Jesus we are both rescued from our sin (3:7-11) and refashioned into a humble, joyful, steadfast, unified people (e.g. 1:3-11; 1:27-2:11; 4:2-7). At the same time, community is a key medium by which we advance the gospel, partnering together in steadfast, joyful unity to hold forth the word of life (e.g. 1:3-8, 27-30; 2:14-16; 3:17-21; 4:10-20). But both mission and community are fueled by and hang together on the gospel. Jesus is the power (3:9-11; 4:13), the model (2:5-11), and the motivation (2:1-2; 3:12-14) for Paul's vision of gospel mission and community. Paul's vision provides a challenging and yet thrilling call to the church today. Our Sunday morning series this fall and winter will give us occasion to explore all kinds of pressing questions about who we are and what we do as a church: Are we wasting our time with the gospel-can it really supply all it promises for life and relationship with God and others? Are we being distracted from our gospel mission by good but peripheral matters? Is it worth it when someone personally rejects me, mocks me, or takes advantage of me because of my efforts to advance the gospel? What happens to our community and mission when self gets in the way of the gospel's centrality? Does the gospel really have the power to change us? Was it really necessary for God to send his Son to earth to rescue us? Are we really that bad? Is Jesus really that valuable? Is participating in the community and mission of the gospel worth it when life gets hard? Is the advance of the gospel a worthy investment of our time and money? So if you in Boston's MetroWest, please join us Sunday mornings at Westgate Church in Weston, where we will endeavor not only to behold Paul's vision for the church in Philippians, but by God's grace to participate in that vision of gospel mission and gospel community.

March 18, 2012

Satisfied in Jesus

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 4:10–4:13

February 12, 2012

A Gospel-Shaped Peace

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 4:2–4:7

February 5, 2012

An Example Worth Following

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 3:17–4:1

January 29, 2012

Passion and Perseverance

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 3:12–3:16

January 22, 2012

Fellowship with Christ

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 3:10–3:11

January 15, 2012

When Loss is Gain

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 3:4–3:9

January 8, 2012

Counterfeit Christianities

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 3:1–3:3

December 4, 2011

When the Gospel Gets a Hold of a Life

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 2:19–2:30

November 27, 2011

The Fruit of Obedience

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 2:12–2:18

November 13, 2011

Jesus is Everything

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 1:18b–1:26

November 6, 2011

A Gospel-Centered Church

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 1:27–2:4

October 9, 2011

Is Our Striving Losing?

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 1:12–1:18a

September 25, 2011

The Beauty of Gospel Partnership

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 1:3–1:8

September 18, 2011

Gospel Mission, Gospel Community

Speaker: Brandon Levering Series: Gospel Mission, Gospel Community (Philippians) Passage: Philippians 1:1–1:2