How the Apostle Paul adapted his message to the Roman colony of Philippi, using their cultural context to teach spiritual truths. By drawing parallels between Roman colonial life and the Christian assembly, Paul emphasized themes of law and order, citizenship in God's kingdom, and the distinctiveness of believers. The message highlights how Roman concepts like citizenship, law, and readiness for the emperor's visit are mirrored in Christian life, urging believers to live as transplanted people whose names are written in the book of life and who anticipate Christ's return. Ultimately, the sermon calls for unity and proper conduct within the church, reflecting their heavenly citizenship.
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The Acts of the Apostles, chapter sixteen. Let us commence the reading at verse nine. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter sixteen, verse nine. And a vision appears to fall in the night. One of the many visions mentioned in the Acts. I invite my fellow saints to trace the visions that are mentioned in this remarkable missionary manual. And perhaps I should add one of the nice experiences of the great Apostle Paul.
And in a vision, there's two the men of Macedonia and prayed him saying, come over into Macedonia and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, marked that we, students of the Acts, would give special attention to that. for it indicates the presence of Luke with the travelling party.
Mark assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore, loosing from to us, we came with a great course to Samus Reyesha and the next day to Neapolis. And from this to Philippi, which is the chief, the first city of that part of Macedonia, a colony.
And we were in that city abiding certain days. It is obvious from the trend of this narrative that God highly favored his servant. You are acquainted with the rest of Acts chapter sixteen. Remarkable conversion stories that are recited there are known to most of us. How wonderfully do they reveal The power and triumphs of the gospel message. Look at them again and you will see how an Asiatic cellar of Papal was converted to God.
And you will see how a Greek damsel was delivered from the power of darkness. And a Roman jailer. from is pride of attainment. I have no doubt in my own mind that the grouping of these conversions illustrates the triumph of the Gospel in all parts of the earth. It may not be that that was Luke's intention, first intention, but it is clearly presented in the sacred text.
I am not going to ask you to consider with me Acts chapter sixteen, but I do want you to focus your attention upon two little words in verse eleven. Look at the McGarry, notice what Luke says about this particular district, Philippi, a colony. Now please turn once more to Philippians. We're thankful apologies to our beloved brother Mr. Walker. Philippians chapter one please.
Verse one Paul and Timothy the servant slaves as the worthy of Jesus Christ to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi. It's a bishop like Jesus, just the overseer and the faithful. Very much better rendering a saint from some quite a lot of sacerdotal flavor. That is all I wish you to note from the text at the moment.
I shall refer to sections of Philippians as I proceed with my simple message for this afternoon. In that part of the exe of the Apostles, which we know so well, we have one of the greatest phases of evangelism that the Christian Church has known. Students of the X will recognize that you are moving into the large world of men in that particular part of the X. You are allowed to travel with Paul and his companions and visit the free city of Thessalonica.
and there they were conscious of divine test as they made known the precious story of the cross. Some of us will remember what Paul wrote of his experiences in his first epistle to that remarkable company of state. Then you move into the university city of Athens and Mark. that the triumphs of the gospel were less pronounced there than in the other places mentioned in the group that is in view in this section of the earth.
I wonder why I have my own view. There is such a thing as the conceit of lowering and if that fills a man's heart, it hasn't very much room for the simplicity of the message of the Gospel. Please do not think I am having a flick at any particular faculty. I am not. I am simply facing facts that are clearly illustrated for us in Holy Scripture. Afterwards you visit the licentious city of Corinth with its luxuriousness and licentiousness.
Perhaps some of the Lord's people in these islands are beginning to see that the prosperity of the day does not promote morality. My fellow saints, may I ask, are things better in moral realms now than they were in days of poverty? You will know the answer And every source you're allowed to visit that city with its commercialized religion. But unfortunately there is such a thing as commercialized religion. And so on.
How interesting it is to travel with the evangelical party that is mentioned in the sacred word. But let me point out. When you enter into Philippi, you enter into a different atmosphere. It is not the center of learning. It is not the center of luxuriousness. This is the military town, where the power of Rome is evident everywhere. A colony. You have discerned before.
that the Apostle Paul was a master in imparting to fellow saints the eternal truth of God. The law of adaptability, my beloved brethren and sisters in Christ, does not only appertain to the preaching of the gospel, but to the ministry of the word of God. This man knew how to use local circumstances to convey to his fellow believers the eternal truth of God. Look again at Philippians, and you will quickly recognize that the language implied therein is very largely affected by this local circumstance that is mentioned so briefly in the earth.
I call it this. Let me give you one or two instances before I proceed with my simple message. Look at verse one again of chapter one. Paul and Timotius, the slaves of Jesus Christ, to all the saints, in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi, with the overseers and ministering servants. There is very much in the New Testament about the government of a local assembly, but I cannot recall an expression like this in any other scripture.
Why is the overseeing individuals and the ministering fervent. Why does Paul give us, will you allow me the common phrase, such a mantra? My brethren, he knew that the Romans were stickless for law and order, and he is quite prepared to make use of that in conveying the same fact to the same to constitute a spiritual assembly. I hope we are all prepared to recognize that the assembly of God is to be a sphere of law and order.
That may not be clear. Please look at verse twenty says, That will be obvious. Only learn your conversation. Look at your margins. Only learn your citizenship. Can you see how the Apostle is appearing to the pride, the Roman pride in the hearts of these believers? That must have reached its mark. Only like your citizenship be it becomes the gospel of Christ.
Makes us think of the words of the colored brother, said he. The gospel is not only to be listened, it is to be heard. Look at the last part of that verse. That he stepped past in one spirit. with one mind striving together for the sake of the gospel. That's the verse that brethren wrangle over in Bible reading. What is meant by this standing past in one spirit with one mind striving together? Operation?
Total show will explain it. The wrong technique when approaching. An enemy's taking. wants to raise above the head of the first warriors in the leading ranks the shield, overlapping vaults that were behind, and so on to the very remote ranks. With the result that when they approached the vault, the missiles that were hurled at them were hopelessly deflected. They move together in this operation topology shift.
That's the kind of thing that is expected in the Christian assembly. One more instance, we would occupy our attention profitably by listing all the Roman words. For one more chapter two, do look at this perhaps it may touch our hearts of fresh ingratitude to God. was eight weeks, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of a cross.
Not the cross. Christendom was made his death, for the first real Romans, The words would hurl their souls. Did the Lord of glory come to die upon a cross, the shameful cross? I hope we could enter into the spirit of that remark. Enough has been said to assist us to gather the fresh effect that the epistle was largely influenced its vocabulary by the local circumstances.
Have you seen how Paul presents the truth of the epistle to this assembly with this color? He is telling them you are a color there on the great metropolis in the glide. Every local assembly is to be a reflection of that wonderful commonwealth in the hymn. Let me show you the four arcs of the Roman colony that are interwoven in this epistle and consequently convey to us high and lofty ideas about the assemblers with which we find fellowship through the grace of God.
The first thing about a Roman colony is obvious. It was a body of people transplanted in the midst of a foreign population. Or you say, I always understood that. Thank you. That helps us. Does Paul say anything of this in his epistle? that verse our beloved brother drew our attention to in chapter two will suffice to illustrate the fact please turn to that again chapter two notice what Paul says in verse fourteen do all things without murmuring when there are murmurings you can rest assured there's a spirit of discontent I'm sure you will appreciate my remarks when I asked you to think again of the murderings of the children of Israel in the wilderness.
Do all things without murderings and disputing. That means you were denying honor, fault, or right. Thus, it may be blatant, free of censure. and harmless. My brethren, these words are well known, but they are penetrated. You would not injure your fellow saint, would you? Whatever your view is, please hold your hand. Remember, if you injure your fellow saint, you are contradicting the spirit of the Christ.
do all things without murmurings and disputings, that he may be blameless and harmless, the children of God without refute in the midst of accrued and perverse generations. There it is. He's telling me, says that there are a bunch of people transplanted in the midst of a foreign population. We have discovered that, have we not? There's a moral contriety around us. Trouble thinks there is nothing conducive to spirituality in this world.
Think, please, of those wonderful words our Lord expressed in his prayer. They are not of the world. Did you know that the reason why the truth of baptism is always contested? Have you asked yourself the question, why are there so many controversial points about baptism? My brethren, the enemy has been busily attacking that distinctiveness that belongs to you through grace. Why are there so many arguments Our hearts are plain when we think of them, pertaining to the Lord's Supper.
My brethren, the simple explanation is that ordinance declares your distinctiveness in this world. We are a body of people transplanted in the midst of a foreign population. The Lord give us correct ideas. about this holy separateness that he has created through his grace. The second thing about the Roman colony is it was a community of people whose names were contained in the rule books of the Roman people.
Although they had left their native soil and the model city, they had not lost their rights of citizenship. Does Paul say anything about this? Please look at chapter four, verse one. Therefore, my brethren, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so steadfast in the Lord, mine dearly beloved. I beseech you, O dear, and beseech, hint again, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
What the Apostle is doing is appealing to these individuals, these sisters, to behave. the meaning of the new names that they took upon themselves were never baptized. Artistic Georgia, which means fragrant one. Those who read the Greek takes will not, it's almost the same word as found litter in the Persian street bearing favor. And then to give, easy to be dealt with, Why don't you be fragrant? Why don't you be easy to be dealt with?
And I entreat thee also through your fellows. Help those women who labored with me in the gospel, with clement also. Why did he mention that name? Is that the apostle using the many? I look at the language again, and I deserve the motive of this man's heart. Each technique in bringing the saints together illustrates to us how we should behave. Clement me, kindly one, our prestige, clement also with the other, my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life.
A Christian assembly is a body of people standing in the midst of a foreign population. A Christian assembly is a colony. The individuals who compose it have their names written in the book of life. What does Paul really convey to us in these words? It is clear he is speaking of the individuality and speciality of God's love, whose names are written in the Book of Life. Yes, I think my brethren will agree with that interpretation, but what is his motive?
He is virtually saying this. girls of you in Philippi, whose names are written in the Book of Life. Why don't you live now together on earth in the way that you will be by and by in the glory of city of God? My brethren, it is necessary for us to anticipate eternal conditions when we touch these differences that unfortunately arise. I have heard people say, to dwell above with saints you love, that will be bliss and glory.
But to live below with saints you know, that is a different story. Unfortunately, that is unspiritual. The Spirit of God would have us anticipate growing now in our relationships on earth. Remember, my fellow saints, if you expect somebody to behave properly towards you, you must behave properly towards them. Life is very much give and take. You will receive what you give. Life is a mirror that reflects your own conduct, your own actions, so please be careful.
A colony of God's people is a company of people transatlantic in the midst of a foreign population. A body of people whose lessons are written in the book of life. Certainly, a Roman colony was a community of people who preserved the trains of the Babel city in their holidays. You would find the same laws in the marketplaces of all colonies. The tables of the twelve laws would be found there, as were in the Babel city.
You would listen to them speaking, and here to speak the same language, and you would tell by their dress that they belong to the novel city of Rome, the Roman toga everywhere. That is precisely what Paul is driving at in this remarkably pistol. I think I have made that clear already. May I ask my fellow saints, tell me, What law is guiding you? What influences your thinking? Are you really being guided by the word of God or the opinions of men?
The writings of magazines or the works of reputable teachers? My brethren, don't forget the supreme cause of appeal in all matters is the holy word of God. What of our conversations? And what of our habits, if I may use the figure that is employed? Do people really see that we belong to the model city in the glory? Finally, you will find that a Roman colony was a community of people who ever held themselves in readiness for the unexpected visits of the Emperor.
Look at chapter three and with that I should pause my simple remarks. Please observe verse twenty. For our conversation, our commonwealth is intended. From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The more you know of the titles given to the Roman emperors, the more you will find the power of the statement that Paul makes in this passage.
Now, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior, the deliverer, Who shall change, transform, of thy body, that it may be sufficient like unto his glory of body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself? Can you see what Paul is driving at in these remarkable verses? He is talking about our present humiliation. It is rather unfortunate that you have the word violent, authorized text, who shall transform this body of our humiliation.
Yes, this frame of mind is subject to changes, is subject to disease, is subject to death. the operations of those changes we can note as we visit places from time to time. But as Paul speaks of the present humiliation, you will notice he talks about the future glorification and he gives to us an excellent model. We shall be fashioned like unto him glorious body.
Brethren, to understand what the saints will be in glory, we must meditate a little more upon those manifestations of risen born. But in between, you will notice how he speaks about this constant expectation for our conversation is in heaven. from when also we look for the Savior. As a young believer I was taught, that very strong word implies that you are anticipating the event with an outstretched neck, with eager desires in your soul.
I thank God for the precious fact that the Lord is coming soon. May we keep this in mind, and may it have its good influence upon us, and particularly our colony relationships, so that when he comes, we shall meet with his approval and give him the pleasure of his heart. Amen. We sing a hymn together, just to arrest us. Hymn number seven.