BCF Philly | Pastor Ken Sheppard | Living a life worthy of Jesus

Paul calls believers to live as citizens of heaven, in a manner worthy of the good news about Christ. That question leaves no halfway place: are lives actually worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Paul writes from prison, yet his circumstance does not make him switch up. His life still brings honor to Christ whether he lives or dies, because living means living for Christ.

A worthy life continually pursues unity. Paul calls the church to agree wholeheartedly, love one another, and work together with one mind and purpose. The church has different personalities, different ways of worshiping, talking, walking, and learning, but every believer shares one identity: washed in Christ’s blood and made brand new. Division distracts the church from its mission, while the devil loves division and strife. Love has to be more than singing, preaching, gifts, knowledge, or faith; without love, all of it is nothing.

A worthy life also pursues purposes greater than personal dreams. Dreams, businesses, books, homes, retirement, money, and leadership are not wrong, but God’s purpose will prevail. God may shut a door because success in that place would pull a life away from His actual purpose. Christ changes the question from “What can I get out of that?” to “Who can I bless?” God blesses His people so they can be a blessing, not so they can sit back and make life all about themselves.

A worthy life pursues the attitude of Christ. Jesus, though fully God, did not cling to His divine privileges. Christ took the position of a servant, put on human flesh, obeyed the Father, and died the death of a criminal on the cross. His attitude was, “Father, not my will, but thine will be done.” Humility and obedience are not Sunday attitudes; they are the daily posture of a life surrendered to God’s will.

Christ showed that the power of the gospel is about people. Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, sat with the rejected, and allowed Himself to be inconvenienced for the Father’s agenda. God then exalted Christ above every name, and every knee will bow before Him. The call is to bow now willingly, receive the free gift of salvation, and live fully for the One who gave everything.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Unity protects the church’s mission Paul calls believers to move as one body under one shared purpose. Division may feel personal, but it always weakens the witness of Christ and distracts from the gospel. Love requires believers to settle disagreements, carry burdens, and help restore those who fall instead of talking about them. [54:51]
• 2. God’s purpose must overrule personal plans Personal dreams can be good, but they cannot become greater than God’s will. God sometimes closes doors not to harm His children, but to keep them from building a life outside their calling. A surrendered heart asks God whether a desire serves His purpose or merely feeds selfish ambition. [67:16]
• 3. Blessing is meant to bless others God gives resources, influence, ability, and opportunity so His people can serve somebody else. The gospel changes self-centered questions into kingdom questions: who can be helped, encouraged, or pointed toward Jesus? A life that only gathers for itself misses the pattern God established even with Abraham. [76:14]
• 4. Christ’s attitude is humble obedience Jesus had every right to cling to glory, yet He chose the humble position of a servant. His obedience reached all the way to the cross, showing that surrender is not weakness but the deepest expression of love. God calls believers to pray honestly, “Not my will, but thine will be done,” and then walk that prayer out daily.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [41:14] - Reading Philippians 1 and 2
• [45:14] - Living a Life Worthy of Jesus
• [46:11] - Paul’s Boldness in Prison
• [48:52] - A Worthy Life Pursues Unity
• [51:04] - Division and the Devil’s Strategy
• [53:17] - Settle Disagreements in Love
• [57:28] - Preparing for a New Church Season
• [61:32] - Purposes Greater Than Personal Dreams
• [65:51] - When God Closes a Door
• [70:15] - Deny Yourself and Follow Christ
• [77:41] - Blessed to Be a Blessing
• [80:40] - Pursuing the Attitude of Christ
• [82:42] - Humble and Obedient Servants
• [91:11] - Every Knee Shall Bow
• [95:27] - Invitation to Follow Jesus

Bible Reading

Philippians 1:27
“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, 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,” [41:00] [47:00]

Philippians 2:1-11
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [41:57]

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” [56:19]

Genesis 12:2
“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” [01:16:05]

Observation questions

1. In Philippians 1:27, what words does Paul use to describe how believers are to stand and strive together for the gospel?
2. According to Philippians 2:2-4, what actions and attitudes work against unity, and what actions help believers care for one another? [49:10]
3. What examples are given of how a church can respond when someone is suffering, under pressure, or has fallen into sin? [54:23]
4. In Philippians 2:6-11, what did Jesus choose to do even though He was fully God, and what did the Father do afterward? [01:22:24]

Interpretation questions

1. Paul connects living worthy of the gospel with standing together in one spirit. Why does division in the church distract from the mission of sharing Jesus? [55:03]
2. Paul says that gifts, knowledge, faith, and sacrifice mean nothing without love. What does this show about the kind of love God wants believers to have for one another? [56:52]
3. Philippians 2 warns against selfish ambition but does not say that every dream, career goal, or business idea is wrong. How can a believer tell when a good desire is beginning to compete with God’s purpose? [01:03:47]
4. Jesus took the position of a servant and obeyed the Father all the way to the cross. What does His example teach about humility when obedience costs someone comfort, recognition, or control? [01:25:53]

Application questions

1. Is there a disagreement, hurt, or tension with another believer that you have allowed to remain unresolved? What would it look like to take a loving step toward peace instead of avoiding it or talking about it with others? [53:37]
2. When someone in the church is struggling, what is your normal response: move toward them, stay distant, or talk about their situation with others? What is one practical way you could help carry someone’s burden this week? [54:23]
3. Think about your work, finances, home, abilities, relationships, or time. Where might God be inviting you to move from asking, “What can I get out of this?” to asking, “Who can I bless?” [01:17:41]
4. Is there a dream or plan you have been holding tightly? Have you honestly asked God, “Is this Your will for my life?” What might surrender look like if His answer redirects you? [01:07:52]
5. Jesus cared for people who were inconvenient, needy, and rejected. Who is one person you tend to overlook or find difficult to serve, and what could Christlike love look like toward that person? [01:29:27]
6. In what area of daily life—not only on Sunday—do you most need to pray, “Father, not my will, but Your will be done”? What specific choice could reflect that prayer this week? [01:26:32]
7. Jesus Christ is Lord, and every knee will bow before Him. Have you willingly trusted and submitted your life to Him? If you have, how can that confession shape the way you live this week? [01:32:42]