Title: Are You Remembered?
Text: Phil 1:3-7

Memory is a funny thing isn't it? I got to thinking about that as I started was preparing this message. When we get older we begin to worry about our memory. I'm always forgetting things I'm suppose to do - write this letter, make this call. I'm also always forgetting where I put things mostly my keys and my glasses. I usually excuse it, or make excuse for it by saying I'm getting old and forgetful. I know from conversations that some of you are the same way. Sometimes we can't remember what happened yesterday, but remember great detail about things that happened years ago.

And I've noticed that sometimes what we remember isn't what someone else remembers about the same thing. When my mother visits we often talk about things from the past and she'll sometimes tell about something and I think that's not the way I remember it at all, she's getting older and more forgetful because I know I remember it exactly the way it happened. But you know sometimes what we remember doesn't match the facts. As we get older we worry about that more. What I realized was when I was young I forget things all the time too, I just didn't worry about it so much.

Sometimes it's that way we people we meet we want to remember them but we often forget. I think about people I have met over the years some I have very clear memory of and some I don't. I was thinking about a seminary friend the other day and for the life of me I couldn't remember his name. He was a big guy who worked with us and I knew we called him "big something" but couldn't remember until I was putting this sermon together and I remember he was big Al, but can't remember any more. Big Al who? On the other hand, have you ever met someone you would love to forget - but can't because of something they did or said that was hurtful or obnoxious or something to that effect.

How do people remember you? When they remember you do they thank God? Paul said he thanked God every time he remembered the believers at Philippi. Why did he have a special place in his memory for these believers?

First in verse 4 he is thankful for their participation in the gospel. The word translated participation is a word you're familiar with. It's the word koinonia it's most often translated fellowship.

As Baptist we think fellowship is a synonym for eat. Say fellowship and we break out the spoons and forks. Paul's use of the word here helps us gain a more complete understanding of fellowship. It comes from a verb which means "to have in common with." It's use in the New Testament defines the Christian corporate life and mutual belonging which grows out of the common participation or involvement in the life of Christ and His blessings. This is that abiding Jesus talks about John 15:4 You abide in me and I abide in you. It's the "In Christ" relationship Paul so often wrote of we are in Christ and at the same time Christ is in us. We are in fellowship with Him, and that mutual sharing of faith brings us into fellowship with one another. We participate together in Christ.

How did they participate? How do we participate? Some people have understood this to be a specific reference to the recent offering given by the Philippian church, but the gift was only one expression of their participation and it's more likely Paul's meaning is much broader than just this one expression since he mentions that their participation began from the first day, or from the birth of the church, before any such offerings were made they were in fellowship. This includes all manifestations of that fellowship.

That means the very first way they participated was through the hearing and acceptance of the gospel message Paul brought concerning salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in Eph 2:13-16, 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both {groups into} one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, {which is} the Law of commandments {contained} in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, {thus} establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. In Rom 12:5 he wrote. so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (NAS) That's koinonea, that's participation in the gospel by becoming a part of the body of Christ.

Participation is an ongoing process. They participated Paul said from the first day until now. Fellowship is not a one time experience it is a daily experience. It is a daily encounter with the risen Christ. It is also a corporate experience.

We always stress the individual nature of salvation. Salvation is something which takes place individually. No one can believe or repent or confess for someone else. It is a personal encounter with God. Because it is personal, however, doesn't mean it is private. There is a distinction. When someone says their faith is a private matter between them and God, or that faith in general is a private matter they are not talking about biblical faith. The Christian faith, the faith explained in the Bible is one of koinonia, one of participation, one of sharing.

Paul explains the Philippian church share in the defense of and confirmation the gospel with Paul. What does Paul mean by defense of the gospel? We have talked about this before. The word translated defense is the word apologia from which we get apologetics. It's root meaning is to defend, to make reply, to give an answer, to legally defend oneself.

Christianity is a world view that asserts some very precise facts such as, the cosmos is not eternal, that a creator exists, that sin has separated the creation from the creator, that He choose a people and revealed Himself to them, worked miracles among them, incarnated Himself at a particular place at a precise time, as a particular Jewish individual Jesus, that Jesus was Messiah, fulfilled the prophecies, died on the cross, and arose from the dead. These are facts that can be substantiated, the substantiation of these facts is a defense.

So when the Bible says by grace are you saved through faith, that faith is neither unreasonable nor illogical, but is based on factual reality that can be defended.

Don't misunderstand, everything about our faith is factual, it's based on fact. But some things must be accepted by faith, but because of the facts we do have, that faith is reasonable.

Here's what I mean. I accept by faith that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I don't have factual proof of that i.e. I don't have a receipt or a ticket or anything like that which says my sins are forgiven. There are other facts, however, such as the eye witness accounts of His miracles, His resurrection, the facts of His fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament to such a degree as we have seen before would be statistically impossible for any person. Because I have those facts, which are provable I can have faith that is reasonable and logical that other statements based on those facts are true as well.

While Christian Apologetics has developed into a vocational discipline it still is the responsibility of all believers to participate in this defense. Peter wrote in 1 Pet 3:15. "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always {being} ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;" (NAS)

Paul also mentions their participation in confirming the gospel. How did they confirm the gospel? Through changed lives. The gospel has an impact on the lives it touches, that's why Jesus talked about it as being born again. Paul talks about being new creation, a new man, having a new self. Jesus accepts you just the way you are, but He never leaves you that way. The truth of the gospel is confirmed in the change lives of those who participate.

When Paul preached the gospel he couple point to the Philippian believes as say look at the difference Jesus Christ makes. They're out telling people about Jesus bringing them into the church, even giving their money to help me spread the good news in other places. They are participating.

Koinonia manifests itself in many ways, through going and giving and serving, encouraging, through praying, studying, teaching and disciplining, defending and confirming.

The good work referred to is the salvation begun at their conversion. It was God who produced their transformed lives through regeneration. So when he rejoices at the memory of the evidences of their spiritual transformation and growth his confidence doesn't rest ultimately with the Philippians themselves but with God who was at work in them preserving and enabling them to reach the goal. God not only initiates salvation, but continues it and guarantees its ultimate completion.

Our best efforts to reshape our lives at the most are only cosmetic. To bring about true and sustained change we must deal with the real issue and that is sin. Sin can only be dealt with and atoned for through the blood of Christ. Without the shedding of blood the Bible says there is no remission of sin. Without remission of sin there is no real change and there is no participation.

Our confidence is not in our ability to change, but God's ability to cleanse. The Bible says in I Jn 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NAS) Have you been cleansed by His blood? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

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