INTRODUCTION
A. Book of Philippians
1. Paul in Chains – realized that his chains were for the ‘defense of the gospel’
B. Introduction Thus Far
1. Paul’s testimony was causing others to “Preach”
a. Good Motives out of “Love”
b. Poor Motives out of “Insincerity, Selfish Ambition, Trouble”
2. Paul reminded us that we must “Choose Our Master”
a. 1.21 ‘to live is Christ’…
3. As Christians, we are to Produce Fruit for the growth and joy of other’s Faith!
a. 22) – His Testimony mean “Fruit of Labor”
b. 24) – Fruit of Labor for “your progress & joy in the faith”
c. 25) – So your “joy in Christ will overflow”
d. 25) - on “account of me!”
C. Today we see that the church was also experiencing persecution from Paul’s chains and are Reminded…
1. Ministry is NOT EASY
2. Differences from personalities, styles, preferences, etc.
3. Leadership has its cost!
ILLUSTRATION: Children’s Ministry
a. Renovations to Prepare for Our Children & Those to Come!
b. Already – Decorations (Everyone has a way – none are wrong!)
c. Parents – Differences in programs, children, raising etc.
d. Can be as a “chain”
3 CALLS TO “STAND” AS CHRIST!
1. Stand FIRM [Vs. 27]
2. Stand as FAITH [Vs. 27-28]
3. Stand with PRIDE – You Represent Christ [Vs. 29-30]
D. READ Philippians 1:27-30
I. STAND FIRM [Vs. 27a]
A. ‘conduct’ yourselves’
1. GRK = Actually 2 words ‘conduct (imp. Your) citizenship’
Mean: ‘to behave properly as a “citizen”’
a. Philippi - a Roman colony - culture - extremely proud of heritage
1. “Roman Citizenship” – Paul commends that.
2. Our pride - an American Citizen!)
b. But also ‘citizens of another kingdom’ – heaven!
- remainder of the phrase “worthy of the gospel”
- He later writes in PHIL 3:20
2. Main Thought = one’s “conversation”
a. While literal meaning is a lifestyle, that’s not the thought!
- the actual suffering was that of ‘conversation’.
b. The suffering not of physical type but of - tongue
c. READ 1.17
d. Paul is saying – YOU BE DIFFERENT!
e. READ EPH 4.22-24
We are not to BEHAVE AS OTHERS DO!
B. “Then I WILL KNOW”
27b) “I will KNOW” – that you –‘STAND FIRM’
1. “stand firm” in one Spirit
a. READ 1 Cor 16.13
2. “contending as one man”
a. ‘contending’ = “Striving” – Describes an “ongoing process”
b. ‘one man’ = “Side by Side” –
ILLUSTRATION: “Lord We Praise You Now” – ‘though as many, now we come to worship You as one!’
APPLICATION:
1. Stand FIRM IN ONE SPIRIT (God is in control)
2. SIDE BY SIDE (in full armor!)
3. God has a PLAN, PURPOSE, and HAS PROMISED!
II. STAND IN FAITH [Vs. 28]
Paul has reminded them to STAND FIRM & AS ONE and he now shows that to make this stand, one must STAND BASED ON ‘FAITH’.
READ 27b ‘stand firm’, – now READ 28
A. ‘stand (28)’ “without being frightened”
1. Who is GOD TO YOU?
I think Paul is reminding the church who is in control!
2. READ PHIL 4.19 - Question is “DO YOU BELIEVE IT?”
SUMMARY: Who Is In Control – Your CHAIN OR GOD?
Who are we giving the attention to when we allow our worries, struggles, or persecutions to control our thoughts & actions! HOW BIG ISYOUR GOD?
ILLUSTRATION: BLACK BART– Western Movie surrounding BLACK BART
(listen to this excert) - HE was a Western OUTLAW in the late 1800s. His name stirred fear as He terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line for thirteen years, roaring like a tornado in and out of the Sierra Nevadas, spooking the most rugged frontiersmen. He would rob the stage line, wearing a hooded mask, pointing a gun, and leaving a poem.
During his reign of terror between 1875 and 1883, he is credited with stealing the bags and the breath away from twenty-nine different stagecoach crews. And he did it all without firing a shot. No victim ever saw him & no artist ever sketched his features. No sheriff could ever track his trail. He never fired a shot or took a hostage.
What finally gave him away was a mistake of leaving his handkerchief at one of the robberies and it was traced back to a laundry service in San Francisco. When the hood came off, there was actually nothing to fear. They didn’t find a bloodthirsty bandit from Death Valley, they found a mild-mannered mining engineer from Decatur, Illinois.
The man the papers pictured storming through the mountains on horseback was, in reality, so afraid of horses he rode to and from his robberies in a buggy. He was Charles E. Boles—the bandit who never once fired a shot, because he never once loaded his gun.
BLACK BART was not dangerous at all. All they had to do was put their finger in his gun and tell him to SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP! Maybe we out to STAND FIRM AND IN FAITH (knowing God is in control) tell SATAN to SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!
Don’t allow the “CHAIN” in life/ministry to be BIGGER THAN OUR GOD!
SUMMARY:
1. 28b (notice again) last part - ’this is a sign…” & ‘THAT BY GOD’
a. Your Stand in FIRMNESS
b. Your Stand in Boldness
c. Your Stand in FAITH
d. is a sign that YOU are OF GOD!
2. THEN – ‘you will be saved’ - & by GOD and ALL WILL KNOW!
III. STAND WITH PRIDE – YOU REPRESENT CHRIST! [Vs. 29-30]
READ 29-30
In closing his INTRO, he reminded them that SUFFERING PRODUCES PERFECTION! Don’t be ashamed of it – It’s not punishment – It’s Perfection! We treat our “chains” as punishment, but it’s not.
A. [30] NIV- ‘struggle’ / KVJ - ‘conflict’
1. GRK = ‘ag-one’ - ‘an assembly to celebrate games’
(arena for Olympic games in their culture was very big)
Races – mainly chariot races with thousands of lookers watching race!
2. Paul (from his Roman Heritage) has many times compared the races & arena to the Christian life
2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
3. And ‘assembly’ + ‘race’ + ‘WITNESSES’
a. Thousands of witnesses watching the race
b. Paul reminds us that there are others watching our race to THE DEFEND OF THE GOSPEL!! 1.12
c. We must not concentrate on those who strive to ‘stir up trouble’ (1.17), but on those who are cheering us on! (including God!)
Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
B. APPLICATION – Apply this is SO IMPORTANT!
1. 29] granted the privilege of believing in Christ.
2. 29] granted also the “privilege” of suffering for Christ as well.
3. We are reminded that we are in a struggle – a contest and how we respond to any struggle in ministry will be seen by many witnesses (INCLUDING GOD!)
4. READ – 1 PETER 5:8-10
ILLUSTRATION: A HEART FOCUSED ON GOD
Warren Wiersbe wrote a book called “Victorious Christian” about a woman named Fanny Crosby. Crosby was the author of over 8000 songs including several that we sang today.
At 6 weeks of age Fanny Crosby developed a minor eye inflammation and was taken to a local doctor for treatment. However, the doctor who treated her used the wrong medicine on her eyes and she became totally and permanently blind because of his carelessness.
Interviewed years later, Fanny Crosby said she harbored no bitterness against the physician. In fact, she once said, "If I could meet him now, I would say thank you, over and over again for making me blind." She felt that her blindness was a gift from God to help her write the hymns that flowed from her pen.
How could Fanny Crosby, blinded by a tragic failure of a careless doctor –still be filled with such joy and power in her songs? Because she kept her heart focused on God.
She looked up toward God rather than around at her disability and weaknesses.
As with Paul in Ph. 4:19, she was convinced that she could do all things through Christ who gave her strength.
SUMMARY
1. Stand Firm
2. Stand in Faith
Contend in the Spirit Striving to Be AS ONE
3. Stand in Pride Knowing God is In Control!
And the “Chains” – THAT’S GROWTH! THAT’S PERFECTION – THAT PREPARATION –NOT WOE IS ME!
Call on the WITNESSES – THOSE CHEERING YOU ON AND STAND TOGETHER AS ONE! And God, WHO IS ABILE, will after He has taught what He desires to teach will RE-ENERGIZE YOU!
Allow that STAND to show those that are troublemakers, that God is on YOUR side!
STAND FIRM
STAND IN THE FAITH
STAND IN PRIDE
