THE UNAVOIDABLE CONSEQUENCES WHEN FOLLOWING CHRIST
PHILIPPIANS 1:28-30 IN NO WAY ALARMED BY YOUR OPPONENTS—WHICH IS A SIGN OF DESTRUCTION FOR THEM, BUT OF SALVATION FOR YOU, AND THAT TOO, FROM GOD. 29 FOR TO YOU IT HAS BEEN GRANTED FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE IN HIM, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE, 30 EXPERIENCING THE SAME CONFLICT WHICH YOU SAW IN ME, AND NOW HEAR TO BE IN ME.
INTRODUCTION: AS WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES IN THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS, WE APPROACH THE END OF CHAPTER 1, AND IT IS HERE, THAT PAUL REVEALS TO US THAT THERE IS AN INEVITABLE PROCESS FOR FOLLOWING CHRIST. THOSE WHO SEEK TO SERVE THE LORD WITH THEIR WHOLE HEART CANNOT AVOID IT, AND ARE EXPECTED TO THRIVE THROUGH IT.
ILLUSTRATIONS: ONCE AS DONALD GREY BARNHOUSE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET OF A LARGE CITY ON THE WEST COAST, HE WITNESSED AN ACCIDENT A FEW YARDS AWAY INVOLVING A DRUNK DRIVER. ANOTHER MAN IN THE CAR PUSHED THE DRUNK ASIDE AND GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL HIMSELF. WHEN THE POLICEMEN CAME THE SOBER MAN BEGAN TO BERATE THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR, SAYING HE WAS AT FAULT. AT THIS POINT BARNHOUSE CAME FORWARD AND GAVE HIS TESTIMONY TO THE POLICEMEN. HE SAID, "I SAW WHAT HAPPENED. THIS DRUNK WAS THE MAN WHO WAS DRIVING; THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS FAULT, AND AFTER THE CRASH THIS MAN EXCHANGED PLACES WITH HIM." AS BARNHOUSE SAID THIS THE CROWD THAT HAD GATHERED AROUND THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT BEGAN TO GROWL: "WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE INTERFERING? LEAVE IT TO THE POLICE!" BARNHOUSE REPLIED THAT IT WAS NOT A MATTER OF INTRUSION, BUT OF RIGHT AND WRONG: "IF THIS MAN PERJURES HIMSELF IN COURT BY SAYING THAT IT WAS THE INNOCENT DRIVER'S FAULT, I WILL FLY TO THE WEST COAST FROM PHILADELPHIA AND WILL TESTIFY AGAINST HIM." AS HE WALKED AWAY THE CROWD YELLED OUT AFTER HIM AND CURSED. BARNHOUSE BELIEVED THAT A CHRISTIAN MUST STAND UP AND BE COUNTED WHENEVER THERE IS A CLEAR-CUT MORAL ISSUE. BUT HE ALSO KNEW THAT THE WORLD WILL HATE YOU FOR IT.
GOD DOES NOT WITNESS TO THE WORLD BY TAKING HIS PEOPLE OUT OF SUFFERING, BUT RATHER BY DEMONSTRATING HIS GRACE THOUGH THEM IN THE MIDST OF PAIN.
SAMUEL STORMS
I. OUR RESPONSE TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF FOLLOWING CHRIST – 1:28
a. KIND OF INTERESTING THAT PAUL GIVES US OUR RESPONSE BEFORE HE GIVES US THE CONSEQUENCES
b. THE IS THE PRINCIPLE OF BEING PROACTIVE AS OPPOSED TO BEING REACTIVE IN OUR WALK WITH THE LORD.
c. FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST CAN AND SHOULD BE PROACTIVE IN OUR WALK.
i. WE HAVE AN ABSOLUTE SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR US
1. THE BIBLE
2. THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD – EVERYTHING HE (GOD) WANTS US TO KNOW WHILE WE ARE LIMITED IN THIS WORLD.
ii. THE BIBLE PROVIDES THE ANSWERS TO EACH AND EVERY SITUATION WE CAN EVER COME ACROSS.
d. IN ORDER TO BE PROACTIVE, WE NEED TO DO THE FOLLOWING THINGS
i. DETERMINE WHAT TYPES OF SITUATIONS WE REGULARLY ENCOUNTER OR ANTICIPATE ENCOUNTERING.
ii. SEEK OUT WHAT THE BIBLE HAS TO SAY ABOUT OUR RESPONSE TO THOSE SITUATIONS.
iii. PRAYERFULLY DETERMINE TO MAKE GOD’S WAY OUR WAY OF RESPONDING
e. RESPOND BIBLICALLY WHEN THE SITUATION ARISES.
II. THE TRUTH BEHIND THOSE OBSERVING OUR CONSEQUENCES – 1:28
a. THERE RESPONSE IT HARSH.
i. SEE THAT FROM WHAT PAUL TELLS US WE SHOULD BE
ii. WE ARE NOT TO BE ALARMED – A PROACTIVE RESPONSE BY THE WAY
iii. IN FACT WE ARE TO BE CALM – AN “UNFLINCHING STEADFASTNESS”
b. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS CRUCIAL
i. IT IS A SIGN OF THEIR DESTRUCTION
ii. IT IS A SIGN OF OUR SALVATION
JOHN 3:16-18 "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 17 "FOR GOD DID NOT SEND THE SON INTO THE WORLD TO JUDGE THE WORLD, BUT THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE SAVED THROUGH HIM. 18 "HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM IS NOT JUDGED; HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE HAS BEEN JUDGED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HAS NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.
1. THEIR RESPONSE IS AN INDICATION OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
2. THEIR RESPONSE IS A SIGN OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
iii. NOTICE THAT BOTH THEIR STATE AND OUR STATE COME FROM GOD
1. EVEN IN PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING GOD IS STILL SOVEREIGN!
2. GOD BEING SOVEREIGN INDICATES
a. CONTROL
b. KNOWLEDGE
c. LOVE AND CONCERN
GOD GIVES US TWO GIFTS, SALVATION AND SUFFERING
1 THESSALONIANS 3:3 SO THAT NO ONE WOULD BE DISTURBED BY THESE AFFLICTIONS; FOR YOU YOURSELVES KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN DESTINED FOR THIS.
III. THE CONSEQUENCES WE CANNOT AVOID – 1:29-30
TO BELIEVE IN HIM
TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE
a. THESE CONSEQUENCES ARE BASED ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST AND OUT CONNECTION TO HIM
b. CHRIST IS THE GREATEST EXAMPLE OF SUFFERING AND PERSECUTION
i. CHRIST SUFFERED FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS
ii. CHRIST SUFFERED FOR WHAT IS RIGHT
c. CHRIST CAME FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN DARKNESS
i. CHRIST CAME AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
ii. LIGHT EXPOSES THINGS AND EXPOSED THEIR DEEDS.
iii. PEOPLE IN DARKNESS WANT TO STAY IN DARKNESS
iv. IT TAKES EFFORT TO COME OUT OF DARKNESS!
d. OUR SALVATION AND SUFFERING ARE GRANTED FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST
i. “GRANTED” COMES FROM THE ROOT WORD GRACE
1. UNMERITED FAVOR
ii. NOW WE HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH SEEING SALVATION AS AN ACT OF GRACE BY GOD ON OUR BEHALF
1. HEAVEN HAS TO BE FREE
2. MAN HAS SINNED
3. SINNED MUST BE JUDGED
4. CHRIST PAID THE PENALTY FOR OR SIN
5. WE RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE BY TRUSTING IN WHAT CHRIST DID FOR US ON THE CROSS – PAYING FOR OUR SINS.
iii. NOW IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO SEE SUFFERING/PERSECUTION IS ALSO A GRACE FROM GOD!
1. PERSECUTION IS A SIGN OF OUR SALVATION
2. PERSECUTION IS A SIGN OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED
a. OPPOSITION IS BASED ON OUR DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, NOT OUR SIMILARITY TO IT
3. WHEN A CHRISTIAN ENDURES THOSE TIMES OF SUFFERING SEVERAL THINGS HAPPEN
a. SHIFTS OUR EYES AWAY FROM EARTHLY COMFORTS – COMFORT IS A GLUE THAT HOLDS US FROM OVING FORWARD
b. SIFTS OUT THE FAKE BELIEVERS FROM THE GENUINE ONE
c. STRENGTHENS THE FAITH OF THOSE WHO ENDURE
d. SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE TO THOSE WHO FOLLOW
e. SHOWS THE EVIDENCE OF THE SUPERNATURAL WORK OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES
iv. WE ARE NOT ALONE
1. ALL WHO SERVE CHRIST WILL FACE PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING
2. PAUL FACED IT
3. THE PHILIPPIANS FACED IT
4. WE ARE AND WILL FACE IT ALSO
GODLY LIVING, GODLY MESSAGE, AND GODLY WARNING ARE NOT WELCOME IN THE WORLD WE LIVE IN TODAY.
