1. Today, we continue our April series, Living In the Light of Easter,” by examining the second I am of our identity, as Neil T. Anderson says, in Christ, “ I am secure in Christ.”
2. Last week we looked at being accepted in Christ. And we are accepted on the basis of our faith and trust in Christ alone not on the basis of what we can do, what laws or regulations we can or cannot keep, or anything else. We are made acceptable to Christ solely as Paul says in Romans 5:1, by faith in Christ.
3. Now I have asked two questions so far in this series. A. Who are you? B. How are we made acceptable to God? Today, I ask a third question “What is your source of security?”
4. Last Sunday I watched an episode of The American Experience on PBS that featured a history of one of our nation’s most powerful families of another generation – the Rockefellers of New York. The patriarch of the family, John D., became one of, if not the most powerful and richest men in America 100 years ago through his company, Standard Oil. In fact, Standard Oil became so powerful that in 1911 our Supreme Court considered it a monopoly and forced it to be broken up.
5. One of the interesting stories concerned the grandchildren of John D, who became collectively known as “the cousins.” Many of the cousins became of age in the 1960’s when, as some of here remembers, people of wealth became targets of social radicals. The Rockefeller’s, because of their high profile and influence became targets. And this caused several of “the cousins,” especially the girls, to want to rid themselves of the Rockefeller name to avoid being targeted. As I reflected on that part of the story in preparation for today it made me realize that the strength, the security of a family name was becoming a liability.
6. Wealth today is still a source of security for many. But, what are other sources of security? (Ask the congregation)
7. If we are followers of Jesus Christ, seeking to live for Him anywhere and everywhere we go, then He must become our source of security. We must find in Him a security that is unshakable no matter what. Because one of the ways that we must learn to live in the light of Easter is by living in the security of God.
8. Our main verse for today, Philippians 1:6 speaks God’s security for us because of His ability, and our confidence in His ability, to complete the good work of salvation that God began in us when we accepted Christ into our lives.
9. I want us to notice the following phrases in this verse:
a. I am sure that God. Paul is writing to the Christians in the city of Philippi. Philippi was the first church established on the European continent by Paul. It is located in what is now the country of Greece. Paul deeply loved the Philippian church and their faithfulness to God brought joy to Paul as heard and read of their faithful ministry. So at the very beginning of this letter, Paul makes an important statement that God will continue to be their source of strength and security because God is going to finish the good work of redemption in the lives that He started. Paul does not doubt for a moment that God will not complete the work He started. He will finish it! His confidence and security, and that of the Philippian believers as well, is in Christ.
b. God . . . began the good work in you. Paul makes it clear that this good work of redemption is God’s doing, not Paul’s, nor theirs. I am reminded of the conversation that took place between Thomas Aquinas, a prominent Catholic theologian of the past, and Pope Innocent II. The Pope was counting a large sum of money from the Vatican treasury and as he did so, he turned to Aquinas and noted that the church no longer needed to say, “Silver and gold have I none.” To which Aquinas replied, “True, Holy Father, but neither can the church any longer say, “rise up and walk.” This good work of God is not about the church and all of its programs. It is about the God of the church. Churches come and churches go. Programs come and programs go. Pastors come and pastors go. God stays around. Have we forgotten this? The security we so deeply desire comes from a relationship with God that should be nurtured by the church but so often seems to be stifled or replaced by the church instead. Paul realizes this as we read the opening verse of chapter 2. “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic?” What should be the answer to these questions? YES!!! But it comes as we remember that this is due to God’s work in our lives that He began.
c. Finally we notice that Paul says, “God will continue His work until it is finally finished.” The Christian group the Imperials recorded one of my favorite songs over 20 years ago. It is called, “He Didn’t Lift Us Up To Let Us Down.” “He didn’t bring us this far to leave us. He didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown. He didn’t build His home in us to move away. He didn’t lift us up to let us down. There are some promises in a letter written, a long, long time ago. They’re not getting older they’re getting better. Because he still wants us to know. Never use the word defeat. Claim His promises, everyone one of them. Every spoken word He’ll hear because we’re everything to Him!”
10. We’re everything to Him! Can you believe it? We matter to God! God has confidence in us because of what He has done and can do in us. We are not led on only to be abandoned! The phrase “I am sure” is rendered in other versions, as “I am confident!” Paul is confident of God’s continuing work in us! God is going to finish what He started in us. When we began this wonderful journey of faith and trust, God made a wholehearted commitment to help us complete it! He stands there rooting us on! He offers us His resources through the Holy Spirit to move forward with confidence. And we do so, only as we place our trust, our confidence, and our security in Him. Why on earth would we want to believe that God wants us to fail in our relationship with Him?
CONCLUSION:
The grandfather arrived late for the start of the game. He noticed that the score was already 10 to nothing. Gaining the attention of his grandchild, he asked, “Are you discouraged?” “No” came back the confident reply. “We haven’t been up to bat yet!”
Arrogance perhaps? Perhaps. Confidence and hope? For sure! As followers of Jesus Christ, we can confidently live in the light of Easter because we can live in the confidence of God to finish what He started in us the moment we said “yes” to Him!
In what or whom is your spiritual security placed? There is only one place that it can be and must be – in Christ who will complete the good work of salvation, love, hope, and grace that He started on Easter weekend. May we again this day find our security in Him. Amen.
