How to survive the new school year pt.2

Read Philippians 1:28 “and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.”

Intro

Good morning

students.

The first week of school

or second

for some of you

is done.

How was it?

Was it good?

Bad?

If it was good (raise your hand).

If it was bad or mid (raise your hand).

I pray

that God continues

to be with you

at school.

Now

I want to share

one of my favorite things

to watch

with you.

And it’s a movie

called Cast Away. (cast away pic)

It’s about a man

who gets into a plane crash

in the middle of the ocean

gets to an abandoned island

and tries to survive

and return

home.

It really gave me a love

for survival shows.

Surviving in a forest

or desert

to me are

very interesting to watch.

What would I do

if I was stranded

and had to survive.

But what’s crazier

is when

it’s no longer

a movie

or a TV show

but real.

Last year

in 2023

4 children

were in a plane accident

that landed in the Amazon

that killed

their mother

and pilots

with just the children

left.

Now The amazon jungle

is filled

with snakes (snake pic)

jaguars (jaguar pic)

and many venemous

insects.

And somehow

after 40 days

the 4 kids

survived.

This (survival pic)

is a picture

of the 4 kids who survived:

aged

13

9

4

and 1.

The question

is how?

These kids were part of the Huitoto tribe

who learned

to hunt

fish

and gather

at an early age.

They would even play

‘survival games’

as kids

setting up

little camps.

They knew

which fruits

were poisonous

and they knew

how to make a shelter.

Imagine if for Friday night

or Wednesday night

for our game

we did a survival game

in the woods.

Now even though

they were in the deepest part of the jungle

that was very dark

because of the density of the trees

the threat of predators

and intense rainstorms

they survived

for 40 days

until they were rescued.

Students

life

is a dangerous jungle

filled with temptations

that we are to survive in.

And the only way to survive

life

and to survive

the new

school year

is by being prepared

and trained

at an early age

like the Huitoto children

who survived

the Amazon jungle.

1. Be ________ in God’s love (v.28)

1. Be fearless in God’s love (v.28)

There was a survey

done of the most common fears

in Americans.

What do you think was at the top? (ask)

So here are the five: (could use picture for each)

Corrupt government officials

Economic collapse

Russia using nuclear weapons

US being a part of WW3

People I love becoming seriously ill

Does anyone know

what is common

in all of them

except #2?

It’s other people.

4 out of 5

of these

have to do with fear

of the actions

of other people!

But look at v.28, Philippians 1:28

Philippians 1:28 (ESV)

and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

’and not frightened in anything by your opponents’.

Paul wants to see

the church

be fearless

of your opponents.

Yes literally

the ops

because it says

your opponents.

Don’t fear

the ops

God’s Word is saying.

Don’t ever think

the Bible is not relevant

students.

The Bible

is the most

relevant

thing

to exist.

It has been relevant

thousands of years ago

and will be

millions of years

into the future.

Now don’t go out

and start picking fights

with your enemies

at school

just because.

I remember

when I was in middle school

I wanted to prove

that I was no coward.

So at a full lunch table

I was getting into a heated conversation

with another guy

and I ended up slapping him hard

in the face.

And everyone watching

gasped

and said ohhh.

That was so stupid.

Don’t do that students.

Don’t do things

just to impress others.

But the fearlessness

Paul

is talking about

is the opposition

to your Christian faith.

When people

treat you badly

because you are a Christian.

If someone is treating you badly

because you are being foolish

that’s not

covered

in the Christian insurance policy.

Yes

God works all things

for good

absolutely.

But you will definitely

face some discipline

from your heavenly Father

if you act foolishly

so that you grow up

and stop

acting

sinfully.

But what Paul

is talking about here

is when people mock you

for your

Christian

faith.

You see

back

when Paul

wrote

this

Christians

recieved severe consequences

for their faith.

They would lose

their jobs

and even

lose

their lives

for believing

in Jesus.

Now today

in America

you’re not

gonna lose

your life

for believing

in Jesus.

In Afghanistan

you would

for example.

But not

here.

But it doesn’t

mean

there are zero

consequences

for believing

in Jesus.

For example

I remember

in my senior year

at university.

For an elective

I took an anime class.

any anime fans in here?

if not

dont worry

noah will put you on it.

And it was really cool.

Really fun.

And I put more effort

into my assignments

and presentation

compared

to the other

students.

But I also wasn’t

ashamed

to mention my faith in Jesus

in my assignments

or presentations.

And you know

what the grade I recieved

from my professor?

a B+.

I saw students

who barely did any work.

Present vanila

standard work.

And got As.

And I know

it was because

I believed

in Jesus.

Things like

that.

May not

be as

harmful

as losing your life.

But over time

these small

passive agressive

things.

Become discouraging

over time.

Just small phrases

that you hear

over

and over

over months

and years,

‘Christianity is a waste of time.

The Bible is just a bunch of legends.

Being made fun of

for not doing

the same

sinful activities

others do.

And over time

makes you

just wanna

not

be Christian

for a day

and just fit in.

So what do you do?

The Word of God

says

be fearless.

When you are being opposed

for your faith

don’t

be afraid.

But how?

How do you be fearless?

It’s way easier

said

than done.

The answer

is in 1 John

1 John 4:16 (ESV)

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

The answer students

is to believe

that the love

that God

has for us, Christians.

Now,

many people

love

this verse.

Even non-Christians.

They will say

God is love

so that means God

accepts sinful behavior too

like homosexual relationships. (lgbt flag)

But that

is not

the love

the Bible is talking about.

So what is

the love

the Bible

talks about?

Can we read this together?

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The most famous

Christian verse.

God shows

His

love

on the cross. (cross pic)

The Love of the Bible

is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Laying down his comfort

even suffer

to bless you

with eternal life.

Do you believe

in the work of love

Jesus did on the cross?

If no

then fear

will always

be a part

of your

life.

But if yes

then this is the beginning

of how

you can be fearless.

1 John 4:16–17 (ESV)

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

If you believe

in the love of God

that he showed

on the cross

then you must also

be consistent

and abide

which means to stay

in God.

Now why

is abiding

and staying

so important?

It’s important

because

we stray.

We get distracted.

We get lost.

When we went to Hershey Park

this past summer.

Everyone

was straying.

One moment I see

you guys

and the next moment

y’all are gone!

Like magic!

I mean

even adults

were losing each other.

Because

there’s so much

to see

and do.

And sometimes

you can’t help

but take a look.

But that leads

you to lose sight

of the main thing

being together.

So if

we stray

in an amusement park

how much more

can we stray

in life.

With all the temptations

that come

your way.

In person

or online.

And then we forget

that God

loves

us.

So what do we do?

How do we deal

with our problem

of straying

and wandering?

How

do we stay in God?

As we talked about

last week:

consistent

bible reading

and prayer.

When you pray

and read the Bible

every

day

then

you are reminded

and you remember

God’s

love

for you.

And then

1 John 4:18 (ESV)

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Can everyone say ‘there is no fear in love’ together with me?

God’s love

is what makes you

fearless.

If you want to be fearless of your enemies

and survive

the new school year

you must

have

the love of God,

believe

in the love of God

on the cross

and then you must

stay

in God’s love.

2. Remember God is your _________ (v.28)

2. Remember God is your bodyguard (v.28)

Let’s look at the rest

of v.28

‘which to them is a proof of perdition,

Let’s also look the ESV translation

Philippians 1:28 (ESV)

This is a clear sign to them of their destruction,

What Paul is saying

is that when you are fearless

when your ops

are persecuting you

being mean

treating you unfairly

because of your faith

in Jesus

that it is a sign

that God

will destroy them.

Now

does this mean

when people are making fun

of your faith

that you’re supposed

to then respond

with, ‘God is going to destroy you!’

No.

Because

of the next phrase

Philippians 1:28 (ESV)

This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation,

When you are fearless

for Jesus

not only

does it show

that your enemies

will be destroyed

but also

that you are saved.

How?

In a way

you become the dividing line

between the faithful

and the faithless.

Has anyone here

ever had COVID?

If so raise your hand.

As you know

I had COVID

when I went on mission

to Montana.

But I didn’t actually find out

until

I took a COVID test.

Until

a Christian

is fearless

in face of opposition

people won’t really find out

whether they are a believer

or unbeliever.

Because a fearlessness

for Jesus

makes everything clear.

If you are being hateful

to a Christian

for their faith

there is no clearer

evidence

that you are not

a Christian.

1 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV)

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Anyone who attacks the church

and the church

are the people

who believe in Jesus

God will destroy.

But on the other hand

those who are fearless for Jesus

are the clearest evidence

of those who are true Christians

and thus

will be saved.

But remember

you are saved

not because

of your fearlessness.

Salvation is not

something you earn.

But instead

salvation

is in faith alone

in Christ alone.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

How do we get salvation?

We receive it as a free gift

from God.

Who remembers what grace means?

Undeserved favor.

We don’t deserve it

and yet God

graciously gives it to you.

That’s why

it’s faith

not works.

If you had to earn your salvation

then it’s not grace anymore.

It’s wages.

It’s your payment

that you receive

for working

your part-time

job

after school.

But thankfully

it’s by grace

through

faith.

That’s why v.28

ends

with

Philippians 1:28 (ESV)

and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

Salvation

comes from God

and God

alone.

Not us

or

our good deeds.

God will destroy

those who have harmed you

on the final day

and will save you

for eternity.

What do we call

someone who beats up

those who hurt you

and protects you

from harm?

We call that a bodyguard!

A lot of bear videos

hav been coming up in my YouTube feed.

Now bears are not usually dangerous.

But they are guaranteed

to be dangerous

and attack you

if you get near

its cubs.

Psalm 18:2–3 (ESV)

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

What does the Psalm say?

The Lord is my rock

my fortress

my deliverer

my refuge

my shield

horn of my salvation

my stronghold.

I call

upon the Lord

who is worthy to be praised

and I am saved from my enemies.

Students God is not a bad bodyguard

but the best

bodyguard

and protection

in the world.

Now this doesn’t mean

you are untouchable

and people

can’t harm you

at all.

But ultimately

in the end

on judgement day

God will save you

and destroy

those who refuse

to believe in Jesus

and have hurt

his children.

So remember

as you endure

the long

road

of school

survive

by remembering

that God is your bodyguard

and that He protects you.

Gospel/conclusion

Because a world

filled with people who endure

and can survive

is a world God designed.