Unequally Yoked - part 11

April 16, 2006

The world calls this day Easter for a totally different reason than the saints and believers do.  For the world it presents a good shopping moment, eggs for Easter eggs, candy and the like for the Easter basket, Easter bunnies of all sorts, and a revitalization of ones clothing wardrobe.

I am here again today standing in this sanctuary in the role of the contra person, the one who is going against and standing in opposition to what we are told that we must do.  Here is the point, and here is where we must be focused; some may speak of a resurrection that is part of their folklore but there is no other major religion on this earth today that believes that their leader died rose again and lives.  To get to the point, 1 Corinthians 15:20 says;

1 Corinthians 15:20. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

This concluding statement is from a much larger statement, well let’s listen to it.  Amen

1 Corinthians 15:12-20. Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Paul’s approach is heads on and he puts it all on the line.  If Christ has not been raised then what we preach, teach, and our very faith is in vain (it is futile, unsuccessful of no value).

So what does this mean for us here today; the world’s view that sees this as an opportunity to increase revenue or God’s view that reminds me again that I must remember His Son and what He did?

There is another question that must be asked and answered.  Why are you preaching this, pastor?  And the answer is that I am still dealing with unequally yoked together.  I am convinced that it is more subtle and more present in us then we think and realize.  Our actions or reactions shows it, our involvement either here or somewhere else demonstrates it, our testimonies or lack there of is evidence of it.  Hear me well, the world has not given up on us and wants us back.  The world’s commission is also to make disciples!  And the world is doing everything in its power to accomplish this task and many of us don’t even realize it.  As Jesus said in the parable of the Sower the birds of the air are very busy (and I say especially on Sunday); the seed that fall by the wayside the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Jesus tells us that these are the ones by the wayside where the word (the seed) is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  My answer today is the same that we were reminded of on the first Sunday of this month, remember Jesus and learn of Him and learn from Him!

Listen to what the word of God says in Philippians; Philippians 2:9-11. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The word, therefore, means in consequence of or as a result of something.  Here it is applied to what is stated before verse 9 where verse 8 says; “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  Therefore God has highly exalted Him.  Part of the exaltation was God raising Him from the dead never to die again.  And Jesus also said it this way;

Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Matthew writes proclaiming Jesus as King and this statement establishes that, Jesus is King of all Kings.  The world wants to talk about super power nations, governments and individuals but I can say that Jesus is the true super power!

Brothers and Sisters, since Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth, then why do we rely on individuals, institution and other entities with less authority?  And will get upset when things don’t work out the right way.  We who follow the King of kings should know better.  We who can quote this passage from memory should apply it to our everyday lives.  Everything that this world threw at Jesus even death, He conquered it and did it well.  In order for me to live it I must believe it and that it applies to all of my life.

God bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, demons hate it and the world doesn’t want to hear it.  People are saved by this name, miracles happen by this name, the dead live by this name and we exist as a local fellowship because of this name.  For He said upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  That’s why the song writer can say that there is power in that name, peace in that name, protection in that name and salvation in that name.  Surely you can join with me New Hope and say; my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.  On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

This name is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  These words of honor are the same that God applies to Himself in Isaiah 45:22-23, listen;

Isaiah 45:22-23. “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’(every tongue confesses). 

One thing that will be confessed is that ‘He is Lord, He is Lord, He has risen from the dead and He is Lord, every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.’

There is another result, another therefore for the passage does not stop here and we must read on;

Philippians 2:12-16. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Here is our application and that application is obedience in the presence of the leadership and in the absence of the leadership.  How?  Give your own salvation a serious work-out and don’t play around but do this with fear and trembling.  You need to be in shape spiritually because it is God who is working in you, to do two things to will and to work for His good pleasure.  When I coached the track team two things that the sprinters would do when we had a hard workout planned, they would grumble or question and sometime they did both.  One thing they soon found out that this did not help the workout for them for in many cases that has to do more than what was planned because most sprinters are not multi-tasked in the area of grumbling, questioning and doing the workout.  That is to grumble and question they had to stop the workout and thus did not accomplish the task at hand.  Are we like that?  Sitting around grumbling and questioning our own salvation workout or did we really think that it’s just getting to church on Sunday and the remainder of the week its do my own thing.  The Christian is compared to the farmer, the soldier and the athlete and those three do not have the luxury of just sitting around doing sweet nothings.

This spiritual workout is not just for you to stand before the spiritual mirror and gaze at yourself but you are being prepared to go out into this world that I have been mentioning.  Did you hear it in the passage; Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights (where?) in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Do you see what we must do brothers and sisters?  If I really want to tackle this unevenly yoke situation then I must.  First remember Jesus and learn of and learn from Him from His incarnation, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, and the revelation of His coming again.  Second I must put to practice what I have learned, I must work out my salvation and let my little light shine in this part of the world where the Lord has me.  But there is a third; I must counteract the actions of the world.  As I said earlier the world has a commission to not only make disciples (students of the world) but to reduce its drop-out rate and increase its attendance.  You must contend for the faith and you must be willing to obey our commission listen to what Jesus said after He talks of His authority.

Matthew 28:18-20. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Brothers and Sisters, to make one you must be one.  To teach one, you must be a student first, yourself!  And you will never stop being a student. 

As an illustration the best keep secret is being a grandparent.  Grandparents don’t stop parenting or learning parenting skills but they do take on the added task of teaching someone else how to be a parent.  And they do this by learning how to learn skills and sharing skills.

In a loving way, New Hope, we must consider how to stir up love and good works in each of us.  It must get to the point that we just can’t rest well when we don’t see each other.  Not only must we pray for each other but we must see if the prayer has been answered.  Since we are all students, I have mentioned that we who can write should begin to write out our own testimony of how God has been good to each and everyone.  And this should be made available for others to read or hear about.

We can do this New Hope because our Jesus lives and because He lives, I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives all fear is gone.  And life is worth living because He lives. 

God bless and God keep you this Lord’s Day.

Let us pray!