Friendly Fire Isn't

Pat Tillman Story

Pat Tillman was a NFL player, but after 911 he left the NFL to Join the Army in 2002. He became a Ranger and served several tours in the Middle East. His last was to Afghanistan where he died on April 22, 2004. His platoon split up because a Humvee broke down and part of the platoon stayed back to get it removed. Tillman’s was with the forward group and when the rear group was ambushed, they set up to cover their escape. the Second group mistook the first for the enemy and fired on them killing Tillman.

Pat Tillman died because his platoon were not on the same page. There did not effectively communicate with each other.

Friendly fire happens in the Church

Believers in the Church not on the same page and who don’t communicate with each other risk falling into a friendly fire incident.

One person or group thinks the Church should focus more on the homeless, or on the Children and pretty soon you have a firefight.

In Paul touches on how our relationship with one another should look.

Philippians 2:1 NASB95

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

We have to see what the therefore is there for.

Philippians 1:27–30 NASB95

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 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. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Philippians 1:27

Now we can look at Chapter 2:

Philippians 2:1–2 NASB95

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Philippians 2:1-

Can you hear the passion in his plea?

Our Purpose: Reach unchurched bikers with the message of real freedom in Jesus.

How do we accomplish our purpose?

Rea

Philippians 2:

Philippians 2:3–4 NASB95

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Synergistic effect.

But there has to be effective leadership:

Unity of Command.

In the home, that is the parent unit.

In the Church, it is none other than the person of Jesus.

Every great leader shares two common traits.

1. They are, or were great followers.

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2. They lead by example.

Philippians 2:5-

Philippians 2:5–8 NASB95

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The question is not weather you will confess Him as Lord.

Philippians 2:9-

Philippians 2:9–11 NASB95

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The question is will you follow Him?

Following Christ requires a repentant heart and a repentant heart results in repentant actions.

Close with a story of what repentance looks like.

Alfred Nobel: He was the Swedish inventor of dynamite among other things and by the time he was 80 he owned more than 100 factories that produced munitions and explosives. He was worth todays equivalent of about 262 Million Dollars.

In 1888 his brother Ludwig died, but at least one paper reported that it was Alfred that had passed. Their obituary called him the “The Merchant of Death” and reported that he had gotten rich by inventing new ways to mutilate and kill.

He changed his will and gave the vast majority of his wealth to award annual prizes in the advancement of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and the advancement of peace.