WHATEVER . . . IT’S THE MISSION

“WHATEVER . . . IT’S THE MISSION   Philippians 1:12-18 Jun 28, 2009 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introduction  Read the text from Philippians 1:12-18 You’ll recall that the apostle Paul is writing this letter from a prison cell in Rome. He is assuring his dear friends and fellow believers in Philippi that he is okay. I’m in jail, but it’s okay—because the mission is moving forward. People are still hearing the gospel. Nothing else matters to Paul—nothing. Two great things are resulting from my imprisonment: the first is, the palace guard is hearing the gospel. These are the elite soldiers of the Roman army! I would never have even met them if I wasn’t under arrest! Praise God for my imprisonment! This contact was what we might call Paul’s Primary Influence. These are the people God has put in his life to influence for the gospel. The second influence—the indirect, collateral influence—is the fact that it is now evident to everyone that I am not a political or criminal prisoner—they understand I am under arrest for preaching the gospel—and it’s having a good effect. One of the good things is that the brothers in the church here in Rome are greatly encouraged, and are emboldened in their witness. When we step out in bold obedience to Christ we influence others not only in direct ways we can see, but countless others God sees. The Opponents of Paul: 1. The Jealous Believers – group of Christians who were proud, envious of Paul, and eager to kick him while he was down. These were not interested in preaching the gospel for the sake of honoring God, or helping others find salvation and deliverance. Their motive was selfish—to show themselves as successful, to prove they and their message were as good as or even better than Paul and his message. Philippians 1:15-17. 2. The Carnal Believers – Christians who were part of the Roman church, but who looked out only for their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. This group is negatively compared to Timothy, whom Paul describes as loyal co-worker who takes a genuine interest in the welfare of the fellowship of believers, and who has proved himself faithful, serving alongside Paul in the work of the gospel. (Philippians 2:20-22) 3.  The Militant Unbelievers – these non-Christians are described as “opposing” the believers, bringing to the believers suffering and struggles similar to what Paul had to endure. Because of these and their relentless attack, Paul urged the believing community to “stand firm in one spirit” and to “contend as one man for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27) These are individuals who busy themselves in attacking the faith of others, convinced they are crusaders for truth; but the apostle Paul says they will be destroyed. (Philippians 1:28-30) 4. The Heretical Judaizers – Part of the coterie of Jews who followed Paul around and attempted to speak against the gospel of grace, insisting that those who would trust in God for their salvation must obey the requirements of the Law, most notably, circumcision. They were a burr under Paul’s saddle everywhere he went, including even Rome. Paul very straightforwardly condemns them and their message of legalism. He warns the believers to watch out for these false teachers, calling them “dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.” (Philippians 3:2) 5. The final category includes all these classes of unbelievers, but is further described in chapter 3 as those who are Christ’s enemies, whose minds are fixed on earthly things, whose god is their appetites, whose glory is their own shame and whose destiny is destruction. Please notice the description of those who are called enemies of Christ (Philippians 3:17-18) Brothers and sisters in Christ, don’t be any of these. What is our “take-away” in this study? What can we as 21st century Christians take away from this passage in terms of our personal growth and kingdom improvement? Perhaps it is as simple as Perspective Adjustment. Two perspectives that are biblical, practical, healthy and mandatory for anyone who truly loves God and is grateful for his salvation in Christ. 1. The dissemination of the gospel is priority one. It is to be our “magnificent obsession”. Just as Paul measured everything in his life against how well he was contributing to the expansion of God’s kingdom through the clear and compelling preaching of the good news, so is it appropriate that we followers of Christ adopt a similar obsession. Ask yourself this question: Am I living for God’s purposes or mine? It will please God for His people to adopt a “continual awareness” of how our lives—our attitudes, actions and words—enhance or retard the gospel’s effectiveness in the lives of those around us. This continual awareness of the centrality of the gospel will also keep us alert to God’s Spirit. We need to keep our antennae tuned to His leading, because it is He who is constantly arranging divine appointments between us and others around us who need an encouraging, or even saving, word from us as God’s ambassadors of grace. May the Lord give you and me a heightened awareness of how the gospel is advancing in our own circles of influence. May He draw us into an ever more intimate relationship with Him so His Spirit’s promptings are clearly sensed and instantly obeyed. Might it not help you in your service to Christ as Lord and King of your life to be mindful moment by moment that the thing that most interests Him is how others are finding their way to Jesus through us? All that matters is this: Is the living Gospel of Jesus Christ being effectively delivered through me and my witness? That is the question, Paul insists, even if you are in jail. W…ITM! 2. Love is always the best motivation. A few years ago a Christian author wrote a compelling chapter in his book on the topic of the “water-level” of faith. It was targeted at pastors (who probably need most to hear this word) whom he urged to start seeing the growth of any church in a city or area as a blessing not just to that church, but also a blessing to the kingdom of God, to the city at large, and to him as a pastor of a neighboring church. He suggested that as water seeks its own level, the effect of kingdom growth in one church in a city will positively influence the kingdom in all the churches in that area. A pastor hears that a new family in town—the Jones’s—visited the church down the street, heard the gospel and were converted may be tempted to wish he had won that individual or family to Christ, so that his congregation would prosper. While on the surface that kind of desire doesn’t seem too bad, consider what is behind it. Behind that jealousy—and that’s what we should call it, because that’s what it is—there is a subtle deception. That deception whispers nuanced ideas like, growing my congregation is just as important, or maybe more important in my mind, than the thrilling notion that more lost people are now saved. Or if you listen carefully you might hear a complaint lodged against God: Why do they get all the good prospects, Lord? Ours is just as good a church as theirs—probably better! Sometimes insidious thoughts emerge: they’re just luring people in with gimmicks, or they don’t teach the Word as well as we do, What a shame they got saved in a church with inferior doctrine! Let me add another indictment. Somehow there must be some kind of law that says you shouldn’t bring this topic up, but what about sheep-stealing? Estimates from Church Growth statisticians concur that over 90% of reported growth in evangelical churches is only member transfer, including people who move to a new town and need to find a new church, and those who make it a habit to change churches every few months. This is demographic shift, not church growth; and it certainly isn’t kingdom expansion. Churches need a perspective adjustment, beginning with the leadership. It’s all God’s kingdom. Every life-giving, gospel preaching church is a part of God’s church, and Jesus is Lord of that church. Our proximity in the same area with other life-giving churches means one thing: we are in this thing together. And if the Jones’s get saved in my church or another Christian church, it is only cause for rejoicing, and it is no occasion for jealousy. I am burdened with an ongoing concern as the pastor of this congregation. It drives me to prayer and consecrated reflection on a regular basis. It baffles me, it worries me, it frustrates me and even at times depresses me. Very simply, it is this: why do we not see more people than we do accepting the grace of God in Jesus Christ? I ponder; I pray; I seek God’s wisdom; I wonder. Is the devil’s armory of deception so effective? Is that why there are so few responding to the gospel? Are the strongholds of materialism, hedonism, humanism and anti-Christian sentiment so strong that the gospel is no longer effective in American culture? Is sin so strong that it cannot find forgiveness? Have the blinders of disbelief been so firmly placed over the minds of unbelievers that they can no longer be lifted, so people can behold the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ? Are we believers in the church so disobedient and self-preoccupied that we don’t care any longer whether we share the gospel with others? Is the church that rebellious, that ignorant of or rebellious against the will of God? Or is the answer all of the above? Deeper still: is there not enough motivating love in the hearts of the believers here to compel them to share the gospel? I believe the gospel is still the answer for sinful people’s needs; I don’t think God has changed His strategy. I believe the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who will believe. I believe that the atoning death of Jesus on the cross is still what the Bible said it is—the only way to salvation and reconciliation with God. I believe that faith in the Lord Jesus, the confession of His Name and the acceptance of His forgiveness is the rock on which Jesus is building His church, and that the gates of hell will not prevail. Do you? I am confident that the purpose of God is to draw people to salvation through Jesus Christ. I believe the purpose of His church is to broadcast His offer of salvation to every man, woman and child within hearing. I know it is His perfect will that MECF, in league with other life-giving churches in this area, is to saturate the metro-east area with God’s good news that anyone who will trust Him can discover reconciliation and friendship with God through Jesus Christ; that they can find complete wholeness in Him; and they can find life-giving purpose in serving His Kingdom. And I know that love for God and people drives us. I don’t know if this church will grow to be several hundreds strong—and, frankly, I don’t care. Our efforts might continue to fill other churches – whatever—it’s the mission! As long as people are responding to the gospel! What I do care about is whether or not we are being faithful to His express will for us. Let me simply say, church, that it is time for each of us, and all of us, to consider again what God wants of us. Not what we might get from the church, not additional blessings we want from God, but what we should give to God. Can you selflessly say W…ITM ? If we read the scriptures, the answer is clear. His desire for us is two-fold: that out of love for God who saved us we should grow daily toward the image and character of Christ—not as some personal improvement strategy—but as a means to influencing others to entrust their lives to Him. Secondly, His uncomplicated will is that our love for Him will mirror His love for people and we will join Him in His big plan to make disciples of others. Will you make His purpose your purpose? In other words, will He be Lord in your life, or will you spend the rest of your God-given years on this planet in selfish pursuit of your own petty ambitions? Jesus said we ought to put our hands to the plow and not look back. There is an agenda being laid out for this church—an agenda of love & outreach composed by God. We are to seriously confront His call in our lives, and make decisions. It begins now. We are being called to pray, to humble ourselves before Him and to repent of our self-serving, self-rule, self-centeredness. God is calling His church to account. How shall we pray? I think we begin with James 3:7-10. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. I urge you in the Lord: • Pray that His love will fill your heart; that the Holy Spirit who bears the fruit of love will fill your life and motives • Pray that we see ourselves clearly and continually as God’s agents of disciple-making, driven and controlled by that love • Pray for that humility of heart that breaks through self- pre-occupation and the idolization of personal agendas • Pray repentance to God for any and all short-sightedness and disobedience that’s caused lethargy in serving Christ • Pray for personal and corporate revival—for the people of God to rise to a genuine level of devotion to His purposes • Pray that your perspective will become sanctified in Him so that you see everything through the lens of disciple-making • Pray that believers will be delivered from their fear of men, and emboldened like the Roman Christians to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly • Pray that believers will open their hearts to God and fully commit to His calling, instead of idols of television & leisure • Pray against the fear that you will not enjoy your life if you serve Him—that would be evidence that you neither love Him nor trust Him to satisfy your soul • Pray for people lost in the darkness of sin, hopeless without God in the world, will have devil-designed blinders removed • Pray that the strongholds of thought that stand against the knowledge of God in their minds will crumble and they will be enabled to understand God loves and welcomes them I recently read a work by Matt Woodley that inspired me in a quirky kind of way. In the summer of my 11th year of life, I learned the power and joy of surrender. It happened in Minnesota at the Edina community swimming pool high dive. For five summers I had watched—in admiration and terror—the big kids climb 35 steps into thin air, walk a long concrete diving board, and then jump into the cool water below. For a few agonizing seconds they disappeared in the deep end only to reemerge alive and whole, beaming with delight. I had long avoided the high dive. I wouldn't even come close to the deep end. But when my buddies—and even some girls—started plunging off the high dive, I knew I had to save face. Being uncool was worse than plunging to my certain death. On a humid day in July, with my stomach reeling and my knees wobbling, I climbed the 35 steps into thin air. As I walked out on the plank, everything within me said, You fool, turn around and climb back down. You can still live! But when I started to backpedal and looked over my shoulder, I saw the line of friends, older kids, and girls chuckling. I knew I must jump. Creeping to the edge of the plank, I looked over the edge, and I finally let go and jumped. Down I plunged, hitting the water like a stone, sinking lower and lower into my watery grave. So this is how they die, I thought. Some people hit the water and never come back up. They get sucked through a grate at the bottom of the pool and turned into chlorine. But then—surprise! I came up again, and I was alive! I was wet and dazed but utterly alive! I was not only alive, but transformed, liberated, and renewed. I shook my head of wet hair and laughed. I had let go of everything and lived to tell about it. I was more alive than ever. I had tasted the joy of surrender. Will you know the joy of surrender to God’s purpose for your life? Will you creep to the edge, muster your small faith and jump?     [Back to Top]