My Fellow Citizens

Citizenship - What is implied

USA - privileges (ASIDE, voting vs casting a ballot)

Christian, God’s kingdom

Loaded statement: “Conduct selves in a manner worthy of the gospel...”

The root here is “polis” where we get “politics” - God designed us to live in community, to be citizens, the be “political” (not a bad word)

“Civilized,” like you belong to a people

What “people” do you belong to? - Phil 3:20 - Citizenship is in heaven, so....

Some Precursors, themes

Unity - church, look around, getting smaller in number, 20-30% will NOT return - 12-24 more months of all this, likely, only takes 40 days for a habit

Weak or Strong

Weak are to become strong, but they are getting weaker

Strong are to be stronger and strengthen the weak

IF we are one in Christ - both weak and strong get strong

Truth - are we striving for truth or safety?

To those who remain, willing to stick it out - conflict is here, and are opponents really are ineffective, if the church would be the church

Obligations of Citizenship

1) Stand Firm

Committed conviction

You WILL NOT stand firm if you are not sure, not secure (“Flinch” show?)

What are you fighting for? Need to know, because hostility threatens to destroy one’s faith, and cause division. (Pride can be a factor)

The goal is to stand, in one spirit, joined together by the Spirit

Stand ground, in the middle of the struggle

US - are we standing firm (opposition to church, gospel, examples?)

If we stand firm then we will...

2) Strive Together

One accord (in unison), for the Gospel

IMAGE: Soldiers, side-by-side, as single unit

As one person

Self-interests aside

Well-trained - this doesn’t just happen

Knowing the onslaught will come,

Christians/believers

To be friends in Christ

Not friends because of commonalities here and now, but because of what lies ahead eternally

No longer separate

Reality today - Christians fight, divide

Some of this is outward, in the open, clearly opposing the truth of God’s Word

Some are quiet, and just step out of the fight, suddenly just no longer there

Were they really in it to begin with??

People once working together are now divided - look around - How can YOU address this? How can the LORD use YOU?

POINT - Satan will work, and work, and work to divide

He has found a weak spot, a chink in the armor

Tactic is always fear, but fear of ____________?

We CANNOT strive together if we do not stand together

Persistent work, and faithful prayer

When we focus on proclaiming the Gospel AND living the truth of the Gospel, we become soulmates, striving together

3) Safety - Not frightened by opposition

We don’t take opposition lightly, mildly, not ignore it

Word here is that of a startled horse,not helpful in battle

Believers, to be battle-hardy, are not to be agitated or frightened on the battlefield - stay on mission

SOLDIERS UNIFIED

Don’t run from battle - need us here, now

Don’t back down from the attack - cannot be harmed

Don’t compromise - truth is truth, the battle is won

Don’t concede - never go against the Bible

CHALLENGE - know the battle

Might be whittled down to a small fighting force

Power is NOT in numbers, but in yielding to the Holy Spirit

REM - our enemy (common to us all) is fueled by fear, fear that he tries to instill with lies, half-truths

He knows what YOU are afraid of!

QUESTION - Do we face opposition because of our commitment to Christ

Are we committed to Christ

If not, then the opposition you face is not due to that

It’s of your own doing

IF - Stand firm, Unified, Unafraid

“They will be destroyed, and you will be saved/protected”

Christian Unity

To those outside - “Christianity is on the way out”

To those inside - “There is no other life”

Unity is a sign to be encouraged

The striving, the unity, the lack of fear

All a sign, because the strength is not in OUR effort, but in the LORD’s

As For Suffering

EXAMPLE - Locally, 14+ churches, combining to collect food for local needs

Sharing Christ (tracts, information) is “not appropriate” - WHAT???

Giving in to a world that is hostile to Christ

Yeah, it might be hard to follow Christ - so it might be hard!

Only those truly trusting the mission will be “on board”

The elite fighting unit KNOWS it’s hard, but they are surrendered to the cause!

QUESTIONS/CHALLENGES - Christian life begins with believing and continues, non-stop, with living for Christ

Does your believing in Christ cause any suffering, any struggle, any discomfort related to your decisions?

We have been given the ability to suffer for Christ

Are you willing?

It’s helpful to see others relying on Christ, while suffering b/c of their walk

To know that there are others in the fight! Same cause, same purpose!

Trusting Christ puts you in the same arena (martyrs), same race (athletes), same struggle, as Paul. That’s good company!

When you suffer, b/c of your walk with Christ - someone is encouraged by your reliance on Him

We might suffer if we follow Christ - (we WILL, to some degree or other)

It’s OK

Stand firm, Strive for unity, No Fear

The victory already belongs to Christ!