Life & Death | Dying Fearlessly
Notes
Transcript
Engage
Engage
As we begin, turn your Bible to Philippians 1:28
I find that I personally need to be careful to not take on a martyr complex, as a Christian. It an easy mindset for us to slip into, and it allows us great excuse to be idle in our faith.
But, there are certain realities, about the direction of our culture that can’t be denied. Now, some of what we think of as the Christian heritage in this country has been greatly romanticized. Nevertheless, Judeo-Christian values have had a great influence on this country, and faith in God, had at the very least, been respected and protected.
We find hostility towards churches becoming more and more of an issue of political divide. Just recently court ruled that the State of New York could not legislate the number of worshipers allowed to attend religious services in a 5-4. There was a clean split between judges depending on the party affiliation of the president that appointed them.
I stated that we have romanticized our country’s historical view on Christianity. I think most would be surprised to hear that Presidents James Madison, James Garfield, and Ulysses S. Grant all opposed tax exemptions for churches. In a letter to congress Grant stated that the church:
Receiving all the protection and benefits of government without bearing its portion of the burdens and expenses of the same, will not be looked upon acquiescently by those who have to pay the taxes
And while I can understand Grant’s perspective, I think he underestimated the great social benefit that that churches bring to the country. A survey of youth found that that adolescents who attended church services weekly where half as likely to be arrested. On one hand you could argue that the tax exemption of churches is a cost to society, but on the other: How many tax dollars does it save our justice system to not have to apprehend and prosecute these 50% fewer crimes?
Regardless of benefit or cost, there will always be those who oppose the church. Those who will be adversaries of the gospel. In our passage in Philippians today Paul acknowledges this. And he gives encouragement to the church in how they should face their enemies.
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Today we conclude Chapter 1 of Paul’s letter to the Philippians and our Sermon Series “Life & Death” with our message today entitled “Dying Fearlessly”
Pray
Tension
Tension
Enemies
Enemies
The church in Philippi faced enemies from a number of different places. There were, of course, the Jewish zealots who wanted nothing more than to silence the gospel as it went out. That was probably a much smaller concern for this church than what we would find in places that Paul had visited. Philippi was, after all, a gentile city with only a handful of Jewish people.
But regardless of benefit of Christianity in creating a heart in citizens that is kinder, more law abiding, and charitable, governments have been antagonistic towards our brothers and sisters in Christ, throughout history.
Paul after all was jailed in Philippi, not because of some crime or incitement of rebellion, but why? He cast a demon out of a slave girl, making her life far better but her owners far poorer.
In just a couple years from this writing, Christians would be blamed by Nero for the burning of Rome and government directed persecution of Christians would begin.
Political Powers
Political Powers
More recently we know that Socialists and Communists have been great enemies to Christians.
Hitler and Nazi’s
Hitler and Nazi’s
Adolf Hitler began his political career pandering to Christians and even calling upon the name of Jesus on behalf of Germany. Before long Bibles were being burned. The Nazi’s issued their own bible, removing the Old Testament and any positive references to Jewish people. It set up a new set of commandments, 12 in total in which honoring the Fuerer was was number 11. And finally the Lord’s prayer was replaced with a prayer declaring Hitler as Lord.
Baldur Von Schirach, Head of Hilter Youth:
The destruction of Christianity was explicitly recognized as a purpose of the National Socialist Movement.
Out of this, The Confessing Church emerged in opposition to the politicized version of Christianity endorsed by the state. They reinforced the authority of Scripture and rejected the heresy added by the Nazi’s. In many cases these Christians were killed or put into concentration camps.
Communists
Communists
It would probably surprise many today that Martin Luther King Jr. wrote:
Let us begin by stating that communism and Christianity are at the bottom incompatible. One cannot be a true Christian and a true Communist simultaneously. How then is Communism irreconcilable with Christianity.
In the first place it leaves out God and Christ. It is avowedly secularistic and materialistic.3 It regards religion phychologically as mere wishfull thinking, intellectually as the product of fear and ignorance, and historically as serving the ends of exploiters. Because of public opinion authorities have had to modify some of their anti-religous doctrines, but the official policy of the communist party is still atheistic.
Where we have seen communism rise in this world, we have also seen churches either forced to preach the what the party wills or be shut down. In the Soviet Union religion was denounced as being backwards, clergy were sometimes arrested or exiled.
Terror
Terror
Enemies of Christianity historically result to the use of force or the threat of violence to silence their opposition. This is true for political parties who want citizens to have no allegiances other than to the state, and it is true of those who reject Christianity for the offence of the gospel.
Jesus says in 1 John 3:15
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Hate is nothing less than murder lacking opportunity. And what should be of great concern to every Christian is that the political divide in our country has, on both sides, devolved into hate. Increasingly on one side of that divide, the hate is often directed towards Christianity.
Jesus said in John 15:18-19
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
And knowing the lengths that the enemies of the gospel would go to: God, through the inspired writing of the Apostle Paul instructs us
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries
The word terror isn’t the word phobos we often find translated fear, the idea of a phobia, which really means to be scared. No, it is πτύρω (ptyrō) meaning to allow yourself to be intimidated, to allow someone to cause you to decide your action due to fear of harm.
I would point out first, that this suggests that we have a choice in the matter. Fear and intimidation aren’t things that we are helpless against, that we should become paralyzed by. When Paul writes “In nothing be Terrified” he is giving a command that we are not to be intimidated, we are not to change our course of action because of threats issued by the enemies of the gospel.
Truth
Truth
Reality
Reality
As Christians, we should see the adversaries of the gospel in a different way, we should see them for the eternal spiritual reality of their condition. We should see them as pitiable.
Perdition
Perdition
Our Bible says in Philippians 1:28
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries:....which is to them an evident token of perdition.
This year has been an eventful year, to say the least. What I have come to realize is that issues like Coronavirus, Black Lives Matter, and the Election, have revealed the character of a lot of people. Christians included. So many people are demonstrating that they want nothing more than to look out for number one and that they simply have no empathy for anyone else. We used to have to guess where peoples hearts were, but now because of social media and these powder keg issues, we don’t have to wonder any more.
it’s like this when the enemies of the gospel attack us. They are betraying themselves, they are revealing their character and they are making it evident that they are destined for perdition.
Perdition isn’t a word we use all that often. The Greek is ἀπώλεια (apōleia). It means destruction.
There is a reality that you and I would probably prefer not to think about. So many preachers over the years have preached messages on Hell designed to frighten people into heaven and to push conversions that are nothing more than scared people trying to purchase fire insurance. Don’t get me wrong, there is this uncomfortable and ever present truth that great majority of the world has rejected Christ and that they are destined for destruction in Hell as a result.
I don’t have it in me to scream and shout about hell, I’m never going to be a fire and brimstone type of preacher. This is a subject that shouldn’t be about theatrics but should be approached with great sobriety, and a heavy heart.
Paul writes when considering the eternal state of his countrymen who had rejected Christ, in Romans 9:3
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
and, as Jesus saw the city of Jerusalem and knew the fate of those there who rejected him, our Bible says in Luke 19:41
41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
We need to check ourselves. Maybe it’s just me, but when I am attacked, or when something I hold dear is attacked I tend to want to defend, aggressively. We should see this for what it is. It is our mission field identifying itself. This is just people that don’t know Christ acting like people that don’t know Christ. And instead of being up in arms, we should be broken hearted over the state of their soul.
Salvation
Salvation
And I know what some of you are probably thinking. These are enemies of the gospel, they are people who want to harm us, to restrict our freedom of religion, maybe if they had their way, some of them would want us dead.
That is because it is all too easy for us to forget the significance of the second part of what Paul is saying. Their persecution
is to them an evident token of perdition.....but to you....salvation.
In the book of Acts, in chapter 5, you can turn there with me if you want.
In verse 18 the Apostles were thrown into prison, but look what happens in verse 19 and 20
19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Of course it was immediately noticed that these men that were thrown in prison were back out and preaching the gospel. This is the famous part of Acts where Gamaliel comes to defend the Apostles, his reasoning that is that if they are frauds, then they will be found out, but if they are of God, you can’t fight God.
So the Apostles were first beaten and then released, commanded to not speak of Jesus in Jerusalem again.
Response
Response
But look in verse 41 how the Apostles respond.
41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
I wonder as the church in America finds itself more and more persecuted, are we going to be outraged? Are we going to lose faith? Or are we going to rejoice?
While, persecution identifies the persecuted as an enemy of God, and it makes evident the persecutor is destined for destruction. At the same time, it shows us that we are worthy. That God allows us to identify with Christ in our shame.
Application
Application
Adversaries
Adversaries
Like I stated at the beginning of the message, we need to be careful not to take on a martyr complex. I have every expectation that things in this country are going to become less and less comfortable with Christians as time goes on, but we need to act according to our faith when that happens.
How would you change your behavior if you knew that professing Christ could have you imprisoned and beaten?
Let’s not even go to that extreme. COVID has put Pastors in this country in a very difficult position. I tend to find myself somewhere in the middle on the subject, I want our church to be as obedient as is reasonable to the direction of our Governor. Romans 13:1 says
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
The governor of our state is our civil authority and I wholeheartedly believe we can be compliant with Romans 13:1 without compromising our faith, at least in Ohio, and to the extent of the current orders.
But churches have been fined 10’s of thousands of dollars in states like California, for refusing to close their churches. A pastor in Florida was jailed for not abiding the state’s safer at home orders.
Reactions
Reactions
Compliance
Compliance
I do believe that there is a real health risk, despite the politicization. And for a time when we didn’t know what was going on, I supported that churches shut down and relied on live-streaming. I support now those who are at higher risk staying home during this pandemic and streaming church if they are able. It is a difficult position for a pastor to be in, to weigh what the right thing to do is, in light of the health of the people in the church, and I don’t think it is wise for us to draw lines in the sand. We don’t know what the situation will be tomorrow, and we need to rely on the grace of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom as we move forward, on a case by case basis.
Intimidation
Intimidation
But here is what I am sure of. We can’t modify our behavior out of intimidation.
We should be like like Paul. When Paul was on his way to Jerusalem, knowing what was coming, knowing it would be beatings and imprisonment and most likely death, Here is how he responded in Acts 20:24
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
When threatenings and fines and imprisonment are placed in front of us…and I will go one step further and bring it closer to home, right now, and not some hopefully distant reality.
If you are going to be a Christian who draws a line in the sand where the Bible speaks, hmm. Let me be real with you. A lot of folks are a lot more concerned about the church social group than they are about applying the word of God to their life. And if you are going to draw a line where the Bible draws a line on things, it might make things uncomfortable for you.
But those things can’t be what moves us if we are going to be faithful to God. Threat of death can’t move us, the threat of jail can’t move us and even the threat of being put out of our social group because we aren’t going to go along with the crowd.
What should move you is the grace of the gospel of God.
Action
Action
The next verse in Philippians, 1, verse 29 says this
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
I hope today as you consider the word of God as it has been presented, that you make a decision that you will not to be intimidated from doing what you know is Gods will. And that if you are called on by God to face persecution, to suffer for the sake of our Lord. I pray that you will be comforted in knowing that it is only because the Lord found you worthy that you suffer.
There is the other part of this to consider though. If you have not yet turned away from your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ for your salvation. If you are an enemy of God because you won’t bow your knee in surrender to the Lord. Your future is perdition. It is destruction.
That is not what God wants for you. That is why Jesus died on the cross, and took the punishment that we deserve for the rebellion of sin against God. It is because he loves you. The people who hated him and would go so far as to crucify him, Jesus wept, not for what was in store for him on the cross, but for the future of destruction that was in store for those who rejected his grace.
If you haven’t given your life to Christ, let me ask this. Please make the decision where you are that you will follow Jesus by repenting . In just a few moments we are going to close in prayer, if you have any questions, or you need to talk about anything I am available. If you are streaming this, you can always send me a private message through the Harvest facebook account.
Pray
