Sermon 060296

Phi. 1:15-18                              Rejoice for Christ is Proclaimed                                       6/2/96

ABCC

I.   Seeing God’s Purposes in Your Adversity (v. 12-14) = REVIEW                                    523

     A. God’s purposes in your circumstances involves the progress of the gospel (v. 12)

     B. Gospel message reaches unbelievers (v. 13) - not in a synagogue or church!

     C. Encouragement to believers (v. 14) - not in prison with Paul!

Unbelievers & believers are affected by your response in adversity.  Are you using your adversity as an opportunity for witnessing to unbelievers & encouragement for believers? 

II.  Preaching Christ (v. 15)

     A. Preaching (kerusso) - to herald or proclaim publicly with formality & authority

Þ     John (Mt. 3:1), Jesus (Mt. 4:17), Disciples (Mt. 10:7), Philip (Ac. 8:5), Paul (Ac. 9:20), all preachers who are called (Rom. 10:8,14-15), Until the end (Mt. 24:14)

Þ     Preaching is God’s appointed method to be used by God’s appointed men until the end!

     B. Types of Preaching

          1. Defensive or apologetics (v. 16)

·        preacher must be prepared to refute, correct, warn (1Th. 4:6; Tit. 1:9;       2Tim. 4:2-4)

·        congregation should expect to hear apologetic preaching - resist 2Tim. 4:3-4!

          2. Confirmation (v. 18) - establish, verify, strengthen = “..Christ is proclaimed..”

·        preacher must be familiar with Old & New Testaments (Ac. 9:22; 20:27)

·        congregation should expect to hear preaching from OT & NT

Rejoice for Christ is Proclaimed, pg. 2

     C. Content of Preaching - CHRIST (v. 15, 17, 18)

          1. The facts of the gospel (Ac. 2:22-35; 3:11-16; 10:34-41; 13:16-31;…)

          2. The meaning of the gospel (Ac. 2:36-40; 3:17-21; 8:31; 10:42-43; 13:32-41;…)

·        1Tim. 4:13 (NT); Neh. 8:4-8 (OT)

Þ     Jesus Christ must be central in all biblical preaching (Heb. 10:7)

     D. The motives for preaching Christ

          1. Selfish ambition toward Paul (v. 15 & 17)

·        envy & strife = attempting to cause Paul distress in prison

·        accepting brothers & sisters with wrong opinions about you & your troubles

·        not accepting false brethren with wrong doctrine (Phi. 3:1-2, 17-19; Gal. 1:6)

          2. Love for Christ, the gospel, and Paul

·        good will = knowing Paul was appointed for defense of gospel - God’s man & in God’s will!

·        true love grows out of true knowledge (Phi. 1:9)

III. The Believer’s Response to Personal Persecution (v. 18; Jn. 3:30)

Do you maintain your joy my brother or sister when you are judge by other Christians; when they slander you & attempt to take advantage of you in your TIMES OF ADVERSITY?  Are you thankful that Christ is proclaimed even when judgmental Christians deal with you like Job’s friends?…...financial, family, health, employment, church problems are seen as God’s judgment on you!

Þ     1PETER 3:8-17