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Philippians 1:27-28 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Good morning, everybody.
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Hope you all are well.
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Thankful that you are here.
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Go ahead.
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Grab your copy of God's Word.
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This morning we are going to primarily be looking at Philippians chapter 1 verses 27 and 28.
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So the city of Philippi itself, it gets its name from Philip of Macedonia,
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who some of you may know as the father of Alexander the Great,
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who is a very famous historical figure.
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The city itself gained notoriety in the ancient world
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because of a famous battle that was fought there in 42 B.C.
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when the armies of Antony and Octavian defeated the armies of Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi.
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This battle is significant because after this, the age of the Roman Republic was ended
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and from there began the age of the Roman Empire.
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After the battle, Philippi became a Roman colony,
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which at the time was incredibly significant
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because it came with many of the same benefits of being a Roman from Italy,
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including Roman citizenship,
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which is something that we'll kind of touch on here in a minute,
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but at the time would have been a very big deal.
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So from there,
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we can also see the story of the beginning of the Church of Philippi,
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which I think is beneficial for our time this morning in Acts chapter 16.
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If you want to turn to Acts chapter 16, go ahead.
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I'm not going to read it verbatim,
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but I'm just going to kind of paraphrase it for the sake of time this morning.
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So in Acts chapter 16,
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you find the Apostle Paul seeking to go to Asia to preach the gospel,
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but the scripture tells us that the spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go.
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So from there, he ends up in the city of Troas,
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where in the night he receives his Macedonian call,
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which was a vision that he had of a man from Macedonia
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urging him to come to Macedonia to help him.
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So Paul has this vision and concludes that God has called him to preach the gospel there.
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So he immediately goes there in obedience to the Lord.
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From the beginning in Acts chapter 16,
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we can see how God built his church in Philippi in ways that only which God can do.
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So the first person that we see converted in Philippi is Lydia,
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who we are told is a seller of purple goods.
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So in Philippi, there were not enough Jews there to constitute a synagogue.
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So Paul finds himself down by the river,
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rolling up on essentially a women's Bible study,
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a prayer meeting.
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And this is where we meet Lydia, right?
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The Bible tells us that she was a worshiper of God.
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And upon hearing Paul's message,
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we are told that she becomes a believer and is baptized,
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as well as that of her whole household.
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From there, Paul spends some time in Philippi.
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And the next character that we meet is a slave girl,
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who we are told is demon-possessed and has a spirit of divination.
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This spirit of divination gives her this ability that brought her masters much gain.
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She followed Paul and his companions around the city,
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proclaiming,
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These men are servants of the Most High God,
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who proclaim to you the way of salvation.
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So she did this for long enough that,
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this cracks me up,
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it says,
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Paul was greatly annoyed.
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So he commands the spirit to leave her in the name of Christ,
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to which the spirit does.
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But after this happened,
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this now creates a problem for the slave girl's masters,
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because they now have no way to make money from this.
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So they get angry.
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They seize Paul and Silas,
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and they bring him before the magistrates,
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accusing them of doing things that are not lawful.
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So the magistrates and the people there,
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they attack Paul,
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they rip his clothes off,
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they beat him with rods,
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and then they throw him into prison.
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And there we meet our next convert of the Philippian church,
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the Philippian jailer.
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So the Philippian jailer,
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he did not simply just follow the orders that he was given to keep them in the prison,
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but he throws them into the inner prison and fastens their feet in stocks.
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This would have been something incredibly painful,
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incredibly uncomfortable.
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And that night,
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Paul and Silas are praying and singing hymns in prison,
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which is cool enough as it is.
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But they're singing and they're praying,
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and there's a great earthquake.
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And this earthquake,
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it is to the magnitude that it causes all of the doors in the prison to open.
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It causes all of the stocks to become unfastened.
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So the jailer wakes up,
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and he sees what has happened.
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He sees all the doors of the prison open
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and assumes that the prisoners have escaped.
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Now,
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at that time,
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the jailer was responsible for ensuring that this did not happen,
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and often the punishment for failure in his duty would have been death.
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So the jailer,
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he grabs his sword.
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He's about to go ahead and end his life then and there.
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But Paul,
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seeing this about to happen,
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in verse 28,
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he cries out to the jailer.
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He says,
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Do not harm yourself.
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We are all here.
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The jailer,
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his response to this is,
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he falls down before Paul and Silas in fear
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and says,
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What must I do to be saved?
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From there,
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they share the gospel with him,
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and the jailer,
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along with his entire household,
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are saved and baptized.
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So that's the beginning of the Philippian church.
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These are the cast of characters
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that we see in Acts chapter 16.
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You have Lydia,
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the wealthy seller of purple goods,
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the formerly demon-possessed slave girl,
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and the overzealous Philippian jailer.
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And so these are the people that,
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along with others,
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that Paul is writing this letter of Philippians to.
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Only God can bring these people together.
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All right.
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Now we'll get into Philippians.
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Chapter 1,
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verses 27 and 28.
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It says,
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Only let your manner of life
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be worthy of the gospel of Christ,
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so that whether I come and see you or am absent,
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I may hear of you
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that you are standing firm in one spirit,
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with one mind striving side by side
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for the faith of the gospel,
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and not frightened in anything by your opponents.
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This is a clear sign to them of their destruction,
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but of your salvation,
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and that from God.
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So the first thing that I want to take a look at
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is verse 27a.
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And in this,
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we have a command from Paul
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that he gives the Philippian church
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in extension to us
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about how we are called to live.
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He says,
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Only let your manner of life
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be worthy of the gospel of Christ.
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So there's a couple things in this text
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that I think is really important to define
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to understand what Paul is saying.
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Some of you in your Bible,
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you may have a footnote
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after the phrase manner of life,
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right?
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And it says,
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Only behave as citizens worthy.
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So the Greek word here for manner of life,
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forgive me for this,
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I'm from Hog Mountain.
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The Greek word here is
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Pauli,
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Paulit,
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you,
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you,
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me,
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again,
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from Hog Mountain,
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which the word is the same root word
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that we get our word politics from.
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We see the same word in Philippians 3.20
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where Paul says,
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But our citizenship is in heaven,
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right?
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There's not a great English translation to this word,
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but it carries the idea of living in accord
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with where our citizenship is.
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So this is something that would have resonated
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with the people of Philippi,
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because again,
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as we stated before,
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their citizenship,
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their Roman citizenship,
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was something that would have been
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incredibly valuable to them.
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It would have been something
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incredibly important,
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right?
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So it would have carried weight
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and expectation.
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There was ways in which Roman citizens
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were expected to live.
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No different than us here.
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If I identified myself as an American citizen
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or said that you are an American citizen,
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there are some things that would pop up in your mind
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that say,
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Oh,
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well,
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this is how an American citizen acts,
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right?
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The next word I think that is beneficial to define
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is the word worthy.
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This is something to which we ascribe worth or value to,
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and in this case,
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the utmost worth or value.
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And then the last thing that I think
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is important to define here
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is the gospel of Christ.
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So the word gospel literally means good news,
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and even more specifically,
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it means the good news
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that Christ came to save sinners,
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that we were dead in our sins
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before a holy and righteous God
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with no hope of saving ourselves.
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We were separated from God,
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that Christ being fully God
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humbled himself
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by taking on human flesh,
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living a perfect and sinless life,
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was crucified and died on the cross,
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being the perfect sacrifice for sin.
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He then rose from the dead,
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defeating sin and death,
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and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.
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And us,
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through faith and believing in this gospel,
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can receive forgiveness of our sins
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and now be justified
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or declared righteous by God
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and will one day also be raised to live
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eternally in the presence of God
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in glorified bodies.
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That is the gospel.
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There is simply no greater news than this.
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When we talk about the gospel,
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when we think about the gospel,
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we should never assume the gospel.
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We should ensure that we understand
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what the gospel is,
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but those two that we are talking to,
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that they understand
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what it is when we say the gospel.
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I like John Piper.
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He summarized this passage,
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127a,
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and he summarized it like this.
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He said,
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the all-encompassing summary
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of the Christian life is,
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live as citizens of heaven
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with the gospel as the center
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of your all-authoritative
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heavenly constitution,
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showing by your life
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that the gospel is worth more to you
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than everything else in the world.
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So that's the command.
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That's the command that Paul has given us here.
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So for me,
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I read this
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and this naturally leads to the question,
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well, how in the world do I do that?
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Right?
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That is a huge order.
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How do I live up to it?
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Where do I begin?
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Fortunately,
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Paul does not leave us guessing,
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but he follows this
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by telling us exactly
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what this looks like.
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So look at the rest of the passage with me.
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It says,
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so that whether I come and see you
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or am absent,
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I may hear of you
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that you are standing firm
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in one spirit
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with one mind,
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striving side by side
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for the faith of the gospel
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and not frightened
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in anything by your opponents,
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this is a clear sign to them
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of their destruction,
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but of your salvation
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and that from God.
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So now let's look
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at how we are called
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to live out this command.
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I have four points
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that I want to consider
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this morning,
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but I'm only going to give you
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the first three.
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I'm going to go ahead and apologize.
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I'm not Nathan,
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so there is no alliteration.
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Point number one,
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stand firm.
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Point number two,
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strive.
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Point number three,
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be fearless.
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So point number one,
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stand firm.
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What does it mean
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to stand firm?
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It means to be resolute
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and to not change course.
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What is it as Christians
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that allows us to do this?
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It's our faith.
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First Corinthians 16, 13,
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be watchful,
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stand firm in the faith,
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act like men,
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be strong.
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As believers,
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we can ultimately stand firm
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because of our unshakable faith
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in the gospel of Christ
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that Jesus is who he says he is.
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That's what allows us
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to withstand the forces
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of the world.
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It is what allows us
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to block out the noise
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of other people,
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encouraging us
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to stray from the path
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that God has set before us.
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Does anybody here
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like watching Western movies?
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Anybody?
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I grew up with them.
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I love them.
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I used to sit with my dad
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on Saturday mornings
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and we would watch the Duke,
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especially on Christmas.
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They would have the Duke marathon.
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But generally,
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in these movies,
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you have a main character
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who is always portrayed
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as morally good, right?
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I would watch this
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and I would always root
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for this guy.
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He would stand in the face
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of evil
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to protect someone
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or something
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from the bad guy.
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I always respected
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these people.
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They would do the right thing
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no matter what
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the consequences were.
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And inevitably,
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in every single movie,
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there's a scene,
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usually at the end,
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where they have to
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stand their ground
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in front of incredible odds.
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So now,
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even with our kids,
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Lauren and I,
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we love to give them books
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with examples
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of Christian men
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and women like this, right?
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Christian men and women
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who are standing firm
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for a higher purpose
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than John Wayne ever was.
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They love the story
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of Eric Liddell, right?
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I'm sure many of you
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are aware of Chariots of Fire.
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Anybody who ever went
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through Clay's house
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back in the day,
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you've definitely seen
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this movie a couple times.
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But Eric Liddell,
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he refused to compromise
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on his convictions, right?
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We love these stories.
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I put these stories
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in my kids' hands.
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I want them to emulate
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these saints
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that have gone before them, right?
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So we've talked about
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what it means to stand firm
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and that it's our faith
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that allows us to stand firm.
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So how do we continue
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to do this as Christians?
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How do we as Christians do this?
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So I think about
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when I was a coach,
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we used to tell our players
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all the time
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that pressure came
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when we were not prepared.
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So we would spend hours
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practicing, doing drills,
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watching film,
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doing everything
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we could possibly do
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to put our players
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in a position to succeed.
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So that way,
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no matter what situation
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happened in a game,
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they've seen it before,
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they've done it before,
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they're not going to be surprised,
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right?
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They're prepared.
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So for us as Christians,
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if we're going to walk
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faithfully with Christ
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in a manner worthy
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of the gospel,
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we too must be prepared.
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Paul says in Ephesians 6,
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verse 1,
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therefore take up
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the whole armor of God
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that you may be able
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to withstand in the evil day
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and having done all
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to stand firm.
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Stand therefore,
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having fastened on
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the belt of truth
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and having put on
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the breastplace
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of righteousness
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and as shoes for your feet,
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having put on
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the readiness given
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by the gospel of peace.
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In all circumstances,
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take up the shield
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of faith
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with which you can extinguish
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all the flaming darts
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for the evil one
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and take the helmet
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of salvation
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and the sword of the spirit,
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which is the word of God.
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So to be able
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to stand firm,
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we must put on
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the whole armor of God.
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We are to immerse ourselves
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in the truth of God's word
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and wrap ourselves in it
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as a belt
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would have held in
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a soldier's tunic
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preparing him for battle.
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We are to put on
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the breastplace
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of righteousness
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as our obedience
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to Christ's commands
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and our communion with God
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protects us
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and our hearts
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from the schemes
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of the devil.
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We are to put on
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the shoes of the gospel
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of peace,
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knowing that we are
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supported in our walk
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by the peace
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that the gospel
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of Christ gives us.
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We are to take up
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the shield of faith
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of our,
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we are to take up
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the shield of faith
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in God,
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knowing that his word
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and promises are true,
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extinguishing the flame,
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flaming darts
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from the evil one,
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protecting us
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from sin and temptation.
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We are to put on
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the helmet of salvation,
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signifying that we belong
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to Christ
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and protecting our minds
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from doubt.
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And finally,
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we are to take up
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the sword of the spirit,
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the word of God,
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to fight and defend
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against lies
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and untruths.
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As Christians,
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we can stand firm
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by being prepared
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for attack
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and ready to defend.
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So take up
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the whole armor of God
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and be ready
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to stand firm
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in the faith.
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Point number two,
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strive.
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What does it mean
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to strive?
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The Greek word here
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literally means
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to struggle
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along with someone.
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So we'll get to
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the along with someone
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part later,
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spoiler alert.
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But I just want
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to talk about for now
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what it means
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to strive, right?
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Striving means
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to devote
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serious energy
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or effort
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to something.
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We cannot be
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inactive and strive.
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We cannot be lazy
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and strive.
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But what are we
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to strive for?
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It says here
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that we are to strive
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for the faith
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of the gospel
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and it can be
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a struggle.
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Paul,
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another great example
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in 2 Corinthians 11,
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he says,
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five times I received
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at the hands of the Jews
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the forty lashes
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less one.
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Three times I was
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beaten with rods.
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Once I was stoned.
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Three times I was
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shipwrecked.
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A night and a day
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I was adrift at sea
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on frequent journeys
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in danger from rivers,
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danger from robbers,
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danger from my own people,
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danger from Gentiles,
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danger in the city,
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danger in the wilderness,
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danger at sea,
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danger from false brothers,
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in toil and hardship
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through many a sleepless night,
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in hunger and thirst,
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often without food,
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in cold and exposure,
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and apart from other things,
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there is the daily pressure
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on me of my anxiety
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for all the churches.
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So this is what a life
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of struggling,
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striving for the faith
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of the gospel looks like.
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Paul devoted his entire life
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after his encounter
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with Christ
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on the road to Damascus
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to proclaiming the good news
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of the gospel of Christ,
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and it came for him
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with a multitude
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of hardships.
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Now for most of us
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here in America,
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we are not going to experience
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this same level of hardship
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that Paul experienced,
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but my point
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that I'm trying to make
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is that we are still
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called to labor
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regardless if we experience
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hardship or persecution
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or not.
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We should be actively
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seeking opportunities
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to preach the good news
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of Christ
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to the lost around us.
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All of us,
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whether we go to work
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every day,
18:26
we go to school every day,
18:28
if we're a stay-at-home mom,
18:29
if we're retired,
18:30
we're at the grocery store,
18:32
wherever,
18:33
we find ourselves
18:33
in places
18:34
and have opportunities
18:35
to be ambassadors
18:36
for Christ where we are.
18:38
But doing this,
18:39
it requires effort.
18:40
It takes something from us
18:42
to go up to a neighbor
18:43
or a co-worker
18:44
and engage them
18:45
in gospel conversation.
18:47
We have to put ourselves
18:48
out there.
18:48
We have to put our faith
18:50
out there.
18:50
We may have to overcome
18:51
a little bit of anxiety
18:53
or a little bit of fear.
18:55
It takes effort
18:56
and diligence
18:57
to train up our kids
18:58
in the way they should go.
18:59
We may have a couple
19:00
sleepless nights
19:01
patiently discipling them,
19:03
helping them
19:04
to work through something
19:05
and pointing them
19:06
to Christ.
19:08
Growing up,
19:09
my dad had a big garden.
19:11
I'm sure you guys
19:12
can probably imagine
19:12
where I'm going to
19:13
take this analogy to.
19:15
But every year,
19:16
he would spend
19:16
so much time on it.
19:17
He would till the soil.
19:18
He would fertilize the ground.
19:20
He would plant the seeds.
19:21
He would water.
19:22
He would pull weeds.
19:23
He would protect it
19:24
from pests
19:25
and from birds.
19:26
And he did this every day.
19:28
He would be sweaty.
19:30
He'd have to work.
19:30
He'd be sweaty.
19:32
I would be out there with him,
19:33
sweating right alongside
19:34
with him.
19:35
And I would be doing it
19:37
thinking,
19:37
man,
19:37
I would rather be playing
19:38
video games right now.
19:39
Right?
19:39
This is not fun.
19:41
This is not enjoyable.
19:42
This is work.
19:44
But when it came time
19:45
to harvest
19:46
and it came time to eat
19:47
and that corn
19:47
was on my plate,
19:48
I was really thankful
19:49
for the work
19:49
that went into it.
19:51
It was good.
19:52
The fruit of the labor
19:53
was sweet
19:53
and we got to enjoy it.
19:56
How much more so
19:57
for laboring
19:58
for the faith
19:58
of the gospel?
20:00
If we truly understand
20:01
our position
20:02
before God
20:03
apart from Christ,
20:05
that we have been saved
20:06
by his grace,
20:07
we will love
20:08
others enough
20:09
to labor for them
20:10
to know the same peace
20:11
that we experience.
20:13
Matthew 9,
20:13
36 and 38,
20:15
when he,
20:16
meaning Jesus,
20:17
saw the crowds,
20:18
he had compassion
20:18
for them
20:19
because they were harassed
20:20
and helpless
20:21
like sheep without a shepherd.
20:23
Then he said
20:23
to his disciples,
20:24
the harvest is plentiful,
20:26
but the laborers are few.
20:28
Therefore,
20:28
pray earnestly
20:29
to the Lord of the harvest
20:30
to send out laborers
20:31
into the harvest.
20:32
We get to be those laborers.
20:34
How cool is that?
20:36
Praise God
20:36
that he saw fit
20:37
to use us.
20:38
People who received
20:39
his grace
20:39
that didn't deserve it
20:41
to share that gospel
20:42
of grace
20:42
with other people.
20:44
Then as we labor
20:45
and as we pour into
20:46
and we invest
20:47
and we see this thing,
20:48
hopefully we get to see
20:49
the fruit of this labor.
20:50
We get to see
20:51
the spiritually deaf
20:52
receive their hearing,
20:53
the spiritually blind
20:54
receive their sight.
20:55
That's an amazing thing.
20:57
We get to see that.
20:59
So yeah,
21:00
we're commanded,
21:02
that's part of our call,
21:03
to live a life
21:04
worthy of the gospel of Christ.
21:08
We are called to strive.
21:10
So we have stand firm,
21:12
we have strive.
21:13
Now point three,
21:14
be fearless.
21:16
What does it mean
21:17
to be fearless?
21:18
Simply put,
21:19
it means to be free from fear.
21:21
Simple enough.
21:22
Not rocket science.
21:25
However,
21:26
I'm sure
21:26
that even the toughest of us,
21:28
the biggest,
21:29
the baddest,
21:29
the strongest of us,
21:30
there's something
21:30
that we are afraid of.
21:32
So how can we be freed
21:33
from that fear?
21:35
We can be fearless
21:36
because the truth
21:38
of the gospel
21:38
takes away fear.
21:40
Look up a couple verses
21:42
in Philippians
21:43
to verses 20 through 23.
21:45
Paul says,
21:46
as it is my eager expectation
21:48
and hope that I will not be
21:50
at all ashamed,
21:51
but that with full courage,
21:53
now as always,
21:54
Christ will be honored
21:55
in my body,
21:56
whether by life
21:57
or by death.
21:58
For to me to live
21:59
is Christ
22:00
and to die is gain,
22:01
not tell.
22:02
I'm hard pressed
22:03
between the two.
22:04
My desire is to part
22:05
and be with Christ
22:06
for that is far better.
22:08
What can you possibly do
22:09
to somebody
22:10
that has this mentality?
22:11
Right?
22:12
You can't touch them.
22:12
Paul doesn't care
22:13
if you kill them.
22:15
Right?
22:15
His purpose
22:16
is to proclaim
22:17
the gospel of Christ
22:19
because he knows
22:20
and we know
22:21
as believers
22:22
that death brings
22:23
eternal communion
22:24
with Christ our Savior
22:26
and that there's
22:26
nothing sweeter.
22:27
Right?
22:28
Again,
22:29
if we are found in Christ,
22:30
we will be raised
22:31
from the dead
22:32
to have eternal life
22:33
with the Father.
22:34
That's why we can say
22:35
to live is Christ
22:36
and to die is gain.
22:37
Paul,
22:38
he's not scared
22:38
of prison either.
22:39
Earlier in chapter 1,
22:40
he actually says
22:42
that his imprisonment
22:42
has served
22:43
to embolden others
22:44
to speak the word
22:45
without fear.
22:47
He sees his own
22:48
personal time
22:48
in prison
22:49
as a service
22:50
to share the gospel
22:51
throughout the whole
22:52
imperial guard
22:53
and he's celebrating that.
22:55
It sounds like
22:55
a wild way to think
22:56
in our world today
22:58
but as Christians,
22:59
this is the way
22:59
that we're called
23:00
to view our own lives.
23:02
Jesus says in Matthew 10,
23:04
starting in verse 26,
23:05
he says,
23:06
So have no fear of them
23:07
for nothing is covered
23:08
that will not be revealed
23:09
or hidden
23:10
that will not be known.
23:12
What I tell you
23:12
in the dark,
23:13
say in the light
23:13
and what you hear
23:15
whispered,
23:15
proclaim on the housetops
23:17
and do not fear
23:18
those who kill the body
23:19
but cannot kill the soul.
23:21
Rather,
23:21
fear him
23:22
who can destroy
23:22
both soul
23:23
and body in hell.
23:25
Are not two sparrows
23:25
sold for a penny
23:26
and not one of them
23:28
will fall to the ground
23:28
apart from your father?
23:30
But even the hairs
23:31
of your head
23:31
are all numbered.
23:33
Fear not,
23:34
therefore,
23:34
you are of more value
23:36
than many sparrows.
23:37
So everyone
23:38
who acknowledges me
23:39
before men,
23:40
I also will acknowledge
23:41
before my father
23:42
who is in heaven.
23:44
But whoever denies me
23:45
before men,
23:46
I also will deny
23:47
before my father
23:48
who is in heaven.
23:50
So for us to live
23:52
a manner
23:53
and a manner worthy
23:54
of where our true
23:55
citizenship is,
23:57
we are to obey
23:58
our king fearlessly.
24:00
We can do that
24:01
because we know
24:02
that he loves us
24:03
and cares for us.
24:05
He knitted us together
24:06
in our mother's womb.
24:07
If we do this,
24:09
we know that Christ
24:10
will acknowledge us
24:11
before our father
24:12
in heaven
24:13
and we will receive
24:14
our reward.
24:16
Again,
24:16
many of us
24:17
will not face
24:18
this level of persecution.
24:20
Most of us
24:21
will not simply
24:22
run into that.
24:23
But if we just,
24:24
even for a moment,
24:25
consider worst case scenario
24:27
and we do face that,
24:29
Paul still has something
24:30
to say about it.
24:31
Verse 28 of Philippians 1,
24:33
not frightened
24:34
in anything
24:34
by your opponents
24:35
for this is a clear sign
24:37
to them of their destruction
24:38
but of your salvation
24:40
and that from God.
24:42
So even if we face
24:43
opposition in the gospel,
24:45
it's a sign
24:46
of our opponent's destruction
24:47
but it is a sign
24:48
of our salvation
24:49
from God.
24:50
Jesus said
24:51
that a servant
24:51
is not greater
24:52
than his master
24:53
and our master
24:54
suffered the ultimate sacrifice
24:55
that we could be set free
24:57
from sin
24:57
and death
24:58
but also from fear
25:00
as well.
25:01
Paul says
25:02
in verse 29
25:02
that it has been granted
25:03
to us
25:04
that we should suffer
25:05
for his sake.
25:06
It's been granted
25:07
to us
25:07
that we should suffer
25:08
for his sake.
25:10
It's implying
25:10
that it's a gift
25:11
that has been granted
25:13
to us.
25:14
Why?
25:15
Because if we suffer well
25:16
it brings God glory
25:17
and that's our purpose.
25:19
We are here
25:20
to glorify
25:21
the Lord
25:21
our God.
25:23
So the fourth point,
25:25
I didn't give this one
25:26
to you before,
25:28
but how is
25:29
our manner of life
25:30
worthy of the gospel
25:31
of Christ?
25:32
The last point
25:33
I want to make
25:34
is that
25:34
it is to be in unity
25:36
with one another.
25:38
So let's look at
25:39
our passage again
25:40
1.27-28.
25:43
Only let
25:44
your manner of life
25:46
be worthy
25:46
of the gospel
25:47
of Christ
25:48
so that whether
25:49
I come to see you
25:50
or I'm absent
25:51
I may hear of you
25:52
that you are standing firm
25:53
in one spirit
25:55
with one mind
25:56
striving side by side
25:58
for the faith
25:59
of the gospel
26:00
and not frightening
26:01
anything by your opponents
26:02
this is a clear sign
26:03
to them of their destruction
26:05
but of your salvation
26:06
and that from God.
26:08
So we can see
26:09
that we're called
26:09
to stand firm
26:10
we can see
26:10
that we're called
26:11
to strive
26:11
and we can see
26:12
that we are called
26:13
to be fearless
26:14
however
26:15
all of those commands
26:16
are tied together
26:18
in Christian unity.
26:20
How do we do this?
26:21
Paul talks about this as well
26:23
a couple verses down
26:25
in chapter 2
26:26
verses 2-5.
26:27
He says
26:28
complete my joy
26:29
by being of the same mind
26:30
having the same love
26:32
being in full accord
26:33
and of one mind
26:34
do nothing
26:35
from selfish ambition
26:36
or conceit
26:37
but in humility
26:38
count others
26:39
more significant
26:39
than yourselves
26:40
let each of you
26:41
look not only
26:42
to his own interests
26:43
but also to the interests
26:45
of others
26:45
have this mind
26:47
among yourselves
26:47
which is yours
26:48
in Christ Jesus.
26:50
So this is what
26:50
this is a great picture
26:52
of what living
26:53
in Christian unity
26:53
looks like.
26:55
The beautiful thing
26:56
about this unity
26:57
is that we already
26:58
have this as Christians.
27:00
We have this in Christ.
27:02
We have divine fellowship
27:03
with one another
27:04
through the Holy Spirit.
27:06
So how do we live this out?
27:08
We already have it.
27:09
How do we live this out?
27:10
The first thing
27:11
it looks like
27:11
it looks like
27:12
humbling ourselves.
27:13
It looks like
27:14
looking out
27:14
for the interests
27:15
of other people
27:16
over the interests
27:17
of ourselves.
27:19
We have the perfect example
27:20
of this in this same passage.
27:22
We left off in verse 5
27:23
if we carried it
27:24
verses 6-8
27:25
talking about Jesus
27:28
who though he was
27:30
in the form of God
27:31
did not count equality
27:32
with God
27:33
a thing to be grasped
27:34
but emptied himself
27:35
by taking the form
27:36
of a servant
27:37
being born in the likeness
27:38
of men
27:39
and being found
27:39
in human form
27:40
he humbled himself
27:42
by becoming obedient
27:43
to the point of death
27:44
even death
27:45
on a cross.
27:46
There's no greater
27:47
picture of humility
27:48
that you could possibly find.
27:50
You have Jesus
27:50
like creator of the world
27:52
God
27:53
right?
27:53
He humbles himself
27:55
taking on the human flesh
27:57
the form of a servant
27:58
then he humbles himself
28:00
further
28:00
by dying
28:01
being the perfect sacrifice
28:02
for our sin
28:03
being
28:04
satisfying that debt
28:06
that we could not pay
28:06
and doing it
28:08
through crucifixion
28:10
the most gruesome
28:11
possible way
28:12
that a person
28:14
could be
28:15
killed.
28:17
Like Christ
28:17
we are called
28:18
to humble ourselves
28:19
for the sake of others
28:20
we are called
28:21
to genuinely
28:22
look out
28:23
for the interests
28:23
of other people
28:24
and Paul exemplifies
28:25
Timothy
28:26
later in chapter 2
28:28
in this same manner
28:30
he says
28:30
starting in verse 19
28:32
I hope in the Lord Jesus
28:33
to send Timothy
28:34
to you soon
28:34
so that I too
28:36
may be cheered
28:36
by news of you
28:37
for I have no one
28:39
like him
28:39
who will be genuinely
28:40
concerned for your welfare
28:42
for they all seek
28:44
their own interests
28:45
not those
28:46
of Jesus Christ
28:47
but you know
28:48
Timothy's proven worth
28:49
how as a son
28:50
with a father
28:51
he has served me
28:52
with the gospel
28:53
I would love
28:54
if my name
28:55
if I was in the Bible
28:55
that this would
28:56
and that's what Paul
28:57
says about Timothy
28:58
that he was
28:58
genuinely concerned
29:00
for the Philippians
29:01
welfare
29:01
not like the others
29:02
who were only worried
29:03
about their own
29:04
interests
29:05
so again
29:06
this is what we are
29:07
called to
29:08
but to do this
29:10
it requires humility
29:11
it requires patience
29:13
it requires
29:13
bearing with one another
29:15
in love
29:16
Ephesians 4
29:17
1-7
29:18
Paul talks about this
29:20
as well
29:21
he says
29:21
I therefore
29:22
a prisoner for the Lord
29:23
urge you to walk
29:24
in a manner
29:25
worthy of the calling
29:26
to which you have been called
29:27
with all humility
29:29
and gentleness
29:30
with patience
29:31
bearing with one another
29:32
in love
29:33
eager to maintain
29:34
the unity of the spirit
29:35
and the bond of peace
29:36
there is one body
29:38
and one spirit
29:39
just as you were called
29:40
to the one hope
29:41
that belongs to your call
29:43
one Lord
29:44
one faith
29:45
one baptism
29:46
one God and Father
29:47
of all
29:48
who is over all
29:49
and through all
29:50
and in all
29:51
but grace was given
29:52
to each one of us
29:53
according to the measure
29:55
of Christ's gift
29:56
so all of us
29:58
in Christ
29:59
we have the same Father
30:00
the same Savior
30:01
we each receive grace
30:03
as it was given to us
30:05
in Christ
30:06
we are part of one body
30:07
and share in the same spirit
30:09
we all have the same hope
30:11
it's hard to imagine
30:13
that as a Christian
30:14
I have more in common
30:16
with a believer
30:17
in another country
30:18
from another culture
30:19
than I do with
30:20
a family member
30:21
of mine
30:22
that is an unbeliever
30:23
but it's true
30:24
right
30:25
if we remember back
30:27
to how
30:29
the first couple
30:30
people we met
30:31
in the Philippian church
30:32
the Lydia
30:33
the seller of
30:33
purple goods
30:34
the demon
30:35
formerly demon
30:36
possessed slave girl
30:37
and the overzealous
30:38
Philippian jailer
30:40
they would have had
30:40
very little in common
30:42
apart from that bond
30:43
that they share
30:44
in Christ
30:46
right
30:46
it is that
30:48
common bond
30:49
of shared faith
30:50
and that spirit
30:51
that unifies them
30:52
together in Christ
30:53
to be a part
30:54
of one body
30:55
right
30:55
we know however
30:58
though
30:58
that maintaining
30:59
this unity
31:00
is not always easy
31:01
and we actually see
31:02
an example of that
31:04
in Philippians chapter 4
31:05
right
31:06
later in the chapter
31:07
Paul entreats
31:08
two women
31:09
to agree
31:10
in the Lord
31:11
he says
31:13
these women
31:13
labored side by side
31:15
with him
31:15
for the gospel
31:17
he says
31:17
that their names
31:18
are written
31:19
in the book of life
31:20
but yet
31:20
he still has to tell them
31:22
to get along
31:22
right
31:23
that is not
31:24
how I would want
31:24
my name
31:25
to be in scripture
31:26
right
31:27
let it be said
31:29
of us
31:29
that we don't
31:29
squabble
31:30
and quarrel
31:31
amongst ourselves
31:32
we are called
31:33
to be unified
31:34
with one another
31:35
just as Christ
31:36
is unified
31:37
with the Father
31:38
last scripture
31:39
for the day
31:41
from John 17
31:42
starting in verse 20
31:43
I do not ask
31:45
for these only
31:46
but also for those
31:47
who will believe
31:48
in me
31:49
through their word
31:49
that they may
31:51
all be one
31:52
just as you
31:52
Father
31:53
are in me
31:54
and I in you
31:55
that they also
31:56
may be in us
31:57
so that the world
31:59
may believe
31:59
that you have sent me
32:00
the glory
32:02
that you have given me
32:02
I have given to them
32:04
that they may be one
32:05
even as we are one
32:07
I in them
32:08
and you in me
32:09
that they may become
32:11
perfectly one
32:11
so that the world
32:13
may know
32:13
that you sent me
32:14
and love them
32:16
even as you love
32:17
me
32:17
so why are we
32:19
to be unified
32:19
with one another
32:20
so that the world
32:23
may know
32:23
that the Father
32:24
sent Christ
32:25
and loved his people
32:26
even as the Father
32:28
has loved Christ
32:29
how are we
32:30
to show the world
32:31
the power of the gospel
32:32
if we cannot even
32:33
be unified
32:34
amongst ourselves
32:35
we bring glory
32:37
to God
32:38
when we show
32:39
sacrificial love
32:40
and care
32:41
for one another
32:41
and for when we
32:42
humble ourselves
32:44
we get opportunities
32:46
to do this
32:47
every single day
32:48
very rarely
32:49
is someone called
32:50
to be a lone wolf
32:52
we are created
32:53
to live
32:53
in community
32:54
with one another
32:55
so when we are
32:57
when we are
32:59
sorry
32:59
when we are united
33:01
in Christ
33:02
we can help
33:03
one another
33:04
to stand firm
33:05
we can labor
33:06
together
33:07
for the sake
33:08
of the kingdom
33:09
we can encourage
33:10
one another
33:10
to be bold
33:11
and fearless
33:12
and stand
33:12
in the face
33:13
of opposition
33:14
and in doing
33:15
these things
33:16
we live
33:16
in a manner
33:17
worthy
33:18
of the gospel
33:19
of Christ
33:20
so I'm going to
33:21
close in just a second
33:22
but there's just
33:23
one thing I wanted
33:24
to say
33:24
before we do that
33:25
and what that is
33:28
is I wanted to
33:28
commend you all
33:29
for the way
33:30
that you guys do this
33:31
from where I sit
33:33
or from where I stand
33:35
I am constantly
33:36
encouraged by you guys
33:37
for the way
33:38
in which you
33:39
lay down your own
33:41
interests
33:41
to love other people
33:42
my family
33:44
personally
33:45
has been served
33:45
many times
33:46
by so many of you all
33:47
and I am incredibly
33:49
thankful for it
33:51
right
33:51
so it's
33:52
it's beautiful
33:53
to see
33:53
a group of people
33:55
do this
33:56
so well
33:57
so
33:58
my encouragement
33:59
to you all
34:00
would be
34:01
to continue
34:01
to press into this
34:02
right
34:03
continue to bring
34:04
glory to God
34:05
to show the world
34:06
around us
34:06
by our actions
34:07
that Christ
34:08
was sent into the world
34:09
to save sinners
34:10
right
34:11
that Jesus is
34:12
who he says he is
34:13
if you would
34:15
please join me
34:15
in prayer
34:16
who he is
34:17
who he is
34:18
who he is
34:18
who he is
34:19
who he is
34:19
who he is
34:20
who he is
34:21
who he is
34:22
who he is
34:22
who he is