BATTLE STATIONS -- (Phil 1:27-30)
I. Introduction
A. The Christian life is not a playground, it is a battleground.
1. We are sons in the family enjoying the fellowship of the gospel.
2. We are servants in the household, sharing in the furtherance of the gospel.
3. We are soldiers in the army defending the faith of the gospel.
B. The faith of the gospel is that body of divine truth given to the church.
1. Jude calls it the "faith which was once and for all delivered to the saints."
2. Paul warns in I Tim 4:1 that "in the latter days some shall depart from the faith."
3. God committed this blessed gospel to Paul (I Tim 1:11)
4. Paul in turn entrusted it to Timothy (I Tim 6:20)
5. It was Timothy's responsibility to commit this deposit to others (II Tim 2:2)
6. My friend someone was responsible to share this gospel treasure with you. It is like the Olympic torch, it is to be taken and passed on.
C. This is why the church must engage in a teaching ministry so that each new generation of believers will know and appreciate the great heritage that they have in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. But we must remember that there is an enemy who is out to steal that treasure from people.
2. If Satan~can corrupt our faith and rob us of our doctrines, then he has defeated the ministry of the gospel.
3. Keep in mind each local church is only one generation from extinction.
4. Is it any wonder why Satan attacks our young people seeking to get them away from the faith of our Fathers.
5. There are three essentials for victory in the battle to protect "the faith".
II. First is Consistency (1:27)
A. The old English word "conversation" means walk and not talk.
1.That's why he says conduct yourselves in a manner that is worthy of the gospel.
2.The most important weapon against the enemy is not a stirring sermon or a POWERFUL BOOK BUT THE CONSISTENT LIFE OF A BELIEVER.
3. The verb Paul uses is related to our word politics.
4. He is saying, behave the way citizens should behave.
B. An evangelist tells this story about his experience in England.
1. My wife and I were visiting in London and one day decided to go to the zoo. We boarded the bus and sat back to enjoy the ride; but it was impossible to enjoy it because of the loud, course conversation of the passengers at the front of the bus. Unfortunately, they were Americans' and we could see the Britishers around us raising their eyebrows and shaking their heads, as though to say, "Oh, yes, they're from American. We were embarrassed, because we knew that these people did not really represent the best of American citizens
2. Paul is suggesting that we Christians are the citizens of heaven and we ought to behave ourselves as such. He brings this subject up again in chapter 3:20.
3. The church of Jesus Christ is a colony of heaven on earth.
4. We need to conduct ourselves accordingly.
C. We need to remind ourselves that the world around us knows only the gospel it sees in our lives.
III. The Second Essential is Cooperation (l:27B)
A. Paul now changes the illustration from politics to athletics.
I. The words translated "striving together' gives us our English word athletics.
2. Paul pictures the church as a team and reminds them that it is teamwork that win victories.
3. Keep in mind that there was division in the church, two ladies were not getting along. (4:2)
4. Apparently the people in the church were picking sides.
5. The resulting division was hindering the church.
B. Satan is really happy when this is happening -- his motto is -- Divide and Conquer
1. It is only as believers stand together that they can overcome the wicked one.
2. Paul uses an interesting word to emphasize the importance of this unity. (sunathleo) The prefix sun means "with or together". It is somewhat like our prefix "co"
3. Paul uses the prefix sun 16 times in his letter and the word he uses in 1:27 is sunathleo - striving together as athletes.
4. The key word is- together - standing firm together, striving together against the enemy and doing it with one mind and one heart.
C. My friend the local church can be thought of in terms of athletic competition.
1. Each person has a place and is needed in that place.
2. If each one is doing his or her job it helps the whole church.
3. Not everyone can be a captain or a quarterback - but all of us~have one goal, to honor Christ and glorify Him.
4. Let's keep in mind we are members of the same team and therefore we need to cooperate with each other.
IV. Third Essential is Confidence (1:28-30)
A. Don't be alarmed by your opponents says Paul
1. The word used pictures a horse shying away from battle.
2. We are in a battle and we must have the confidence that the battle can be won.
3. Paul gives us several things in these verses to bolster our confidence.
B. First - These battles prove that we are saved.
1. For some reason many new Christians feel that receiving Christ means the end of their battles.
2. In reality it is the beginning of some new battles.
C. Secondly, the presence of conflict is a privilege, we suffer for His sake.
1. In fact Paul tells us that this conflict is granted unto us - it is a gift.
2. Because we are suffering for Christ it is a high and holy honor.
D. Thirdly he says' others are experiencing the same conflict (30)
1. Satan wants us to think we are alone in the battle, that our difficulties are unique - no one has gone through this before.
2. Paul reminds us that he is undergoing the same trials that they have been experiencing.
3. Knowing that other believers have gone through this and even worse gives me the strength to keep from going under.
4. Remember spiritual conflict is one of the ways we grow in our faith.
5. Confidence in Christ and his ultimate victory is a proof that the enemy has lost and we are on the winning side (28)
E. As we face the enemy and do it in dependence on the Lord - He- gives us all that we need for the battle.
1. So don't give in to your doubts and fears - do what the songwriter exhorts us to do.
2. Just now your doubting give over - Just now reject Him no more, just now throw open the door - let Jesus come into your heart.