This message originally delivered April 14, 1991 AM.
Philippians 127 follow along, as I read, whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, that, then whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit condemning his one man for the faith of the gospel, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved and that by God, for what has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for him. Since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now here that I still have Philippians 127. Look at it real quickly within whatever happens, conduct yourselves and men are worthy of the gospel of Christ, the weather, I come and see you only hear about you my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit contending as one man for the faith of the gospel, I want you to imagine when the second that you absolutely love your job, okay? Maybe that will be easy for you. And maybe that'll be very hard for you. Or maybe there's a particular hobby that you just think is fantastic. A job or a hobby, and the absolute foremost authority in the world over your particular hobby or your particular job. I mean, I mean, the guru of all gurus, I mean, the top notch person of all the epitome, the guy that writes the books, the girl writes the books, whatever it is, and that this person was also responsible for getting you involved with the particular occupation or hobby that you have. And you just think, Man, this is this person is absolutely fantastic. And almost no wonder you get a letter from that person. And the letter says this, I am extremely sick in the hospital here in Los Angeles. And the reason I say Los Angeles is you know, gurus sort of come from that LA area. Okay. Anyway, I am quite sure that I'm going to make it. But surely, I'm not quite sure if I'm going to make it better. If I do make it, I want to come and see you. And if I come and see you, I want you to know something, I'm really gonna be able to help you with this particular job, or whether you'll be able to make great advancement in that particular job or hobby. But if I can't make it, because I die, then here's what I want you to remember. And there's three things I specifically want you to remember now is that Google wrote you that letter, you hear guys talking about their gurus like that, you know, this guy in a certain hobby, or certain sports are certain that it's this, they just look at him like, Oh, this guy is really good. He says, Look, there's three things in my case, I don't get to see you. There's three things I want you to remember. That's what's going on here. Paul is writing to the Philippians. He had founded the church, he was the leading apostle, he was leading the evangelist, he was going around the world proclaiming Christ, this church loved him, but he had particularly been used of God to evangelize them and to get them into the kingdom of God. And now he writes this letter and through this entire chapter, it's really amazing. If you've been studying like I have, you've been with me here on Sunday mornings, he says, For me to die is gain. For me to live as Christ. If I gotta go on living, it's gonna be for you. If but I might not live, but yet I might live Yes, I'm quite sure I'm gonna live but then I might not. And then he gets to verse 27. He says, Only or whatever happens. In other words, he's not quite sure exactly what's gonna happen. But whatever happens, here's what really matters. And the word only if you've got a New American Standard, or King James, is this, the one thing that really matters, and then it translates that whatever happens, remember this? In other words, here's the here's the point. And here it is, number one thing he would say to the Christians is this conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Now, it's interesting. The word conduct is an imperative is the it's the word that is used referring to a citizen. In fact, you know, how we have Indianapolis, Indianapolis, this is Pol is this is the beginning of this word. And it's referring to a city, it's referring to a citizenship. And he says, Whatever happens realize something, you're a citizen. You're a citizen of heaven, living here upon Earth. And so conduct yourselves appropriately. Normally, the word Paul uses his walk, he says, Hey, walk worthy of the God of the calling that you've received. But here he says, Remember something your says, You see, the the town of Philippi was a Roman colony, they were very proud of the Roman citizenship. If you study the 16th chapter of Acts, you will find that they are very proud of the fact that the Romans and they talk about the way they're going to punish individuals. And Paul's whole point is that, hey, you're a citizen of heaven. Now you live worthy of it, and weren't worthy is very interesting. This order is found this bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. In other words, if you've truly repented, it will be shown by the fruits of your life by the way you live, if you've really turned from sin, you won't participate, you'll turn away from sin. And so there's that type of, there's that type of emphasis. In the point here is this live as a good citizen as Evan live worthy of the gospel, you say that you've trusted Christ as your Savior, love worthy of the gospel? Now, let me put that into proper vernacular for a day. Like if you were a citizen of the United States of America, in particularly of Indiana, then you would know some of the rules that you were supposed to live by, for instance, you would love basketball. You just know that right off the bat. All right. Or let me put you in a little bit more serious. You'd have to obey and cooperate with other people in order to be a good citizen. If you're a drunk driver, and you get you hit a busload of schoolchildren and you kill several of them, you are no longer considered a good citizen, and you're under severe punishment. Why? Because you violated the rules of your citizenship. And so the point here is this be a good citizen of heaven while living on Earth? Follow the rules of the King of Heaven by faith while you live here on Earth. We'll go into chapter three in the verse 20. liquidus says, chapter three and verse 20, he says, but our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, our citizenship is in heaven. Do you realize the reason? Listen, the reason you do things differently than the unsaved person does them is because you're gonna go to heaven. And because heaven isn't working your heart, God isn't working your heart. The unsafe person who doesn't know that God is this is cares about him and loves him is involved into the latest life. That person faces a difficult situation, they get mad, they yell, they scream, they let people have it. But this person is our God is sovereign. He's allowed us for reason. Once he tried to develop in my life, I will learn patience, and you respond as a citizen of heaven. He says, Look, I may not be able to see I hope to see if I don't get to see you because I don't quite make it. I want you remember something, conduct yourselves as a good citizen. Be good citizens of heaven. Remember who really where you're coming from. And then he says something else. That's point number one, point number two, look what else he says. He says stand firm in one spirit. standing firm present tense is the word for this. The Pharisees love to pray they stand in the temple, same word, but here it leaves this stand firm, present tense, continually keep standing. In fact, the word is translated to chapter four verse one, look what it says in chapter four, verse one, it says, stand firm in the Lord. Dear friends, look at the last part of verse one. He says, stand firm in the Lord difference. Galatians five one, there was a heresy going on the heresy and in the Galatian churches was this. Oh, yeah, yeah, you got to believe in Jesus Christ. But you've also got to be circumcised. Yeah, you got to believe in Jesus Christ. But you've also got to keep the Sabbath. Also, if you give into that, and if you think that somehow you're gaining some merit by circumcision, or by keeping the Sabbath, or by some type of legalistic rule keeping, then you're cursed, and you you're departed from the faith. It's wrong. He says, stay away from those people. He says, Wait, and guess what he says in Galatians? Five, one, the liberty that you have in Christ stand firm in that liberty. In other words, you know, you're saved just by Christ. There's nothing else that you can do. You can't give enough money or keep enough rules do anything else. You're saved totally by just trusting Christ. Now stand firm in that other place that says stand firm in the Lord. And the Lord. He hears this, Hey, if I don't get come back to see here I am. I know you love me. I know you care about me instead of Pafford itis to help me I want to tell you this one thing, conduct yourself as a citizen of heaven. Remember that you're a citizen of heaven and everything you do realize that that's where you're gonna be someday is heaven, and so live now on Earth as a citizen of heaven. Secondly, remember this stand firm in one spirit? There was nothing mystical about this. It doesn't mean some mystical spiritual experience. No, it means this stand firm in one spirit is a reference to unity. And it's we read verses just a minute ago, Donald Addison, some verses about unity. Some of the verses we read, let me read it to you, again, make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body, one spirit, just as you were called the one when you were called one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all was overthrown at all, hey, we're unified, keep the unity of the spirit be together as a team. The Amplified Version translates like this in the United spirit, the book of Acts tells us, hey, they sold their possessions. They were as one they met together regularly. They provided the needs of each other, Jesus Christ in the real Lord's Prayer. The real LORD's Prayer is not our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. That's the model prayer, the real look, the Lord's prayer that He actually prayed is John chapter 17. And you know what he says there? He says, in the first five verses, he prays for himself in the next six through 19, he prays for his disciples, and then in verses 20 through 26, he prays for those who would believe because of the disciples message, and guess what, that's us. He's praying for us. And guess what he prays for us? Here's what Jesus your wonder, I wonder what Jesus Christ would pray for me if he could pray for me. He does pray for you, by the way, but you want to know exactly what he already has prayed for you. It must be important he prayed about it. Guess what it is? That they may all be one. That they may be one just as we are one, that they may be perfected in unity. That's verses 2122 and 23 of John chapter 17 to get what he says but they may be one that maybe you don't want, just as we are one of them may be perfecting you the effect literally the last reference could actually say that they need to be perfected into a unit. Do you understand I You know, I keep saying this, but I don't think we understand we have this rugged individual narcissistic society in which we live. But you understand something you are not intended to live the Christian life by yourself. Even the model prayer, our Father, which art in heaven, not my Father, which art in heaven. It's plural I, a professor told me this a guy that made a big impact on my life. I was telling him about how I was struggling with praying for the congregation. There's the congregation was growing. Do I keep praying for everybody by name? How do you do it? He says, Kim, you got to remember one thing. You got to be diligent in prayer, you need to pray diligently, firmly, because but when you pray for one person, you're praying for everybody. I thought, what that didn't sound right. It's true. Because we're all one. It'd be like saying, Well, I'm going to pray for my finger on my left, far right hand. But that's not really praying for me. It is praying for me, that's me. Right there. That's nice. But it's also just my finger. And the point is, that's the way we are as a body. We're one. And there's a tremendous emphasis on unity. There's a tremendous emphasis here on on being together and being one. So he would say to you this, conduct yourself as a citizen of heaven. And by the way, do you understand that our citizen, as soon as you think of a citizen, what do you think of? Are you all by yourself? No, you're related to a group of people, you're a citizen. And so here it is, we're citizens. And by the way, I just throw this one out for free. All right, consistently across the board, you'll find on a general rule that people that stay aloof and never get involved. And I know you probably think, Oh, now he's trying to reel me in and they make me feel guilty. If you feel guilty, take it from the Holy Spirit, because this is a consistently true statement. Those that stay aloof and never quite get involved are people that usually think I'm just gonna be alright by myself, I don't really need to get involved, you violated all of the one and others of the New Testament, because there's one another after one another after one another love, pray, get involved provoke stir up one another, over and over, because we realize we're to be together. We're working together. We're to encourage one another, but that look at go back to Philippians 127. And I want you see the third thing he says, we're already on the third and final point, aren't you glad to hear 127 He says this, whatever happens conduct yourselves no matter where the the gospel of Christ, that's number one. Then he says, whether I come and see you or hear about you that tied in with the introduction, I will know that you stand firm and one spirit there is number two, what is the unit, you're you're committed to the unit. That's why we weep with them that weep. We rejoice with those that rejoice. When someone's got to trouble we've got to trouble we got to behind them and support each other. And by the way, this is how the world's gonna know that Jesus was sent by God according to John 17. You see, when we're always divisive, and picking and fighting and but they don't do this right. Or they don't do that, right, that they're not gonna know. They're not gonna believe we're wondering, I wonder why there's no power in our churches anymore. Because we're not unified. We're more interested in what is divisive than we are what is unifying. Anyway, back to my point. Okay. Third thing is this, he says, and lastly, with one solo striving together, using my Bible doesn't say one soul, if you've got a numerator standard says with one mind contending, or no striving together, if you've got an NIV it says, with as one man contending, the Amplified Version says, striving side by side contending with a single mind, but the Greek word is really what is so interesting. Do you know the word athlete comes from this Greek word? It's actually the word athletes found in Second Timothy two five and now it's found here and that's about the only place it's found but that was it's found here. It's got the little preposition soon in front of it su n. And is this soon athletes a or soon athlete, or whether together athletes. And the point here is this, it conveys the idea of the need of a joint effort. It's teamwork. Go over to the fourth chapter again. You look what it says, here's the way it here's the other place. This verse is used. He says in verse two of Philippians, four, I plead with Yulia and I plead with Seneca to women to agree with each other in the Lord's In other words, there were two women in the church that were causing trouble i I was supposed to say this later in my sermon, I'll just tell you now that you read Philippians everybody always says, oh, flipping says this book where there were no problems off Corinthians, there were problems Galatians there were problems. But there weren't any problems here in Philippi. That's not true. You can start to sense as we're starting to build this momentum, there was a tremendous disunity brewing in the church. Here are two women that weren't getting along. And look what he says to them agree with each other and then look at verse three. Because here's the other place this word is used this this soon athletes. Yes, I asked you loyal yoke fellow help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clinet and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life, help them these women that aren't getting along help these women who have been loyal and if contended at my side, they've been on the same side of the rope pulling. So content side by side, guess what one lexicon calls this word here's what they how they describe it to, to cooperate vigorously with a person Try to cooperate vigorously to make an effort in the cause or the support of a thing. Now, I need some help here. I'm gonna ask all the kids that can hear my voice. I think we got two bigger kids in this room. But let's first get to the issues. I get an ASHA real quick. Mitch, click the second door on the left, get the junior church to come in here. Just tell them all they're ready for this. So just tell him to come in here. And we'll see how many they've got. And then I'm gonna start bringing in some of these others. All right. Looking over here at the it's several these guys, you ready to get ready to get your muscles flexes? I think I'm gonna be using you in a second. All right. So is it good idea, by the way, you see what we got up here? In case you didn't see it, we got to tug rope. All right, you're gonna get an illustration of what this word is really about. And it should help you. Alright, good. Let's get him in here. And then we'll move up. Come on, guys. Right up here. This side over here. Have them stand right about here. Okay, now, as they come in, marching so sweetly. And so look how innocent sweet they look. Look at them. Yeah, come on. Everybody. Start right here. First guy right here. Hold on. Hold on to this rope. Come on. Ben's not interested in this. Okay, good. Somebody else will he will say this. I come on. You've got a we're gonna we're the face this way. Everybody face this way. Okay. God, God. No, no, no good. No, get the grab that rope. Let's go. Come on down. Keep going. Hey, Willie, come on. Keep going. All right. You don't know if you guys wanna play Tigger up. Let me show you look. Up look, pulling that rope. Pulling that rope. Okay, stops I've just wanted to get Okay, good. I'll pull all of your back in the back a bunch of ones Paul cannot go. Alright. Oh, stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Come on up a little bit. Just a little bit. Look, let go. Let go. Come on. Now. Listen, I got another guy here. The strongest guy in our church. At least I think he's the strongest guy in our church. Come on up. John. Another guy. He's here ready to work out over here Okay, hang on. I don't need this. Anyway, let's get this out of the way. Before we started breaking the place up. Okay, now look at what I want you to see stuff that is this. What are these sweet, innocent little kids? Look at them. Make you a good stand up back there. It looks so innocent. They don't want they couldn't harm anybody. Oh, I see some that see this guy. He can squat 750 pounds. He could pull up to 430 pounds he can benchpress 300 pounds. You can do all of this. He's a strong guy. But here's the one thing. He's all by himself. You see, the word is athletes striving together. He's all by himself. Now. You guys. This guy is mean you understand something? He's mean? When I say listen, listen, they look here. Okay? When I say pull, you guys have got to be pulling together the best you can as hard as you possibly can. You're all of you. Let's let's all get close together. Get right up close to each other. Get ready to pull on this first group. There was even less of you but they're a little bit bigger. Here. Go right here. We got to fill these gaps. Everyone gets good. Tighten that rope up. Let's tighten it up a little bit. John. tight, narrow. Everybody tighten it up. No, no, there's too much gap here. We got to pull from this end. We got to tighten this rope. I've already ended up this way. Let it come through. But it comes through. Okay, now there you go. Now when I say go, John's gonna give it his best and you guys gotta be ready. Hold on tight. Ready?
John L:I gotta make one disclaimer. Okay, so that's the first service I'm a loser no matter what happens here because if they pull me down I'm a whimp, but if I pull them down I'm a bully!
Kimber Kauffman:okay, you gotta give me your best. C'mon, Amber. Get in there. Ready? 123 Go. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.
Unknown:Come on.
Kimber Kauffman:Can you believe it? They held him off! These little girl gets dead. Okay, okay, okay, stop, stop, stop, stop. Stop pulling. Listen to each other. I saw this at a company picnic one time, there was a 380 pound guy. And there was about this many kids and that guy went skiing across the grass. That is no kidding. All right. Now I'm gonna ask you something else kids. You're gonna listen carefully. I want you this time to do something a little bit different. All right, I want you to listen, I want you to to pull that way. Right towards the congregation. I want you to to pull this way. Get on this side of the rope. Come on over on this side. And I want you to pull as hard as you can that direction. I want you to to pull this direction over that way. Okay, now I want you three the pull this direction towards me and I want you to to pull that direction over there. Okay, get ready. Pulled as hard as you can. But you're pulling this way. Robbie, you're gonna get on this side of the rope. Rob. Here you three. Come on. We're gonna get on the side of the rope. Bigger Willie. When I say go, John, you keep pulling your way. You guys keep pulling that way. Ready, girl? Guess John's winning now? Okay. Oh, good. Good. Good. Now, wait a minute. One of the things I want you all to put your one hand on your hip. All right, just with one hand. In this article like this, alright, alright, now get ready, pull, go. Okay, okay, listen again. Now. One other thing. I want one last thing, I want you all to do something else you got to listen carefully, kids, you gotta do something else I want you like back in the back. I want you to try to get up to the front, I want you just to sort of pull a little bit but your main goal is to get up here to the front and try to get the person ahead of you behind you. You understand? You come up to the front or all of you and recruited you just gone that this person is the winner. Whoever ends up here is the winner. Okay, ready, Paul, I also get up to the front the same time. Come on. Come on up front. Come on. You see. Okay, that's it. My point. Thanks a lot. Thank you very much. Let's give them all hands here. Thanks, John. Go back to class. Come back to class, drop the rope. Thanks for participating. Now, listen to this. Kitty Genovese was brutally attacked as she returned to her apartment late one night. She screamed and shriek that she fought for her life yelling until she was hoarse for 30 minutes as she was being abused. 38 people watched the half hour episode from their windows with rapt fascination. Not one so much as walked over to the telephone and called the police. Kitty died that night as 38 Witnesses stared in silence. And Andrew Moore reveals experience was similar riding on a subway the 17 year old youth was quietly minding his own business when he was stabbed repeatedly in the stomach by attackers. A lovin riders watched the stabbing, but none came to assist the young man. Even after the thugs had fled and the train had pulled out of the station as he lay in a pool of his own blood, not even one came to his side. less dramatic, but equally shocking was the ordeal of Eleanor Bradley. While shopping on Fifth Avenue in busy Manhattan, this lady tripped and broke her leg days and anguished and in shock, she called out for help not for two minutes, not for 20 minutes, but for 40 minutes. As shoppers and business executives, students and merchants walked around her and stepped over her completely ignoring her cries. After literally hundreds had passed by a cab driver finally pulled over hold on to his taxi and took her to the local hospital. A true story about seminary students that were given the assignment seminary students, men preparing for the ministry, were given the assignment to study the passage of Luke 1033 37. You know what that is? That's the story of the Good Samaritan. And a couple of them decided to play a trick. You know what they did? One guy got all dressed up as though his clothes His clothes were torn, he disguised himself as though he'd been beaten and bruised, and He placed himself along the path where all the students had to walk to class the next day. Clearly in view of all the young students making their way back to class with their assignment, neatly written, carefully documented, and tucked under their arms, not one seminarian so much is paused to come to his assistance or wipe the ketchup off his neck and chest. Intellectually the assignment on love and carried had been completed but personally, well, you decide. There is a tremendous emphasis in of unity in the book of Philippians. Paul says, Look, even if those that are preaching Christ are causing me trouble while they preach, I don't care. I'm for them because they're preaching Christ. That's what we studied a few weeks ago. Go to chapter two and verses one through four liquidus says if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and confession, then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love being one in spirit and purpose, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider each other's better than yourself. Each of you should not only look to your own interest, but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Alan McGinnis. In his book, The friendship factor wrote the following Listen, pop psychology has produced a new wave of self help books, the advocate asserting that advocate asserting yourself doing your own thing, taking advantage of the other before the other person takes advantage of you and telling anyone who does not give you what you need in your relationship to get lost. Actually, the movement is not entirely new arrogance has been around for a long time. But there is suffering in such a philosophy it is an attempt of unhappy people to find some joy for themselves. Someone has told them that they will find it by ignoring the needs and wants of other people around them and elbowing their way to the front of the line. But my experience in counseling such people is that when they push others away, intimidate their competitors and disregard those with whom they have responsibility. They get to the front of the line and discover that there is no one there to hand them anything Jesus Mr to lifestyle, saying that those who save their lives will end up losing them. Christ also said that those who lose their lives will save them in the body Apple is replete with statements to the effect, that sacrificing ourselves denying ourselves sort of some higher good will in the long run bring happiness. In other words, happiness does not ordinarily come to those who set out to be happy happiness is a byproduct. I noticed that the happiest people do not have to shove and push, they do not worry about intimidating others, they are confident in their own self worth, much of which comes from making other people happy. There are rewards for such acts for the friend who is willing to sacrifice for you is not easily forgotten. The unifying factor of all pulling together is the last part of verse 27. And it says this, it says contending is one man for the faith of the gospel, for the faith of the gospel. Because of the gospel, because of Christ. I'll tell you, I mentioned this a lot lately, we're gonna be in Philippians, there's gonna be a theme on unity. But you know, the way Christians talk to each other, the way Christians act, when things don't go their way, the I will tell you something I have received five times the hurt and the bruises from the tongue of Christians than I ever have from the Unsafe people. The burden of Paul is this, Listen, I'm not I don't know if I'm gonna be able to see you, but conduct yourself as a citizen, you're in a group, be one in spirit and be striving together. Actually, side by side. What you saw these kids doing is exactly the picture. And you see what happens here. We have a guy up here that if we took any other man in this church, I think I could be completely wrong. I'm almost positive you took any other man and Lankford would just drag me across the front here. That's why I didn't use myself on that rope on the other end. He just drag you right across. But you see, when you got people side by side pulling together, you're striving together, you're on a team, and the whole reason is is because of the gospel. The unifying factor is the gospel. The stories about Bobby Knight are really some people hate them. Some people like them. Some people like Indiana, some people don't all that but you know, the stories about Bobby Knight which I find interesting are this. Here's a guy that with two minutes to go in the game and his team is up 25 points. He's absolutely screaming at the top of his lungs at his players. To do something, it does Bobby what is wrong with you as you settle down? You're up 25 points. But you see he's after a higher cause a higher causes to develop something and that basketball player to make them better later on. And later on. And later on later on. And you surely don't have the right answer that look on life philosophically. But you talk to those players. I've talked with a few of them, they're changed for the rest of their life. Because they realize the extent that they are to push themselves and to go, and he's after that. I had a friend that I played college basketball with and he was an all American guard and he had a coach in high school that was much like Bobby Knight. And he told me about one time in the regionals deplete the places screaming and yelling, the fans are going crazy. And his team is up and he pulls them over. And he says, Eric, all these people think that I'm congratulating you right now. But you know what, everything we've practiced this week, you aren't falling but you think you're the hero because you're putting the ball in the basket. And you started ripping into the guy he goes, You know what you're gonna be doing triple sets of Sprint's and practice. We say listen, Eric thing and everybody else is going yeah, look at the coolest gratulate and Eric, and he was really letting them have it. And the point is, there's a higher level. And here's what I want you to see, I believe the devil, if he hears Jesus Christ, praying that the church would be unified that we would be one that we would be all to be together, he would say, Ah, well, then disunity, getting people not to talk to one another getting people not to want to be with one another, getting people to hold grudges against one another causing people to separate a reminder little doctrine areas what that'll be great one, because then we can defeat them all. In 1981, there were 57 Different kinds of Baptist, and I have a sneaking suspicion. Notice I said stinking suspicion that if you were to talk to any one of those groups, they would all say they were the best and they were the exalted one. And there's this tendency that we have, instead of assuming others better than ourselves to think, No way because of the way we sing or because of the way we do this or because of the version of the Bible you hold to or because we're all better than everybody else. I'm telling them this was break the heart of God, we're supposed to be pulling on the same side of the rope. That's mostly pulling against each other. Did you see what happened? I did a couple of things there on purpose. I hope it illustrated well. But once I had the kids pulling in different directions, John started making progress. See, because why once I said kids start to get to the first line, they were a little too young to quite exactly understand that I think. But once they went, they would pull up pull up here and they'd have to get around and try to get around somebody and they've lost their strength because they're trying to get ahead. Instead of everybody that are pulling together for the cause of the gospel. I want to ask you this question. Does the Bible teach that separation should lead the church you say Well, come on are you going after this again? Another one these messages against those separatist people? No, I'm not. I'm gonna ask you something because you don't want I don't see it is this. Some of them are super autistic. This unifying people in the world are people that are not are all separate, autistic legalistic type of people that they're charismatic people in this this, if you haven't experienced what I've experienced, you're not as good as us, or all the people, your church we know they don't like to do what we like, and they don't quite have the insight that we have. What is that? That's just making another thing to be dis unified again, because the Spirit is going to magnify Christ if it's truly a work of the Holy Spirit, or you can go across. I mean, I just mean, it doesn't matter where you are, there's always something and you just put yourself a little bit better than somebody else. The Bible says, You can't get along on minor issues. You're supposed to make sure that you put Christ at the forefront, realize that the Bema Seat, you'll give an answer for yourself, you don't have time to give an answer for them. And so just shut up and cooperate. And that is basically what the Bible says, Romans 1415. And yet there is all of this deceitful, prideful, picking on other, you know, it even happened in our church. Up until about three years ago, when you filled out a membership application for this church. I, by the way, I did a lot of that stuff, because my administration style was I got it for another church and just copied it. And so when you filled out a membership application for this church, the very first question was this after your name, and address and phone number was this very first question, are you divorced? See, I copied from the troops. Someone who had been divorced, showed me that and they told me how bad I made them feel. I said, Well, you know, why would that be the first question on church membership questionnaire? The what's my position on divorce? Well, the Bible is clear on that. And I tell you some other time, and it's it's wrong to divorce and all that kind of stuff. But my point is, why should that be first? So the Christian School teacher when I was in Colorado, for three summers, as a youth pastor, there was a Christian school that started in the first question before you can make any more progress in the interview towards being a Christian school teacher. That's cool. You have to answer this question. Are you a pretribulation? Nest? You had to answer that question correctly, or else you would not have thought you were disqualified for the rest of the way. What is that supposed to be the leading question? You mean? You don't have to say where do you stand on Christ? Where do you stand on the Bible? Where do you stand on these things? But instead, you got to bring those things up. Paul talks about he says, make my joy complete by being like minded be committed to one another before each other. There are two congregations located only a few blocks from each other in a small community. They thought it might be better if they would merge and become one united body larger and more effective rather than two struggling churches. Good idea. But both were too petty to pull it off the problem. They couldn't agree on how they would recite the Lord's Prayer. One group wanted forgive us our trespasses, while the other demanded Forgive us our debts. So the newspaper reported that the church went back to his trust passes while the other one back to its debts. such silly skirmishes would be hilarious if they weren't so prevalent and damaging. It's one thing to stand firm on major issues clearly set forth in the scriptures and other thing to pick fights over jots and tittles. One man who lived the nitpicking brigade, which dis unify said this was in this little poem, I love it. Believers, I believe no more, no less than I am right and no one else confess, feels, I feel think only as I think eat what I eat and drink. But what I drink, look, as I look, do always is I do and then and only, then I'll fellowship with you. So that's one thing is this, we've got to realize that we've got to be open in bigger and you know, you know, something, you know what's really going to be sad. And I give you this warning, because it's happening here in our church, and I just want you to pay attention. And this is not some kind of gossip, but it happens. You have heard about somebody else in our church by a second or third party about something they have done one time. And so you've just believed in instead of being wise and hearing both sides of the story. And as a result of that, you've always sort of held a grudge against somebody else. And you heard about what they did. And even a year or two later, you're still holding it against them. You don't want to be with them. You don't want to be near them. And you know what? It's pretty sad. Because first off, you've got the Pharisee attitude, and God can be working in their heart and they may be a better person by now much better than even you are. But nobody, you remember what they did. And you're the judge. You're holding what they did against them as if that's the important thing. Could you tell me what the unpardonable sin is? Last week, the Holy Spirit. Okay, you say, well, thanks a lot. Is there anything more than that? We have when we start talking about that right now. Okay, but there pardonable sin is not just what you happen to have not like. And it seems like there are certain people who are that is the way we were taught that it was a way or outlook of life, maybe from the way we were raised. I'm not sure when you look at people and the first thing you think of is things they don't do right. Instead of loving them and accepting them as Christ is loved and accepted you did you do everything right. It breaks my heart. I'll tell you it really does break my heart because the burden here I'm starting to see it as I spend more time in Philippians as Paul was concerned that people would be unified and people would be getting along. instead. There's always we don't quite like this. We gotta love one another If we're gonna make a mistake make it on the side of love. But another reason why we're not obeying what Paul said is this we're not actually involved let me ask you something if this were you and and John were the devil and John represented the devil and John represented all that was bad and unbelief and everything, that's anti scripture. And you're over on this side, man, what part are you actually playing? Are you pulling on the rope? Are you sitting there looking at the other people going you know, I don't like the clothes you're pulling in you know you're positioning your hands position on the rope that is not the fundamental way to have it know you go instead of on what are you doing, you know, some people they're doing this in the first service that worked out it was a lot smaller group and and our white how it worked out, but they were just about to get John. So I reached down I just pulled a little bit and it was just also had to do with just pull a little bit started to topple him over. Just get a little bit. But you know what, that's how a lot of Christians live, they just reach out. And once a while we give a little poll on the line. I'm far from perfect, but I'm gonna tell you something. I am striving, the pastor of this church the best I can. And I mean, I am given hours and hours to it. And you know what I look around, I see people and they, they can't eat the slick slightest, slightest little sacrifice to get involved. And it hurts me. It hurts me. As I'm sitting over there like this. I'm going to look up and there's the devil uglier than John on the other end. And you know what? I look over and there's other people and they're just, you know, sort of like, Oh, look at, you're straining so hard. No, you should rest more. Now, it seems like all they ever do is rest. And so we got to be careful friends, we got to we got to actually get involved. During the reign of Oliver Cromwell, the British government began to run low on silver coins, or in Cromwell sent his men on investigation of the local cathedral to see if they could find any precious metal there. After investigating, they reported, the only silver we could find is the statue of the saint standing in the corners. To which the radical soldier and statesman of England replied good will nail down the saints and put them into circulation. Not bad theology for a guy. Give them no doubt. And let's get involved. I want to ask you that. Are you going to get involved, you know what could happen? You can leave her today, you can be a little bit inspired of your hope, just a little bit encyclopedia. And then you'll leave here and and you'll go right back to your standard mundane way of doing things. I'm going to ask you Listen, can you make sacrifices? Can you Paul, can you get involved? Can you say yes, I'll do my part. I mean, I've been successful, I mean, offer much, but he just told me to offer what I do have to give the best that I can. Then the last thing is this and we're done. Nothing will shake you into wanting to get involved in polling, then when you actually realize the enemy. Look at verses 28 and 29. And 30. Read them to yourself, is there a second? It says there in verses 2829 and 30. That without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign that they will be destroyed the opposition, verse 2940, has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, I know what to believe on Him, but also to suffer for him. Since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now here that I still have struggling and conflict suffering and opposition. Three things, opponents, you know, did you see 2020 weeks ago, they had the Catholic Church exercising the demon out of the person on you know, supposed to be the big deal. You know, there's several things about that which don't match up to the Scriptures. Just to tell you if people want to know my thoughts on that. It doesn't take 11 hours to cast demon out a person. And, and it's not going to be done by holy water and things like that. It's going to be named done at the authority of the name of Jesus Christ. But I will tell you something, I I'm glad that was shown. And you may disagree. But I'm glad that was shown because there is a devil, and he is real. And he is absolutely capturing people and taking them captive and binding them up in his ways and destroying people. And I'll tell you something, if you could see for a minute, if you could see for a minute, if you could just smell or taste or see from it just as a little glimpse of the hatred of the devil for you. And the demons that could be billions strong. And the desire and the plan and the scheming and the preparation and the extent they go to to destroy you and try to discourage you and to try to get you to go off the deep end and do everything they possibly can to hinder you. If you can see that for a second, my friends, you will be involved with the people that are on the side of good. And you'd be saying I'm on Christ side I'm pulling in and you know what? People that are nitpicking and people that are always picking out little affairs that other Christians have not taken a very good look at the enemy. Because the enemy is there to try to destroy us do everything we possibly can to hinder us and what are we doing? We're looking at each other. Here's this blooming huge enemy coming over here on the side of the tug of war blocking each other talking and kicking each other in the shins.
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Kimber Kauffman:all the things in your life that you can give yourself to. You will never, ever regret giving yourself to the cause of the church that preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's get on the side of the tundra and start pulling what's pray now before I pray, I want you to keep your heads bowed. And I'm going to ask a couple of probing questions just quietly there, let God deal with your heart. Would you please usually don't do this, but I want to do today. But God right now, as I talk, and just before the piano plays, just think, Lord, if I've been on the one that's been pulling my own direction, if I've been the one that's been nitpicking, I've been the one that that has been not forgiving people of the wrongs they've done and holding things against them. Would you show me that and confess it and go on and then would you show me next? What I could do to be involved a poll, how could better use my time and effort? I don't want to be a person that lays around and watches TV until I die. I want to be involved. Heavenly Father, you help us to remember what Paul said to conduct ourselves as good as citizens. To stand firm in one Spirit, and to contend this one man for the faith of the gospel. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.