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Warren Wiersbe - Consistency, Cooperation, Confidence - 5 of 15
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[Music]
welcome to back to the Bible radio
featuring best-selling author and
internationally known Bible teacher
Warren where's being wouldn't it be
wonderful if all we had to do was enjoy
the fellowship of the gospel or if all
we had to do was just promote the
furtherance of the gospel it's a real
joy to fellowship with God's people and
to study the Word of God and it's a
delight to witness to people and to
share the message of the good news of
salvation well you find the fellowship
of the gospel in Philippians 1 3 through
11 and then you find the furtherance of
the gospel in Philippians 1 12 through
26 but when you come to verse 27 of
Philippians chapter 1 you move into
striving together for the faith of the
gospel we are not just simply sons who
enjoy the fellowship in the family or
servants who enjoy furthering the gospel
we are soldiers we're in a conflict the
Christian life is not a playground the
Christian life is a battleground
let's read Philippians chapter 1 and
begin at verse 27 down through verse 30
Paul writes to his friends at Philippi
and says only let your conduct be as it
be cometh the gospel of Christ that
whether I come and see you or else be
absent I may hear of your affairs that
you stand fast in one spirit with one
mind striving together for the faith of
the gospel and in nothing be terrified
by your adversaries which is to them an
evident token of perdition judgment but
to you of salvation and that of God for
unto you it is given in the behalf of
Christ not only to believe on him but
also to suffer for his sake having the
same conflict which you saw in me and
now here to be in me he's talking here
about the church defending the gospel
striving together for the faith of the
gospel now there's some saints of God
who only enjoy the fellowship of the gospel
gospel
there are others who all they talk about
is the furtherance of the gospel and
we're glad for these things but how
about striving together for the faith of
the gospel when Nehemiah was rebuilding
the walls of Jerusalem his workers had a
trowel in one hand and a sword in the
other if we don't defend the faith
that's been delivered to the Saints
there won't be any gospel to share we're
going to lose ground and the enemy is
going to take over the church today must
fight for the faith of the gospel and if
we're going to win that battle and
defeat the enemy three essentials are
important and here they are number one
consistency let your conduct be as it be
cometh the gospel of Christ consistency
secondly cooperation standing fast in
one spirit with one mind striving
together for the faith of the gospel and
thirdly confidence in nothing be
terrified by your adversaries can you
remember those three essentials you see
if you're going to have joy in your
ministry you have to defend the gospel
you have to defend the faith that's been
once and for all given to the Saints and
if you're going to do this there has to
be consistency cooperation and
confidence Paul is giving us three
different pictures of the Christian life
here isn't he consistency he talks about
us as citizens cooperation he uses the
picture of an athlete confidence he
changes the image to that of a soldier
and so with these three images in mind
and these three essentials let's look
together at Philippians 1:27 through 30
if we are going to defeat the enemy and
carry on the Ministry of the love the
Word of God there has to be consistency
only let your conduct be as it be cometh
the gospel of Christ now this word
conduct means literally politics it's
the greek word that gives us our word politics
politics
it means behavior it means how you
conduct yourself
the circumstances where you are you must
remember that the city of Philippi was a
colony of Rome now what was a Roman
colony well the Roman government was
very wise they realized that the best
way to keep peace was to have more of
Rome in the places where they conquered
and so what they would do is they would
take a city and they would make it a
Roman colony they said Philip I you are
a Roman colony even though you are not
located in Italy even though you're not
next to the city of Rome you are going
to be a Roman colony this means that you
are going to be governed by Roman law
your officers are gonna have Roman
titles you'll be protected by Rome
you'll have all the privileges of Rome
but you must remember that you are a
Rome away from Rome you're a colony of
Rome now you show all the people around
you how wonderful it is to be a Roman
sometimes the Roman Empire would
transport their own Roman citizens into
these colonies to set the example of how
wonderful it was to be a Roman that's
what God has done in the church your
church is a colony of heaven on earth
now God wants to win people to himself
this is not the day of judgment this is
the day of grace the day of salvation
and God has planted your church there in
your city to be a colony of heaven on
earth and you are to show to the people
around you how wonderful it is to be a
citizen of heaven
you see Rome's philosophy was this if we
plant Romans out there in Greece and
Asia Minor and other places and if these
Romans are good examples everybody will
want to be a Roman and we won't have any
problem with with the people disobeying
the law or revolting against the Empire
consistency now what does it mean to be
a citizen of heaven on earth the church
that I'm a part of the church that
you're a part of as a colony of heaven
on earth we are enrolled in heavens
register we're citizens of heaven Jesus
said one day don't rejoice because the
demons are subject to you but read
is that your names have been written
down in heaven our names are written in
heaven every Roman citizen carried proof
of his citizenship he was proud of his
citizenship now you and I are enrolled
on heavens register
we're not embarrassed or ashamed that we
belong to Jesus Christ we speak heavens
language John wrote in first John
chapter 4 they speak of the world and
the world hears them because they belong
to the world now when we speak people
who belong to Christ listen to us
you can tell what people belong to by
what they talk about
you can tell what they're interested in
by what they talk about we speak heavens
language that doesn't mean we use some
strange language no it just means that
all of our speech is seasoned with the
things of the Lord Jesus Christ we obey
heavens laws the Apostle said we ought
to obey God rather than men now we don't
deliberately proudly arrogantly
belligerently disobey man's laws if ever
there comes a real conflict of
conscience and we cannot obey the laws
of men then we have to obey the laws of
God but we better be very very careful
that we're not just creating a problem
as much as lieth in you live peaceably
with all men and so we're enrolled on
heavens register we speak heavens
language we obey heavens laws were loyal
to heavens cause the Romans in Phillipi
were loyal to Rome and we're waiting for
heaven's Lord they never knew it Philip
I when Caesar might show up or when some
great general might come or some
official to examine the books you and I
don't know when the Lord is going to
come back that's why Paul says in
chapter 3 of Philippians verse 20 our
citizenship is in heaven from whence
also we look for the Savior the Lord
Jesus Christ consistancy the greatest
weapon we have against the enemy is a
consistent Christian life not debates
not lawsuits not carrying flags and
banners the greatest weapon the church
has against the enemy today is
consistent Christians living the way
Christians are supposed to live let your
conduct be as it becomes the gospel of Christ
Christ
pay your bills love your neighbors do
your homework earn an honest day's wages
live like a Christian should live
consistency that's the first essential a
second is cooperation Paul says that I
may hear of your affairs that you stand
fast in one spirit with one mind
striving together for the faith of the
gospel the picture here is of an
athletic team the little phrase striving
together is a Greek word that gives us
our word athletics it's an athletic team
working together to win the game now I
must confess to you I am NOT a good
athlete when I was a student at
Washington School in East Chicago
Indiana I want you to know that year
after year I was the last person chosen
for every team whether it was the
intramural team or the physical IDI
Department our gym class I was the last
one shows and nobody wanted me on the team
team
I'm just lacking in athletic skill but I
know this much about sports if you're
gonna be on the team you have to believe
in teamwork there cannot be a glory
hound who has to make all the goals we
have to work together and that means the
same thing in the church there should be
one spirit one enthusiasm there should
be one mind to to strive together to
work together to be a team working
together God has given to each of us a
specific task to do if a team is going
to win the game each player must do the
job that he's been given to do
Paul compares us to a bunch of runners
over in Chapter three that we're running
the race verse 14 i pressed toward the
mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus
each one of us has been given the
opportunity of winning a reward now the
important thing is that we don't get in
the way of the other people what is our
rule book for the game of life the Bible
who is the coach the Lord Jesus Christ
who's the team all other Christians not
just the people in your church or your
Sunday School class or your denomination
all of God's people and if each one is
doing the job God's given them to do
running on the track got assigned to him
fighting the battle God gave to him if
each one is doing his job and there is
cooperation we're going to win and we're
going to defeat the enemy
the tragedy is today we have division
and dissension and this Christian
criticizes that Christian and this
ministry opposes that ministry if we're
going to fight the fight of faith and
defeat the enemy if we're going to
strive together for the faith of the
gospel there must be consistency and
if we're going to fight the fight of
faith and defeat the enemy if we're
going to strive together for the faith
of the gospel there must be consistency
and there must be cooperation thirdly
there must be confidence you said don't
be afraid that we're terrified is a
picture of horses stampeding don't
stampede when you see the enemy coming
here's what you should know number one
these battles are proof that you are
really born again verse 29 unto you it's
given on the behalf of Christ not only
to believe in him but also to suffer for
his sake the fact that you're fighting
these battles is proof that you're born
again secondly it's an opportunity for
you to grow thirdly you're not fighting
alone you're not fighting alone all of
us are involved in this verse 30 having
the same conflict agony it's the same
word used of the Lord Jesus when he was
in the garden praying having the same
conflict which you saw in me at Philippi
and now you here to be in me at Rome
they'd seen Paul when he was arrested
and Paul was beaten and Paul was
humiliated and Paul says look we're all
in this together
you heard perhaps about the two ladies
who had never flown before and they were
up in the plane and the pilot came on
and said you may have noticed that the
molder on the left side of the plane has
quit working and the one lady said to
the other lady will thank the Lord we're
sitting on the right side of the plane
well what difference does it make you're
all in it together
now don't rejoice when you hear about
some Christian who failed because his
failure is going to hurt you and don't
be envious when you hear about some
church that's really growing and doing
something for God their growth is going
to strengthen you we're all in this together
together
cooperation confidence now don't be
afraid of the enemy in fact Paul tells
us here the fact that you stand up for
the Lord Jesus Christ will do two things
number one it will bring your salvation
and number two it will bring them
condemnation Paul is referring to his
own case in Rome he said I'm gonna stand
up boldly as all we
so now I'm gonna be bold in my defense
and if I win this battle in Rome it's
going to help you in Philippi that's
what we need to pray for all the saints
are you praying for those who are
involved in great battles today striving
together for the faith of the gospel now
the enemy is there trying to hurt us all
he can and when he sees us stampeding he
knows he's won the battle but you must
remember that suffering for the Lord
Jesus Christ battling for the Lord Jesus
Christ is a great privilege unto you it
is given in the behalf of Christ not
only to believe on him that's how you're
saved but also to suffer for his sake we
don't suffer for nothing we suffer for
something the glory of Christ we don't
suffer for no one we suffer for someone
the greatest in all the world
the Lord Jesus Christ now let's review
these three essentials if you want to
have joy in your ministry you've got to
expect battles if you're striving
together to serve the Lord you're going
to have battles number one there must be
consistency let's walk like those who
are citizens of heaven I want to say it
again the greatest weapon we have to
defeat the enemy is the consistent
Christian life of God's people
consistency number two cooperation let's
work together let's not try to be glory
hounds let's not all worry about who's
name is going to be first on the list
cooperation praying together working
together rejoicing together sharing
together in the work of the Lord and
finally confidence don't be afraid in
nothing be terrified by your adversaries
Jesus said be of good cheer I have
overcome the world and you and I are not
only involved in the fellowship of the
gospel and the furtherance of the gospel
but God wants to help us to strive
together for the faith of the gospel now
if you're not having joy in your
ministry today it may be that you are
not looking to the Lord Jesus Christ as
your role model perhaps you're modeling
yourself after some super Saint
super preacher who may not be modeling
himself after the Lord Jesus Christ
let's read the passage Philippians
chapter 2 verses 1 through 11 if there
be therefore any consolation in Christ
if any comfort of love if any fellowship
of the Spirit if any tender mercies and
Compassion's fulfill ye my joy that you
be like-minded having the same love
being of one Accord of one mind let
nothing be done through strife or
vainglory but in lowliness of mind let
each esteem others better or more
important than themselves look not every
man on his own things but every man also
on the things of others let this mind
this attitude be in you which was also
in Christ Jesus who being in the form of
God thought it not robbery something
selfishly to be held on - to be equal
with God but made himself of no
reputation literally he emptied himself
and took upon him the form of a servant
and was made in the likeness of men and
being found in fashion as a man he
humbled himself and became obedient unto
death even the death of the cross
wherefore God also hath highly exalted
him and given him a name which is above
every name that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow of things in
heaven and things in earth and things
under the earth and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father in
Philippians chapter 2 the Apostle Paul
lays down three conditions that we must
meet if we are going to follow the Lord
Jesus Christ as our model in our example
let me give you those three conditions
the first one I just read to you verses
1 through 11 we must submit to the
person above us even as Jesus Christ
submitted to the Father and came to do
the will of the Father so we must submit
to the person above us that's verses 1
through 11 in 12 through 16
the second condition is this we must
surrender to the power within us it is
God who works in you both to will and to
do of his good pleasure you see by
nature we can't do this but we can do it
only if we surrender to the power within
us and then 17 through 30 we must serve
the people around us Paul talks about
his service about Timothy's service
about the service of app afroditi s--
who had been sent from the Philippian
church now can you remember those three
conditions if we're going to follow
Jesus Christ as the model for our
ministry number one we must submit to
the person above us number two we must
surrender to the power within us and
number three we must serve the people
around us now we'll look at verses 1
through 11 and let's take a little
inventory am I really submitted to the
person above me you see all of us should
be under somebody's authority children
must be under the authority of their
parents parents must be under the
authority of the Lord and certainly of
the church I believe that every
Christian ought to be a member of a
local church and be under the authority
of that church we are people who are
under Authority nobody should exercise
Authority who is not under Authority and
the model here is the Lord Jesus Christ
you see too many times pastors or elders
or or Sunday school leaders or church
officers think that they are the
authority and as a consequence they
become rather dictatorial and this is
why Paul points out in Philippians 2 1
through 11 that we must follow the
example of the Lord Jesus Christ now
there are 4 questions I'm going to ask
and I'm asking my own heart these
questions if I am really submitted to
the person above me the answers to these
questions will reveal at number 1 do I
think first of others in verses 1
through 4 he talks about that verse 3
let each esteem others more important
than themselves verse 4 look not every
man on his own things but every man also
on the things of others
throughout the New Testament you find
this little phrase one another one
another love one another minister to one
another forgive one another serve one
another others many years ago The
Salvation Army was having their annual
conference and the founder of the
Salvation Army General William Booth was
not able to attend it was too old and
weak and they asked him to send a
message to be read to the conference in
general William Booth sent a cablegram
with one word in it others that's a good
word others do I think first of others
here is the Lord Jesus Christ who had
all of the privileges and glories of
heaven but he thought of others didn't
think of himself am I thinking first of
others let this attitude be in you which
was also in Christ Jesus now when we
think of others we're going to be a part
of the answer or not a part of the
problem will be motivated by Christ if
there be therefore any consolation any
stimulus any incentive in Christ any
encouragement of love any fellowship of
the Spirit if any tender mercies and
Compassion's fulfill you my joy that
you'd be like-minded having the same
love being of one Accord of one mind
don't do anything through strife in
vainglory think about others father help
us to have this attitude all may we
sacrifice and serve to the glory of your
name through Jesus Christ our Lord amen
thanks for being a part of our back to
the Bible listening family it's
wonderful to have you with us each day
if you missed part of the program or
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org back to the Bible leading you
forward in your relationship with Jesus Christ
Christ you
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