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1Th 1:09,10 | Authentic Salvation

1 Thessalonians 1:9,10

I. Real Salvation is Separation from the Past: vs. 9

1.Turned to God

2.From idols—Notice the order: you can’t turn from idols without first turning to God.

II. Consecration for the Present: vs. 9, “to serve the living and true God.”

1.A slave is completely owned by his master.

2.A slave is absolutely loyal to his master.

3.A slave is totally dependent on his master.

III. Expectation for the Future: vs. 10, “And to wait for His Son from heaven.”

1.The Greek has the idea of “waiting up.” “Wait” mean and patiently.

2.The Phillips translation reads, “Your whole life now looks forward to the coming of His Son from heaven.”

©Ron Dunn, LifeStyle Ministries, 2001

Col 1:21-29 | The Service Of Christ

Colossians 1:21-29

INTRO: If you are what you have always been, you have never met Christ! No man can meet Christ and remain the same. What the eye sees it can never unsee!

What happens to a man who meets Christ as the Preeminent, Lord of Creation, Image of Invisible God, Firstborn from the Dead, Ruler Over All Things, Reconciler of all Things, the Fullness of the Godhead. WHAT HAPPENS?

HE IS MADE A MINISTER! He becomes the servant of that Christ. Paul says twice He was MADE A MINISTER, a servant. Service for Christ is the result of a head-on collision with Jesus Christ.

When a man is captivated by the Loving Lordship of Jesus, He is MADE a servant.

I. SERVICE FOR CHRIST IS SUFFERING FOR CHRIST.

vs. 24–”NOW’ as a result of meeting Him as Lord.

1. We must be READY TO SUFFER. This is far from the experience of must of us. Matt. 5:9,10; I Peter 4:12; II Tim. 2:3; 3:13; Phil. 1:29; Rom. 8:17; John 15:18

What Kind? Jesus left some suffering for us to do. Not the Calvary sufferings… “It is finished”. But the World wasn’t finished with Jesus. The word “affliction” is never used of the redemptive suffering of Christ.

(1) The Sufferings to Birth the Church

(2) The Sufferings to Build the Church

If childbearing were the only pain involved in rearing a family, it would be easy…even into adulthood. Gal. 4:19

The Sufferings of Obedience – “If I do what God says, I’ll have to give up, they’ll take advantage of me, etc.”

2. We are to REJOICE IN THIS SUFFERING. Your concept of Jesus will determine to what extent you are willing to suffer for Him. I read in one Pastor’s column where he there with being “stoned at Lystra”.

Paul and others were always rejoicing in their trials. II Cor. 7:4

II. SERVICE FOR CHRIST IS SHARING JESUS. vs. 25-28

1. The MESSAGE we are to share –“Whom we preach…”

(1) Preach – the authority to make an announcement.

We have the RIGHT to share Him. Divine commission.

(2) We have a REASON – “Christ IN you, the Hope of Glory” a daily experience. Some say the Keswick message discourages

evangelism.. IT ENCOURAGES EVANGELISM because we offer more than fire insurance–LIFE ASSURANCE! A life of

fullness.

Not SOUP and SOAP, but the SAVIOUR.

2. The MANNER we share —

(1) “WARNING” — To put them in mind, to admonish. Present participle. Continually, training by word, AS CONTRASTED

TO “training by act.” To correct through instruction and warning.

An unforgettable experience.. .1 John 1; Amos: “The Lion hath roared, who can but speak?”

Jeremiah: ‘‘Thy Word is a fire in my bones.

Paul: “Woe is me if! preach not…”

Woman at the Well: “Is not this the Christ?” His disciples had been to town and hadn’t told anyone.

Andrew: “We have found the Christ.”

(2) “TEACHING’- instructing, indoctrinating them with all wisdom. That’s the method of the teacher. This is something we’d better

wise up to.

We are to EVANGELIZE and EDIFY.

3. The MEASURE – “Every man.

4. The MOTIVE – “In order that…present every man perfect.” Paul’s eye travels to the bema.

Present: “To cause to come to and stand beside, I offer.” TO PLACE BESIDE.

Perfect: Fulfilled, reaching goal, mature.

IN CHRIST JESUS – That’s the sphere in which they are made perfect. That’s why we preach CHRIST, because only IN

CHRIST are they brought to the GOAL.

III. SERVICE FOR CHRIST MEANS STRENGTHENED BY CHRIST.

eis–unto direction towards an object.. .the only way to reach the object. IT’S JUST PLAIN HARD WORK.

1. There is HUMAN EFFORT.

(1) Labor – work by effort, to grow weary, “laborious toil” , a “striking, a beating”

(2) Striving – athletic word, warfare word.

Our word, “Agonizing” — present participle—A habitual characteristic… our whole being is thrown into it. A man may labor or toil half-heartedly, but to labor while agonizing is throwing yourself into it.

2. There is HEAVENLY ENABLEMENT.

“according to…” KATA means “down”, has the idea of domination. Paul’s effort was dominated by God’s enablement.

MIGHTY – our word “dynamic”, not “dynamite”.

Dynamite: Bit noise, lot of dust, then nothing.

Dynamo: Continual SOURCE OF ENERGY.

THE KEY: Christian service is WORKING OUT WHAT HE WORKS IN.

Paul says His working out is determined by, to the extent of, what God has worked in.

OUR PROBLEM: We are trying to work out before God has worked in.

Illustration of the little boy playing “Cowboy and Indians” with a stick horse. His dad said, Son, you look “plum tuckered out”. He replied, “Dad, real cowboys have real horses. I have to do my own galloping.”

©Ron Dunn, LifeStyle Ministries, 2003

Php 4:16-18 | A View From The Pit

Philippians 4:16-18

I. People Are Fickle, vs 16 — “all men forsook me.”

1. It is a sin to abandon a brother—”I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”

2. It is a sin to be bitter about it. Paul prays that God will not charge it to their account.

II. The Lord is Faithful, vs 17

1. The Lord stands by us. “stood by me.”—a technical word for advice given to a prison. No one spoke for him, but One spoke to him.

2. The Lord strengthens us. “strengthened me.” to empower

3. The Lord saves us. vs. 18, “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve (keep from harm) me unto his heavenly kingdom.” But Paul was executed. Then, for Paul, it was not an evil work, for it ushered him into the presence of Jesus.

III. The Pit Can Be Fruitful

1. Awareness of the Lord’s presence

2. Accomplish the Lord’s purpose—”that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear.” Turn your pit into a pulpit.

3. Assurance of the Lord’s Protection—”will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom.”

Paul closes with a doxology. If we cannot move through this evil world with a doxology on our lips, we have an inadequate knowledge of God.

©Ron Dunn, LifeStyle Ministries, 2001

Php 3:17-21 | The Christian Hope

Philippians 3:17-21

INTRO: Here are presented two types of people and their conduct and character and consummation. Paul is warning the people against following the example of certain people. He gives a withering denunciation of those whose example it would be fatal to follow. Paul weeps as he speaks because these people are in the Church. Professing grace, nevertheless they pervert it. They are professed Christians who bring reproach upon Christ by their conduct.

1.. The Disguise they wear… .They pose as friends of the Gospel but their practice shows them to be enemies of the cross.

2. The Doom they face.. .“Their end is destruction.”

3. The Deity they serve. “Whose god is their belly.” We have here a terrible description of what the real religion of many men really is. They conceive of no higher good than the satisfaction of their bodily appetites. This is the NEW IDOLATRY: to make the senses and whatever gratifies them our chief delight and our god. It is an idolatry that pervades the ranks of professing Christians.

4. The Disgrace they bear. “They glory in their shame.” The things they are most proud of are the miserable successes of which they ought to be ashamed.

5. The Disposition they display. “Who mind earthly things.” Their lies are horizontal.. .all soil and no sky. They wear the Christian label, but libel the Christian spirit. No error is so fatal as to look only to material good.

But the difference is–they are earthly, we are heavenly. Our citizenship is in heaven. “We are a colony of heaven.” The pattern of life we must follow is “in heaven.” Although we live on the earth, our real country is in heaven. The Philippians would understand this. Philippi was a Roman colony. Even though miles from Rome, it was just like Rome. The people acted like they did in Rome; wore Roman clothes, spoke Latin, etc. Paul is saying, “Just as the Roman colonists never forget that they belong to Rome, you must never forget that you are citizens of heaven; and your conduct must match your citizenship.” Wherever the Christian is, his conduct must prove that he is a citizen of the Kingdom of heaven, and our King is Jesus Christ. Do not be intent on earthly things. The Christian is not a settler here; he is a pilgrim. The Christian is the Great anticipator, “The best is yet to be.” He is the man with the forward look.

Here are the Components of the Christian Hope.

I. PROCLAIM A SURE RETURN

1. Savior is a word seldom used in the New Testament. It originally meant a king who was supposed to have saved the state in a time of crisis.

(1) Paul thinks of the Church as an outpost of the mother city in heaven. It looks in that direction for a deliverer, the true Lord, to whom it owes allegiance, and who will not forget it in its distress.

(2) The Church is militant, not triumphant. The coming conflict, the antichrist, persecution, promise of Scripture. 2 Thess. 1:7

2. Our attitude is to be one of expectation. At best earth still has its sorrows. Our eyes are turned heavenward. Christ is the King in the heavenly kingdom. He is coming back to complete His glorious work.

The word “await” means an attitude of intense yearning; eager waiting– attention is withdrawn from everything else and is centered and concentrated on one object, Christ.

3. This is a sudden return–startling shocking the unbelieving world. The promise of the first coming of the Messiah was long in realization, but in the fulness of time Christ came. Christ’s own word is “Watch.”, that we may be ready.

PROMISES A SPLENDID REDEMPTION.

“Who shall change our vile body like unto His glorious body.” The King will come and will finish His work.

1. Vile means lowly, humiliated. The body itself is not vile–but our bodies are subject to decay and death, valueless. Our bodies are imperfect mediums through which we try to live a spiritual life. The word means the unfitness of our present bodies to fulfill the claims of the spiritual life.

2. He will refashion and change our bodies, like unto his body of glory. We shall be fit for the family of God in heaven. We shall have on the garment of glory–suitable for our new environment in heaven.

3. At this transformation, our bodies will then become a perfect medium through which our inner spiritual lives can express themselves. Heaven will be unhampered fellowship and worship with Christ. Is this our hope, our greatest desire? If we really loved Jesus more, revival would break out in our church. This is the expectation of love.

II. THE PROVISION OF A SUFFICIENT RESOURCE

“By the power which enables him to subject all things to himself.”

If any one hesitates at the stupendous claim that Paul makes, he must recall the power at Christ’s disposal.

Questions? There are many questions. The answer is simply this: “He is Able.”

1. There are two things in Scripture of paramount importance.

(1) In the death and resurrection of Christ God invaded the domain of sin and Satan. The overthrow of Satan has begun.

(2) Not only the church, but also the whole world is now moving toward a purposed consummation under the Lordship of Christ. This is to be the exhibition of the victory which He has already won at Calvary.

(3) The ultimate outcome is never in doubt. Sin will be uprooted. Suffering will be ended. Disease will be banished. Rebellion will be put down. Death will be hurled into the pit.

“Jesus shall reign where’er the sun

Doth his successive journeys run;

His Kingdom spread from shore to shore,

Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

2. The World says, “HOW?” HE IS ABLE.. Allow God to be God. Where is your hope?

Php 2:12-16 | Living In The Midst

Philippians 2:12-16

How are we to live “in the midst”?

I. OBEY AS SERVANTS-VV 5-13

1.Don’t neglect your salvation

2.Don’t depend upon others

3.Be responsible for your own growth

II. BEHAVE AS SONS-14,15 Greek: “show yourselves to be sons….” Prove that you are what you profess to be.

1.Blameless: irreproachable, living a life at which no finger of criticism can be pointed.

2.Harmless: innocent, simple concerning evil. Pure, unadulterated, undefiled by sin.

3.Without Rebuke: without blemish or defect, above reproach. A sacrificial term.

III. SHINE AS LIGHTS-15,16 This assumes the world is in darkness, Jesus is the Sun, and we are the moon

1.Our Light is a Reflected Light

2.The Light of the Moon proves the Sun is still shining. 3.The Moon is the only Light the Night has.

4.The Darker the Night, the Brighter the Light, more easily seen.

5.Avoid an eclipse—when the earth comes between the sun and the moon

6.We are to Shine by “holding forth the word of life