Hope Now Bible Church: Fresno, California

The Role of the Pastor, Pt 1: 1 Peter 5:1-5

By Pastor Roger Feenstra

"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the suffering of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:  shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.  And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.  Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders."

The primary theme throughout First Peter has been how to endure suffering as a Christian.  Last week Bryce gave us a great summary of how we are to live our lives as Christians in the midst of suffering--Bryce asked us to think of the acronym S.A.D.  Don't be SAD.  Don't be Surprised by suffering, don't be Ashamed when you suffer, and don't be Discouraged.  And I believe that is the Apostle Peter's message to us all--his encouragement to us. When we suffer, because of Christ, don't be surprised, ashamed or discouraged.

Of course, those things are always easier said than done.  It easy to be taken surprise by suffering when it comes upon us, and humanly speaking it is easy to be ashamed when we suffer for Christ and, we all most likely know that at times, discouragement can come upon us like a Tsunami.

And so, we all need encouragement to not be SAD.  We need encouragement from other believers.  God never intended for you to walk the Christian life alone.  The Bible says that we are all like sheep.  And like sheep, we need shepherds to help guide us through difficult times in our lives, to teach us patience, and to pray for us. 

Because God loves us, he knew that we would need help to walk through this life of suffering and despair.  

Chapter 5, verse 1 begins with Peter exhorting the elders. (To exhort means to strongly encourage someone to do something.)  

The word elder is used interchangeably in the New Testament with the words overseer, bishop, and shepherd.  An elder is a person who meets specific requirements to lead a church.  And in the New Testament, elders were appointed, initially by the Apostles.  As the church grew, God instructed the Apostles to appoint pastors or shepherds in every city. The Apostle Paul wrote, in his letter to Titus, "Appoint elders in every town as I directed you."  

In our 1st Peter passage Peter tells the elders to "shepherd the flock of God that is  among you." (5:2).  The Latin word for shepherd is pastor, so from the Latin we derive the name pastor for someone who is an overseer, a bishop, an elder.  Therefore, in most Christian churches (including the catholic church), it is appropriate to call the one who leads a particular church, a pastor.

In light of that, when Peter exhorts the elders to "shepherd the flock of God", he is speaking to pastors.  And so, a pastor is like shepherd; A pastor's role is to feed, guide, and protect the flock of God.  This is the mandate from God, this is what pastors do.  Pastors are not called to the culture.  They are not called to revolutionize the neighborhood. They are not called to change the city.  Although those things might be the outcome of a pastor's work--The culture might change, neighborhoods might be revolutionized and cities might change.  But the primary calling of a pastor is to "shepherd the flock of God."  And that is why the warning is given in Hebrews 13:17 that pastors will be held accountable for how they shepherd the sheep.  Hebrews 13:17 says,

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account..."

So, it is of vital importance that the pastor not only shepherd the flock of God, but that the church know and understand the role of their shepherd and their role as sheep.  How does a man become a pastor? Let's look at three ways that a man becomes a shepherd. 

First,

1.  A Pastor is Called by God: 

The very first qualification for a pastor is that he is called.  The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 3:1 said,

"The saying is trustworthy:  If anyone aspires to the office of overseer [pastor], he desires a noble task."

The word "aspire" means to set one's heart on. When you set your heart on something, it is your passion.  That's what the word aspire means--you direct your hopes and ambitions to do something.  And that's how you know if God is calling you to something, you have a desire, an ambition, a passion to do it. 

From a very early age, I can remember aspiring to do certain things in my life.  I specifically remember three things, although there are certainly others.  

First, I always wanted to be married.  When I was a young boy, I knew that one day I would find a wife, get married, have kids and live my life with that one woman.  Little did I know that I would meet her when I was in fourth grade.  But I aspired to be married, because I knew it was one of the most important commitments that I could make before God.  My passion in life was to get married, I aspired to it.  So, in 1975, at the age of 20, Carol and I were married and we have honored our commitment to God for nearly 35 years.

When I was in elementary school, I aspired to attend Biola College.  Biola College (Now Biola University) is a Christian university in So. Cal.  Somehow I knew about the school and I knew that I was going to attend there.  I wanted to learn more about Christ--I had a passion for knowledge of the Savior as a child.  So, my mom had someone from the college come to our house and talk to me about the school.  I think the guy was a little surprised when he got to our house and found out that I was only in 4th grade.  Nevertheless, his visit gave me an even greater passion and desire to attend there.  So, after high school, I first enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years and then, I started attending Biola College.

The third thing I remember aspiring to, was to be a pastor.  I had a passion to serve Christ and honor him.  Throughout the years Carol and I have moved to various cities because of my job.  The first thing we always did was find a church.  And some of those churches we attended, where we were there for several years, I was an elder.  The churches where I wasn't an elder, Carol and I taught Sunday School and we were involved in ministry in other ways.  But I had a passion for serving Christ--never perfect, but always striving to be more Christlike as I have grown as a Christian over the years.  

And because I was in tune with God's Word over the years, the passion that I had for various things in my life, the things that have molded me--I heard God's call and have tried to obey Jesus Christ and exalt him. 

I'm not talking about positive thinking. I'm not one of those people who thinks that you can do anything you set your mind to. Because the fact is, no matter how often people may tell you you can, you can't always do something just because you set your mind to it. For example, I don't think my wife Carol, even though she likes football, could ever have been a linebacker in the NFL.  Setting your mind to something doesn't mean you can do it.  No, I'm talking about God calling you for a specific purpose in order to glorify him.  How can God use you in your life?  What do you aspire to spiritually?

Many men leave the ministry because they don't have a passion for the ministry. Many pastors struggle with preaching and teaching because they don't have a passion for it.  They haven't "aspired" to be a pastor.  And those pastors shouldn't be shepherds--God is most likely calling them to something else.  Why do they do it then?  Well sometimes it's because someone told them that they should do it. Maybe his father and grandfather were pastors and people just assumed that the son and grandson would follow in their footsteps. Or maybe he is a good speaker and has a lot of charisma.  Those might all be indicators of the call of God, but a pastor must first have the desire or the passion--and God calls him to that ministry. 

And let me tell you something, that is the kind of pastor you want--someone who is called by God.  He doesn't do it for money, or prestige, or power.  He is called
 by God, and because of that he is shepherding you, protecting you and praying for you.

So, the man must aspire to be a pastor and he must be called by God.

Second,

2.  A Pastor Has a Gift From God:

In the letter to the Ephesians (4:7-12) Paul said, 

"But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.  Therefore it says, When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men....And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ." 

God has gifted people in the church with different abilities to do his work.  Everyone in this room, including me as a pastor, has some type of gift that God wants to use to build up the church.  And because it is God's will for you to have a spiritual gift he makes that gift more and more evident to you.  Knowing God's spiritual gift for you takes some work on your part--

How does a pastor know, and how do you know, what spiritual gift you have?  Paul tells us in Romans 12:1,2.  

"I appeal to you therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  

How do you identify God's spiritual gift that he wants to impart to you?  Three ways:

I.  Be holy

I could define for you what it means to be holy, but it is probably better to let God's Word tells you what it means to be holy.  Look with me at one key passage that will help your understanding.

    a.  1 Thessalonians 4:3: 

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification (or holiness) that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles (or non-believers) who do not know God, that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.  Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you."

Over and over again we read in the New Testament that sexual immorality cancels out holiness.  You cannot be sexually immoral and holy at the same time. It is impossible.  And in order to hear God's call in your life and know his gift that he wants to impart to you, you must be holy.  

The New Testament alone talks about the problem of sexual immorality in 15 of the 27 books. Sexual immorality was a problem then and it continues to be a problem, even in the church today. In today's world it is not difficult to caught up in sexual immorality.  And let me tell you something, it will continue to get more difficult.  
That's why you are to put your focus continually on Christ.  Some of you have pornography at home on DVD's or on your phones or computers.  Some of you are involved in sexual relationships outside of marriage.  Some of you listen to music with sexually explicit lyrics.  Sexual immorality--God can never use you to your full potential until you confess your sin to him and get rid of those and other things in your life. Be holy. 

A Pastor has a gift from God and God wants to impart a spiritual gift to you too, but first your life must be holy. And if you're not living a life of holiness, then confess the sin you are participating in and stop doing it.  When you confess it before the Lord, he immediately forgives you, but don't play games with God--if you confess it, then stop it.  Second, the verse in Romans said,

II.  Be not conformed to the world

Are you caught up in conformity with the world?  What are you like at work?  Are you a "meddler", a "busybody" as Bryce talked about last week?  Are you always worried that other people are getting a better deal than you?  Did it ever occur to you that maybe God did not want you to have that same deal?  Maybe God has called you to suffer for some reason--to mold you and to shape you more into his image? Don't conform by meddling in other people's business, even if it does effect you.

When you are at work with non-believers would anyone be able to tell you apart?  Not because you've got John 3:16 tattooed on your forehead or because you're being judgmental or thinking you're better than your non-Christian co-worker, but would they be able to tell you apart because you are not conforming to the world's standards?  Do you listen to the same music as everyone else?  Do you watch the same movies?  Do you talk the same way as non-believers? Do you tell the same jokes?  If so, you've conformed to the world and God tells you "Be not conformed to the world." 

But it's so easy to conform?  It is so easy to get caught up in the world and just go along with it.  How can I not help it?  That's the third way to know God's gift in your life, by transforming your mind.

  

III.  Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

By thinking on the things of God, by allowing Jesus to saturate your mind.  God transforms your mind when you think on him.  When you come to church and can worship him in spirit and in truth  How is it possible to worship God purely on Sunday?  How can you be assured that God will speak to you on Sunday and that you'll leave stronger than when you came in to church?

It partly begins with what do you do on Saturday nights?  Do you watch R rated movies, stay up late, and not even think about Christ?  A good way to begin the transformation process is on Saturday night, so that when you come to church on Sunday your mind is focused on Christ and prepared to worship him and receive his word.

And that's how you begin to know your spiritual gift--you have to first be right with God, transformed, and he begins to work in your life--and as he does, he imparts spiritual gifts to you; serving, teaching, hospitality, generosity, leadership, administration, wisdom, knowledge, faith, and many more.  And each gift is used to build up the body of believers.

Therefore, in light of this, a man becomes a pastor by aspiring to be one--being called by God and gifted by God.  But there is a third way in order for a man to become a pastor, and that is, he must meet several requirements.

3.  A Pastor Must Meet Several Requirements:

There are several requirements that must be met in order for a man to qualify as a pastor.  And likewise, a pastor can be disqualified by failing to meet even one of these requirements.  

It's important to note that these requirements are not indicators of perfection.  No pastor is perfect.  All pastors are human, and at times, they may let you down.  Because pastors are men, they may even stumble at some point in their ministry.  James, the brother of Jesus said this about teachers (and I think pastors fit into this verse) in James 3:1:

"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.  For we all stumble..."  

Notice that James doesn't say, "Stumble an fall."  Everyone stumbles, but a pastor cannot continually stumble to the point of falling.  James goes on to say in 3:11:

"Does a spring spout forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?  Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs?  Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water."

No, a pastor must consistently follow Christ and not fall into sin.

There are three essential passages that detail the requirements for a man to become a pastor.

Time prohibits me from going into each requirement in detail this afternoon, so let me list them, with just a few comments.

1.  1 Timothy 3:1-7:

a.  Above reproach

The Greek word used here is a wrestling term.  It refers to a wrestler who is not able to be taken down because he is firmly placed and able to defend himself well.  So when Paul uses the words "above reproach" he is saying that a pastor should not be able to be brought down because of ungodly actions.

b.  Husband of one wife

I think this means, one wife to the exclusion of all others.  A pastor is to be the husband of one wife--it carries with it the sense that his wife should be first and foremost in his life--to the exclusion of all others.  A pastor never has to be sexually immoral because his wife meets his needs and their relationship is strong.

c.  Sober-minded

Paul is using a word that means "clear minded" or "not having a mind shrouded by alcohol".  He is not to be under the influence of it, or any other drug.

d.  Self-controlled

Here the apostle Paul is saying that a pastor must have sound judgment.  In other words, he is to be sensible, not filled with silliness or childlike.

e.  Respectable

This means a pastor is to be well behaved.  Or, literally, have a well ordered life.  His life is not filled with chaos.

f.  Hospitable

Paul says a pastor is to love strangers and when new people come into the church, they are to be welcomed.  The word also carries the idea of being generous.

g.  Able to teach

Since shepherding involves guiding the sheep, a pastor must be able to teach.  

h.  Not a drunkard

This means exactly what it says.  A pastor is not to sit around and get drunk.  The actual Greek word that Paul used refers to a person who gets drunk and then turns quarrelsome. Which leads to the next requirement that a pastor be, 

i.  Not violent

Simply put, a pastor is not to be ready to punch someone out.  He's not looking for a fight.  Rather, he is to be,

j.  Gentle

This means primarily that he is fair-minded.  Not jumping up and down insisting on his rights.

k.  Not quarrelsome

Again, he is disinclined to fight.  Is not always looking for an argument. 

l.  Not a lover of money

He's not out to make a quick buck in a dishonorable way.  He uses money as a means to glorify God and enhance his ministry.

m.  Manages his household well

This means, financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically.  The idea here is that a pastor presides over the management of his household.  He's not the King of his home, rather he is the manager.  This means that he is diligent in making sure his family is well taken care of.

n.  Children are submissive

His children obey him.  When he tells his children they are not to do something, they obey.  They listen to their father, not out of fear, but out of love and respect.

o.  Not a recent convert

The term elder doesn't just mean an older person.  Rather a pastor is to be grounded in the Lord and must not be a new Christian.  

He might become conceited or literally, blinded with conceit.

And finally, a pastor is to be,

p.  Well thought of by outsiders

He has a reputation for doing good even among those who don't attend church.

2.  Titus 1:5-9

a.  Above reproach (Says this twice)

b.  Husband of one wife

c.  Children must be believers and well behaved (If he has any children)

d.  Not arrogant

Or, not self-willed.  Not just trying to please himself only.

e.  Not quick tempered

Quick tempered here means revengeful or wanting to get even.

f.   Not a drunkard

g.  Not violent

h.  Not greedy

i.   Hospitable

j.   Lover of good

Loves what is good.

k.  Self-controlled

l.  Upright

He conforms to God's will.

m.  Holy

In the sense Paul uses the word holy here, he means, a pastor is to be free from all crimes--in other words, he obeys the law, doesn't cheat on his taxes, he fulfills his obligations.

n.   Disciplined

Has self control over his actions.

o.  Holds firm to the word of God

Takes the opposite position of the world and even in the midst of pressure to turn from God's Word, he holds on to it and doesn't let go.

p.  able to give instruction in sound doctrine

q.  able to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine

Not only can he teach, but he can prove the false teacher wrong. 

3.  1 Peter 5:1-5

And the third essential passage is in our 1st Peter passage and we'll look at those qualifications and warnings for pastors next week.  

So, that is the picture of a pastor or a shepherd.  But Peter wants to make something very clear to his readers.

And that is, as the pastors shepherd the flock of God, there is Another who Shepherds the shepherds and that is the chief Shepherd (1st Peter 5:4). 

I think this is such an important statement that Peter makes, for it tells us what Jesus Christ's role is in the church.  And don't think that Peter just stuck that sentence here by accident.  No, he was giving us all a reminder that there is someone greater than us in charge.

Therefore, if the role of the pastor is to shepherd the flock of God, what is the role  of the chief Shepherd?  What is the role of Jesus Christ in our church?

1.  Jesus  Christ is the great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20)

2.  Jesus Christ is the Shepherd and Overseer of our Souls (1 Peter 2:25).

3.  Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd who lays down his life for you (John 10: 11).

4.  Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd who knows you (John 10: 14)

5.  Jesus Christ is the door who saves you (John 10:9)

It is clear that God has appointed pastors to shepherd his church and to protect the flock.  Pastors "keep watch over the souls of the flock", but the chief Shepherd is the Savior of the souls of the flock.  

 

So, those are the qualifications and requirements for a pastor.  And next week we will look at three warnings that Peter gives to pastors--They're important and the flock of God must be aware of those warnings also so that they might be careful they are not following a false shepherd.

In closing today I want to say this again.  God did not intend for you to live your Christian life alone.  He didn't leave you wandering in the wilderness.  No, he provided shepherds to feed you and protect you.

The Bible says that we are all like sheep.  We all go astray.  Each of us turn to his own ways.  And like sheep, we need shepherds to help guide us through difficult times in our lives, to teach us patience, and to pray for us. 

Suffering and Submission: 1 Peter 3:13-22

1 Peter 3:13-22

Pastor Roger Feenstra

October 4, 2009

Two things people do not want to experience:  Suffering and submission.

Peter's theme throughout the book of 1st Peter:

1. We are born again because of Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead (1:3)

2. Because we believe in Christ, we are going to go through trials (1:6)

3.  Therefore, we need to prepare for action (1:13), and be holy (1:15)

4.  Holiness means getting rid of our worldly inclinations (2:1) and realizing that we are priests of Jesus Christ (2:9).

5.  And as priests we are to make sure our conduct is honorable among everyone (2:12)

6.  We keep ourselves honorable by submitting to those around us (2:13; 2:18; 3:1; 3:7; 3:8)

7.  When we submit to others we are going to suffer because of it (2:20)

8.  Our suffering comes because as Christians, that is what we have been called to do (2:21)

9.  And we have been called to suffer because Jesus suffered (1:11; 2:21; 3:18; 4:1; 4:13; 

10.  When we suffer we are to do so in the same way Jesus suffered (2:21)

    a.  He committed no sin when he suffered (2:22)

    b.  There was no deceit in him when he suffered (2:22)

    c.  He did not revile when he suffered (2:23)

    d.  He did not threaten when he suffered (2:23)

In our passage today and throughout the rest of the book, Peter continues this theme

The last thing people want to do is submit.  Throughout history, the struggle with submission has destroyed families, caused wars and brought suffering to the world.  The Bible is full of the accounts of those who chose not to submit, but rather to rebel.

 

·      Satan, who was once a shining angel, chose not to submit, but turn from God.

·      Adam chose not to submit to God, but ate the forbidden fruit.

·      The people of the world chose not to submit to God's message of repentance from Noah and perished in the flood.

·      Pharaoh refused to submit to Moses' cry for the Israelites to be set free from bondage and his lack of submission brought chaos and death to the Egyptians.

·      Moses did not submit to God's promises and was not allowed to enter the promise land.

·      King Saul disobeyed and did not submit to God's commands for proper leadership and was removed from the throne.

·      King David did not submit to God's plan for his life and instead of leading his men into battle, he stayed home where he committed murder and adultery.

 

On and on the struggle with submission continues throughout the Bible and throughout history.

 

Even today, because of our sinful nature-- or what the Bible calls "The flesh" we struggle with submission.  We don't want to be subject to anyone--partly because when we do, we are going to suffer for it.  Someone will always take advantage of us.

 

In our passage today, and over the past several weeks, The apostle Peter, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, knew that people struggle with the issue of submission—or as he puts it, being “subject” to another.

 

For several weeks we have heard the message, “Be subject”

 

2:13—“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution.

2:18—“Servants, be subject to your masters.

3:1—“Wives be subject to your own husbands”

 

In 3:7 Peter tells husbands, “Likewise” understand your wives and honor them – and while Peter doesn’t directly tell husbands to be subject to their wives, he implies that in order to understand them and honor them, submission is necessary.

 

In 3:8 Peter writes, Finally, all of you, have unity, love a tender heart and a humble mind.  Again, while not directly using the words “be subject” he implies that in order to do these things, one must learn to submit.

And in chapter 5:5 He instructs those who are younger to be subject to the elders, or the pastors.

 

Why is Peter so obsessed with Christians being subject to one another?  The answer is found in verse 22 of chapter 3.

 

“Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.”

 

Why did Peter remind us to be subject, be subject, be subject over and over again?  He knew that being subject meant putting Christ first.  And he also knew that someday every person, every power, every angel, every authority will be subject to Jesus Christ himself. 

 

The apostle Paul said it this way in Philippians 2:9,10:

 

“Therefore God has highly exalted him (Jesus) and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

 

Peter is showing us that being subject to others is earthly practice for our heavenly calling—someday we will all be in total subjection to Jesus Christ himself.  And when that occurs, when we finally come under complete subjection to Jesus Christ, there will be no more sorrow and no more sin (Revelation 21:4).  But until then, suffering is going to continue when you are submissive and put Christ first in your life.

 

Let’s look at our passage today.  Follow along with me as I read 1 Peter 3:13-22.

-----------------

Peter begins by making a statement of general knowledge, that is, "If you are subject to others, who is going to harm you?" (3:13).

To the early church, Peter is saying, "if, as a believer in Christ, you choose to do good and submit, who can really harm you?  They might tie you to a stake and burn you, they might throw you to the lions that devour you, they might throw you into a vat of hot oil.  But they can't harm you because you'll end up in heaven.  Those who live for heaven have an entirely different perspective on life because they are able to take a lot more things a lot less seriously.  If you're living for earth, for an easy life, you'll be miserable.  If you seek the kingdom of God, if you live for heaven, you'll find that, although people may hurt you, no one can harm you.

If you're subject to the rulers and authorities, they aren't going to harm you.

If you're subject to your employer, he isn't going to harm you.

If you're subject to your husband, he's not going to harm you.

But we all know that even when we submit and do what is good, some people are just plain evil or perhaps simply uncaring.  No matter how good we are, people still take advantage of us.  Peter knew this too and that's why he wrote the next verse,

"But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed."

When you do what God commands you to do, and in this case it is to "be subject."  When you follow God's plan for your life--and you still suffer, Peter says that you will be blessed.  Do you know what it means to be blessed?  Let me tell you first what it doesn't mean.  It doesn't mean that you will be happy all of the time.  Being blessed doesn't mean that you'll have lots of money.  Being blessed doesn't mean that you will always have a job or that you life will go perfectly here on earth, no:  Being blessed means you receive God's favor--God is on your side and in the end, God's side wins.  

The apostle Paul said in Romans 8:31 -- "If God is for us, who can be against us?  He continues in 8:35,37 by saying, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us"

So we are blessed by God, no one can stand against us, nothing shall separate from Christ's love and we are more than conquerors through Christ.  And because of those promises, Peter continues back in 3:14 by saying, 

"Have no fear of them, nor be troubled..."  Who is "them". Peter is talking about those people who take advantage of your submission.

You see, people will take advantage of you as you try to live your life as a righteous follower of  Jesus Christ.

It might be a policeman who pulls you over and harasses you when you are not doing anything wrong.

It might be your employer who could care less about you as a person

It might be your husband, who treats you poorly as you are trying to live your life for Jesus Christ.

People will take advantage of you when you work at following Christ, but Peter says don't fear them and don't be troubled--instead, "in your heart honor Christ the Lord as holy" (3:15). When you do that, when you honor Christ, those same people who mistreat you will look at you and wonder, "What in the heck is up with this person?"  "Why are they acting so joyful?"  "Why do they have hope?"  And Peter says, that they will ask you those questions, and when they do, be ready to give them an answer--what is the answer you should give them?

Look at chapter 1:8,9

"Though you have not seen him, you love him.  Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, he salvation of your souls."

The reason you have hope is because you love Jesus Christ and you believe in him--and what do you believe?  That he has provided salvation for your soul.  He has forgiven your sins and his grace is sufficient for you. And Peter says, that is what you are to gently and respectfully (3:15b) tell those who try to harm you.  They might even look at you like you are nuts.

But when you do that, God says you will have a good conscience--in other words you can sleep at night knowing that you have done all you can to serve Jesus Christ and the problems and trials you are facing are not of your own doing.

Peter goes on to tell you that because you're a Christian you're going to be slandered (3:16). Do you know what slander is?  It is when someone says something that is false and it damages your reputation.  Peter says, get ready, it's going to happen--When you are subject to those around you, when you are submissive like Christ, you're going to be slandered--not only that, you're going to be reviled.  Revile means to be criticized in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.  

But remember this, these things are going to happen to you because of your "good behavior in Christ."  You will be slandered and reviled not because you're some kind of an obnoxious Christian, no you will be slandered and reviled because you have hope in Jesus Christ and because you are gentle and respectful to those around you.  And when you exhibit good behavior in the name of Jesus Christ and those people slander and revile you for it, verse 16 says that they will be "put to shame."  Literally, it means they will "blush" with shame.

Peter continues (3:17) by saying, You know what?  "It is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil."  For some reason God sometimes allows us to suffer, even when we're doing good-- It has been the case through all of history.

In the Old Testament, Joseph suffered for doing good and refusing the advances of Pharaoh's wife.

Job, who the Bible describes as "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil" suffered and lost all of his children and all of his possessions.

John the Baptist lost his life and was beheaded, simply for serving God.

And many of you have suffered, even when you have served Christ, and you cry out "Why me Lord?" "What did I do to deserve this?   

But why is it better to suffer for doing good?  Peter gives the answer in the next verse, (3:18):

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,"

Why is it better to suffer for doing good?  Because when we do, we are following in the path of Jesus.  While we may not understand why we suffer we can certainly look to Jesus and see why he did.  We're told that he suffered so that we might be able to come to God.  Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). And Jesus' death on the cross made it possible for your sins and mine to be washed away.

The righteous for the unrighteous (3:19).  That means that the sinless, righteous Jesus took all of your sin upon himself and in return he gave you his righteousness.  Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21:

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

When Adam first sinned in the garden our direct access to God was completely cut off, because it is impossible for sin to exist in the presence of God.  And when Adam sinned, God immediately setup a rescue plan for all of mankind, otherwise all people would go to hell and have no hope of eternity with God.  And that plan was for God to become a man and die in our place--and so the entire theme of the Bible is God telling humankind of his plan.  That if they put their trust in the Messiah, and believe that his shed blood will save them from their sin, all of their sins will be forgiven and they will spend eternity with the Lord.

And so when you believe in Jesus Christ and put your trust in him, he removes your sins and immediately covers you with his righteousness, even though you are not righteous in yourself, or by anything you have done on your own, Jesus covers you and when God looks at you, he sees the righteousness of his son Jesus and he says, Welcome to eternity.  

And when you believe in Jesus Christ, Peter says that you are "Made alive in the spirit" (3:18). 

No longer does our flesh have control over us--we are alive in the spirit and Peter says that this is the message God has been trying to get through to people from the very beginning.  Even in the days of Noah God tried to warn people that there is forgiveness of sins if only they will turn to God and believe in his rescue plan.  Through Noah, the Holy Spirit preached Christ to those who were perishing and yet only eight people believed.

When Peter uses the word Baptism in verse 21 he is referring back to being made alive in the spirit--he means being "baptized in the spirit" not water baptism.  The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians12:13,

"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

And so this is what saves you, when you place your belief in Jesus Christ you are immediately baptized in the Holy Spirit.  God's Spirit now resides in you and Christ's resurrection sealed the deal for us.  If Christ had not been resurrected, then, as Paul says, "Your faith is worthless and you are still in your sins."  In fact, if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then all of the preaching we do here is in vain, worthless.

And because we are saved Peter says that we now have a good conscience (3:21).  That means, "Lord, I am working to be submissive and I'm suffering for it, but I'm trusting you to get me through this."

But Christ is risen and Peter tells us that he is now in heaven, at the right hand of God.  And all the angels, authorities and powers are subjected to him.

And this is the beauty of this entire passage--it all comes back to Jesus.  All the suffering, all the pain, all the grief and inconveniences you experience here on earth are showing you that you can look to Jesus.  He hasn't forgotten you.  The writer of Hebrews 7:25 says this about Jesus as he sits in heaven at the right hand of the Father:

"Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for us."

And so when you submit to others in the name of the Lord, and when you suffer, you can take heart in knowing that Jesus did the same--he knows everything you are going through--there are no surprises--nothing catches him off guard.  And as you strive to be holy, even through your submission and suffering, God has this message for you today:

It's found in 1 Peter 5:7:

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

You Are My Friends If You Do What I Command You"

Jesus said,

"You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14)

What does He mean by "command"? What are His commands that, if obeyed, will cause us to be His "friends"?

First, it is important to remember that believing in Jesus and obeying His commands are separate issues. Jesus is clear when He says that in order to gain salvation you must "believe" in Him. Salvation does not require works. Eternal salavation is purely a gift from God. There is nothing you can do to earn your salvation. Jesus, because of His mercy, offers you eternal life if you believe in Him. So let me ask you this question, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ; that He offers you forgiveness of sins; that He is God - the resurrection and the life? Jesus said, "Whoever believes has eternal life" (John 6:47).

Obeying the commands of Jesus does not ensure our salvation, but our obedience keeps us in fellowship with Him: Our friendship stays intact. Obeying the commands of Jesus is something a Christian will desire to do. As a Christian you will be driven to obey Christ because you love Him and are grateful for His free gift of eternal life.

So what does Jesus command you to do? In the New Testament, there are many commands of Jesus, but they can be narrowed down to 10 key commands.

Here is a list of the Ten Commandments of Jesus:

1. The Most Important Commandment: Love The Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and with all your strength....You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:28-31.

2. The Great Commission: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20.

3. The New Commandment: ...love one another. John 13:34-35, 15:12.

4. The Priority commandment for every believer: ..seek first His kingdom and His righteousness... Matthew 6:33.

5. The Lord's Supper: ...do this in remembrance of Me... Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24,25.

6. The Great Example Commandment: ...wash one another's feet...you also should do just as I have done to you... John 13:14-15.

7. The Commandment that is the secret to a fruitful life: Abide in Me... John 15:4-8.

8. The only specific request Christ commanded his disciples to pray besides the Lord's Prayer: ...pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest... Luke 10:2, Matthew 9:38.

9. General Commandments of Jesus for victorious living: ...do not pass judgment...do not condemn...pardon...give... Luke 6:37-38.

10. Commandments for loving our enemies: ...love your enemies...Do good to those who hate you...bless those who curse you...pray for those who mistreat you... Luke 6:27-36, Matthew 5:43-48.

Be Strong in the Lord and The Strength of His Might

Ephesians 6:10-13 Pastor Roger Feenstra

Please take your Bible and turn to the book of Ephesians, chapter 6. We are nearing the conclusion of our study through this wonderful letter of Ephesians, written by the Apostle Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus nearly 2,000 years ago. As we have shared with you over the past few months, because this is the holy Word of God, this letter is just as relevant for us today in 2009 as it was when it was first written.

Throughout the book of Ephesians we have touched on a lot of subjects that are of importance to us:

In Chapter 1 we are told to be "holy and blameless" (vs. 4)

In Chapter 2 we are told that our salvation is purely a gift of grace, not works.

In Chapter 3 we are told to be rooted and grounded in love and to know the love of Christ.

In Chapter 4 we are instructed to "Put off our old self" (vs. 22)

In Chapter 5 we are commanded to "Be imitators of God" (vs. 1); to not be sexually immoral (vs. 3); to not get drunk (vs. 18); for wives to submit to their husbands (vs. 22), and for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church (vs. 25)

In Chapter 6 we're given instruction for children to "obey their parents" (vs. 1); For fathers to "not make their children angry" (vs. 4); for slaves, or in our day, employees, "to obey your earthly masters" (vs. 5)

And now, Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit begins to sum up the entire book in chapter 6:10 with a powerful message to us all:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might."

I love this verse as it is touches on the heart of the Gospel (Or, the Good News) of Jesus Christ.

What is the Good News? What is the Gospel? If you had only one minute to tell someone about Jesus Christ; who he is, what he did for you, you might give a one minute testimony of your life; what Jesus has done for you and how your life is changed. This might be a good approach, but probably one of the best ways to tell someone the pure Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ is to quote 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. Keep your place in Ephesians, but turn back a few books to 1st Corinthians.

The Good News is this,

"Jesus Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time...then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles and finally to the apostle Paul" (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

So when this verse in Ephesians tells you to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might it is proclaiming good news to you and me. The Lord, strong and mighty, who had the power to rise from the dead, is the source of your spiritual strength.

How to Be Strong

Have you ever needed spiritual strength? Perhaps you have been through a time in your life when it seemed as if there was no hope? Maybe you've lost a loved one and all of your plans and dreams came crashing in around you? Possibly you've lost a job, or have financial difficulties? Maybe you're trying to live your life for Christ, but your friends and family mock you for your new found faith and they say, "It won't last." Maybe you need spiritual strength today, right now? Is it possible to be "Strong in the Lord and the strength of his might?"

By the way, do you know when the best time is to be strong in the Lord? It is when you are weak -- when you've reached the end, when you can go no farther. When the world is against you. Hear the words of the Lord from 2 Corinthians 12:10:

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Paul is not talking here about his own strength. He's not saying, if I just pull myself up by my bootstraps and try harder I'll be strong. No, Paul is talking about being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might whenever you encounter trials.

Tortured For Faith

History is replete (filled) with Christians who have endured trials like you; those who have been persecuted for their faith and yet have remained strong in the Lord and refused to turn away from their Lord.

In the book Tortures and Torments of Christian Martyrs (A martyr is someone who suffers to the point of death), by Antonio Gallonio written in 1903; He lists various methods that Christians were tortured for their faith.

He describes:

Red hot plates: a piece of metal heated to the point of glowing red hot was placed upon the Christian until he or she renounced their faith in Christ.
Burning torches: A branch with its tip dipped in pine tar and lit on fire was pressed against the Christian.
Stakes or crosses: Where the Christian was hung sometimes upside down and fire lit beneath him to produce a long, slow, torturous death.

Other punishments for believing in Christ included:

Buried alive: Often these martyrs for Christ were not buried completely, but only up to their necks where they were left to bake in the sun without food or water.

Sewn inside a bag and thrown into the River.
If ever there was a time when spiritual strength was needed, it was during these times.

What was it that allowed these Christians to remain true to Jesus Christ? How could they endure the slow pain of death? It was because they were "Strong in the Lord and the strength of his might."

Strength in the King of Glory

All of our strength comes from Jesus Christ. We can never be strong in ourselves. We can never be strong in our own might.

This is the crux (the heart, or main point) of the Gospel: That our spiritual strength comes from our Savior Jesus Christ who was so strong and mighty that he rose from the dead. That is the good news!

Psalm 24:8 describes him this way:

"Who is this king of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle."

How strong?

Jesus Christ was laughed at, tortured, beaten with rods, pierced on his head with a crown of thorns, spit upon, crucified on a cross, buried, YET, He rose from the grave, he conquered death -- He is strong and mighty even over death and he offers that same resurrection power to you and me! Because of Christ, we too have power over death and are promised to be resurrected someday. Our strength is made sure in the fact that we will someday escape this body of sorrow and death and will be resurrected to live eternally with Jesus Christ. Our strength comes from the truth that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has conquered death for us.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:!6)

The Lord strong and mighty!

Our Lord, strong and mighty!

Why Do You Need Strength

But why do we need to be strong in the Lord and strength of his might? I mean, we are not facing torture or physical persecution in Fresno in 2009.

No, you and I are facing a much greater foe. You need his strength because the devil is trying to destroy you. So Paul relays to us God's plan to help us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.

"Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (vs. 11).

Here's how the dictionary describes the word "scheme":

"A large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining some particular object or putting a particular idea into effect...A secret of underhanded plan."

Satan has a secret plan to destroy you. You may not be facing red hot plates, burning torches, burning at the stake or being buried alive or thrown into the river for your faith in Christ, but make no mistake, you are being tempted and tested in other ways: drugs, alcohol, sex outside of marriage, stealing, lying, cheating -- all of the things from your former life (See Ephesians 4:22-31) Satan is making a bold attempt to draw you away from Christ, even to the point of physical death if need be.

Therefore, we need to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might and we need to put on the whole armor of God so that we may be able to stand against the secret underhanded plan of the devil!

You see, you may think that all of the temptations you face are a result of your former life or your upbringing - "That's the way our family rolled, you might say." But the truth is that the battle you face in serving Christ has nothing to do with your physical upbringing, your parents or your past.

And while the events of your past are real and cannot always be forgotten, the temptations you face today, to live your life for Jesus Christ, are purely from a spiritual battle that is raging all around you.

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12).

Not a Physical Problem 

Your struggle with sin is not due to your background. You use that as an excuse, because it's all you know. The truth is, you can't change where you came from, or what your past was like. And you can't change the way you are. Why? Because your problem is not a physical problem, it is a spiritual one. You see, when you try to use the world's medicine to make your life better; when you listen to the Dr. Phil's and the Oprah's, and try your best to "heal" your past or to search for your inner happiness you will never be able to find it. Listen to the mission statement of Oprah Winfrey's television show:

"Our mission statement for ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ is to use television to transform people’s lives, to make viewers see themselves differently and to bring happiness and a sense of fulfillment into every home.

”

I don't know about you, but when I'm faced with a choice have my life transformed, and I'm facing great trials and temptations, I'm not going to turn to television for the answer. I'm turning to the Lord, strong and mighty.

Dr. Phil's method to help you overcome your sin and your past is to simply rely upon yourself to do it. And while his methods at face value seem harmless and at times even helpful, it is the same old false story that people have been listening to for thousands of years, "You can solve your life's problems on your own."

But the truth of the matter is when you become a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the power through Christ, not yourself, to overcome the struggle of sin in your life. And when you turn to your past to try to figure it out you are never able to trust our Lord Christ or to depend on his strength. You become what the apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 2:22 (quoting from Proverbs):

[Like a] dog [who] returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

You Can't Do It 

Satan is trying to bring you down and it is only by "being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might" that you will be able to move on in your life and conquer your past, your sin and the temptations that seem to so easily befall you.

Some people say to me, "I'm trying to change to become a better person, but it's just not working." That's good that you want to change, but do you know why it's not working? It's because you are trying to make the change in your life. Rather God says, "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might."

Why do you think Jesus died on the cross? So that you could keep trying on your own to do good? Did he die simply so you could think he was a good guy? Did he suffer on the cross so that you could continue to be mired in your past life? No! Jesus Christ died on the cross in order to do all of the work for you! He took all of your sins, past, present and future and put them on himself so that you could place your faith in him and be rescued from a life of sin and death. Remember the sin you committed recently (maybe even last night?), the one that is causing you so much guilt? He took that sin too upon himself and he offers you forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

It is only through Jesus Christ that you can withstand and overcome the temptations that are thrown at you.

Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might: Because your problems are not physical. They appear physical because that is the lie of Satan. Jesus said this about Satan:

"He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)

If he can make you think that your problems are about your past then he has succeeded in producing a great lie that you will believe.

Rather, the truth is that your struggle is against Satan and his forces. And to overcome that struggle you need to "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might." You will not overcome your temptations and struggles by trying to do good, or trying to figure out your past, or blaming others. When you do that, Satan has you right where he wants you.

You are to "be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might." And to fight this battle that is raging all around you, you need to "put on Christ." And next time we'll look more closely at what that means and how we do that.

Jesus is Your Covering

But the Bible is clear that to fight the spiritual battle; to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, you need to put on Christ. Here's what God said about putting on Christ in Romans 13:14:

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

You see, Jesus is our covering. He covers us with his righteousness, and this is what God was showing us from the very beginning. Turn to Genesis 3:21. After Adam and Eve sinned, they were immediately guilty -- their guilt showed in that they realized that they were naked and their nakedness caused them shame. Therefore, verse 21 says that God "clothed them." This verse is a prophecy of what Jesus Christ would someday do for us. From the very beginning God was showing that he was going to make a covering for our sin. And that covering is Jesus Christ.

From the moment you believe in him, you are covered with the righteousness of Christ. No longer are you walking around naked in your sin, you are covered with his righteousness; and to fight the spiritual battle, you are to put on Christ.

That's why so many Christians today (even many in this room), are weak and defeated. Christian by name only, but not by deed. They walk around week after week, with the same problems. "Woe is me" they cry. I have so many problems, you don't understand my problems." And they go through life never growing in their relationship with Christ, never reading God's Word, praying only when they have a real serious problem. Playing hit and miss when they attend church to worship the Lord. Denying their children the blessing of learning about Jesus Christ by not bringing them to Sunday School and not training them up at home to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to love Him.

This is a spiritual battle -- be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. Put on Jesus Christ daily - wear him as your whole armor against the onslaught of Satan. Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might:

"Santoso" is a farmer and a pastor for a small village church in Indonesia. Recently, he was attacked on the way home after sharing Christ with Muslims on a farm in the city of Poso. He and a friend, both on motorbikes, were hit with a machete wielded by a Muslim who jumped from a bush. The Muslim tried to cut off his head but missed, hitting him in the mouth. He ran to his village holding his face. Because of the attack Santoso lost 10 teeth and damaged his tongue and his friend's fingers were cut off. (This was the third attempt on Santoso's life.) Before going into his last surgery, he said, "I read Ephesians 1:19 which promises God's great power to us who believe. God sends me power so I can bear suffering. We rejoice that one Muslim has come to Christ."

Where do men and women like Santoso get their strength to endure torture? It comes from the Lord Jesus Christ -- by being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. The power to live our lives for Jesus Christ comes through recognizing that we are not in a physical war, but a spiritual one; and to win the war, we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Next time, I am going to share with you how to do that. In Ephesians, it's called "putting on the whole armor of God."

Do you need spiritual strength today? Then be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. And when you do that; when you take the focus off your own strength which is weak and feeble, and when you finally determine to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, then we can rest assured that we will win the sprirtual battle and will become as Paul said in Romans 8:37:

...In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
There is good news for us today! Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might!

Are you trying to fight the battle of life on your own strength? Do you try and take matters into your own hands on a daily basis? You need money so you steal and rob. You struggle with your relationship with your wife or husband or girlfriend or boyfriend so you act superior, like you're better than them and you become the shot caller in your relationship. I'll take control of this myself, you say. But God is calling out to you today -- to be strong in the Lord and strength of his might. He is calling you to turn to him, to put your faith and trust in him. And when you do, he promises to help you and to guide you and to give you the strength you need to overcome the spiritual battle that you are facing.

Some of you might even leave here today and ignore everything that God has been trying to show you today. You'll go home and get drunk or high. You'll revert back to your old self -- But God is still calling you -- Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might is his call to you. Follow him and be strong in him today.

"Our Lord strong and mighty, please give me the strength right now to put my trust in you, to be strong in you and the strength of your might." Amen.

An Overview of Philippians

We are such weak Christians in America. Let's face it; we have no real challenges for being a Christian. Oh, maybe our family or friends will make fun of us from time-to-time, but the plain truth is we can be Christians in America and live a pretty uneventful life.

That is not the case in other parts of the world. Consider the country of Turkey for example. According to a July 2007 report in Christianity Today magazine, "Turkey has become more and more hostile to its tiny Christian minority. Though the nation is 99 percent Muslim, the government and media look at any activities of Christians with great suspicion." Within the last year several Christians have been murdered. Why? Because they are Christians.

On Wednesday morning, April 18, German missionary Tilmann Geske, a 43 year father of three, kissed his wife goodbye and headed to work -- His job entailed editing a Turkish Christian Study Bible. Another man, who was a pastor, went to the same building for a Bible Study. Earlier, two Muslims had befriended both men and had expressed interest in Jesus Christ. They showed up at the building and began discussing faith in Jesus Christ with the Christian. Several minutes later three other Muslims entered carrying guns and knives. The two Christians were bound hand and foot and the Muslims began stabbing them, slowly and deliberately. Another Christian showed up and they began torturing him too. Three hours after the torture began; someone heard the noise and called police. Before the police could intervene, the Muslims slashed the Christians throats, killing all three of them.

This type of persecution is almost like a fantasy to Christians living in America. We can't imagine what it must be like to be susceptible to torture for faith in Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). While we have not felt the blows of persecution in the U.S. the time is coming when we will. Those who profess Jesus as "The way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) will be labeled narrow minded and intolerant. Already the media has turned against and mocks those who have true faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to gain eternal life. Persecution is coming. The question is, are you ready?

That's what the book of Philippians is all about. It is God's handbook on how to be content in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.

Background

The book of Philippians, found in the New Testament, is really a letter. The apostle Paul wrote letters to many of the churches in order to encourage them in faith, or to give them some instruction from God. The apostle Paul was a missionary. He would travel all over most of the known world and share the message of Jesus Christ to all who would listen.

The saga of Paul's close relationship with the Philippians began on his second missionary journey. Philippi was the leading city of the district of Macedonia and was also a Roman colony. It was a military outpost. The first convert to Christianity in that city was not a military person; it was a woman named Lydia. Before Paul came to Philippi, Lydia was a believer in God, but had not yet believed in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. When she heard Paul's message, the Lord opened her heart and she became a follower of Christ.

Maybe that is what your life is like now? Perhaps you believe in God, but have never made a conscious decision to believe in Jesus. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in me has eternal life" (John 6:47). You see, just believing in God is not enough. We must believe in the one God sent as a sacrifice for our sins. In Acts 16:14 we read this about Lydia, "The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul." It is the Lord that opens hearts. Your responsibility is to be willing to allowing him access to your heart. "Lord, help me in my unbelief" was the prayer of a father whose son was filled with a demonic spirit in Mark 9:24. When the father cried out to Jesus, immediately, Jesus healed the boy. If you are unsure of your relationship with Jesus Christ, make that your prayer. Cry out to God and ask him to help you in your unbelief.

Paul’s Gratitude and Prayers (Philippians 1:1-11)

Paul wrote this letter along with his co-worker, Pastor Timothy. He points out in verse 4 that whenever he prays for the Philippians, he prays with joy because of their unwavering faith in the Lord, a faith that has remained strong since Paul first started the church in that city. He calls them partners in the gospel. In other words, they weren’t just bystanders; they participated in sharing the gospel of Jesus with others.

In verse 6 Paul makes a wonderful statement that applies to all of us today: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” There are three major things to consider in this verse:

1. Jesus Christ begins the work. That “good work” is the saving knowledge of Christ and following him. Remember, it is God who chose us. He begins the work in your life. You can’t do it on your own.
2. Jesus perfects the work in us: We can do nothing to get better or become less sinful except to obey him. We can’t change on our own. We owe all of our growth to the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus will continue to perfect us until the Second Coming: It is a lifelong process of spiritual growth and perfection will never be achieved while we are on earth.

In verse 9 Paul explains his prayer; that the Philippians will grow in knowledge and discernment. That would be my prayer for all who are reading this Bible study. Our goal should be to grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ so that through our testimony others might believe and gain the gift of eternal life.

Two Methods of Preaching the Gospel (Philippians 1:12-18)

Paul notes that there are two ways to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

1. Some preach the gospel from “envy and rivalry”: Meaning they do it for their own self-interest. That can happen today. Some churches strive to have the biggest and best program. Just take a look during Easter or Christmas and see what methods some churches will use to bring people in the door. Last Easter one church in Fresno advertised a former American Idol as the main feature. I thought Jesus was the main attraction? There is nothing wrong with encouraging people to go to church, but our methods must be carefully evaluated to ensure we are not doing it to build up our own church or our own selves.

2. Others preach the gospel from “good will” and “love.”: We should always build up Christ Jesus. Our goal should not be to make ourselves look good, but to glorify and lift up Jesus.

But Paul makes and interesting statement, “Whether in pretense (insincere) or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”

Paul is saying that is doesn’t matter what the motives are; the important thing is that the name of Jesus is proclaimed. That reminds me of a shopping trip I took during Christmas. As I walked through the mall, the last thing on people’s minds was the fact that Jesus was born in a manger and that he came to die for their sins. But in the background, behind all the noise of the hustle and bustle, I could hear the song O Little Town of Bethlehem playing over the speakers. People weren’t consciously aware of it and the music wasn’t being played sincerely to introduce people to Christ, nevertheless Jesus was being preached.

Don’t Be Frightened (Philippians 1:19-26)

Paul wanted to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, even while in prison. He wasn’t worried about dying in fact he said, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” In other words it is great to live because we can live for Christ, but if we die we will be with the Lord, we gain eternal life.

Because of that, he told the Philippians to not be “frightened” by those who seek to kill Christians. In fact he goes on to say that suffering as a Christian has been “granted” to you for the “sake of Christ.” It is a privilege to suffer for Jesus Christ.

What Are the Marks of a Christian (Philippians 2:1-18)

Have you ever wondered what the marks of a Christian are? Paul lists them for us in this passage:

1. Be of the same mind (2:2): That means don’t be argumentative on everything. Trust Christ, have faith in him and work together to spread the gospel.
2. Have the same love for each other (2:2): Our love for each other should be consistent. We should love all who call themselves Christians.
3. Don’t be competitive or conceited (2:3): In other words, don’t think you are better than other Christians.
4. Treat others as better than yourself (2:3): Being humble is a great virtue. Make others feel that they are more significant than you.

Paul gives the example of Jesus. Even though he was God, as a man he didn’t try to prove that he was better than God, instead he became a servant – he made himself nothing. He went so far that he even died for the sins of mankind. He didn’t have to do that, he was God! But he did so in order that our sins might be forgiven and we might inherit the free gift of eternal life.

In verse 12 Paul tells them to “work out their salvation.” This does not mean that salvation comes from works. You can’t work your way to heaven! Some cults will try to convince you from this verse that you can. But they forget to read the next verse; “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

When Paul talks about “working out your salvation” he is referring to carrying out our obedience to the finish. How do we do that? He tells us in vs. 14-16:

1. Don’t grumble (2:14)
2. Don’t question (2:14)
3. Be blameless (2:15)
4. Be innocent (2:15)
5. Shine as a light to the world (2:15)
6. Hold fast to God’s Word (2:16)

Consider Yourself a Citizen of Heaven (Philippians 3:1-21)

There is a lot of great stuff in this chapter, but I want to point out a couple of key points.

1. Nothing is more important than knowing Christ. Everything else is rubbish (3:7,8): Gaining Christ is the most important thing a person can do. All other earthly pleasures and possessions are worthless.
2. Our citizenship is in heaven, not on earth (3:20): It’s okay to be patriotic and to love ones country, but we must always remember that our true citizenship is in heaven. This world is not our home. We are only here temporarily, and then we will spend eternity somewhere. If we know Jesus Christ we are promised eternal life with him.

The Boundaries For Living a Joyful Christian Life (Philippians 4:1-8)

Paul doesn’t give a list of things we cannot do in this passage, rather he lists the things that we should be dwelling on in our daily lives. He gives the boundaries of where the Christian’s mind should be:

1. Whatever is true
2. Whatever is honorable
3. Whatever is just
4. Whatever is pure
5. Whatever is lovely
6. Whatever is commendable
7. Whatever is excellent
8. Whatever is worthy of praise

“…Think about these things.”

Paul ends the letter with a promise for everyone in verse 19:

“And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Notice that he says “according to his riches” not according to our riches or our desires. God supplies what we need not what we want. It may be that you will suffer for Christ someday – if that is the case, then God will supply the necessary strength to endure the persecution.

This Week: Read the book of Philippians everyday this week. Paul’s message to the Philippians is as relevant today as it was back in the first century. Live your life pure and pleasing to the Lord. Don’t be afraid to suffer for the Lord and pray for boldness to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in love.