Press On; Hold True; Stand Firm
Series: Philippians
February 21, 2021
Frank Foreman
The old saying goes, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything/nothing ..." The Apostle Paul laid out a loving challenge to the church at Philippi: "Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved." This summation from the fourth chapter, the first verse, stands as a reminder that there will always be those in the world who will challenge your faith in Christ. There will always be "enemies of the Cross." Frank shares a message this week that helps us to recognize and define what such enemies will pursue--selfish gain--and how they will live--lives focused on sin and self-preservation. It stands in direct contrast to the ambition and aim of the believer.
Episode Notes
Pause to Consider: Describe the difference of running in one of these highly officiated Olympic events and a muddy obstacle course.
Philippians 3:12-4:1
BIG IDEA: Stand Firm...
Verse 4:1
Many walk as enemies of the Cross:
Verses 3:18-19
1. Their end is destruction.
Revelation 21:1-2, Then I saw a new Heaven and a new earth, for the first Heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 20:14-15, Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
2. Their god is their appetite.
Galatians 5:19-21, Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
3. Their glory is in their shame.
Romans 6:1-4, What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
4. Their mind is set on earthly things.
1st Corinthians 1:18, For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Luke 9:23, And He (Jesus) said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow Me.
NEXT STEP: Stand firm in your pursuit of Christlikeness.
Verse 17
Pause to Consider: Take a moment to pray that we will all be able to say those words with complete confidence... “Imitate me.”
1st John 3:2, Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.
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