PEOPLE OF COURAGE
1. Last Wednesday morning I picked up a national newspaper.
2. On the front page was a rather large picture of two men and a bouquet of flowers.
3. The caption for this picture said these men “were smelling the flowers before their wedding.”
4. Yesterday if you listened to the news another government official is performing same sex marriages.
5. We live in difficult times, but such a period should not surprise us.
6. God predicted that “perilous times” would come, 2 Tim. 3:1 (KJV).
WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME PAUL HAD IN MIND, WE ARE
CURRENTLY LIVING IN THIS TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.
BECAUSE OF THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS HEPFUL TO CONSIDER HOW
CHRISTIANS SHOULD RESPOND TO THE CONDITION OF OUR COUNTRY AND ELSEWHERE.
a)
Our source for such a
study, of course, is the Bible.
b)
In the Word of God we
have detailed instructions for living in difficult times.
2) A verse which helps us is found in another of the Timothy books, 1 Tim. 6:12.
3) As Paul wrote to a young preacher he stated how Timothy had found eternal life.
4) Timothy had discovered the truth and obeyed it.
5) Paul knew this young man had confessed the good confession.”
6) Today this is still done by everyone who becomes a Christian.
7) Before baptism we confess that Christ is the Son of God.
8) Because Timothy had become a child of God here is what Paul told him – READ.
a) Even thought Timothy was considered a young man he was told to fight the good fight.
b) 2,000 years ago this was important because times in the first century were also difficult.
c) There was opposition to what was good and right.
d) During this kind of period Paul said, “take a stand for the ways and will of God.
e) God’s advice for us in today’s world has not changed: if you are a Christian, “fight.”
f) Lest this point be misapplied another verse written by Paul must be introduced.
9) 2 Cor. 10:4 says our weapons are not “of the flesh.”
10) Our fighting is not going to be with fists, knives, guns, and clubs.
11) The battlefield is in the mind; our struggle is with man’s intellect and belief system.
12) Tied in with our spiritual warfare is a thought from First Thessalonians.
13) Our next reference comes from the fifth chapter in this book.
14) Towards the end of this last chapter Paul offered a number of short statements.
a) He spoke about the Holy Spirit, prophecy, praying, rejoicing, and even evil.
b) In verse 21 of 1 Thess. 5 he made two quick but important points.
c)
Here they are: READ 1 Thess. 5:21.
d)
Christians are
to learn what is right and then “hold” to that information.
15)
Here is an
instruction which is useful to us each day we go out and face the world.
16)
After we learn
the truth we cling to it and use it in our spiritual warfare.
17)
Some look to
the government to figure out what is right and wrong, but not the Christian.
18)
Others search
for a good thinker to help understood good and evil, but not the Christian.
19) There still others who want morality based upon a national vote, but not the Christian.
20) We even have people who say they don’t care, but that is not the Christian way.
21) God’s word offers us guidance, and we keep a grip that information.
22) We hold so firmly that we only release that information at the time of our death.
23) The information from God is so valuable it deserves our most vigorous defense.
THESE VERSES ARE INTENSELY PRACTICAL, BUT WHAT ABOUT OTHER VERSES FOR TODAY’S WORLD?
a) Our next citation comes from 1 Cor. 6:18.
b) A study of this chapter tells us about the former lives of the Corinthians.
c) These men and women had been involved with sin, and their involvement was very deep.
d) Instead of flirting with sin, the Corinthians were fully immersed in it.
e) To keep God’s people on track, Paul provided some helpful points.
2) Here is what he said in the first part of verse 18 – READ.
3) In the past the members of this congregation had been involved with fornication.
4) When Paul wrote to them he associated this sin with the word “flee.”
5) In a society where morals were especially low, Paul told Christians to avoid some things.
6) We have that same challenge in our day and time, so 1 Cor. 6:18 is a helpful verse.
a) Today there are places and events we need to avoid.
b) We would hope that all would come to this conclusion but that is not always true.
c) Have we ever heard a Christian—perhaps a young one—say something like this:
7) “I want to go to ____________ (a place that is at best questionable), but I will not participate”?
8) Being present is considered okay as long as there is no participation.
9) This is a frequent conclusion in today’s society but it is a poor conclusion.
10) Could not Paul could have easily said this very thing to the Corinthians?
11) In this chapter he
could have something like this:
“You can go to the idol temple, but
don’t worship the pagan god.”
a) “You can go visit the brothels, but don’t participate in what they do.”
b) “You can be in the company of thieves but don’t you steal anything.”
c) “You can go with the drunkards, but don’t you become intoxicated too.”
12) God had a different plan for these Christians: flee certain activities.
13) It is not going to far to say that certain places should be fled from too.
14) When Paul penned that word flee he used the present tense.
15) If we are a child of God there are times when we need to fight and hold fast.
16) There will also be other occasions when we need to flee.
17) Our young people need to be taught these two words and be encouraged to apply them.
18) How will the people of God know whether to hold fast and fight or flee?
19) Common sense will help but a knowledge of the Bible will aid us even more.
20) A third element to assist us is prayer.
21) Praying is appropriate for all times, but is especially helpful during difficult times.
22) 1 Thess. 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing.
23) We need to remember this verse and apply it on a regular basis because we live in a difficult world.
24) 1 Tim. 2:2 is another verse which discusses prayer, and it talks about government officials.
25) God tells us to pray for kings and all those in “high places.”
a) Praying for our President is always right.
b) Prayers for other leaders at the Federal level need to be offered.
c) On the state level we need to pray for those making decisions.
d) By state level I mean this state and as well as all the others.
e) Leaders of other countries fall under the category of 1 Tim. 2:2.
26) Our public leaders need our prayers so our nation will head closer to God instead of further from Him.
27) A summary for what has been said thus far can be found in Eph. 4:22 and 24.
28) In Eph. 4:22 we are told that Christians must “put off” certain habits and practices.
29) Verse 24 tells us there are other items God’s people need to “put on.”
30) There are many images that describe the Christian way of life, and Eph. 4 provides us with a good one.
31) Just as we take off and put on clothes, so we need to do a similar thing with our character.
32) During times of great moral upheaval people can get confused.
33) They can put on what they need to take off and take off what they need to put on.
34) God wants us to fully embrace what is right and completely get rid of what is wrong.
35) Our attention to this aspect of the Christian life cannot be so-so (half-hearted).
36) 1 Cor. 9:24 uses the word “run.”
a) When Paul wrote to Christians living in an evil culture he appealed to athletics.
b) He used this analogy in the 9th chapter to say Christianity is like a race.
c) Most of us have seen runners on a track standing on or at the start line.
d) When the signal is given, the runners run.
e) What would we say about a runner who refuses to run after the start signal has been given?
37) What about the runner who enters the race but refuses to move from the starting area?
38) He or she would be disqualified just as a Christian will be disqualified from inheriting eternal life.
39) A child of God must run.
40) In today’s world that is a challenge to run the Christian life each and every day.
41) God’s charge to us if we have become a child of God is, “start going around the track.”
42) Others may go faster, we may falter more than others, but we need to be on the move.
43) Running means fighting the good fight of faith and holding to the Word of God.
44) Lk. 13:24 further instructs us to “strive to enter in by the narrow door.”
45) If we do not move off starting line we will be removed from the race.
46) Part of the race is putting off what is wrong and putting on what is right, Eph. 4:22, 24.
IF WE WANT TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL RACE THERE ARE STILL SOME MORE VERSES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT WILL HELP US.
a) 2 Tim. 2:15 reminds us about the need to be familiar with the Word of God.
b) Over the last week or so I have seen some well known figures appear on t.v.
c) High profile religious leaders have been interviewed by organizations like CNN.
d) People professing Christianity are being asked to offer their views on moral issues.
2) Right now Bible believing people are being questioned about the basis for their beliefs.
3) Someone from the community called me up last Friday.
4) When she got around to asking a question she was point blank: what about gay marriages?
5) We need to be prepared to answer the ones who are asking questions.
6) 1 Pet. 3:15 says we need to be ready to answer “every man” about our faith.
7) If we do not answer, someone from the world will, and their answer will not be based upon the Bible.
8) Eph. 6:12 describes our Christian life as a wresting match with ungodly forces.
9) Because of who are enemies are, we need to be ready for some very difficult times.
10) A final verse to be considered is Phil. 3:14.
11) Paul went through all the kinds of things that have been described in today’s material.
12) He had to fight, flee, and live in cultures which were corrupt.
13) He had to deal with people who hated him, his faith, and the God of the Bible.
14) Throughout his life he put off what was wrong and put on what was right.
15) It was his job to preach a gospel that offended many and resulted in his being persecuted.
16) In spite of all the difficulties he faced, this is what he said – READ.
17) I press on.
18) These three words are something we can take with us today and everyday.
19) Some days we may not fight too well.
20) There may be times when we make a poor defense of the gospel.
21) We may not flee as quickly as we should.
22) Many mistakes can be made, but we can continue to run the Christian race.
23) Each day we get up we can tell our self, “This is one more day for me to be a Christian.”
24) This is the right choice at any time in history, but especially now.
25) God is looking for His people to press on with the faith of the gospel.
26) Does this describe us?
27) Have we put off the ways of the world and put on Jesus by baptism (Gal. 3:27)?
28) Are we doing our best to serve God each day and be a light to the unsaved?