A Fighting Church
June 22, 2008
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Text: Philippians 1:27-30
A fighting church; personal fighting experiences - home, work, church, etc
God wants a fighting church! The fighting is not for self sake but Christ’s sake!
God wants His people to fight for Christ’s sake!
How do we stay a people fighting for Christ’s sake?
1) For Christ’s sake fight for love!
V27 - The Gospel 2X
A) Stand for Heavenly Conduct - Represent my citizenry OHC
B) Stand firm! church - multiple personalities but same spirit and mind! Passion to tell, teach and serve the good news of great joy - not indifference!
C) Stand with! Contending – grappling - arms locked - dumpers and shovelers
What breaks the spirit: Negative people, feeling neglected, all alone, worn out!
It is when people have to be entertained or pleased to keep them in church! When it is for self’s sake rather than Christ’s sake! Two little dogs! Thinking they are bigger than me! Just like we are bigger than God!
Imagine the great fear during war? The truth is we are at war! We as a church face opposition! Those that are fighting for love will face this opposition!
2) For Christ’s sake fight for life!
V28-30 - That by God - God is evidenced
A) God reigns! Moles drowning - When God reigns the truth will be revealed! You must get them lost before they can be saved!
B) God Grants! From His great love - you have life graciously given to you! EPH 2
1) Believe - God’s gift of eternal life
2) Suffer - embrace the trials and tests - because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance
3) Struggle - sharing in the same struggles! How people run rather than reconcile - People will carry the hurt and burn bridges - For Christ’s sake fight for life! It is through these struggles that we discover the abundant life!
”The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still, His Kingdom is forever!” – Martin Luther
Conclusion
Preaching my heart out week in and week out knowing there are 38,000 unchurched in Christian Co.! I grieve on behalf of God for the ones who choose to forgo worshiping and loving God because I know it is the best life and God doesn’t buy their excuse! But then I think about Jesus! I look at the faithful faces at OHC! I think of God’s word - ”Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Then I choose to fight!! So I can say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.” Call them to fight for Christ’s sake!
Let’s be a fighting people for Christ’s sake!