Author: looking2jesus13

A Certain Hope in Uncertain Days: 30 Days of Hope-filled Focus

Day 7: I’ll Fly Away

1 Thessalonians 4:17, “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 has to do with what is commonly referred to as the “rapture.”  The term “rapture” itself does not appear in the text but is from the Latin Vulgate translation of the Greek harpazo (translated “caught up” in verse 17).  Harpazo means to “catch or snatch away” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary).  The verb is in the future tense and passive voice.  At some point in the future the Lord will come and snatch away from earth all those who belong to Him.  This “rapture” is imminent (i.e. it could happen at any time inasmuch as there is no other event in God’s prophetic timetable that must precede it).

The context of the passage indicates that the believers in Thessalonica had not been informed of this important truth (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13), Paul not previously having had the opportunity to instruct them about it (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 3:10).  Some of their fellow believers had died and those still alive wondered about the status of their loved ones with respect to the Lord’s coming.  Paul’s instruction regarding these matters was to alleviate their concerns.

The passage represents the ultimate basis for the hope of the believer in Christ.  The “blessed hope” is the hope (“confident expectation”) of Christ’s return (Cf. Titus 2:13).  It is that to which we are to “set our hope fully” (Cf. 1 Peter 1:13).  Two separate groups of believers are referred to in the passage, the rapture applies to both.  As the hymn puts it, “I know not when my Lord may come, At night or noonday fair, Nor if I’ll walk the vale with Him, Or ‘meet Him in the air’” (“I Know Whom I Have Believed”).  There are those “church-age” believers who will have died previous to the time of Christ’s return.  They are those who have walked “the vale with Him” (i.e. “those who are asleep;” 1 Thessalonians 4:13).  And there are those who will “meet Him in the air” (i.e. “who are alive” at the time of His return; Cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:17).  A great heavenly reunion of both groups will take place on that day—“so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

It is because of this truth that we as believers do “not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).  That does not mean that we do not grieve.  Jesus Himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus.  Paul was spared from “sorrow upon sorrow” when God showed mercy towards Epaphroditus who was “ill, near to death” (Philippians 1:27).  But there is a difference between the grief of those who possess no hope and the grief of those who do.  In one way or the other the Lord will bring those who belong to Him “safely into his heavenly kingdom” (Cf. 2 Timothy 4:18).  “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” and “neither death nor life” …” nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

There is a genuine and abiding reason for hope bound up in the glorious truth represented to us in this passage.  There are troubles and trials in this life, but they quickly fade from view as the assembly of believers takes flight.  As the hymn “I’ll Fly Away” puts it, “Just a few more weary days and then, I’ll fly away, to a land where joys shall never end.”  No longer will they experience death or mourning or crying or pain or tears (Cf. Revelation 21:4).  Face to face with Christ, He will then be “marveled at among all who believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:10; Cf. 1 John 3:2).

“Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).  John Walvoord commented on the comfort we find (and can share) in the expectation of Christ’s coming: “Oh the prospect, the joy of looking forward to the coming of the Lord, and of resting in these precious truths!  There are so many ills of life that nothing can heal except the Lord’s return.  How many loved ones are on the other side and how many problems of this life, incurable diseases, pain, sorrow, difficulties will be made all right. As we face the duties and the challenges and the trials of life, God has given us this blessed hope, this hope of the Lord’s return.  May we take it to our bosoms, may we live in its reality, and may our hearts be refreshed by this precious truth. This hope can be the certain prospect of anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ the Son of God, who loved us and died for us, who shed His blood that we might be saved, and who rose in victory that we might have hope.”

A Certain Hope in Uncertain Days: 30 Days of Hope-filled Focus

Day 5: Hope for the Hopeless

Romans 10:9, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Jacob DeShazer was born in Salem, Oregon to devout Christian parents of modest means.  He grew up in Madras.  Following graduation from high school he spent several years in various farming type of jobs.  In 1940, as a part of a “peace-time conscription” he joined the Army and for a two-year period received training as an airplane mechanic and bombardier.

After Pearl Harbor plans were undertaken to retaliate by bombing Japan.  General James Doolittle was put in charge of an incredible scheme.  Refitted B25 bombers were to fly off an Aircraft Carrier and make their way over Tokyo.  Jacob DeShazer was on board one of those planes.

After the successful bombing, he and his crewmates parachuted out of the plane over China. He found his way to a village, where he was confronted by soldiers. He didn’t know at first whether they were Chinese or Japanese. It turned out that they were Japanese. He was captured and then repeatedly beaten and tortured. The Japanese intended to put all of the “Raiders” to death, but the emperor granted a reprieve, and only three of the “Raiders” were executed.

DeShazer spent a total of 40 months in various Japanese prison camps. The conditions were deplorable. The men were underfed, over disciplined, and subject to extreme temperatures, solitary confinement, and various diseases. Not all of them survived that ordeal.

At one point in his captivity he was given a Bible—but for only three weeks.  So, there he was, in his little prison cell, in Nanking, China, with nothing but a Bible to read.  The light was dim.  The print was small.  But he devoured the Scriptures.  He read the entire Bible several times.  He read the Prophets six times.  He spent many hours memorizing Scriptures.  Hour after hour he read, and the Holy Spirit opened his heart.

The date was June 8^th, 1944.  He had been reading Romans 10:9, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  He responded in faith to the truth.  He later wrote, “My heart was filled with joy.  I wouldn’t have traded places with anyone at that time.  Oh, what a great joy it was to know that I was saved, that God had forgiven me of my sins.”

God saved Jacob and God changed him too.  He had read Jesus’ command to love and the description of love given in 1 Corinthians chapter 13.  He knew that he needed to obey Christ’s command, but how?  He began to treat the prison guards with kindness.  He would say “Good morning” to them.  He would ask about their families.  Jacob learned how to love his enemies.

His captivity continued for some time after that, until the men began to see American planes flying overhead. They sensed that the end of the war was coming soon. DeShazer was Spirit-led to pray for peace on the day of Japan’s surrender. He was also determined, as he was being led by the Spirit, to return to Japan as a missionary once the war ended.

Ultimately the war ended, and the captives were brought home. His loving regard for his former captives made the news. As one who harbored no bitterness, the account of his captivity was indeed newsworthy. He was triumphantly greeted by his mother and his sister at home. Many colleges were excited about the possibility of having him study for missions with them, but his sister worked at Seattle Pacific College and that is where he ultimately ended up.

He finished his education at Seattle Pacific in three years, instead of four, despite the fact that he was constantly traveling about for speaking engagements. Many wanted to hear of his story and were blessed by his example and his determination to take the gospel to Japan. After a year at Seattle Pacific he married his wife. Later they had a son. And upon their graduation they left for Japan where they served in missions for many years.

From the biography of his life: “More than a million tracts concerning the Doolittle raider who turned missionary were distributed throughout Japan. The tract in Japanese contained a blank to be signed by those who would accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Many thousands of these tracts were signed and returned. In view of this, the name DeShazer, was known to many of the Japanese people. So, it was that on December 28, 1948, when DeShazer and his little family arrived at the Yokohama docks crowds were waiting to see them. Many were anxious to know the cause of the change of attitude of a man who had been held for so many months by the Japanese in a solitary cell. They could not understand how one’s heart once filled with animosity could now be overflowing with love for his persecutors.”  (De Shazer: The Doolittle raider who turned missionary; The Light and Life Press (1950), Charles Hoyt Watson)

During the course of his ministry he received many testimonies.  One of the most amazing was that of Mitsuo Fuchida.  He was the commander of the 360 planes that had bombed Pearl Harbor.  God used the tract which spoke of DeShazer’s testimony to speak to Mitsuo.  Within a month of his conversion, Mitsuo Fuchida was privileged to stand side by side on a platform in a large evangelistic meeting in Osaka, where both men gave their testimonies.  4000 people were crowded into the auditorium; 3000 stood outside; 500 professed faith in Christ that day.  Mitsuo himself became a missionary and traveled as far as Europe in sharing the gospel.

I love Jacob DeShazer’s story—it speaks to truths we hold dear.  The Bible is no ordinary book—it is the inspired Word of God.  The Bible is no impotent or docile book—it possesses the power to save and transform lives—even to turn an embittered prisoner of war into a missionary to the people who had held him captive.

A Certain Hope in Uncertain Days: 30 Days of Hope-filled Focus

Day 5: The God of Hope

Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

In the novel, “Cat’s Cradle” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., an important book comes to light.  It is entitled, “What Can a Thoughtful Man Hope for Mankind on Earth, Given the Experience of the Past Million Years?”  The chief character in his book is anxious to read it, but when he does, he finds that it doesn’t take long.  The whole book consists of one word, “Nothing.”  Even if man had existed for a million years—which he hasn’t—apart from God’s intervention there would be no legitimate reason or basis for hope (Cf. Ephesians 2:12).

But God would have HIs people to be filled with hope.  Because of Him they have good reason to be even amidst troubling times.  Romans 15:14 constitutes a prayer by the Apostle Paul for the readers of his epistle.  It is a prayer that we might “abound in hope.” Hope, as the term is used in Scripture, refers to a confident expectation in an unseen, future, reality.

Confident expectation regarding the believer’s favorable future is availed to him by the God of hope.  God is both the source and giver of hope.  God Himself—who declares “the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10)—has no need of hope.  He who “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11), knows already what will come to pass.  Hope is a creature need.  Unlike God, we live and exist in the realm of uncertainty.  We lack the ability on our own to foresee or dictate the future.  Confidence regarding a favorable future must be ministered to us from One who has the power and ability to achieve that which is hoped for.  The God of hope is favorably disposed towards His children and is absolutely trustworthy in all that He has promised (Cf. Romans 15:4).  He is our reason for hope (Cf. Lamentations 3:21-24).

God is able to fill His children with hope.  The Holy Spirit indwells every child of God.  Jesus called Him the Helper (parakletos, lit. “called to one’s side”).  Preeminent amongst His many tasks, is His ministry as Helper, is His work in directing our hearts “Christ-ward” (Cf. John 16:13-14).  It is in Jesus Christ that we find “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”  It is He who has caused us to be “born again to a living hope” through HIs resurrection (Cf. 1 Peter 1:3).  It is He who constitutes, in His imminent return, the “blessed hope” of the believer (Cf. Titus 2:13).  As the Spirit of God works to apply the Word of God to our hearts (Cf. Romans 15:4), He ministers confident expectation regarding all that which God has prepared for us.

God’s desires that we “abound in hope.”  The word “abound” translates a Greek term meaning “to be abundantly furnished, to abound in a thing” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of OT and NT Words).  It is elsewhere used of the fragments left over after the feeding of the multitude (Cf. John 6:12-13).  In this context the term speaks of an overabundance of confident expectation.  It is in the present tense and therefore pictures God’s saints as continually abounding in Spirit-imparted hope.

J B Phillips paraphrases this prayer of Paul this way, “May the God of Hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant and alive.”  Is your outlook “radiant and alive?  By the Spirit it can be.  These are troubling times.  “Out in the highways and by-ways of life, many are weary and sad.”  God would have us to “carry the sunshine where darkness is rife.”  He desires for us to be filled with this kind of hope to such an extent that others would see it in us and wonder why we have it (Cf. 1 Peter 3:15).  Because of our relationship with the God of hope we have good reason to abound in hope.

A Certain Hope in Uncertain Days: 30 Days of Hope-filled Focus

Day 4: We Had Hoped

How gloomy is the expression “We had hoped” (Luke 24:21)!  Who hasn’t shared in an experience like that of those disciples who had uttered those words?  They had hoped for something, a noble thing, but suffered bitter disappointment in the death of their dream.  “We had hoped” disappointments are common to man.  Sin and death and their associated trials work to diminish and destroy all ill-founded human hopes, but in Jesus there is good reason for a living and lasting hope.

The disciples on the road to Emmaus were talking with each other about the things that had recently transpired in the city of Jerusalem.  “Jesus himself drew near and went with them.  But their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16-17).  In their conversation with their unrecognized friend the two disciples spoke of how Jesus, “a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,” was delivered up by the “chief priests and rulers…to be condemned to death and crucified” (Luke 24:20).  “But we had hoped,” they said, “that he was the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21).

The disciples had hoped for a thing, but God was doing something far greater than that which they had hoped for.  Their hope was invested in the redemption of Israel.  They had thought that Jesus was working to accomplish that goal.  They believed Him to be the promised Messiah.  They hoped that He had come to deliver His oppressed people from the Romans and to reign as King.  They had invested their lives in their ministry with Him.  But His death worked to vanquish their hope.  They could not then envision the greater work that God had purposed to accomplish.  Jesus will one day redeem Israel (as they had hoped), but He came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).  Through His redemptive work “a living hope” has been availed to all, Jew and Gentile alike.

The disciples were lacking hope because they were unaware of Jesus’ presence.  “Their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16).  Sin is the ultimate cause for diminished hope.  The evils that beset us in this life can be traced back to that fateful day when Adam and Eve fell in the garden.  Adam’s kin are all born to a hopeless existence (Cf. Ephesians 2:12).  The “shadow of death” works to vanquish even the most vibrant of earthbound hopes.  But the two disciples actually had good reason to hope because they were walking with the One who had conquered both sin and death.  In Adam all sinned (Romans 5:12), but the One who came to pay for sin, declaring “It is finished,” was present with them (John 19:30).  In Adam all die (1 Corinthians 15:21), but the “living One,” who rose from the dead, was in their midst (Revelation 1:18).  Sin and death, the great obstacles to reason for hope, had been vanquished by the One with whom they conversed!  It is possible for us to walk unaware of Jesus’ presence.  But He doesn’t just walk with the believer in Christ, He dwells within (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3-4).  By His presence He ministers hope (Cf. Romans 15:13).

The disciples were lacking hope because they were ignorant as to the promises of Scripture.  The two disciples had heard of the mysterious events that occurred following Jesus’ death.  “Women of (their) company amazed” them (Luke 24:22), having discovered His tomb to be empty.  They “had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive” (Luke 24:23).  Some went “to the tomb and found it just as the woman had said” (Luke 24:24).  They had heard of these events but failed to put things together.  Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?  And beginning with Moses and the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25).  The Scriptures, inasmuch as they collectively speak of the Savior and God’s associated promises, are a sure and overflowing reservoir of hope and encouragement to hope-thirsty souls (Romans 15:4).

The disciples were lacking hope until their eyes were opened.  Jesus shared a meal with them.  “When he was at the table with them, he took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them.  And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him” (Luke 24:30-31).  Their eyes were opened to the truth of His resurrection and in Him well-founded hope was secured.  None of us have seen Jesus (1 Peter 1:8-9), but in Christ the believer has good reason for hope even amidst his trials (1 Peter 1:6), for he has been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).  In this world there is tribulation, but be of good cheer, believer, you serve a Risen, Reigning, and Returning Savior.  The words, “we had hoped,” will never again be uttered by His own after they one day enter into His presence (Cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)!

A Certain Hope in Uncertain Days: 30 Days of Hope-filled Focus

Day 3: A Living Hope

It was the most tragic and disappointing day in Peter’s life.  As a disciple of Jesus, he had thought all along that Jesus had come to establish His Kingdom.  But Jesus kept speaking to the disciples of a pending cross.  And then Jesus told them how He would soon die and how all of them would scatter.  Peter boldly asserted that he would never do that and was prepared even to die with Jesus.

But we know the rest of that story.  Jesus was arrested and taken away.  Peter was in a nearby courtyard.  Three times he was asked regarding his relationship with Jesus.  Three times Peter denied Jesus.  He denied even knowing Jesus.  He denied Jesus before a slave girl.  After his denials, Jesus turned and looked at Peter.  Peter “went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62).

Can you imagine what must have been going through Peter’s mind?  He had hoped for something.  He had devoted himself to a dream and a cause, only to have his hopes suddenly swept away.  I’ll bet you can relate to Peter.  Who amongst us hasn’t hoped for something only to suffer disappointment when it didn’t come to pass?  It is a part of our human experience.  And in that we go through kind of a refining process.  For there are, in this life, hopes that are mere hopes and there are other hopes that are firmly assured to us in the promises of God.

Some 30 years later, Peter wrote his first epistle to a group of believers who were suffering in the cause of Christ.  They had trusted in Christ only to find that there was a high price to pay for being identified with Him.  They were mistreated.  Ostracized by family members and friends.  Some lost their jobs or their homes.  Some were beaten or abused.  Some even lost their lives.  But Peter wrote to remind them that, despite their trials, they had good reason to hope.  In fact, they had been born again to a living hope.  A hope that transcended their present-day troubles and trials.

Take note of these two words in 1 Peter 1:3. The term “living” is the common term for life that it used of life in all its various manifestations, physical and spiritual.  Here is defines the nature of the hope spoken of.  We should not that 1 Peter 1:3 is a verse that “bursts forth” with life—there is the being “born again,” which is about life; there is the “living” hope; there is the “resurrection” of Jesus Christ from the dead,” which is also about life.  Richard Baxter spoke of being a preacher as being like a “dying man, speaking to dying men.”  This verse is a message fitting to that enterprise.  It is like a sunny and warm day amidst a cold and dark winter.

And then there is the term hope.  It is not akin to our typical usage of the term.  In our common vernacular the term includes an element of doubt.  “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow,” bears no certainty as to that which is hoped for.  But Biblical hope is not like that—“It is a confident expectation regarding an unseen, future, reality.”  There is no doubt associated with that which is hope for.  The 1828 Edition of the Webster’s Dictionary includes this amongst the various meanings of the term hope: “Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well-founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God’s gracious promises.”  That’s a great representation of the definition of the Greek term.  By the way—interestingly—you won’t find that definition in the modern versions of the Webster’s dictionary.

This living hope exists because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  There would be no living hope if there were no risen Christ. To know Him is to possess both eternal life and this living hope (Cf. 1 John 5:11-12).   That being said, not all possess such a hope.  A person must be born to it through faith in Jesus. I’ve got a book entitled “Last Words of Saints and Sinners.”  It recounts the hope-filled last words of saints who were near death and the hopeless and bitter last words of sinners who were on the verge of a Christ-less eternity.  Not only is a living hope of value for life here and now, the possession of a hope makes all the difference for those who are facing the prospect of death.  When every other hope and dream has run its course.  When all hope for any earthly advantage is exhausted, this living hope is not diminished or threatened in the slightest.  In darker days its shines even brighter.  Do you possess such a hope?  Do you know Jesus?

A Certain Hope in Uncertain Days: 30 Days of Hope-filled Focus

Day 2: Hope Lost and Found

The prophet Jeremiah is commonly referred to as the “weeping prophet.”  In Jeremiah 9:1 we read of his plea that his eyes would be “a fountain of tears” that he might “weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” In his God-given ministry he called the people to repentance, warning them repeatedly of pending judgment.  He was faithful to his task, though he ongoingly suffered harsh criticism and physical threats and harm.  His unheeded warnings ultimately came to pass, and he witnessed that which he had foretold in the destruction of Jerusalem.

God sent the Babylonians.  They brought utter destruction to the city.  They burned the temple and the King’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem.  They broke down the city walls.  They raped, pillaged, and killed Jeremiah’s people.  Those not killed were taken off into captivity.  Jeremiah saw it all.  Women and children dead in the streets; the law, the temple, the priesthood—all torn away.  And he wept.  And he was discouraged.  He said, “My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord…my soul…is bowed down within me” (Lamentations 3:18-20). Jeremiah loved the city and the people.  Its hard to imagine how hard it must have been for him to witness such utter destruction.  His own eyes told him that he should abandon all hope.  He was defeated, discouraged, and depressed in the lostness of it all.

Did you know that Jeremiah owned a piece of property in that wasteland?  Before the destruction of Jerusalem, God had instructed Jeremiah to purchase it.  He bought it at the very time that “the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 32:2).  Not only was the city under siege, God had reaffirmed to Jeremiah His plan to give the city into the hand of the King of Babylon (Jeremiah 32:4).  Jeremiah’s cousin came to Jeremiah with the proposal to buy the field.  Jeremiah knew the matter to be “the word of the Lord” (Jeremiah 32:8).  So, Jeremiah purchased the field.  And the matter begs the question, “why purchase a piece of property in a land that is soon to be overthrown?”  God Himself provided the answer.  He instructed Jeremiah to secure the deeds in an earthenware vessel, that would last for a very long time.  He then explained the reason why, “Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land” (Jeremiah 32:15).  Jeremiah responded to God’s promise by praying, “Ah, Lord God!  It is you who has made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm!  Nothing is too hard for you.  You show steadfast love to thousands…” (Jeremiah 32:17-18).  In responding to Jeremiah’s prayer God spoke of a future day when God would gather up His scattered people and make them to dwell in safety.  He said, “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God” (Jeremiah 32:38).

Jeremiah witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and wept and saw no reason for hope.  But then we read of a most dramatic shift in his outlook, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.  ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him’ (Lamentations 3:21-24).  Through eyes of faith, Jeremiah shifted his vision to God Himself.  He called to mind certain truths regarding God’s nature and promises.  His grievous circumstances were not changed, but his mind and heart were encouraged in the truth of who God is.  Perhaps he reminded himself of the field he had bought which spoke of a future day when God’s purpose for His people would be fulfilled.  Somewhere in that wasteland lay a title deed which spoke to God’s promise.

Likewise, God has graced the believer with a future inheritance.  Having believed the gospel, he’s been “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). This promised inheritance is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (1 Peter 1:4).  No circumstance can work to take it away, for it is being “kept in heaven” (1 Peter 1:4).  Not only is the inheritance being kept safe, we “by God’s power are being guarded” until we possess it (1 Peter 1:5). To those suffering believers, Peter then wrote, “set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).

Jeremiah was hopelessly discouraged in all he saw, but then he looked—through eyes of faith—to His faithful and compassionate God and in Him he found hope.  No matter how difficult our circumstances, we can always find good reason for hope in reminding ourselves of the greatness of our God and the certainty of His promises.

A Certain Hope in Uncertain Days: 30 Days of Hope-filled Focus

November 1: Hope in Biblical Terms

Most would agree that the days we live in could be characterized by a lot of uncertainty.  We all have our own personal struggles and trials, but there is also a growing palpable tension in our country, evident in events and discussions related to the pending election.  No matter who “wins,” that tension will not be resolved.  No one knows for sure where these things are headed.

If our vision is restricted to just the here and now, we will hunger for hope.  In the days ahead, we plan to focus on what the Bible has to say regarding hope, and it has a lot to say on the matter.  “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

We use the term “hope” all the time to speak of things we wish for.  We might say, for example, “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.”  Typically, in our common usage of the term, there is a measure of uncertainty regarding the thing hoped for, for we cannot, using this analogy, control the weather!  The most common Greek term does not carry that connotation.  Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines the term “elpis” (i.e. “hope”) this way, “in the NT, ‘favorable and confident expectation’…It has to do with the unseen and the future.”

According to Vine’s definition, Biblical hope has to do with a confident expectation in an “unseen, future, reality.”  Romans 8:24-25 speaks to this understanding of the term: “For in this hope we are saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Hope has to do with something that is unseen.  No one hopes for something they already possess.  They hope for something that lies beyond their vision.  In the context this unseen thing lies in the future and has to do with “the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23).  The broader context speaks to the future “revelation of the sons of glory,” for which “the creation waits with eager longing” (Romans 8:19).

There will come a day, a day for which creation itself groans (as do believers themselves; Romans 8:23), when Jesus will come to “be glorified in his saints” (2 Thessalonians 1:10).  On that day he “will be marveled at among all who have believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:10).  In the “redemption of our bodies,” our redemption will be made complete.  But isn’t it already so?  Yes and no.  Redemption means to be set free by payment of a price.  There are three tenses when it comes to our salvation.  The believer has been set free already from the penalty of sin, through the shed blood of Jesus (Cf. Ephesians 1:7).  He is even now being set free from the practice of sin (Cf. Romans 6:6).  One day will be set free from the presence of sin (Cf. Ephesians 4:30).  This third tense of salvation is the focus of Romans 8:23.

What is the hope of the believer?  This world lies under a curse.  Sin is at the root of all our problems, personal and otherwise.  But there will come a day, in the presence of Jesus, in that place “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13), where sin will be no more.  The long struggle with sin and “sufferings of this present time” will be swallowed up in the “glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

The believer lives according to this confident expectation regarding this future, unseen, reality.  It is the focal point of his hopeful manner.  Having “set (his) hope fully on the grace to that will be brought to (him) at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13), he is to be a hope-filled person in an uncertain and hope-needy world.  Herein lies our hope—Jesus is coming again!  Do you know Him?  Is your hope bound up in Him?  Trust in Jesus, for “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed” (Romans 10:11; NASB).  In the faithfulness of God and His sure promises we possess both “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow” (“Great is Thy Faithfulness”; Verse 3).

Philippians 2:17-30; Luke 22:27

INTRODUCTION

Heavenly father, we just thank you for the opportunity for us to gather together to worship you. We praise you as our creator God and thank you for the salvation you’ve availed to us through your son Jesus Christ. We pray that we would be led by the spirit to give thanks and to praise you and to enjoy our life, our walk, our relationship with you, Lord Jesus. We pray today that by the Spirit, and through the word, our hearts might be instructed and encouraged, that we could walk closely with you to your honor and glory. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I came across this phrase last week, obviously not the first time I’ve seen it, but it just really struck me in Luke 22:27, where Jesus said this, “but I am among you as the one who serves.”  I want us to think about that a little bit because we’re going to be looking at that theme here in Philippians 2. I was, at first, naive enough to think that I was going to preach through that whole passage up there on the wall (Philippians 2:17-30), but actually what’s going to happen today is we’re probably not going to though through any of it.  We are going to introduce the text by dealing with this theme of being a servant according to Christ example.  But if you look at that phrase, how striking is it!  “But I am among you as the one who serves.” We will come back to that in a bit, but first let’s look again at Philippians chapter two.

This text has so much to say about how we are to relate to one another and what is to be the nature of our conduct before God. It says, in Philippians 2:3, “do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. Don’t merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”  Here God calls us, through the Apostle Paul, to be servants–to have the mind of a servant. Notice it says in verse 5, have this attitude in yourselves–or have this mind, this mind of Christ, this way of thinking, this attitude, this perspective on life–the same one that Jesus had. See that here, which is a striking thing to consider, that God has it for you to think as Jesus thought and to live like Jesus lived. That’ll bring us back to our phrase in a while. Then also not just to think that way, but to live that way and that’s why verse three is talking about, and it is no easy thing. Servanthood, according to Christ’s example, won’t happen by accident in anybody’s life. Imagine this verse rewritten according to the world’s way of thinking, it would be something like “Do all things from selfishness. Look out for number one.  If it feels good, do it.  It doesn’t matter if you must trample over people and their feelings. As long as you get what you want in the end, that’s all that matters.”

God’s version is very different. Have the mind of a servant according to the example of Christ. Live the life of a servant according to the example of Christ, where to put it succinctly, and to kind of summarize a whole bunch of matters means loving Jesus by loving and serving others. In fact, there’s a lot of confusion today in the church about issues related to worship. A lot of people lump that into just the music side of things and think that in itself that that constitutes worship. The atmosphere, or having the lights adjust just so, etc.  That’s worship they think. Now, here are the nuts and bolts of worship. Here’s worship as far as God is concerned, a worship that is pleasing and acceptable to Him. It looks like this. It looks like loving Jesus by loving and serving others. It’s very practical. It’s very real. It’s very much in keeping with who Jesus is, very tangible.

In Philippians chapter 2 we have four examples given to us of this kind of servanthood.  The first example is Jesus Himself.  It’s explained to us what that looks like in this wonderful description.  “Although He existed in the form of god, He did not regard equality with god a thing to be grasped.”  Reading then between the lines, so to speak, instructed from other scriptures, we know that He’s the eternal Son of God.  We know that He’s the creator of all things. We know that all things have been created by Him, through Him, and for Him.  We know that all the fullness of the deity dwells in Him. We know that, as He said, if you see me, you’ve seen the Father. We know that He is the one that was revealed to us, and when they beheld Him, they beheld His glory. He is the glorious lord Jesus Christ, the One who, before He came, enjoyed the richness and fullness of having a place with no sin and the worship of angels and nonetheless came here. That’s who we’re talking about.  It’s He who did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself.

That’s not an easy thing to comprehend, especially in talking about emptying Himself from that height to that depth, or as it says, in another text: “We know the grace of our lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake, He became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.”  That’s incredible. He became poor. He deliberately became poor. He divested himself of all his riches on purpose. That’s amazing. Taking the form of a bond servant being made in the likeness of men being found in appearance as man. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. What an incredible thing it is that, Jesus being who He is, should take on that task and be willing to humble himself in that way and to live the life of a servant. Incredible. Amazing.

So, we have this example. As you go on to this chapter, you have three more examples. In verses 17 and 18, the example the apostle Paul, as a servant, where he talks about being poured out as a drink offering in service to others.  Then in verses 19 down to verse 24, we have the example of Timothy, of whom Paul says, amongst other things, that he has no one else like him.   He says to the Philippians that Timothy is unlike the others.  They’ll look out for themselves, but Timothy will seek Christ’s interests in being genuinely concerned for them.  Then in verses 25 to 30 we have the example of Paul’s dear friend, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, Epaphroditus.  You read in the passage of how he ministered to the Apostle Paul and even came close to death in risking his life in caring for him.  Having the mind of Christ and living according to Christ’s way of living.

We’ll come back to these examples of next week.  But today we want to finish our introduction by looking again to Luke 22 and the phrase I brought up in the beginning of the message, “But I am amongst you as one who serves.”  And we want to focus in especially on how contrary the mind of Christ is to the world’s way of thinking.

MESSAGE

So, here we are in Luke 22:14-27, “When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him.  And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”  And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”  And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.  But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table.  For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”  And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.  And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.  And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’  But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.  For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”

Of course, we need to understand some very important truths about Jesus, if we are to understand what’s going on here.  Who is this Jesus?  Well, this is the eternal son of god. This is the creator of all things. This is the one who was born of a virgin, took on humanity, took on human flesh, the God-Man, Jesus Christ.  This is the one who lived this life and did all those miracles, authenticating his identity.  This is that One.  And here He is having this last supper with His disciples.  And what is the theme of it? Well He’s talking about His pending death, right? His sacrifice on the cross. Of course, this is keeping with the rest of His life, because everything we read about Jesus, from beginning to end, is about serving others. It doesn’t matter. Flip the page anywhere in your gospel account and read about Jesus and you’re not going to find an example outside of that. That’s what He’s always doing. He’s always serving, loving, caring.  That’s the fabric of His life. That’s who He is.  And in that context, He says “But I amongst you as one who serves.” Stop and think about that for a second, because there’s never been a life like that ever before on this planet.  There’s never been anybody who was born and came into this world exclusively devoted to serving others.

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to do what? To serve and ultimately give his life a ransom for many. How remarkable is that? It’s not what we would have expected.  Not what we would have thought.  God is coming to this world.  What if we were to paint a scenario in our own sin-darkened minds as to what that might look like.  No one would have imagined that God would come in such a way.  It is as Martin Luther once said, “The mystery of the incarnation, that God would  take on human flesh, is beyond all human understanding.”  But not only did He take on human flesh, He embraced servanthood.  It’s amazing!  And that’s what we read of here.  And what is He doing?  Of what, is He speaking?  He’s speaking in anticipation of His pending sacrifice for sin, the pinnacle of His servanthood.

Now who are those who are there with Him?  Well, 11 of them are men who will soon desert Him.  He’s soon headed to the cross.  They will then head for the hills.  That’s what’s going to happen, right?  And He knows that.  He knows all about them?  He knows what we are made of.  That’s the 11, what about the other?  The other one is going to betray Him.  He had been following, listening, and appearing to be a disciple, for all those years.  Jesus had been a friend to him.  But then Judas turned traitor.

Jesus knows all about that. He knows about the 11 and all their imperfections. He knows about the one and the fact that he’s going to betray Him, and yet what is He doing?  Serving them.  And not just serving them here.  He is yet to serve them in preeminent fashion when He makes His way to the cross.  He speaks to them of the pending matter which will become the matter of first importance—the gospel message of His death for sins and resurrection.  It is remarkable. It is astounding.  Jesus speaks here of servanthood and sacrifice and His pending death.  What are His disciples doing? What is their response? What is the reaction in this context, in this setting? Well, you read of it in verse 24, “And there arose among rose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.”

Are you kidding me? As Jesus is talking about dying on a cross, or pointed to that anyway, the disciples are arguing about which one of them is the king of the hill. That’s the discussion that’s going on here. Isn’t that amazing?  And you know what else I notice in verse 24–they really are no different than any of the rest of us does. This is the way it is. It happens everywhere you go. Everybody wants to be the king of the hill. They want to be noticed. They want attention. They want wealth. They want to be prominent. They want fame. Being the top dog.  Having power.  Being in the high position. Having people look up to you.  These are all common fare.  So, I suppose it’s not really that surprising that they’re arguing amongst themselves about who is greatest.

But notice Jesus’ response in verse 25, “And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’”  So, He’s talking about the way things are in the world, the way it is with those kinds of kings and those kinds of kings tend to lord it over them, domineer them, and take advantage of their power.  To be authoritative, to abuse their power, and to be glad to have it.

Looking through the course of history we see this.  Or, with the Old Testament Kings of Israel.  Look around the world today—to N. Korea, Iran, the former Soviet Union.  What do you see in these places?  You can find countless examples of kings who lord it over their people.  And you will find the same in other settings—in schools, at work, in families, on the streets.  People are glad to be served.

Notice the term that was used of them, “benefactors,” which is to say they benefit from that. They are benefactors. They get the benefit of lording it over others. That’s the great lie of communism. They claim that everybody will be on an equal plane. Yeah, right. Well why are all those people at the top living it up while all the others are barely surviving in poverty?  That’s the way it works in the world.  People are prone to selfishness.  They would rather be served, than to serve. There’s a tendency in sin to think the universe revolves around us.  That we are at the center of it and that everyone else in our lives revolves around us and their job is to keep us happy.   That’s the way the world thinks. It’s true. That’s why a guy can write a book entitled, “Looking out for Number One,” and that could be a best seller. People love that message.

That’s what Jesus is talking about.  Understand this–that is the nature of sin. In fact, this all started with the devil who wanted to have God’s place.  And that’s how he tempted Eve.  He told her she could be like God.  She could be in a high position.

That’s the way things are. In fact, in Mark chapter 10, Jesus uses similar language in speaking to the disciples regarding the same matter but on a separate occasion.  And realize this about the disciples—they were like slow learners like us, they didn’t always get it.

This is when James and John came with the request to sit at the privileged seats next to Jesus.  He responds.  The others become indignant and Jesus uses the situation to teach them these same truths that He will repeat to them again on a later occasion.  Mark 10:42-45, “Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them.  But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Notice this phrase, “But it is not this way among you.”  And it is of the same spirit as the other in which Jesus says, “But I am amongst you as One who serves.”  The rulers of the Gentiles might “lord it over,” and in that economy greatness is ascribed to those on top, but it is not so among you.  It doesn’t matter if the rest of the world lives that way. It doesn’t matter if that’s all you see at school. It doesn’t matter if that’s all you see at work. Doesn’t matter if you see it on the TV screen and they portray that as an appropriate lifestyle program after program, movie after movie does not matter.

That’s not who God is and that’s not what He’s called his children to.  In fact, in this passage, this is what it says regarding God’s perspective on such matters.  In God’s economy things are turned upside down.  The world says greatness is having people serve you, but God says, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.  Jesus is the great example.  If anyone ever came into this world possessing a right to be served it was Jesus, the One who created all things.

Jesus asked, (Luke 22:27), “For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table?”  Perhaps by this point the disciples are getting wise to Jesus, thinking it probably to be a trick question.  The answer is simple—the one who reclines!  But then Jesus surprised them again, “But I am among you as the one who serves.”  In God’s economy, things are different. In God’s perspective, things are different. Not just man’s way improved, but something radically different, such that we would never even think about it, and have no power to do, it apart from the Holy Spirit.

Think of it!  What happened when the word became flesh and dwelt among us?  How did He show up? What did He look like? Did He have a royal entourage? Did He have a host of servants that were there to accompany Him? Did He have riches? Was He carried about? Was that the nature of his life? Did He have a fine home? Did have everything He wanted? Was He always receiving praise? Is that the way it was for Him? No, it wasn’t. It was day after day, week after week–because we read about it–being surrounded by people with needs and He would meet one need and here come another and He would go through his day loving serving, ministering, caring. That was his life. And as He’s living his life and as He looks ahead to what God has for Him from the beginning, it had been planned from his very birth that He would die. His life on earth would be for his short time of stay upon the earth. One hundred percent service.

That’s amazing! And one of things we can say about that, is we see the heart of God manifest to us in Jesus.  God manifest to us.  Emmanuel, God with us, is not whom we would have expected.  He is not as we thought He would be.

How does He measure up according to the thoughts of our culture, of our society in this day we live?  You recall that it says in 2 Timothy 3 how in the last days difficult times will come.  And then we have a list of the characteristics of men in these last days.  Do you know what is the very first thing listed?  That men will be “lovers of self.”  So how does Jesus’s character and life compare to this time in which we live?  They are radically apart.  The life of Jesus is up over there, and our culture is far removed and down in the depths.  And make note of this.  It takes no special ability or effort or smarts or power to be a lover of self.  You don’t have to be trained or educated.  You don’t need to do anything.  The youngest baby can do it.  And note this also.  There is nothing virtuous or positive about being a lover of self.  It is common fare.  Lovers of self are all about.  But then what of this life of Jesus—to have the mind of Christ, to walk as He walked, to put the needs of others ahead of one’s own.  What of that?  Well, that’s something very different. No, that’s not a common commodity. You’re not going to find that on the broad path, that leads to destruction.  You’re only going to find it on the narrow way that leads to life.  It’s only going to in the lives of those who are born again, and it’s only going to happen for those who are empowered by the Spirit, because there is no other way.

But when you see it, it’s a beautiful thing.   That’s what we see in the life of Jesus.  I love His glorious example.  I look at His life and say, wow—that He would live that way and extend Himself in loving service and sacrifice!  How beautiful is that? According to who God is, in his grace and love and mercy.  I’m captivated by it, and though I don’t know about this life of service—it’s a little bit scary and can’t even imagine what it all means–I know that’s what He’s called me to, that’s where I want to go. That’s how I want to live my life. I want to hear from Jesus one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

I don’t want to waste my life away on selfish pursuits, that maybe make me feel better about myself.  I would rather live my life in a way that’s honoring to God in a way that’s according to the heart of God in a way that matters for eternity. Right? And that’s what this phrase–
“but I am amongst you as one who serves” — is about.

Do you see it there? But I am amongst you as one who serves. What about you? Can you say that in your marriage? I am amongst you as one who serves.  Or, in your family. I’m among as one who serves.  Or, even in the workplace or in the community.  I am among you as one who serves.   It’s challenging sometimes.  You love Jesus by loving and serving others, but what if they don’t like you in return?  What about your enemies?  Well it seems to me that Jesus didn’t let that stop Him.  Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. No, I don’t think there’s any opt out on this matter. Am I amongst them as one who serves? Here’s the thing. We don’t have to wonder whether God regards that matter highly or not. We know what happened for Jesus. He kept on serving until the serving took him to a cross where He died for our sins. God was well pleased in the matter. And then Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God. So, we don’t have to wonder.

CONCLUSION

I don’t know if you’ve ever read this story about the Skin Horse, but it kind of speaks to our theme this morning—and to these two different perspectives on life.

The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.

“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

Heavenly father. We’re so thankful for your grace and mercy towards us. We are so very thankful first and foremost for Jesus, as our savior. Thank you for a life of service that ended in the ultimate act of service of all. You’re willing sacrifice for our sins by which we are saved.  But thank you too for your example to us, and in as much as you exhort us to have the mind of Christ, to live according to your example, we pray by the Spirit of God indwelling us that it would be true, that we would grow more and more in that, that it would be attractive to us because it’s who you are.  And we simply want to praise and thank you again that you are our God and that you are altogether worthy in every respect.  Amen.

Philippians 2:14-16

INTRODUCTION

On a dangerous sea coast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little life-saving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea and with no thought for themselves went out day and night tirelessly searching for the lost. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding area, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time and money and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought, and new crews trained. The little lifesaving station grew.

Some members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely, because they used it as sort of a club.

Fewer members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to do this work. The lifesaving motif still prevailed in this club’s decorations, and there was a miniature lifeboat in the room where the club initiations were held.

About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boatloads of cold, wet, and half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick, and some of them had black skin and some had yellow skin. The beautiful new club was in chaos. So, the property committee immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside.

At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club’s lifesaving activities, since they were unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. Some members insisted upon lifesaving as their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save the lives of all the various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast. They did.

As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old. It evolved into a club, and yet another lifesaving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself, and if you visit that sea coast today you will find a number of exclusive clubs along the shore. Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the people drown.

From the beginning, the church has been called to bear witness of the Lord Jesus.  It’s possible for us to lose track of this.  The passage before speaks to how we can be effective in fulfilling our purpose.

Before we look to the details of our text, I want to draw something to your attention.  When it comes to witnessing much attention is given to the sharing of the gospel.  More attention is given to what we say.  But this text lays things out in their appropriate order.

1. There is the need for us to maintain a credible witness. The text speaks to us being “blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach.  We can only do that as we are led and empowered by the Spirit.
2. When we walk this way, we shine as lights in the darkness. Christ shines through us.  The reality of His presence makes that happen.
3. When we walk with Christ, as children of God above reproach shining as lights in the darkness, we then have the freedom to “hold forth the Word of life.”

MESSAGE

1. WALK UPRIGHTLY

Blameless = “means irreproachable, faultless, without defect or blemish and thus describes not being able to find fault in someone or something. The idea is that the person is such that he or she is without the possibility of rightful charge being brought against them.

The same term was used in Philippians 1:10. Paul prayed this way for the believers in Philippi.

The same term is used again in Philippians 3:6. Paul used the term in reference to himself.  As a Pharisee he had been “found blameless” “as to the righteousness which is in the Law.”  As a result of his conversion, Paul counted such things as “rubbish” (3:8), which is to say that a distinction needs to be made to the kind of “blamelessness” which is according to one’s religious efforts and the kind of “blamelessness” which is well-founded on one’s relationship with Christ.  The Pharisees had a kind of “blamelessness” also, but they were merely whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones.  To be made truly blameless in any way, be that either in position or in practice, that kind of “blameless” comes only through Christ.

Warren Wiersbe commented that “Like most ‘religious’ people today, Paul had enough morality to keep him out of trouble, but not enough righteousness to get him into heaven! It was not bad things that kept Paul away from Jesus—it was good things! He had to lose his ‘religion’ to find salvation.”

Innocent = “means that which is without mixture, unmixed and then figuratively pictures one who is innocent, guileless, sincere.”

Romans 16:19, “But I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.”

Blameless and innocent.  How is this possible for any of us?  There is only one way.  Jesus was blameless and innocent (1 Peter 1:17-19).  He shed His precious blood on the cross so that we could be saved from our sins.  Through His sacrifice, He is to us “of sin the double-cure, cleansing from its guilt and power.”  The believers in Corinth had come out of all kinds of sinful backgrounds, but they were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:11).

But there is a “blamelessness” and “innocence” that is ours positionally in Christ, and what is true of us positionally is to be true of us in practice.  Salvation is a salvation from sin in every way—from its penalty, from its practice, and, ultimately, from its presence.  This “blameless” and “innocent” conduct is not something we can attain by trying harder to be better.   This is a mistake that is commonly made.  But instead by being filled with the Spirit and walking by the Spirit, such that the Christ who lives in us is manifest in our presence.

These two terms together speak to what is to be the inside-out nature of our conduct.  That’s why religion doesn’t work.  It only has to do with the outside.  But God’s purpose is to change us from the inside out.  He wants us to be “blameless”—and that speaks to our outward behavior.  He wants us to be “innocent”—that speaks to who we are on the inside.  That kind of transformation can only happen in Christ.

Children of God above reproach.  The term translated “reproach” was used of OT sacrifices that were “spotless” and “perfect” and thereby acceptable to be offered to God.  The Christian

This term was used to describe the OT sacrifices that were Children of God above reproach.  And it reminds us of what we’ve been called to: “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1-2).

There ought to be a difference in the life of the believer.  We’ve said it before, “If you were accused of being a Christian would there be any evidence by which you could be convicted.”  The Apostle John spoke in dramatic fashion of this: “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10).

Now these are all very convicting matters.  And if we are honest with ourselves we are aware of our shortcomings.  We might even say as the Psalmist said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24).

But if we are to have a credible and effective witness for Christ, this needs to be the nature and character of our walk with Christ.

Charles Spurgeon, “Men will blame you, but you must seek as Christians to lead lives that give no occasion for blame. Like Daniel, compel them to say of you, “We will not find any pretext against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God” (Daniel 6:5). Erasmus writes of his great adversary Luther, “Even Luther’s enemies cannot deny but that he is a good man.”…We cannot be blameless if we murmur and dispute, for such things naturally lead to sin. Our lights cannot shine if instead of trimming them we occupy ourselves with blowing out the lamps of others.”

2. SHINE BRIGHTLY

Like a lighthouse.

Appear = means to give light, illuminate, or shine forth as a luminous body.

Lights = a luminary, light,” or “light-giver.”

This same term was used in the Greek version of the OT of the sun and the moon.

Writing to the saints at Ephesus Paul reminded them that…

Ephesians 5:8, “You were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.”

Now notice something here.  You are “light in the Lord.”  1 John 2:5, “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Light is who God is.  He is that inherently.  He is the source of all “light.”  Likewise, Jesus is light inherently.  It is who He is.

We are only “light” “in the Lord.”  We are that because of our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God who indwells us.

The sun lights the day.  At night the moon shines.  But the moon has no light of its own.  It reflects to us the light of the sun.  Just like that we shine with a light that is derived from the Lord.  The moon doesn’t always shine at its full.  A full moon happens once per month when it is rightly situated between the sun and the earth.  So, Christ’s presence is you shines at full strength when you are walking closely with Him.  When you are “walking by the Spirit,” such that the Spirit—whose purpose is to mediate the presence of Jesus to us, in us, and through us—has the freedom to do that.

Note something else here.  The word “lights” is plural.  And the NASB has a side note describing the term, “Or, luminaries, stars.”

He does not say you appear as a light in the world.  He speaks in the plural because that is to be true of every believer in Christ.  Sometimes people suppose witnessing to be the job of the pastor or the missionary or those who have been specially trained.  But that’s not how God has designed things to work.  We are all to be as lights in the world.  We are all born again to bear witness of Jesus.  We are witnesses.  The only question is whether we are good ones or bad ones.

If you are outside on a dark night and you look up in the sky you see the beauty of the universe and how that infinite number of stars are scattered across the sky.  There is no place in the heavens where there are not stars.  And that’s how we see things as we gaze up into the heavens.  But if we could see things from a heavenly and spiritual perspective we would see God’s light-bearers scattered abroad in this present darkness.  He has them in their families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and classrooms.  You, believer in Christ, are one of them.  And during “the time of your stay upon earth” (as Peter puts it), as a citizen of heaven and an ambassador of Christ, have been called to shine for Jesus.

Note something else about the sun and the moon and the stars.  They shine brighter the darker it gets.  A couple of weeks ago Laura and I stayed in a remote cabin in eastern Oregon.  There was no ambient light, so it was very dark there at night.  And if you looked up at the stars it seemed as if they were brighter.  They weren’t any brighter, of course, it was the contrast that made them appear to be that way.  Just like that, this present darkness presents an advantage to us as believers inasmuch as the contrast provides for us a greater opportunity to shine.

As someone has said, “Even the smallest light can make a difference in the darkest night.”

It is our walk with Jesus that is key to our witness.  And there are things that can hinder that.

Grumbling and complaining works to hinder our light-bearing ability.

Unconfessed sin works to hinder our light-bearing ability.

A spirit of timidity works to hinder our light-bearing ability.

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

3. HOLD FORTHRIGHTLY

Years ago, Christian publisher Fleming H. Revell (Dwight Moody’s brother-in-law) was about to launch a new Sunday School paper. He wanted a song that would capture the overall focus of the publication, which was to emphasize the vital importance of studying the Word of God.

The name of the paper was to be Words of Life. So, Mr. Revell asked Philip Bliss if he could come up with a song to fit, suggesting the key text, John 6:67-68. In the passage, many who had followed Christ were drifting away (vs. 66). The Lord turned to His disciples and asked, “Do you also want to go away?” And Peter made this reply on behalf of the other men: “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

So, Philip Bliss wrote these words:

Sing them over again to me, Wonderful words of life; Let me more of their beauty see, Wonderful words of life.  Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Christ, the blessed One, gives to all, Wonderful words of life; Sinner, list to the loving call, Wonderful words of life.  All so freely given, wooing us to heaven.

Sweetly echo the gospel call, Wonderful words of life; Offer pardon and peace to all, Wonderful words of life.  Jesus, only Savior, Sanctify forever.

Beautiful words, wonderful words, Wonderful words of life.  Beautiful words, wonderful words, Wonderful words of life.

Indeed, the message of the gospel, these words of life are beautiful and wonderful.  There are over a million words in the English language.  And they are variously assembled to say a great many things—good things, bad things, and ugly things.  But of all the assembly of words put together none can match the beauty and power of the message of the gospel.

Paul called the gospel, the “glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1 Timothy 1:11).  It the glorious good news (majestic, beautiful, excellent) of our praise-worthy God.

It is the matter of first importance (1 Corinthians 15:3).  The preeminent message that is above all in the church’s priority list of concerns.  It is the message of Christ’s death for sins and resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  It is the message of how Christ died on the cross for sins and rose from the dead to provide a means of salvation by grace through faith.

These wonderful words of life, the message of the gospel, are “the power of God unto salvation for all who believe” (Romans 1:16).   By receiving this truth in putting one’s faith exclusively on Christ and the merits of His sacrifice for sin, a person is saved.  They go from death to life.  That’s what Jesus promised when He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).

We should note here, that the world is literally filled with “dead men walking.”  You say, “What do you mean by that?”  The Scriptures make it clear that we are all sinners by birth (Romans 3:23).  And the Scriptures also explain that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).  Paul told the believers in Ephesus that they had been, before they were saved “dead in their trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).  He elsewhere spoke of those who are “dead while they live” (1 Timothy 5:6).  Every believer here today was once a dead man walking.  If you are here today as one who has not trusted in Jesus, you are a dead man walking.

Now how are the dead to be made alive?  God brought Ezekiel to a middle of a valley filled with dry bones.  And God said to Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?”  And then God said to Ezekiel, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord” (Ezekiel 37:4).  So, Ezekiel prophesied over the bones and sinew was put on the bones and flesh grew and skin covered it.  And then Ezekiel prophesied to the breath.  And breath came into those bones and they came to life.

Now how is life brought to those dead men walking?  They look alive, but they are not truly alive.  They are spiritually dead, alienated from God, destined to die both physically and then eternally.  How are they to be made alive?  To be reconciled to God?  How are they to possess the eternal life and abundant life that is founded in the knowledge and fellowship with God?  There is only one way and it is through hearing and responding to the gospel.

Peter spoke of the experience of every believer when he said, “You have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is through the living and abiding word of God.  For, all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass.  The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of God abides forever.  And this is the word which was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:23-25).

This was the word that was preached to you.  And do you know what happened.  You were dead in your trespasses and sins, but then you heard the word of life, the message of the gospel, and you believed.  And you were made alive together with Christ.  The word of life brought life to your dead bones.

Now the Philippians knew something about this.  Paul wrote this epistle about a decade after he had first come to that city.  And on that first visit do you know what happened?  The city was full of pagan idol worshippers who were without God and without hope in the world.  They dutifully worshipped and served gods that did not even exist.  And God brought Paul and his companions to Philippi.  They were called by God to preach the gospel, the word of life to those folks.  And they found Lydia down by the river.  And God opened her heart to the word of life.  And she responded.  And she passed from death to life.  And then they came upon the fortunetelling slave-girl.  And the shared the word of life with her.  And she passed from death to life.  And then they were put in prison.  And God caused an earthquake and the prisoners were set free.  And the jailer was fearful and was about to take his life.  And they preached the word of life to him.  And he passed from death to life.

And here’s Paul writing to this same church, nearly a decade later.  He’s in prison.  In prison as a direct result of his gospel preaching ministry.  And what is his chief concern as he sits in that prison cell?  The gospel!  In fact, the word “gospel” is used five times in chapter one of this epistle.  It is alluded to several more times.  And as Paul is his imprisoned there, God works through his circumstances to bring the gospel, the word life, to a group of people—the whole praetorian guard—who believe and pass from death to life.

Paul had come to Philippi with a message.  And when he came on that first occasion, he came purposed to share the gospel with folks that they might be saved from their sins.  And now here he is, writing to them some 10 years later—and what is his chief concern?  It is the same concern, the same purpose, the same matter of first importance, the same glorious gospel of the blessed God, the same power of God unto salvation.  He refused to be diverted from preaching it, because he had a calling from God to preach it, and because he knew what the message was able to do in the lives of those who would believe.

So, Paul writes to these believers.  He wants for them to be holding fast to the message.  He wants for them to be holding forth the message.  He yearns for that, “so that in the day of Christ, I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain” (Philippians 2:16).  Which is to say if they were not to hold fast to the word of life, he would not have cause to glory in the day of Christ, and his efforts with regard to the Philippians would have been in vain.

Note the phrase “holding fast.”  KJV has it “holding forth.”  NASB has “holding fast,” but has a note which says, “Or, holding forth.”  The phrase translates a Greek term which means to “have or hold” which is combined with another term, meaning “forth.”  As I mentioned, it is variously translated “holding fast” or “holding forth,” but the reality is that you cannot “hold forth” if you do not “hold fast.”  And we are, in fact elsewhere in Scripture exhorted to do both.

Now this is an especially pertinent matter for us.  In this age of apostasy, we need to be reminded of these things.  I’ve shared this illustration before…

The story of told of a small English village that had a tiny chapel whose stone walls were covered by traditional ivy.  Over an arch was originally inscribed the words: WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED.  There had been a generation of godly men who did precisely that: they preached Christ crucified.  But times changed.  The ivy grew and pretty soon covered the last word.  The inscription now read: WE PREACH CHRIST.  Other men came, and they did preach Christ: Christ the example, Christ the humanitarian, Christ the ideal teacher.  As the years passed, the ivy continued to grow until finally the inscription read: WE PREACH.  The generation that came along then did just that: they preached economics, social gospel, book reviews, just about anything.  We live in the later times.  The ivy has covered and obscured the message so that it is hardly discernable any more.  But regardless of what anyone else says or thinks, the word that God has given to us to believe and proclaim is Christ crucified.  There is power in that message, and that message alone, unto the salvation of souls.

Now, as I’ve shared before, this is more than an illustration.  In one of my trips to Uganda I met a missionary who was from England.  He was an older man and had grown up there, so I wanted to ask him about what I had read about—that the large churches were mostly empty, and the smaller churches were no more.  And he told me about his neighborhood when he was growing up.  And how there were a number of churches that were active not far from his home.  And now, how those churches are all gone.  And how those church buildings have been converted into a home, or a restaurant, or a bar.

And the church in England did not hold fast to the word of life. And America is headed down that same path.

There is a need to “hold fast” to the word of life.  That’s akin to what Paul was saying when he said, “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27).

As he told Timothy, “You however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them; and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

Then there is a need to be “holding forth” that to which we are “holding fast.”

At the entrance of NY Harbor, the Statue of Liberty stands, and she holds fast and forth that shining torch of liberty.

These words appear on the Statue’s pedestal.

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Her message is one of freedom in the earthly realm, but what you are to hold forth is something far better and more important.  You, Ambassador for Christ, possess this treasure—the knowledge of Christ—in your earthen vessel.  The treasure was never meant to be kept to yourself, it was meant to be shared.

CONCLUSION

At one of D.L. Moody’s meetings in America he related the story of a shipwreck on a dark and tempestuous night, when not even a star was visible. A ship was approaching the harbor of Cleveland, with a pilot on board. The captain, noticing only one light as they drew near — that from the lighthouse —asked the pilot if he was quite sure that it was Cleveland harbor, as other lights should have been burning at the harbor mouth. The pilot replied that he was quite sure, whereupon the captain enquired:

“Where are the lower lights?” “Gone out, sir,” replied the pilot.

“Can you make the harbor, then?” asked the captain, to which the pilot answered:

“We must, sir, or perish.”

Bravely the old man steered the vessel upon her course toward safety. But alas! In the darkness of the harbor mouth he missed the channel, the ship struck upon many rocks, and in the stormy waters many lives were lost.

Then Moody made his appeal to his audience: “Brothers, the Master will take care of the great lighthouse! Let us keep the lower lights burning!”

Among Moody’s hearers that evening was Mr. Philip P. Bliss, the well-known hymn writer, and the striking story at once suggested to him one of his most popular hymns:

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy

From His lighthouse evermore,

But to us He gives the keeping

Of the lights along the shore.

INTRODUCTION

“The moon is nearly 240,000 miles from Earth and is only 1/400th the size of the sun. With no light or heat of its own, it reflects the radiance of that greater heavenly body. It appears to be relatively insignificant. Yet, the moon quietly and almost imperceptibly moves the oceans of the world by its gravitational pull. Most of us may not seem all that influential or well-known. We don’t have the giftedness, the wealth, or the position to make much of an impact on our society. Our names don’t appear in the newspaper, nor are they mentioned on television. We may think that all we can do is practice our faith in the humdrum routines of everyday life. But perhaps, unnoticed by us, we are having an influence on the people around us by our Christlike attitudes and actions. Let’s not be concerned, then, about our seeming lack of influence. Instead, do what Jesus commanded: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). –Vernon C. Grounds (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

“Even the smallest light, can make a difference in the darkest night.”

Philippians 2:14-16, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world…”

MESSAGE

1. A Crooked and Perverse Generation

Crooked.  Comes for a Greek term that was used of winding rivers or crooked roads.  Here it is used of the kind of behavior which is contrary to Gods’ standard of righteousness.  Paul, speaking of that society and all societies, says that they miss the mark when it comes to God’s standard.

Now, of course things are this way because of sin.

When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the garden they unleashed a contagion of sin in this world that has infected every person who has been born ever since.

Romans 5:12, Therefore, just as through one-man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”

And the evidence of this contagion is everywhere apparent.

Before the flood.  Genesis 6:5, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”  And God judged the world with that great flood.

In Sodom and Gomorrah.  Genesis 18:20, “And the Lord said, ‘The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.”  And God brought judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah.

In the time of the Judges.  Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

In Israel, as the prophet Habakkuk cried out (Habakkuk 1:2-4): “How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and Thou wilt not hear?  I cry out to Thee, ‘Violence!’  Yet Thou dost not save.  Why dost Thou make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness?  Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises.  Therefore, the law is ignored and justice is never upheld.  For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore, justice comes out perverted.”

In the time of Jesus.  Matthew 17:17, “And Jesus answered and said, ‘O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I put up with you?”

In the last days.  2 Timothy 3:1-5.  “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness.”  The passage fleshes out the meaning of the term “crooked.”  In every way there is a departure from God and His ways.

Now this is the case because of sin.  It is sin that it is the cause of all our problems.  There is something very wrong with man, in sin.  Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick.”

The other term used here is the term “perverse.”  The term comes from a term which means to twist or distort.  Here it speaks to the condition in which wrong becomes right.  Now this term and this practice is readily apparent in our day.  But it has always been that way.

Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness.”

In a perverse generation, things are turned around.  Romans 1:18-32 speaks to this.  In the downward spiral of sin what is good is rejected and what is evil is celebrated.

Romans 1:23, 25, 26, 27.

A crooked and perverse generation celebrates the practice of a perverted way of thinking and living.

In a crooked and perverse generation all kinds of perverted ways of thinking and living become the norm.

Now there are a couple of points that need to be made here:

1. The children of God whom Paul addressed lived in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, but they weren’t alone. What was true for them is true for us.  What was true for them is true for believers in Christ around the world.  What is true for believers around the world will remain true until Christ returns.  So, if we are expecting anything different than that, we are going to be disappointed.  It seems to me that many of us want “heaven on earth,” but Jesus hasn’t promised that to us.  Instead he said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  And Paul said—in the context of the passage which speaks of the difficult times that would come in the last days—“And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
2. Any response to the problems that beset us that fails to acknowledge the true source of our problems is faulty. Why are things the way they are?  Because man has a sin problem.  We are so prone misdiagnose the problem and look to other solutions than the solution that has been provided by God.  And I’m speaking here not just about the unbelieving world.  We tend to look to man and humanistic solutions to our problems, but our problem is a spiritual problem and the only One who can cure us of that problem is God Himself.  So, we look to education, supposing that if people were better educated they wouldn’t make poor choices.  Or we look to humanistic psychology or certain drugs, supposing that they can somehow cure the problem.  Or we look to humanistic philosophies or false religions supposing that they can somehow work to improve us.  Or we look to politicians and human powers and suppose that they can set things right in our world.
3. The reality is that man has a sin problem and the only solution for man’s sin problem is Jesus. Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death.”  Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  When the Divine Son of God came into the world on His Divine Rescue Mission He came to rescue lost sinners.  Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  That was the purpose for which He came.  He came purposed to die on the cross for sins and rise from the dead so that we might be saved by grace through faith in Him.  Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved.”

2. The Child of God in the Midst

What happens when a person trusts in Jesus?

John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”  The most precious of all gifts and privileges is given to those who receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.  They are given the right to become children of God.  They are born again to a new identity.

1 John 3:1, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us; that we should be called children of God; and such we are.  For this reason, the world does not know us; because it did not know Him.”  We are incredibly blessed to be called the children of God!  We take great joy in the birth of a child.  All heaven rejoices in the new birth of the child of God!  There is no greater blessing.  Jesus said this regarding John the Baptist—“Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11).  You’ve been born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s family divine.  Justified fully through Calvary’s love.  Oh, what a blessing is mine (and yours).

When a person trusts in Jesus they gain a new identity and a new calling.  Notice what doesn’t happen when a person trusts in Jesus—they are not instantly taken physically to heaven.  We are still here.  So, God has a purpose for us here, until He returns for us.

John 16:15, “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

This is the text from which we get the phrase “in the world but not of the world.”

So that’s our reality.  We are children of God living in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.  We are to live according to this identity and calling for God’s purpose of bearing witness of Jesus.

Now make no mistake about it.  Jesus has called His church and those who belong to it to bear witness of Him.  Acts 1:8. The church exists in this world—in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation—until the time of His return to bear witness of Him.

In this sense we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).  We are citizens of heaven, eagerly awaiting His return (Philippians 3:20).  This world is not our home, in fact we are “aliens and strangers” here (1 Peter 2:11).  As Ambassadors for Christ our chief duty is to represent the interests of the One who called us, the Lord Jesus.  We are to bear witness of Him—by our lives and with our lips (in that order).

Now there have been a lot of differing perspectives when it comes to this “in the world, but not of the world” approach to things.

1. There is what we might call the “out of the world but not of the world” approach. We call this the monastical approach.  The monks in the monastery sequestered themselves in a place divorced from all worldly influence and involvement.  The modern-day Amish folks live according to this same philosophy.  But this is clearly not God’s design.   It’s not even possible.  When Paul addressed the problem of gross immorality that had occurred in the church in Corinth, he said this: “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for them you would have to go out of the world” (1 Corinthians 5:10).

It seems to me that the church in America has fallen into an “us vs. them” way of thinking when it comes to the lost.  But our “struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against” the forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12).

There is a great example of the wrong spirit when it comes to interacting with this crooked and perverse generation in Luke 9:51-56.

2. There is what we might call the “in the world and of the world” approach. In our day this translates into the cultural relevant approach that has captivated much of the church in recent years.  According to this way of thinking the key thing we need to do if we are to reach the lost is to make ourselves culturally relevant.  Books have been written, like the book “Dying for Change.”  The so-called “cursing pastor,” was using that approach when he cursed in his sermons.  One author supposed that the most important thing we need to do when planting a church is to determine the kind of music the people wanted to hear.  But this approach has been a disaster for the church.  Nowhere in Scripture do we find God calling His people to be more like the people around them so that they might have an influence on them unto salvation.  Instead we read of how radically different they are to be in Christ.

When God judged Ananias and Sapphira for deliberately and secretly withholding part of their offering we are told that “great fear came upon the whole church” (Acts 5:11).  Then we read, “But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem.”  The church and those who belonged to it were clearly distinguished from those who did not belong to the church.

1 Corinthians 14:24-25 speaks to what should happen if an unbeliever were to enter an assembly and hear the word.

According to our text we are to “prove ourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach” that we might shine like lights in this crooked and perverse generation.  In the world, but not of the world.

3. There is what we might call the “in the world and out of the world on Sunday” approach. This is the approach where religious observance is substituted for a sincere ongoing walk with Christ.  This is where a person calls himself a Christian and does Christian things, but his walk with Jesus is nothing but an afterthought—there is no reality or vitality to it.  There can be no shining as a light for Jesus because the light is not on inside.

4. Then finally there is the legitimate “in the world, but not of the world” approach. We are here.  We are here by God’s design.  We are here according to God’s purpose to bear witness of Him.  We are here to be lights shining in the darkness.

Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck measure, but on a lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Now the only way that we can do that is to live rightly (blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach); shine brightly; and speak precisely.

CONCLUSION

Having said all of that, let me close with an illustration of what I’m talking about.  Years ago, when I worked at Trojan Nuclear Plant, I struggled with working in such a difficult environment.  Most of my fellow workers were unbelievers.  In fact, when I first started working in the training department there was just two of us who were born-again.  But I had a friend, Max Snook, who worked in Quality Assurance.  Max is now, and has been ever since those days, the pastor of St. Helens Community Church.  But Max understood something of what it means to live as a child of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.  He went to work purposing to share Jesus with other people.  He was joined in that effort by another fellow, Bill Craft.  They would have Bible Study every day during lunch.  And God granted them many opportunities to share the gospel.  And people came to faith and trusted in Jesus.  They were in the world, but not of the world.  They were proving themselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in that environment.  They were shining brightly for Jesus.  They were holding forth the Word of Life.  And God used them.  And God wants to use you too.

People need Jesus.  God has strategically put you in a place as His ambassador that others might come to know Him through you.  You might be the only Christian witness some of your family and friends will ever see or hear from.  Go.  Shine brightly for Jesus.

If you were accused of being a Christian would there be any evidence by which you could be convicted?

As a child of God is there a discernible difference in your life—in the way you think, in the way you walk, in the say that you talk?

God has called you to a different manner of life.  He has called you to be a child of light