Part 1: “The Courage of Paul”
Phil. 1:12-30
Intro - Fear is a very big issue in our world today and in many people’s lives…
…the kind of fear that fills us with dread and worry and in some cases paralyzes us…the kind of fear which prevents us from living by faith…the kind of fear that Satan uses to keep us bound up and self-protected and immobilized…
-I see fear as one of Satan’s best tools in his arsenal…he is really using fear as a strategic weapon, especially against God’s people…
Our world is full of fear…the growing message of our world is “be afraid; be very afraid…”
The world gives us lots of things to be afraid of:
• finances: the economy, our jobs, uncertain financial future, the fear of not having enough income…
• the environment, climate change, global warming, droughts and diminishing food supply, hunger, starvation…
• global health issues like the AIDS/HIV epidemic, the Ebola virus, the spread of cancer…
• growing threat of terrorism…the rise of militant Islam through ISIL, Boko Harem, Al Shabbab, Al Qaeda…
• political instability in dozens of nations… war in Ukraine…the unstable middle east…and many more…
• growing crime epidemic in our country… gang and drug-related violence…murders, like the one this past week in small town Sask, Tisdale, young mom and her 3 young children were tragically murdered…
• then there’s so many personal reasons to be afraid:
…health, death, the safety and security and well-being of our children and grandchildren…whether they’ll stay on God’s path or stray…Should I stop now!
As you can see it’s an endless list…the world says, “Be afraid; be very afraid…”
But you know what God says: “Do not be afraid…do not fear…”
And the challenge for us as God’s people is, who are we going to listen to? Which voice will prevail? Who are we going to let inform us and influence us and run our lives?
God says, “Do not be afraid…do not fear…”
I did a quick look at my concordance because I wanted to know how many times in the Bible God says “do not be afraid…do not fear…”
• about 100 times!
• God speaks about fear or being afraid over 500 times in the Bible!
-it’s an issue for us, and God knows it…
And that’s why I want to spend the next several weeks looking at examples of courage in the Bible…courage in the face of fear…
-in the past couple of months, a number of us have been hearing this word from God that just comes up over and over again…this word is: “Do not be afraid: do not fear…” Even the PK theme this year was “fearless”.
God wants to strengthen our courage and boldness and faith at this time…because my sense is that many of us are in danger of being overcome or overly influenced by fear…
For the next several weeks, we are going to be looking at different Biblical characters who model for us both courage and fear…we’re going to see how God takes a fearful person, like Gideon for example, and helps him overcome his fear and become a courageous leader…
-we’re going to see how God takes a courageous person like David and uses him to inspire the fearful Israelite army who had been cowering in the shadow of Goliath…
We’ll be looking at Moses, Elijah, Esther, Deborah, Peter, the disciples and Jesus…
This series is for all of us who the Devil is trying to make afraid…who the Devil is trying to bind up with the cords of fear…whose faith he is trying to destroy…
…and whose eyes he is trying to take off our strong and powerful God and put them on the circumstances around us and cause us to give up, lose hope, become demoralized, stop advancing in the cause of the kingdom of God and the gospel of JC…
I want to see God restore faith and courage and boldness in all of us…I want to see God’s Spirit break the spiritual stronghold that fear has over so many of our lives…so that we can be set free to live without this debilitating weight…
So let’s begin this series today by taking a look at a great example of courage in the face of fear, the apostle Paul…
-turn to Phil. 1:12-30… I have to give credit to Mark Buchanan for today’s sermon outline… Prayer…
Context of Phil. 1
-you have to know the context of Phil to really grasp what Paul is saying here…Paul is writing this letter to the Philippian church while he is in a Roman jail…Paul has been put in prison because of his faith in Jesus Christ, his bold preaching…he is being persecuted for his faith, resulting in chains…like so many of our brothers and sisters today throughout the world…
…and his future is uncertain…he knows that…he has no clue how this will end up…could be death or freedom…
…Paul has every reason to be afraid…of torture, suffering, death…not to mention losing the opportunity to spread the gospel throughout the ancient world…be taken away from the people he loves and the gospel movement God has started through him…
But in the face of all this potential fear, here is what he says:
Read 1:12-14…
I Courage Encourages Courage 1:14
Paul says that "because of my chains"--because of, not in spite of—"because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." My courage, he says, has given others courage to be courageous. A single act of courage can do that: create a firestorm of bravery.
Remember Tiananmen Square in 1989? A little thin man, standing down a tank convoy which represented the military might of communist China. That single act of courage did more to embolden ordinary Chinese—and the world—to stand against brutality and tyranny than a thousand diplomatic speeches could ever have done.
Courage encourages courage.
In the story of Gideon in Judges 6–8, Gideon defeats a Midianite army of 135,000 seasoned warriors with an unarmed band of 300. Gideon first recruits 35,000. But God tells him that's too many. So God begins to pare them down. His first criteria: no cowards allowed:
7:3 - Announce now to the army, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.'" So 22,000 men left…”
And then God sifts out those who are unprepared down at the water. That leaves Gideon with 300: 300 unarmed farmers against 135,000 seasoned warriors. But it's enough. 300 who are prepared and courageous are better than 35,000 who are unprepared and terrified. Because courage encourages courage.
** Think about an opportunity you have to choose courage instead of fear…now think about the fact that God is giving you this opportunity, not just for yourself, but for other people…other people who will be inspired and helped and encouraged to be courageous because of your courage…
Kayla Mueller, 26 years old, a follower of Jesus from the US, doing aid work in Syria, was captured by ISIS in 2013, and on February 10, 2015 U.S. officials confirmed that Muslim extremists had murdered her while in captivity. In the spring of 2014 as a captive, she wrote to her family. The letter begins with Kayla's assurance that she has been treated well, and is "in a safe location, completely unharmed and healthy."
The 26-year-old aid worker goes on to apologize touchingly to her family for the suffering that she has put them through because of her captivity. Then comes her main point: "I remember mom always telling me that in the end the only one you really have is God. I have come to a place in experience where, in every sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our Creator b/c literally there was no else."
Kayla, who was involved in a campus ministry at Northern Arizona University, goes on to relate how "by God and by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefall." She adds: "I have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it."
She concluded, "Please be patient, give your pain to God. I know you would want me to remain strong. That is exactly what I am doing. Do not fear for me, continue to pray as will I. By God's will we will be together soon. All my everything, Kayla"
-courage encourages courage…
II Courage Exalts Christ 1:20-21
-read 1:20-21…
Courage is worship. It elevates who Christ is. It holds Him in high esteem, because courage reflects Christ's character.
Worship is to focus on God…
A Christian finds their courage not in themselves, but in the God who loves them and who is strong and powerful and in control of this universe…
Is 41:8-14
“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
-how’s that for a reason to be courageous…
Courage is worship: courage exalts Christ…
The people who know their God have every reason to be courageous, because our God is a courageous God…and He gives courage and strength to those who place their trust in Him…God’s word gives us courage…His promises give us courage…His presence gives us courage…
eg. Mt. 14…disciples in boat during storm…Jesus walks out to them on the water…they are terrified…
Mt. 14:27… “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
This is God’s word to you today…”do not be afraid…I am with you…”
III Courage Comes From the Gospel 1:27-28
-read 1:27-28…
According to these verses, one of the results of the gospel of JC is living without fear of those who oppose you for your faith…
Courage comes from the gospel and courage preaches the gospel…it says to a world that is easily frightened and quickly scattered, a world that puts its faith in things that cannot save…it says, “there is a God who can give you the courage to cope with life and all it’s troubles…it’s pain and suffering…
“…you wonder how Christians manage the way they do? have the courage that they do? it’s because of what Jesus has done for us and in us…it’s because of His new life…it’s because of the life-changing gospel of JC…it’s because we know that our life is held securely in the safe hands of our loving God…
…this gospel can give you courage too…”
The gospel of JC brings freedom…and one of the freedoms it brings is freedom from fear…God wants to set you free from fear…
Conclusion
Let me close with the story of the martyrdom of Polycarp. Polycarp, who was Bishop in Smyrna in the early part of the second century. History tells us he was a contemporary of the Apostle John and knew him personally. At 86 years of age, the Romans killed Polycarp for his faith.
As the old man walked out into the Roman Coliseum to face his accusers, as the story goes, he heard a voice from heaven: "Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man." The Roman proconsul demanded Polycarp to deny Christ and swear to Caesar, to which he famously retorted, "For 86 years I have been his servant, and he has never done me wrong. How can I blaspheme my king who saved me?"
Now I read from a transcript of the exchange:
"Swear by Caesar's fortune," the proconsul shouted.
"If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar's fortune, as you put it, pretending not to know who I am, I will tell you plainly, I am a Christian." The proconsul threatened, "I have wild beasts. I shall throw you to them, if you don't change your attitude."
"Call them."
"If you make light of the beasts, I'll have you destroyed by fire."
"The fire you threaten with burns for a time and is soon extinguished. There is a fire you know nothing about: the fire of the judgment to come, and of eternal punishment, the fire reserved for the ungodly. But why do you hesitate? Do what you want."
"Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian," the proconsul announced to the crowd. "This fellow is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of our gods, who teaches numbers of people not to sacrifice or even worship."
The mob called for his death, and as he was set aflame, he prayed, "I bless thee for counting me worthy of this day and hour, that in the number of the martyrs I may partake of Christ's cup, to the resurrection of body and soul."
The proconsul ordered that the body not be given to the church, for fear he would be worshipped. But his fears were worse than he thought because for hundreds of years now, Polycarp's courage has encouraged courage, it has exalted Christ, and it has preached the gospel…
Where in your life is God giving you an opportunity to be courageous for Him? Perhaps you’ve been choosing fear…holding back…letting the Devil talk you out of something God wants you to do…listening to the world that says: “be afraid; be very afraid…”
…God is giving you a fresh invitation today to be strong and courageous and bold…to go for it…to do it…
Is. 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Prayer…