Monday, December 7, 2020
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Overcoming the World - James 4:4; Romans 12:1-2; John 17:13-21
(Most recently I gave this message at The Lighthouse Chapel in Port St. Lucie on November 8, 2020. You may view the PowerPoint slides that accompany this message on Microsoft OneDrive Here)
In June of last year I brought a message entitled, Understanding the Destructive Power of the World. We examined what the Bible says about the "world." In the Bible, the word "world," can refer to the physical world, the planet earth, the people living on the earth, or the spiritual reality in which the people of the earth live.
We use the word in a similar way when we speak of the "world of finance", the "world of sports" or the "entertainment world." It is used in this sense when the Bible refers to "that system or worldview that opposes God satisfies self and serves Satan."
We noted two things about the world. First, the world is ruled by Satan. Jesus called Satan "the ruler of this world" (John 14:30; 16:11, ESV) And the Apostle John writes that "the whole world is under the control of the evil one." (1 John 5:19 NIV) Secondly, the world is in conflict with God and His Church. In 1 John 3:13, this is what John writes to believers, "Do not be surprised my brothers, If the world hates you." (NIV)
Dr. John R. W. Stott summarizes, "'The world,' therefore, is an inclusive term for all those who are in the kingdom of darkness and who have not been born of God."
In 1 John 2:16, the nature of the world is defined for us. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life—Is not from the Father but is from the world." (NKJV)
We noted three ways in which the world operates. First, the lust (desires) of the flesh, that natural inclination to be self-centered often at the expense of others. The natural drive to satisfy our physical and emotional appetites. It is what drives a person to indulge in sexual sin because it satisfies their sexual desires regardless of the consequences to others.
Second, the lust (desires) of the eyes. The world has mastered the art of stimulating and arousing unholy desires through the eyes. John is saying that one of the dangers of the world is that it has access to our heart through our eyes.
Thirdly, the pride of life or the “pride in possessions”. (ESV) This pride is linked with our relationship to others. Simply put, we take pride in who we are and what we have. We seek the recognition and attention of others. The word translated "pride" is literally "vainglory" meaning to be pretentious, conspicuous, showy. In other words "the pride of life" takes satisfaction in being noticed by others, having more than others.
We noted that these three areas are the context in which the world operates and influences the believer.
Think of it this way – there are three ways in which we give the world access to our lives. Three doors through which the world can enter and influence our minds and heart. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
This morning, I want to focus on how the believer can overcome the world in its influence and destructive power in our lives. Let's imagine that you were being introduced to fire for the first time. You have never heard of fire before. You know nothing about it. If that were the case there would be value in knowing the properties of fire. For fire to burn it must have fuel, that is, some kind of combustible material like, wood, gas, oil, etc. You would learn that fire needs oxygen to burn. You would want to know that fire is hot. Because it is hot, it can cook your supper, but it can also burn your hand, burn down your house or even kill you. You would soon learn that you do not play with fire. Hopefully, you would learn how to put out a fire. In other words, you would want to learn everything you could about fire so that you could live in a right relationship with it. That is what we will do this morning with regard to the "world”, that “system or worldview that opposes God, satisfies self and serves Satan”. We want to focus our attention on what the Bible says about overcoming the world.
There are three responses that I want to share with you this morning. First of all, we overcome the world through separation from the world. James 4:4, “You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (NIV)
James uses a very strong metaphor to describe the state of a person who is a friend of the world. He says a friend of the world commits spiritual adultery. Literally, the word is "adulteresses" a noun. It's translated as an adjective "adulterous people” in the NIV and ESV. Adultery is when a man or a woman who is married has sexual relations with someone other than their spouse. Note with me several things about adultery.
First, it is the breaking of a sacred agreement or covenant. The foundation of any marriage is a commitment to an exclusive relationship between one man and one woman for life. Adultery compromises that covenant and marriage relationship.
Secondly, the act of adultery by definition is a voluntary act. One chooses to commit adultery. In other words, it is consensual. James says, in the same way when you become a friend of the world it is a choice you make.
Thirdly, adultery is motivated by the desire to gratify self. It is an act of self-indulgence carried out at the expense of the marriage partner. "Adulterate" is the root meaning of the word "adultery." Webster's 9th Collegiate Dictionary defines adultery as, "to corrupt, debase or make impure by the addition of a foreign or inferior substance." That is what happens in adultery. The marriage relationship is corrupted or compromised by the intrusion of a third party.
A number of years ago, a pharmacist was arrested and charged with selling chemotherapy prescriptions that had been diluted or watered down. The prescriptions had been adulterated with some other solution, in order to make more money. Adultery is the image repeatedly used by God in the Old Testament in His dealings with Israel. For example, Jeremiah 3:20, "But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel, declares the Lord." (NIV) Israel repeatedly followed after pagan gods often practicing idolatry right alongside the worship of the Lord God of Israel.
James uses the same imagery here of those who choose to be friends with the world. Notice in verse 4 that he defines this unholy relationship with the use of two words, "friend" and "enemy." These are mutually exclusive terms. You cannot be a friend and an enemy at the same time. James is saying, you cannot be a friend of the world, that “system or worldview that opposes god, satisfies self and serves Satan”, without being an enemy of God.
Let me ask you a question. How do you end adultery? There is only one way. You separate yourself from the person with whom you are not married. In other words, you end the relationship with the persowho is not your spouse. That is the only way to end adultery. The Apostle Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah (52:12) in his warning to the Corinthian church about being unequally yoked with unbelievers, "Therefore, come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord." (2 Corinthians 6:17a NIV) By nature, God is jealous of His love relationship with those who have become members of His family through faith in Jesus Christ.
In the Song of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy 32:16, we get a glimpse of God's heart response when Israel turned away from Him in idolatry. "They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols." (NIV) Just as the heart of a husband or wife is broken when their spouse commits adultery, so the heart of God is overcome with sorrow when one of his children reaches out in friendship, companionship and compromise to the world. He takes it very personally. James 4:4, "Don't you know that friendship with the world Is hatred toward God?" (“enmity with God” – ESV)
But there is a practical problem here that has perhaps crossed your mind. While it is true that separation will end adultery, you might ask, does it change the desires of the heart? I was asked by my pastor to counsel a young man who had admitted to committing adultery. Though he told me he was no longer seeing the woman, it was apparent to me that he had not yet resolved the issue of his desire to be with her.
What will end our desire for friendship with the world? The need for separation from the world must be accompanied by a transformation of heart. Romans 12:1-2, "Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing perfect will." (NIV)
This is similar in principle to what James goes on to say in James 4:7, “Submit yourselves, then, to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you." and verse 8, "Come near to God and he will come near to you.” and in verse 10, "Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up." (NIV)
This is the pattern of God's grace. As we respond to Him in submission, humility and obedience, He empowers us. He does for us and through us what we cannot possibly do ourselves. Friends this is the Gospel message! God always empowers the one who surrenders to Him. Consecration and transformation always go together. First, "offer yourselves as living sacrifices…". In other words, surrender to God. That's implicit in the metaphor of a sacrifice. Make the decision to no longer be conformed to the world and God will transform you. Let's look at this for a moment.
First, there is a negative command, "do not conform" or "do not be conformed" to the world. Phillips translation reads, "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold."
You've heard of chameleon lizards. Some of them have the ability to change colors to blend in with the color of their surroundings. That is what Paul is talking about. When we conform to the world, we become indistinguishable from the world around us. We embrace the values and lifestyles of the world. We become worldly.
Secondly Paul calls for a complete change, " but be transformed" he says, "by the renewing of your mind." The Greek word for transform is "metamorpho" from which we get our word "metamorphosis". Vines Expository Dictionary says that metamorpho or transformation is "…the obligation to undergo a complete change, which under the power of God, will find expression in character and conduct." (p. 148) It means to be made into something new. It speaks of a very visible and thorough change.
Think of the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. You have seen caterpillars. An insect that crawls on many legs, not particularly attractive, though often colorful. But when it emerges from the chrysalis it is transformed into a graceful and beautiful butterfly. What emerges from the chrysalis is something distinctly different from the original caterpillar. Metamorphosis has taken place.
That is what Jesus Christ wants to do for us as we live in the world. Paul uses the same imagery in describing the transformation that takes place at conversion. 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." (NIV) That is the Gospel message. God will change the heart desires of the person who separates himself from the world and calls upon the Lord.
Dr. A. W. Tozer, in his book The Root of the Righteous, writes, "The converted man is both reformed and regenerated. And unless the sinner is willing to reform his way of living he will never know the inward experience of regeneration. This is the vital truth which has gotten lost under the leaves in popular evangelical theology. The idea that God will pardon a rebel who has not given up his rebellion is contrary both to the Scriptures and to common sense. How horrible to contemplate a church full of persons who have been pardoned but who still love sin and hate the ways of righteousness. And how much more horrible to think of heaven as filled with sinners who had not repented or changed their way of living." (page 43)
So first, a negative command, “do not conform”. Secondly, a complete change, “but be transformed”. And
Thirdly, this is a continuing transformation. Paul here used the present imperative, which implies a continuous action. Similarly in 2 Corinthians 3:18 he writes,"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
The New Living Translation reads, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” It is a continuing process. Remember the butterfly? It was transformed by the process of metamorphosis from a caterpillar to butterfly. Hopefully we can look back in our lives five years ago, ten years ago and recognize today, areas where we have been transformed as we walk with the Lord.
A negative command, “Do not conform”. A complete change, “be transformed”. A continuing transformation, “but be transformed (present imperative) and fourthly, this requires a deliberate decision. It involves a conscious decision on our part. It is not just going to happen. It involves the renewing of our mind, the center of our thoughts, the place of reasoning where we make moral and ethical choices and decisions. It will require that we turn from the world. Turn off the sensual music or television program that fuels the lust of our flesh. Turn our eyes away from every kind of visual image that stirs up impurity and creates unholy desires within us. Refuse to be sucked into consumerism and materialism by the unrelenting message of the world that has nothing else to live for except the possessions, toys, position, prestige and power that can be accumulated in a lifetime. Instead pursue God.
Dr. A.W. Tozer in his book Rut, Rot or Revival, writes, "To think God's thoughts requires much prayer. If you do not pray much, you are not thinking God's thoughts. If you do not read your Bible much and often and reverently, you are not thinking God's thoughts. Those thoughts you are having –and your head buzzes with them - all day long and into the night —are earthly thoughts —thoughts of a fallen race. They are thoughts of a lost society. They should not be your thoughts."
We overcome the world by separation from the world, by a transformation of the mind and heart and, thirdly, by incarnation. In John 17:13-21 Jesus prayed to His Father for us.
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (NIV)
Incarnation is the third step. What do I mean by that? Why did Jesus insist that his followers remain in the world? A world that hated them (vs.14) as it hated him? (15:18)? Because they were to continue the mission he had begun. He prayed to His Father, "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world…May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."
Notice three things Jesus prayed for us two thousand years ago. First, He wanted us to remain in contact with the world. That is the premise of incarnation. John 1:14, "The word (that is Jesus Christ) became flesh and made his dwelling among us." Jesus was God incarnate. He became a human being, flesh and blood like us, so He could save us from our sins by dying in our place. Jesus wanted us to remain in the world so that we can reach the world for Christ. "As you sent me into the world," he prayed "I have sent them into the world." verse 18.
Secondly however, He wanted us to be safe in the world. verse 15b and 17. Jesus did not mean the absence of opposition or persecution. He was talking about safety from the power and influence of the world, victory over “the lust of the flesh”, “the lust of the eyes” and “the pride of life”. He prayed, "protect them from the evil one” verse 15, the trinity of evil, the world, the flesh and the devil. Protection as we live in a world system that is opposed to God, satisfies self and serves Satan. Jesus wants us to be IN the world but not OF the world.
What will keep us holy in that hostile and dangerous environment? Notice verse 17. Jesus prayed that God would "sanctify them by the truth." The root meaning of "sanctify" is to separate, to be separated from sin unto God. And God's Word is God's provision for our sanctification as we carry out the mission He has given us in an evil world. In Galatians 6:14, the belt of truth is part of the believer's spiritual armor. David testified that, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11 NIV)
The Word of God is like a cleansing agent as we read it, digest it, memorize it, meditate on it and most important – obey it. What is your relationship with the Word of God today? The longer I live, the more I realize that my love relationship with God is inseparable from a love relationship with His Word.
Jesus prayed that we would remain in contact with the world, be safe in the world and thirdly, He prayed that we might reveal Christ to the world. Why is our sanctification so strategic in God's plan? Today Jesus Christ is invisible to the world. In other words, He no longer has a physical presence in our world. God is counting on His Church, His body, you and I who are born again, to reveal Jesus to the world. He prayed, "May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (vs. 21b) and "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know you sent me and loved them even as you have loved me." (vs. 23b) (NIV)
The world will understand that Jesus is God when a holy or sanctified Church is one! Here is the sobering implication of Jesus' words. If the Church is worldly it is as though Jesus Christ is invisible to the world.
Compromise with the world neutralizes the gospel witness. The whole mission of the Church is at stake at this point.
At least twice, Jesus gave us His opinion of a worldly Christian. In the Sermon on the Mount, after He described the character of a Christian in the Beatitudes, He said, as recorded in Matthew 5:13, "…if the salt loses it saltiness…it is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." (NIV)
In the Book of Revelation, chapter 3, verses 15 and 16, Jesus spoke these words to the church of Laodicea in Asia Minor. "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (NIV) Sobering words! May I to suggest that the primary cause of being spiritually lukewarm is worldliness. Jesus went on to say as much to the worldly church at Laodicea, "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." (NIV)
Alan Johnson writes, "Observe the way this indictment is related to the general condition of the populace at large – rich in material possessions and self-sufficient. The spirit of the surrounding culture had crept into the congregation and had paralyzed their spiritual life." (Expositor's Bible Commentary, p 458) They were the victims of worldliness. That describes much of the American evangelical church today.
I want you to notice, however, what the Lord went on to say to this church in Laodicea. I believe this is His word to the American Church as well. "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:19-20 NIV) These words are often used in evangelism in giving an invitation for salvation. But these words were spoken to Christians, to the worldly church of Laodicea! Jesus spoke these words of compassion and invitation to those who needed to come back to their first love. Those who needed to repent of their worldliness.
Remember Jesus' ministry to the Samaritan woman. Speaking with this non-believer who was desperately seeking fulfillment in the world and coming up empty over and over and over again, He had but one thing to offer her, Himself! In Revelation 3, He speaks to a worldly church. Again, He has but one thing to offer, Himself!
Let me close with this word of encouragement. If you think being a Christian consists of keeping a list of rules and believing certain Biblical facts you have missed the point. While you do need to believe the truth about Jesus Christ to be born again. That he is the Son of God. That He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. That He was raised from the dead and is alive today seated at the right hand of God the Father. And you need to call out to Him in repentance and faith for salvation and be born again. But the Christian life was never meant to be lived in our strength. When you are born again Jesus Christ comes and indwells you in the person of the Holy Spirit. Paul gives this personal testimony in writing the church at Galatia. Galatians 2:20 (NIV) "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me..." A few chapters later he wrote, "So I say, live [or walk] by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (5:16 NIV) To the Ephesian church, he wrote how God "...is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." (3:20 NIV) To the Philippian church, he wrote, "…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:12-13 ESV) God will give the believer both the desire and the ability or power to do His will.
The apostle Peter summarized it this way in 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV), ‘His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” That includes the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. You see, God will give us both the desire and power to do His will if we surrender to Him and allow Him to live His life through us.
I close with this word from Dr. A. B. Simpson, a Canadian Presbyterian pastor who later founded the Christian & Missionary Alliance. "A precious secret of Christian life is to have Jesus dwelling within and conquering things that we never could over-come. It is the only secret of power in your life and mine. Men cannot understand it, nor will the world believe it, but it is true that God will come and dwell within us, and be the power and the purity and the victory and the joy of our life.' (Days of Heaven upon Earth)
© James P. McGarvey, All Rights Reserved
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Responding to Challenging Times - Philippians 4:4-20
(See the video message, Responding to Challenging Times an exposition of Philippians 4:4-20 recorded at First Christian Church of Wilton Manors for the Sunday July 5, 2020 online message.)
To say that we are living in challenging times would be an understatement. A time of political turmoil, the Covig-19 pandemic with its loss of life. The reshaping of our daily life, social distancing, stay at home orders, travel restrictions, 14 day quarantines school and church closures, online worship, working and studying from home, the cancellation or postponement of events and activities that have been a part of our daily lives.
An unprecedented economic slowdown, business closures and failures, lost wages, unemployment, a volatile stock market, racial turmoil, protests and rioting, the destruction of businesses and private and public property. All of these can be the source of fear, anxiety, anger hardship,even suffering, and circumstances we've never faced before. Or you might be facing challenges unrelated to any of these events.
This morning I want to share some thoughts with you from the Apostle Paul found in the fourth chapter of his letter to the Philippian church. You might remember Paul's first visit to the city of Philippi as recorded by Luke in Acts chapter 16. Luke writes that while in the city of Troas, in what is today Turkey, Paul had a vision of a "...man of Macedonia...urging him and saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.'"
And that is exactly what Paul did arriving in Philippi, a Roman colony and leading city of Macedonia where he planted his first church in Europe, in what is today the country of Greece. He met Lydia, a "seller of purple goods" there by the riverside and led her and her household to the Lord. He cast out a demon from a slave girl who was a fortuneteller and a source of income to her slave masters. This led to the arrest of Paul and Silas, his companion in ministry. They were beaten with rods and imprisoned. God then miraculously set them free by an earthquake. Subsequently, the jailor and his family came to Christ. And now years later towards the end of his life Paul writes a letter to the Philippian church while in Roman prison.
Sean McDonough explains one of the reasons Paul wrote the Philippians, "He was...eager to thank them for their continued support. Imprisonment carried with it a social stigma, and it would have been easy for the Philippians to turn their back on Paul at this point. But they had remained faithful to him." This is the background of Paul's letter to the Philippian church. And as we look this morning at how we can respond to challenging times I want to focus our thoughts on four things from this text, Joy - Prayer - Contentment and Provision. What does joy have to do with facing challenging times? What role does prayer play in living in unprecedented circumstances? How is contentment important in these days of uncertainty? What provisions has God made as for those facing hardships?
I want to acknowledge this morning that Ifor one need this message! You will note that in verse 9, of our text, Paul encouraged the Philippians, and us, not only to practice his teaching but to follow his example. He writes, "What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-- practice these things." (ESV) So let's focus on those four words, joy - prayer - contentment and provision as we consider how to respond to challenging times.
First of all the word joy in verse four,"Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice."I think we all know what it means to rejoice, "be glad, be joyful" (The Analytical Greek Lexicon pg. 433). Here in verse four it is a present imperative, in other words, it is a command to continuously rejoice in the Lord.
D. A. Hayes says the book of Philippians "...is the Epistle of Joy." (The Epistle to the Philippians,pg. 421) The title of A. T. Robertson's commentary on the book of Philippians is entitled,Paul's Joy in Christ. Writing about this letter to the Philippians, the German theologian Bengel said, "The sum of the epistle is, I rejoice; rejoice ye." In other words, I rejoice, you rejoice!
Remember, Paul wrote these words while a prisoner in Rome! That fact alone is instructive, but not surprising. D. A. Hayes explains,
"Paul was a man whose spirits were undaunted in any circumstances. He might be scourged in one city and stoned in another and imprisoned in a third and left for dead in a fourth, but as long as he retained consciousness and as soonas he regained consciousness he rejoiced. Nothing could dampen his ardor. Nothing could disturb his peace. In Philippi he had been scourged and cast into the inner prison and his feet had been made fast in the stocks. His back was bleeding and torn; his ankles were swollen and paining him; he could not lie down; he could not sleep. It was too dark in the dungeon for him to see anyone, but he could hear the voice of Silas somewhere near him in the midnight gloom. Some men would have been depressed under these circumstances, and the prison damp and darkness would have chilled their very souls. It was not so with Paul. He began to sing hymns of praise to God, and Silas joined in. " (The Epistle to the Philippians, pg.421)
Under these dire and painful circumstances Paul and Silas held a midnight worship service! And Luke adds, "...and the prisoners were listening to them."
Beth and I had three new granddaughters added to our family last year, one in January, February and September. And it has been so easy to rejoice in the birth of these three precious babies. The joy experienced in meeting them, holding them, loving on them has been effortless. But Paul says rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS. While it is easy to rejoice in the birth of three new granddaughters, rejoicing in the midst of overwhelming even painful circumstances, as was the case of Paul and Silas, and perhaps some of us today is another matter.
Jac Muller notes that Paul's instruction to "rejoice in the Lord always" is a command. He writes, "Not circumstances decide whether there will be joy, but
No matter what our circumstances, good or bad, we are to take joy in knowing the Lord. Rejoicing in our relationship with Him! I believe to "Rejoice in the Lord always" is an act of worship. I believe it is a form of praise. May I suggest that rejoicing in the Lord sets the stage for facing difficult circumstances like we are facing in these unprecedented days. Listen to the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 100 (NIV),
"Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Do you see why Paul instructs us to "rejoice in the Lord." The God described in Psalm 100 remains the same no matter what our circumstances are. Our circumstances can change but the character and faithfulness of God never changes. Please do not underestimate what we are to rejoice
"Paul's joy was not grounded in earthly conditions but in Christ. No one could rob Paul of Christ or of his joy in Christ. Christ satisfied Paul's soul. Christ was his all in all. He needed nothing else to make his soul sing aloud and long for sheer joy." (
Let me ask you this morning. Can you rejoice "in the Lord"? You see there is a prerequisite to rejoicing in the Lord. First you must Jesus Christ "gave himself for me." That is, He died on the cross bearing the penalty for my sin and yours, our sin that separates us from God. When we repent of our sin and put our trust in Jesus' death and resurrection we are born again and Christ lives in us as Paul testified. Only then can you "rejoice in the Lord."
Rejoicing in the Lord, giving praise to the Lord, sets the stage for giving thanks to the Lord in prayer. That is the second word we look at. Philippians 4:4-6. What role does prayer play in responding to difficult circumstances, facing unprecedented challenges? You will notice that thanksgiving is included in Paul's instructions on prayer, verse six, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication [or petition]
Giving thanks is a part of our prayer life, and especially when we are struggling with anxiety. Paul says, don't be anxious but "in everythingby prayer and petition with thanksgivingmake your requests known unto God." (emphasis mine) As we have just noted, Paul says we are to "rejoice in the Lord always"meaning in every circumstance. And now he instructs us when faced with anxiety to pray with thanksgiving in every circumstance.
Paul gave similar instructions to the Thessalonians found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV). "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Have the circumstances you are facing caused you to be anxious? Paul described some of his "circumstances". In writing the Corinthians. (2 Corinthians 11:24-28 ESV)
"Five times I received at the hands of Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. [one of those was in Philippi] Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers, in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches."
Paul had multiple opportunities in his personal experiences to practice thanksgiving in prayer. In light of these experiences of Paul we see the need for him to write in verse five, "let your reasonableness [or gentleness - forbearance] be known to everyone."
I don't know about you but when I get anxious or worried about something I sometimes get on edge. Anxiety often produces inner turmoil that can spill over in our relationship to others. Hence the admonition to be reasonable toward others, to be gentle, forbearing. Notice that Paul then goes on to explain how to deal with anxiety. "Do not be anxious about anything", verse six. Standing on its own this would be a tall order if not an impossible order! "Do not be anxious about ANYTHING? Paul makes no room for anxiety!
He however, does not leave us out on a limb. He continues verse 6, "...but in everything by prayer and supplication [petition] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
Paul is challenging us to take our anxieties to the Lord in prayer and petition, and do it in the context of joy with thanksgiving! "Give thanks in ALL circumstances". Essentially, Paul is linking prayer with our daily living. And he links thanksgiving with prayer. Both are to be the practice of the believer. It is a call to Thanksgiving Living no matter what the circumstances might be.
H. A. Kennedy writes, "Thanksgiving is the background, the predominant tone of the Christian life." (
with our petitions and requests. This is the question I have to ask myself in light of Paul's admonition here. Is my prayer life characterized by thanksgiving? Dr. Mark Lee wrote, "Thanksgiving is a part of the formula of prayer. Thanks and praise are as necessary to prayer as salt and pepper are to food." ("Five Kernels of Corn"
Note briefly these results. What is the opposite of anxiety? Paul makes mention of "peace" twice in this passage. In verse 7 he writes, "...the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". He goes on to give us instructions about our thought life in verse 8-9, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me --practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (ESV)
What could be more valuable than peace as we struggle with anxiety? What could be more valuable than peace in the midst of the challenging times of our day? Paul says in verse 7, "the...peace of God...will guard your hearts". A.T. Robertson, "This peace of God quiets both out hearts and our thoughts." (
"God is the God of peace (Phil. 4:9), and his peace is the inward peace of the soul that is grounded in God's presence and promise. Paul here assumes that we have made our peace with God in Christ and now we are enjoying our peace with God (Rom. 5:1)."(
Have you been reconciled to God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ? In other words, are you at peace
The third word is contentment, verse 11. How is contentment important in a life of thanksgiving and as we face challenging times? Paul expresses his thanksgiving for the gifts of support he had received from the Philippian church. And in doing so, Paul shares what is apparently an important part of our response to difficult and challenging circumstances - contentment.
According to verse 12 he experienced times of great need as we noted in his letter to the Corinthians, but also times of great plenty. And in verse 11 he says "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content."May I suggest to you that contentment is part of the framework of thanksgiving. J A Motyer writes it is, "...the 'restful contentment' of the Christian, the opposite of the desire for more." and in Paul's case, he writes "Circumstances no longer had power to touch him, for he was content." (Philippian Studies, page 176)
Paul wrote the Romans, "...we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope..." (5:3-4 ESV)erse 12. Notice in verse 13 he testifies, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (ESV)For the born again Christian nothing God calls us to do or be depends on our own strength. And that truth is Paul's explicit testimony in this verse. The times of suffering, deprivation and need and the times of plenty were the context of Paul learning contentment, but it was the power of God that strengthened him making it possible for him to live in contentment not matter what the circumstances.
Remember the Thanksgiving celebrated by the pilgrims in 1621? What you might not remember is that this came after incredible suffering following their arrival in Massachusetts ten months before in December of 1620. Shirley Dobson writes,
"The pilgrims landed in Massachusetts on December 16, 1620. Lacking sufficient provisions and shelter for winter, most settlers became ill within weeks. Ten of 17 husbands and fathers died with the 'first infection', and of the 17 wives, only three were alive after three months. By April, more than half of the population had died of disease or famine. These bleak circumstances were punctuated by other forms of human tragedy. For example, William Bradford's wife drowned as they disembarked from the Mayflower, leaving him a widower with a 1-year old son."
In spite of these overwhelming tragedies and unimaginable suffering, the Pilgrims that survived that first winter set apart time to give thanks to God.
Paul's testimony, "...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." (vs.11b) and verse 13, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Paul's exhortation to us in verse 6 "Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication [petition] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (ESV)
The fourth and last word is provisionPaul was grateful for the gifts of the Philippian church helping him in his time of need. But note in verse 19 another truth that is important, if not foundational for us n these days of uncertainty.
God's promise to supply our needs is echoed throughout Scripture, for example Matthew 6:33. In the context of discussing the futility of being anxious about the physical needs of life food, clothing and shelter, Jesus said, (ESV) "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." And notice the guarantee behind the promise of verse 19 of our text, "...my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
God can make this kind of promise because of whois inseparable from theglory of the One making the promise. It is the promise of a resurrected, ascended, exalted and sovereign Lord unlimited in power and resources. That is the foundation for thanksgiving! That allows us to "give thanks in all circumstances"and "to continue in prayer, being...thankful".
I close with this illustration. As I was thinking about this message I remembered the words of King David recorded in Psalm 63. I think most commentators believe David wrote this psalm after he fled Jerusalem when his son Absalom made an attempt to take the throne away from his very own father. David's life was endangered and his throne in jeopardy by an insurrection and rebellion of his own son! And so he fled to the desert and wilderness.
In the midst of those challenging circumstances heartache and danger David faced, as I share his words, notice the praise that springs from David's heart in this face of his adversity. Notice the words that express his insatiable hunger for God in the midst of the challenges he faced. Notice the words that express his intimate fellowship with God in the face of his trials. Listen carefully to the metaphors and the word pictures that he used to describe his faith and trust in the Lord in these difficult circumstances.
May I suggest to you as I close, that his words embody how we are to respond to God in the face of every challenge and adversity. As you listen to verses 1-8 of Psalm 63 (NIV)
David wrote,
"Oh God, you are my God, Earnestly I seek you;
My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld you power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
With singing lips my lips my mouth will praise you;
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing under the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me. "
"Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand [or near], do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication [petition] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)
"...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." Philippians 4:11 (ESV)
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
"And my God will supply every need of yours, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory
for ever and ever. Amen." Philippians 4:19 (ESV)
© James P. McGarvey All Rights Reserved
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Spiritual Warfare & The Battle For Life - 40 Days For Life
(I gave this message on March 14, 2020 at the Mid-Point Rally of Fort Lauderdale's 40 Days For Life Prayer and Fasting Vigil. You may view the PowerPoint slides of this message online at Microsoft OneDrive Here. You may download Microsoft OneDrive Basic free Here.)
At the Kick Off Rally last month I gave a message entitled "Strategic Prayer". We noted seven things to help us to engage in strategic prayer during the 40 day prayer and fasting vigil.
We began by identifying the enemy, looking at two passages in particular where Jesus clearly identified the devil as the driving force behind the worldwide effort to kill human life at any age. The Biblical evidence makes it clear that Satan is the Architect of Abortion. Killing unborn children is part of his Agenda. Abortion is a Satanic Enterprise.
In this morning's message, "Spiritual Warfare & the Battle For Life", we will look at Biblical truth that will further equip us for the spiritual warfare we are engaged in during these 40 Days. But first, I want to answer the question "Why does Satan want to kill unborn children?" Why is he so determined to exterminate human life? After all that is why we pray and fast at an abortion clinic asking God to prevent unborn children from being murdered.
We speak of the sanctity of human life. What does that mean? What value does God place on human life? More specifically, how valuable are the unborn to God? This takes us to the Biblical creation account.
Man was created by God and in His image and likeness. Genesis 1:27 (ESV), “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them.” and Genesis 2:7 (ESV), “…then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”
It should be clear from the Biblical creation account that man is not the product of a random, meaningless evolutionary process over millions of years. Man is not the result of a cosmic accident. Rather God intentionally created man with capacities reflective of Himself, in other words, in His image and likeness. As recorded in Isaiah 43:7 God says, man was “created for my glory.” (NIV)
Man is made in the image of God. What does that mean? In his book, Man: The Image of God, pediatrician, Dr. John Rendle-Short, M.D. points out the Godlike qualities man shares with God.
Language – humans can communicate. I had a dog named Maggie who could bark, whine, and growl, but over thirteen years I never heard her utter a single word, no less speak a sentence.
Intelligence – man can think. Not only is man a rational being he can think in the abstract. For example, he can compute complex mathematical, chemical and engineering formulas.
Creativity – his intelligence allows him to create sophisticated products. He can send a man to the moon and back and speak instantly around the world from a cell phone or by the internet.
Love- relationships, fellowship, community. Man is a social creature with the ability to love and be loved. With the ability to care for and nurture its young and to live in life long committed relationships.
Holiness -man has a moral conscience, the ability to tell right from wrong.
Immortality – he is eternal and unlike the rest of the animal world, he will live forever.
Freedom - man can make choices. All of this “because he is human, made in the image of God.”
The Personhood of the unborn is also clearly established in God's word. We look at two examples. This is what God said to Jeremiah, (1:5) “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”Before there was any physical manifestation of Jeremiah in the womb of his mother, God knew Him. God regarded Jeremiah as a unique and distinct person even before his birth.
Note this incredible incident. These words were spoken by Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant with John the Baptist, when Mary, just days pregnant with Jesus Christ, visited her as recorded in Luke 1:41-44 (NIV),
"When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.’"
Do you realize what took place? The text says that six month old John the Baptist leaped for joy in his mother's womb when he came into the presence of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, who was but days old in the womb of his mother Mary. This is the first record of worship of the Messiah. And it took place in the womb! I call it intra-uterine worship.
Do you see the personhood of the unborn in these narratives? You see, the Biblical evidence is clear. The unborn are created by God and for God. They are created in His image and God recognizes them as distinct and unique persons in the womb from the moment of conception.
The scientific evidence leads us to the same conclusion. Douglas Erlandson writes, "When the fertilized egg (or zygote) is first formed, it already possesses its fullcomplement of DNA or genetic information." He continues, "That information never changes. A person’s sex, blood type hair and skin color, and future height are all determined in that first cell. From that moment on, unless its life is terminated, it will develop until it becomes an adult human being.”
Professor, Dr. Micheline Matthews-Roth, M.D. of Harvard University Medical School writes, “…It is scientifically correct to say that an individual human life begins at conception…”
We don't have time to dwell on this further in this message. For more information see my presentation, "The Scientific, Philosophical & Metaphysical Case for Life" on my website churchforlife.blogspot.com.
Let's bring Satan back into the picture. We noted last time ["Strategic Prayer" 40 Days Kick Off Rally] that the devil is the driving force behind abortion. The stage was set thousands of years ago as recorded in Genesis 3:15 (NIV). After Adam and Eve fell into sin, God said to Satan,"...I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."And with that, the epoch struggle between good and evil began. And ever since, Satan has been involved in an unrelenting effort to kill the offspring of Eve, created in the image of God.
Remember Jesus Himself said as much. In John 8:44 (NIV) Jesus said this to those who were threatening to kill him, "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and father of lies." Here Jesus identifies two roles of Satan, a murderer from the beginning and a liar and the father of lies.
In 2013 a study by Dr. Brian Clowes revealed that there had been 1.72 billion abortions worldwide in the forty years since 1973. That's an average of 117,800 per day for 40 years. Abortion is the most frequently performed elective surgery in America, over 3,000 a day. 21% of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) are surgically aborted. “About one in three American women will have had an abortion by the time she reaches age 45.” (Compiled by Operation Rescue)
John Powell has written, “In the United States it is statistically confirmed that the most dangerous place for anyone to be, with regard to the preservation of one’s life, is in the womb of one’s mother.” (Abortion: The Silent Holocaust)
Remember in John 10:10, Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and to destroy...." (NIV) The Devil has been very successful in carrying out his agenda. This is why we pray and fast to end abortion. We are in a spiritual war with the powers of darkness.
Satan is also a liar and the father of lies. As we noted last time, deception proliferates in the abortion industry. In fact, deception characterizes the abortion industry. Notice, deception involves telling lies. These were the words of an abortion counselor:
"Although the test is positive, you shouldn't consider yourself pregnant," she explained. "It's really just cells dividing at this point. We can take care of the problem quickly and easily, and you'll never have to think about it again.” She made four statements. Each of the four statements was a lie. This is the mantra of the abortion industry. Remember this as you pray at the clinic. The women and men entering the abortion clinic next door will be told similar lies.
Deception involves withholding the truth. This study showed that, “Even though the majority felt rushed and uncertain, 67% received no counseling; 79% were not told about alternatives to abortion.” ( VM Rue et. al., Medical Science Monitor)
Lies and deception are part of the business model of the clinic where you are interceding in prayer on behalf of the unborn and their parents. You see, deception Leads to Moral Schizophrenia. How else do you explain this conclusion by Pastor Randy Alcorn, "In America it is illegal to harm your pre-born child, but it is perfectly legal to kill him.”
The Devil is “a murderer”, “a liar and father of lies”.These two “attributes” expose himas the Architect of Abortion.
Look with me at the ancient origin child killing. We trace it back to Molech worship. Molech was a god of the Ammonites the descendants of Lot. Molech was a fertility god whose worship included child sacrifice. Israel became involved in this form of idolatry. Children were placed on the out stretched arms of idol Molech falling into the fire burning in the belly of the idol where they were burned alive.
Ezekiel 16:20-21 records God's response, “And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols…You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.”King Solomon built the first high place for the worship of Molech. Subsequent kings continued the practice including King Ahaz and Manasseh who sacrificed their very own children as they led their nation in the worship of the demon god Molech.
Notice the parallels with abortion. In Molech worship a child was sacrificed to gain Molech's favor. In other words, the parents sacrificed something of value, their child, to gain something at a given point in time they considered to be of even greater value. For example, seeking Molech’s favor for, a good harvest, victory in battle or financial wellbeing.
Notice the similarity with abortion. In abortion the mother sacrifices the life of her child for something, which at that time is of more value to her than the child - her education, avoiding personal shame, financial reasons, personal convenience, her career or birth control.
Sacrifice for what? Pastor John Piper has written, “Abortion in America is not done consciously with any desire to get blessing from a deity. But it is done to gain something 'better' than the baby— The life of a child is being sacrificed for something. What that 'something' is defines the barbarity of our culture.”
Pastor Rusty Thomas, in his book Field Manual for Abortion Ministry, writes,
"Though thousands of years have passed,...The pagan ritual...persists. These ancient rites continue through clinics established by organizations such as Planned Parenthood in the abortion industry. The setting has indeed changed, but the lying message and brutal practice remains the same. Can you hear its voice today? 'You are too young.' 'You have to think about your schooling and career.' 'You cannot afford a baby.' 'It will leave stretch marks' ...Moloch and Baal still whisper, 'Give your child to me and all will be well with you.'"
Do you see the deception? This is why we pray and fast that God will open the eyes of those who are being lied to and deceived by our culture and the abortion industry.
The Scriptures identify the demonic nature of this child sacrifice in Psalm 106:37-38.
"They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood."
There are distinct parallels between Molech worshipand abortion.
1. Abortion is the “sacrifice” of the unborn. “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters”
2. The unborn are family – our sons & daughters. “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters”
3. Abortion sheds innocent blood. “They...shed innocent blood”
4. The innocent blood of the aborted is sacrificed demons. “They sacrificed…to demons”
Pastor Randy Alcorn writes,
“As the devil loved the sacrifice of children in the ancient heathen cultures, so he loves the sacrifice of children in our modern culture." "Whether children are sacrificed to a heathen god called Molech or to the god of our own convenience, he does not care. Whether these children are born or unborn does not matter to God’s enemies, for each of them is equally created in the image of God, and by killing them Satan comes as close as he can to striking out at God Himself. In killing those created in God’s image, Satan kills God in effigy.” (Prolife Answers to ProChoice Arguments.)
Eric Holmberg and Jay Rogers, in their work, Massacre of Innocence,summarize, “The spiritual heritage of the Moabites and the Ammonites is passed down to our own day. Today the church is fighting against those same spiritual forces for the very survival of our nation."
They continue, "Without all out spiritual warfare, what are our chances of victory when the demons' lust is being gorged on the blood of not just one, but over one million children killed each year?”
Prayer and fasting to end abortion is spiritual warfare. That makes it the business of the Church. Tell that to your pastors and spiritual leaders!
As we noted last time, "...our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”(Ephesians 6:12, NIV) And the Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthians,
"For though we walk in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension [lofty opinion] that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NIV) Prayer and fasting are an essential part of that spiritual arsenal.
Lest you think that that abortion and the demonic is just ancient history, let me bring you up to date. Modern feminism, witchcraft & abortion. In December of 1985 an article, entitled, "Feminist Spiritualism and Abortion" appeared in the feminist Ms. Magazine, written, and I emphasize, by feminists about themselves. "The feminist spirituality movement began to emerge in the mid-1970s and has become one of the largest sub-movements within feminism...to the women in feminist spirituality, witchcraft had even a more fundamental meaning. It is a woman's religion, vilified by patriarchal Christianity, and now, finally, reclaimed.”
Eric Holmberg and Jay Rogers write this about what was in the article, "Much space was given to goddess worship or adulation of the various demons associated with child sacrifice (including Isis and Aphrodite).” (Massacreof Innocence)
Here is just a sample of the thinking of modern day feminists with regard to abortion. Patricia Baird-Windle owned three abortion clinics responsible for 65,000 abortions. In an interview after retirement she said, "Abortion is a major blessing and a sacrament in the hands of women..." (The 'Sacrament' of Abortion: An Interview With a Retired Abortionist.")
Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, President of the Episcopal Divinity School in New England said the following in a sermon given in Birmingham AL in 2007, “When a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight – only blessing.”
Episcopal Priestess, Dr. Carter Hayward, in 1985, told the National Abortion Federation, "Abortion would be a sacrament if women were in charge. Abortion should be a sacrament even today."
Listen to these astounding words. "It’s rare for a woman to choose abortion because in some way she dislikes the fetus. She sacrifices it for the sake of something she judges at this moment to be more important, whether it be her existing children… or her own physical, economic, or psychological survival or the fate of the planet." Do you remember what I just shared comparing abortion to child sacrifice?
Psychologist Dr. Ginnette Paris wrote those words in her book The Sacrament of Abortion.She continues, “When abortion is necessary, not only should there be no shame but there should be a new consensus that to have a child who cannot adequately be cared for is shameful…it is not immoral to choose abortion; it is simply another kind of morality, a pagan one.”
Frank Pavone, commenting on her book writes, “The fact that some defend abortion as a sacred act should alert us to the depth of the spiritual warfare that is going on. Abortion has never been merely or even primarily a political issue. It is a false religion." He writes of a former abortion clinic security guard who "...after being converted, admitted why he was angry at pro-life sidewalk counselors 'You were coming to protest in front of our church. That clinic was where we conducted our worship.’” ("The 'Sacrament' of Abortion")
Do you see why abortion is a gospel issue? Do you see why ending abortion is the business of the Church? And the first work of the Church with regard to anything is prayer and fasting. To think otherwise is to be Biblically uninformed!
Unmasking a "woman's right to choose." and "reproductive rights". If you dialogue about abortion around the water cooler at work or at home over the back yard fence these are the words that always come into play. These are the two terms the proponents of abortion use to frame the debate. "A woman's right to choose" and "reproductive rights" are code words for a woman's right to take the life of her unborn child.
The key Scripture that addresses this issue is Genesis 3:1-5 (NIV).
"Now, the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?' The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' ‘You will not surely die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Note the significance of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil". These were the temptations Eve faced then and we face today.
To live independent of God - Self-idolatry – self love rules.
Man becomes his own god “you will be like God". In other words, the self-deification of man -- and its result.
Man determines right & wrong (moral relativism).
This is the underlying premise of the proponents of a woman's right to choose" and "reproductive rights.” As Dr. Carl Ellis has said, "Eve became, in essence, the first secular humanist."
Notice the link between abortion and the Garden of Eden. "I do not what a child at this time." Pastor John Piper writes, “…that is one of the most powerful sentences a person can speak…the ‘want’- of a mother has become the will of a god. …Our modern, secular, God-dethroning culture has endowed the will (the ‘want’) of a mother not just with sovereignty over her child, but with something vastly greater...the right and the power to create personhood.” (“Abortion & the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil.”)
The legal right “to choose” gives women the legal right to define personhood or play god. Again Pastor Piper, “…the awesome thing is that we endow her will not just with sovereignty over her unborn baby, but with the authority to define it. If she wants it, it is a baby, a person. If she does not want it, it is not a baby, not a person.” (“Abortion & the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil.”)
Pastor Randy Alcorn, “The prochoice position always overlooks the victim’s right to choose...The blacks didn’t choose slavery. The Jews didn’t choose the ovens. And the babies don’t choose abortion.”
How should the Church respond? I hope that you have seen this morning that abortion is first and foremost a spiritual issue, and therefore a gospel issue. This makes prayer the first work in the effort to end abortion. Last time I made a copy of the tri-fold "Praying to End Abortion" available to assist us in our prayers. Be sure to get one if you were not here.
I shared these two conclusions with you last time. They bear repeating in light of the Biblical truth we have just noted. The Body of Christ, the church, is the only organism (institution) spiritually equipped to engage the Satanic forces behind abortion.
Therefore the Church must take the lead in the efforts to end abortion.
When the church sees abortion as a Gospel issue we will win the battle for life! Christ has already won the victory! The Apostle Paul wrote, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over ever power and authority." (Colossians 1:9-10, NIV)
The enemy has been defeated. "The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work."(1 John 3:8, NIV)
As you enter the battle against the demonic forces propelling the abortion holocaust, remember Paul's words, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against devil's schemes." (Ephesians 6:10-11, NIV)
Pastor John Ensor in his book,Innocent Blood writes, "The commands of Scripture exist that we might be compelled to do what does not come naturally." In Luke chapter ten Jesus helped a lawyer understand what it meant to love his neighbor. The lawyer was evidently hung up on exactly what that looked like. So he asked Jesus, "Who his my neighbor?" Jesus then tells him the story of a man on his way to Jericho from Jerusalem who was robbed and beaten and left half dead alongside the road.
Three different individuals had the opportunity to come to his rescue, in all likelihood to save his life. Two of the three did not respond to the needs of the man bleeding by the side of the road. Those two were the church leaders of that day, a priest and a Levite, responsible for the spiritual care of their nation. And Jesus points out that not only did they fail to respond but, they "passed by on the other side." (NIV) In other words they consciously and deliberately distanced themselves from the needs of the man dying by the side of the road.
Jesus then pointed out that the one who proved to be the neighbor to the dying man was the one who showed mercy to the badly beaten traveller. He then said, "Go and do likewise." John Ensor, in his book Innocent Blood, defines "Samaritan compassion" this way:"Doing right in the sight of the Lord means acting to stop the shedding of innocent blood. The only person in Jesus’ parable who is pro-life according to the demands of love is the Samaritan. Only he was willing to make the nearly dead man’s problem his own. Only he was willing to see the victim’s suffering as his own. Only he was willing to act according to what he would cry out for if their positions had been reversed."
May I suggest to you that according to Jesus' parable, our salvation has a moral imperative built into it with regards to the needs of those around us, our neighbors. In 2019 - 9,864 unborn children lost their lives to abortion in Broward County. That's an average of 27 children every day. They were our neighbors.
Children will die unless someone intervenes on their behalf. In other words, we have an opportunity and responsibility to "go and do likewise!" Again, Pastor Ensor, "Loving my neighbor will occasionally arrest me, and maybe even require me to help prevent someone from being murdered."
The writer of Proverbs said something very similar, "Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; Don’t stand back and let them die. Don’t try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn’t know about it."(24:10-12, NLT)
In his pamphlet, Field Manual for Abortion Ministry, (2014) Pastor Rusty Lee Thomas posed these two penetrating questions.
"What does Christianity look like in a nation that murders its own children?
Has the church failed to be prolife or have we failed to be Christian when it comes to rescuing our neighbors scheduled to be dismembered?"
You participation in prayer and fasting to end abortion is part of the answer to those two questions. I hope you have seen tonight that ending abortion is a gospel issue if not a gospel imperative. The Church has no alternative but to take it's stand - against the devil's schemes engaging in spiritual warfare as it steps into the battle for life with all of the powerful resources
that the Gospel equips us with.
On January 20, 2011, Rev. Flip Benham of Operation Save America issued the following statement ina press release. "...the time is now, for the Church to rise up and not wait for political parties, or the president, or Congress, or the Supreme Court to take care of the issue. It is our responsibility. The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ. Abortion will come to an end, when the Church of Jesus Christ makes up her mind it will come to an end – not a Second sooner. The responsibility for ending abortion in America rests squarely upon the shoulders of the Church of Jesus Christ.”
© James P McGarvey All Rights Reserved
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