it quickly withers. The seed of God’s Word may fall on hearts
filled with thorns — a person who is consumed with the
things of the world: worries, fear, materialism — and it gets
choked out by all the other things growing there. But when
the seed of God’s Word falls on the soil of a heart that is
cleared of distractions, focused and ready to receive, it will
take root and grow: 30, 60, even 100 fold.
Imagine if we would all do that. We’ve had it easy — far
too easy for far too long. But times are changing. You’re
going to have to be able to defend what you believe. You’re
no longer going to be able to say, “Well this is just what
Christians believe.” People are going to ask you, “Why?” And
the only way you’re going to be able to answer is by sticking
your nose in the Bible and knowing what it actually says.
Imagine if every one of us would allow the truth of God’s
Word to be planted deep in the good soil of our hearts;
seeking to hold fast to the word of life. Imagine a generation
of Christians committed to understanding the truth; invested
in God’s Word; living it out...a generation of Christians who
really knows what they believe and are not only living it, but
can also articulate and defend it. That would be a generation
of Christians who are living a STEADFAST life, secure in the
truth.
*The truth of God’s Word provides a lifeline of stability and
wisdom for a steadfast life in this crazy, mixed-up world.*
Steadfast in Fellowship
Philippians 2:1-4
We left ourselves on the face of that rock wall, clinging to
the lifeline of God’s Word. Well if one lifeline is good, two
is better, right? Another lifeline that God has dropped for
us is — FELLOWSHIP. The Holman Bible Dictionary
(
defines fellow-
ship as: “The bond of common purpose and devotion that
binds Christians together and to Christ.”
We were never intended to live the Christian life alone.
We have this strange, romantic fascination with the Lone
Ranger mentality — that somehow, I have an inner strength
to be able to be steadfast in life all on my own and I do not
need anybody to help me. Fortunately, God has a better
plan. He created us to NEED each other; to live in Fellowship
with one another. And that is a large part of why He created
the Church — so that we can live the steadfast life together
with other, like-minded believers.
*Fellowship with God’s people provides a lifeline of strength
and accountability for a steadfast life in this crazy, mixed-up
world.*
Philippians 1 ends with the image of going to war together
for the sake of the gospel:
“Only let your manner of life be
worthy of the gospel of Christ, so...I may hear of you that
you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving
side by side for the faith of the gospel”
(Philippians 1:27 ESV).
Paul carried this image over to chapter 2:
“SO if there is any
encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any partici-
pation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy...”
(Philippians 2:1 ESV).
Do not be fooled by Paul’s use of the word “if.” He was
using it for effect — wanting his readers to reflect and ask
themselves: Do I have any encouragement in Christ? Have
I received any comfort from His love? Is there any evidence
of participation of the Spirit in my life? Do I have a mutual
affection and sympathy for my brothers and sisters in Christ?
Paul knew the answer to the questions but he asked them
anyway to get us to think and to understand and to build up
this passion among us as we read it, “YES!! All these things
are true in my life, so what comes next?”
Well then,
“...complete my joy by being of the same mind,
having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind”
(Philippians 2:2 ESV). That is easy as long as everyone is willing
to adopt my way of thinking. But that is not what Paul was
encouraging here. He was urging us toward unity with one
another: that we would have the same mind, love, heart and
life. Well that's hard isn’t it? “Look at these people, Lord.
You want me to have unity with THEM???”
In the Body of Christ, there are so many personalities,
ideas, approaches, understandings …how are we supposed
to bring all those together and be UNITED? 1 Corinthians 2:16
tells us the key; EACH ONE of us has
“the mind of Christ.”
SR September 2015
11
8-Minute Message
continued on page 28...
Some others who presented an 8-Minute Message:
Charlotte Chroniger Daniel Lovelace
Elianna Chroniger Ed and Pat Sutton
