28th May 2025

28th May 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 1:27-30 focus v27b-28)


Message (Alan Burke)


I don’t know if you know this and if you don’t you’ve been living with your head buried in the sand but right now we have a shortage of ministers in PCI. Sadly the reality is something that many don’t seem to get. The reason why I bring this up is that in the past couple of months I know of one minister who has left the ministry and another who was on the path to returning to ministry after a time out has decided not to return all because of the opposition that they faced. It’s grim because the opposition that they faced wasn’t from people outside the church it was from those within who claim the name of Christian. It is one thing to face opposition from those outside the church but it is another thing entirely to face opposition from those within the church as a minister. Here we learn how the church in Philippi was facing opposition, we're not told the ins and the outs of what they were facing but there were those who were opposing the church. That opposition they faced was because they believed the gospel of Christ, the gospel of Christ that Paul encouraged them to live in a manner worthy of. 


What often happens when the church is facing opposition for the gospel is disunity, and disunity is destructive in the church. That is why Paul says whether he comes to see them or hears about them, if they do this he will know that they stand firm in one spirit, that they will persevere. For those to whom he writes, the believers in Philippi he knows that as they live lives that are worthy of the gospel that they will be able stand firm in one spirit, for they would have unity in the gospel. He was concerned about their unity, their togetherness, because he knows just how destructive these things can be in the church but if they stay united then it will be for their benefit. He tells them not to be frightened in the midst of what he face by those who oppose them. 


In effect Paul is telling the church don't panic, don’t be afraid, be of one spirit, stand firm and as he does this he gives them a double assurance to the church. Firstly it is an assurance about those who oppose the church, the they will face divine judgment and secondly that their courage in the face of opposition is also a sign of their own salvation. Opposition for the faith is something that we should all expect, Jesus repeatedly told his disciples what to expect for following him, we will face opposition in this world as believers and the reason why is that as citizens of heaven we are not of this world. Jesus as much in John 15:18-20.


Why the church in Philippi faced opposition, why we face opposition, why those ministers have left the ministry it is because we are not of this world, we are citizens of heaven, we can be expected to be hated and for those who oppose the church sadly even those within it then they are showing that they will be destroyed. 2 Peter 3 helps us to understand what it means of the destruction that awaits those who oppose the gospel. Where it says in v7; But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 


The destruction that awaits all those who oppose the gospel throughout the ages is the pains of hell forever. But for those whom Paul wrote in Philippi as well as for us, while those who oppose the gospel face destruction we will be saved. What a wonderful hope that this is for the believer, no matter what we face in this life this is the only hell we will ever experience, this is as bad as it will ever be for us, we may face opposition, it may be hard, we may suffer but we will know that eternal salvation. For us we should be those who live lives worthy of the gospel, standing firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel as Paul has already said (v27).


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q95 To whom is Baptism to be administered?
A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible Church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible Church are to be baptized.
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