If we’re right and they’re wrong, they’re in trouble.

Steve Brown:
If we’re right and they’re wrong, they’re in trouble. Let’s talk about it, on Key Life.

Matthew Porter:
That was Steve Brown. He doesn’t want to be your guru, and he’s not trying to be your mother. He just opens the Bible and gives you the simple truth that will make you free. Steve’s a lifelong broadcaster, author, seminary professor, and our teacher on Key Life.

Steve Brown:
Thank you Matthew. If you have your Bible, open it to the first chapter of the Book of Philippians, which is a part of our ongoing study in the Book of Philippians. I told you yesterday, and I would remind you again, that if you’ll go to our website, I sat down in front of this microphone and with Jeremy, our producer, we did the entire Book of Philippians reading it. And it can be helpful for your devotions. You might want to check it out and then come back to this broadcast as I, the tour director, point out some interesting things along the way. We’re looking at Philippians 1:27 through 30. And it is an amazing text, especially for our time. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I want to be careful that I don’t speak too soon and offend people. Sometimes I’m afraid of standing up and being counted for Christ. Sometimes because I don’t want to be thought of as a fanatic, I remain silent. And this text says, in the original Greek, don’t you dare shilly-shally. And so, that’s what we’re looking at now. We have seen that being a citizen of the kingdom has to do with security, that you’re his, he’ll hold you. Steadfastness and perseverance, the solidarity of citizenship. Stand as one man. But notice also the strength of citizenship, Philippians 1:28a.

Without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

We talked about it yesterday, but let me mention it again. It’s something to remember. When you’re afraid of something, do it anyway, because fear knocked at the door, and when faith answered, nobody was there. When I was a young man, I was working at a radio station in the mountains of North Carolina. This is years ago, WPNF, and I did a sock hop, and some of you have no idea what that is, but It was a time of dancing for teenagers, and I was the disc jockey who oversaw it. I also had my first car, an old Dodge that my father had bought me. And coming back from the radio station across the mountains to the home where I lived, I crashed that car. That’s that’s a long story, and I’m not going to take the time to tell you all of it, but I went off the side of a mountain, and the car was in bad shape, and I woke up some ten yards away from the car without a scratch. A number of people had gathered to see what had happened, and one guy jumped out of his car, got a flashlight, and went down and started looking around my car. And I decided that I’d help him try and find me. And so, we both looked for me. And I said, do you think anybody was hurt in this? And I, and he said, I don’t see how anybody could have lived through it. And then I laughed and I said, I’m the one. And he got angry and said, the people that were watching got laughing. And he didn’t think it was funny. He said that’s not the way to treat somebody who’s trying to help you. And he went back up the side of the mountain, got in his car and did a wheelie as he drove away. When my father came to get me, do you know what he had me do the next day? He knew that, I can kid about it now, but that was a pretty harrowing experience. It was difficult, and it was scary, and I was not big on driving again anytime soon. And my father made me get in his car and drive it. Now, he was bigger than I was, and so I did it, but I didn’t like it. But once I did it, my fear was gone. That’s true about life. That’s true about standing for Christ when you’d rather be silent. That’s true of letting your friends know the one to whom you belong. Sometimes that’s not very comfortable. But if you stand, Jesus says, I’ll stand with you. Because when fear knocks at the door, and faith answered, there’s no one there. Now, let me show you something else. I have you note not only the security, the steadfastness, the solidarity, and the strength of citizenship. Please note the statement of citizenship, Philippians 1:28b.

This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved, and that by God.

You get angry sometimes when you watch the news? Do you get upset and cuss and spit when you find out what they think about people who are believers? Do you sometimes find yourself burning up because you’re mad about what’s going on in our culture? Let me tell you something, that is not an appropriate response. The appropriate response is compassion, sadness, maybe even tears. You remember in the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus was looking over the city of Jerusalem, and there, how often he said, I would have gathered you as a mother hen would gather her chicks, and you would not. Jesus knew about their hatred of him. He knew what they were planning. He knew they misunderstood everything that he had taught and everything he was. And he had every reason to be angry. But Luke says that he wept. The appropriate response is that, the hope that we have is stable, and it means that in the end, God wins. It means that in the end, those who cannot name him will be in serious trouble. It means that everyone who attacks you as the anointed of God, and if you’re a Christian, that’s what you are. If anybody attacks you, that is really dumb. And they will pay for it, cause you’re a King’s kid. And so, the statement of citizenship, a sign that they will be destroyed, Paul says, But that you will be saved. During the Boxer Rebellion in China, the insurgents captured a mission station, and there were 99 Christians in the station. All the gates were closed except one, and a cross was placed across the gate. And as the residents came out of the gate, they were told to trample on the cross or to be shot to death there on the spot. The first seven who came out, scared to death, stepped on the cross and were allowed to go free. But the eighth, a student, and she was a young girl, instead bent down and kissed the cross. She was shot, but let me tell you something, there after 92 students remained fast. They were all killed that day without a single one trampling on the cross. The leader must have wondered if he had understood what just happened, he would have been very, very afraid. They were home. He was in trouble. And so, as we weather this particular cultural situation in which we find ourself, it’s difficult sometimes, and I know that. As we weather the situation in which we find ourselves, ask God to give you tears, ask God to give you compassion, ask God to give you mercy, ask God to give you love and he’ll do that because that is the only appropriate response to unbelievers who go after believers and hate us because we believe. And so, if you’re a citizen of the kingdom, if you’re saved and you know it, then your life should really show it by standing. You stand, he’ll stand with you, and they will see your tears, and that will be a cause to check out your Savior. Hey, you think about that. Amen.

Matthew Porter:
Thank you Steve Brown. If you’re just joining us, we are on a journey through the Book of Philippians. And this week, we are getting ready to land the plane in examining chapter 1 of said book. More good stuff tomorrow, hope you will join us for that. Hey, have you ever played the game Would You Rather? Well, here’s one. Would you rather visit the dentist or learn about theology? Now, I’m guessing theology wins here, but that is pretty close. But here’s something I just recently learned. Theology doesn’t have to be boring or irrelevant. I know because we recently spoke about theology with Jennifer and David McNutt on Steve Brown Etc. It was an eye opening show. In fact, we would love to send you that entire episode on CD for free. So, call us right now at 1-800-KEY-LIFE that’s 1-800-539-5433. You can also e-mail [email protected] to ask for that CD. Or to mail your request go to keylife.org/contact for our mailing addresses. Just ask for the free CD featuring Jennifer and David McNutt. And hey, before you go, if you’re blessed by the work of Key Life, would you help share that blessing with others through your financial support? Giving is easy. Just charge a gift on your credit card or include a gift in your envelope. Or you can now give safely and securely through text. Simply text Key Life to 28950. Key Life is a member of ECFA in the States and CCCC in Canada. And Key Life is a listener supported production of Key Life Network.