The Phil Files

Last Updated: 8.8.08

For Sunday 9.07.08

DAYBREAK

We would use the Rob drama piece possibly, worked in with the Ralph Martin Quote (see digging deeper below). In addition, we would cover the first two teaching threads below, leaving the final one to be the focus at SUNDOWN. That means communion would focus on the persecuted church and would share several of the same pieces in common with REFRESH. The communion devotional leader would be prepped to have this focus.

My sermon would be very similar to the Sermon Kernel at the bottom of this page.

REFRESH

Rob Marcelain Scripture piece done dramatically with the narrator injecting in the quotes from Ralp Martin. This and communion and crucial pieces if the Time in the Word is to be 7 minutes!

Communion focus on the persecuted church and our solidarity with those hundreds of thousands being persecuted for the cause of Christ. The short article and Gary’s email mentioned below would be shared and we would need to find a way to do communion and prompt prayer for specific areas of persecution. The logistics of this need to be ironed out. This might be good to be last or very early and use to set our focus or finish our focus of the assembly.

Possible video related to the this theme, either on the Persecuted Church or something related.

Time in the Word would be focused on the base kernel of Phil’s outline below.

SUNDOWN

Focus for this service is on thread #3, God’s message about Jesus cannot be chained. The worship service would end on specific mission areas to pray for with cards to take home and be prayer reminders. The emphasis would be on the triumph of the Gospel over every barrier using Paul’s conversion of those in the Praetorian guard and themes from the book of Acts for the message.

Digging Deeper (Focus Passages, Core Teaching Threads, Ideas, Sermon Kernel)

Focus Passages: (Col. 1:1-2, 13-14, 24-29; 4:2-6, 18; cf. Eph. 6:10-20, 18-20; Phili. 1:12-14, 19-21; 4:21-23; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; 11:23-27)

Paul was behind enemy lines in his work of sharing the good news of Jesus and starting communities of believers in places that were hostile to God’s values and to faith. Paul suffered for what he did, but he was sold out because he was called by God to this ministry. That being said, he was teaching the principle of “subversive goodness” to these new followers of Jesus and asking for them to pray for him as he lived that principle while chained to a Roman soldier. This is powerful stuff, and a call to our slumbering folks who are willfully ignorant of their suffering family throughout the world and who are not willing to risk for their faith. But this is also exciting and challenging, because it is a call to real faith that takes risks and lives boldly.

Core Teaching Threads

1. We are at war with forces we can’t see, that use places of power that we can see. Our goal is not necessarily to topple these structures because Satan will build more. But our focus is on being God’s Kingdom in the face of the war! Paul’s sense of mission (1:1, 24-29) should inspire our sense of mission (1:2; 42-6). As agents of “subversive goodness” or using the language of MSG, we are on “special assignment” (Col. 1:1).
2. When we take the Supper, we do it with all those who are believers who gather at the Table around the world. We can use this time to pray for them and their proclamation of the good news of Jesus and their courage as they face persecution and opposition (Col 4:2-4; Eph 6:19-20).
3. God’s Message of Jesus cannot be chained. Even though Paul could be held hostage and chained to a Roman soldier under house arrest, the message of Jesus was empowered and found places and people that it could not have reached without opposition and persecution (Col 1:24-29; Phil 1:12-14; 2 Tim 2:8-13).

Ideas

The Lord’s Supper remembering the persecuted church

Gary’s letter of warning about traveling to China: Stolen computer and martyred house church leaders!
Testimony about Bible League person in China

Rob Marcelain — Dramatic Reading Piece

*A: Narrator

“Paul now takes the stylus from the hand of the scribe who … has been wielding it, and he appends his own signature. It is a mark of authenticity and a final appeal to heed his teaching.”

Rob: Philemon 1:1a; Ephesians 6:18-20;

*B: Narrator
“The recall of his chains is no piece of sentiment and dramatics. Paul holds up his manacled wrists to impress the readers with his authority as a suffering apostle. Not pathos but authority is the sign he points to by his chains …”

Rob: Philippians 1:12-14, 19-21;

*C: Narrator
“Yet the last word is spoken with tender tones of grace, with which the epistle opened and by which the church at Colossae – or wherever, in an all ages – lives.”

Rob: Philippians 4:21-23; Col. 4:18a; Eph. 6:30b

* Ralph P. Martin, Interpretation Commentary, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon

Possible Video from The Persecuted Church and links on our site to read more would be made available.

A powerful image to think about here involves servicemen returning to the war zone or coming home to families: how gripping and emotional this is. We have hundreds of thousands of brothers in sisters in even more vulnerable and dangerous positions sharing Jesus! What can we do to support them like we support our guys from Dyess through Bridges?

Sermon Kernel

[Tim, Army Ranger behind enemy lines to missionary in the heart of the Amazon]

Sharing the good news of Jesus can be brutal, but Paul knew all about that:
a. Refer to Rob’s piece
b. Refer to 2 Cor 11:23 (maybe use a slide to list all he had gone through)

But Paul was not trying to be heroic, just faithful to his call … and he knew what that might mean:
a. Col 1:1 MSG cf. Acts 28:30-31
b. Paul’s call in Acts 9, 22, 26 (not included at REFRESH - just referred to)
c. 1 Tim 4:12?

You see, Paul knew he was at war: not with people, but the powers behind them
a. Eph 6:10-12 (glancing reference since used recently)
b. 2 Cor 10:3-5 powerful passage

He wants us to know that we are on a “spiritual assignment” as well Col 1:2
a. His task 1:24-29
b. Our task 4:2-6 [Heartlight's part in getting Christians released in Cambodia]

Monday, we will discuss my weekly article in Heartlight called “Church?” and talk about the whole issue of “church.” Essential to that discussion are the “one another” passages of the New Testament. I wanted to put those here on the blog so we all could have access to them, but also so that we could begin thinking through what implications these message have on the way we live our lives in community — whether we call that community “church” or not. (These come from searching “one another” and “each other” in the NASB and the NIV — the links are to the searchgodsword.org interlinear of NASB and Greek.

Mark 9:50 “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

John 13:14 “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”

John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

John 13:35 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 15:12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:17 “This is my command: Love each other.”

Acts 20:5-6 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another with mutual affection. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another.

Romans 13:8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another…

Romans 15:5-6 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Romans 15:14 I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss…

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 11:33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for each other.

1 Corinthians 12:24-25 But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

1 Corinthians 16:20 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

2 Corinthians 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

Galatians 5:13 But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Galatians 5:15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Galatians 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs…

Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another…

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now about your mutual love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:13 … Live in peace with each other.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you,e brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.

James 4:11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another…

James 5:9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged …

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…

1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

1 John 3:11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

1John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God …

1 John 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

2 John 1:5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the begin ning. I ask that we love one another.

So what’s your take on all of this as it compares to the way we practice or do not practice “soul care” and community in the modern church?

“I only appear to be dead.”

Today is the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen — you already know that if you are a fan of The Writer’s Almanac from which this thought comes. Having lived a hard life, losing his father at only 11 years of age, Andersen had some unusual quirks that made his short stories and fairy tales interesting. They also made for some interesting twists in his life.

One of the quirky twists involved Andersen’s fear of being buried alive. To settle his nerves and reassure himself in the face of his fears, he left a note beside his bed each evening that read, “I only appear to be dead.”

As I looked over the responses to my last two posts, and as I wrestled with the harsh difficulties of some of my friends to whom I have tried to minister, I realized how deep the hurt and how grievous the wounds of many ordinary people. Now I know some of you are thinking, “There is no such thing as an ordinary person. We are all special in God’s sight! Jesus died for ALL of us and EACH of us at the same time.”

Who can quarrel with such a statement? So then, how to do explain to ordinary folks who are broken why they are neglected in their hurt, forgotten with their wounds, and even avoided because of their brokenness? They don’t feel like the extraordinary person who has fallen from grace in a public way. so why should they be shunned? They don’t feel weird or out of the ordinary, so why should their struggles be somehow more odd than others.? My only answer is that God’s people, the folks who are called to be living the good news of the Kingdom, only appear to be dead. We’re not dead, we’re just sleeping.

An old line from Graham Green’s challenging little novel called The Power and The Glory comes to mind at a time like this: “The church sat there like a block of ice melting away in the heat.”

Some of the criticisms pointed at Jesus’ followers are overly harsh and unfair. Even Jesus himself acknowledged that only 1 out of 4 seeds would be focused and fruitful. The Lord said that in the fields where God’s good seed grows there are also those who look the part, but are really only weeds. Our Savior reminded his closest friends that while he cast his net of grace wide and far, that net came back with some fish that needed to be thrown back because they were false. (See each of these stories in Matthew 13). So we should not be surprised when we face — and sometimes when we are reason for — the criticism of those who see our imperfections and contradictions.

However, if we were not the habitat of hypocrites, where could flawed people go? If we didn’t have folks who were weak and sometimes slipped back into their old and broken ways, where could broken people find companionship for the journey of transformation?

Seems to be the test is pretty simple. Do we love God and love people? If we love God, we are dissatisfied with our lack of our own progress and turn with renewed commitment to Jesus for grace AND power. Transformation doesn’t happen without both. In addition, we love others. So we do not pretend to them that we are something that we are not — we are honest about ourselves and our struggles — and we invite them to share our journey. Redemption in real life doesn’t happen for us or others if we do not.

Sounds so simple. Unfortunately, it seems, we fall asleep. So maybe we need to add a line to Andersen’s adapted statement: “We only appear to be dead. So please pray that the Holy Spirit will rouse us to live with the heart of Jesus.”

No wonder the apostle Paul reminded church folks a long time ago about the words of one of their hyms:

Wake up, you who are sleeping! Rise from death, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14)

You’ve probably heard of the old TV show Let’s Make a Deal and the new, Howie Mandel and banker driven Deal or No Deal. You may have even heard the often overused expression in sports, “the real deal.” But I want us to think for a minute about the Jesus Deal.

I find it heartbreaking that Jesus — who was beloved by non-religious folks and often in trouble with the religious ones –  gets buried underneath all our religious stuff. I guess I was convicted recently in listening to a friend speak. I didn’t exactly agree with a tiny part of what he was saying, but the heart and the passion underneath it all really convicted me — even the part he said about church that made me a little uncomfortable. One statement, however, really tore open the rusty-hinged door to my own heart’s passion: “If we are not sharing the gospel in our preaching or our teaching here, come get in our face about it.”

Yeah, that’s the Jesus deal. We’ve got to be all about sharing the message of God’s good headlines about the Jesus and the lifestyle of people whose hearts are captivated by Him.

Folks can be pretty turned off about the word “church” or us referring to church. I know, because I live in a place that is supposed to be this great religious mecca, but in fact, it is full of people who are quite turned off by the church deal. This is not so much because church is a bad idea, but because we’ve kinda forgotten what church is and buried Jesus under our religious stuff that’s covered up what it is supposed to be.

In the Bible the word “church” simply means a gathering of folks — it’s not even a particularly religious word. But when the folks getting together were people who followed Jesus, it was real church: a gathering of people whose hearts were captivated by Jesus. Yet I find so much of what we talk about, teach about, preach about, is never filtered through the Jesus deal.

I’m not so sure we check out what Jesus said or what He did or how He treated people to see if the stuff we are saying in church fits with the Jesus deal. We just see if … 1) we agree … 2) if it agrees with what we’ve heard before … 3) and if it fits our bend and color on the Christian rainbow. I wonder how much would change if we simply would ask the question: “Okay, based on how Jesus treated people and what He said, does what we are saying really fit?”

When Paul gave his famous memory verse on the Scripture being “inspired” and all, he pretty much tells us that Scripture helps us find deliverance from all our crud (”salvation”) if we run it through the Jesus deal — “the sacred writings that are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). John starts his message about Jesus by saying Jesus is God’s Message (John 1:1-18) — not part of it, but the whole of it. The unknown author of Hebrews, led the Spirit, said that Jesus is God’s complete message for these last times (Hebrews 1:1-3). So why don’t we listen to Jesus, just like God told Peter, James, and John to do on the mountain? (See Matthew 17:1-5!)

As I visited the other day with a friend who has struggled with what the Bible teaches on a certain subject — and trying to come to a clear decision about the subject  because her life was once blown apart by her own sinful choices — I challenged her to call her spiritual problems by the name of a different sin and then go read the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and decide what Jesus would say to her. She had gotten so hung up in the two thousand years of debate about her issue, that she had forgotten to look at the real issue: what Jesus taught and demonstrated about God’s grace, forgiveness, and cleansing. All I was asking her to do was quit focusing on the legalistic technicalities of an issue that religious leaders have fought about since before Jesus was born. Instead, I urged her to listen to the Jesus deal. Her answer became a whole lot clearer!

So with the help of the Holy Spirit, I’m going to do my best to make sure when I speak, the Gospel is there. I want my teaching to pass through the Jesus filter and folks to know that when I speak, they’re hearing the Jesus deal and not just some dry, academic dissection of a religious argument. That doesn’t mean I don’t study, or get sloppy, or resort to slogans. But it does mean I’ve got to go back to original, deepest convictions about my ministry: I’ve put here to call people back to knowing Jesus. He’s the real deal or there is no deal … at least not a deal worth taking.