The Politics of Pilgrims | Part 1

As Christians in this world we are not strangers. We are pilgrims. Here's Adrian Rogers ball is aspiring from this role with cell's aspiration is Kevin, but there are others. In contrast, Google are interested in this world and is world affairs. So therefore what is the politics of the pilgrims, by the way, we are pilgrims not vagabonds were illustrated a vagabond has no stranger is away from all the pilgrims is where pilgrims what is the politics of the wealthy delivery finding as pastor, teacher and author Adrian Rogers reminded us as Christians our time on earth is time spent on our way home. The apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians from a prison in Rome. The city of great hostility toward believers. It was in this prison cell that he told the church of Philippi. Our citizenship is in heaven. It's in this book that he points out the politics of those once born in those twice born what's the difference if you have your Bible turn to Philippians chapter 3 will begin in verse 18. As Adrian Rogers explains the politics of pilgrims, I am coming to you tonight. Not as a pessimist not coming, they would bitterness I'm coming to you with the program that belongs to the saints of God. We need to refocus and realize that where children of another world. So I want to talk to about the politics of pilgrims. The politics of pilgrims beginning in chapter 3 verse 18 Paul says for many wall of whom I've told you often and now tell you even weeping. That is had a broken heart that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, who's in his destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things for our behavior, our conversation the Greek word bears the word we get our English word politics from our politics is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like of his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to him self. Now Paul wrote this from Rome and prison. He was in a prison. Many scholars think and I agree, not that I'm a scholar but that he was in a prison called the Mama came prison.

I have visited that prison is across from Roman form. If you ever go to Rome.

It's a hole in the ground really where the apostle Paul was That many believe it was from. There are prisonlike that that he wrote this book of Philippians and around him was Rome wrong with this politics in Rome was a city of gross immorality. Rome was a city of great hostility toward the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a city ripe with paganism and who was the leader who was the national leader's name was Nero. He was the epitome of evil and the Christians.

When Paul wrote this letter had no political power, they didn't have any citizens in the Roman Senate, they have no political lobby working Rome. So Paul says look our citizenship is in heaven now what is going to do. He's going to point out the politics of those once born, and the politics of those twice: he's going to make a contrast.

First of all I want you to notice the contrast in antagonisms for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies, enemies of the cross of Christ.

Now we are enemies of an unseen spiritual world ruled over by Satan, but as another world and we may as well face it, they are enemies absolute enemies of the cross of Christ. Now they may not even think damage but Jesus said he is not with me is against me. He who gathers not with me scatters abroad the preaching of the cross of Jesus Christ to most of the people in this world is foolishness.

That's what the Bible says the preaching of the cross is to them. The parish foolishness. You might as well expect your dog to enjoy opera as they expect them to understand the message of the preaching recross, apart from a divine revelation. So put it down with a contrast. First of all there antagonisms that enemies number two their appetites look in verse 19 whose end is destruction, whose God is there belly was mean by that. That's a euphemistic way of saying that their sensual broadness, alcohol, sensuality, they glory in these things, notice what it says here and in verse 19, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is that Shane what this world glories and they ought to hang the head, but we have generation today that cannot blush salmon that used to slink down back, Alex mouse struts down main streets and they they are proud of their perversion.

Paul says there there glory is the shame so you see the antagonisms you see the appetites you see their affections notice their affections. The Bible says, who mind earthly things. That's where the mind is a mind earthly things. Many people who have enabled church roles are really just practical atheists may not think about this we bind by their concern is for the well the nasty Nana and even many Christians who want America turned back one America turned back so they won't lose their creature comfort and so Paul is getting a contrast now is he writing from prison. He talks about there antagonisms he talks about the appetites he talks about their affections, and he talks about their allegiance notice in verse 20 pulses from politics are in heaven, from which we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now there were those in Paul's day, who said Caesar is Lord Kaiser curios but Kristin said no, Jesus is Lord we have a different Lord. He is our King. He is our Savior. He is King forever. We did vote him in and we won't vote him out in our allegiance will not belong to Caesar. Ali just belongs to Jesus Christ. We will render to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar, but we will certainly not render to Caesar the things that belong to God.

I notice also not only their allegiance but notice their aspirations in verse 21, Paul is aspiring for heaven. He's looking forward to a day-based looking for that when Jesus comes into change our vile body, that might be fashioned like of his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things on himself and just_if you have your Bible he is able.

Don't you worry friend is no panic in heaven, the holy Trinity is not met in emergency session I can guarantee that Paul is aspiring from this out from this Roman cell's aspiration is heaven, but there are others. In contrast who are interested in this world and this world's affairs. So therefore what is the politic of the Pilgrim by the way, we are pilgrims were not vagabonds were not strangers. A vagabond has no home stranger is away from home. The Pilgrim is hitting home where pilgrims what is the politic of a Pilgrim number one, we must always remember our mandate. We must have the right mandate. Don't add a chapter for if you will, and look in verse three he says I'm treat the also true young fellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel now.

I have to be careful when you had be careful that we failed understand we failed. Remember that our mandate is the gospel is primarily doctrinal, primarily spiritual, not political. The mandate of this church is still the great commission preaching the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to do anything else that runs around the gospel would be like trying to mop up a floor with water on it while the faucet is still running and the site is still overflowing. We have to preach the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And we have to begin at the house of God and the people of God were concerned about putting prayer back in the schools.

I think we need to get a little more concerned about putting prayer back in the church and back in our home, our mandate is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I say that to say this. It's so easy to get skewed.

I came to this church. I told the deacons I said my ministry will be gospel ministry. I will pay my respects to communism. I'm opposed to communism. I will preach against racism I'm opposed to racism. I will preach against alcohol, liquor, pornography, and all of those things but I refuse to be moved away from preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and I want to be thought of as a gospel preacher. I read something that that that bothered me a little bit there was a woman who was a news reporter and she had found 40 preachers 40 ministers who were active in the political arena and so she interviewed him for a story that she was doing at the close of that interview. She spoke with one man and he asked her did any of the 40 that you interview share the gospel with no she said, what is the gospel. She had no idea what the gospel was and she had been interviewed by 40 ministers, preachers who failed understand what Paul knew that our ministry is the gospel of Jesus Christ and may this church never forget it. Now we're gonna have the right mandate of the right message.

Secondly, we're going to have the right method look in chapter 4 and verse 13. If you will hear the same chapter he says I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

What we do we not going to do primarily with political power. I am not against political power will talk about that a little bit but friend. If we substitute political power for our inherent power as Christians and believers in Christ we have made a tragic mistake. The apostle Paul says for the weapons of our warfare state. We have a different welfare, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal that is fleshly but through God to the pulling down of strongholds we have to understand that our ally is the Holy Spirit, our source of supply is Almighty God, our commander-in-chief is Jesus Christ our battle ax is the word of God and we have to remember that you see we have incredible power but that incredible powers Holy Spirit power were trying to do everything and the devil laughs and he sneers any marks and he says you can have your balance. You can have your marches you can have your slogans. You can have your organizations.

You can even have your church you can have your Sunday school. You can have your deacons. You can have your pastor, you can have your organization, you can have your buildings as long as you leave out the power of all mighty God they come through fasting and prayer Satan laughs our schemes. He mocks our organizations. He sneers at our abilities, but he fears the power God think of what we have in America today we have churches in every hamlet, every corner we have out there and in place where everything that we except for one thing and that is the power of Almighty God. I think it is time that the church drops the H all, which is the Holy Spirit, our secret weapon, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Now I'm moving toward something we have the right mandate in message that's the politics of pilgrims we have the right method and energy that is the power of the Holy Spirit. We then finally we need the right mind set.

Look in chapter 4 now and the beginning it if you will.

And in verse four rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Paul is writing from prison. Precious friend, rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known and all man the Lord is at hand needed me. Jesus is coming soon is, perhaps, but that's not what he meant he meant God with me in the cell. He's at hand.

The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing, don't worry about anything, don't go around wringing your hands.

Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus is so easy for us to go around with headline hysteria is so easy for us to lose our peace to lose our joy to begin the griping carpenter be better about what people are doing what they're not doing about those centers bring them a day something you want centers do they sin you might as well get used to it. I mean that's that's what they do best centers to try to change it without getting him save me like frontage. Billy goes not to but and and that we we get our eyes upon these people up on the sins of those for whom Jesus died, rather than upon the Lord Jesus Christ and failed to rejoice in the Lord. I have made some observations and I've made some resolution that I want to share them with you. Number one I will not display. I will not verse four. I will rejoice in the Lord you will read the New Testament and you will find out there is not a negative note. Not one negative note in the New Testament after the resurrection of Jesus Christ you think about why should you be negative news. I will look at all the problems America had friend the one who wrote this book of Philippians had a political situation that was 10�10 worse than our political situation.

There was human sacrifice, gladiators dying on the gospel of Jesus Christ was despised, Christians were on the lowest rung of the ladder is what we need to understand. It may be possible for some earthly kingdom like Rome are the good US of a that we love so much to be in decline in God's kingdom be doing quite well. I will give an example that in China in red China for the past 30 years in red China there has been vicious vicious repression and persecution and yet the church in China has grown exponentially. Millions and millions of come to Christ in a bad political situation. My brother have a good politics and the bad politics. I'll be honest with you, but that does not mean they are not enough demons in hell are out of help to stop the spirit filled church of God from spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I hope you believe that command without a theological education would be reading the book of Revelation and a friend was rather sophisticated and erudite looked at him and said what he freaking set. I'm reading a book about Revelation he said you might as well stop reading that book you will have the training you don't have the understanding that understand that book always said I understand he said it all you do. He said then explained it to me. He said we win folks we when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and you can bank on my made up my mind I will not despair number two I made up my mind I will not be intimidated. Notice chapter 4 verse one. Therefore, my dearly beloved and long for my joy and crown, so stand fast in the war. Stand fast.

Now I'm going to stand fast bill. I'm encouraged because folks were in the minority, and that's where we belong. That's where we belong back in 1979 when I was first elected president of Southern Baptist convention. Jerry Falwell got something started: Moral Majority friend know it's not the Moral Majority is the Masters minority.

We are called the little flock there is a Broadway. There is the narrow way. There are many day of the few we are not of the many. We're up with you. Don't get discouraged that we are not a part of the many.

If we were part of the many to be something wrong with us, where it isn't, but folks we need to understand where we are who we are. We are not the great majority we are those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. John 15 verse 18 Jesus said of the world hate you. You know that it first aided me before they do.

Jesus said the servant is not better than his master. I'm telling you, I will not despair.

Number two I will not be intimidated. Number three. I will not be better looking you in chapter 4 and verse eight finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, say on these things now folks, you can put your mind wherever you want. You can be reading the newspaper and put your head between your knees and saying, look how terrible it is. Are you can read the word of God. You can find out what our blessings are in Christ and I'm not talking about the painting clouds with sunshine and spring lavender all over. I'm just talking about understanding what the Bible says and we don't have to be bitter you feel at that the, hostility, rise, opinion friend limitations something some politician is not the enemy. All :-) the devil would love to get us to try to make enemies out of those people.

They are not the enemy. The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 12 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in spiritual wickedness in high places.

Those people ought to be the object of our compassion if they don't know Jesus there blind and stumbling on the way to hell. Whatever skull the blind man for mainline and not see that out to be more the object of our pity more the object of our prayer, less the object of our in the cause of our bitterness. The Bible says the wrath of man does not work righteousness of God. I will not be. It's a powerful reminder. Especially in these days the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God will continue with part two of this important message coming up on Monday. In the meantime if you have questions about who Jesus is what he means to you how to fully follow him with all of your heart, go to where it discovered Jesus page@lwf.org/radio to find resources.

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Call us at 1877 love God mentioned the title the politics of pilgrims when you get in touch. This message is also part of the powerful series. Whatever happened to the American dream for the complete collection all seven insightful messages: number 1877 love God or go online to order@lwf.org/radio or you can write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 thanks for joining us for this insightful message today in these tense times where politics seem to saturate every news outlet in conversation.

Remember Philippians 48 and well on whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure love of good report of any virtue or any praise. See what a difference it makes your life and be sure to join us next time. For more profound truth in love. He doesn't love you because your valuable your valuable because he loves profound truth.

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