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Philippians
1:15-21; 15Some,
to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also
from good will; 16the
latter do
it
out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17the
former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure
motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18What
then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is
proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice. 19For
I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and
the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20according
to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in
anything, but that
with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body,
whether by life or by death.
21For
to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Paul
places his beloved Lord and Savior in the Place of Preeminence whether in
life or in death.
That is a challenge to our 21st Century Life-style.
A. The
Preeminence of Christ in His Call to Salvation
vs. 16 knowing
that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
Galatians
1:13-15a; 13For
you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to
persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; 14and
I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my
countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. 15But
when God, who had set me apart even
from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, . . .”
Acts
2:39, 40;
39“For
the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as
many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40And
with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them,
saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”
John
6:44
42They
were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and
mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of
heaven’?” 43Jesus
answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44“No
one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will
raise him up on the last day.
Should
God be speaking to you today, do not turn away, turn to Him and find life
as Paul found life in abundance.
B.
The Preeminence
of Christ in His Call to Service
Philippians
1:16 “
. . . knowing
that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; . . .”
1. His
Call to Preach;
Galatians 1:15,16a
15
But
when God, who had set me apart even
from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased 16to
reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles,
Paul
was told that he was chosen of God and would suffer in service.
2.
His Call to Serve;
Acts 13:1-3; 1Now
there were at Antioch, in the church that was there,
prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and
Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul. 2While
they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called
them.” 3Then,
when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent
them away.
C.
The
Preeminence
of Christ in His Call to Suffer
1. His Call
Acts
9:13-16; 13But
Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much
harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14and
here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your
name.” 15But
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