Sermon Tone Analysis

How do you respond to these promises of God?

How should a Christian respond?

Natural Response:

μᾶλλον = used to draw a comparison of what is to what really is happening.

Paul knows the Philippians think that his imprisonment is bad for the church, but Paul sees it differently.

This is our normal response to struggle.

We naturally look to circumstances in determining our emotional and mental responses in life.

Paul’s Response:

2 pieces of evidence leading Paul to this conclusion:

In Vs. 14 he mentions "most of the brothers" meaning some did not do this.

Every action we take as Christians flows from one of two foundational motives.

Love = doing what we do for the love of Christ and others.

Selfish Ambition = ultimate goal is self promotion or self benefit.

"afflict" = to move ahead in the comparison game...competition.

"sincerely" = a pretense of good motive

Why do you do what you do?

Learning to Respond like a Christian:

2 Steps:

Step 1 = Stop obsessing on how the struggle is affecting you and see how it is affecting the Kingdom of God.

Step 2 = Default in our responses to struggle to God's wisdom, power, and will.

Wisdom = God's ability to understand the circumstances, implications, and possibilities.

Power = God's ability to do the impossible or sustain us through the impossible struggle.

Will = God's will is what matters most.

Conclusion: "Most people are afraid of the unknown.

Those things we have never seen or experienced can seem overwhelming.

On the old maps, back before the world was understood in modern terms, cartographers, map makers, would put down what they knew, but at the edges of the map, beyond which they had no knowledge or understanding, they would often write, “Hic Sunt Dracones” = "here be dragons."

The idea of the unknown can be overwhelming, but the presence of God is comforting and reassuring.

Less than a week before Martin Burnham's abduction by Muslim guerrillas on the Philippine island of Palawan in May 2001, the New Tribes missionary gave the devotional at a Wednesday evening service at Rose Hill Bible Church in his small hometown outside Wichita, Kansas.

Some of Burnham's last words in the United States were also the last words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John, said Ralph Burnham, Martin's uncle, during yesterday morning's service at the church.

"His very last words were, 'Follow thou me,'" Ralph Burnham said, his voice choking up.

"Martin not only spoke of following him, but he took on that responsibility.

Of course, at that time neither he nor any of us expected how far he was going to be required to go to.

But he was willing to go." Martin Burnham, 42, kept that attitude throughout the 376 days he and his wife, Gracia, 43, were held captive by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

Just before a Philippine military raid on the kidnappers that led to Martin's death and Gracia's freedom, the two huddled together in a hammock under a makeshift tent.

"Martin and Gracia had really been thinking that there would be a chance that they would not make it out alive," said Martin's brother, Doug, relying on a phone conversation with Gracia.

"Martin said to Gracia, 'The Bible says to serve the Lord with gladness.

Let's go out all the way.

Let's serve him all the way with gladness.'"

The two then prayed in their hammock, recited Scripture verses to each other, and sang.

They laid down to rest.

Then the rescue assault began and bullets began to fly, puncturing Gracia's leg and Martin's chest.