November 23rd, 2003, Sunday Morning
      Thanksgiving Week

      "I Know"
      Confidence in Christ: a "Who you know--not what you know" concept

      OPENING: 2 Timothy 1:8-12
      		 Thanksgiving Week 2003
    • The world has experienced events in the last couple of years that appear to be spiritually discouraging and would test our Christian faith:

      • December 10, 2002, WorldNetDaily.com: Ban on Christmas leads to court fight

        • New York City school officials ban the Christmas Nativity scene while the posting symbols such as the Menorah and Islamic Star are encouraged
        • The school's argues religious neutrality by allowing the displaying of "secular holiday symbols", according to the rules handbooks
        • END RESULT: Most important (Christian) holiday of the entire world erased from education

      • June 26, 2003, FOXNews.com: Texas Supreme Court overturns Texas gay sex ban in 6-3 ruling

        • Justice Anthony M. Kennedy essentially remarks that it's not the court's duty to uphold morality but rather preserve the right of the individual ("liberty")
        • Judges 17:6: By saying this, he (unwittingly) validates the Biblical verse that says that without strong leadership, man does what he thinks is right--not what's lawfully or spiritually right ("In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.")
        • END RESULT: Homosexuality, itself, is acknowledged

      • November 18th, 2003, Massachusetts Supreme Court homepage: Homosexual marriage is now lawfully recognized in a 4-3 ruling

        • STORY QUOTE: "the court observed that the Massachusetts Constitution affirms the dignity and equality of all individuals"
        • Sound familiar? Once again, this is about protecting the rights and entitlements of today's individual with yesteryear's established moral code disregarded
        • END RESULT: Homosexuality, now acknowledged, is beginning to be integrated into social acceptance (which eventually leads into the rights, privileges and entitlements of heterosexuals--i.e., job, medical, welfare, etc.)

      • And while the purport has been made and challenged about our founding fathers specifically citing the Constitution and fountain of the United States on a Christian premise, it cannot be argued that John Adams, 2nd U.S. president, said, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other." (pulled from the U. of California, Santa Barbara website)

        • Which draws the conclusion that the Constitution of the United States is:
        • Not meant for people who do and think everything that is right in their own eyes
        • Susceptible to being abolished from the United States (nothing is impossible) because it's not suitable for such an immorally-growing land

    • OUR CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST SHOULD MIRROR THAT OF PAUL'S--ONE OF GOD'S MESSENGERS

        #1/2: 2 Timothy 1:12: BE NOT ASHAMED OF CHRIST--in your home, at your job, at the restaurant, in school--public places where you're alone and don't have the safety/comfort of the pastor or church walls to protect you

        • Today, when Jesus' name comes up in a conversation, people have the tendency to become quiet, back down and/or walk away

        • KEY: Paul is not ashamed because his relationship/love is not with a Bible or hymn book--it's with the living, breathing true God of this universe--a person just as human as you and I

        • The courage lies not in having memorized the Bible, having 100% church attendance or in the religious clothes you may wear; it lies in your faith/belief system; do you truly believe:

          • Jesus Christ really the Son of God? (Notice even devils acknowledge this in Matthew 8:29)
          • The King of Kings? (Revelation 9:16)
          • That Jesus--right now--sits at the right hand of the Father?
          • That He is returning in glory for us someday (the Rapture)? (1 Thessolonians 4:16)

        #2/2: 2 Timothy 1:12: BE CONVINCED--that Christ can save your soul and provide you the escape to all of life's problems so you would implicitly trust Him to guide your life

        • God knows the human trust factor isn't instant--that it first requires some trial-and-error testing; similar to experiencing walking on solid ice, first you look then you touch then you crawl, then slowly stand to both feet and ultimately walk with full faith the ice will support you

        • The same with Christ: it takes time--maybe even months for a newly saved person to become 100% trusting of their daily life to Christ; for some it takes years and some who have been saved for years--even pastors and priests--yet don't fully trust and rely on Christ

        • The Old Testament sites many examples of those whom God provided a way out because of their complete trust and faith in Him:

          • Genesis 37:3 - 47:12: Joseph, favorite son of Israel (formerly Jacob--as in Abraham-Isaac-Jacob), was hated sold by his brethren to Egypt; maintaining his obedience to the Lord even as a prisoner to a people that hated him, God rewarded Joseph's patience for trusting Him by making him the #2 ruler over all Egypt, next to Pharoah, and subsequently was able to bring his poor family to Egypt so they'd all be well taken care of, as well

            • (Incidentally, Joseph thought only of forgiveness for all his brothers who betrayed him and had him sold as a slave to Egypt--a lesson this world would do well to learn)

          • Daniel 3:10-30: King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon threw Jews Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, into a fiery furnace for not honoring his decree to worship a golden calf idol; When the king saw they were not only safe but their clothes didn't even smell of smoke, the king not only rescinded his idol-worship decree but promoted the three Jews

          • Daniel 6:7-24: This abandon-your-God degree was attempted again when Daniel was thrown into the Lion's Den by King Darius because Daniel refused to obey the law that commanded you not petition your God for help but only the king, for 30 days; In the end, Daniel lived, was brought out of the den (and his accusers and their families thrown in and eaten)

          • 1 Samuel 17:23-51: David, a meek shepherd's boy used God's earthly tools (sling and stones) to defeat a larger, more powerful foe whom the entire Israeli army fled from; By trusting in God, David saved himself, Israel and was well rewarded (and later became King David)

        • Hebrews 11:1: Being convinced is having the faith to believe in that which (or in this context, Who) is unseen:

          • Romans 4:20-21: It's believing (without a shred of doubt) not only God is capable but that He does what He promises

    • NO INDIVIDUAL/GROUP IN THIS WORLD HAS THE POWER TO REVERSE GLOBAL CHANGE FOR THE WORSE--FROM PASTORS TO PAST PRESIDENTS; WHAT'S OUR ASSURANCE GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THE WORLD AND OUR LIFE'S DESTINY?

      • Psalm 33:10-11: God created and maintains balance in the universe so it can be concluded that He is also able to control what events in the world are and aren't allowed to come to pass; This means whatever happened in the world today was allowed by God to happen--otherwise it wouldn't have happened

      • 2 Timothy 1:12: Paul, a role model for today's Christians, is confident in facing and surviving a hostile/cruel world because:

        • He is not ashamed of publicly acknowledging God and His Son Jesus Christ

        • Paul claims it's not WHAT he believes (the Bible) but in WHOM he believes (God) that gives him the confidence the world cannot hurt him

          • (Romans 8:31: "If God be for us, who can be against us?")

        • Paul makes it clear he is convinced ("persuaded") that God will (not "can") protect him

      • In the United States, proclaiming Christ normally results in rarely more than criticism and unkind words--and that's enough to make some quit the first time; but Paul endured physical harm--almost to death--many times over and yet he would not quit

        • 2 Timothy 1:12: "For the which cause I also suffer these things"
        • 2 Corinthians 11:24-27: Paul was afflicted by not only people (including his own--the Jews) but by the elements

          • The Jews publicly whipped him 39 times
          • Three times beaten with rods, stoned almost to death, suffered shipwreck three times
          • Sailed in hostile waters, walked amongst robbers, the heathen, false friends, the wilderness
          • Was weary, in pain, went hungry and thirsty, was cold and sometimes naked

          • 2 Corinthians 11:28: and in all that, his daily concern was not his personal troubles but the church!

      • Paul teaches his student and successor, Timothy, that the whole world despised him solely because of his love, obedience and public teachings of the Gospel

        • Paul--and Christians, globally--are hated by the world because we stand for the truth passionately but Biblically (which the world interprets as "intolerance," "bigotry," "hateful," etc.) and we all will consequently suffer for this at one time or another

          • John 15:18: Jesus said, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

          • Philippians 1:29: Paul and Timothy's letter to the Philippi church: "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake"

          • 2 Thessalonians 1:4: And again in their letter to the church in Thessalonica: "...persecutions and tribulations that ye endure"--not "persecutions and tribulations ye might have endured."

            • Jesus affirms this in Matthew 5:12 that no prophet/messenger of God ever went without trials and tribulations

          • Matthew 5:11-12: However, this warning of persecution is not meant to scare but motivate you because Jesus said you should rejoice and be very glad at these moments because you not only receive a blessing from God but your reward in Heaven is increased

        • Philippians 3:8: And yet people's definition of "persecution" is subjective; Here, Paul and Timothy count 100% loss of their earthly goods as "dung" as long as they have Christ in them

    • NOW WITH CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST AND TRUSTING HIM TO HANDLE WORLD EVENTS AND YOUR LIFE, WHAT IS THE PROPER RESPONSE?

      • Paul's response to those who were not interested or even did their best to prevent him from teaching was to never respond negatively or hurtfully about them

      • Matthew 10:14: Jesus' response to dealing with those who will not listen: simply leave their house and move on--no further action and certainly no negative/hurtful reply

      • James 2:17: If you're a believer (saved) and you love God and your neighbor, prove it--otherwise it's "all talk"

      • 1 Peter 3:15: Always prepare yourself to face opposition in this globally changing culture; One example of preparation: always be ready to give any man an answer as to why you have hope for this bleak future and what joy/victory awaits the saved in the end

    • HOW LONG MUST WE ENDURE?

      • Matthew 24:42 and Revelation 3:3: Until Jesus' return for us and even Jesus, Himself, doesn't know the appointed date and time God has pre-determined to come back for us

      • People who don't have the patience to wait and endure trials/tribulations and flee the first time they encounter failure is the reason they don't see God working in their life; people don't stick around to watch and learn God do great things in order to ultimately trust Him

    • John 3:16 and 1 Peter 3:18: The world may look away, change its rules/policies and re-write the history books but it doesn't change the FACT that Jesus Christ proved himself by dying for our sins and being resurrected three days later

    • SERMON KEY: This is all about a relationship with a person (God) and it doesn't require a higher education, special works (like the Catholics' "seven sacraments"), being a regular church attendee (although that is a good thing) or being a "Jehovah's witness," going door-to-door, convincing everyone on your block to turn to Christ

      • It's simply a relationship and anyone of any intelligence has the knowledge to make it grow stronger and deeper

    • Why do so many other countries in the world frown upon and hate the United States? It may not be because of jealously of our freedom

      • Look at the degrading level of conversation, demeanor and respect of elementary and high school students today:

        • The way they talk in public and at malls
        • The way they disrespect (and in some cases murder) their parents (predicted by Jesus in Luke 12:53)
        • The way students murder other students in broad daylight at school

      • Look at the quality of violent and sexually-filled movies are being released by Hollywood today--teaching that victory is won through having the slickest one-liners, being the strongest, destroying all opposition and in some cases, sleeping with the girl(s)

        • October 3, 2003: The FCC allows use of the "F-word" in local television as long as the context isn't sexual

          • Pulled from "http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2003/DA-03-3045A1.html": Click here for the ruling
          • Click here to react to the FCC, directly

      • Matthew 11:24: The Bible teaches the opposite: victory and wisdom is for the weak and simple-minded and not the strong and prideful

        • (Reference June 4, 2000 sermon, "God's Toolbox": God would rather use weak, meek, world-hated tools like you and I instead of strong leaders and wise scientists)



      CLOSER
    • 2 Timothy 4:7-8: Because Paul didn't quit and declared he was convinced of his trust in God and nothing on paper or written in law, he not only saw God do great things multiple times but said from the heart at his death, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

    • Part of learning to trust God is to reflect on the testimonies of God's hand upon others; part of our motivation should come from remembering the above accounts of Paul and Timothy, Daniel, Joseph and king David

    • TESTIMONY of an individual taking a moral stand today in light of such world-changing events (someone has to start)

      • REFERENCE: September 19, 2003, Chicago Tribune: Indiana professor's blog raises academic freedom issues

      • CONTROVERSY: Indiana U. business school professor Eric Rasmusen has posted a blog ("web log") as to why he believes homosexuals shouldn't be in teaching/leadership positions and further questions whether they are even "moral exemplars"

      • This is an example of an individual, outside of the safety/comfort of church walls, taking a stand against the world and the world is certainly against him as no reports of supports enter the scene

        • (ASIDE: This is one reason Christianity is growing so cold in the world today: few-to-nil want to be that person to take a stand because of the severe backlash and hurt they know they will reap)

      • Response has been overwhelming negative: staff, faculty and students label his remarks as "shameful, disrespectful, deeply offensive, very harmful stereotyping"

      • OXYMORONIC OBSERVATION: Chancellor Sharon S. Brehm argued Rasmusen's speech as "incompatible with the university's commitment to inclusion and respect for diversity" when Rasmusen's remarks qualify for protection under such a commitment--not to mention his remarks are protected by the University's handbook

      • Notice in this story that once again, the "man does what is right in his own eyes" from Judges 17:6 is validated: even though Rasmusen's opposition (Doug Bauder, the university's coordinator of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender student support services) recognizes the school's written rule of free expression, the opposition recommends changing rules and policy to get their way--what they believe is right in their eyes

        • Would the opposition have recommended this policy change if Professor Rasmusen had not posted this? Most likely not. Therefore, it can be concluded (especially based on events in the U.S.--where we have this luxury) whenever someone or a group doesn't like a ruling or someone's commentary, rather than be subject to it, they'd rather sue in courts of law or opt for rules/policy changes to get their way

    • SELF-EXAMINATION: So does your assurance lie in your level of spiritual education or your relationship with the living God? And if it's with God (which it should be), are you willing to minister, serve and take a stand for the cause of Christ?