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The Certainty of Suffering
by Bill Hybels
Text: Philippians 1:27-30
Topic: How suffering with dignity can be the greatest witness Christians can have.
Big Idea: Paul says that in order to walk worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must live a life of consistency, fellowship in community, and deal with our sufferings well.
Keywords: Evangelism; Suffering; Witness
Introduction: We need to walk worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul asks if we'll break out of our comfort zones and start growing in Christ.
- Paul reminded believers that people outside the church are watching every move.
- "You're probably the only Bible some people will ever read" is so true.
- When most non-Christians hear of a born-again experience, they're cynical.
To point people to Christ, we need to live consistently before them.
- That includes living for Christ even when things are going badly.
- Our consistency—the endurance factor—has a profound influence on others.
- We can't be consistent in our behavior till we're consistently contrite before God.
- We have to daily say, "Today, I'm going to live for Christ, and to die is gain."
Another way to point people to Christ is through community.
- Paul wants to hear the Philippians are standing firm, in one spirit, one mind.
- Christian in-fighting and bickering turns out the lights for potential seekers.
- People are crying out, "Where can I find a community of unified people?"
- We should live in a way that cries out to others, "Join us. Join us."
- Illustration: Hybels tells of a Jewish friend who's hardened toward the gospel, but he is amazed by Christians' ability to work together on a volunteer basis. He's also amazed by Hybels' accountability group of guys, how they relate.
Our suffering for Christ is a powerful witness to others.
- Paul had seen the explosive power that suffering for Christ can have.
- What softened the heart of the jailer was watching a Christian suffer with dignity.
- Many in Hybels' generation don't know how to suffer, because they never have.
Conclusion: When we suffer with dignity, the Holy Spirit speaks in mighty ways.
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