Trinity Sermon


	Return to Sermons \| Home
“Friendly Fire?” Philippians 3:17-18 *Click for Audio* Pastor Kevin Vogts Trinity Lutheran Church Paola, Kansas Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost—October 18, 2020 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. We continue our Fall Sermon Series on the book of Philippians. You are invited to follow along the sermon outline on the last pages of the bulletin. The Apostle Paul writes in today’s Epistle Reading, “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” A few decades ago there was a persistent rumor for many years that the late, famous atheist Madeline Murray O’Hare was about to win a court case which would forbid religious broadcasting on television and radio. You may have heard this rumor back then yourself. The Federal Communications Commission received millions of concerned letters and petitions over the years against such an action. Perhaps you signed or even circulated such a petition. At one point the FCC had to hire extra personnel and open a special office just to deal with the overwhelming volume of mail on this issue. While it was encouraging to see how concerned Christians are, actually there was never such a court case or any action pending. No one knows who started it, but it was all just a rumor. When you hear Paul say in our text, “Many live as ENEMIES of the cross of Christ,” you probably think of Madeline Murray O’Hare and people like her. But, the truth is, ALL of us are by nature enemies of God, for we are all sinners. Paul says in Galatians, “The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are at war with each other.” You and I are by nature at war against God, and his will; you and I are by nature enemies of the cross of Christ, because we too are poor, miserable sinners. But, Paul says in Romans, “When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.” And in 2nd Corinthians, “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not counting men’s sins against them.” That is the Christian Gospel, the Good News: You are no longer God’s enemy; you are reconciled to him through his Son, Jesus Christ. For his sake, your sins are not counted against you. As Paul says in Colossians, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” Jesus declares, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Through faith in Jesus Christ you have crossed over from death to life, you have crossed over from being God’s enemy to being God’s friend, his beloved child, on his side in the spiritual war. You may recall when the football player Pat Tillman, who had joined the military after 9-11, was killed in Afghanistan. It turned out that, tragically, he was hit by what is called “friendly fire.” Through some terrible mistake, he was accidentally shot by his own fellow soldiers. In the same way, you are often the victim of spiritual “friendly fire” from without. And sadly sometimes you are also the perpetrator of spiritual “friendly fire” from within. Spiritual “friendly fire” comes to you from without when family and friends, co-workers and neighbors, seek either overtly or subtly to drive you away from Christ, and your faith, and your service to him. Peter puts it this way: “For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.” As the old saying goes, “With friends like that, who needs enemies?” Paul warns in 1st Corinthians, “Bad company corrupts good character,” and Jesus declares, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” When family and friends, co-workers and neighbors, seek either overtly or subtly to drive you away from Christ, and your faith, and your service to him, they may not realize it, but they are actually taking the opposing side in your spiritual struggle, they are in league with your enemy, Satan. As Peter says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” In addition to being on guard against such spiritual “friendly fire” from without, be on your guard against becoming a perpetrator of spiritual “friendly fire” from within. For example: It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, curse and use other bad language. Paul says in Ephesians, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,” and in Colossians “You must rid yourselves of . . . filthy language from your lips. . . Let your conversation be always full of grace.” It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, abuse alcohol or other drugs. Paul says in Ephesians, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to wickedness. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, engage in unfavorable gossip and rumors about others. Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “Love does not delight in evil.” It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, show anger and hatred. Paul says in Ephesians, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of hatred. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you,” and in Colossians, “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander.” It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, seek revenge or bear a grudge. Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “Love keeps no record of wrongs,” and in Colossians, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, are greedy, practicing the idolatry of worshipping and serving money and the things of this world. Paul tells Timothy, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, are dishonest, when you lie, and cheat, and steal. Paul says in Colossians, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off your old self with its practices,” and in Ephesians, “Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor. . . He who has been stealing must steal no longer.” It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, take part in sexual immorality, pornography, unclean jokes, and the like. Paul says in Ephesians, “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity . . . Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking,” and in Colossians, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires,” and in 1st Thessalonians, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God. . . For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” James says, “Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent.” To prevent “friendly fire” accidents with military aircraft they are equipped with a system called I.F.F.—Identification, Friend or Foe—which sends out a signal telling which side they are on. In the same way, the world is always watching and listening for a signal from YOU, to see which side YOU are on—on the side of Satan and this wicked world, or on the side of Christ? The way you live your daily life is like a spiritual I.F.F. system. Your words and deeds send a signal, identifying you as either a friend or foe of Jesus Christ, as James says, “Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” So, send a signal that you are on Jesus’ side, by shunning the wicked ways of the world, by living a holy, godly, Christ-like life, by faithfully worshipping the Lord and serving him, by showing Christian love toward others. “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Amen. Return to Top \| Return to Sermons \| Home \| Email Church Office

“Friendly Fire?”
Philippians 3:17-18

Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost—October 18, 2020

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We continue our Fall Sermon Series on the book of Philippians. You are invited to follow along the sermon outline on the last pages of the bulletin.

The Apostle Paul writes in today’s Epistle Reading, “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.”

A few decades ago there was a persistent rumor for many years that the late, famous atheist Madeline Murray O’Hare was about to win a court case which would forbid religious broadcasting on television and radio. You may have heard this rumor back then yourself. The Federal Communications Commission received millions of concerned letters and petitions over the years against such an action. Perhaps you signed or even circulated such a petition. At one point the FCC had to hire extra personnel and open a special office just to deal with the overwhelming volume of mail on this issue.

While it was encouraging to see how concerned Christians are, actually there was never such a court case or any action pending. No one knows who started it, but it was all just a rumor.

When you hear Paul say in our text, “Many live as ENEMIES of the cross of Christ,” you probably think of Madeline Murray O’Hare and people like her. But, the truth is, ALL of us are by nature enemies of God, for we are all sinners. Paul says in Galatians, “The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are at war with each other.” You and I are by nature at war against God, and his will; you and I are by nature enemies of the cross of Christ, because we too are poor, miserable sinners.

But, Paul says in Romans, “When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.” And in 2nd Corinthians, “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not counting men’s sins against them.” That is the Christian Gospel, the Good News: You are no longer God’s enemy; you are reconciled to him through his Son, Jesus Christ. For his sake, your sins are not counted against you.

As Paul says in Colossians, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”

Jesus declares, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Through faith in Jesus Christ you have crossed over from death to life, you have crossed over from being God’s enemy to being God’s friend, his beloved child, on his side in the spiritual war.

You may recall when the football player Pat Tillman, who had joined the military after 9-11, was killed in Afghanistan. It turned out that, tragically, he was hit by what is called “friendly fire.” Through some terrible mistake, he was accidentally shot by his own fellow soldiers.

In the same way, you are often the victim of spiritual “friendly fire” from without. And sadly sometimes you are also the perpetrator of spiritual “friendly fire” from within.

Spiritual “friendly fire” comes to you from without when family and friends, co-workers and neighbors, seek either overtly or subtly to drive you away from Christ, and your faith, and your service to him. Peter puts it this way: “For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.”

As the old saying goes, “With friends like that, who needs enemies?” Paul warns in 1st Corinthians, “Bad company corrupts good character,” and Jesus declares, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.”

When family and friends, co-workers and neighbors, seek either overtly or subtly to drive you away from Christ, and your faith, and your service to him, they may not realize it, but they are actually taking the opposing side in your spiritual struggle, they are in league with your enemy, Satan. As Peter says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”

In addition to being on guard against such spiritual “friendly fire” from without, be on your guard against becoming a perpetrator of spiritual “friendly fire” from within. For example:

It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, curse and use other bad language. Paul says in Ephesians, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,” and in Colossians “You must rid yourselves of . . . filthy language from your lips. . . Let your conversation be always full of grace.”

It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, abuse alcohol or other drugs. Paul says in Ephesians, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to wickedness. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, engage in unfavorable gossip and rumors about others. Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “Love does not delight in evil.”

It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, show anger and hatred. Paul says in Ephesians, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of hatred. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you,” and in Colossians, “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander.”

It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, seek revenge or bear a grudge. Paul says in 1st Corinthians, “Love keeps no record of wrongs,” and in Colossians, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, are greedy, practicing the idolatry of worshipping and serving money and the things of this world. Paul tells Timothy, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, are dishonest, when you lie, and cheat, and steal. Paul says in Colossians, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off your old self with its practices,” and in Ephesians, “Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor. . . He who has been stealing must steal no longer.”

It is spiritual “friendly fire” when you, a Christian, take part in sexual immorality, pornography, unclean jokes, and the like. Paul says in Ephesians, “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity . . . Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking,” and in Colossians, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires,” and in 1st Thessalonians, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God. . . For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” James says, “Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent.”

To prevent “friendly fire” accidents with military aircraft they are equipped with a system called I.F.F.—Identification, Friend or Foe—which sends out a signal telling which side they are on. In the same way, the world is always watching and listening for a signal from YOU, to see which side YOU are on—on the side of Satan and this wicked world, or on the side of Christ?

The way you live your daily life is like a spiritual I.F.F. system. Your words and deeds send a signal, identifying you as either a friend or foe of Jesus Christ, as James says, “Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”

So, send a signal that you are on Jesus’ side, by shunning the wicked ways of the world, by living a holy, godly, Christ-like life, by faithfully worshipping the Lord and serving him, by showing Christian love toward others.

“Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.”

Amen.

Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office