North Anderson Baptist Church
In one of Tolkien’s films about The Hobbit, I think it was The Desolation of Smaug, but I am not positive, I heard the wizard, Gandalf the Grey, say, “That it isn’t Saraman’s great power that keeps the darkness and evil in check but the little things, everyday good deeds, kindness, simple acts of love and ... Bilbo Baggins.” What holds back the darkness in the real world? Without any doubt it is the Spirit of the Living God doing His work in the lives of those who follow the Lord Almighty. Without the Holy Spirit holding back the evil and darkness of this world, the devil and his minions would have a field day and wickedness would reign. I believe along with the Spirit of God, that the darkness is held back because of the good that is in the hearts of those who are kind and loving and show it in all they do.
God’s plan is to redeem the world through Jesus Christ, the God-Man. His life of perfection wasn’t enough for salvation and even His death on the cross was not enough to hold back darkness in and of itself. Jesus Christ had to die upon that cross for the forgiveness of our sins, everyone’s sin regardless of who you are, but the key is, Jesus was resurrected from the dead showing Himself the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Jesus had to be raised from the dead and be seen alive to guarantee that each of us has our sins forgiven by the One and Only Son of God who then conquered death and rose to live evermore! Amen!!!
Let us read this passage from Paul introducing his relationship to the Philippian church.
Philippians 1:1-8 NIV
Writing to the local church of Philippi, Paul and Timothy, speaking of grace and peace to them, reminded the fellowship that they prayed regularly for them. Their prayers were wrapped in joy because of something that local church did with them. They had been partners in the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ starting ten years before. He reminded them of their partnership which began with the salvation experience of Lydia and her household and the Roman jailer and his family at the very beginning (Acts 16:13-15, 23-34) Paul’s joy was great because he remembered all those times when the Philippian church reached out to him and helped with a financial gift while he was sharing the Gospel of Christ. Later in this book of Philippians (4:1-20), Paul speaks of a time when the church heard of a need and responded faithfully to it. In that chapter he used the phrase, “You renewed your care for me.” Paul praises the church saying in 4:15,
Philippians 4:15 NIV
He said that they were the only one, the Philippian church, who did share with him in his work through giving. They became partners with Paul in their prayers and in their giving to the ministry God had called him to.
In verse 1:6 Paul spoke of the good work God had began in their lives, how God’s saving grace changed their lives and how God continued to help them to grow and would evidently bring them to maturity by His grace, too and then would finally bring the full completion of their salvation to their lives when Jesus returns for His church. It is God in us who brings us to maturity. But remember, the Holy Spirit needs a willing vessel to work with and the Philippians were willing to be used of God. It is God who does the growing in every one of us, we don’t grow on our own.
Paul reminds us how precious they are to his heart. Being partners, the church shared in the blessings of the grace of God as well. Notice, where Paul declared they are right there with him as a part of his work, they are sharing in the experiences of what he does for the Lord: when he is in chains, during his discussions to defend the message of God or just proclaiming the Gospel. The church was a real part of Paul’s work.
Read with me verses 12-14,
Philippians 1:12-14 NIV
We see here specific examples of how the financial and prayer ministry of the Philippian church pushes back the darkness. Paul lets them know that the Gospel is still spreading even while he is in jail. Notice 4:21-22,
Philippians 4:21-22 NIV
Paul not only preached the Gospel but the Word found it’s mark and we see that there were hearts that had been converted even among the Roman palace guards.
Christians both in Rome and in Philippi were linked together because of their faith in Christ. How did that happen? The darkness of sin reigned in the lives of the lost wherever he went but Paul saw that darkness pushed back even in the household of Caesar and the Roman guards in that palace and the Philippians were a part of that victory because of their partnership with Paul.
For Paul to reach far and wide it took financial resources. Where did that come from? It came from those who believed like Paul in the power of the Gospel.
Romans 1:16 NIV
Even today individual people and churches can bind together in partnerships to help spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Darkness is everywhere and God has called some to go where no one else will and He has called others who are serving Him to pray and give financially to help in their ministry; they become partners.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV
Why would I use this verse this morning? We are all rich and wealthy in this modern world when compared to most of the countries and the people around the world and God challenges us who have, to give so the Gospel can be spread throughout the entire world. Remember the Great Commission, “Go into all the world…?”
The good news for us today is that our church fellowship is partnering with many to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because you give every Sunday in the general offering we have, you as a family or individual, are partnering with many groups and people across the world. But some of you have chose to do what God says in the Timothy passage and give more to be special partners with others.
Our church has chosen to partner with:
Saluda Baptist Association, South Carolina Baptist Convention, Southern Baptist Convention, all of which do missions in many ways to reach people for Christ. Our association helps take care of the needs in this area, the South Carolina Baptist Convention takes care of the needs in the state of South Carolina like Connie Maxwell Children’s Home and the Homes for the Aging as well as the three universities and more. Sometimes we reach even far beyond our own state. The Southern Baptist Convention sends missionaries around the world and in North America, plus we do much more, like educating aspiring ministers and missionaries through the seminaries. We support Frank and Sharon Arthur (Africa), Tracy and Jenning Putnam (Russia) plus so many more who are a part of International Mission Board, IMB. We support Austin and Meryl O’Donald in Baltimore, Josh and Shannon Jennings in Sedona, AZ, and Patrick Harrison here in Homeland Park, Anderson. All of these are from North American Mission Board.
We partner as a church with Haven of Rest, Hospice of the Upstate, Foothills Alliance - Abused children section, Anderson Crisis Pregnancy Center, Meals on Wheels, AIM and Free Clinic through our missions giving. We partner with Kathy and Bruce Byce’s ministry through going and supporting the Kentucky mission trips. We also partner with WMU to help with the women from AU, and our ladies who chaperon, going to Kentucky. We are praying for and financially giving these and many others. Let me tell you of another organization our church partners with, The Gideons International. We as a church give to the ministry through an offering once a year to help provide Bibles to be given out throughout the world. Lynda and I serve the International Gideons Convention each summer and thereby you are partnering with them through us, as well.
We have four missionaries out of our church right now whom we partner with in prayer and one couple in financial offering to help with their needs: King and Jackie Fulton and Chuck and Nancy Kroll.
Why have I gone through the exercise of listing all of these? How much of this did you personally know? Hopefully we have educated you some but I really wanted to encourage you in what your church has done.
But, I am not through. At times there are situations where you need to be aware of special needs that are to be prayed for or where an offering needs to be given. One such is for the O’Donald’s in Baltimore. They are trying to reach people in their area with an Easter Egg Hunt and they need $10 gift cards from us to give away as prizes. Please see me if you are willing to give and I can give you more information. We have already about five but we need more.
How do we push back the darkness in the lives of the lost? Personally pray for those I have listed and any other ministries you may know that share the Gospel with the lost, but don’t stop there. Please consider giving to ministries that meet the spiritual qualifications of honoring God and doing what they say with the money you give them. But remember don’t give your tithe away as an offering to a ministry. You give your tithe to the local church first and then you give to help others. For instance, Lynda and I support a ministry that cares for orphans in multiple countries of the world after our tithe is given. All those things I listed are being done right this very moment because you have given regularly every Sunday to the general offering we take, like we did this morning. God will bless as you pray and give and the darkness of sin will be pushed back out of the lives of many.
How do we push back the darkness in the lives of the lost? Personally pray for those I have listed and any other ministries you may know that share the Gospel with the lost, but don’t stop there. Please consider giving to ministries that meet the spiritual qualifications of honoring God and doing what they say with the money you give them. But remember don’t give your tithe away as an offering to a ministry. You give your tithe to the local church first and then you give to help others. For instance, Lynda and I support andminstry that cares for orphans in multiple countries of the world after our tithe is given. All those things I listed are being done right this very moment because you have given regularly every Sunday to the general offering we take, like we did this morning. God will bless as you pray and give and the darkness of sin will be pushed back out of the lives of many.
Christian, have you given Jesus your all? Maybe it is time to surrender your life once again to bring back the joy you once had. David the king lost his joy because of sin in his life; has that happened to you? You just have to confess the sin and God is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you of all your sin (1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”). If you sense the calling of Jesus on your life right now you need to respond and do what He says.