The Call to Continue

2019-06-23 
Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Key verse: Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Thomas Road Baptist Church was founded on June 21, 1956 with the idea of changing the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here we are, 63 years later, and that hasn’t changed nor will it ever change. What started in an small, abandoned brick building in a Lynchburg neighborhood has now touched the globe. And I firmly believe God still has much for us to do.

Philippians 1:1–11 (NKJV): Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Call to Continue

1. A personal message

Verse 1b ... To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the Ébishops and Édeacons

• While these words were written to a specific group of believers around 2000 years ago, they are words relevant to us today.
• God’s Word is personal for us

2. We are in His prayers

Verses 2-4 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy

• Christ is praying for us continually

Romans 8:34b (NKJV): It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us

In the very next verse…”Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”

• Think of all God has done through these many years through the people and ministries of Thomas Road Baptist Church. There is no doubt those things would not have happened without the powerful hand of God upon us all

3. A great promise

Verses 5-6 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ

• This was the verse my dad would often reference in his vision to keep moving forward for God. It was his life’s verse.

Verses 7-8 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

• We are all in this together. There is no hierarchy in the church of Jesus Christ. He is the head, we are all his soldiers.

4. With a great challenge

Verses 9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness Éwhich are by Jesus Christ, Éto the glory and praise of God.

Four things Paul challenged them to continue in:

1. Love
2. Knowledge and understanding
3. Right living
4. To be more like Him

Verse 12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel

Even in difficult times, God will use us to change the world