Authenticity and Authority: Paul's Call to Integrity

The Apostle here in a service tells us why he was preaching at all and he tells us at the same time what he was preaching. I know of no better passage, no better statement which rarely puts the modern position, it seems to me, very clearly and in a nutshell as it were before us. You see, we are still in the same position. People are still asking why should I believe in why should I Bank my whole future upon it. [00:05:24]

The Apostle takes it up even now his concern is not about himself. He didn't care very much what the people said about him personally and individually. He's already told these people that in the first epistle he says with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of men's judgment. [00:01:58]

The Apostle Paul, he was fearful, he was in much trembling. What was he trembling about? Why was he nervous? Was he afraid of the congregation? Not at all. He knew that he knew much more than they did. He was an unusually able man, a man who'd been trained brilliantly as a Pharisee and had done magnificently in his examinations. [00:23:20]

He says, "We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness nor ending the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to Every Man's conscience in the sight of God." He says, in other words, I welcome investigation. You can examine me at all I've done and said. [00:12:30]

The Apostle Paul entered the city of Philippi. Europe at the time was completely Pagan. Here Comes This messenger of Christ. How do you think he opened his campaign in Philippi? Well, of course, we know what's done today. You see, you first of all get at the organs of advertising and propaganda and so on. [00:18:21]

He says, "I was trembling lest in any way I might stand between you and this glorious liberating truth." He says, "I trembled lest I added something myself and took the edge of the Gospel somewhere because you see if he started flattering them and telling them what good fine fellows they were and all the rest of it they wouldn't have been convicted of their sin." [00:36:02]

He says, "I become a fool for Christ's sake." They were saying, "Who is this man, this babler? How this this man, he knows no philosophy. Just listen to him with a simple message Jesus Christ and him crucified and listen to what he says about us. He says we're all sinners." Well, that didn't trouble him at all. [00:36:40]

He says, "We preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." What's he mean? Well, he means this, you see, he behaved like this because he'd got this living concern for the people to whom he preached. He makes himself their servant. [00:34:14]

He says, "We preach not ourselves while what Christ Jesus as Lord." That's the grand motive and of course in view of this man's history none of us should be surprised that that was his chiefest and his grandest motive of all. Christ Jesus, the glory of Christ, he's got it here everywhere. [00:39:36]

He says, "God who commanded the light to shine out of Darkness has shined in our hearts what for to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." My dear friend, this is Christianity and this is the starting, you see, the thing that should concern every one of us this evening. [00:40:44]

He says, "Nothing mattered to the Apostle except what he was like in the sight of God. What does it matter what men think is what God thinks that matters. Men are here today and gone tomorrow. They express their judgments and their opinions but they'll soon be dead and standing before God." [00:28:37]

He says, "The Son of God is said who loved me and gave himself for me for Jesus sake he died for me he gave himself for me." What can he be but a bun he's only one ambition and that is that men and women should see him and know him and believe in him and be saved by him and live Ever After to his glory and to his praise. [00:46:27]