Call to Worship: Psalm 63:1-4
O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
Hymn: 232 You Are Worthy
Greeting «I greet you with the grace and peace poured into our lives by God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.» Ephesians (The Message)
Confession of Faith – Belgic Confession Article 27 p. 845
Hymn: 506 – Glorious Things of You Are Spoken
Prayer
Scripture: Philippians 1:12-30
Message Lesson:
Are "apologetics" or defenses of the Christian faith
necessary?
Prayer
Hymn: 495 - I Know Not Why God’s Wondrous Grace
Offering: Benevolence Ministry
God's Blessing: Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love. 23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
I Corinthians 16:13, 14, 24 NRSV
Hymn: 134 - You Servants of the Lord Our God
Philippians 1:12-30
I
want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to
spread the gospel,
so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone
else that my imprisonment is for Christ;
and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by
my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear.
Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill.
These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the
defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of
selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my
imprisonment.
What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether
out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue
to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the
help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.
It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way,
but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always
in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not
know which I prefer.
I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ,
for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more
necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know
that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in
faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in
Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that,
whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that
you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for
the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by
your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your
salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously
granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for
him as well—since you are having the same struggle that you saw
I had and now hear that I still have.
Leaders of the Early Church – the Fathers
Four Groups:
· The Post Apostolic Fathers – 95-150
(Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, Papias, Barnabas, Shepherd of Hermas, Didache – Teachings of the Twelve)
Purpose: To exhort and edify the church
· The Apologists – 140-200
(Justin Martyr, Tatian, Tertullian)
Purpose: To defend the faith
· The Polemicists – 180-225
(Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Cyprian)
Purpose: To attack error
· The Scientific Theologians – 225-460
Three schools of theologians – The Alexandrian (Pantaenus, Clement, Origen, Athanasius, Cyril); The Western (Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine); and The Eastern (Theodore, John Chrysotom)
Purpose: To develop scientific methods of biblical interpretation
Taken from Howard F. Vos Exploring Church History