‘First Things’ First— Part I.

In a section of Scripture where the apostle Paul is commending his fellow-warriors to the Saints in Corinth he lays out five commands for this Body of Believers: “Be on the alert, stand firm in the Faith, act like men, be strong,” and “let all that you do be done in love” {1 Cor. 16:13-14 NAS}.  What we have before us are four pillars on one foundation.  Each of these first four comes from the realm of warfare in ancient Greece, from the arena where Conflict is engaged in for Freedom and for Life.

        I.   “Be on the alert... on your guard,” be vigilant, stay awake in the Battle.  This is a call to spiritual vigilance, to an aggressive attitude in seeking the triumph of Truth and the glory of Grace.  The word gregoreo shows us the opposite of being asleep.  Be awake and aware to reality at all times, and to the danger that the enemy poses, be alert to his movements and machinations.  Because I can promise you, he’s alert to yours.  Most of us live our lives, and most of the people you know as well, as if they’re sleepwalking through life.  If you’re a Disciple of the King, a Follower of Christ in the Kosmos, what you’re sleepwalking through, in reality, is a minefield.  This is why it is so essential, so crucial, to stay in tune with the power for the Plan!

      II.    “Stand firm in the Faith.”  This comes from a root which means to ‘stand firm in the heat of battle, persevere in conflict, keep your footing no matter what.’  It was a term used of a soldier who, when the shock of battle hits with the enemy surging all around him, stands fast!  He holds his ground despite the fury and desperation of his opponent’s onslaught.  Let me ask you this: If you panic under pressure, if you fall apart in a firefight, can you hold your ground, can you stand fast and win the victory …or are you headed for the casualty count?

    III.   “Act like men.”  The NIV has “be men of courage,” the RSV “be courageous.”  The principle is clear: Courage is not born in a vacuum; courage is not manufactured out of thin air.  Courage comes only when we’ve faced the fire and not flinched, over and over again in our lives.  The verb andrizo means- ‘make a man of, or show oneself a man.’  Within this word the ideas of courage and of manliness are one and the same.

The Path to Manhood begins with character, and character comes about through our applying the Word to Life in the world... consistently, not conveniently.  Character leads to a life of conviction, not opinion.  Opinions come and go, they’re here today and gone tomorrow: a conviction is something you’ll die for.  And we live our lives based on conviction.  ‘It’s not what you think, it’s what you know and can never forget!’  Conviction based on absolutes means commitment, commitment to a Cause greater than self: the plan and purpose of Abba for me personally.

A man without a Mission is a man headed for destruction.  And this you can bank on.  A man needs a mission, something transcendent to give his life meaning and purpose and definition.  This is why we were created to begin with, so that our lives could be hooked up to a higher purpose, connected intimately to our Creator.  This is why we’re here.  When your character has been forged in the fire of adversity, when your life is one of conviction built on the absolutes of the Word, when those absolutes lead us into uncompromising commitment, you will find the courage to face what you have never faced before.  So understand this as a parting shot: Confidence in the purpose of God leads to courage before our fellow man.

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296 | hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – where the Word and the Spirit are one.