Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Well, good morning!

If you have a copy of God’s Word, go ahead and turn with me to Philippians chapter two…this is our last week here in this chapter…and listen, if you were with us when Kyler opened up chapter two for us, do you remember what Paul’s point to his Philippian audience was? Paul was showing what Christian humility looks like in the real life, right?

And then he charges us, all as believers, to model this kind of life.

We’re all supposed to look the same, we’re to be unified in this kind of character.

That’s why he says to adopt the same mindset as Christ…and then he went on to give one of the greatest examples of humility there is...on the person and work of Jesus.

And then immediately following that, Paul says, “Workout your own salvation.

Do it with fear and with trembling.

Remember that God works in you and through you.”

And then last week, Paul said to “shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.”

He’s charging us to be humble…to be like Christ…to live a life in line with the gospel, the gospel that’s transformed our lives.

There’s unity there.

We’re to be conformed to the truths of the gospel.

And so, as we finish up chapter two this morning, Paul seems to kind of take us down a rabbit trail like a lot of pastors tend do.

And that’s what it would seem like at surface level if we don’t focus on the context.

Context is what?

It’s everything, right?

When we come to this passage, Paul shifts from giving his readers some exhortations...to now, all of sudden, talking about himself and others.

He kind of gives us a travel itinerary for Timothy and Epaphroditus...Now of course it makes sense that he lets these Philippians know his plans…it makes sense that he extends thanks to the church and sends their representative back to them.

But guys, these types of travelogues so to speak, they’re typically at the end of his letters just before he wraps everything up.

So why would he put that smack dab in the middle of his letter just as he’s really beginning to get ramped up on what he’s trying to communicate to these Philippians?…Well, as Paul likes to do, it’s to give another example of what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus.

Except this time…he says, “Listen, if you didn’t get it the first time…if Jesus’s example wasn’t enough to get through your thick skulls…let me show you how it looks among those you know and those you love in a real physical way.

Let me show you that what I’m saying actually works with people you know.

Let me show that the gospel changes everything for you.”

And so he gives them another example of what it means to be unified in the gospel…he gives us an example of what it looks like to live a Christian life.

And if you really pay attention…Paul shows us through his three examples: sacrifice, selflessness, and love…literally everything we saw with his example of Christ.

And so, that’s exactly why it’s put here in the middle of his letter.

Listen, let me just give you a little quiz to see if you can answer any of these questions in your own mind.

Right now, could you name the top five wealthiest people in the world?

All five of ‘em?...Or maybe, you could name the five most recent winners of the Nobel Peace Prize?…You guys got that in your minds?....Or try this one…can any of you name the last five people who were inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame?

My guess is that most of you, at best...we could only get two or maybe three names in those list of some of the world’s greatest and most successful people.

Listen, those are some of the ways that our world measures success, right?

It looks at a person’s career...it looks at their achievements, at their ambitions, what they do in this world (in arts, or science, in peace, athletics, business, whatever it is)...and it measures success in those ways...You remember what Paul told us last week about living in a crooked and twisted generation?

Guys, how success is measured in the kingdom of God, it’s very different.

Let me ask you this…I think all of us can answer this question…Could you name five people who’ve helped you in a time of crisis?

Or five people in your life who shared the love of Christ with you?

Or listen, five people that befriended you and really met your needs during a crucial time in your life?

I think all of us could come up with a list of names like that, right?

We can all come up with a list of people who actually loved us and cared for us…Now, these people might not be among the world’s most famous and successful, but they’re certainly the people that’s actually made the greatest impact on our lives.

And listen, it’s a reminder that the way we serve Jesus, the way we serve others…that’s the measure of greatness…that’s the measure of the gospel impact in our lives.

And listen, this passage that we’re digging into this morning, it’s all about that truth.

It’s showing us that truth.

It’s giving us another example of that truth.

And so, if you’re there with me this morning in Philippians chapter two, let’s stand together as we read our text.

Paul says this in verse 17, “17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.

21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.

23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

27 Indeed he was ill, near to death.

But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.

29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.”

Thank you…you can be seated.

Listen, just as you and I can name certain people in our lives who really had an impact on us…Paul could say the same.

He could say the same about Timothy and Epaphroditus.

He even shares with us a little something of his own heart as well.

And guys, what we see here are these portraits of servanthood and humility.

And each of their lives, their examples, they show us something different about what it means to live as Christians in our world.

And so, with that…let’s look at Paul’s example first.

1.)

The Example of Paul: Sacrifice (vv.

17-18)

Look back at verse 17 again.

Paul says, “17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.”

Guys, a drink offering, it was a God-ordained sacrifice that was poured on top an animal that was being offered to God.

We see that in Exodus 29.

Wine was typically poured either in front of or on top of the animal while it was being burned.

And listen, while the wine was vaporized because of the fire, the steam rose upward.

And what it symbolized was the rising of the sacrificial offering to God.

And so, what Paul’s saying here is that his life is being poured out upon the lives of these Philippians.

Their very hearts and souls are being mixed together.

Basically, he’s saying his life’s a sacrifice for them.

And listen, Paul wasn’t complaining here…he’s not complaining about having to sacrifice for these Philippians.

What’s he say?

He says, “I’m glad that I get to do this...and I rejoice.”

Paul’s happy that his life serves to advance the gospel.

He’s happy that his sacrifices are being blessed to reach people.

He’s told us that over and over again in his letter so far.

Just as Jesus emptied has Himself…as we saw in the beginning parts of this chapter…Paul’s glad to pour himself out all for the glory of God.

He’s glad to empty himself in any way he can.

It’s really a perfect picture of what it means for us to be sacrificial....And not just any sacrifice…but a willing and joyful sacrifice.

And listen, there’s a connection here this week with our passage from last week.

If you remember, Paul said, “Do all things without,” what?

“Grumbling or disputing.”

Paul’s example or his perspective on the Christian life, it’s a model of not grumbling, right?

Even if he were to be “poured out” in death “as a drink offering” upon the “sacrificial service” of the Philippians’ faith, he wasn’t gonna grumble…but instead he was gonna rejoice.

Over and over again, Paul stresses the idea of joy…I mean if you’re reading this in one sitting…he saturates these verses with four references to rejoicing.

He said things like rejoice, or be glad, or rejoice with...” He’s talking about the demeanor in which we’re to serve and to sacrifice.

And guys, you gotta remember…Paul’s writing this from prison.

He doesn’t know whether or not he’s gonna be set free.

He doesn’t know what the verdict’s gonna be.

He has no idea.

Now, we know he thinks he might be set free…he said that in chapter one, right?

But we also know that he’s ready to die all for the sake of Christ…He said, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

But guys, I say all that as a reminder because he’s writing all this about his circumstances in terms of sacrifice.

He’s using the Old Testament language and he’s applying it to himself in a New Testament way.

He uses the Old Testament language on sacrifice to describe the new covenant life of a believer and how that person who belongs to the new covenant is to live their lives as a sacrifice to God.

He’s giving ‘em another example.