Growing in Grattitude

VIDEO - Your Light

Philippians 2:12-18 “12 Therefore, my beloved,

Last week while we were gone Byran Herrington spoke and kicked off this series “Growing In Grattitude”.

His focus was this: We grow in gratitude when we model Christ in our life

If you missed it I’d encourage you to go back and watch it on Facebook or Vimeo

Made this point, put it in your fill ins:

Grace filled people are joy filled people, which makes us grateful people and leads us to be useful people.

Today, I want to take some time and focus on how we are useful for the glory of God.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

THEREFORE - Because of Christs obedience, because He has earned the title of Lord…NOW (Therefore) here’s what I want to urge you to do:

Paul is lovingly urging the people to:

-Obey like Christ obeyed

-Live your life now like you did when I was with you in person

How do I live when _________ isn’t here?

-Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

We will build upon and get to why Paul put this in a minute

Not your Grandma’s salvation, it’s not HER faith, it’s YOURS (Grandma Striff’s Bible)

It can certainly be helpful on my spiritual journey, but at the end of the day, my faith is personal with God, own your faith!

YBH - YES BUT HOW. -

Tom Richter who some of are going to get to see at the Xtreme winter conference spoke of this years ago when we went.

13 for it is God who works in you , both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

We work out of ourselves what God has worked in us (Salvation). Bringing to full potential

This is the YBH - This is God’s work in us though, cannot do it without Him!

Gratitude is our response to the work of the gospel in our lives.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, This is the YBH

Practicing gratitude helps us overcome our fleshly desires.

This is the YBH - You can’t have GODLY gratitude without HIS working in and through.

First Trip to Ohio - Andrea Landing shared this passage before we had an incredible meal @ BD’s mongolian BBQ

This is Paul dealing with verse 12 - working out their salvation

Remember the nation of Israel, grumbling/disputing led to rebelling against God and each other. They weren’t useful to God AND it caused them to have to wander in the desert for 40 years.

Have to have an attitude check - Scioto Hills (Praise The Lord)

Some might remember when I climbed a ladder talking about this, but as we are dealing with Attitude check, my lack of practicing what we preached led to this reality:

A lack of godly gratitude will put you in a place you don’t want to be.

Have to get rid of our stinking thinking (Winning the war in your mind)

Have to go back to first part of this chapter - your attitude should be that of Christ Jesus

Does my attitude reflect Christ’s @:

Home

Work

Church

The grocery

The red light

So Paul tells the HOW in verses 13 & 14 and then gives the WHY:

Why does it matter that my attitude reflects Christs, why does it matter I/we do everything without arguing or complaining?

15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 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.”

The purpose of the passage is plain:

Growing in Gratitude results in the spread of the gospel.

Verse 15 focus: 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

The thing about light:

Light deals with what’s visible, not necessarily vocal.

Our example shines

Light disrupts darkness

We are the light, we need to remain in the light

Our actions (the light) should be connected to our words.

When you came in you should have gotten a light, I’d like to illustrate it this way:

Have everyone stand:

Everyone turn on your light and raise it up.

All lights off except Blue on - Unreached people in Pahokee

All lights off except Yellow and Red on - Unreached people in Belle Glade

All lights off except Green on - Unreached people in South Bay

All lights off except Pink on - Unreached people in other areas around beyond the scope of the glades that need the gospel in their lives

All lights off except White on - You represent the hope of the gospel

The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few.

Now, let me illustrate this on a larger scale:

All lights off except Blue on - Unreached people in The Americas

All lights off except Yellow on - Unreached people in Africa

All lights off except Red on- Unreached people in China

All lights off except Green on - Unreached people in Europe

All lights off except Pink on- Unreached people in India

All lights off except White on - You represent the hope of the gospel

5,000,000 places where there isn’t a church within walking distance

The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few.

All lights turned on, Not everyone has a white light, but look at the imagery here. What if we all took our light into the darkness?

House lights back on:

Here’s the thing:

The gospel came to you on the way to someone else.

The gospel goes through you on the way to someone else

(you’re an instrument to be used)

Romans 10:9-15 (NLT) 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

Harry Potter -

People standing around and darkness is present, it took one to

Who is the Lord sending me to? Who needs the light of God coming through me to them?

Our lights (lives) shine bright when we truly have an attitude of gratitude

Great I am