Just Do Something

Intro

Hook

Have you ever been camping in the deep wilderness? I mean somewhere where the powerlines don’t reach and the loudest neighbors are chirping crickets. I once was blessed with oppurtunity to go on a canoe trip in algonquin canada. It is a park almost as big as England. We went during the very begining of Fall when all the trees had just started chaging colors, the air was the perfect tempature, and the park was empty. There was so much beauty in this park. But it was nothing compared to what it looked like at night. After a long day of hiking, as the coals of the fire simmered, the Sky came alive. I have never seen so many stars. For those of us who grew up in the city, seeing a sky filled with 100 stars is a marvel. But every night, the sky was filled with thousands. There was not a single night I needed my headlamp, for the stars were bright enough.

I do not need to convince you that the world is getting darker. Rumors of war in Europe and Africa, Hawaai is on fire, Teen suicide has surpassed the homicide rate, abortion continues, marriages are tossed out like yesterday’s trash, people are as divided as ever. Every day our world looks more like Babylon and less like Israel. Our World today is not so different than the world Paul, the author of Philippians, found himself in. Rome never ceased from making war, worship of false gods was common place, sexual peversion was celebrated, famine and flood increased, emperors used Christians as torches, and Paul found himself in prison once again. It is in this context that paul writes the words “among whom you shine like lights in the world” But What does light look light? Or what does it do in a world that continues to darken? Today we will be answering the question what does light do?

Passage

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

3. IQ- What question does this passage answer?

4. Transition

Light Grows

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Explain

Work out your salvation in fear and trembling. If I had a list with the top ten Bible verses taken out of context, this would be on it. You see there is a wrong reading of this text that tells us to work for our salvation. To earn it. What good deeds do you do in your life? give to the needy, donate school supplies, volunteer, teach, speak kind words. Do more. and more. and more. How much is enough? God’s standard is perfection, no one can work for their salvation. The Christian message is not, be a better person. Rather it calls for a radical rebirth that transforms every aspects of our life. the phrase is work out. God has already done a great work in us at salvation . Verse 12 does not exsist in a vacuum. Verse 13 gives us the context for a right interpretaion (read). Any good work you do have, is an outworking of the spirit inside of you.

Quote. We are certainly called to good works. It is a natural overflow of our salvation. Read verse. It is grace that started us on this journey so it is grace that substains us.

Verse 12 starts by pointing us back to the section before. The verses before, starting in verse 5 read almost as a melody. It is likely a psalm that was sung in the early church. In fact verse 11 is the oldest known creed in the early church. Jesus Christ is Lord. Let’s read to gain some context. I could preach a whole other sermon on these verses, but it is not what we’re here for today. Simply put, these verses tell of the humility of Christ. Jesus did not boast in being God. Rather he emptied himself to be obedient to the father. He obeyed even unto the point of death. Because of this all worship and glory is due him. So because of Christ’s obedience, we ought also obey.

Prove

1 cor 15 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

“Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning.” –Dallas WillardThe New

Illustrate

Apply

So I ask you, do you obey? Are you growing? Do you still struggle with the same sin that held you captive ten or even 5 years ago? This touches on eternity. It is not a game. Work out your own salvation. Your own. If you are like me, you might be more concerned with your neighbors sanctification. We need to be concerned with God’s work in my own life. God does not work for me. He works in and through me. So get to work, for the glory of God.

Another overlooked phrase in verse 13 is God who works in us to will and to do. Sometimes our will is the problem. Sometimes we don’t obey God simply because we don’t want to. A simple but powerful prayer we can bring before God is simply ask him to give us new desires.

like a catching fire, Light Grows, so how are you growing?

Light Spreads

14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Explain

Do things without complaining and disputing. This word complaining, alludes to the grumbling of Israel before God. This isn’t outright anger or blaming, but is an attitude of dissatisfaction. The israelites constantly grumbled. God frees them from slavery and, the mana is too bland, the water is too sparsr, the journey is too far, Moses leaves them alone for too long, the cannanites are too big, complaint after complaint. Yet God’s love and mercy does not change. Grumbling, even when done in private, affects our public lives. Paul is saying to watch our attitudes. We are constantly saying something to the world. Sometimes that message isn’t pretty when our hearts are grombling. The call to avoid disputing is to handle problems in house. Around the same time of this letter, the church in Corinth was taking each other to court rather than follow principals set forth in scripture. Such a course of action trainwrecked the Corinth church and crushed their public testimony. All of us can think of a church that has not followed this principal and dragged their brother in Christ through the mud in the public eye. The fallout of such does not spread the good news of Christ but gives the lost but another reason to reject it.

Crooked and perverse is the same language found in Deut 32:5. Once again Paul is making a clear connection to the isrealites and the people they lived amongst. Most people had turned their back upon truth and light. As the prophet Isaiah rightly said about the world in his day, so could be said of ours. So often light is called darkness, darkness is called light. Good is found to be evil and evil is found to be good,

It is in the dark that God’s people are called to be a light. John 1:5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (overcome) it. No matter what evil and despair arise in this world, it cannot estiguish the hope of Christ.

This call to be blameless is not a call to be sinless. For such is an unachievable goal. It is a call to be as moraly upright as possible. It speaks to public perception. Let no one be able to level a charge at you for either a specific breach of the law, or a detestable attitude.

Jesus has a great description of this generation. Matt 11:16-19 A crooked and perverse genation. These are the kinds of people who are never stisfied. Has your child every played an instrument for you? Many elementary schools, mine included, teach their students how to play recorders, these plastic instruments are something like a flute combined with a clarinent. And they sound like neither. Most sound like nails on a chalkboard. Many well intentioned children have played these horrid screeches wondering why their parents and siblings do not dance when they play. This generation makes a great noise, yet the Christian ought not to dance to it.

Jesus goes on in his teaching. John took a nazerite vow. He did not eat the way the culture did, he did not drink alchohol, he dressed funny. The culture judged him calling him a demon, our culture might say he is prude. Jesus came and he ate and drank with sinners. The culture thought he was a glutton, drunk, and had horrible taste in friends. Our culture is always looking to judge us for our actions and methodology. It is important to note that Jesus here is not just talking about the secular world. He is talking to religious Jews. Be careful that you are not judgemental like this. Your brother or sister in Christ may sing different songs, read a different translation, decorate their church differently, or even preach without wearing a tie. Be slow to judge methodology. Assume grace. Doctrine divides, and sometimes it should. But do not fall into the trap of being hyper critical of our fellow believers. It's not necessary to blow out your neighbor's light to let your own shine.

This little light of mine. Paul is reminding us that we are lights. Lights illuminate the dark. It brings hope to the hopeless. But it also draws attention.

Prove

But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying:

‘We played the flute for you,

And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

And you did not lament.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 11:16–19.

3. Illustrate

As we talk about a crooked generation i would be amiss if i did not talk about Gen Z It is no secret that Gen Z is in a desperate state. Think about the world they have grown up in Let’s look at some statistics of their generation the wired generation

Only 34% of Gen z believe lying is wrong as compared to 64% of the eldest generation

7/10 believe it is ok to be born one gender and feel another

Only 1 in 11 teens are engaged Christians (attend church once every 6 months, confess a saving faith and an inherint Bible)

8/10 report experiencing a tramatic event during their life

42% of 18-24 year olds have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or related illness (cdc)

1 in 5 have seriously considered suicide

64% will leave their faith between the ages of 18-25

Can I tell you why I have more hope for Gen Z than any generation before? The open generation

Twice as likely to volunteer at a non profit than baby boomers

77% report wanting to learn more about Jesus

83% are certain of a spiritual reality, higher than any other generation

7/10 want to grow spiritually

92% are open to hearing someoneones opinion, even if they disagree

Apply

Who will tell them about John 10:10, that Christ came to bring life and life to the fullest?

Barna concludes this after sharing the research spoken about earlier. A similar situation confronts churches today. Will older Christians in-sist that the youngest generation must speak, act and think like us, long-time residents of Jerusalem? Or will we help young exiles become and remain the people of God in Babylon? If the latter, then pastors, educators, mentors and parents will have to give up entertaining kids into the Kingdom. Pizza parties, silly games and worship nights may be attractive outreach events but they do not instill lasting faith. Disciple-making in Gen Z must, by necessity, involve formation in the basics: There is a God. Truth exists. This is how the world is. This is who we are. This is what Jesus does about it. But Gen Z disciple-making must also actively engage a two-way dynamic: faith in light of culture; culture in light of faith.

How will you be a light to this generation? Psalm 145 tells us that one generation declares God’s mighty works to another.

For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,

That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ac 13:47.

There is no higher calling, no greater task than to share the Gospel. This light. This goodnews. The world agrees that there is bad news, that the world is not as it should.(gospel presentation)

Light Sacrifices

16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

Explain

The greek word here epechō, translated as holding fast, can also mean to hold forth. It carries the idea of holding out a cup at a banquet for a guest to reach out and take. As the Philipians held out the word of life, begging a dying world to take it, Paul could have joy. His work had come to fruition. The message would not end with him. And when this world draws to a close, he can celebrate God’s accomplished work. He is not consumed with personal pride but rather God’s honor.

This is an interesting way that Paul chooses to close this thought. Paul’s not in a good place right now. He is imprisoned in Rome and could very well die there. Now this is the first time Paul is in a roman Jail, he doesn’t know that he will be released and end up there again where he will be beheaded. As far as Paul is concerned, this may be it. He is choosing to rejoice. The church in Philipi has always supported Paul, phsically, spiritually, financially. When Paul writes to a church it is usually bad news for that church. Cause they got issues. But this letter is a thank you letter. Paul is rejoicing in their continued obedience to God and encouraging them to continue.

Paul wasn’t pretending the jail away. His reality had not changed. He experienced real pain and sorrow. But he found the sufferings of this world to be counted as nothing when compared to the coming glory. I don’t know what challenges you may face. This concept is simple to grasp, but so hard to live out. Let us find God’s grace to endure suffering with such an attitude. Let us chase after the kind of joy that endures trials of all kinds . Paul gives us a clue of what inspires such endurance in Romans chapter 8 verse 25

Illustration

Prove

The New King James Version Chapter 8

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Illustrate

A drink offering was an offering that could be given on its own but it usually was preceded by a burn sacrifice. As the anamal was on the alter a cup of the finest wine or the best perfume would be poured out as well. Paul is picturing himself as this offering. that every last bit of worth he has is being given so that the church in phillip may succeed.

Apply.

What have you sacrificed for the cause of Christ. What has it cost you? I’m not talking about your finances.

Conclusion

List Points

List application

We want a to do list when it comes to the application of a sermon. We have some things that we gan pull out right. Light grows, the passage says to obey, I so I obey, Light spreads, be a light in a crooked generation I can do that. Light sacrifices, cool, I don’t always want to but I can endure hard times and find a way to rejoice. If you leave this building and try to live out this list you will most likely fail.

That is unless you recieve the humble and obedient Jesus.

Try harder is a message that leads to pride or defeat.

Of course we have a to do list. But it begins with recieveing the humble and exalted Christ who works in us.

Exhort

Pray