Working Out Salvation: A Call to Joyful Obedience | Vintage Mission | Philippians 2:12-18 | Pastor J. M. Lee

I am excited and I am grateful to be with you this morning especially in light of the fact that we had to cancel last weeks service. I missed you all and I want to ensure you that we now have a contingency plan in place…… so……if for whatever reason…..… we encounter another last minute issue that prevents us from utilizing this space….we will be able to still meet.

Perhaps you might consider joining me in praying that God would provide us with a permanent facility ….…you know…Lord willing…Mission Church…we are here for the long haul……and a permanent location would solidify our presence in this community and it would communicate stability…it would communicate that….…well…we aren’t going anywhere…and you can trust us.

Now….…this morning we are continuing our current sermon series entitled “Vintage Mission.” And….the heart…and the intended purpose of this series… is for us to intentionally revisit a few of the crucial topics that have ……not only shaped our identity as a church ….… but have also united us in our mission to partner with God to see His Kingdom come in Las Vegas as it is in heaven.

This morning we’re going to discuss the topic of sanctification and God’s call to joyful obedience… in fact….… our text this morning may be one of the most important…albeit…daunting passages on sanctification in all of the Bible……in fact.…our text today is often misunderstood and miss quoted…and the reason for this is….well………it’s easy to get things out of order ….you see…in regards to faith, grace, and our works…there’s a order to things….and that order is extremely important ….…because….… if we miss it…if we get this all out of order …then we might completely misunderstand grace, faith…and quite possibly even God himself. The reality is……there’s so much happening in our text this morning… and so my goal is to help make since of it both practically and relationally especially regarding who Jesus is…. what He has done….… and how it is you and I are to live in light of these truths.

Now…if you have a Bible …go ahead and open it up to Philippians 2.

Philippians 2:12–18 (CSB)

12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

Lets pray

Like most young boys….growing up….…my Dad was my hero….I adored him and wanted nothing more than to be just like him. My dad is tall and strong….…he was a soldier and bravely served our country overseas…..…My dad is a man with a high moral code, and he’s also an extremely gifted singer and guitarist…. and….…one of my most vivid childhood memories was when my dad played guitar and would sing in the church band. I even remember him preaching and watching him as he prayed and prepared beforehand…..I remember wanting to be just like him.

Now, some of those traits I accomplished and some I didn’t……and as I got older and became a parent myself I realized that the best we can do for our kids is to be an inspiration ……here’s what I mean…. My dad had no power to change me…He had no power to give me faith or produce in me any specific characteristics or traits……you see….…The only way he could physically change me was if he entered into my being and handed over his skills, his knowledge, his faith, his accomplishments and his abilities.

In a similar way …..Our text this morning is focused on living like Jesus……that by having our eyes fixed upon Jesus…that we would look up to Him, and desire to be like Him. …but…unlike my dad ……God the Holy Spirit does reside in those who believe and he works in us to change our desires and to produces in us godliness…..…He sanctifies us .…He makes more and more like Jesus.

But….If we are not careful…….…… it feels like this life of following Jesus is just a series of ups and down as we try to be our best …trying to be good and trying to do better. I mean …..Let’s be honest…..we read verses like

Hebrews 4:15 (CSB)

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus was tempted in every way that we are but he did not sin. Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life in complete obedience to God….and then we read verses like …

And Matthew 5:48.. where Jesus tells us to.

Matthew 5:48 (CSB)

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

You see…..Jesus never sinned…Jesus is perfect and He commands us to be perfect ..just as He is. Now… I don’t know about you but this is overwhelming and almost defeating…..Because….let’s get real…..no matter how hard I try….I’m not perfect…If you don’t believe me ask my wife and my kids…they will gladly tell you.

And this truth leads me at times to wonder…..…How could any of us ever hope to live and love like Jesus? …..I know in my own life there are moments when I feel like I have made some progress, but then I fail. There are moments when I feel close to God and temptation, anxiety, and depression seems to be distant enemies…only to find them sleeping in the guest room plotting their next attack….and when I fail I lose hope that I will ever grow to live like Jesus.

What about you? Have you lived a sinless life? Have you reached perfection?

Well……If you’re like me and your answer is …NO…….our text this morning provides some much needed good news…Look back at v12. Paul says,

Philippians 2:12 (CSB)

12 Therefore,…

Now…stop here…. this word… “Therefore”….is pointing us back to what was said before…and so we have to stop and remind ourselves of the context of v12…. And as we look back we see that Paul has detailed for us the humility, the death, and the Lordship of Jesus. In fact….Jesus..…the Son of God….…He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped…but rather He made himself nothing…He took on the form of a servant….being born in the likeness of men….that He humbled himself…and humbled himself to the point of death….even death on a cross…and so God has highly exalted Him…and bestowed on him the name that is above every name…that every knee should and will eternally bow and every tongue will forever confess…… both on the earth and under the earth and above the earth that Jesus is Lord.

THEREFORE…..in light of all of this….

Philippians 2:12 (CSB)

12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence….…

Paul is addressing Christians….He’s speaking to those who know Jesus and follow Jesus…you see….Paul is being a good and encouraging pastor….as he says… “Look guys…you’re already doing this” and he tells them …“Keep it up…don’t stop…keep going!”

Brothers and sisters….…I think we can find encouragement and motivation here ……you see…. If you find yourself growing in Christian maturity…realize that your growth in godliness is evidence that God’s grace is at work in your life!

Consider with me how Jesus was perfectly obedient to God….and yet……Jesus died the death we all deserve as a punishment for our sins….…..and now …if you are a follower of Jesus…if Jesus is your Lord and Savior …then Jesus has gifted you with his perfect life…his sacrificial death and His resurrection………You have been justified and now when God looks at you…..if you are in Christ…….he sees you as if you have never sinned….and as if you have ALWAYS obeyed! Not only that…but……you have been gifted with the Holy Spirit. God Himself dwells in you and with you and is empowering you to obey.

And it’s with these truths in mind….Paul says… “Now press on…and with joy continue to obey” ….….look back at v12….Paul says

Philippians 2:12 (CSB)

12 ……work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Now…we have to pause here…..because it’s extremely important that we understand what Paul is not saying.. Paul is not telling us to, “Work so we can earn salvation.”…… We can’t earn salvation… also…understand ….this is not a matter of teamwork between you and God, in which he does his part and you do yours, and together you both save you!..NO! …But rather Paul says, “Work out your salvation.” That’s a huge difference! We are not working to EARN something, we are working OUT something.

I am reminded of

Ephesians 2:8–10 (CSB)

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

You see….We are not saved “by our works,” but rather we are saved “for good works”. “Working out our salvation” simply means that as Christians we are on a life long process of living out the faith we have in Jesus……..in other words….righteousness is something that we “keep on pursuing and growing in”

Pastor and author Eugene Peterson calls this “A long obedience in the same direction”…. which….let’s be honest….a long obedience in the same direction can be a difficult endeavor in this fallen and broken world….however……. we can be sure that we are not left to live this life of obedience on our own power….No…You and I can work out our salvation because and only because God is at work in us. Look at v13

Philippians 2:13 (CSB)

13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

This verse speaks to the fact that Jesus has given us a pattern for what a humble, others-focused, and God glorifying life of obedience looks like….… and its a pattern that you and I are called to imitate.

And this call to obedience should cause us now to take a step back….to look at our lives from a birds eye view….and consider the question… Am I striving to live like Jesus? Am I intent on pursuing a life of holiness? A life that is set apart? Am I living as though I really believe that Jesus meant what He said?

Now…..I don’t know about you but when things are hard….when things are difficult…. it’s easy to give in and look for a shortcut….but when it comes to following Jesus there are no shortcuts…..rather….. following Jesus requires us to daily die to ourselves.

I remember when I was a kid I had a poster of the 1992 US Mens Olympic Basketball team on my wall…otherwise known as the Dream Team….and next to it was a poster of the great Larry Bird. I remember dreaming of being able to play basketball just like those guys…I even remember every season wearing Bird’s number, 33, on my jersey. And I remember asking my coach what I needed to do to play like Larry Bird….and the coach just laughed at me.. “Boy, you’re going to need a bit more than a number on your back to become an athlete like him!!” …..The point is…..there are no shortcuts to becoming a professional athlete….it requires discipline, long workouts, and a ton of practice….and so it is with the Christians growth in Christlikeness. We can’t take a pill…or eat some kale….do crossfit…or become a vegan and automatically turn into a perfectly sanctified person. As Paul instructs us…..We must work out our salvation every day and we do so by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.

And …the truth is….. this is hard…a long obedience in the same direction….I mean we live in a fast pace, fast food, microwave, internet culture….but this process of sanctification….of becoming like Jesus is more like a crock pot meal than it is a microwaved tv dinner….its a slow process of living faithfully and consistently even when no one is watching and when no one cares. …..and Church….…My prayer for you as your pastor is that God would rekindle in you a passion for ordinary obedience…that you and I would live day to day…following the pattern of Jesus …..all along clinging to v13

Philippians 2:13 (CSB)

13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

Now…before we move on…..we have look back at v12 and see that this phrase “work out your own salvation” does not solely speak to our obedience as individuals alone……it does….. but it’s also bigger than that…..you see……there’s also a corporate dimension to this verse……it speaks to the working out of our salvation……. within the church….within the body of Christ.…it speaks to how we as the church should conduct ourselves collectively…..in other words…this call to obedience is a both/and …it’s both a personal call and a communal call……it’s a call to us as a church community to produce a gospel culture.

Now, what’s a gospel culture? ……Well…..…A gospel culture is the shared experience of grace for the undeserving…………it’s the corporate incarnation of the biblical message in our relationships….it’s the vibe, feel, tone, values, and priorities of our church…and it’s found in our honesty, freedom, gentleness, humility, and cheerfulness…in other words….……gospel culture is the total human reality of a church defined and sweetened by the gospel.

Mission Church……every church culture is communicating something….and… if a church is not positively communicating the gospel….… both by what we preach and how we live……then the church risks unsaying by our reality what we are saying by our theory. And so Paul calls us …both as individuals and as churches to a live a life of gospel obedience…………And the good news is….if you’re a Christian….…God is already at work in you ….and….… He’s also working within us as a church to produce these good works of obedience.

You see….… these good works are ultimately the result of God’s grace in our lives…and we work because God works…and we can be confident and comforted by the truth that God will accomplish His good purposes in us and through us by His mighty power. Isn’t this comforting? Isn’t comforting to know that you aren’t alone? That we are not alone… because God is at work and He will accomplish His good purposes both in us and through us……and the truth is….…the moment we surrender to the power of God within us…..then our obedience will no longer be a burden or a battle but rather…obedience will become a joy and a delight.

Now …the question is begging to be asked…. “How?”… “What does it look like for us to be obedient?” … “This is all great but how do I and how do we as a church work out our salvation with fear and trembling?”… Well I am glad you asked… look at v14 

Philippians 2:14 (CSB)

14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing,

Brothers and sisters……we are to live ALL of life…doing EVERYTHING we are called to do…without grumbling….without arguing….without complaining.

Now……I don’t know about you but there are some days that I feel like a professional complainer…. a professional grumbler…. and I don’t think I’m alone in this…..…Think about it….we live in a time and place…we live in a society and a culture in which complaining is our primary language……in fact we were born complaining!

If you have kids you know this to be true…..and in my house it takes place every day at dinner, bath time, and bedtime…..grumbling…and complaining …and arguing… I don’t want to eat that…I don’t want to sit next to him ….I don’t want to take a bath…the waters too cold or too warm….I wanna snack….I don’t want to go to bed….I’m bored!

The truth is…..We are born complainers…..and we don’t stop when we grow up…NO! We simply graduate from complaining about bedtime to complaining about work, relationships, the weather, the church, politics…and a million other things.

I am reminded of what Paul instructs us to do in his letter to the Corinthians …

1 Corinthians 10:31 (CSB)

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

You see…rather than complaining ….…God calls us to glorify God…to worship God… in everything that we do…all of it…..and I think Paul points this out to us because the temptation to gripe and complain is a strong one…..and here’s why…..BECAUSE FOLLOWING JESUS IS HARD! It’s difficult…discipleship is not an easy road….pursuing holiness…giving generously…practicing hospitality….loving and putting others before ourselves…sharing the gospel……let’s be honest…..it’s hard!

And this temptation to complain and argue is not only a personal temptation…but it’s also a big temptation for the church as a whole..….because at some point ….…someone will let you down….or something or someone will not live up to your preferences and the temptation to complain and argue about one another becomes very strong.

I am reminded of the griping and complaining in the detailed account of God’s people in the wilderness…..in the books…..…Exodus and Numbers….… we read about how God miraculously rescued his people out of slavery….and how God graciously provided for them…but folks still found things to complain about…..God didn’t provide the food they wanted to eat…they had bread from heaven but no meat.…they even rejected God and wanted to go back to slavery…you see…..The Israelites lost sight of God’s redemption and were focused on their circumstances….. It’s crazy but we do the same thing….you see……the question is not…… Will you be tempted to complain? You will be tempted to complain…..remember complaining is the common language of our day…the question is…When you are tempted to complain, what will you do? …or better yet…..a better question would be…….How can we maintain a joyful attitude even in the face of problems?

You see….if we are going to find joy we have to run to the gospel……and here’s why…..the gospel says, “You are far better off than you deserve.”…Remember…..the only thing we deserve…the only realty that we have earned is death. Consider Romans 6:23.

Romans 6:23 (CSB)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We have to keep sight of the Gospel…we have to keep sight of the death and resurrection of Jesus because when we lose sight of the gospel…… we’ll go down the dark hole of complaining.

Suppose you just won 1 billion dollars and all you have to do is go downtown to pick it up. As you’re on your way to pick up the money….. your car breaks down a mile away……you’re almost there…..now in order to get your money you have to walk a mile on the strip in the middle of summer. Now……Would that be a walk of joy or a walk of…..“Are you serious! Of course this would happen to me!!…I am going to be one sweaty billionaire!” What’s your attitude going to be? One of a complainer or of gratitude?

Church….in the same way……we only have a mile to go! We will see Jesus soon! So Rejoice! We may not have won a billion dollars, but we got something better.……Jesus! Friends….… as Christians….… we are on a journey towards the ultimate prize – the fulfillment of our faith in the presence of Jesus. And it’s true……Life might have its breakdowns and detours….… but when we keep our focus on the ultimate goal and prize………we can face the challenges of this life with gratitude……knowing that the best is yet to come.

Now…with this in mind……… Paul tells us ….… look……when when you pepper your ordinary days with expressions of gratitude instead of expressions of complaining,……we shine like gospel stars in the darkest of nights!!!…Look at v14

Philippians 2:14–15 (CSB)

14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world,

Underline this phrase… children of God. Friend……if you are in Christ…if Jesus is your Lord and Savior.…then it does not matter who you are……it does not matter what you’ve done or not done. No matter what your background is, your past sin, or your parents sin….The truth of the gospel tells us that ….…You are a son or a daughter of God. You have been adopted by a Perfect Father. And the crazy thing is that you did nothing to earn or deserve your way into the family.

Kids are great. I have 3 kids. But there’s something exceptionally special about adoption. Because…..the parent says, “I want this child. This child is mine. I choose Him!” You see………orphans..…they don’t choose who adopts them…No…… the parents choose… And God has chosen you…and he chose you even as you sat in your sin and rebellion. He saved you and through the power of the Holy Spirit he is growing you to live, love, and lead others to Jesus.

Church…This morning….God is saying to you….. “You are my child…I chose you and I want you.”

How do I know this? Well consider Ephesians 1:4-6.

Ephesians 1:4–6 (CSB)

4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

Consider also……

Galatians 4:4–6 (CSB)

4 When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

Brothers and sisters….… Jesus lived a perfect life …a life that you and I could never live and….Jesus died instead of you and he paid for the consequence of your sin……Jesus rose from the dead and He is alive today…in fact…He is seated at the right hand of the Father…ruling and reigning!…Think about this…..How could we complain, or play the victim or fail…how could we ever gripe or grumble or argue??

You are God’s child…He chose you…He lived a perfect life for you….He died for you….He rose from the dead for you…and He wants to be in relationship with you. Rest in these truths this morning and allow them to propel you to live a life of a long obedience in the same direction. And as we live a life of obedience….Paul says…look back at v15 He says that we,

Philippians 2:15–16 (CSB)

15……shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word of life……

You see….…when we strive to avoid complaining our language looks different than the rest of the world….our words will stand out….and then….…as we defend and proclaim the message of the gospel….our words have a greater potency and power.

I am reminded of Colossians 3:16 where Paul instructs us to

Colossians 3:16 (CSB)

16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

We can summarize it like this….. Mission…..let’s be a proclaiming church……not a complaining church…and here’s why….if we are a complaining church then we become confusing to a watching world. Think about it….…why would they ever consider the hope of the gospel if the gospel has not produced hope in you?

Rather….…let’s use words of gratitude and grace as we faithfully proclaim Jesus and the good news of the gospel to a dark world…..and as we do this….. Paul says….do so with the end in mind. Look back at v16

Philippians 2:16 (CSB)

16 ….…Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.

This phrase, “the day of Christ” speaks to the truth that Jesus is returning for us…..and on that day we will stand before him… John tells us

1 John 3:2 (CSB)

2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.

And…as we move towards that day……we labor for the sake of the gospel….…we strive for holiness …and as we do….…as we run with the purpose and aim of allowing the Spirit of God to work in us and through us….we can be confident that we will not be ashamed when we meet Jesus face to face.

Now…look at v17 and we will finish up here.

Philippians 2:17–18 (CSB)

17 But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

These last 2 verses are amazing and they’re an incredible example to us! You see….as Paul wrote this ….he was suffering….he was in pain …and he was in prison…… but his focus wasn’t on his circumstances but rather he was focused on the hope in the gospel, his love for the church, and His desire that the church would be faithful and fruitful……you see….. Paul was happy to suffer for the name of Jesus and for the advancement of the gospel…..Why?!?! Well….because….Jesus emptied himself for us and Paul was emptying himself for the glory of God….and Paul urges me and he urges you to follow his example…..that we would rejoice with him as we empty ourselves in service and obedience to Jesus…because…Christ’s Mission for the church is worth it….and ultimately..……Jesus is worth it!

Church….even in the midst of your current struggles or circumstances….…it doesn’t matter the state of our society…economy…or current difficulties.…We can find joy…and we can rejoice..Why?…because Jesus is Lord! …and God will bring the good work that He started…both… in you and in this church to completion.

Brothers and Sisters….…in Jesus…we are doing far better than we deserve…so let’s root our joy in HIM! Let’s live in the shadow of the cross and before the throne of God……let’s work out our salvation…let’s be shining witnesses to a dark world by not complaining but rather by holding fast to God’s word….and finally let’s rejoice…even in the midst of suffering as we anticipate the coming day when Jesus returns for us….and we stand before Him complete.

Let’s pray