Shine As Lights

Announcements

Kindergarten Graduation

The Calvary Quartet - Concert at the Park

Shine As Lights

Text: Philippians 2:12-16.

Title: Crooked and Perverse

Message: Shine As Lights

Crooked: σκολιός (skolios), ά (a), όν (on): adj.; ≡ Str 4646; TDNT 7.403—1. LN 79.90 crooked (Lk 3:5+); 2. LN 88.268 unscrupulous, corrupt, morally crooked (Ac 2:40; Php 2:15; 1Pe 2:18+)

This Greek word has been transliterated into English. Scoliosis is a side-to-side curve of your spine. This differs from your body’s natural front-to-back curve.

How do you know when something is crooked? (Especially when it is not obviously crooked?) You measure it against a standard such as a ruler.

How do you know when something is morally crooked? You measure it against a moral standard. What is the only moral standard? God’s Word; the Truth!

Perverse: διαστρέφω (diastrephō): vb.; ≡ Str 1294; TDNT 7.717—1. LN 31.71 mislead, cause to turn away from a belief (Lk 23:2+), for another interp, see next; 2. LN 88.264 pervert, cause to turn away from correct behavior (Mt 17:17; Lk 9:41; 23:2; Ac 13:10; 20:30; Php 2:15+), for another interp, see prior; 3. LN 13.46 turn away from, to cause a state of unbelief (Ac 13:8+), note: there may be overlap in the verses and entries

In our country; our world; our society; what are people being led away from? God’s Word; the Truth!

Nation: “Nation” (Greek genea) can mean a family, race, nation, age, or time—although its meaning is generally personal;

The city of Philippians was a colony that, during this period of the first century and the time of the Roman Empire, had been populated by a large number of former Roman soldiers - veterans. This was one way in which the Roman Empire ought to ensure that those areas - on the edges of the Empire’s boundaries - remained loyal to the Empire.

In a very real sense, I believe, Paul was stating the fact that the Philippian believers were living in a city (Philippi); in a nation (the Roman Empire) that was/were crooked and perverse.

Every nation, throughout history, known to mankind and regardless of how they began, eventually became crooked and perverse. And, as such, God had to judge!

Allow me to give you a few Biblical examples:

The Genesis Flood

Genesis 6:5–7 KJV 1900

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

The Tower of Babel

Genesis 11:6–8 KJV 1900

And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 18:20–21 KJV 1900

And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel became so crooked and perverse that God allowed the Assyrian’s to destroy it and to take the people captive.

The Southern Kingdom of Judah became so crooked and perverse that God allowed the Babylonians to destroy it and to take the people captive.

Even the Roman Empire - as great as it was - eventually became so crooked and perverse that God destroyed it and removed it from its place.

Job 12:23 KJV 1900

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

Jumping ahead to the 21st century - It shouldn’t be too hard for us to understand that our own country - the United States of America has become crooked and perverse.

If that’s the case - and it is - what should we do?

Let’s look at our passage of Scripture in Philippians chapter 2…

Philippians 2:12–13 KJV 1900

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

This is not a “works salvation.” In fact, if you think that Paul, here is stating that you need to “work” for your salvation, then you don’t truly know God’s Word!

Why did I join the basketball team when I was in high school? Because I wanted to play. I don’t know of anyone who joins a ball team just so that they can sit on the bench. In fact, one of my friends in high school didn’t play basketball for that very reason. He didn’t really enjoy basketball, he wasn’t all that good at it, and he wasn’t going to torture himself with practices just so that he could sit on the bench!

Allow me summarize what Paul is stating at the end of vs. 12 and in vs. 13:

God want to work in us so that He might work through us!

It is too easy to become a lazy Christian.

Philippians 2:14 KJV 1900

Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

An American Dictionary of the English Language MURMURING

MUR´MURING, ppr. Uttering complaints in a low voice or sullen manner; grumbling; complaining.

An American Dictionary of the English Language DISPUTING

DISPU´TING, n. The act of contending by words or arguments; controversy; altercation.

Putting vv. 12-14 together, consider this - In the Old Testament, as the nation of Israel was traveling through the wilderness they did a lot of grumbling and complaining.

When they were grumbling and complaining what were they NOT doing? They weren’t moving forward!

Apparently, there was some murmuring and disputing going on in the Philippian Church.

What are some things that Christians, within the context of the local church, complain and argue about?

Do you know that there is one thing that I have never heard a church member complain about or heard church members arguing about?

Pastor Campbell doesn’t give us enough opportunities to go out into our community to give the Gospel!

No, I want that street. It has more houses on it. You got to do the street with the most houses last time! You need to stop hogging all the long streets!

That’s “funny” but is it not also true?

So God, through Paul, gives us this very clear command; do all things without murmurings and disputings.

Paul follows that, in vs. 15, with the reason why:

Philippians 2:15 KJV 1900

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior than you are a child of God!

John 1:12 KJV 1900

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Because of that, people are going to find fault with us and “blame us”. But we should seek to live such an exemplary Christian life that our enemies are only to say, as they did about Daniel:

Daniel 6:5 KJV 1900

Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Then, Paul writes: Among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

Ephesians 5:8 KJV 1900

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Philippians Exposition

You cannot straighten them, but you can shine.

Philippians (Exposition)

If Christian men would give more attention to their shining, and pay less attention to the crooked and perverse generation, much more would come of it.

Question: Where do you not need a flashlight? In a room that already has light!

So where are we suppose to “shine as lights?” In the world!

Paul’s assumption, I’m sure, is that the Philippian believers were going to be moving about and living amongst the world. As they did, Paul reminds them that that’s where they were to let their light shine.

Here, I’d like to share something that Charles Spurgeon wrote which ties all of this together:

Philippians Exposition

We cannot be blameless if we murmur and dispute, for such things naturally lead to sin. Our lights cannot shine if instead of trimming them we occupy ourselves with blowing out the lamps of others.

Instead of seeking to blow out the lamps of others, we should…

Philippians 2:16 KJV 1900

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

What does it mean? Holding forth the word of life?

Well, a picture is worth a 1,000 words.

Holding forth the word of life…

Matthew 5:16 KJV 1900

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Paul wanted to be as successful as possible in spreading the Gospel and he wanted to see his converts - in this case the Philippians - spreading the Gospel as well.

Paul knew that, at the judgement seat of Christ that he would share in their reward; theirs would also be fruit to his account.

Paul knew that they were living in a crooked and perverse world and they need to shine the Word of God amongst those they shared that world with.

But Paul also knew that something as “simple” as grumbling and complaining amongst themselves would be the equivalent of hiding their light under a bushel.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…

Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine…

Hide it under a bushel - NO! I’m gonna let it shine…

Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary ((a) The Truth Visualized (2:15))

We are living in a dark world. All around us are people whose lives are bent and warped by sin. We were once just as bent, just as selfish, and just as crooked as other people, but our lives have been rekindled with light from on high. God has set us in this dark world as lamps.

Shine As Lights!