Working Out

David Poland

Philippians: Together In Gospel Joy • Sermon • Submitted 3 months ago • Presented 3 months ago

Philippians 2:12–18

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Sermon 11 in a series through the Epistle to the Philippians

Notes

Transcript

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 71

Psalm 71 ESV

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me! Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you. I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent. For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.” O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 62:1-2

Psalm 62:1–2 ESV

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Sermon:

Good morning church. I was glad when they said to me, let us go and Worship in the house of the Lord.

Most of you are, maybe aware. That I have a, a rather important important large birthday. Heartbreaking, birthday coming up. You know, anytime you, you put a zero at the end of your age. It's a little bit traumatic, and I was reminded that I had a birthday coming up. Just yesterday. We went to a birthday party and we were out playing some Ultimate Frisbee and, uh, I am not as in shape as I used to be is the nice way to say it.

I mean, I try to jump and my feet wouldn't leave the ground. I tried to run and my back hurt. All that to say. I should think about probably working out. Though, I probably won't. If we're being honest.

Well, Paul in our passage for today. Encourages us to work out, but yet. Not work out physically. The fact that Paul can't jump as well as he used to be able to or run as fast as he maybe Could isn't what's on Paul's mind when he tells us to work out. rather He tells us that we ought to… we will read it but just so you know.... he tells us to Work out our salvation. With fear. And trembling.

And so this morning, what we're going to be looking at Is, what does that mean? But more importantly, how do we do that? How how are we to to “work out” in the way that Paul Tells us to.

just like we probably wouldn't just go to the gym not knowing anything about what we're doing. So too it would be wise to make sure we understand what Paul's saying when he tells us these things our passage for today.

Philippians chapter 2 verses 12 through 18. A pretty big chunk that we're going to cover this morning. Philippians chapter 2, starting in verse 12.

Philippians 2:12–18 ESV

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, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 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, 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. 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. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

These are the words of the Lord for us this morning. Let's open with a word of prayer.

Our Father in Heaven. We do thank you. That you Deem fit to as we just read… work in us For your good pleasure. We thank you. That you Delight in your people. We pray that you would meet with us this morning. Help us as we open your word to hear from you, may you convict our hearts and souls. Give us Minds to know and understand what you have said. Give us ears to hear eyes to see. Help us to be a people who hear your word and are changed. Pray that you would speak through your servant this morning. It's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. And amen.

If we remember what we've been talking about in Philippians up till now, Paul has been encouraging the Philippian Church. He's been thankful for them for their love and their affection and importantly, he's been thankful for their faith. He's told them what's most important is to Proclaim Christ. Though, there are some who do it for bad reasons. Now, don't do that. But though, there are some who Proclaim Christ for bad reasons. They still preach Christ. And so, Paul said he rejoiced. then the thought: to live is Christ, his life became a reflection of all that God did all that Christ did in his life. And and he was willing to sacrifice everything for for the cause of following Jesus, but also for the encouragement of the Philippian church. And so we spent three weeks discussing. Humility.

That God is above all. And so we ought to be humble because Jesus, who is God... condescended into creation and if he is willing to lay aside, all of the, the benefit and the riches of Heaven to enter into creation, to live to suffer, and to die, the shameful death on the cross. So, we Should be humble. And because Jesus was humble, Jesus has been highly magnified, highly exalted. He is worthy of all glory, honor and praise. So what does that mean in your life?

What we have here: Therefore, This is how we start because of all of these things. This is what you should do. Therefore, What?

Here's the command.

The COMMAND

And I actually want to the command here. It comes before, what I just mentioned. The command, if I were to summarize it in one word, We find it in verse 12. Obey. Our call as Christians Is to obey. We don't often think of this this way, but this is an important way to think about what we are called to do.

Are we called to be holy? Yes, yes, we are. First Peter 1, 16 be holy as he is. Holy okay?

Are we called to Preach the gospel. Of course, Matthew 28. Go, therefore make disciples of all Nations.

Are we called to remain unstained from the world? Are we called to abstain from sin? Are we called to not indulge in the desires of the flesh? Are we called to glorify God in all things? Yes, we are. But all of that can be summarized in one simple word, obey. And Paul calls the Philippian church to obey. Even when he's not watching.

Us parents can understand what Paul's saying here. as a note, this section is one of the most we would call it pastoral sections of Paul. In other words, here it is not just Paul, but PASTOR Paul. Paul was an apostle. He was a preacher. But I think, Like if we were to sit down and ask Paul, this is conjecture, but if we were to sit down and ask him in his heart, what is he He's a church planter and a pastor. And so he cares for this church and with a pastoral heart which is a lot often like a parental heart. He looks to the Philippian church Like look you guys are when I'm there. You obey, it's great. You're a model Church of of goodness and love and compassion, great. But can you obey when I'm not there?

As you have obeyed. So now not only is in my presence but much more in my absence obey

So when Paul is there you obey but do you obey the commands of God when Paul's not there? Even more important? You obey the commands of God, because Paul's not there to correct You, Paul's not there to help you, Paul's not there to instruct you. So, the command we have is obey. As we are called to follow Christ. Obey. And he starts by looking at our work.

Our WORK

What does it look like for us to obey? Here's the the thought, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

This is a difficult one. Not difficult because it doesn't make sense. It actually does. Make sure. That you are saved. But it's difficult. Because we know and Proclaim and believe. You don't save yourself. And there's no amount of goodness or working or ability that you have to be able to earn or purchase salvation. And in fact, there's nothing that you can do or earn in your own strength and might to be able to hold on to and maintain salvation. Salvation is not from you. So what is he saying? Well, we are saved. We mentioned. To God Alone be the glory soli deo Gloria last week.

But we're saved by grace alone, through faith alone. What does it mean to work out? What is your work here? It Is to put your faith and hope and trust in God. It's to know and understand you're not good enough, smart enough righteous enough, anything enough and so you cry out to your savior. what does it mean for you to work out your salvation? you pour over the scriptures seeing and knowing and trying to understand all that God has said and what God has done So that You know, and you rest in his promises. What does it mean for you to work out? It means You trust more, you love more you rely more, you rest more In Christ.

The point of working out here. We'll go back to my example. I need to go to a gym. When you go to a gym, You usually don't lift weights by yourself. You have someone called a spotter. That way in case you can't lift it. It doesn't crush you and you die, I mean, that's the point of having a spotter. When Paul here, calls us to work out our salvation, but we have, if you will forgive this really awful analogy, a spotter...

But sometime bad examples are the best, becauase when you know WHY it is bad it can teach you something… so lets go here… This example falls apart because Jesus is greater than a spotter. He's the one who lift the weights for you. The way salvation. This is a mystery but a beautiful one. Jesus did all the work for you and you received the benefit, right? It's as if to go back to this kind of lame. Gym example, Jesus went to the gym, did all the work and yet you're the one who gets into being, in better shape. That's the point of salvation. And so, when Paul says that you need to work out your salvation, you need to contemplate who Jesus is rest in what Jesus has done and then be saved. That's it. You don't do it or earn it because and here's the most important part. Even here in this command where Paul says, obey work out your salvation. Sure, that's your work, but it all rests on God's work. That's the point.

God’s WORK

He says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling verse 13 FOR “because” Why do you work out your salvation? Because it is God who works in you, you work out “because” “for” “on account of the fact that” God is the one who is working in you. And what is God working in you for? What is God doing?

It is God. Who works in you both to. And work. So you feel better? It's not what it says.

For this God who works in you both to Will and to work. So that you receive some benefit... it actually kind of does say that if we read it, right? Beacuse God’s please and glory is a benefit for you… But that's not the words. What are the words? both to will and work for his good pleasure.

Our obedience. It's for God's pleasure. Us working out our Salvation is for God's good pleasure because God is working in us for his pleasure.

It is God's pleasure to save and redeem his people. It is God's pleasure to call and save his people. It is God's pleasure to rescue those whom he loves from the fiery Clutches of Hell. It is God's good pleasure to do these things.

It's all about God. See we're back to God's Glory... last week, but it was... note, the picture Paul's painting if we go back and we contemplate last week too. Jesus was humbled and then exalted so that God would receive glory. We obey we work out our Salvation so that God receives the pleasure. It is all for God. His glory, his pleasure, his goodness, it's all for him.

So let's come back to the command, I don't want to miss this, and I do want to belabor it a little bit. Why do you obey?

It's not because it earns you salvation. It doesn't... It's not even because it makes you a better person though, it does. That's not the point. Why do you obey? It's not because God might punish us if we don't. We obey. Because God is working in us For his good pleasure. We obey. So that God receives Glory. we obey so that God receives All honor and praise that he deserves. We obey... This is a trite way to say it. And the truth is much deeper than this, but I don't have better words. Because it makes God happy. again.. That's the cheap way to say it. Paul saying he works in us for his good pleasure. The high King of Heaven, The Sovereign, Lord of the universe sees, fit to work in us to save us to also sanctify us… And THAT's what brings him, pleasure. So, we obey

Your command is to obey, and you do some work. You work out your salvation, though. Christ did all that work. So that God receives Glory, because it's up to God, to will and work in you for his good pleasure. He saves you for his pleasure, he sanctifies you, for his pleasure, he uses you, again, for HIS pleasure. So fulfill your calling... You are called all of us. I say this all the time. I am blessed because I get to for my vocation do what all of us are called to do. We are all called to preach the gospel. We are all called to reach out to the Lost around us. We are all called to grow in our sanctification. We are all called to live and work in each Other's lives pushing each other on to good works and sanctification. We are ALL called to do that. I am blessed that. It's my job. You all have a real job plus all of that...

But why do we do it? It's so that God receives glory. We obey, we do these things, we do what God has called us to do. As God works in us for his pleasure. Then we can turn our attention once we've got that, then we can turn our attention to the method.

The METHOD

The how do we do this? How are we called to work out? What does it mean to work automation? God's working in us, but how is that working? And what do we do? And here Paul gets very practical. Very tangible. And he tells us what to do. And he starts with what not to do. I call this the parent verse because this is the verse, as parents, we try to pull out to our kids, notice the context, this isn't for kids, this is for all of us. Don't complain.

Don’t: COMPLAIN

Verse 14, do all things without grumbling or disputing. The context here is, God, is working in you. God has called you to do something. You don't have the right to complain about what God has called you to do. The reason this isn't the parent verse though... I think parents, we can and should teach our kids that they're called to do things and they shouldn't complain... I'll give you the parental application later... But let me apply it to your life first real quick.

We don't get to tell God. We don't like the job. He's given us.

My personal testimony just to share this. When I first graduated college, I took a youth pastor position at a church. I had no right to be at. I I shouldn't have been there. We weren't a good fit. The long story short is they wanted someone and I wanted to be wanted so I took this position. It was awful. There was a whole bunch of drama Church politics, all the bad things they were there. And so I gave I said I'm not going to do ministry. If this is what Ministry I remember. Praying God, if this is what Ministries I'm done. I'm not doing this. I refuse. And instead, I poured myself into a Domino's Pizza, I was going to own my own business. I was going to do all of that. Took a position general manager of Domino's Pizza. We moved to Socorro New Mexico and those of you that have heard this story know, this is what I say. My year in Socorro New Mexico, was Jonah's three days in the belly of the whale. It was God saying you are you don't get to run from what I want from you and if you do, you will never feel joy and peace and goodness....

We came back. And God, slowly and gently called me back into Ministry. And I fought it and he called me and I bought it and he called me and he didn't want to do it. But here's the point, I don't get to complain. I don't get to say, God, I don't want to do this and now years down the road. I see that though. I didn't want to do it and though it was difficult then I now am more fulfilled and more whole and more joyous doing what God has called me to because here's the point, you don't get to complain. I have the greatest job in the world. Are there difficulties sure, most of them are my own doing. But I should do what God has called me to.

I don't like going to the hospital. I especially don't like going to the hospital... Let me say this because I say don't like going to the hospital… I love and am honored go to the hospital for anyone who I know and love. It is my joy and pleasure to go pray and be with you in the hospital. I'd only go to the hospital when I get a random call from someone who's never been to church. I've never met and they say, hey, can you come pray with me? What do I owe this person? Nothing, but I should go. And so, I usually go. I don't get to complain. That God has called me to be in a position where I get to go. Pray with people.

But for you, God has called you to a certain place. You don't get to complain. Do without grumbling or complaining.

Now, here's your parental application of this parents. Here's how you can use this for your kids as a child. Teenager as someone who is under the authority of your parents. How about we say it that way... Your calling from God is to obey and so when your parents ask you to do something you should do it without grumbling or complaining. Because as we learn to obey our parents we are learning to obey God. That's the point. So parents you can say, you know, I ask you to do this, don't Grumble and complain because Paul says, do all things without grumbling or complaining but understand that even as you say that, you are training them as a parent to obey a much higher and more important Authority, which is God

So how do we obey? That's a command. Well, you don't complain. That's first. You do be an example.

Do BE AN EXAMPLE

The reason we don't complain do all things about growing or planning, verse 15,

Philippians 2:15–16 ESV

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, 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.

Paul tells the Philippian church you do this because as you follow Christ, you shine You are an example to the world around of them in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, which was true when Paul wrote this and it's still true. Now, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, our calling is to shine to be an example of what Christ love does for us. We are to shine to be an example to live in such a way that the truth of the Gospel shines through us and the world around us sees. And they take notice,

We live blameless and innocent... That's part of obeying. NOT Because it makes us feel good… no. Not because... for the reason of: ONE God's working in us, that was the first point. But here, So that the world around us. sees and knows and desires the same hope of the Gospel. So you be an example. You live a life. Worthy of the calling you have received.

Philippians 1, 27. Let the manner of your life, be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Because we shine like lights holding, fast to the word of life. So, the day of Christ,

What Paul literally says is he's not put to shame, he didn't labor or run in vain But for us, we will also receive an award a reward.