Phil 2:14-18

Joyful Service

We learned last time in Philippians, that the church is called to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. The people of God are a people that works towards sanctification and glorification. And they do it with reverence and awe/fear and trembling. Not because they’re afraid, but because they opperate on the known reality that there is remaining sin in them. They move forward in salvation, knowing that there is a war going on both inside and outside the christian and christian community. We take a humble approach because we know the old man is not gone yet. And the Christian never leaves off faith. Sanctification is worked out in faith, “faith working through love.” And further, we have such confidence, because in fact, God is the one working in us. Effectually at work in us. The animated presence and work of the Spirit is in you to will and to work for God’s good pleasure. The Spirit of God beautifies the new creation, that is the peculiar operation of the Spirit. He perfects, he makes the bride lovely.

Nicea says, “we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life.” Where did they get that?

And today, the church is further called together to joyful service in the dark.

Philippians 2:14–18 “14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

You see, grumbling and disputing are truly terrible sins. And as we know of sin, they need something good to cling onto. They need something to leach onto. And what they often leach onto is God’s good providence, God’s good gifts. That is what Paul would have us take away here. Remember that Paul has 50/20 spectacles. He sees all situations as being worked out for his good, whether suffering or prosperity. Especially as they relate to the progress and proclamation of the gospel. Paul is writing from prison. His imprisonment has advanced the gospel in all quarters, like Joseph, much good has come from his imprisonment. If ever a place to grumble it would have been here, but Paul’s vision saw beyond his prison bars. He need not murmur even when facing death, because that would only lead to the immediate presence of his Lord.

Moreover, he need not complain, because the Lord Jesus, was obedient to the point of death, he never grumbled, complained, disputed. Never once, and all sorts of injustice was acted upon him, the greatest in his death. He kept silent.

Isaiah 53:7 “7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.”

And in many ways, Paul’s exhortation for us here is to keep silent. Keep silent, especially when the flesh cries out for justice and vindication. I’m right and I need to speak up. This is a great hindrance to the fruitfulness and unity of the church, when everyone feels they always need to establish there rights. The question is, when did Jesus( our example of humility par exellence) establish his rights? He didn’t. he thought equality with God, not a thing to be grasped. he never said, Do you know who I am? How dare you speak to me or treat me that way. The only time he stated who he was was so that they would believe in him.

At the heart of grumbling, is the thought that I deserve better, I ought to be treated better. Thinking more highly of oneself than we ought.

15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

Blameless, not sinless. Do the people in the community have reason to blame you. What do they say about you. Yeah, I talked to one of the members of RBCT and they said their church only has a handful of members and they barely get along.

Or do they say, I really can’t account for how those folks get along and love each other the way they do. Do they here and see something of an other worldly kingdom. When people inneract with us, they should for sure say, they are not like the world, it may be a means of hardening them, it may be to their softening, but one thing they ought to say is they are not the world. For sure our worship should demonstrate that, but he is talking about our conversation. The whole of our life and conduct.

You show your adoption by this. You prove your sonship to yourself, each other, and the world, whether or not the will call it that, it will prove to them that your not a child of this world. That’s is what the power of God in us-keeping us from grumbling and disputing- will do.

We shine as luminaries, as stars. The Hollywood walk of fame located in Hollywood, CA, is a famous landmark where renowned actors and actresses, directors, musicians and others, get their name engraved into a marble and granite star with a brass symbol in the middle of it. There are almost 3,000 now along the stretch which goes some 15 blocks. It’s quite an attraction, it gets millions of tourists from around the world each year. Why do they do it? Because these ones stand out amongst the rest. They shine. Yet what are these in comparison to the luminaries of the heavens that light up the night sky.

And how much more we, who are redeemed image bearers, God’s greater luminaries, greater than the stars of the heavens. The stars of the new creation, lighted by the Son, lighted by God himself. How much more do we shine in the midst of a dark world.

“Crooked” GK skolios. Where we get the term scoliosis. Morally crooked and bent and gone out of the way. Out of the way of godliness.

“Perverse” distorted, deformed.

Unbelieving man, is a deformed vessel off of the path. He needs to be reformed, and put on the right path.

There is nothing right and nothing pure in the world of fallen men. Amongst whom we are surrounded. How much are we to be sure that we demonstrate our divine sonship by being aware of this reality and avoiding such.

Deuteronomy 32:5 “5 “They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; But are a perverse and crooked generation.”

16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

This is Pauls gentle and subtle way of encouragement to them. Guys, my whole life has in large measure been given over to your service. And I only see my self as a drink offering pored over you, the pleasing sacrificial animal. I will be as a vapor rising up and gone. You are the pleasing aroma before the Lord. And I don’t mind, I rejoice at this. I rejoice with you, if you’ll let me.

18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”

Share it with me. Give yourself over in self sacrifice for the gospel. Do you see what you are surrounded with, if it’s not enough to look at Christ’s example, let my life double down or confirm for you that the same Spirit of Christ is at work in me, and timothy, and epaphroditus. That Spirit is in you! Stir Him up!