Shine Like Stars
Study in Philippians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Title: Shine Like Stars
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
“Work out your salvation” (Phil. 2:12) does not suggest, “Work for your own salvation.”
We are not to work “for” our salvation but to work “out” our salvation.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
The verb “work out” carries the meaning of “work to full completion,” such as working out a problem in mathematics.
Do you remember doing long division. Liked it vs. Hated it?
A teacher was working out a long division problem on the board. She then ask the students “any questions”? One brave little boy raised his hand and said “Isn’t there enough division in our country already”?
In Paul’s day it was also used for “working a mine,” that is, getting out of the mine all the valuable ore possible.
The purpose God wants us to achieve is Christlikeness, “to be conformed to the image of His Son”. - I call this the gold in the mine.
Imagine Jesus gave you a gold mine the day you received Him as your Savior and Lord. (Which He did)
The gold is in the mountain. But to unveil the gold in you, you are going to have to “Work” and remove all the dirt that surrounds it.
This is hard work and it never ends.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
Fear: It involves a healthy fear of offending God and a righteous awe and respect for Him.
I had a healthy fear of my Dad. I knew that he loved me but… I did not want to disobey him because there would be consequences. I also respected my Dad and wanted to please him.
“To fear God is to take God seriously. We’re to honor God in our decisions, regardless of the cost, so that he might be glorified. God brings circumstances into our lives, in fact, that will require us to “work out” our salvation, to gain an increasingly high reverence for God and to choose his will over our own”. - Dr. Tony Evans
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
The principle Paul lays down is this:
2. God must work in us, before He can work through us.
Where does the motivation to obey come from?
It is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose (2:13). The reason the Philippians could “work out” their salvation was because God had already been “working in” them.
God had already deposited within them that which was to be worked out. He gives us the desire and ability to obey. Obedience is not based on our willpower, but on God’s power working in us.
Gold Mine: The Holy Spirit is going to lead you to the rich gold veins that follow through the mountain.
Dig there! I don’t want to dig there. That part of my life (the dirt) is still to important to me.
Christ home, my heart.
But if you say so I will. Then Eureka! Gold I am rich in Christ Jesus. Becoming more and more like Him.
Young couple needing a breakthrough with their finances. Got married. God provided a new job opportunity.
3. What is one area of your life you need to dig away to find the gold and become more like Christ today?
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky
Paul contrasts the life of the believer with the lives of those who live in the world. Unsaved people complain and find fault, but Christians rejoice.
If you watch CNN or Fox news all you hear is grumbling and arguing against the other side.
The only time I saw both news channels agree was during 9-11.
15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky
God takes us through a developmental process so that even though things are dark around us, we are light.
He’s not telling us to become light. Rather, if God is in us, we are light.
We’re to be unhindered light, shining forth. Because when we are, it becomes clear that we’re different than the world surrounding us. So, how do we shine?
16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
4. When we trust God’s Word and act on it, then God’s power is released in our lives.
We reflect God’s perspective to a watching world when we hold tight to his Word through trust and obedience.
In 2024, Bible reading in the United States continued a downward trend, with only 38% of adults engaging with the Bible outside of church services at least three to four times a year, according to the American Bible Society (ABS).
According to the 2025 State of the Bible report, published by the American Bible Society (ABS), approximately 11 million more Americans are reading the Bible this year compared to 2024. The rise is especially pronounced among millennials, Gen Xers, and men—groups that had previously shown diminished engagement with Scripture.
17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
Paul is comparing his experience of sacrifice to that of the priest pouring out the drink offering:
The drink offering was an important part of the sacrificial system of the Jews.
Because this church had little Jewish background, the liquid offering may refer to the wine poured out to pagan deities prior to important public events. Paul regarded his life as a sacrifice.
It was possible that Paul’s trial would go against him and he would be executed. But this did not rob Paul of his joy. His death would be a willing sacrifice, a priestly ministry, on behalf of Christ and His church; and this would give him joy.
18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Life is not a series of disappointing “ups and downs.” Rather, it is a sequence of delightful “ins and outs.” God works in—we work out! The example comes from Christ, the energy comes from the Holy Spirit, and the result is—JOY!
Theme: We are called to live out our salvation in a way that distinguishes us from the world, shining as lights in the darkness.
The Big Idea: Our transformed lives are a powerful witness, but it's God who is at work in us.
Key Points:
"Work out your salvation..." (v. 12-13): Clarify this crucial phrase. It's not "work for your salvation." It's more like a muscle you work out. Since God is working in you, you should work it out in your daily actions.
The Grumbling Antidote (v. 14): Paul gets incredibly practical. One of the primary ways we shine is by doing everything "without grumbling or disputing." This is challenging for every age!
Blameless and Innocent (v. 15): The goal is to be a light in a "crooked and twisted generation." Use the illustration of how even a small light (a phone screen, a candle) is most noticeable in complete darkness.
Application: What are you most tempted to complain about? How can you turn that complaint into an act of gratitude or service?
