Philippians 2:12-18
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Students week 5!
Continuing chapter two of Philippians!
I hope this has been a joy for you like its been for me!
We started the series by looking at Phil 1:1-11 asking the question “Would Paul thank God for me?”
Then we moved to Phil. 1:12-20 where we found out what it looks like to have joy
Next we looked at Phil 1:21-30 where we saw that we are being challenged to live worthy of the Gospel
Last week we hit Phil. 2:1-11 we saw how believers are called to be like-minded and how tough that is
Today we are going to look at Phil 2:12-18 — a short section but one that hopefully should give us an insight into how we are to do everything that Paul has been talking about
See remember this is one long letter — so the section we are reading actually connects all the way back to Phil 2:1-2
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Where Paul is telling us to complete his joy by being unified
That believers are called to be unified in Christ in order, if you remember from last week, to experience the blessings of the Christian life
But Paul tonight is going to take it a step further
Not only will being unified help you experience the blessings of the Christian life, but it will help your friends
So here’s how it starts:
To reach your friends, work out
To reach your friends, work out
12 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,
Paul starts out Phil 2 12 by essentially celebrating and praising the disciples for their faith
He calls them beloved which is a familiar term of endearment and then goes on to compliment them that they obey him both in his presence but also in his absence
This is a huge mark
If you ever want to know how much love and respect somebody has for you the question is — what do they do when you’re not there
They may say all the right things when you are around, but what about when you’re not?
Are they attacking you? Slandering you? rejecting your ideas?
Or are they working what you asked them to do?
Are they defending you to others?
Are they doing what you ask them to do in the way you ask them to do?
This is a major test for you to think through when you think about the friends you have around you
Do they support you behind your back? Do they help you?
In Paul’s case the answer about the Philippians was yes they are
They are obedient and following what Paul is asking them to do both
So then Paul tells them something that is kind of challenging:
Work our your salvation with fear and trembling
This actually leads straight to our first thing tonight:
To reach your friends, work out
If you are going to reach your friends for the Gospel — for them to move from death to life — for them to have a saving faith in Jesus — you must work out your faith
Now I want you to notice what Paul did not say
He did not say “work for your salvation”
Paul doesn’t tell us that it takes work for our salvation to be real or complete
He doesn’t tell us that we must do something extra besides just believe in order to be saved and therefore allow our friends to see Jesus
Instead he tells us to work out our salvation
This means that the salvation we recieved — we are meant to put into practice
It is the same idea of what James teaches when he says:
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
That faith without works is dead
Our faith is meant to be one that is working
We are not called to have a passive faith in Jesus — we are meant to have a faith that is living and active
Thank about the people in your life that you look up to spiritually
The spiritual giants of the faith
I think about people like Martin Luther — the man that helped revolutionize Christianity and take it back to the basics: Sola fida, sola gratia, sola scriptura, solas christus, soli deo gloria
This man didn’t just believe in Jesus — he worked out his faith!
He nailed 95 theses to the catholic churches door and lead the charge on the reformation age
He wrote countless books and commentaries
I think about men like the late Tim Keller
A man who spent his entire life preaching the gospel of Jesus, writing books to help other pastors do the same
A man who served the Lord with his whole being
These men aren’t passive in their faith of Jesus — instead their faith of Jesus caused movement and action
It produced work
The same thing is meant to be true of us
Paul is telling us is that we are called to have a faith that is working
A faith that is active
Then he tells us that the faith is meant to be done with fear and trembling
This might sound odd — but fear and trembling always goes back to the presence of the Lord
The reality of who He is
This doesn’t indicate anxiety about losing salvation or divine punishment, but rather an awesome, deeply respectful attitude toward God’s holiness and grace
Fear and trembling express reverence in God’s presence and reflect the eternal weight of what salvation means
It’s the reason we work out our faith — because of what Jesus did for us
Then I love how Paul finishes this idea of working out our faith
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
He tells us that God is the one who works in you, and its for His good work
What is Paul reminding us here about the work that we do? It’s not about us it’s about God
Our Bible reading, our prayer, our serving, our worship, our actions, none of it is about us
God is the one that works in us — the things that they produce? Its because of God He makes them produce
And why does he do it?
For His good!
Paul tells the Philippians, and us, that if we are to reach our friends it takes us working out our salvation, not just saying we believe in Jesus, but putting that belief into action
To reach your friends, quit yapping
To reach your friends, quit yapping
Paul then moves to verse 14
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
Man this is a challenging verse
Do all things without grumbling or disputing
Other translations use the word arguing
Here is what Paul is teaching us:
To reach your friends, quit yapping
If you are going to reach your friends for the Gospel not only does our faith need to be put into action, but also we need to stop yapping
Sidenote: yapping (the word) might be my favorite thing that Gen Z/Alpha has done. It sums things up perfectly
Paul is telling us that we must stop arguing, complaining, disputing, grumbling with one another
Not only does this apply to believers however, notice Paul said DO ALL THINGS
This means literally everything we do, every person we interact with, every situation we find ourselves in we are meant to stop complaining and just go
“There is no greater joy-robber than grumbling and complaining.”
Think about it logically in your own personal life
When you have to do some work, how much more enjoyable is the work when you’re with someone that is seeking to have fun, seeking to make the best out of a situation, or someone who is just positive
Doesn’t that just absolutely change your mindset about the things you are doing
Now flip it, you are with someone that the whole time talks about how their feet hurt, their tired, it’s hot, I don’t want to be here, this is stupid, etc.
Doesn’t that just make you want to lose your mind? It definitely drags you down personally
Paul is saying that this principle actually affects the way people can view the Gospel message
If you are constantly negative, always complaining, always yapping about something or someone yet claim to be a Christian — why would someone want to be a Christian?
You become no different than them?
You aren’t showing them the love of Christ, you are showing them that it doesn’t matter
We are told to expect hard times as believers:
22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Like its all over the Bible
So instead of complaining about it — seek to renew your mind, focus on the good, and stop yapping
Jumping ahead in Philippians, Paul says Phil 4:8
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Paul tells us to focus on and think on the good things
When we focus on the good, it stops us from complaining
And when we stop yapping, Paul tells us we are able to reach our friends
To reach your friends, be blameless
To reach your friends, be blameless
Paul then goes on to say
15 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,
This is maybe the most challenging thing Paul tells in this section
Here’s our third point:
To reach your friends, be blameless
OUCH!
To reach our friends we need to be blameless
The greek word blameless is the same greek word translated Holy, or righteous
What does that mean for us?
Paul is saying if we are to reach our friends we must be different, holy, blameless, innocent, without blemish
In other words, we must confess our sins and then flee our sins
We must become people that do not run to sin, but instead ones that seek the Lord
Man let that sink in
The sin in our life might be the very thing that is keeping our friends and family away from Jesus
The videos we watch, the music we listen to, the language we use, the way we talk about people, the things we do with boyfriends and girlfriends, the hate that we feel, the overreactions
Man all of it could be things that are keeping our friends away from Jesus
Because we are meant to be blameless and holy
We are meant to confess our sins not indulge in our sins
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Students this is tough — we are called to live a life that is separate and different
We are called to live a life that is confessing sin
Man I was challenged with this:
Francis Chan in a sermon said:
“What if we confessed our sins openly, and hid our good works. Because our Father who sees us in secret will see our good works.”
Shoot! Lets be blameless so that we can start to reach our friends
To reach your friends, read the Word
To reach your friends, read the Word
Paul then goes on to say:
16 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.
The last thing Paul tells us is this:
To reach your friends, read the Word
We cannot expect to reach our friends for the Gospel if we aren’t spending specific, significant time with the Father in His Word
How are we to reach our friends with the Gospel if we don’t know it?
Let that sink in…
Do you know the Bible?
If someone asks you a question can you answer it?
Can you take them to the passage in the Bible that says all have sinned?
Can you take them to the place that says the wages of sin is death?
What about the passage that says if you confess with your mouth and believe in your hearts you will be saved?
It takes opening up the Word and divining into it and knowing it so that you can reach your friends
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Paul tells us we are called to go and share the Gospel
How will this happen if we don’t know the Word?
We need to spend significant time in the Word so that we can go and share with our friends
Conclusion
Conclusion
I love how Paul ends this section
17 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. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Paul ends the section by once again acknowledging that his time is coming to an end
The idea of being poured out like a drink offering is showing that he is about to die
Yet he says he will rejoice and be glad
Why?
BECAUSE OF THE PHILIPPIANS FAITH!
Man Paul knows that the thing that matters the most is us staying faithful and following Jesus
We can rejoice and be glad if we set out to reach our friends
If we set out to:
Work out our faith
Stop yapping
Seek blamelessness
Hold fast to the Word
Students lets go reach our friends
Lets take our faith serious!
Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions
What is the main focus of Paul's message in Philippians 2:12-18?
How can we actively work out our salvation in our daily lives?
How can we maintain a positive attitude to avoid grumbling and disputing in our interactions?
Why does Paul emphasize the importance of being blameless among a crooked generation?
In what ways can you demonstrate your faith to reach your friends?
