Lights

Recap

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to encourage the Christians living in Philippi to continue growing in their maturity in Christ. After first assuring them that, though he was in prison in Rome, he is well and, most importantly, the gospel ministry is thriving. It was thriving within the prison system, as well as in the city, as members and leaders of the churches in Rome were becoming more and more bold in proclaiming the good news concerning Christ.

Dear Friends

Ever since meeting Jesus, the apostle Paul was a different man. He was humble. He truly considered others as better than himself. Even though he founded the Philippian church and was its first pastor, he didn’t address them as someone who lorded it over others. He addressed them as fellow workers, as friends.

We are all friends; we are friends of God and friends with one another. We are not merely people we attend church with, it’s not like going to a concert and not knowing anyone else there, or only knowing a couple of people. We don’t go to church just to perform a task, as though worshipping the creator of the universe is a task we have to do. We come here, as God’s friends, as friends so that we can bless and encourage each other.

Therefore

The therefore in this section points back, not only to the previous 11 verses, but back to verse 27, where Paul encourages them to continue living in a way that is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is saying to them, therefore, as you are already continuing to obey, and will continue to obey, not only when I was with you, but even more now that I am apart from you, continue being obedient to Christ.

You see, Paul’s concern for them was that they were dependent upon him. He perceived that they had an nostalgic attitude toward Paul’s presence. They might have thought things like, “If Paul was here, he’d help us settle this disagreement. If Paul was here, he’d give us the leadership we need.” But Paul is assuring them that because of Christ in them, because of God’s promise to complete the good work begun in them, that they possess everthing they need to be obedient, whether he’s with them or not.

Work Out Salvation

Salvation is a process. It is a process that they have to learn to complete apart from Paul’s presence with them. They are to carry salvation to it’s conclusion, applying it to every day life. This means that we ought to see and experience deliverance from sinful desires in our life. This means that they and us, should see evidence of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

They should be examining their lives. Are they seeing victory over sin? Are they becoming able to recognise when the temptations come to mind that’s when they can take those thoughts captive to Christ. And then, having surrendered to Christ, again, to experience life in the Spirit.

For what is the goal of salvation? The goal is grow in becoming more and more like Jesus. Jesus is the perfect human being. He kept all God’s commandments. He shows us how we are to live, act, behave as God created us to be. We are raised with Christ as new creations to live and be like Jesus—as spiritually and morally pure!

We work it out in fear and trembling in the sense of reverence and awe, being afraid to offend God in any way. We do it in the spirit of focussed purpose, always trusting God with total humility.

We are not fearful, as though we are despairing or helpless, rather we must do, and we can do it, because of God working in you.

Consider the paralysed man whom Jesus told to “Get up, take your mat and go home. He exercised faith by believing that by Jesus’ very words he was healed, he had to move. Faith isn’t a passive activity. It is action. We actively believe that we are saved from sin, and we work out our salvation on three fronts: the world, the flesh and the devil. All three conspire to defeat us, but we can battle against them by God’s power.

To be able then, we need to have God’s power within us. A toaster won’t toast bread unless it is plugged into the outlet. Unless a light bulb is connected to a powered circuit, it won’t light up. Unless a branch remains connected to the tree, it will wither and die, unable to produce fruit. But if it is connected, it produces fruit.

Remain connected to Christ, to the power of God at work in you. This is his desire for you. In fact, God has, as written in the Canon’s of Dort III and IV, articles 11 & 12, transformed our wills, from being evil and disobedient to being good and obedient. explains it well: “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

And, as Paul states in this letter to the Philippians, God does this for his good pleasure. God is pleased to let his power dwell in us.

Do Everything

So, knowing that God has placed this power in us, knowing that it is all out of the union we have with Christ, having humbled ourselves like Christ did, which John preached about last week, we must do everything without complaining or arguing. Don’t you marvel at how well the apostle Paul knew churches. From what we’ve read about the Philippian church thus far, it doesn’t seem like complaining or arguing would be present in that congregation. But Paul knows people. All people, all churches have a tendency toward having the attitude of complaining and arguing.

Jesus’ brother James teaches us in his letter that there will be quarrels and fights among God’s people. But, these quarrels and fights come as a result of desires that battle within us. In chapter 4:2-3 he says, “You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives, taht you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Much of our recent church history is a result of this sinful attitude. We must let go of what we covet.

We must do everything without complaining or arguing. Sure, it’s fine to say, “I don’t like that.” That’s simply stating your opinion. That’s always welcome. But don’t think that we can come in here and grumble about one thing or another and believe that we’re simultaneously blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation. That’s not shining like stars.

So, what then? When we come to worship, we come with expectation of what we’re going to give to God: Praise, thanksgiving, expressions of joy. We not coming with checklists of who has or hasn’t done this or that. We’re here to worship, not to get the things we desire. It’s about God and his purpose for our lives, his good pleasure in us, not our good pleasure for us. Do you see the difference?

If my heart is focussed on God, focused on his will for me, for my life, for how I can best serve him and honour and glorify him, then nothing of my opinions matters. I have to swallow my pride and say, “Thy will be done, as it is in heaven, may it be done on earth.”

God’s will is for us to shine like stars.

Shine Like Stars

Before there was light pollution, on a clear night, the stars were bright enough to illuminate the landscape at night. Even to this day, sailors are able to navigate by the stars. Starlight not only cuts into the darkness, it helps people find their way.

Christians shine like stars when we illuminate the darkness of sin in the world. When, with pure and blameless living, we point people to Jesus, the way, the truth and the life. We do this by holding out, that is, proclaiming the word of life.

The word of life is the gospel: telling people the truth of the way that people are, that they have sinned against God and they need to admit their sin. They need to believe that God has forgiven them their sin on account of Jesus offering his life in their place, paying tje penalty for their sins. THey need to commit their lives to Christ, living for him only.

That’s how we shine like stars.

Paul counted on them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, so that he would be able to point to them on the day of Christ’s return, as fruit of his labour. Will he also be able to point to you, to me? Because we too have read his letter?

Paul goes on to say, even if he is poured out like a sacrifice, and is not set free from prison, but that their faith still grows and matures, then he will rejoice because it won’t have been in vain. They can also rejoice with him, for he would have received the martyrs crown.

Conclusion

Let us keep being obedient. It is an ongoing command. It is how we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We do, so trusting in God’s power at work in us. Plugged in to Jesus, the vine, we remain steadfast as branches that bear fruit, the fruit of the Spirit.

The fruit we produce, is a life of obedience and blameless, not with grumbling or arguing, but rather with joy and praise. That our focus is on the mission Christ gave us, shining the light, being the salt of the earth, so as to win people to Christ. That is by our living, by our speaking, by our preaching, people will come to believe and commit themselves to Christ.

Even if we are poured out like a sacrifice. Even if it costs us everything in this life, we rejoice because we can point to those whom Christ has saved through us, on the day of his glorious return! Amen.