Be a Light in the World! Part 2

2 once again will read 12 through 18 and I'll do a quick summary of last week and then we'll just have to to point this morning. Hopefully, I'll get you out of here in a normal time. I told him Friday night. I said I'm so excited to hear Brother Kenny Hamptons message that I'm going to go quick and somehow I don't know somebody move the clock forward or what but it didn't seem like I spoke about Philippians chapter 2 verses 12 through 18.

Does therefore my beloved as you have always obeyed so now not only as in my present 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 of the word of life. So that in the day of Christ. I may be proud that I did not run and vein 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. Let's pray.

father we thank you today for

Your goodness for your mercy for your grace? for your love for your never-ending love for Those whom you call Father Father this morning. I pray that you would draw our hearts that God we would for a moment take our eyes off of the things of this world. The things that are are going on Lord and to examine ourselves and light of your scripture. Father I pray this morning that you would give us two ears to hear that that the seeds will not fall on on fallow ground, but God flower hearts.

expose us father

dig up the hard ground within us. father we pray that you would that your word will not come back void as your scripture says but it will plant seeds father that would bear much fruit for you. Father I pray that you would draw sis morning I ask in Jesus name. Amen. Amen, well last week if you remember and I kind of joked around I was going to say that therefore we we start the scripture with therefore and what that means is as a result of but I played around with it. I can't remember who has said this before but when we start scripture with therefore, we need to look at what that is therefore because remember that so then we look back at Philippians 2 verse 8 because that is why I'm here what he expound on that says and being found in human form. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. Because of what Christ did for us we should be lights in the world. We should be different from those who are around us until we looked first at work out. The first point was work out your own salvation with fear and trembling one thing that often times you here, especially people in the world that start to share the gospel if they'll say will you know, you shouldn't judge because the Bible says who are you to judge or who are you to point out the speck in your brother's eye when you have a two-by-four on your own but they forget that the scripture tells us therefore or as a result of that take the two-by-four and yank it out of your eye. So then you can rightly help your brother. They the world tend to leave this off. It's not a message of don't ever point out. Your brother's flaws. Don't ever exhort your bra. Don't ever try to encourage him to to defeat the send that's in his life. The message of Jesus shares there is get your life right first get your stuff in order if I'm to address you about your marital relationship. I need to get my marital relationship. Right first a man. I can't have this secret to buy for my eye. And then I'm taking you to lunch to talk about how you treat your wife or your children, right? It doesn't scripture doesn't say that don't do that. It says fix you first so that you can see clearly to help your brother work at your marriage. Have a good marriage work at loving your wife about putting her above yourself work at discipling your children. And when you have us an order than help your brother, that's why I find this on a deeper level. We're not able to be lights of the world if we haven't worked out our own salvation. The Bible would doesn't tell us I say that's a lot the Bible doesn't tell us that salvation is a result of a prayer or a baptism or or these things the evidence of Salvation is this that you have turned from your sin and you are continuing to turn from your sin that you have repented and we know that that that repentance is not imperfection because we still fight with our flash but we live a life of continual repentance of continually turn it more and more and more iced. That is the evidence of Salvation. If we don't have this evidence it should cause us to have fear and trembling because it would suggest or show us that God has not in fact at at work in our lives if the holy spirit is not purifying us if we're not turning from our sins if we are just still embracing our sin if we pray a prayer and we live just like everybody else. We watch the videos everybody else watches. We we go to our computers and and we we watch pornography. We tell the same joke sweet. We treat people the same way. If we can't see a radical difference in our lives than in the rest of the world as far as Purity and Christ. It should cause us great fear and trembling because in fact that repentance is the evidence of our Salvation right one week before we don't want to go too much into this. But before we come to Christ we are the scripture says we are slaves to our sin and so as we come to Christ we are freed from the slavery of sin. So if if we say a prayer or we say we have come down at the end of service or or whatever. It may be yet. We're still slaves descend. We're still don't get me wrong and that the scripture says we still have sinned. But if we find that we're still slaves to it that we're just Everybody else that we can't break it that we can't grow closer to Christ. The the problem isn't that we need to try harder. The problem is that we need to actually find the Christ of the Bible. We need to find him because it's only through him that were set free. That makes sense. So the evidence of Salvation is that we have repented and we continue to repent. So before we can be lights of the world before we can be different from them before we can even proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. We have to experience that good news of Jesus Christ.

We work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. So this morning I would have continued on and look at the next part of this is to do he says to be lights in the world. We need to do all things without grumbling or disputing in Philippians 2 14 through 15. Let's read it again do all things without grumbling or disputing that you may be blameless an innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world size three words here. I want to look at specifically. The first one is grumbling are all of your teenagers. This is where you really get a good start on this so you want to listen close and actually probably everybody is pretty good at this putting my kids. Is Dad there pretty good at this sometimes.

Grambling is a complaint uttered in a low in the end of state-owned. In fact, this is what grumblatt sometimes we think grumbling as as you know, it's just saying mean comments here and there but grumbling is actually this I remember the teenager my dad would tell me that I need to bring in six loads of wood into the basement and my dad was a sergeant in the Marines. You didn't want him to hear anything negative come out of your mouth. There was no complaining to him or it would be much worse. So, what did I do?

I still complained but I did it under my breath. And that's called grumbling when we Grumble when we when we're complaining in our heads or in our mouths and work we're saying, you know, I can't believe this person did this or that or or I don't want I should have to bring in Wood every day. I spent all Saturday putting it in the truck and now I got to move it from the outside into the basement. How many times do we got to handle this stuff? Why can't we just have the electricity heater? Like everybody else has in this world. We are in America, you know, it's the 21st century.

Think of the record that plays in our head and silence the grumbling. Does my dad know that I'm doing it probably but we're going to assume that he doesn't. What if nobody hears the grumbling does it affect us? Absolutely. If I if I have this crumbling you want in my head all morning and then and then Brody knocks on my door and says somebody at my house stapled their thumb again, what's going to come out of my mouth? I've already had this crumbling affecting me. I'm like, why can't he just not have staplers? Why do you need a stapler Connor? Write thank him how we react to people when the grumbling record is pro playing. So that's what grumbling in it's not so much that we can hear it. But it's there. We just hide it pretty well. So then disputing is a discussion and which one which reasons or advance for and against some preposition or proposal. In fact, it's it's arguing. It's putting a voice to this crumbling. It's maybe in my simple heart. It was what I did when my dad wasn't around what it was my mom. I would want to argue with her and tell her we don't need wood tonight. We it's not going to be that cold. There's enough in there the basement already.

That's disputing. So as we understand these words now want you guys to listen to is a very very complicated word here. Are you guys ready for this complicated word?

Let's look at the definition of the word all. All of the whole amount quantity or extent of the scripture says do all things without grumbling are disputing. All things everything not just when you're at church, but when you're in public and not just when you're in public, but in your houses not just in your house as but when you're alone with your wives and children, not just when you're alone with your wife and children, but when you're alone completely it says do all things without grumbling and complaining. This is what scripture says in anybody here that's honest with themselves and looked at their hearts. They would say I have failed this miserably a mint Do you know why you feel this? Miserably if you don't know Christ, you're still fighting your flesh or if you don't know Christ, you are a slave to sin. If you do know Christ, you're still fighting this flash as always trying to drag you back. And as we look at this sin of grumbling and complaining and arguing. It goes all the way back to our roots in of selfishness. It says that I am more important than all of these circumstances. I am more important then then the cashier at Walmart. He was being paid minimum wage the deal with people that are in a line of 10 people long and and the lady in the front has a hundred coupons. She can't tell the lady to go take a hike.

But I'm at the back of the line. I'm saying into my head. Tell her to take a hike I don't got time for this. What is a go back to my Wicked heart my heart that says I'm more important than these other people. I'm more important than that lady. Why does she need coupons? I don't know her. I don't know her life at all. Perhaps the only money she had this week to provide this these groceries for a family is 100% used up and she use all all the time that she had to find these coupons that she could get her children a few more things. To eat right? I don't know her story yet. There's something in my heart that says you're important. Really the root of all grumbling and complaining. It goes back to open it. So it goes back to her depraved Hearts our hearts that say I am more important than the other people around me. It's root is send it as born-again Believers. We must war against the flesh. We must have war against the send. We find the opposite of this the opposite of grumbling and disputing. We find a little bit later in Philippians away find that Paul address this in his life. Philippians 4:11 says not that I am speaking of being a need for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. Contentedness is the opposite of grumbling and complaining. Is being appreciative of what you have is being appreciative of where God has you inside of his will say we say that got a sovereign all the timing and theologically it makes sense that God is in control. There's nothing outside of his control, but you know that even means that he was even in control when I was at the back of the 10 people in line. That this was part of his plan part of his will and there's something inside of me that says while I'm more important than this. I don't have time for this and there's something that could be inside of God's will it says I put you in this line and I gave you all this time to share the gospel with the person in front of you. And you're too busy playing the record in your head. You're too busy succumbing to the saint of self and selfishness in your life Jeremiah Burroughs Define contentment. He said Christian contentment. Is that sweet and weird quiet gracious frame of the spirit, which freely submits to and delights and gods why isn't fatherly disposal in every condition. It's that wherever we find us if we recognize that God is Sovereign and we recognize that he has a will for our lives. We should be in sweet contentment. God I am so pleased I am so thrilled that I would be counted worthy to stand in this line until 2 to share of the amazing work of Christ. That I would be a lion even even when I'm we don't we don't run into this problem much here, but several times I've had meetings in Fort Madison and I say hey, you know what? I can get there a lot faster if I go through Niota and guess what? God gives me time to witness the people on that bridge.

Do I do it? Not as much as I should. A man a lot of the time I'm reverting back to my flesh. I don't have time for this the meeting starts in 10 minutes. Surely that Captain could speed up that boat a little bit. Alright, alright the bar the bar just threw what's taking so long. They got to just push the buttons and shut the bridge now.

It's all rooted in selfishness. It's all rooted in. I'm not recognizing that God has a will and I am inside of his will.

Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who is Disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. Why aren't you out there fishing? He asked? Because I caught enough fish for today said the fisherman. Why don't you catch more fish than you need? The rich man asked what would I do with them? What you could earn more money came the impatient reply and buy a better boat. So you could go deeper and catch more fish. You can purchase nylon Nets and catch even more fish and make more money soon. Have a fleet of boats and be rich just like me. The fisherman asked then what would I do? Will you can sit down and enjoy life said the industrialist? What do you think? I'm doing now, the fisherman reply. Does he look placidly how to see?

So much of our culture. Pelvis to not be complacent. In fact, if if I if we went to and I actually did this week. I can't remember where we went or where we're at. But I think it was I want to pick on a store. We're at a store and we got to the car and I said I couldn't be in there any longer and they must have the heat on like 90 in there. Hey, I come out of the store because it's a little hotter than other stores, and I'm grumbling. Hey, it is our heart it revealed herself all the time. If if you're here this morning and you say that I've got the same thing Concord, you don't have to even look at a fraction of an inch into the sin of selfishness into the center of of grumbling and complaining and find out very quickly that I have a long way to go by repentance towards Christ a man.

The third thing to be a light into this world is we need to hold fast to the word of life and Philippians 2:16 again and says 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 and acts 5:20. It says go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all of the words of this life. If we're to hold fast to the word of life, so the reason I felt like God was leading us this direction is we are all getting ready to spend lots of quality time with our families. We're all getting ready for Christmas as we're all dealing with the stress of of getting stuff and and all these things I may or may it probably isn't even necessary but we go through the stress and probably in the next week or so. You're going to be joined with family and friends who are going to think probably some of them very differently than you are.

The problem is if we aren't Conquering the senator life if we're not Conquering the scent of selfishness what happens when we bring forth. The word of God is the world looks at us and there's a two-by-four in your eye. You're telling me these things, but look at you.

That's all I would ask you this morning as we come to our family gathering now. It doesn't just say in church. It doesn't say that we just don't argue in church. We don't just grumble in church, but it says in all things when we're gathered together with a family. Do we grumble?

Imagine This your favorite brother-in-law or maybe you're not so favor. Maybe it's somebody that you disagree with and maybe there their they're always prodding you they're always picking on you about something or something about that the the Bible says or whatever it may be. And halfway through when everybody is eating and he decides he wants to make sure that he and his wife this in the True Story by the way. I'm making it up his wife want to be sure that they get the pumpkin pie. So he goes into the kitchen and there's two pieces left and he put them both on his plate and comes back in the living room and he still not done with his first play in just set them down beside him. Does the paint begin to grow the play in your head?

Do you start to Humble? Do you verbally grumble? You say what's wrong with you? Can you just be patient? I want some of that pie, right? Does that is that happening? Because if we were honest I would say that this is normal in America We complain if the temperature is a little too hot or cold. We have all kinds of things in America. We expect everything to be perfect. What about when politics come up? I've not only falling into this trap. I have crashed and burned into the strad.

Is it worth arguing over? Is it worth complaining about? How about fighting the sin of others We are family gatherings, and we're joined together with Believers and non-believers. am I going to fight with them because their kids say words. I don't want my kids to say am I going to fight with him about things little things that that bother me? Maybe I don't like what they've done or this or that see all if I am to not complain or grumble in all things. I even have to look at these thing. I asked you have you ever argued with somebody about politics and change their mind? All right. It's not going to happen this Christmas either.

Have you ever thought was somebody because the fruit of their simple life you don't like the engine only Christ changes our heart. Hey, man, it's not going to do you any good to fight with them. They live a different lifestyle than you do. God didn't call us to fight sin. He called us to proclaim the gospel, and so this Christmas as we joined together whether you're at the store whether you're at at Grandma's house or your parents house or everybody's coming to your house I would challenge you. When things are irritating.

Not complacent. What was the word Paul used to be content be content that you're inside of God's will be content that he is in control. Love those that are around you. Because at some point God is calling you to proclaim the gospel to your family members. And when you do that, they should look at you and they should say. Here's the person that's content. I'm worried about my fishing business getting more fish so I can get more money. Here's the person that's living contently. Here's the person that's not fighting with me. Like everybody else. Here's the person that's loving me unconditionally, even though I'm living differently than they are. Be that person be that person in the checkout line love those who are serving. You know that they're serving you there. There is not one. I don't think there's not one check out person I get to determine how long they're lying is The person you're going to get mad and complain that has nothing to do with it. In fact, they're probably just as frustrated as you are loved those people love your family so that when God gives you the opportunity or God gives you an opening in a conversation to say hey, that's interesting. Let me tell you about what Christ did in my life. They don't look at you and say what do you mean? There's a two-by-four there. What time does the Bible tells us to live in such a way that even the world would be shameful to say something against you it would cause them shame because you would live in such a way that they would know the world with no, that's simply not true. I might not like your religion. I might not like that. They they claim to know the god that created the world but I can tell you one thing. They live in such a way that I can say nothing against them. That should be our goal Layman this morning and closing. I would like you to also understand that we cannot live this way apart from Christ that we cannot live this way apart from the holy spirit that if we are to put our trust in Jesus Christ not put our trust in ourselves, but put your trust in him and draw ever ever closer. God changes are very hearts. You can there's an Evidence of this change because this is what happens. I'll go somewhere or do something and I'll just say something that wasn't maybe wasn't mean but it wasn't very nice and I'll leave there and I'll I'll even lay in bed at night. Why did I do that? I hope they didn't think that I didn't like them. I was mad cuz I had to and I since I was mad because I didn't trust in God's will. Any time that were mad because we're not getting our way. We're actually if we went deep enough we're upset with God. Because he is Sovereign and his will as being played out. Amen. Amen. Let's bow our heads.

fatherly

and seemingly have so much to grow father.

As I look at my My Heart Lord and my life, but I have so far to go.

God put within us a hate for our sin. God put within us the remembrance of what Christ did for us that we didn't we don't deserve heaven. We don't deserve forgiveness. We don't deserve righteousness.

But your son Jesus Christ came and live the perfect life.

He had took the punishment I deserve. in my place

the father as we turn from our sin and Trust in Christ father you forgive us. You put your righteousness into our account. Other two things of which none of us are worthy. None of us are deserving.

God you go even beyond that and call us to be a part of what you're doing a part of your ministry.

Father this morning. We looked closely at grumbling and complaining and trusting in your will.

Father we know from scripture that it's told us to go into the world and preach the gospel. It's a bother as we wrestle this flesh as we wrestle to to overcome father. I pray that you would give us the power the strength that your Holy Spirit would be ever convicting us and draw us closer the father. I pray that you would also give us the boldness.

to Proclaim your word father, even when others may not like it evil anime alienate us from people who we love other wood or affections And our eyes be always on you. All I ask this Christmas season Lord that we would be Faithful Servants will be faithful Proclaimers of your word. I God we would. Through your power fight this Flash. It's always concern for itself. Father help us. I pray in Jesus name. Amen. If you lost and we'll we'll see.