March 25, 2020 (Phil 2:12-18)

welcome & announcements

We are still gathering in this venue because we still want you to know that Jesus saves us and guides us!

pray

no black light dodgeball

camp is still happening as of right now

we will plan to meet this way until we return to campus

Life Groups on Zoom on Sunday mornings

not going to post those links on YouTube so no creepies join in

if you aren’t following us on social media, now’s the time!

Coronavirus challenge

brief explanation

announce winner and ask for text with place, order, and address

picture review

winner is...

order pizza

get the address if you need it

Lesson, pt 1

Tell them to post or text questions or comments and they’ll have a chance to win something from CFA.

pray

Before we get into it, we are just picking up where we left off in the book of didn’t choose this passage especially for tonight, God is just cool like that in the way He runs things!

I barely even need to set this up!

We must grow in our salvation so that we can let Christ’s light shine through us to the world!

Philippians 2:12–13 ESV

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, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

philippians 2:12-13

First, a refresher...

Paul is writing from prison. He can’t leave and he can’t see his friends.

Sounding familiar?

And he keeps talking about having joy!

He’s giving them instruction in his absence, he’s been telling them to keep their focus on the Gospel.

Paul is telling us that humble obedience is a part of growing as Christians.

Some people think that becoming a Christian is the end goal, but it’s just the beginning of the journey!

So I had a trip planned last weekend but it got cancelled because of Rona. Kristen, in her gracious kindness, let me spend that money that was going towards the trip on getting an Xbox. What if I just said, “I got an Xbox!” and then left it sitting in the cabinet and never played with it?…

That would be ridiculous. The point of an Xbox isn’t to have an Xbox, it’s to play games and get better!

Becoming a Christian isn’t the end goal, we are supposed to grow.

Romans 6:19b ESV

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Romans 6:19

We are supposed to grow in Christ and be more and more obedient to his Word, following Jesus’ example that Paul gave at the beginning of the chapter.

The fancy, $2 theological term for this is progressive sanctification.

Paul tells them they must continue even though he isn’t there…

Y’all are absent from the church. But it’s not me, it’s not our pastor Mike, or your Life Group leaders, or any one else you see at church, it’s not even your parents who you’re still with who can make you grow in your salvation! It’s God!

We work out our salvation, not for our salvation!

With fear & trembling??

Obedience to God’s Word is part of growing in your salvation, so are your spiritual disciplines...

This is a great time to work on forming habits for your spiritual disciplines. Most of the things that normally distract are gone.

And we do it for God’s good pleasure it says at the end.

We’ll find out more about that when we get to v14!

Questions & Comments

Corona greetings

Lesson, pt 2

The first thing Paul tells us after saying we should be growing in our salvation for God’s good pleasure is to be lights to a dark world!

Philippians 2:14–18 ESV

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 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. 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.

Philippians 2:14-

“without grumbling or disputing” or complaining.

If there was ever something to grumble and complain and argue about, this is it right??? talk about Coronavirus effects

This just sucks. It does for you students. But if we, if you go through this time and instead of complaining, you hold onto the joy found in the Gospel, what a light that would be in a dark world…

I used to work at Best Buy in the home theater section. Sometimes people would just stand and watch tv. They’d come up to the wall of TV’s and look at them all and find the best one, with the nicest, brightest picture and stand there and watch that one. People are drawn to light!

Go through this time, being obedient to God, with joy. If you grumble about it, that’s what the world is doing. But if you maintain your joy, if you are positive, if you proclaim God is still good through this, that will get the attention of people and bring glory to God!

You do this by holding fast to the Word of life, to the Gospel!

You stay focussed on the Gospel and what God has done for you in Jesus. Stay focussed on your mission as a Christ follower, spreading the Gospel.

This is how Paul had joy even in prison.

It’s how the Philippian Christians had joy even in a hostile culture.

It’s how we can grow in our salvation and be a shining light to a dark world and have joy, even in the midst of this Coronavirus pandemic.

Questions & Comments

pray

See ya next week

Pick a winner from comment section for CFA prize

tell the winner to text their email address and what they want

watch out for more social media contests to win a prize next wednesday

Thanks Josh