Philippians: Does Jesus Shine Through Me?

Text: Philippians 2:12-18

Theme: In a crooked and depraved society, believers are to shine like stars in the universe.

Before their testimony for Christ could ever be effective in the community where they lived, the Philippians needed to set some things straight in their own assembly.

I. GOD AT WORK IN YOU: THE BELIEVER’S ROLE IN SANCTIFICATION

“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,” (Philippians 2:12, ESV)

1. Paul opens the next paragraph in his letter by reminding the Philippian believers to diligently pursue their spiritual life in Christ

2. after our salivation, the most important concern in the believer's life—above everything else—is securing the welfare of our souls

a. other things are important, but your most important of interests is your spiritual life

b. as believers we must be committed to the ways of God, and the will of God

c. this verse harkens back to what Paul had already told these believer in v. 27 of chapter 1: ". . . conduct youselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ . . .

A. WE ARE DILIGENT IN OUR PURSUIT OF SPIRITUAL LIFE WHEN WE LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD

1. Paul commends the Philippian believers for their obedience even though he is absent

a. can you imagine how inspiring it would be to have a spiritual giant in your church like the Apostle Paul?

b. his daily example of godly courage, prayerful devotion, and righteous living would be enough to encourage even the most faint-hearted of believers to stand up for Jesus

2. but Paul is no longer physically with them

a. in fact, he is in jail at Ephesus facing possible execution

b. the temptation that the Philippian believers might wane in their faith and shrink back from their commitment to Christ is heavy on Paul's heart

c. so he encourages them to continue living under the authority of God even though he is not there to spur them on

1) one of the truest measures of the Christian life is what we do when we know that no one else is watching and we cannot possible be caught

ILLUS. You have probably seen such signs many times. When a company takes over another company, there is often a placard placed outside the premises announcing, "Under New Management." That sign accurately summarizes what takes place at a Christian’s conversion. When Christ takes over a life, that life is literally "under new management." But let's be honest it is difficult to learn this lesson, and to acknowledge the new authority in our lives! How hard it is for those who have obeyed the flesh, to obey the Lord Jesus Christ! But that is required in being a Christian.

3. obedience to God is a logical result of life in Christ

a. Christ is our matchless example of obedience to the Father and we are encouraged to follow his example

“So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”” (John 8:28–29, ESV)

B. WE ARE DILIGENT IN OUR PURSUIT OF SPIRITUAL LIFE AS WE WORK OUT OUR SALVATION

1. now notice that Paul writes, work out and not work for your salvation

a. there is a BIG difference!

2. the verb work out means to carry something out to its ultimate conclusion

a. the idea is that since we have had an experience with God through the risen Lord, Jesus Christ that we do something constructive with our faith

b. Christians must live out their lives in a holiness that reflects being under new management

ILLUS. It's interesting to me how Jesus looks at men. He does not only see what a man is; he also sees what a man can become. He sees not only the actualities in a man, he also sees the possibilities. Jesus looked at Peter and saw in him not only a Galilaean fisherman but one who's great faith would help build our Lord's church. Jesus sees us not only as we are, but as we can be; and he says: "Give your life to me, and I will make you what you have it in you to be."

3. we can choose to cooperate with the process the bible calls sanctification

a. the easiest way I know how to explain sanctification is the process of the Holy Spirit releasing the Christ that is in you

ILLUS. In one of the great anecdotes of history, it is said that a person came upon the famous artist Michelangelo as he was chipping away with his chisel at a huge shapeless piece of rock. They asked the sculptor what he was doing. "I am releasing the angel imprisoned in this marble," was his answer.

b. Jesus is the one who sees and can release the hidden righteous man or righteous woman in every believer

4. working out our salvation has a practical affect in the life of the believer

a. it narrows your field of interests to participate in those activities that promote spiritual growth and bring glory to our Heavenly Father, and avoid those activities that do not

II. GOD AT WORK IN YOU: GOD’S ROLE IN SANCTIFICATION

“for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13, ESV)

1. here is one of the paradoxes of the Christian life ... we are to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, yet at the same time God is proactive in our life willing and working to accomplish his good pleasure

a. from the earliest days of the church, the relationship between the power of God and the responsibility of believers in living the Christian life has been debated

1) is the Christian life essentially a matter of passive trust or of active obedience?

2) is it all God’s doing, all the believer’s doing, or a combination of both?

b. Scripture makes it clear that it involves both God’s sovereignty and human response

2. in regard to sanctification, the view that emphasizes God’s role while virtually eliminating the believer’s involvement is often referred to as quietism

ILLUS. It’s a spiritual movement that grew out of the late 17th century primarily in Spain. It’s essentially the idea that our sanctification is none of our business, but must be left to God. It is not necessary for believers to perform the ordinary exercises of piety. The most notable practitioners of this spirituality in America are the Quakers.

a. the quietist views believers as passive in sanctification.

ILLUS. A common maxim is, “Let go and let God.” Another is, “I can’t; God can.”

b. Quietism tends to be mystical and subjective, focusing on personal feelings and experiences

c. a person who is utterly submitted to and dependent on God, they say, will be divinely protected from sin and led into faithful living

d. trying to strive against sin or to discipline oneself to produce good works is considered to be not only futile but unspiritual and counterproductive

3. Pietism is the opposite of Quietism

a. Pietists are typically aggressive in their pursuit of correct doctrine and moral purity

ILLUS. Historically, this movement also originated in seventeenth-century primarily in Germany as a reaction to the dead orthodoxy of many Protestant churches. The most notable Pietists we’re familiar with are the Pilgrims who landed in Massachusetts.

b. to their credit, most pietists place strong emphasis on Bible study, holy living, self-discipline, and practical Christianity

c. they emphasize such passages as “Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1) and “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (James 2:17)

d. the Pietists, however, often stress self-effort to the virtual exclusion of dependence on divine power

1) as would be expected, pietism frequently leads to legalism, moralism, self-righteousness, a judgmental spirit, pride, and hypocrisy

4. in Philippians 2:12–13, Paul presents the appropriate resolution between the believer’s part and God’s part in sanctification

a. he makes no effort to rationally harmonize the two

1) he is content with the incomprehensibility and simply states both truths, saying, in effect, that, on the one hand, sanctification is the believer’s responsibility (v. 12) and on the other hand, our sanctification is God’s responsibility (v. 13)

b. the Apostle Peter says the same in 2 Peter 1:3-10

A. GOD IS DILIGENTLY WORKING IN US

1. Paul is blunt ... "for it is God who works in you"

a. literally, the phrase can be translated, "for it is God who effectually energizes"

ILLUS. One of the icon brand-personalities of American Advertizing is the Energizer Bunny. He’s the pink mechanical toy rabbit wearing sunglasses and blue and black striped flip-flops that beats a bass drum bearing the Energizer logo. He premiered on October 30, 1988. Because he uses Energizer batteries, he’s able to continue operating indefinitely, or at least much longer than similar toys (or other products) using rival brands' batteries.

2. God, through His indwelling Spirit, is the believer’s Energizer

a. a little later in this letter to the Philippian Christians we will hear the Apostle Paul say, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13, ESV)

B. GOD IS DILIGENTLY WILLING IN US

1. it is God who makes His own people both willing and desirous to do His work

a. He then tells us that we are incapable of accomplishing great things for Him

b. He then turns right around and says, "If you'll let me, I'll accomplish great things through you."

ILLUS. About three weeks ago, a Space X Falcon 9 rocket launched a resupply mission to the International Space Station. An interesting fact about flight in outer space is that you must "slow down in order to catch up." If two spacecraft desire to rendezvous, the one that is making the approach cannot accelerate, it must decelerate. If it increases its speed, the craft goes into a higher orbit, but if it decreases its speed, it will drop into a lower orbit and actually gain on the craft ahead of it. Most rendezvous are designed so that the approaching craft comes in from a higher orbit and "slows down, in order to catch up." As a result, it drops into place by decelerating.

2. this is where the paradox of sanctification often shows itself

a. we’re often so eager to please God and to do something for God that we out-run God

b. there will be those times in our live when we need to slow down to catch up with God so that we might hear God speak to us

c. the more we yield ourselves to his power, the more power is available to use for service

3. God's will is that we surrender our will to His will so that His purposes might be accomplished

a. and what is that will?

b. that through us God Himself will act in order to accomplish his good will and purpose in this world

c. if you submit to God's will, everything, including the time of your death, is under God's supervision

III. THE FRUIT OF OUR SANCTIFICATION

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 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, 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.” (Philippians 2:14–16, ESV)

1. remember last week, I told you that there was a problem in the church at Philippi?

a. a feud had erupted between two women that threatened church unity

b. evidently, people were taking sides

c. they were griping at one another and making snide remarks

2. when that happens, Christ is eclipsed in the church and God cannot act according to his good purpose

A. ACCOMPLISHING GOD'S WILL IN THE CHURCH IMPLIES A COOPERATIVE SPIRIT

1. we must cooperate with God

a. we must also cooperate with each other

b. grumbling or disputing is the opposite of that

2. cooperation implies a certain amount of patience with the foibles and peculiarities of other people

a. Paul writes that we must not murmur and complain

1) without murmurings is an expression used of grumbling about and against men, not God

2) such murmuring often leads to open questioning and debating

3. instead of being contentious in our attitudes toward fellow believers we are to be blameless

a. Blameless means "above reproach"

1) this does not mean sinless perfection

b. we are also to be pure

1) it's a word that was used of wine which had not been diluted and of metal which had not been weakened in any way.

4. the corporate testimony of the church is in view

a. all believers are called on to live out the salvation God has worked in them to progress in their spiritual maturity.

b. the Philippian believers were to live so that those outside of Christ could not rightfully point an accusing finger at them

B. BELIEVERS ARE TO SHINE LIKE STARS

1. believers are to be luminous objects in the midst of a world full of moral darkness

2. we live, according to Paul in a crooked and depraved generation

a. we still live in a world that is crooked and depraved

b. morally, the world has missed God's straight and narrow path and wound up in a ditch

3. in that kind of world, we are to be "stand outs agains the darkness"

C. HOW DO WE SHINE?

1. By living under the authority of God v. 12

2. By accessing the power of God v. 13

3. By reflecting the moral integrity of God v. 15

4. By directing the world's attention to the word of God v. 16