Philippians 2:18 (Outline)

Introduction

Exciting thing I did this summer

First time spending time in Virginia

Really enjoyed scenery

Stayed at summer camp with nearly everyone involved in wedding party

My wife Lindsey singing in wedding, so I got privilege of staying there

Somebody mentioned great place to look at stars (may have been Rachel)

Headed to middle of field to look at them

On the way to field, it was pitch black, could see nothing

So dark couldn’t see person next to me

Had to use flashlight to see where I was walking

Finally reached the spot and looked up

What I saw was beautiful

The whole sky filled with stars

I had seen pictures before but seeing it in person is so much better

Used to seeing only a couple stars when looking up

There were so many, couldn’t count them

Amazing picture I will never forget

The sky was so lit up, yet the place we were walking was so dark.

There stars in heaven served the purpose of lighting up sky

Apart from stars, we may look up and see a little light from moon, but would mostly be darkness

This experience left me thankful for the stars God has given us to illumine the heavens

Transition

Text today calls us to be lights in the world

We live in dark place, dark world, filled with sin, filled with evil

Through light Christ has given us, let that light shine through us

Matthew 5:16 tells us to let our light shine before others, that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven.

Jesus came as light into darkness

Context tells us to imitate Christs example

We are looking at chapter 2 of Philippians for today’s message and will begin reading in verse 12

Philippians 2:12-18

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

14 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. 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.

Obedience

One of the themes we see in text is obedience

Supreme example in Jesus Christ vs 8

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus worked out obedience to fullest, even death

We are called to be obedient to God

Apostle not talking about obedience only when around others, parents, friends, etc..

But an obedience even when no one is around

God sees and knows everything we do

Paul says as you are obedient when people such as myself are around, be more obedient when their not around

As soon as teacher walks out of classroom, kids start going crazy

Act as if they no longer have to follow rules

Paul is speaking against this mindset

Called to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling

Despite what passage may seem, does not mean that we earn our salvation or saved by our works

Saved by grace through faith and that is Gods doing

Easy to mistake and think we earn our salvation through this passage

Earning salvation is impossible for us

When Paul was with them, helping them tremendously in their faith

Now that he’s gone, left without his influence in working out their salvation

Salvation started on earth, completed at the end of time

Out of respect and reverence for God who saved us, called to work hard at living the holy lives which he called us to

If you are thinking there is no way you can do that on your own, you are right

Told that God works in us, both to will and work for his good pleasure

Good news is Spirit of God is working in us to work out our salvation

Spirit gives us desire and strength to carry out Gods work on Earth

First verse calls for us to work, second says God does work, who actually does work?

Whatever bad done in your life, you are completely responsible for

Whatever good done in your life, God completely responsible for

May seem complicated but in short, we are called to obedient to God as he works through us

Community of Lights

Not only you but God at work in many

Church is body of Christ, doing Gods work on Earth

Do you remember how I mentioned I was used to only seeing a few stars in sky?

Few stars didn’t produce much light

Sky full of them illumined whole sky

Lone wolf mentality doesnt work in context of passage

Called to work together as lights

Like Christmas lights all connected together by one cord, the Spirit of God

To be a light to the world, one must be humble

Count others more significant thanselves

Means when wronged, or have to do something we dont want to, we do it without grumbling or disputing

Unity of church is really important

When disputing and division, mission of church is put on backburner as people argue about themselves

Putting text into practice, working out salvation together without grumbling or disputing, it leads to shining as light in dark world

God had called Israel to this task

Saved them from slavery in Egypt for it

Was ready to bring them into promised land to be light to sinful world

What did they do?

Deuteronomy 32:5 says,

5  They have dealt corruptly with him;

they are no longer his children because they are blemished;

they are a crooked and twisted generation.

Paul is saying dont be like Israelites

They grumbled and disputed against God and leaders

Were not blameless and innocent but blemished

Instead of being in midst of crooked and twisted generation, they were crooked and twisted generation

Perfect example of what not do to

Lets not make the same mistake they did

We are Gods children, those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and as lights in this dark, crooked, and twisted generation, we are called to shine through our purity, being blameless and innocent.

How do we do this?

Holding fast the word of life

God told Israelites to write his word on doorpost of house and gates so always would see it/not forget

When they turned from word, put themselves in situations to act corruptly toward God

If we are not hanging on to the word of life, the gospel of our salvation, we will find ourselves following down the same path as those Israelites.

Sacrificing and Rejoicing

Paul labored blood, sweat, tears for church

Hopes that it wasn’t all in vain

This is why their obedience to God so important to him

He put in a lot of work suffering and if they turned, it would be hard on him

So Paul calls them to hold fast the word of life

Work out your own salvation

Shine as lights in this dark world

So in judgement day, he will be proud that it wasn’t in vain he worked

At what cost does Paul desire to see this?

Even if it cost him his life

Paul has made many sacrifices for them, and if faced with ultimate sacrifice, he would rejoice simply because successful with them

Not only would he rejoice, but tells them to rejoice with him

If you find out the guy that loved you and labored and suffered for you that you might know hope to which God has called you has been killed, you may be tempted to be sad and upset

He says No! don’t be that way.

Look at me, I would rejoice and so should you

Paul concerned that church shine as lights in dark world, not conform to darkness

Reflection and Application

Called to Obedience

How can we be obedient to God today?

First and foremost believe in Jesus

Must believe no other way to be saved

Cant make it to heaven apart from him

Being a good person wont save us because we aren’t good

Trust that Christ paid for sins on cross

Passage talks about day of judgement

If we are found outside of Christ, we must believe we will be separated from love of God forever

Secondly

Work out salvation with the church

Are you a part of this church or do you just go to it?

Do you just show up for service or do you show up with service?

Are you a part of Gods work through the church?

If not, consider talents the Lord has given you and apply them

Very friendly? Join the welcome team

Little brothers and sisters or good with kids? Help Travis with Grace Kids

Maybe you would be good helping at threads of hope or City Gospel Mission

Many different ways to work out salvation with church

Cant decide? Talk to Travis, he will point right direction

Called to hold fast word of life

May sound like broken record

Every time I am here I tell you spend more time in Bibles

Israelites were called to write word on doorposts or gate

If we do that today, may be charged with vandalism

Point was that Israelites were to become very familiar with word of God

If it was on doorposts/gates they would see it all time

Is the word of God written anywhere in your life?

Are you steadily in contact with word of God reading or memorizing?

Challenge this week to find one passage in the Bible you find really important and memorize it

Maybe that means putting poster in your room

or background on phone

Not only memorize but meditate upon it

Think about it over and over, everything it means

To where could explain it to someone with no Bible knowledge

For the super achievers in the bunch, I challenge you to do this every week

My final challenge to you all is that you would 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 by holding fast to the word of life.

Lets pray!