Lights in the World

As we begin this morning I just want to review where we have been so far in the book of Philippians:

Paul is greatful for the Philippians and their partnership in the Gospel.

He encourages them that his imprisonment has actually served to advance the Gospel and that is his main concern.

He explained that for Him to Live is Christ and to die is gain.

He challenged the Philippians to be humble, considering others as greater than themselves and adopting the humility Christ showed.

With that we come to today’s passage.

Philippians 2:12–18 CSB

Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

Therefore. We ask what it is there for. Imitating the humility of Christ.

Obedience is Our Cooperation with the Working of God

He commends their obedience and challenges them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling.

This is an interesting phrase “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”

What does it mean?

Approach our salvation in such a way that it becomes clear that it is authentic, acknowledging its precious nature.

Pawn Stars- When someone brings something of great value, they don’t take their word for it, they test it. The people never question this. If they believe what they have is genuine, its value will only be revealed by this test.

How do we do this?

Obedience is the process through which we work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

2 Peter 1:5–11 CSB

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

If we follow Christ, we have salvation. If we have salvation, we should work to see it for what it truly is. If we have salvation we should test it and approve what it really is.

This should not be a scary proposition, as though we will realize our salvation is not true., but one that is confirming and encouraging.

Pawn Stars- When someone brings something of great value, they don’t take their word for it, they test it. The people never question this. If they believe what they have is genuine, its value will only be revealed by this test.

If we seek put our faith to the test, if we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, we will see our faith revealed.

The more we see our faith revealed, the more confident we are in our salvation.

If people question their salvation, ask them to look and see the obedience in their lives.

If there is obedience, they can be reassured.

If there isn’t obedience, this is why they question. Not because they aren’t saved, but because they aren’t seeing the effects that obedience produces.

The more we see our faith revealed, the more bold we can be in exercising our faith.

When our faith becomes tangible because of our obedience, it is easier to step out on faith and do hard things.

Not only will we be confident in our faith, but we will become fruitful.

There is the idea that if we seek to be obedient, to do the things Peter mentions, we prove useful and fruitful in the faith. We will not stumble.

Following the example of Christ and being obedient, will produce the fruit we seek to have in the faith.

When we wonder why we aren’t being effective in our faith, we must first look to see whether we are being obedient.

A lack of fruit is very directly related to a lack of obedience. If you aren’t looking like Christ, it is because you do not listen to what he says.

If someone gives you directions and you do the opposite of what they say, you aren’t going to end up in the right place.

Through this we remember: God is the one who is doing the working.

We are seeking to partner with the work that God is doing.

We aren’t trying to do things within our own power.

Sometimes the temptation is to slightly alter what God has called us to do in such a way that it makes more sense to us or makes it more convenient.

It is our own way of buying into the original lie, “did God really say?”

Love your neighbor, but. Flee from sin, but. Care for the needy, but.

We must do what He calls us to, without exception.

When we are obedient, we are taking part in what God is doing.

It isn’t complicated, but it isn’t easy.

What God wills will happen with or without us, for our part we should seek to be as involved in what He is doing in this world as we possibly can.

We know the end result. We know what happens at the end of this life. We should seek to be obedient through that.

Obedience Distinguishes Us from the World

Let’s walk through how being obedient makes us distinct from the world. Starting in verse 14.

Without grumbling and arguing.

This is not just doing something, it is doing it with a good attitude.

Have you ever seen this attitude or had this attitude?

When you do something but you do it grudgingly. This is not the attitude that we are supposed to have.

so you may be blameless and pure.

As he has indicated multiple times, Paul has expressed that part of our sanctification is to be blameless and pure.

A shirt with a stain on it. “It is mostly clean” I didn’t wear one this morning for that reason.

Our goal is to be like Christ, not just better than whoever we might like to compare ourselves to.

faultless in a crooked and perverted generation

This is not new to the world that we live in today.

We do live in a crooked and perverted generation. We are called not to be a part of it.

Parties celebrating divorces, abortion.

“Sin once tolerated seeks to be accepted, and sin once accepted seeks to be celebrated.” - Mark Dever

In comparison to this crooked and perverted generation, Paul says we should Shine like stars in the world.

When we look different than the world, we will shine like stars in the world.

What is different about you?

It is not enough to simply be avoid the “really bad things”

We are called to be holy, to be holy means to be set apart from the world.

Holding firm to the word of life.

We remember our hope and we hold on.

This is also the authority on which we stand.

How we know what is right and what is wrong. This is how we know what it means to be obedient, because of what Jesus has told us.

Holding firm. Not letting go at the first difficulty.

When you have a bad day at work you don’t quit your job, you remember why you work and keep moving forward.

We hold fast to what we know to be the truth and keep moving forward.

Obedience Will Lead to Our Boasting

Paul will boast that He didn’t run or labor for nothing.

He proclaimed the Gospel and created disciples that are obedient, bearing fruit, and making disciples.

He did not live a wasted life.

The Philippians are Paul’s fruit and evidence of his faith lived out. Paul was obedient, there was fruit from his life.

Paul says he can boast that he didn’t labor in vain.

What are you boasting in?

Galatians 6:14 CSB

But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.

In this life he will only boast about the cross as it is his salvation and we should do the same.

He will only boast in this life about the cross, so that in the next life he will boast about those who have believed this message.

Will you be able to boast about what you have done for Christ in the life that is to come?

It is not too late!

Even if his life is poured out serving the Philippians, he is glad.

He is living his life with purpose, investing his life in something that matters.

Leaving a legacy. Building something that remains and points others to what is coming later.

If we live our life in a way that matters, we will not fear losing it.

Can you face the end of your life knowing that you lived a life that mattered? That you did what God called you to do? That you proved your faith to be sure and real, and saw the fruit of that proof?

This Sermon was titled, lights in the world, and this passage says we are supposed to shine like stars in the world. If we are obedient, working out our faith in fear and trembling we will shine like stars in the world.

It can be all summed up perfectly in a children’s song. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel, no! I’m gonna let it shine. Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine!\

Jesus commanded it this way.

Matthew 5:16 CSB

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Is your light shining this morning? Are you seeking to be obedient, working out your faith with fear and trembling?