Sermon Tone Analysis

Phil 2:12-18

Good evening my friends, Hope you’ve had a good day.

Now remember last week we talked about letting Christ be our over arching example of for life and more especially humility.

The body of Christ must develop a model for living were in we learn to be second.

We are to put ourselves under the authority of Christ, he is head and so we submit to Him in all things.

And also, we are called to minister to the needs of others ahead of our lives.

It is not that we are called to go without out, but we must remember we are called to take care of each other, we can only do that as we loose the mindset of me, me, me.

Jesus did this, laying aside his life and put the needs of humanity first and suffered and died for us… that we might have life.

And the last thought, God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name.

Praise the name of Jesus.

So lets move on today and lets begins with verses 12-18.

V 12.....

So there is that word “therefore”, we know it is meant to draw our attention to what was just said and see how it relates to living now.

Now Salvation is a central theme in Paul’s message to the church at Philippi, and they were called to put that salvation to work.

Salvation is a past event… it happened when we called upon the name of the Lord but it has a very real progressive work in our life in that as we are faithful and walk with the Lord, we grow and are made more into the image of the Son.

Paul reminded the believers in Rome, that each day moved them closer to the salvation being more realized

Richard Melick says here also.....”The precise words “fear and trembling” reminds them of their relationship to God and that they were conduct their lives with a seriousness and reverence due him, after all He worked in them.”

So wake up, act and live as you were called to be in Christ.

And here is the key… you must have an attitude of obedience.

Not to Paul, but to Christ.

This also means there cannot be any issues in the church, people must solve their problems.

Again, lets the words of Paul echo in our ears.

Put the needs of others above our own...

Now verse 13.....

Paul is reminding them of why they can and should do this.... God was at work in them.

God provides us with the motivation and ability to do His good pleasure.

It is God’s will, (his good pleasure) that we work and serve for his pleasure.

Listen to Eph 1:9

You see God started a work in us, he called to us, he saved us and as such we are to be good stewards of the gift of Salvation that he is placed in us.

So we are at work....

We work because we are saved....

Now lets look at verse 14-16… they all tie together

So lets break ti down....

V 14....

There is a command here, but it has a positive push to it… The root of this pushes back to the Old Testament, the children of Israel were often caught grumbling when things didn’t suit them or they couldnt see God at work.

Ultimately, the OT Israelites grumbling pointed back the lack of trust they had in God at times.

so the implied push is that we should trust God and not grumble.

Their grumbling hindered them, if they could live without dispute they could be well on their way to a pure life.

Now tie it to verse 15....

Paul is saying they ( and us ) were to become pure and blameless, to complete their Christian character so they are without fault in front of the world.

The world was twisted and crooked Paul says, a generation that is depraved because of their failure to know God, You see to live without grumbling and disputing is the call to be different in the hope of providing a model for the world.

The second part here is for us to shine like lights in the world.

Remember Jesus in the gospel called the church “the light of the world.”

Light pushes back the darkness, it allows one to see clearly and thus hopefully enabling the world to see the truth that God loves them.

But now lets finish this little group.. verse 16

Paul lived so that all he did was for the glory of Christ and not himself.

So we too are to hold fast to the truth of God’s word so that we live in a way that we finish well on the day of Christ.

Now lets move on to verses 17-18

What Paul says here points to the past sacrificial system.

A sacrifice is a gift that is given to God, it could be many things, animal, grain, drink, oil… the list is long when you look at the OLD Testament.

Three words he pulls out for us to see… “poured out” “offering” - which can also be referred to as sacrifice and finally “sacrificial”

Now some think Paul is alluding to his upcoming possible martyrdom, but others see that he is talking really about his apostolic ministry, which often included suffering.

Now they, the church at Philippi, were the ones who were using their faith for the glory of God, They had loved Paul, had helped him and others, while seeking to take the message to others.

Paul says he is being poured out with them.

He was part of their work and was encouraging them to push further...

and with verse 18, rather than discouraged about their situation, Paul had great joy, in fact 4 times in this verse we see joy is prominent.

Paul says I am glad and rejoice with you all.

and you should be glad and rejoice with me.

Paul was happy with how they served, and he encouraged them to be glad as well..

Conclusion,

Paul wanted them to have the mind of Christ in all they did and said.

In doing so they could push toward living successfully in front of God.

Paul uses the word blameless…

He was happy with their love and service to him and he was delighted to be counted as part of their work.

He was their father in the faith so have established the work, he was a part of it.

Lay aside your disputes and stand true, have the mind of Christ in all things and to live in a way where they remembered all Christ did for them, thus producing obedience in their life as they lived Christ like in front of a lost world.

Still applies to us my friends...