WORK IT ON OUT
Philippians 2.12-30
S: Christian Living
Th: Toward the Goal
Pr: LIVE THE LIFE THAT IS IN YOU.
?: How? How do we do that?
KW: Instructions
TS: We will find in our study of Philippians three instructions of how to live the life that is in us followers of Jesus.
CV: “We will passionately pursue full devotion to Jesus Christ.” – by growing in Christlikeness
Type: Propositional
I. NEGATE NEGATIVITY (14-15)
II. LIGHTEN UP (15-16)
III. EXAMINE THE EXAMPLES (17-30)
PA: How is the change to be observed?
• Actively work toward Christlikeness – which is God’s purpose for us.
• Build up, don’t tear down.
• Be light in darkness.
• Keep the Word central.
• Follow the good examples.
Version: ESV
RMBC 29 June 08 AM
INTRODUCTION:
We are continuing in our study of Philippians today where our theme is “Toward the Goal.”
We were reminded last week about what it means to achieve that goal.
We talked about soccer, and how one wins.
With teamwork, you move the ball downfield, so that in the end, you get more balls in the goal than your opponent.
We then spoke about how we do that as Christians, and we learned that by following the humble example of Jesus, we move toward the goal.
So…
1. Are you moving “Toward the Goal” (12-13)?
After giving us one of the most beautiful portions of Scripture that describe Jesus, Paul moves on to explain how we continue to move toward the goal.
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.
We are told here to work out our salvation.
There is an important distinctive that we must make here.
Paul does not say that we are to work for our salvation.
We can’t do that, because salvation is essentially a gift.
It cannot be earned.
But once we have received that salvation, it is time work it on out.
Please note this:
We must work out what grace has worked in.
The NIV gives an excellent translation here by telling us to “continue to work out” our salvation.
In other words, by a sustained effort, we are to keep working out the grace that is inside of us.
You see, we are to…
2. Actively work toward Christlikeness.
That’s God’s purpose for us.
It is His good purpose.
So, because we have God’s energy inside of us…the Holy Spirit resides in us…we are to be energetic as we live this Christian life.
This reflects one of our core values here at Randall, that is…
3. Value: “We will passionately pursue full devotion to Jesus Christ.”
We want to be known as a people that are all out for Jesus.
We want to be known as a people that live out the joy of our salvation.
We want to be known as a people that are actively growing in Christlikeness.
But how does this happen?
ILL Power (S)
We live in an age of movie super heroes, the first and most famous of whom, probably, is Superman.
Every super hero takes on one element of the Superman story, and that is that Superman has another identity, that of Clark Kent, the mild mannered reporter who wears horn-rimmed glasses, a conservative suit, and has a dumpy look on his face. Clark Kent fumbles his way through life; he is always on the periphery of the excitement; he never manages to handle situations properly. But everybody knows that underneath that business suit someone powerful, someone more dramatic and wonderful resides.
In some sense the same thing ought to be true of us in our relationship with Christ.
We may look ordinary.
We may look exactly like we did before we came to Christ.
We may be people who always find ourselves on the periphery of things.
We may not be highly respected in the community.
Yet if we see ourselves as we should, we will realize the fact that God himself is at work within us, changing our hearts so that we choose what is right, empowering us to do what is right.
We are not ordinary, commonplace nobodies.
We are full of God’s life.
So…
4. LIVE THE LIFE THAT IS IN YOU.
Today, we are going to discover how we can do that.
We will find in our study of Philippians three instructions of how to live the life that is in us followers of Jesus.
OUR STUDY:
The first instruction is…
I. NEGATE NEGATIVITY (14-15)
ILL Complain (H)
A man goes to a diner every day for lunch. He always orders the soup du jour. One day the manager asks him how he liked his meal.
The man replies, “It was good, but you could give a little more bread.”
So the next day the manager tells the waitress to give him four slices of bread. “How was your meal, sir?” the manager asks.
“It was good, but you could give a little more bread,” comes the reply.
So the next day the manager tells the waitress to give him eight slices of bread. “How was your meal today, sir?” the manager asks. “Good, but you could give a little more bread,” comes the reply.
The manager is now obsessed with seeing this customer say that he is satisfied with his meal, so he goes to the bakery, and orders a huuge loaf of bread. When the man comes in as usual the next day, the waitress and the manager cut the loaf in half, butter the entire length of each half, and lay it out along the counter, right next to his bowl of soup.
The man sits down, and devours both his bowl of soup, and both halves of the huge loaf of bread. The manager now thinks he will get the answer he is looking for, and when the old man comes up to pay for his meal, the manager asks in the usual way: “How was your meal TODAY, sir?” The man replies: “It was good as usual, but I see you are back to giving only two slices of bread!”
Have you ever come across someone that no matter what the situation is, it is never right?
Unfortunately, the church is not immune from the same kind of discontent.
But note what Paul says…
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation…
Essentially, he says…
5. Don’t tear down.
The first word is an emotional word.
When something happens that we disapprove of, we react emotionally.
We react with complaining.
We react with grumbling.
We tend to gather in little circles, and murmur, speaking under our breath.
But we are always to be in control of our emotions.
So, when a change occurs, and you don’t like it, get control of yourself.
If there is something in the service that you don’t like, because we all have that happen from time to time, what we don’t do is form a little group in the narthex after the service and complain.
Be in control and think it through, so that your response will be godly.
The second word is an intellectual one.
The ESV translated it as questioning, but it really is a more negative word than that.
It is more of the idea of arguing, bickering, or disputing.
It is the idea of being argumentative – taking the negative side.
God does not want us doing these things, grumbling and arguing, to each other.
It is never our assignment to tear down.
We can disagree.
We can discuss.
But it is always our assignment to build up.
Always…
6. Build up.
It is hard to have perfect relationships, but we are, nevertheless, to be ready and cheerful.
We want to be encouragers.
We want to cheer people on to do better.
We want to advance for the kingdom.
But it is tough to do if we are determined to be unhappy.
It is tough to do if we are angry.
It is tough to do if we won’t forgive.
But, when we take that positive direction, Paul says that it is the path to Christlikeness.
It enables us to be blameless.
It enables us to be without blemish.
When that happens, we can make a difference in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation.
The first word for crooked is skolios (note the relationship to scoliosis).
It is the idea of being bent.
The next word is more than bent, and the translation of twisted is very good.
It is the idea of confused intertwining.
It is like putting on your Christmas lights on the tree or outside.
It is always a test of your faith because the wires are tangled up and twisted all about and they are frustrating to unravel.
This is the kind of world we are to influence – crooked and twisted.
But to do it, we put away the negativity, and we build into one another.
The second instruction is…
II. LIGHTEN UP (15-16)
…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.
We are to…
7. Be light in darkness.
Light makes a difference.
Light exposes what was missing.
Light gives direction on where to go.
And this is what we are supposed to be.
ILL Light (S)
This is what Shakespeare’s Romeo saw in Juliet. Just before Juliet asks the famous question “Romeo, Romeo, where are thou, Romeo,” he speaks about the brightness of her eyes and face:
“Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.”
Yes, it is poetic.
Yes, it is romantic.
But for Romeo, Juliet brought light into his life.
And when we bring light into other people’s lives, we are living the life that is in us.
We are working out our salvation.
ILL personal
I had an unusual experience two weeks ago. I did something I do not usually do. I picked up two hitchhikers.
I was leaving Niagara Falls after doing a vow renewal for a couple there, and the still small voice of the Lord seemed to say to me to pick them up. When I asked them where they wanted to go, they said Boofalo.
They were two young people from France traveling across the United States. Between their broken English and my broken French, we determined that hitchhiking was dangerous, that I was a pastor, and they were traveling to Las Vegas to get married.
But as I shared my life with them, it was an opportunity to be light – to show kindness, to show God was in my life and to pray for them. I gave them my card in the hope they will write me when they return to France.
Connected with being light is the priority of Scripture.
For we are to…
8. Keep the Word central.
When we are looking for how to be light, we take God’s Word and we measure our life by God’s perfect standard.
It is unique.
It is inspired.
It is authoritative.
It is infallible.
This means then, we are to receive it and apply it to our lives.
It is in charge of our lives.
The third instruction is to…
III. EXAMINE THE EXAMPLES (17-30)
ILL Example (H)
Mark Twain once said:
“Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.”
Well, we are to…
9. Follow the good examples.
We are to look for people that are actively living the life of faith.
We are to look for men and women whose faith is evident in the way they talk and walk.
And in the Scripture here, we have three examples: Paul, Timothy, and Epapahroditus.
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.
10. Paul was living a life of sacrifice.
We have already noted before what kind of life Paul was living.
He was under house arrest – a house probably provided by the church in Philippi.
But for 24/7, he is chained to one of the elite Roman guards.
He will be put on trial soon, and though he eventually believes he will be set free, he also knows that execution could be his fate.
It is alright, though, because he is living a life of sacrifice so that the message will be able to get through.
He goes on to write…
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
11. Timothy was living a life of love.
Paul cannot speak highly enough of Timothy.
Timothy is a son to him.
He is sending him to Philippi because he is the closest to his heart.
They are, as Paul puts it, one-souled.
Paul has confidence in Timothy because he was a rare breed.
While everyone else is looking after themselves, he possessed a genuine interest in others.
He is the real thing.
He is the genuine article.
He cared for people.
He wept over people.
He loved people.
His concern was the spiritual condition of people.
So, as far as Paul is concerned, he is sending the very best to a people he loves.
Then Paul goes on to write…
I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.
12. Epaphroditus was living a life of courage.
The name of Epaphroditus was a very common name at that time, meaning “belonging to Aphrodite.”
Obviously, he was born and educated in Greek culture.
Epaphroditus was sent from Philippi to Rome to give a financial gift to Paul.
Perhaps it was to pay for the house he was living in, or just for living expenses.
Either way, Paul was very grateful.
Epaphroditus also stayed in Rome to be Paul’s personal attendant, and even may have been the scribe that was writing this letter.
Paul wants them to know that Epaphroditus is okay.
He became very sick, and had almost died.
We don’t know the circumstances of all that happened here, but we do know this.
Paul considered Epaphroditus a man of action.
Paul uses a gambling term to describe how Epaphroditus has acted.
He had risked his life.
He threw aside common sense and exposed himself to danger.
He had gone all out to serve Paul and the Lord.
Because of this…Paul says…give him a grand welcome and a joyful embrace.
He deserves it!
For he, too, is an example to follow.
CHALLENGE:
ILL Faith (S)
A story is told about Rabbi Joseph Schneerson, a Hasidic leader during the early days of Russian Communism. The rabbi spent much time in jail, persecuted for his faith.
One morning in 1927, as he prayed in a Leningrad synagogue, secret police rushed in and arrested him. They took him to a police station and worked him over, demanding that he give up his religious activities. He refused. The interrogator brandished a gun in his face and said, "This little toy has made many a man change his mind."
Rabbi Schneerson answered, "This little toy can intimidate only that kind of man who has many gods and but one world. Because I have only one God and two worlds, I am not impressed by this little toy."
Now, that is a man who exercised his faith.
Like Epaphroditus…
Like Timothy…
Like Paul…
And it makes me wonder…
Is there evidence for my faith?
Is there enough evidence of my faith by the way I live and what I say that I could be convicted of being a Christian?
How about you?
13. Is there evidence of your faith?
The message title today is meant to be our challenge.
Work it on out!
Actively work it out.
God is in us.
So, we are to live the life that is in us.
We live inside out.
For God’s good purposes for ourselves and for the world are worked out through us – as we shine like stars in the universe.
For Further Study: Numbers 28.6-8; Jeremiah 3.15; I Corinthians 11.1; Galatians 2.20; Ephesians 1.18-23, 2.10; Philippians 4.11-12, 18; I Thessalonians 2.13; I Timothy 4.12-14; II Timothy 1.5-7; James 5.9; I Peter 4.9; II Peter 3.10-14
BENEDICTION:
Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
RESOURCES:
SermonCentral
Drake, James The Example of Epaphroditus: A Man Who Was Not a Quitter or a Coward
_____ The Example of Timothy: A Young Man Who Willingly Served in Second Place
Galbraith, James Shining Like Stars
Vasicek, Ed Inside Out
Wilkins Mike Examples of Love
_____ Shine Like Stars
Zeisler, Steve Extra-Ordinary People
Other
MacArthur, John, Jr. Philippians. The Macarthur New Testament Commentary. Chicago: Moody Press, 2001.
Muller, Jac. J. The Epistles of Paul to the Philippians and to Philemon. The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976.
Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament. Colorado Springs: ChariotVictor Publishing, 1989.
Wuest, Kenneth S. Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament. 3 vols, vol. 2. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978.
