Shining like stars
Philippians 2:12-16
READ PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16
THE APOSTLE PAUL IS SPEAKING TO BELIEVERS IN PHILIPPI. IF WE TOOK THE TIME TO READ FROM THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER ONE, THAT HE OFFERS A PRAYER FOR THEM.
HE TELLS THEM TO BE CONFIDENT THAT WHAT THE LORD HAD BEGUN TO DO IN THEIR LIVES HE WILL DO IT TO COMPLETION.
HE TELLS THEM THAT ALL THE PROBLEMS AND TRIALS THAT HE(PAUL) HAS SEEN IN HIS LIFE HAS BEEN A HELP TO THE GOSPEL AND HAS MADE HIM THE MAN OF GOD THAT HE IS TODAY.
THEN IN OUR TEXT THIS MORNING- HE TELLS US AS BELIEVERS THAT WE CAN SHINE LIKE STARS TO THOSE THAT ARE AROUND US. CAN I BE HONEST THIS MORNING? I DON’T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE A STAR. I DON’T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I AM AT THE TOP OF MY GAME. HE OFFERS THEM DIRECTION. HE TELLS THEM TO WORK OUT THEIR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. SALVATION IS SOMETHING WE GOT TO WORK OUT? (V13) FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND ACT ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PURPOSE. THAT SHOULD BE ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU THIS MORNING. WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE A STAR, WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME- GOD IS THERE TO WORK IT OUT.
ILLUSTRATION-
ONE OF GOLF’S IMMORTAL MOMENTS CAME WHEN A SCOTCHMAN DEMONSTRATED THE NEW GAME OF GOLF TO PRESIDENT ULYSSES GRANT. CAREFULLY PLACING THE BALL ON THE TEE, HE TOOK A MIGHTY SWING. THE CLUB HIT THE TURF AND SCATTERED DIRT ALL OVER THE PRESIDENT’S BEARD AND SURROUNDING VICINITY, WHILE THE BALL REMAINED ON THE TEE. AGAIN THE SCOTCHMAN SWUNG, AND AGAIN HE MISSED. OUR PRESIDENT WAITED PATIENTLY THROUGH SIX TRIES AND THEN QUIETLY STATED, THERE SEEMS TO BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF EXERCISE IN THE GAME, BUT I FAIL TO SEE THE PURPOSE OF THE BALL.
SOMETIMES THE ONLY EXERCISE WE GET IS JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS, RUNNING DOWN OUR FRIENDS, SIDESTEPPING OUR RESPONSIBILITY, PUSHING OUR LUCK.
CAN YOU BE A STAR THAT SHINES? CAN YOU BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER?
(V14) DO EVERYTHING, DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT COMPLAINING.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A LIFE OF DOING. IT IS NOT SITTING, IT IS A LIFE OF SERVING. BEING A DOER’S OF THE WORD. FAITH THAT DOESN’T OFFER SERVICE JAMES SAYS IS DEAD.
THE TEXT TELLS US TO BE SHINING STARS....BUT HOW DO WE DO THAT?
STARS IN THIS WORLD TODAY ARE MOVIE STARS, SPORTS STARS, THE WEALTHY WHO HAVE THEIR STARS ON THE WALK OF FAME.
GOD’S STARS WILL BE THE WIDOW WHO GAVE ALL TO GOD. MOM’S WHO GIVE ALL TO THEIR FAMILIES. SOMETIMES HAVING TO PLAY BOTH ROLES AS PARENTS. DAD’S THAT REFUSE TO GIVE UP - TRUSTING GOD CAN TURN THAT WAYWARD CHILD BACK TO GOD.
HEAVEN WILL BE FULL OF HEROES. GOD’S HEROES. THOSE THAT DETERMINED THAT THEY WILL SHINE IN A WORLD THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS TO SEE THE LIGHT.
PAUL GIVES US 3 WAYS TO SHINE IN THIS WORLD
I. WORKING OUT OUR SALVATION
WE KNOW THAT SALVATION IS A GIFT OF GOD (EPH 2:8-9) THAT WE CANNOT EARN IT.
WE KNOW THERE IS NO SALVATION WITHOUT GOD, NO SALVATION UNTIL WE ACCEPT GOD’S OFFER.
GREEK WORD- KATERGAZOMAI- WORK OUT
MEANING- DON’T GO ½ WAY, GO ON AND FULLY ACHIEVE WHAT GOD INTENDS FOR YOU.
NO CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE SATISFIED WITH ANYTHING LESS THEN THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE GOSPEL.
ST AUGUSTINE SAID-“OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL THEY REST IN HIM”
IT IS NOT THE FEAR AND TREMBLING THAT DRIVES US AWAY FROM GOD. IT IS THE FEAR AND TREMBLING THAT DRIVES US TOWARD GOD.”
WORKING OUT OUR SALVATION IS ACCEPTING THE GIFT FROM GOD AND ALLOWING HIM TO WORK IN US.
WARREN WIERSBE- “GOD WORKS IN US BEFORE HE WORKS THROUGH US”
YOU DON’T GO WITNESSING, YOU ARE A WITNESS
ONCE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD WANTS FROM US WE CAN TRULY SING THE CHORUS-“GOD WILL MAKE A WAY WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY”
BECAUSE IT IS ALL ABOUT HIM WORKING WITHIN US.
EX.33:13
TEACH ME YOUR WAYS SO I MAY KNOW YOU AND CONTINUE TO FIND FAVOR WITH YOU.
THE SECOND WAY WE CAN SHINE:
II. DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING
“DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING OR ARGUING, SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS, AND PURE, CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN A CROOKED AND DEPRAVED GENERATION.”
PEOPLE TODAY LISTEN TO DR. SPOOK IF YOUR OLDER, DR. LAURA, DR. PHIL, AND THAT GREAT DOCTOR OF TELEVISION DR. OPRAH BUT WE WON’T LISTEN TO WHAT THE LORD TELLS US.
IF A MILLION PEOPLE BELIEVE A LIE, IT IS STILL A LIE.
THE ROOT CAUSE OF COMPLAINING IN THE BIBLE IS REBELLION AND DISOBEDIENCE. THEY DIDN’T WANT TO DO WHAT THE LORD WANTED THEM TO DO...SO THEY COMPLAINED..PERHAPS HOPING IF THEY COMPLAIN ENOUGH THAT THE LORD WOULD CHANGE HIS PLANS.
IT IS SAID THAT ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD RESTED. AND ON THE EIGHTH DAY HE STARTED TO ANSWER COMPLAINS. WE CANNOT BE A LIGHT COMPLAINING. COMPLAINING IS CONTAGIOUS.
1ST MURMURING IN THE TENT. MOANING IN THE CONGREGATION. THEN THE OUTCRY IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE.
ILLUSTRATION-
BAILEY SMITH AN EVANGELIST SAID HE HAD A MAN IN HIS CONGREGATION THAT NEVER HAD A POSITIVE THING TO SAY. IN A BUSINESS MEETING HE CALLED ON THE MAN AS IF TO PRAY BUT THIS IS WHAT HE SAID. BROTHER SO AND SO WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND AND LEAD US IN A WORD OF DISCOURAGEMENT AT THIS TIME.
WE HAVE THE POWER TO BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER. LIGHTS THAT SHINE IN A DARK WORLD.
GOD WILL MAKE A WAY WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY.
3RD WAY TO SHINE IS
III. HOLD OUT THE WORD OF LIFE
“SHINE LIKE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE AS YOU HOLD OUT THE WORD OF LIFE”
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-
THEREFORE , IF, ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION, THE OLD HAS GONE, THE NEW HAS COME. ALL THIS FROM GOD WHO RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.
A RECONCILIATION BETWEEN OTHERS AND CHRIST- WE HOLD THE WORD OF LIFE
WE CAN OFFER THEM JESUS.
ILLUSTRATION-
AFTER PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST TO A CROWDED HALL IN CHICAGO, D.L. MOODY CLOSED HIS MESSAGE BY ENCOURAGING THE ATTENDERS TO GO HOME , CONSIDER THE CLAIMS OF THE GOSPEL, AND RETURN THE NEXT WEEK TO SETTLE THE MATTER IN THEIR LIVES. BUT THAT NIGHT CHICAGO HEARD THE RINGING OF THE FIRE BELLS AND THE CLATTER OF HORSE DRAWN WATER WAGONS BEING HURRIED THROUGH THE STREETS. MRS. O LEARY’S COW HAD KICKED THE LANTERN OVER AND THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE SWEPT THE CITY AND 100’S OF LIVES WERE LOST. D.L. MOODY COMMITTED HIMSELF THAT NIGHT TO A NEW SENSE OF URGENCY.
MATT. 5:14-16
YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A CITY ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN. NEITHER DO PEOPLE LIGHT A LAMP AND PUT IT UNDER A BOWL. INSTEAD THEY PUT IT ON IT’S STAND, AND IT GIVES LIGHT TO EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE. IN THE SAME WAY, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND PRAISE YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
EACH DAY WE HAVE A CHOICE WEATHER WE WILL BE A LIGHT OR A HINDRANCE.
CLOSING
OUR QUEST IS TO LIVE AND ACT FOR JESUS. OUR DESIRE IS TO BE BLAMELESS AND PURE. PAUL IS TELLING THE PHILIPPIANS AND US TO BE EXAMPLES FOR CHRIST.
STARS ARE BRIGHT
STARS ARE VISIBLE
WE LOVE RAGS TO RICHES STORIES.
POOR MAN FROM A LOG CABIN IN ILLINOIS BECOMES PRESIDENT OF THE USA.
2 MEN MAKING SOAP IN THE BASEMENT START A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
BUT THIS IS A RICHES TO RAGS STORY. JESUS CHRIST GAVE UP ALL OF HEAVEN, TO COME DIE FOR US SO THAT WE CAN ENJOY HEAVEN. IF JESUS MEANS ANYTHING TO YOU, IF HIS SPIRIT FILLS YOUR HEART, THEN LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE.
YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING AND YOU DON’T KNOW JESUS, THE BIBLE SAYS YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD. OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO DON’T KNOW CHRIST ARE HEADING FOR ETERNAL DESTRUCTION. DON’T LEAVE HERE THIS MORNING WITHOUT MAKING THINGS RIGHT.
ASK JESUS INTO YOUR HEART
ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU OF YOUR SINS
BELIEVE THAT HE DIED FOR YOU AND WAS RESURRECTED BY GOD THE FATHER
YOU BELIEVE THAT IN YOUR HEART THIS MORNIG, YOU ARE A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST. OLD THINGS ARE GONE. PLEASE SEE ME IF YOU HAVE DONE THAT
TAKE THE MESSAGE TO A DYING WORLD THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS TO HEAR IT.AND SEE IT.
AMEN
