GOD IS WORKING BUT ARE YOU WORKING?
Philippians 2:12-18
by Cleavon P. Matthews Sr.
May 27, 2006
INTRODUCTION
Man’s advancements have brought rapid developments. These fast past changes have necessitated the construction of new facilities, roads, and countless projects. I was recently struck with a thought upon viewing a recent sign. The sign was orange and black at it said: Men at work. The need for the sign was obvious. Men were working and we needed to be warned to take caution. The purpose of the sign was to prevent both the men and ourselves from being injured. But as I pondered this thought I realized a deeper significance. The sign was also there to prevent both the delay of the project and interference with the project. In essence those who placed the sign there were saying to us. Please don’t get in the way of this work and they were also speaking positively. They were saying please cooperate with this work or project.
But further attention and insight caused me to think of these words: men at work. This implies many things. It suggests a purpose, goal, objective, or aim. These men were working toward a predetermined goal or task. They had a specific job to do. But it also suggested these men were being productive. They were actively engaged. They were constructing something. They were making something different. They were changing things. They were enhancing the functioning capacity of something. They were making things more effective and efficient. These were men at work.
Then I begin to ponder this thought as it relates to God. Man is created in the image and likeness of God. Every good thing done by man is nothing but a shadow of what God does. Therefore if man works, then he can only be mimicking God. At first I thought this couldn’t be the case because of Genesis 2:2 which states: "And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done." But does this text teach after creation God became inactive? I found relief by the text itself. Rest does not mean inactivity. The rest in this passage signified a completion to His present task. Further support that God is at work is revealed in our primary text. Paul says, clearly God works in us. Therefore God is at work.
The significance of this truth is found in the context of the passage. The Apostle Paul, I believe, writes from a Roman prison. He writes to his beloved friends in Philippi. A church founded on one of his missionary journeys. He writes to inform them of his situation. He writes to exhort them. He writes to comfort them. He writes to instruct them. He writes to warn them. In the immediate context Paul is instructing them on how to relate to one another. He has just given them the highest example of humility in the person of Jesus Christ; ’who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men." Paul goes on to speak concerning the exaltation of Christ. Though He was humbled to the point of a shameful death on the Christ, yet shall God exalt Him and every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Him as Lord.
I. WORK WITH COOPERATION.
Philippians 2:12-13 "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now 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 do for His good pleasure."
The exaltation of Christ as Lord serves as the chief motivation for cooperative work. In Greek the word translated obeyed means to conform or to heed a command or authority. Now when I thought of the sign saying men at work I had another insight. The sign was usually accompanied by other signs which had warnings or cautions such as reduce speed. But in most cases there was no one there to enforce compliance.
This is taking place in the text. Paul commends the Philippians for their obedience, but at the same time he exhorts them to continue in obedience. He understands the tendency for us to misbehave and disobey when the authority figure is absent. Students tend to become disobedient and unruly when the teacher is absent. Children tend to become disobedient when the parents are absent. Drivers tend to be disobedient when the highway patrol is absent.
However the immediate absence of the authority figure should not mean less obedience. It should mean even more obedience. Paul was not their ultimate authority figure. Their ultimate authority figure was the Lord. Disobedience really means a failure to cooperate. Disobedience is saying no to God. Disobedience is saying you don’t care about God’s plan. Disobedience is saying I’d rather do it my way. Disobedience is saying my way is better.
Paul says ’work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.’ Now Paul does not say, ’work for salvation.’ No amount of work will ever qualify you to receive salvation. To work out your own salvation means to cooperate with what God is doing as it relates to your salvation. In Greek the word means to work fully, accomplish, or to finish. A healthy and holy reverent fear of God should motivate us to cooperate with the Lord in salvation. "Fear and trembling" should be the description of our response to sin.
Now here is the great news God is at work in us! As I studied this text I discovered something interesting. The word ’work’ in verse 12 is different from the word ’work’ in verse 13. Why would Paul use one word to describe our work and a different word describe God’s work? The word used to describe God’s work is ’energo.’ It means to be active, efficient, effectual, fervent, or to be mighty. We get the English word energy from this Greek word ’energo.’
"Paul describes the enablement to carry out the exhortation as being furnished by God himself, who produces in believers both the desire to live righteously and the effective energy to do so. God does not demand of us what we cannot do. Furthermore, the provision from God takes into account our every need. It is not always enough to "will" something, for good intentions are not always carried out. Paul sees believers as having their wills energized by God and then also having the power to work supplied by him."
In other words, God is the energy in us. God is the energy, force, strength, vigor, and potency behind our work. In order for my computer to work it must have a source of energy. In order for my body to work it must have an energy source namely from calories. In order for my automobile to work it must have an energy source from fuel. In order for my ac and furnace to work they must have an energy source. Without the energy source they are useless.
Do you hear what the text is saying? God is actively energizing us in at least two ways. He energizes us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Without the supply of God’s energy and activity within us there would be no desire for us to do good and neither would there be any energy or power to achieve it! We can never take credit for any good work because it was God’s energy supplying us with both the desire to perform the deed and the power to execute it!
Therefore we should work cooperatively with God by obeying His authority in our lives. There is no excuse for our disobedience because God has given us both the desire and the power. We must always acknowledge the presence of God working in us. When God goes to work in us, good things happen. We become better. We are improved. We become more effective and efficient. When God goes to work in us changes are made. Great strides are achieved. Like the energizer bunny we keep going and going!
II. WORK WITHOUT COMPLAINT.
Philippians 2:14-16 "Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain."
The energetic work of God within us should lead to work without complaint. The attitude in which we work should be accompanied with a joyful spirit. In verses 12-13, the focus was on the individual ’work out your own salvation.’ In verses 14-16, the focus is on a group. The implication is you can’t work together until you can work individually.
Men at work on a construction project must display their ability to work independently. They can’t always be at the construction site at the same time. But each one must be trustworthy. The other members of the construction team must be able to count on each individual doing his job properly. The painter should not complain and murmur about painting. Can you imagine the chaos if the members of a construction team were complaining and bickering with one another?
Well the same was true with the Philippian church. There was a hint of confusion and disagreement taking place. Much like there is in most congregations. In many cases we are like children. We can’t work independently; therefore, we can’t work together. We complain and murmur for various reasons. We never murmur and complain about ourselves. We always complain and murmur as it relates to someone else.
We should be too busy to complain and dispute. People who are busy working for the Lord have neither the time nor the energy to complain. No good deed should be accompanied with a complaint. If you find it necessary to complain, then it is best not to do the deed. Don’t do something for someone then complain about doing it. Don’t do anything for the Lord and complain about it!
Next Paul gives the reasons he does not want the Philippians to complain. There are two general reasons. The first reason involves their appearance before others and the second has to do with Paul’s rejoicing.
There should be no room for reproach from the world in which they live. Paul says, ’that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.’ There should be no hint of blemishes. Murmuring and disputing would be an indication for blemish and fault. How can we claim to experience God’s peace if there is no peace among us? How can we claim unity if there is no unity among us? How can we claim to be God’s children if we are not imitators of God?
"Amid moral blackness, the children of God should stand out as stars at midnight. Believers are the possessors of Christ, the Light of the world (John 8:12), and so are now light-givers to the world (Matt 5:14). "You shine" states the present fact. They are not told to shine, but are reminded that they already do. The challenge was to let the light shine out unhindered."
We must also be described as ’holding fast the word of life.’ This means we should share the gospel with the world. We should indeed function as those in the light. We should become a medium for those in darkness to see Christ. We should express the power of the Gospel to transform lives. We should present the Gospel as the source of life to those dying from the decaying effects of sin.
Paul’s second reason was his own desire to rejoice at Christ’s return knowing His running and labor were not in vain.
III. WORK WITH CELEBRATION.
Philippians 2:17-18 "Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me."
Paul now speaks concerning the possibility of a martyr’s death. His life still weighed in the balances. A trial was to come and there was a certain possibility of death. However Paul considers his life as an offering to the Lord. He has no regrets. He faces his circumstances with joy because he has given his life to the Lord.
He would gladly give himself for the Philippians because it means service toward their faith. God is giving us a message. This text has come full circle. Let me illustrate with the scenario of men at work. The men are working individually and cooperatively toward a predetermined goal. In order to achieve this task the men must work together. Working together also means having the proper attitude as one works. But the result of the work done by the men benefits others. For instance every road constructed benefits those who travel on it. The men not only worked for themselves, they also worked for the benefit of others.
Don’t you see? This is the simple truth of this text. We work cooperatively with the energetic activity of God within us by obedience. We then work cooperatively together without complaining and disputing with one another. Then those in the world have an opportunity to experience the light. And at the end of the cycle we are all able to rejoice.
CLOSING
When God goes to work wonderful things happen...God went to work in creation and
The circle of the earth was formed
The waters in the deep were dug
The stars were thrown against the dark canvas of the night
The insects begin to crawl
The birds begin to fly
The fish begin to swim
The thing called gravity held it all together
The trees and the fruit came forth
The oxygen begin to flow
The mountains took their shape
The valleys held their positions
The dew touched the green grass
When God goes to work people become better
When God goes to work people become wiser
When God goes to work people become stronger
When God goes to work people become holy
When God goes to work people become righteous
When God goes to work the guilty become innocent
When God goes to work the sinner is forgiven
When God goes to work the miserable receive misery
When God goes to work the hungry are feed
When God goes to work the cold are comforted
When God goes to work battles are won
When God goes to work burdens are lifted
When God goes to work diseases are cured
When God goes to work promises are fulfilled
When God goes to work sin is conquered
When God goes to work critics are silenced
When God goes to work families are made strong
When God goes to work problems are eliminated
When God goes to work lives are transformed
I long to see God at work in everyone of your lives.
