Philippians 2:12-18, part 6 in series October 11, 2009
Shining as Stars
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (NIV)
Do we like to be watched while we’re doing something? How do we feel when we’re trying to get something dome, and someone else is constantly looking over our shoulder, perhaps even commenting on what we are doing; maybe even suggesting other or better ways we could be doing it? Or perhaps think of writing an exam, and the teacher or professor is watching over the entire group as they silently write their tests. Kind of a pressure-cooker, right? Think of a prison with armed guards watching over the inmates as they mill about the courtyard. One wrong move, and the alarm is sounded. Then there’s the closed circuit cameras we see (or don’t see) almost everywhere we go; along the street, in the department store, in the elevator, at the gas station…big brother is watching…
How do we behave when we KNOW we are being watched?
And contrast that with how we may or may not behave when we think no one is watching. Then, how do we act? Do we cut corners to try and get the job done more quickly or cheaply? Do we try to sneak a peak at the other guy’s test paper? Do we take a cheap shot at hurting someone? Do we speed, steal or maybe do something worse?
Do I ALWAYS obey what I know is right in God’s view, watched or not? Do I play by the RuleBook, even when no one else is looking or no one else is around, when no one else can see? Am I an obedient child of God, at all times, in all circumstances, in all places?
Work out my salvation? Train yourself up. Be effective in being saved
The people of the Philippian church were an obedient group of believers. Paul writes that they have always obeyed, whether he was with them or away from them. In fact, he says that they were even MORE obedient while he was gone!
How have we, as the human race, done in terms of obedience in Christ’s absence? How has the church done? How do you think people outside of the church, feel we are doing? If I can tell you how I feel, I think that if the people of God were all obedient to His Word and His instructions that He gave before He left, we would be living in a much better world today than we are now. Do you agree?
If we lived humble, thankful, peaceful, loving and obedient lives as Jesus calls us to, then we would see a church on every corner, filled with people longing to live lives of worship of our God and Creator. Why don’t we see that? Could it be that because we don’t see God watching over us, following our every action, that we don’t obey Him at all times, in all places, or in all circumstances? Could it be that that church is not doing it’s job, and fulfilling it’s purpose to carry out the Great Commission that Jesus left for us to do? Could be!
Paul says we need to work out our salvation, WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. IT means we need to exercise our faith, strengthen our resolve to see the unsaved come to Christ, and work HARD at doing it. Why? Because God IS watching us, and one day we will have to give an account as to what we did with the gift of life that God gave us. Hebrews 4 tells us 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Romans 14 11It is written: " ’As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ’every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’ "12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
So, we must realize that God does keep track of our actions, we are not saved by them, but we must account for what we do with our lives before Almighty God. That ought to put some fear and trembling in us. Not fear that makes us useless, but fear that drives us to do more and greater things for God and for each other, making this city a better place.
God enables us to do the work He has for us to do. We don’t; we can’t do these things in our own strength though. In our own strength, we will fail, but it is God who works IN US to do the things He wants us to do. As we read in the 4th chapter of this letter, I can do everything through him who gives me strength. And that ‘him’ is Jesus, that’s God.
So, God is working in us and through us to do His work, to do His will. That’s great. Now if only people would do all that work without arguing and complaining. Have you ever or do you now work with folks who complain about the work they are supposed to do? I find it strange that people take a job, knowing what the job is, agreeing to get paid for the job, and then complain about the job they are being paid to do. Not only is that an insult to the employer, it is probably difficult for anyone around who has to listen to them complain.
It’s like listening to children whine about doing chores…I don’t wanna do thaaaat. Why do I have to do that stinking job, can’t somebody else do that? They don’t have to do this, why do I have to? Because it’s your job, that’s why…
And then there’s arguing; getting into a tiff because of what we’re asked to do, or fighting over the way somebody else does the same job, or for some people, arguing for the sake of arguing…not nice to be around. Are we those kind of people? Could or does that happen within the church? DO we complain and argue about the work that God has given us to do? Sadly yes, sometimes Christians do complain about things, and even get into arguments about it. We don’t like the music, the coffee, the food, the programs, the pastor, the message, the need to evangelize, giving a tithe or offering, giving our time or our talent…and on it can go.
The goal is to be like Christ, blameless and pure, humble and obedient. He is our example. He has set the bar. Since we are His examples to others, we ought to exemplify Christ’s attitude towards whatever it is we do for the Kingdom of God. In whatever capacity we find ourselves, we should do it without complaint, and without and arguing over it. We should be glad to do anything for God. I love the Psalm and the song that say Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (Psalm 84). We should be thankful just for being saved, but to be honoured in also doing work for God, that is a great gift as well; that God would entrust His work into our hands.
Being called God’s children puts a high standard upon us. We are the King’s kids. I have thought that royal families have it pretty good. They get to ride in limos, they travel the world, they have servants at their beck and call, and they have everything that they could ever want in terms of material things. But then I look at the way some of these people act, and it saddens me because they go around like a bunch of spoiled brats thinking that they are better than everyone else. It’s also sad that they really have no privacy because the paparazzi are around them all the time.
Now being a child of God; that should be different. That should not make us a bunch of spoiled brats, but children who respect the place given us by the King of kings and Lord of lords; a place in His Kingdom, a seat at His table, our names in the book of life. And even if the world is watching our every move, we should have no fear of what picture they may get, as long as we are behaving in a way that honours our name, CHRISTIAN, at all times, in all places, in all circumstances. Because not only is God watching us, but the world watches too.
Christians should stand out in the crowd for their good and moral acts of God’s will.
In fact, we should SHINE, like stars in the universe. Two thoughts here. First, that stars are almost innumerable. When I look up into a clear and dark sky, as my eyes adjust to the light I see not just thousands, but millions of stars; points of light in a sea of blackness. That is what we are to be as Christians, points of light in a dark and depraved world; points of hope in a world that at times seems utterly hopeless with all its wars and famines, disasters and fear of danger and points of refuge when people realize that the only truly safe place to be is in the arms of God as one of His children. A place that, even when everything around us falls apart; our health, our finances, our friendships, and other circumstances, knowing that we are here on this earth but for a little while, we get to spend eternity with God in His Kingdom, that brings peace to my heart, and it can bring peace to all of us.
We hold the word of life, not death; hope, not hopelessness; joy not sorrow. All in spite of living in a world filled with these things. We live in a world that needs to know that there are people who really care about the other people in this world, not just ourselves. They need to know that the church is not a building or an institution; it is the people of God, gathered in His Name and for His glory, not ours.
How far are we as Christians ready to go for Jesus? We as a church must be, like Paul and like Jesus, willing to go all the way, even to the point of death if it were to ever come to that, in order that God’s work is done in this city, in this country, in this world. If we won’t hold out the word of life, who will? If we won’t reach out to the helpless, who will? If the message of God’s love and forgiveness is not heard from this group of people, what message will this community hear? Who will tell a lost soul about Jesus if I am not willing to do so? What will people say about me, moreover what will God think of me? I need to be aware of the deep and desperate need of those who have not put their faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I need to do something, anything, in order to show someone that God loves them, and so do I. We as a church are charged with getting the word out to this community.
If we have anything to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, it is that we have received the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of the Father and the life we now live by His Spirit. The best gift we can give is to share that gift with someone else who doesn’t have it yet. Will we do that this Thanksgiving?
