Night Light
Philippians 2:14-17
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/nightlight.html
This letter is all about joy. It's like bells keep ringing each time we study. It's like a light shining in the midst of deep darkness.
The world says to get all you can, can all you get, and sit on the can. Paul says it is more blessed to give than to receive.
The world says that what's yours is mine and I'll take it if I can. Paul says, what's mine is yours and you can have it if you need it.
The world says, take advantage of me and I'll get even. Paul says, if you take my coat, I'll throw in my shirt as a bonus!
The world says, hit me and I'll hit you back. Paul turns the other cheek.
And when it comes to finding true joy, God's ways are higher than the ways of the world as well. The world has no real joy. And Christians have far less joy than they can afford!
We must understand that the road to joy is a paradox!
The world says that joy comes from aggression. Fight for it, and take what you can and leave no prisoners! Climb the ladder of success no matter whom you have to step on.
Paul reminds us and the Philippians that JOY is putting Jesus first, others second, and yourself last!
v. 17 'offered upon the sacrifice'
This is a figure of speech, making reference to the OT drink offering. [Numbers/Leviticus] As the burnt offering and meal offering were being consumed by the fire, the drink offering was poured out upon it. It immediately dissipated/evaporated. It disappears! All you have left is the original sacrifice.
Paul uses this as an illustration of himself, saying, I want to be poured out for Jesus where you don't see me or give me glory, but all you see is Jesus and His sacrifice!
This brought Paul great joy, and it is the opposite of what the world has taught us!
Jesus' example is by far the best. Joy comes from sacrificing for others, not by competing with others! Christ won the battle without a sword.
He defeated hatred with love. [lies/truth pride/humility hostility/kindness bitterness/forgiveness greed/giving] He won by surrendering!
The drink offering isn't the only word picture he paints for us.
v. 15 We are like sons in the family and stars in the sky.
'shine as lights' = luminaries = heavenly bodies of the sky.
He deposited the light in us that we might shine to this dark world. He said He is the light of the world, but then He commanded us to be the light of the world...to be like Him! And to let His light shine thru us.
We were walking in darkness because of sin.
Ephesians 5:8
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
When you were born again the light came on! This is yet another joy bell which rings in this letter! And the brighter you allow your light to shine the happier you will be.
Here are 3 characteristics of the light:
1. Light shines unless it is hindered.
Matthew 5:14-16
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Paul then names 2 of the bushels which hinder the light.
v. 14 murmuring and disputing
Murmur is one of those words that sounds like what is means, like buzz or thud.
ill.--you tell your kid to do their chores and they walk away and you can hear 'murmurrrmurrr'.
It is an undercurrent of complaining, behind the scenes.
Jude 1:16
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts...
This is so unbecoming of a Christian, because it is the opposite of praising. It is being negative when we have so much to be positive about!
Please don't join the ranks of the mumblers/grumblers. They have enough members already!
Instead of being humbly grateful they are grumbly hateful! Nobody likes to be around them.
Complaining is actually an outward sign that we aren't right with God inwardly.
"To swear is wicked because it is taking God's name in vain. To complain is wicked because it is taking God's promises in vain."
You see, when we murmur about our life and circumstances what we are really saying is, If I were in charge, I could do a better job than God!
Murmuring is a bushel that will snuff out your light!
Disputing = argumentative. Just as some love to complain, some love to argue...for the sake of arguing! Drama! You can use reverse psychology on them to get your way. "I forbid you to pull those weeds!" "Oh yeah, I can do it if I want!"
ill.--a man saw a group of people in a Bass Pro Shop admiring different animal trophies on the walls, and they were especially drawn to an owl atop a perch. They oohed and aaahed! He said, that's one of the worst taxidermy jobs I've seen...those fake eyes, legs turned wrong, feathers misshapen. Just then the owl turned his head and winked at him!
Do you have a need to fight and to win? Who is our enemy anyway?
v. 15 shows us 3 things that will help our light shine more brightly:
'Blameless' doesn't mean you don't do wrong, but that when you do, you make it right. They can't point an accusing finger at you. "I am sorry. I was wrong." [difficult words, even for the Fonz!]
We could restore so much of our joy if we would learn those words with our spouse, kids, coworkers, church members.
It is humbling at first to do so, but oh the joy that floods the soul when that burden is lifted!
'Harmless' is different than blameless. Blameless is in the eyes of others. Harmless is in your own eyes. It is knowing in your heart that you are sincere and that your motives are pure.
When you do wrong, the hardest person to face should be yourself! If your conscience is intact, then the mirror should be a daily confrontation for you.
'without rebuke' pertains to the eyes of God. It means you don't give God reason to correct you. It doesn't mean sinless, but rather that your sins are confessed and you are attempting to forsake them.
Light shines, unless hindered by bushels like complaining and arguing.
Light is magnified when we are blameless, harmless, and without rebuke.
1. Light shines.
2. Light shares.
v. 15b Light is intended to shine in the darkness of the world. It is easy for us to shine our light in this church, but it doesn't stand out here like it does out there!
No lighthouse has ever complained about being erected in a dark place. That is where it is intended to shine! [night light in the hall / headlight]
Is your workplace dark? Praise the Lord! That's why God put you there.
'crooked / perverse' = twisted and distorted ... what words could we use today?
2 Peter 1:19
... ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Evil has risen to new heights in our world today. And the good news is that the darker our surroundings, the brighter our lights will shine!
How crooked and perverse is our world today? Politics? Hollywood? Homes? Marriage? Sexuality? Abortion? Economics? Race relations? Media?
Wow! Our lights can shine brightly!
ill.--the main people shouting 'black lives matter' need to think about unborn black lives!
We can't change the entirety of our dark world, but we sure can help those seeking to find their way, as we share the Word that is a lamp to feet and a light to the path! [Ps. 119:105]
light shines, light shares...
3. Light sacrifices.
v. 17 As a candle burns, the wax is spent. [flashlight/batteries oil lamp/oil and wick]
You can't shine and share your light unless it costs you something!
Service without sacrifice is just activity!
We need a revival of the spirit of sacrifice for the One Who sacrificed ALL for us!
"I don't do windows."
What if Moses said, I don't do rivers?
...Noah, I don't do arks?
...David, I don't do giants?
...Peter, I don't do Gentiles?
...Mary Magdalene, I don't do feet?
...Paul, I don't do letters?
...Jesus, I don't do crosses?
Real service requires sacrifice. Then we will shine like stars. Not Hollywood stars...we don't need more celebrities. I mean servants who are spent like a drink offering poured out upon a sacrifice! Consumed for the cause!
We need some night lights!
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/nightlight.html
