Shining as stars
Philippians 2:12-15(NRSV)
Shining as Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmuring and arguing,
15 so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.
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.
We clearly don’t qualify as the world’s version of stars.
We are not a star .“ We are but an average person.
Or few of us are qualified. Or none of us is qualified.
We must not envy them their moment in the spotlight. But it did make me stop and think:
Who are the stars from God’s point of view?
Who are the heavenly celebrities who shine like stars?
For Christians this is a familiar image.
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world . . . Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven"(Matt. 5: 16).
Paul said the same thing in Philippians 2:15, “You shine like stars in the world.”
The word “star” was also used in the first century for a navigational guide that would shine in the dark to lead the ships safely into the harbor.
Paul said the same thing in Philippians 2:15, “You shine like stars in the world.” The word “star” was also used in the first century for a navigational beacon that would shine in the dark to lead the ships safely into the harbor.
Christians are bright stars in a dark world. We are put here to shine the light and to guide others safely home to God.
Paul told the Philippians that they were “stars in the world.”
How do you spot star-quality Christians?
Philippians 2:12-15 clearly answers that question.
ILLUS: A Hindu trader in India once asked a missionary, "What do you put on your face to make it shine?" The missionary was a bit shocked, answered, "I don’t put anything on it!"
And the Hindu began to lose patience and spoke more forcefully, "Yes, you do! All of you who believe in Jesus seem to have it. --- I’ve seen it in the towns of Agra and Surat, and even in the city of Bombay."
Suddenly the Christian understood, and his face glowed because of Jesus,
"Now I know what you mean, and I will tell you the secret. It’s not something we put on from the outside but something that comes from within. It’s the reflection of the light of God in our hearts.”
When we walk with Jesus, even our face shows the light within us.
When people spend enough time around us... they should notice something is different.
That’s why we are told to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
John writes that we should “walk in the light as He is in the light.” I John 1:7
l. I will do my part
“So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (v. 12).
Notice Paul’s first exhortation:
What is it?
“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Many people have been confused by this statement because they read it as if it said, “work for your salvation.”
That of course is impossible since Paul himself clearly says in Ephesians 2:8-9 that we are saved by grace through faith and “not by works.” You can’t work your way into salvation, it is the “gift of God."
“Work out your own salvation” (Philippians 2:12). This does not teach salvation by works.
It speaks not of working in but of working out one’s salvation, not of acquiring but of expressing, not of obtaining but of proclaiming.
It means to perform according to your faith. It means to let your salvation show in your conduct.
B. When to work out our own salvation?
The persistency of working out our salvation.
“As ye have always obeyed” (Philippians 2:12).
This is the kind of obedience that is exemplary.
Obedience is their way of life. Some Christians are obedient sometimes but not always.
C. Where to work out our own salvation?
• The place of working out our own salvation. “Not as in my presence only” (Philippians 2:12).
Most people can improve their behavior when the minister is present, but to behave properly, whether he is present or not, has a lot to do with the genuineness of one’s faith.
Believers are to behave godly regardless of the place in which they happen to be or the people around them.
Illustration:
When my father was hospitalized, he had a stream of visitors from the church. One day two men stopped by. Their quiet conversation was interrupted by the other patient's peppery language from behind the curtain.
Before leaving, the visitors read some Scripture and prayed.
After they left, the roommate loosed another string of expletives and then sheepishly confessed to Dad,
"If I'd known one of those guys was a minister, I'd have watched my language."
"Oh," Dad replied, "they're the deacons in the church. I'm the minister."
D. How to work out our own salvation?
• The piousness of working it out.
“With fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).
This is a holy respect for God which should motivate our Christian conduct. The godless today laugh and mock the holy commands of God, but wise men tremble before the holy commands of God lest they should fail to honor them.
ll. I will depend on God
“For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out his good purpose” (v. 13).
We’ve already noted the phrase “for it is God who is working in you” in verse 13.
This gives the perfect balance. We do our part because God always does his part first.
God always makes the first move. Salvation is God’s work from first to last. It’s perfectly fine to say “I found the Lord” so long as you remember that the Lord found you first.
A. The Enabling for the godly living (Philippians 2:13)
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). We get our English word “energy” from the Greek word ( energon)
This text informs us about the enabling for living a godly life.
• The Source of the enabling. “It is God who works in you.” The person who fears he cannot live the Christian life will especially be encouraged by this text that he will be given Divine help to live the Christian life. God enables one to live a holy life. It is the only way one can live a holy life.
• The specifics of the enabling. Paul cites two particular things which God does for us to help us “do of his good pleasure” which is doing God’s will. First, the desire in the enabling. “To will.” God puts the desire in you to live a holy life. The ungodly do not have any desire to live godly. Rather, they want to do evil. Second, the dynamic in the enabling. “And to do.” This is the power, the dynamic for doing the will of God, for living a holy life. God not only puts the desire in us to live right, but He also puts the dynamic in us to enable us to live right.
lll. I will not complain
“Do everything without grumbling and arguing” (v. 14).
Star-quality Christians must make a commitment never to complain. In the Greek the word “arguing” might be better translated as “murmuring.”
It’s a word whose sound conveys the meaning, like the English words hiss or hum. It has the idea of muttering under your breath.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings; that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:14–16).
Paul cites one particular case of conduct that the saints should do.
It is an area in which saints are particularly faulty and, therefore, is mentioned by Paul.
• The command in the example. “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.”
This eliminates gripping, grumbling, and arguing about necessary conduct.
To cease “murmurings” (grumbling) and “disputings” (arguing about the task) will be very difficult for most saints.
It is almost a way of life for some to murmur and argue about matters of responsibility. But such conduct is not becoming as Christians.
Do all things without grumbling.
It is possible to always obey but grumble.
Illustration:
When we were children, most of the time when my parents would tell us to do something I would pass the order to my youngest brother. He would but he would be complaining till the orders were finished.
And then there’s arguing; 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.
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 programs, the pastor, the message, and almost everything we see.
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 arguing over it. We should be glad to do anything for God.
• The cause in the example. “14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” (Philippians 2:15,16).
The cause why believers should not murmur and fuss about their conduct and duties is so they do not give the ungodly opportunity to discredit the faith.
“Blameless” does not mean perfect but without factual accusation. “Harmless” means guileless (Wuest). It is another way of expressing “blameless.” “Without rebuke” means the world cannot justifiably criticize your conduct. They may criticize anyway but not because of the failure of the believers.
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.
• The crowd observing the example. “A crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). Paul speaks here about those who observe the believers’ lives. First, the character of the observers. “Crooked and perverse nation [people].” The people that observe the believer’s behavior and before whom the believer lives are a wicked bunch. The word “crooked” speaks of the dishonesty, the deceit, the corruption of the world. The word“perverse” speaks of the perverted, depraved, twisted behavior and thinking of the world. You can include the approval of homosexuality, abortion, gambling and other vile sins in this word. This is the world in which believers live. It is certainly not a good world. Second, the contrast to the observers. “Among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” Unbelief brings darkness to the world. The believer, in contrast to the unbeliever, brings light to the world. That the saints are lights explains why the world hates the believers, for “every one that doeth evil hateth the light” (John 3:20).
IV. I will be different to make a difference.
Salvation always starts with God
Salvation starts when you accept Jesus but it never ends there. True salvation affects every part of your life. If salvation makes no difference in the way you live, what’s the point of being saved?
If it doesn’t change the way you talk and think and make big decisions, if it doesn’t change your worldview and the way you evaluate your own career, what’s the point of being saved at all?
A salvation that doesn’t change you is hardly worth having.
We will make an impact on the world by lives that are visibly, observably, measurably, noticeably and obviously different from the people around us. We are to be different to make a difference. Our values set us apart from the surrounding culture.
We are to be different to make a difference.
Why is it so important that we be exemplary in our lifestyle? Because we live in a “crooked and perverted generation.” The word “crooked” comes from the Greek word skolios, from which we get the English word scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. The word “perverted” is much stronger and in essence means crooked by choice. Some people are messed up because they don’t know any better, while others live that way by choice.
Ex . A woman who was ill- tempered that changed.
She always shouted to her husband in every hint mistake. One day her husband accidentally dropped the lantern he was carrying to the floor and shattered it. He was expecting a burst of anger from his wife but to his surprise he heard the sweet voice of his wife saying, " Don't worry dear we would buy a new one." The husband asked what had changed her life from being an ill-tempered to a tempered one. She testified that she received Jesus in her heart. The husband said, " If Jesus has the power to change you, " I want that Jesus in my life, too."
A changed life is a very powerful evangelistic tool of bring souls to the feet of Jesus.
The change we seek must start with us.
The world can ignore our arguments, but it cannot ignore a godly example.
ILLUS: A little girl was on her way home from church with her mother and suddenly asked, "Mommy, the Preacher’s sermon this morning confused me."
The mother said, "Oh! Why is that?”
The girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are.
Is that true?"
"Yes, that’s true," the mother replied.
"He also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?"
Again the mother replied, "Yes."
"Well," said the girl. "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?"
Conclusion:
What happens when we live like that? The world notices the difference!
1) We will shine like stars
2) We will be a good testimony for Christ to follow.
People will see the way we live, they will notice the difference, the light of Christ will be seen in us,
and when they ask us the reason for the way we live, we can share the word of life with them.
God's Image
My husband admired our six-year-old daughter while she was dancing around the kitchen. Finally, he stopped her with a hug.
"You know," he said, looking Amy in the eyes, "you're cute—just like your father."
Amy was silent for a moment. "You mean my heavenly Father or you?"
Jane Stanford
As Christians, we are stars in this world. Are we shining brightly? Are we a guide to those who are straying? Are we setting as a good example to follow?
