Title: Philippians 2-Grumbling
Place: BLCC
Date: 7/16/17
Text: Philippians 2.12-18
CT: We must shine as a witness for Christ without grumbling or arguing.
[Screen 1]
FAS: New research shows that many of us really do believe that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Researchers for Gallup measured residents' interest in moving out of state by asking, "Regardless of whether you will move, if you had the opportunity, would you like to move to another state, or would you rather remain in your current state?" Based on the responses, it looks like Americans have a contentment problem. Gallup reported that 33 percent of all survey participants want to move to another state, according to the average of the 50 state responses. Seventeen states come close to that 50-state average. Another 16 are above the average range, including three states populated with people showing an especially high desire to move.
But does that mean these unhappy residents will take the initiative to pack up and move?
Probably not. "In the same poll, Gallup asked state residents how likely it is they will move in the next 12 months. On average across all 50 states, [only] six percent of state residents say it is extremely or very likely they will move in the next year, eight percent say it is somewhat likely, 14 percent not too likely, and 73 percent not likely at all."
LS: In other words, it appears that many of us would rather complain or grumble about our lot in life than actually take action to improve it.
Lydia Saad, "Half in Illinois and Connecticut Want to Move Elsewhere," Gallup Economy (4-30-14)
[Screen 2]
We are in our second week of the Philippians series. Last week we looked at the Hymn of Christ, Philippians 2.5-11, which showed us how we should live to be more like Christ. I am continuing right where we left off. Today I am working with Philippians 2.12-18. In today’s text, Paul encourages the Philippians to work out their salvation by the power of God’s enabling grace and to shine like stars in a dark world.
12 Therefore, 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, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
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.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But 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. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
In this passage Paul is telling the church to get their shine on by making the glory of Christ known in a dark and perverse culture. This follows the Hymn of Christ. A majestic beautiful passage, that leaves us in awe and wonder. Yet there is a practical implication of this passage, which this week brings out. Notice how it starts. Therefore.
Paul is looking back at what was just said and is about to offer some strong exhortations about it. Paul exhorts the Philippians to work out their salvation with fear and trembling to shine like the stars in the sky.
Verses 12-13 provide us with a wonderful starting point for understanding what we call in theology “sanctification,” that is, the lifelong obedience of believers, which leads us to be more like Christ. This passage is not works-based righteousness. Paul does not say work for your salvation. We can’t earn salvation, Ephesians 2.8-10, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Paul says work out your salvation. Huge difference. God has worked salvation for us by His sovereign grace alone. Christ has done the work on the cross to bring “justification”. Sanctification is about living in light of this gracious gift.
Paul teaches us about sanctification, he commends, then he commands, and then he comforts the Philippians. [Screen 3]
Commending: 2.12a Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-
Paul opens up here by commending the Philippians for obeying Jesus consistently. He points out that they obeyed in his presence and when he was absent. Before he commands the Philippians he commends them. This is a good way to make disciples.
We too should feel fresh encouragement and motivation here. If you are moving closer to Jesus Christ and becoming more like him, realize this is due to God’s grace.
We aren’t what we ought to be or what we will be one day, but by God’s grace we are not what we used to be! Let us move forward together to obey Him more and more with great joy. [Screen 4]
Commanding: 2.12b continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, Paul isn’t saying because the Philippians are justified they should just coast along on their Christian journey. He is commanding them to continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. They must realize where their ability to work on their salvation comes from. It comes from the fact that God is with us and is at work in us.
To work out our salvation means to follow the example of Christ. Jesus has shown us what the pattern for obedience is. He has shown us what humble, others focused, God glorifying obedience looks like. That is the life we all should be living.
Does your life look like Jesus’?
Are you praying for and striving for growth in humility, personal holiness, selfless service and sacrificial mission by the power of God’s enabling.
We might wish there was a shortcut to this. But following Jesus requires us to take up our cross daily.
A young boy asked his dad about the picture of the football player on the cereal box. “Will I become like this football player if I eat all my cereal?”
His dad said, “You need a bit more than just cereal to become an athlete.”
The fact is there are no shortcuts to becoming a professional athlete. It requires discipline and long workouts.
So it is with growth in Christlikeness. We can’t take a pill or drink the wine and become automatically turned into perfectly sanctified individuals. We must work out our salvation every day by the grace of God.
This is a challenge to be long obedience in the same direction. We live in a fast-paced, fast-food, microwave, internet culture but sanctification is a slow process.
We are often taken in by mega conferences and flashy events. We are fired up and ready to do whatever God calls us to do…for a few days.
You see God has called us to a day in day out kind of process of growing in Christlikeness. It is easy to show a spark of enthusiasm at an event, but it is a whole lot harder to maintain that spark when we are alone and no one is there to watch us or cares. May God make in us a spirit that brings passion for ordinary, everyday obedience, day to day, following Jesus?
Luke 9.23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
So work out your own salvation and do so with brothers and sisters in the local church. Right here. [Screen 5]
Comforting: 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Paul says God is working in us for “His good purpose”. God fulfills His good purpose in us by His mighty power. That is what I think about when we sing the song Majesty. God is that powerful. He can make it happen. Isn’t that comforting. You are not alone if you follow Jesus.
What does it look like to work out our salvation with fear and trembling? The rest of our passage today shows us.
[Screen 6]
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing,
Live all of life, doing everything you are called to do without grumbling or complaining.
Paul also said this to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 10.31, So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Instead of grumbling… glorify.
Complaining is a temptation for anyone in the local church because people cannot always live up to the expectations of others.
Often people come into church with great enthusiasm. They sacrifice their time, they meet challenges, and they take risks and develop relationships.
Then the honeymoon ends, seasons change and disappointment and discontentment sets in. The temptation to complain and argue becomes very strong. This even happens to preachers. The challenges of leading a church could tempt one to lead a life of self-pity and despair, spewing out Israel-like grumblings. Those stiff necked people God had to deal with through Moses.
We live in a world full of complainers. When you are tempted what will you do?
Will you down play this sin as many do or will you remember this verse?
Maybe a better question is this. How can you maintain a joyful attitude in the face of all these problems?
Lets look at what the gospel says. The gospel tells us we are better off than we deserve. Considering what we deserve and what we are getting should keep us from complaining. When we concentrate on Philippians 2.6-11…
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
…you won’t disobey 3.14. Do everything without grumbling or arguing.
[Screen 7]
SHINE : 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain
Obviously we should avoid grumbling because it is offensive to God. Grumbling is an awful sin. But Paul has a bigger reason. He says grumbling and arguing damages our witness.
If you want to shine like stars in the world, you must resist the temptation to grumble. When our conversations with other believers or among outsiders are filled with negative murmuring we lose our distinctiveness. Matthew 5.13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Paul says we should instead be “blameless’, pure and faultless in this generation that is crooked and perverse.
Realize others are watching every thing we do. They are listening to everything we say.
What are they seeing and hearing?
Are we standing out like bright stars in the dark sky?
[Screen 8]
In her book The Gift of Thanks, Margaret Visser uses three concrete images to convey the power of gratitude—gratitude as soil, lubricant, and glue. She writes:
[Soil] refers to the disposition of the person to be grateful, and his freedom to choose not to be. He is able to "cultivate" in himself a grateful disposition …. An ungrateful disposition, by contrast, is hard and dry, not easily moved by kindness, unwilling to be kind in return …. In European languages people often talk of poor soil as "ungrateful."
Gratitude is [also] a social "lubricant" …. It makes things move smoothly; after all, giving and giving back are movements back and forth …. When there is no gratitude, there is no meaningful movement; [relationships] become rocky, painful, coldly indifferent, unpleasant, and finally break off altogether. The social "machinery" grinds to a halt.
[Finally] … gratitude is "glue." The image points again to the social cohesion that gratitude supplies. Modern society is experienced as fragmented, in danger of flying apart … Gratitude is "a kind of plastic filler," "an all-purpose moral cement," a sort of magic paste that is amazingly malleable, squeezing itself into the cracks and then solidifying and strengthening the social structure.
Margaret Visser, The Gift of Thanks (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009), pp. 327-328
Consider the opportunity we have for making a difference in someone’s life by just speaking a different language than that of culture. We replace grumbling with gratitude and praise.
We get our shine on.
We can make a difference in peoples lives simply by obeying this verse.
Do everything without grumbling or complaining.
As you consider the challenge to shine into the world, remember again that God is at work within us. We are not alone in the battle.
[Screen 9]
REJOICE: 17 But 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. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Paul loves the church. His own suffering is second place to the faithfulness. Paul is not grumbling or complaining about being poured out as a drink offering. He is glad and rejoicing that he gets to do it. Just as Christ emptied Himself Paul is glad to do the same.
Paul is urging us to follow his example of pouring our lives out in service and rejoice with him.
Paul gives us an amazing picture of rejoicing through trying times.
How can he rejoice? [Screen 10]
Jesus is Lord.
Jesus is worth it.
Jesus will bring to completion what he began.
In Jesus we are doing better than we deserve.
How do we live in light of the truths of the Christ hymn of the Philippians?
In the shadow of the cross,
Before the throne of God
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Give a shining witness to a dark world by not grumbling but holding onto the word of life.
Rejoice through sacrificial service rooted in the grace of God and anticipating the coming day of Jesus Christ.
INVITATION
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Merida, Tony; Chan, Francis; Christ centered Exposition Exalting Jesus in Philippians, B&H Publishing Group, Nashville Tennessee, 2016
