Sermon: Shine Brightly for Christ In the New Year
Philippians 2:12-16 “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” NLT
Introduction: I once read a statement that said, “If you have taken Christ as your Savior, there is not one single thing you must do to get ready to meet the Lord.” I agree that there nothing you can to the salvation process, but there plenty you can do and are expected to do in life. Some people believe that when they receive Jesus as their Lord, from then on, they have it made! Contrary to popular opinion, in our text today, Paul urges the Philippians to press on. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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.” You see faith in Christ is the beginning of a journey of growth and development. Growth and development is not automatic. Growth and development are brought about by God’s power working in us both the desire and the ability to fulfil His purpose in our lives.
Paul begins by encouraging the Philippian Church to keep making progress. How proud he was of their faithfulness to God while he was among them. They were living differently; they were shining as lights in darkness. Now he urges them not to let their guards down. Their salvation was a gift from God that placed them in the Body of Christ. They began as spiritual infants with a God-ordained, freely given opportunity to grow into useful saints of God.
1. Work Hard to Show the Results of Your Salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. Paul calls the Church at Philippi and us to Sanctification – Sanctification is not option or for a limited few. We are called to be holy as God our Father is holy. When you and I were born physically, it was instant. Our growth and development took years of nourishment, training, instruction and more to become a well-rounded adult. Nothing was automatic. Without receiving what we needed, our growth would have been limited. One of the most heartrending sights is to see a man or a woman who for some reason fail to mature. They may have a child’s mind in an adult body. God has placed everything in us we need to be holy, set a part and to please him at a high level.
Am 4:12 So I will do this to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Amos and Apostle Paul both indicate that preparation and effort are required. We must all stand before God and give an account. Sanctification is important because it allows our light to shine brightly in a dark world.
Mt 5:14-16 “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.”
The responsibility of the New Testament saints is to receive Christ and then grow into spiritual maturity. We are to be conformed to the image of His dear son. We are called to be more than converts, we are called to be disciples. We are preparing for a final exam. We are preparing to give an account before God. Jesus Christ is our savior and our Lord. There is an assignment He has given us. We are His witnesses, givers, praisers and so much more. We are called to be salt and lights in this world. The darker the world gets, the more our light is needed. Salvation is a free gift, but the results of salvation must be worked out.
Php 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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.”
When we were born into a nature family, it was automatic. Yet it did not guarantee success in life. Gifts and talents had to be developed, worked out and improved to make them more useful. If you want to get ahead in life, you must learn, grow, and work at it. Being born placed you in the stream of life, but what you get out of life is determined by what you put into life. Being born in the family of God is the same way. It provides us with the opportunity to grow and use our gifts and abilities as we mature to do His will in the earth. God is building a kingdom full of mature sons of God. The good news is that we are expected to do this alone.
2. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Teamwork makes God’s dream work. 13 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Although Paul encourages us to work hard, he knows that we cannot do it alone. You won’t hear this every place; a believer has to work as hard to get ahead in Christ as he does to get ahead in the world. Once James and John requested special seating in the kingdom, Jesus said, “It is not mind to give, but shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.” We are to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” If we faithfully carry out our part, God will do his part. God is working in us both to will and desire to do what pleases him and fulfill our assignment. The call to Sanctification is hard work, but we are not alone. It is a team effort with God working in us to do His good pleasure. This is important because as we work hard to show the results of our salvation and God works in us to do his will, our lights shine brightly in the world. Our world is walking in darkness, unable to see their way, yet God so loves the world. Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
3. We are called to shine brightly in our dark world. 14 “Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” NLT
Our Christlike conduct will set us apart from the world. Our world is full of disgruntled, angry, murmuring people on every side. We must live different. We must do everything without complaining or arguing s that no one can criticize us. Many of the people who stormed the Capitol claim to be Christ followers. Did you see all the anger and violence? Even afterward, there was no remorse and repentance. The Text said, “Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Notice our clean living and innocent character causes our light to shine. Paul admonishes us, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” This is serious business. He knew that this was not an automatic ride. It will require hard word and a deliberate effort to live differently that the world. It is under our control, no one can do it for us or hinder us. We must choose to live differently. While the world is complaining, we choose to live differently. We live blameless harmless Christian, holding forth the word of life. Our main concern is showing a way out of darkness. If the world is crooked, we must walk straight. If the world is perverse, we must be reasonable.
Ye are the light of the world. The manner of life which Christ taught the disciples by his Gospel is so different from the worldly manners and customs that the disciples were to the world of men as a bright light would be in a dark place. - A city that is set on a hill. Cannot be hid. The church of Christ can no more be hid than a city on a hill. The church of Christ is intended for all men to come into. For this reason, it is brought into the world in such form that all men may see it and have an opportunity to go into it. We are to remove the darkness of ignorance, sin, and sorrow. Christ has lighted us that we may enlighten the world. It is not ours to lie in concealment or hiding. God intends his grace to be as conspicuous as a city built on the mountain’s brow. To attempt to conceal his Spirit is as foolish as to put a lamp “under a bushel”: the lamp should be seen by “all that are in the house,” and so should the Christian’s graces. If our light is not seen in the house, depend upon it we have none. Let us not cover up the light of grace: indeed, we “cannot be hid” if once the Lord has built us on the hill of his love, neither can we dwell in darkness if God has lighted us, and set us “on a candlestick.” Lord, let me be zealous to spread abroad the light I have received from thee Even throughout the world! At least let me shine in my own corner of the world.
Somebody has got to tell the world about Jesus and the worlds eternal fate. Imagine walking into a cave and seeing all of the pit wholes and drop-offs and seeing the danger and possibilities of death and then some one turning off all the lights and imagine the fear that now grips your heart because you know the danger but you cant see to avoid it. Now imagine never have having light to see the danger to begin with and imagine the fate of the sinner. It is you and I that bear the responsibility of telling the world of the danger that awaits them. Are you making the way straight to day in some one’s life or are you sitting idle as others set in darkness awaiting a fate they might avoid. Or are you tonight a forerunner for Christ Crying and announcing his coming saying make straight the way for the kingdom of God is at hand?
