Shining Like Stars

Shining like stars

Philippians 2:12-16

READ PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16

THE APOSTLE PAUL IS SPEAKING TO BELIEVERS IN PHILIPPI. IF WE TOOK THE TIME TO READ FROM THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER ONE, THAT HE OFFERS A PRAYER FOR THEM.

HE TELLS THEM TO BE CONFIDENT THAT WHAT THE LORD HAD BEGUN TO DO IN THEIR LIVES HE WILL DO IT TO COMPLETION.

HE TELLS THEM THAT ALL THE PROBLEMS AND TRIALS THAT HE(PAUL) HAS SEEN IN HIS LIFE HAS BEEN A HELP TO THE GOSPEL AND HAS MADE HIM THE MAN OF GOD THAT HE IS TODAY.

THEN IN OUR TEXT THIS MORNING- HE TELLS US AS BELIEVERS THAT WE CAN SHINE LIKE STARS TO THOSE THAT ARE AROUND US. CAN I BE HONEST THIS MORNING? I DON’T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE A STAR. I DON’T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I AM AT THE TOP OF MY GAME. HE OFFERS THEM DIRECTION. HE TELLS THEM TO WORK OUT THEIR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. SALVATION IS SOMETHING WE GOT TO WORK OUT? (V13) FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND ACT ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PURPOSE. THAT SHOULD BE ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU THIS MORNING. WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE A STAR, WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME- GOD IS THERE TO WORK IT OUT.

ILLUSTRATION-

ONE OF GOLF’S IMMORTAL MOMENTS CAME WHEN A SCOTCHMAN DEMONSTRATED THE NEW GAME OF GOLF TO PRESIDENT ULYSSES GRANT. CAREFULLY PLACING THE BALL ON THE TEE, HE TOOK A MIGHTY SWING. THE CLUB HIT THE TURF AND SCATTERED DIRT ALL OVER THE PRESIDENT’S BEARD AND SURROUNDING VICINITY, WHILE THE BALL REMAINED ON THE TEE. AGAIN THE SCOTCHMAN SWUNG, AND AGAIN HE MISSED. OUR PRESIDENT WAITED PATIENTLY THROUGH SIX TRIES AND THEN QUIETLY STATED, THERE SEEMS TO BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF EXERCISE IN THE GAME, BUT I FAIL TO SEE THE PURPOSE OF THE BALL.

SOMETIMES THE ONLY EXERCISE WE GET IS JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS, RUNNING DOWN OUR FRIENDS, SIDESTEPPING OUR RESPONSIBILITY, PUSHING OUR LUCK.

CAN YOU BE A STAR THAT SHINES? CAN YOU BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER?

(V14) DO EVERYTHING, DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT COMPLAINING.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A LIFE OF DOING. IT IS NOT SITTING, IT IS A LIFE OF SERVING. BEING A DOER’S OF THE WORD. FAITH THAT DOESN’T OFFER SERVICE JAMES SAYS IS DEAD.

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.

GOD’S STARS WILL BE THE WIDOW WHO GAVE ALL TO GOD. MOM’S WHO GIVE ALL TO THEIR FAMILIES. SOMETIMES HAVING TO PLAY BOTH ROLES AS PARENTS. DAD’S THAT REFUSE TO GIVE UP - TRUSTING GOD CAN TURN THAT WAYWARD CHILD BACK TO GOD.

HEAVEN WILL BE FULL OF HEROES. GOD’S HEROES. THOSE THAT DETERMINED THAT THEY WILL SHINE IN A WORLD THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS TO SEE THE LIGHT.

PAUL GIVES US 3 WAYS TO SHINE IN THIS WORLD

I. WORKING OUT OUR SALVATION

WE KNOW THAT SALVATION IS A GIFT OF GOD (EPH 2:8-9) THAT WE CANNOT EARN IT.

WE KNOW THERE IS NO SALVATION WITHOUT GOD, NO SALVATION UNTIL WE ACCEPT GOD’S OFFER.

GREEK WORD- KATERGAZOMAI- WORK OUT

MEANING- DON’T GO ½ WAY, GO ON AND FULLY ACHIEVE WHAT GOD INTENDS FOR YOU.

NO CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE SATISFIED WITH ANYTHING LESS THEN THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE GOSPEL.

ST AUGUSTINE SAID-“OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL THEY REST IN HIM”

IT IS NOT THE FEAR AND TREMBLING THAT DRIVES US AWAY FROM GOD. IT IS THE FEAR AND TREMBLING THAT DRIVES US TOWARD GOD.”

WORKING OUT OUR SALVATION IS ACCEPTING THE GIFT FROM GOD AND ALLOWING HIM TO WORK IN US.

WARREN WIERSBE- “GOD WORKS IN US BEFORE HE WORKS THROUGH US”

YOU DON’T GO WITNESSING, YOU ARE A WITNESS

ONCE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD WANTS FROM US WE CAN TRULY SING THE CHORUS-“GOD WILL MAKE A WAY WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY”

BECAUSE IT IS ALL ABOUT HIM WORKING WITHIN US.

EX.33:13

TEACH ME YOUR WAYS SO I MAY KNOW YOU AND CONTINUE TO FIND FAVOR WITH YOU.

THE SECOND WAY WE CAN SHINE:

II. DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING

“DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING OR ARGUING, SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS, AND PURE, CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN A CROOKED AND DEPRAVED GENERATION.”

PEOPLE TODAY LISTEN TO DR. SPOOK IF YOUR OLDER, DR. LAURA, DR. PHIL, AND THAT GREAT DOCTOR OF TELEVISION DR. OPRAH BUT WE WON’T LISTEN TO WHAT THE LORD TELLS US.

IF A MILLION PEOPLE BELIEVE A LIE, IT IS STILL A LIE.

THE ROOT CAUSE OF COMPLAINING IN THE BIBLE IS REBELLION AND DISOBEDIENCE. THEY DIDN’T WANT TO DO WHAT THE LORD WANTED THEM TO DO...SO THEY COMPLAINED..PERHAPS HOPING IF THEY COMPLAIN ENOUGH THAT THE LORD WOULD CHANGE HIS PLANS.