Introduction

Good morning, dear friends. We're here together once again. We're here to share. To learn. To grow. We're here to open our hearts to the Word of God.

Today, we're going to turn our attention to a beautiful passage. It's a passage that speaks of light. Of becoming. Of joy. It's a passage that reminds us of the hope we have in Jesus. It's a passage that challenges us. It guides us. It encourages us.

Let's read it together, from Philippians 2:12-18: "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, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 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 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. 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. So you should be glad and rejoice with me."

The words are clear. They're powerful. They're filled with meaning. They're filled with promise. G.K. Chesterton once said, "Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate." We know life can be hard. We know the world can be a dark place. But we also know that we have hope. We have Jesus.

Today, we're going to talk about that hope. We're going to talk about how we can shine light in the dark. We're going to talk about how we can become more like Jesus. We're going to talk about how we can find joy. Even when things are tough. Even when we're surrounded by grumbles.

Let's pray. Dear God, we thank You for this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for the hope we have in Jesus. As we talk about Your Word today, we ask that You open our hearts. Help us to understand. Help us to grow. Help us to shine Your light in the dark. Help us to become more like Jesus. Help us to find joy. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Let's get started, friends. Let's learn together. Let's grow together. Let's shine together.

Shining Light in the Dark

When we think about the world around us, it's easy to see the darkness. The pain. The suffering. The injustice. It's all around us. It's in the news. It's in our communities. It's in our own lives. But what does the Bible say about this? It tells us that we are to be different. We are to be a light.

Paul is writing to a group of believers who are living in a dark and difficult world. They are facing persecution. They are facing hardship. But Paul tells them to shine. To be a light. To be different.

Attitude is key. How do we do this? How do we shine in the dark? It starts with our attitude. Paul tells us to do everything without grumbling or arguing. This is not easy. It's not natural. It goes against our human nature. But it's what we are called to do. When we grumble, we focus on the negative. We focus on what's wrong. We focus on what we don't have. But when we choose to be grateful, we focus on what we do have. We focus on the good. We focus on God's blessings.

Gratitude changes perspective. Gratitude changes our perspective.It changes our attitude. It changes our heart. And when our heart changes, our actions follow. We start to act differently. We start to treat people differently. We start to shine. Research has shown that people who regularly express gratitude are happier, healthier, and more satisfied with their lives. They have better relationships, are more successful, resilient, optimistic, and joyful.

The importance of actions. But it's not just about our attitude. It's also about our actions. Paul tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This doesn't mean we earn our salvation. We can't. Salvation is a gift from God. But it does mean we live out our salvation. We show the world what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

The kinds of actions we are called to. This means we love. We serve. We forgive. We show kindness. We show patience. We show grace. These actions make us stand out. They make us different. They make us shine. And when we shine, people notice. They see something different. They see a light in the dark. And they are drawn to it. They want to know more. They want to know why we are different. And this gives us an opportunity. An opportunity to share. To share the hope we have in Jesus.

Hold firmly to Scripture. Finally, Paul tells us to hold firmly to the word of life. The word of life is the Bible. It's God's Word. It's our guide. It's our source of truth. It's our source of hope. When we hold firmly to the word of life, we are grounded. We are stable. We are secure. And this gives us confidence. Confidence to face the dark. Confidence to shine.

Becoming Like Jesus

In the midst of darkness, we find ourselves yearning for a beacon, a guide ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO