Work Out What God Works In Series

Technicolor Joy: Philippians 2:12-18

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

07-02-2023

Get Strong Every Day

Kenneth Leverich, a former Junior Olympic weight lifter and a crossfit competitor, underwent four hours of makeup to turn him from a 29-year-old to an 84-year-old man.

Video: [YouTube: Old Man Strength at Muscle Beach - start at 1:00 and end at 3:25.

One of the guys asks him what his secret is. He says, “Just keep doing it. Get stronger every day.”

That is not only true in the physical realm but we are called to get stronger spiritually each day as well.

Review

Let’s review where we’ve been so far in this sermon series.

Paul is writing from Rome. He is under house arrest, chained to a Roman soldier, waiting for his trial before Caesar.

Years earlier, he had started the church in Philippi with a slave girl that he freed from possession, Lydia, a wealthy dealer of purple cloth, and the Philippian jailer and his family.

This church has grown and they loved Paul and supported him financially. They were worried about him and sent Epaphroditus to deliver provisions to him and encourage him. ?

Paul sends him back with a thank you letter to be read to the congregation.

Paul knew that they were facing opposition from the pagan culture and were experiencing conflict from within as well. Two women were fighting and the church had taken sides.

In verse 27, Paul lays out the theme of the letter when he calls them to “conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ. (Phil 1:27)

Philippi was a Roman colony and they prided themselves in their Roman citizenship. Paul reminds them that their real citizenship “is in heaven. (Phil 3:20)

Paul commands them to ruthlessly pursue unity by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit, and having the same purpose, focus, and mission.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph 4:3-6)

What’s the secret to unity? It’s humility.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

And Who is the supreme example of humility? It’s Jesus! He went down, down, down from the heights of heaven to the terrors of the cross. And because of His obedience and humility, God exalted Him up, up, up to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name - Jesus Christ the Lord.

Paul wrote to the Roman Christians:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom 10:9)

Billy Graham once said,

“No man can be said to truly be converted to Christ who has not bent his will to Christ. He may give intellectual assent to the claims of Christ and may have had emotional religious experience; however, he is not truly converted until he has surrendered his will to Christ as Lord, Savior, and Master.”

Have you done that?

Turn to Philippians 2.

Prayer.

Obey

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence…”

This section begins with “therefore” or your version may read “So that.” Paul is looking back to the obedience of Christ that he just highlighted in the Christ hymn. Jesus willingly left heaven and was obedient to the Father’s rescue plan. He “emptied Himself” - He took on humanity and humbled Himself by becoming a servant, and was obedient to death - even death on a cross.

Jesus had given us the ultimate example of obedience to follow.

The Philippian Church was a solid church. Paul points out that they have always obeyed the Gospel teaching that he brought them.

He also knows how much they love him. When he was with them, they wanted to please him and show themselves faithful. But now Paul is not sure whether he will be with them much longer. They have to learn to walk in obedience even if Paul’s trial ends in death.

When I subbed at the junior high, I could tell almost immediately the classes that I could step outside the door if another teacher needed me and which ones would set the room on fire.

We want our children to obey whether we are with them or not.

John writes for Paul and all pastors:

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (I John 1:4)

Work Out

“…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.”