Shine as Lights
Philippians 2:12-18
- The Apostle Paul speaks to the church at Philippi in our passage of the day
- In the section we'll address, he tells these disciples to work out their own salvation
- To allow God to work in them, to do His own will
- And to reach people by working together in unity
- While dwelling within the world's system, which is crooked and corrupt
- It's a short section in the New Testament today
- Just seven verses, in Philippians 2:12-18
- Our theme?
- "Shine as Lights"
- We're entering a very well-known context in Philippians today
- The verses that immediately precede our passage of the day tell us this about the Savior…
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
- It is this Savior, the One who is over all
- That disciples in the church at Philippi
- And every other Biblical, New Testament church today serve
- He deserves the reverence and allegiance of everyone, everywhere
- And He shall have it
- How then, shall His disciples live?
- Well, there are some key details in our text…
Philippians 2:12
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.
- Paul wasn't there very often to observe the obedience of the Philippians
- He wasn't supervising their spirituality
- But they had, in his presence, obeyed
- And more often, to a greater extent, obeyed in His absence
- Just as every Christian may have a mentor or a role model
- These had Paul
- But no human can be at our side to help us act and react daily
- It was up to the Philippians, and it is up to us, to work out our own salvation
- This doesn't mean, of course to accomplish our own salvation
- For that is impossible
- The only One who could accomplish our salvation, Christ, has already done it
- It rather means to work it from the inside out
- To allow it to show forth
- To continue to be changed daily by Him
- And to reflect that change in attitude and word and action
- You have been saved
- Work that salvation out
- But do so with the right orientation
- With a reverence for God and a understanding of the consequences for disobedience
- This is rightly called fear and trembling
- Because it is a grave thing for a disciple to fail in this
- Not just for the disciple
- But for those observing the disciple
- Here is the great encouragement…
Philippians 2:13
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
- It is a great responsibility to go forth in obedience
- We are accountable for working out our own salvation
- But God will work in us
- He'll grant us the will and the power to do
- He can change our "want" to, and our "ability" to
- The things that He desires for us, if we will surrender to Him, can be done
- We should view the Christian life with confidence
- Turn everything over to Him and allow Him to work
- Victory is the result
- There are some things we should avoid if this is going to be the case…
Philippians 2:14-15
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
- These are difficult instructions
- To dispute and to murmur is common to man
- We are often unsatisfied and argumentative
- Among brothers and sisters in Christ, this can certainly be true
- But it is not right
- And so, it says, do everything without complaining and arguing
- Why?
- So that we can be blameless and innocent
- Because we dwell in a world that is anything but blameless and innocent
- It is a crooked and perverse world
- We must be recognizably, unmistakably different
- Unique in this generation
- In the midst of this darkness, a light
- Shining forth nothing good of our own, but of the Savior's own, righteousness
- We have been left by Jesus with this task
- It is ours
- And He gives us all the tools to do it
- We're reminded of this as we continue…
Philippians 2:16
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
- Hold fast to this word of life
- This word God has given us from heaven
- Because those who have taught us
- In this case, Paul, teaching the Philippians
- And in our case, perhaps one or many
- Have a desire for us to do it
- Because God has granted them this desire
- It is consistent with His desire
- They want their work to count for something
- We want our work to count for something
- So, cling to the word
- Embrace it
- Obey it
- Make it central
- For it is the text within which our Savior communicates to us
- For our sanctification
- Paul goes on…
Philippians 2:17-18
17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
- Expressed a different way, verse 17 says…
"Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. "
- This describes a disciple-maker who is willing to be spent for Christ
- Who is willing to be poured out for those he disciples
- It is a joy to him
- And an example to us
- We ought to share in this joy
- As we give our very lives for Christ
- And for each other
- Shining as lights, in this dark world
