Paul's Epistles – Philippians - Part 6:
Becoming Lights in the World
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
SERMON INTRODUCTION
Paul’s epistle (letter) to the Philippians
is very important to the Gentiles. It was written to the first church founded
in Europe (Acts 16:9-40).
Though not generally considered one of the
most remarkable or deepest books of the bible, it is considered one of the
sweetest of Paul’s writings.
It is more in the nature of a love letter
to the Philippians, who had excelled all others in devoted attachment to Paul.
Throughout this letter we get a glimpse into the apostle’s heart.
THE CHURCH
The Philippian church was noted for its
generosity. It had repeatedly ministered to Paul (6:15 & 16).
Hearing Paul was imprisoned in Rome they
sent help again by the hands of Epaphroditus (6:10 & 18), who,
however, was struck down on his arrival by an almost fatal illness. Somehow
news of this illness had reached Philippi, to their dismay, and on his
recovery, Epaphroditus was anxious to reassure them in person (11:25-28),
so Paul write this letter for him to take.
So this letter was written by Paul while
in prison in Rome, and given to Epaphroditus to be taken back to the church in
Philippi.
TODAY’S SERMON
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Philippians 2:1-11
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, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to
fulfill his good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and
crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them
like stars in the sky 16 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. 17 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. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with
me.
Paul opened his letter with a
salutation to all, reminding the church they were not 2 factions, there was no
“real” division, only a perceived one, created through sin.
The overall
message of this epistle to the church is;
“Christian unity to be maintained at all
costs”.
Last week we looked at Paul’s explanation
of how to obtain a life worthy of the
gospel by living a humble life like Jesus Christ.
This week Paul explains how we are called
to be lights in the world.
I. THEREFORE,
CONTINUE TO WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION
a. Therefore
i. Previous verses explained
ii. In your relationships with each other, have the
same mind as
1. Christ, who made Himself nothing
2. Humbled Himself
3. So you too, be like minded
4. Have the same love
5. Be one in Spirit
6. Be one of mind
7. Do nothing out of selfish ambition
8. Do nothing out of vain conceit
9. Being humble, value others above yourself
10. Not looking to your own interests
11. But each of you, to the interests of the others
b. As you have always
obeyed
i. Not only in my presence
1. It is easy to obey when a teacher is standing right
there
2. Paul is telling them as he did the church in
Ephesus, it is time to grow up
3. Stop being Spiritually immature
4. You no longer need your hand held, you know what is
right, so do it
ii. But now much more in my absence
1. They will have to obey “much more” in his absence,
because he is not standing there correcting them
2. They will also be held to a higher accountability
now that they are no longer students
3. With Spiritual Maturity comes greater
accountability and responsibility
iii. Remember Paul condemned the leaders of the
Corinthian church for not being mature
1. He said, I would tell you (the congregation) to act
like the leaders, but they are as immature as you!
c. Continue to work out your salvation in fear and trembling
i. This answers the false doctrine question that split the church on
instant perfection of believers
ii. True doctrine states this is a progressive
perfection through the power of the Holy Spirit in direct relation to the
submission of the follower to God
iii. Remember Philippians
1:6 “He (Christ) who began a good work in you will
carry it on (the good work) to completion, until the Day of Christ
Jesus.”
iv. Continue to work out your salvation in fear and trembling.
1. Salvation {So Tay Ree): rescue,
deliverance
a. 1 Peter 1:9 “ for you are receiving the end result of your
faith, the salvation of your souls.”
b. Hebrews
5:7-10 “7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up
prayers and petitions with
fervent cries and tears to the
one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey
him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in
the order of Melchizedek.”
2. Following verses also warn against
“falling away”
a. Hebrews
5:11-14 “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it
clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this
time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary
truths of God’s word all over
again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk,
being still an infant, is not
acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the
mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from
evil.”
3. This, not to judge others salvation, but our own!
a. We must “work out” our salvation (progressive)
b. Working through, taking true pain, observing
ourselves as we are, being diligent.
4. Fear {Fobos}: where we get
phobia: fright / terror
5. Trembling {tromos}: where we get
tremor: quake in fear
a. Quakers
6. Meaning, we take great care and to be unwilling to take risks
a. Trembling with fear we may miscarry and fall short
b. Doing our best not even to appear as if we live in
sin
i.
Hebrews 4:1
“since the
promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you
be found to have fallen short of it.”
7. Fear is a great guard and preservation from evil!
II. FOR IT
IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU
a. The Spirit of
Christ is raising you up
i. If we submit to Him
ii. If we are obedient to His Word
iii. If we do not quench the Holy Spirit
b. God’s Will
directing your life
i. Will 1 – That you receive
Salvation
ii. Will 2 – That you receive the
blessings from the Holy Spirit
1. Whole Armor of God
2. Spiritual Gifts
3. Spiritual Fruits
iii. So you can accomplish Will 3 – Being a light, sharing Gospel message with those enslaved
to sin
c. Act in HIS Will
to fulfill HIS purpose
i. Following Christ is not about us
ii. If we make it about us, then we are trying to lead
God, not follow
iii. Everything we receive from God through Salvation
and His Will, and everything we ever accomplish through Him, is to fulfill HIS
PURPOSE!
1. What is God’s purpose?
a. To bring salvation to those enslaved to sin
b. Through the Body of Christ
c. Which MUST maintain UNITY above all things
d. So that they can be used by God
e. To fulfill HIS Will
III. DO
EVERYTHING WITHOUT GRUMBLING OR ARGUING
a. So you may
become blameless and pure
i. May become – progressive perfection
1. You do not come to the Lord blameless and pure
2. This is part of the work of the Spirit of Christ in
you
3. Grumbling and arguing caused the division in the
Philippian church
b. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky
i. When will you shine like stars among them?
ii. When you stop grumbling and arguing and causing
division in the Body
iii. Then the Spirit of Christ will do a work in you, so
that you may be blameless and pure
1. Blameless of what? Causing division
2. Pure, how? Because you have donned part of the
Armor of God
3. Ephesians 6:15 “with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the
gospel of peace.”
4. Bringing peace to the Body of Christ
c. Then I will be
able to boast on the Day of Christ
i. Paul saying, when you start acting Spiritually mature, and stop the
divisions in your congregation, then I will be able to boast about you on the
Day of Christ, and know I did not work in vain with you.
CONCLUSION – we are each called to work out our salvation
And others who have received the Gospel of Christ
are called to work out theirs.
Though we are called to help our brothers and
sisters in Christ, we are also warned not to get trapped in another’s sin.
Galatians 6:1
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in
a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch
yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
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