Sunday Morning Service

Philippians 2:12-30

Audio Access Available Above

“And Now For The Rest Of Us” • 3.23.14 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- Paul has left every mouth open and silent with the explanation and vision of Christ's humiliation and exaltation. He gave His life on a Roman cross and was raised beyond any rank.

- What a wonderful section of scripture! We look at Jesus with love and awe and wish our lives were more like his. We reason, "He is God and had no sinful nature! How could I ever compare."

- What about us!? How are we to begin to live a life that brings praise and honor to the Lord? Is there a life noble enough and a death sacrificial enough to warrant consideration?

- Paul addresses our practice and provides us with the testimony of three men whose lives were formed in the light of Christ's example.

Text

• Philippians 2:12,13 : "Therefore, my beloved, as you 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; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." : Having layed out a comprehensive theological view of the humility and obedience of Christ, Paul affirms his belief in the Philippians to follow in like manner.

- They had a proven track record, having always obeyed the Lord whether Paul had been there to enforce things or not.

- They were to continue in their obedience now, even moreso as he was away from them.

- Can you believe the simplicity? They were to continue listening to God with the intent that they might then do what He has communicated! Revolutionary!

- In all that Jesus did, however marvelous, the root cause of those actions was simple obedience to the Father! "He became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross!"

- We have to admit to ourselves that Christianity is far less extraordinary than people are led to believe, in that, the Christian life is one obedient step after the other!

- When someone simply makes a habit of obeying what they know to be true, they will find themselves in extraordinary places!

- But will you and I obey without excuse? Will you lay aside pride and preference? Will you move beyond your comfort? Will you let go of that sin which you love? Obey Him!

- This was their example to follow, their mandate to accept. With the current instruction regarding the Lord's humility, Paul tells them now to apply it.

- "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Listen to these words very carefully as many have been needlessly stumbled by this verse.

- The phrase is not "work for," but "work out!" It's not work for, but work from!

- There is no salvation that comes from God that can be earned as a result of our works. But, because we are saved, we might safely say, there is no salvation that doesn't work!

- Paul employs the word salvation to describe the process by which we are set apart for God's use in this life. Theologians call this process "sanctification."

- The initial salvation of a soul happens in an instant. When you believed upon Christ, you were transferred from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light. You were legally justified!

- Justification took a moment of believing response to all that Christ offers. Sanctification takes our cooperative energy to make what we have heard and hear, our enduring practice!

- Work out your salvation. Pay attention to the details. Conform your life to the Word of God as you receive it. Obey what you know. This is salvation at work through you.

- Notice: We are to pay attention to our OWN salvation! We can do nothing about those around us. The process of sanctification is personal and laborious enough to require our full attention!

- This doesn't mean that we are unconcerned about those within our circle of influence. It does mean that we are to be most concerned with ourselves! How are we to attend to ourselves?

- With fear and trembling. Perhaps more accurately, quaking with fear! One gets the sense that there is such care put into this task, that there is anxiety at the details that accompany it.

- It's the nervous Nelly or Ned who simply wants to perform the task to her Master's liking! That is the human side of the operation.

- We're to be careful and considerate of the details, wishing only to perform our very best for the only audience that matters! When it all comes down, you will give an account of your life to God!

- There should be a fearful, careful element to our side of the equation. But there is a divine side as well!

- We're to work out, practice our salvation, but it is God who works in you both to will and to do!

- This is a wonderfully freeing word of comfort. When God saves you, He puts in you a will that exists to please Him. There are desires in you that don't come from you!

- Literally, it is always God who is always working in, energizing you! He puts forth the power both to conceive of what you should do and to actually perform that for His pleasure!

- This is the enduring work of His Holy Spirit in your life! This is why we must ask for His filling power! Otherwise, we find ourselves dry and left to our own devices!

- The Holy Spirit inspires you to faithfully follow Him. Then, when it is done, you look back with gratitude knowing that you could not have done it without Him!

- This process just brings the Lord pleasure! It brings a smile to His face and warms His heart!

• Philippians 2:14-16 : "Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." : What shall we obey first? Shall we climb a mountain? Shall we find a noble charity?

- The first part of putting to practice the work of sanctification is to keep our mouths and attitudes in check.

- To "do" employs the same Greek word related to creating a piece of art work. Create without complaining and disputing!

- If you are anything like me, you are likely looking for the loophole. "Does Paul mean do all things in the church without complaining or is it a work and home thing?"

- The bad news is that the emphasis in the original language is on the words "all things!" Everything you do is an expression of Him! There are no secular and sacred compartments!

- "Complaining" speaks of secret displeasure not openly avowed. Other translations use the word "murmuring." There is more to the sound that is made than the content that is shared.

- It is a general show of discontent. Disputing comes from the word "dialogue." It's not a sincere conversation, but one that is filled with questioning for the sake of raising questions!

- Don't do that! Even with the most noble intentions, it is more likely to snowball out of control and be perceived as something that it's not!

- It's better to avoid that behavior, in order that your reputation will remain unstained. You'll be free from fault and innocent from learning to beguile another.

- Nobody will be able to point the finger at you. Nobody will believe you capable!

- These are the children of God, standing out as irrebukable in a world that is crooked like a spine with scoliosis and distorted in it's ability to perceive the truth.

- Consider this, how simply a thought becomes a word, which becomes a theory and a theory becomes fact.

- Many times, such things take place because people were talking and dots were put together through the weeds that have been planted by speculation and secret agendas?

- Paul is not restricting a voice of concern. Do voice it, first to the Lord and then to proper responsible parties. Find the truth from the sources that matter.

- Otherwise we risk two sad realities, the first of which is the loss of our posiition as light bearers to the world!

- Why would the world be attracted to Christ when His person has the same problem with their mouths that the world has!?

- Why would they believe that the Word of life could change them if He doesn't change us!?

- If we can't protect God's Word and let it govern how we deal with something as small as our scheming, manipulation, etc, how could we espouse it's truth in other larger subjects!?

- Second, for the Philippians, their refusal to go down that path would bring joy to Paul, who would know that his effort was not in vain.

- Notice this interesting thought: We can claim to be saved people, but when we don't act like it, when the proof is not discerned, the world ignores our light and the investment in us is vain!

- Paul wanted to envision a day when He could rejoice before the Lord in a fruitful work in the Philippian's lives. He could anticipate that when they outwardly acted out their salvation.

• Philippians 2:17,18 : "Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me." : Paul had not read the rest of his story. He looks at his life as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of their faith.

- What does that mean? The drink offering was basically a wine that was poured out over the offering on the altar. Some would view it as God's drink which followed His food, the meat.

- Paul was offering his work among the Philippians on the Altar before the Lord. His own life before the Lord would follow!

- He looked at the people that he invested the faith in, as a work to be brought before the Lord.

- Paul is referring to the culmination of his work, which to his mind, may end in the loss of his earthly life at this time. Paul's charge is that they rejoice with him in that.

- His life was being spent for their sakes! He was literally in prison for the sake of the gospel and it would eventually bring him before the executioner!

- He sees a life worth giving to Christ as one that follows Christ to the very end! If he was going to die at the time of this writing, they could be thankful that he made it to the finish line!

- Paul's vision of life is liturgical. He sees his actions through the lens of a sacrificing priest, offering the sacrifice of his work, as well as the sacrifice of his own being unto the Lord!

- Is that how you view your opportunities to share Christ and your own life? May it be so!

• Philippians 2:19-24 : "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly." : Paul was hopeful to send Timothy to Philippi to check in on them. There was no reason to believe that this wouldn't lead to cheering Paul's heart.

- It needed to be Timothy for a few reasons. First, Timothy was "like-minded" or "equal in soul."

- The believed the same way, had the same motives and shared the same belief in treatment for the issues at hand. He trusted that Timothy would genuinely care for them.

- He would be anxious and careful about their state of being. The concept here seems to reflect meticulous supervision.

- Timothy would take his assignment with the same exact mindset that Paul would employ. He was an extension of Paul and this is why Paul was able to trust him thoroughly.

- Was this in order to impress Paul? Not at all. All the others sought for their own benefit, but Timothy looked after the things of the Lord!

- These words may be difficult to hear, but even the Apostle Paul suffered on account of the lack of real assistance! The staff that he could count on amounted to one man!

- This wasn't an isolated statement, Paul points to Timothy's proven character. Timothy was the real deal, the son had taken after his Father in the same work!

- You cannot get more authentic than Timothy, who had shown himself time and time again, to be a trustworthy individual.

• Philippians 2:25-28 : "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful." : The Lord would send Timothy eventually, but Paul needed to send Epaphroditus now.

- Epaphroditus is only mentioned here and his name means "lovely!" Listen to how Paul considered him. He was a brother, a fellow worker and a fellow soldier.

- We know that Paul had a sister according to Acts 23:16, but we don't know if he had a brother. Working in the faith, pulling toward the same goal, makes strangers brothers in the faith.

- A bond in the blood of Christ grows much deeper than the blood of family in some instances.

- Paul had found a brother in Christ and a fellow worker when Epaphroditus came as a Philippian emissary to Paul.

- When you were imprisoned in Paul's time, you were not issued a set of prison blues or orange jumpsuits. There were no meals provided.

- If you did not have those provisions brought to you, you were quite literally left in the cold! The Philippians sent a care package by the hand of Epaphroditus.

- He was a little more than an errand boy, but Paul considered him a "co-operator." 

- He did not have Paul's acclaim, but his value to Paul was worth noting. Paul completes his statement about what their relationship when he calls him a "fellow soldier."

- He's a warrior, a man skilled in the conflict that inevitably follows the gospel.

- Each of these terms speaks of personal investment in the things of God. Paul learned this about him after the Philippians sent him as a messenger to Paul.

- He came to serve Paul in the name of the Lord, as the word "service" comes from the word family descriptive of liturgy. Epaphroditus was serving the Lord when he served the Apostle Paul!

- Understand that Epaphroditus' service was generally menial. He laundered Paul's linens. He brought him groceries. He stocked the fridge.

- We can be fairly certain that he didn't have a tremendous ministry scope. But he ministered to Paul who ministered to them and is ministering to us!

- He came to Paul as their apostle and was now being sent back to them. In between that time, he had become ill and teetered on the edge of death!

- Paul doesn't name the illness, nor when he contracted it. He focuses on God's mercy, sparing both Epaphroditus and Paul who would have mourned his friend's loss greatly!

- That's why Paul sent him back to the Philippians. He would bring news of Paul and would return to a group of people who cared greatly for his well being.

• Philippians 2:29,30 : "Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me." : Paul asks them to open themselves up to Him. The NLT says "Welcome him in Christian love!" Be sure that he senses the warmth of the Lord's love toward him.

- Paul may have been anticipating their displeasure at his quick return, likely wishing that he could have stayed longer to assist the Apostle!

- "Don't make him feel bad for not being able to remain! Open your arms to him and hold him in great esteem!" They were to consider him and men like him as precious gifts.

- Not many would have gone to the lengths that he did to bless Paul for them, but Epaphroditus did just that!

- He did this for the work of Christ! How far would you go? Would you travel an unsure and potentially unsafe distance for His sake? Epaphroditus did.

- When you get close to getting sick, much less having a near death experience, would that stop your bid to serve the Lord? It didn't stop Epaphroditus.

- In fact, he did not regard his life. Other translations, the NLT, NASB and the ESV employ the phrase "risking his life."

- At least two commentators noted the connection of this term with the world of gambling, where Epaphroditus was seen as a man willing to risk everything for the Lord!

˚ "One of the strangest things I have ever read, in that day often the Christians were called 'paraboleugai,' from that 'paraboleuomai.'  They were called 'paraboleugai,' that is, they were riskers, they were betters on God, they were gamblers on the Lord, betting your life, gambling your life on God."   

W.A. Criswell

- He put it all on the line just to bring the supplies that the Philippians could not have brought themselves. They wanted to but lacked the ability. Epaphroditus made it happen!

Conclusion

- Look at those three examples. Paul viewed his ministry and life as an offering to God, poured out fully for His pleasure.

- Timothy was a faithful, reliable, steady help with a heart joined to the Apostle Paul enough that Paul trusted what was most precious to him.

- Epaphroditus was willing to risk everything for the sake of the gospel, even when that meant service in the most menial tasks. Do any of these men resonate with you?

- All of them were simply obedient and their obedience began with their hearts to obey! Then, before they mastered the seas, they mastered their minds and their mouths!

- May we have the grace to go and do likewise, being faithful in what we deem to be small, knowing that God will be pleased with the result.