Author: looking2jesus13

Philippians 2:14

INTRODUCTION

A monk joined a monastery and took a vow of silence.  After the first 10 years his superior called him in and asked, “Do you have anything to say?”

The monk replied, “Food bad.”

After another 10 years the monk again had an opportunity to voice his thoughts and he said to his superior, “Bed hard.”

Another 10 years passed by and again he was called before his superior.  What asked if he had anything to say, he responded, “I quit.”

To which the superior replied, “That doesn’t surprise me a bit, you’ve done nothing but complain since you got here.”

We are prone to grumble and complain…such is the universal condition of men in sin.  Adults grumble.  Teens grumble.  Children grumble.  Poor people grumble.  Rich people grumble too.  We grumble about all kinds of things—our work, the weather, our food, the government, the cost of things, our illnesses, how we are treated, etc. etc.  For some, grumbling is as natural a thing as breathing.  Some have a special gift when it comes to grumbling and complaining.  But grumbling is not a spiritual gift.

What is grumbling?  Philippians 2:14 uses two terms to describe this kind of behavior.

Grumbling is from the Greek term “gongusmos,” which means “to mutter, murmur, grumble, say anything in a low tone.”  The word is an onomatopoeic word, which means the sound of the word is akin to its meaning.

Disputing is from the Greek term “dialogismos” and is related to our English word “dialog.”  It speaks to an inward reasoning that differs with others and leads to arguments and such.  Our English word is defined as engaging in an argument.

The two terms are related.  The disputing term speaks to our thinking, in which we find ourselves in disagreement with God or others, the grumbling term has to do with the expression of those complaints.

The Scriptures are filled with examples of this kind of behavior:

In Matthew chapter 20, Jesus told a parable in which He compared the kingdom of heaven to a landowner who owned a vineyard.  He hired laborers to take care of his vineyard.  Though differing groups of laborers were hired at different times of the same day, they all received the same amount of pay.  So, the ones who were hired first “grumbled at the landowner” and went on to express their displeasure (Cf. Matthew 20:11).

The Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at Jesus’ disciples when they saw Jesus reclining at the table with tax-gatherers and sinners (Cf. Luke 5:30).

Some of Jesus’ followers grumbled in response to Jesus’ teaching that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood if they were to gain eternal life (Cf. John 6:54-61).

“Grumble” is the same word used in the Greek version of the OT of the murmuring of Israel.  Exodus 16:2-3, “And the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.  And the sons of Israel said to them, “What that we would have died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat, when we ate bread in full; for you have brought us out into the wilderness to kill the whole assembly with hunger.”

This passage serves as a good case study when it comes to this issue.  What were those people grumbling and disputing about?  That problem started with a lack of food to eat.  Instead of trusting God and asking of Him, they began to think about how unfairly they were being treated.  They thought they deserved far better than what they were getting.  They complained to Moses and Aaron, though their complaints were ultimately directed to God Himself.

Their example encompasses the kind of behavior that is spoken of in Philippians 2:14. Disputing is a reasoning in our minds that tends to disagreement with God about His dealings with us.  Grumbling is the expression of such thoughts either to God or to others.

MESSAGE: Why not grumble?

1. Because grumbling is a sin

It is sinful to grumble and dispute.

Grumbling and disputing is sinful behavior.  Both terms here are present tense imperatives.

Your Creator God.  The One who sent His Son to die for your sins.  The One who is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.  The One who had adopted you.  Who has privileged you to be called a child of God.  The One who is richly supplying all your needs and watching over the affairs of your life.  This God is speaking to you, His child, saying, “Do all things without grumbling and disputing.”  And to do otherwise is to sin.

Not only is it sinful to grumble and dispute, it is at the heart of our sin problem.  It is good to remind ourselves how this whole sin problem started.  Adam and Eve were doing well in the garden of Eden until the Devil came along.  And then he planted a seed of doubt into Eve’s mind.  They had everything they needed and enjoyed perfect fellowship with God, but then the Devil suggested to Eve that God was holding out on them.  If she were only to take of the apple and eat, then she too would be like God.  So, she and Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, and sin entered into the world.  And ever since men have been born into the world as sinners, possessing in sin an inherent distrust and rebellion against God.

Grumbling and disputing—in whatever it is about—is directed ultimately towards God.  It is either a distrust in Him or an expression of displeasure when it comes to His dealings with us.  That’s not to say that there is no place for communicating with God when it comes to such things, but there is a better way to do that.  Later in the epistle Paul speaks to this in Philippians 4:6. Instead of grumbling and disputing or being anxious, we should pray, and we should pray with an attitude of thankfulness.  We go to Him in humble faith, never demanding our supposed “rights,” but reminding ourselves that God doesn’t owe us a thing—He’s been very gracious to us in saving us.  That’s why Lamentations 3:39 says, “Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins?”  We are all doing better than we deserve.  And instead of grumbling and disputing we should be “overflowing with gratitude” (Colossians 2:7).

Grumbling and disputing is always a sin.

Note the command—“Do ALL things without grumbling and disputing.”  It does not say do some things.  Nor does it say do most things.  It says ALL things and ALL means ALL.

In this respect it’s kind of like some other commands.  “Never take your own revenge” (Romans 12:19).  “Be anxious for nothing” (Philippians 4:6).  “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

This applies to all of us.  Children are to obey their parents without grumbling and disputing.  That means doing your chores in a glad-hearted manner.  And it matters not if other children grumble when they are asked to do such things.  The child of God is called to higher plane of living.

Employees are to do their jobs without grumbling and disputing.  I served in the US Navy for six years in the submarine service.  A submarine is arguably one of the worst environments to put a human being.  And submariners are amongst the worst most proficient grumblers.  One day a friend of mine and me—making note of this fact—purposed to go through our day without complaining about anything.  No complaining about unreasonable officers.  No complaining about the lack of sleep.  No complaining about the bad food.  No complaining about the boring and tedious watches.  Needless to say, we didn’t make it through the whole day.  But as God’s children, God’s purpose for us is that we rise about the temptation to grumble about our circumstances.

We Americans are especially adept at grumbling.  And it is an incredible to consider how good we are at it.  Though we live in arguably the most prosperous country in the world and in the history of the world, you could hardly tell by the way that we behave.  You’d think, by the manner in which we are given to such things, that we were in some kind of severe distress.  But for the most part we Americans are well-fed and well-clothed and well-provided for.  I’m thinking that most of the world would be glad to walk in our shoes. Yet we grumble and dispute and complain about things all the time.

We are to serve the Lord without grumbling and disputing.  According to Romans 12:1-2 we are to present out bodies a living and holy sacrifice unto Him.  Our giving, our serving, our witnessing, our work is all to be done cheerfully, giving thanks to the Lord that He has given us the opportunity and privilege of serving Him.  Our example is the Lord Jesus Himself.  Where do we find Him grumbling or disputing?

We shouldn’t frankly grumble about anything.  God is sovereignly overseeing the affairs of your life.  He causes all things to work together for good.  You can always trust Him.

It is a serious sin.

We tend to think of grumbling as a minor thing, but we shouldn’t.

In Numbers chapter 16 we read of a man named Korah and his followers.  They were unhappy in their circumstances and displeased with Moses and Aaron.  So Korah tried to usurp Moses in his leadership.  And do you know what happened?  God judged them. He caused the earth to swallow them up.  Then others grumbled against Moses, faulting him for their death.  So, God sent a plague than eventually took the lives of 15,000 people.  This grumbling is serious stuff.

But oh, you say, this is a different dispensation, God is not as much concerned about such things today.  But Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth: “Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved…And do not be idolaters…Nor let us act immorally…Nor let us try the Lord…Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.  Now these things happened to them as an example and were written for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:6-11).

God hates grumbling and disputing.  It’s a sin.  We need to think about it as such.

2. Because grumbling stifles our growth in Christ

Look at verse 14 in its context.

The context before: God is at work in you both to will and work for his good pleasure.  God is working out your salvation.  He’s doing everything necessary, our part is to trust Him and obey.

The context after: God has called as His children to bear witness of the Lord Jesus.  We can hardly expect to do a good job bearing witness of Jesus if we are busy grumbling and disputing all the time.

Grumbling and disputing works against our spiritual growth because it is the wrong response to God in the trials that we face.

The fact is that we all face trials of various kinds.  Trials in the life of unbeliever work for no good purpose unless they are used of God to lead that person to a saving knowledge of Jesus.  But it is different when it comes to trials in the life of the believer.   Our Sovereign God uses the trials that we face to grow us up into Christ-like maturity.  James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 1:6-7.

Now, generally speaking, we can respond to any trial that we face in one of two ways.  We can either trust God or give way to temptation.  We either trust God in the trial or we respond in giving way to temptation in a variety of sinful ways.  And amongst those various responses is this common response—we grumble.

Now here’s the problem.  God loves you.  He has called you.  You are His child.  He is patiently working in you to will and to work for His good pleasure.  We can be confident that He will complete the work that He has started in us.  In the meantime, there is the work He is doing in making us to be like Christ.  That is not a simple thing.  The Spirit of God applies the Word of God to our hearts and through trials He works to grow us up into Christ-like maturity.

Philippians 2:13 is a sovereignty of God verse.  God is sovereignly orchestrating the affairs of your life.  He’s got it all in control.  Look at 1 Corinthians 10:13. God is intimately involved in the affairs of your life.  So much so that He won’t allow any trial or temptation to enter your life that is beyond what you can handle.  He is faithful in that.  You can count on Him to not allow anything to happen in your life that is beyond your capacity to bear—in dependence on the Spirit and His all-sufficient grace.  He will provide a way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

He is at work in you.  He’s the Master Potter.  You are the clay.  As with the days of your life, round and round goes the wheel.  And there’s the gentle yet firm work of the Spirit, as fingers working the clay.  And through the trials of life He patiently works to conform you to the image of Christ.  It is not a simple thing.  It is not an easy thing.  It’s going to take some radical inside-out rearranging.  Those difficulties and trials are all a part of that.  You are the clay.  Imagine a piece of clay murmuring and disputing with its potter.  Why should we not gladly cooperate and submit to the work of the All-Wise and All-Loving Master Potter?  F. B. Meyer, “Whenever, therefore, you are in doubt as to the meaning of certain circumstances through which you are called to pass, and which are strange and inexplicable, be still; refrain from murmuring or repining ; hush the many voices that would speak within ; and listen until there is borne in on your soul a persuasion of God’s purpose; and let his Spirit within co-operate with the circumstance without.”

Here’s the ultimate problem with grumbling and disputing.  You aren’t going to win any arguments that you have with God.  Jonah is a good example of this.  God told Jonah to go to Nineveh.  Jonah said no, I’m not going.  Who won that argument?  Jonah went to Nineveh but in his dispute with God he ended up going the hard way—through the belly of a whale!

“Dealing with difficult situations,” by Andrew Murray:

1. Realize that God brought me here. It is by His will I am in this place: in that fact I will rest.
2. Realize that He will keep me here in His love and give me grace to behave as His child.
3. Realize that He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons that He intends me to learn, and working in me that grace He means to bestow.
4. In His good time, He can bring me out again – how and when – He knows.

A young man who was trying to establish himself as a peach grower had worked hard and invested all his money in a peach orchard.  It blossomed wonderfully but then came a killing frost.  He didn’t go to church the next Sunday, nor the next, nor the next.  His pastor went to see him to discover the reason.  The young fellow said, “I’m not coming any more.  Do you think I can worship a God who cares so little for me that He would let a frost kill all my peaches?”  The old minister looked at him for a few minutes in silence, the kindly said, “God loves you better than He does your peaches.  He knows that while peaches do better without frosts, it is impossible to grow the best men without frosts.  His object is to grow men, not peaches.”  We are so concerned with our immediate and temporal needs and problems, that we might fail to realize that God is at work and that He caused all things to work together for good in our lives, that we might be conformed to the image of His Son.

“Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by?”

3. Because grumbling undermines our Witness for Christ

According to Acts 1:8, the mission of the church here on earth is to bear witness of Jesus.  God has called us to be His ambassadors, to be as lights shining in this present darkness.

Look at Philippians 2:15—“that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.”  We live in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.  It has been that way and it will continue to be that way until Jesus’ return.  We are privileged to serve God in this manner.  It’s not our job to complain about the darkness, our job is to shine for Jesus.  Our job is to bear witness of Him wherever we go.

God has strategically placed each one of us in positions where we might serve Him according to this purpose.  When Dr. John Mitchell served as president of Multnomah Bible College one of his students came to him with a problem.  He asked Dr. Mitchell to pray for him that God might provide him with a different job.  It seems that he was forced to work in a difficult environment surrounded by nothing but unbelievers.  He had to put up with a lot of cursing and swearing and rude language.  Dr. Mitchell surprised the man in his response, saying, “I’m not going to pray that God will take you out of that place, but that God will keep you there where God has provided you a unique opportunity to bear witness for Jesus Christ.”

But maintaining a credible witness involves more than simply being able to recite the four spiritual laws.  We bear witness both by our lips and our lives.  And what we do in our lives is even more important than what we say with our lips.  There is a conduct befitting the gospel (Cf. Philippians 1:27).  There ought to be a difference in the behavior of the Christian.  We are called to that: “This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk” (Ephesians 4:17).

This difference applies to our conduct in many ways:

• In the way that we love one another (John 13:34-35).
• In the hope we possess (1 Peter 3:15).
• In the wisdom we exercise in our conduct (Colossians 4:5).
• In our blameless and innocent, above reproach conduct (Philippians 2:15).
• And in our thankfulness. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

In a world that is given to grumbling and disputing, we as God’s children, are called to a very different kind of behavior.  There is something very attractive and winsome to gratefulness.  What does the world see in you when you are confronted by difficult circumstances?  Do people see you grumbling and disputing, or do they see you trusting and thanking?  You either adorn the gospel or distract from it depending on your response.

The unbeliever instinctively knows that it is inconsistent for a believer (by definition “one who trusts God”) to grumble and complain in his or her difficulties.  Years ago, I came across this letter to Dear Abby: “Dear Abby, I work in the medical profession where the profession is supposed to be sympathetic and caring, right?  Well, as I write this letter, a co-worker is cursing and complaining about the blanket-blank patients, the working conditions, the shortage of help, space, telephones, etc.  But what really bugs me most about this woman is the fact that she is a devout churchgoer.  Her conversations are always peppered with “the Lord this” and “the Lord that.”  I have great difficulty understanding the inconsistencies between her professed faith and her actions.  Although I am not an active member of my church, I wouldn’t treat a dog the way that this woman treats people.”

Every month some ladies from our church meet at a restaurant for a Ladies’ Lunch.  They rotate the venue from month to month so that meeting is held at different locations.  Some months ago, they had an especially large gathering.  And the restaurant wasn’t adequately prepared for that number of diners.  They didn’t have sufficient staff to cook and serve the ladies.  Some had to wait as long as an hour to get their meal.  But the ladies were gracious and understanding in their dealings with the waiter.  They didn’t withhold their tips.  And in doing that they adorned the gospel.  They maintained a credible witness before the staff.  What would have happened if they had grumbled and complained instead?  As people are oftentimes prone to do.

CONCLUSION

If you are like me, you grumble and complain too much.  We, as believers, have good reason to be thankful.  By God’s grace we are all doing better than we deserve.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are” (1 John 3:1).

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things” (Romans 8:32).

We have good reason to be overflowing with gratitude, giving thanks in everything!

Why not grumble?

• Because grumbling is sinful!
• Because grumbling stifles your growth in Christ.
• Because grumbling silences your witness for Jesus.

“Do all things without grumbling and disputing.”

Philippians 2:12-13

INTRODUCTION

John Newton, “I’m a great sinner, but Christ is a great Savior!”

Salvation is a miracle.  By a miracle of God’s grace, a rebel sinner is forgiven, transformed, and brought into God’s presence.

It is a miracle in every tense—past, present, and future.

It is a miracle when those who are dead in their sins are made alive together with Christ and forgiven of their sins.

It is a miracle when the Spirit works in us transforming us from one state of glory to the next unto Christlikeness.

It is a miracle when Christ transforms the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.

Sanctification is no less a miracle than justification or glorification.  None of them are possible apart from God’s grace and the inner-working of the Spirit of God.

According to Ephesians 4:22-24 sanctification involves the putting off of sin, the renewing of the mind, and the putting on of Christlikeness.

But here’s the problem.  Sin is too tenacious and overwhelming of a foe.  Christlikeness is elusive and impossible for us as an objective.

The Christian life is sometimes compared to a race that we are to run.  To run with endurance.  But it is impossible for any of us to run the race with endurance were it not for God working in us.

The Christian life is sometimes compared to a good fight to be fought.  There is the need to finish the fight and keep the faith.  But none of us could ever hope to do that apart from the inner working of God in our lives.

We are prone to think of our Christianity on the horizontal plane.  That it is up to us in our own strength to do certain things not do certain things to reach our objective.  We need to try harder to be and do better.  But that’s not the way that God has designed things to work.  Apart from the Lord Jesus we can’t do a thing.  The Christian life is instead a walk of faith in which we walk by the Spirit in submission, yieldedness, trust, and obedience.

Fortunately, it is not up to us to do the work.  God is at work in us to will and to work.  God is at work in us to will.  That willingness when it comes to the things of God comes from Him.  He planted that there in your heart.  You see others living their lives as if there is no God.  They have no concern for Him or desire for Him.  God did a good work in you when He brought life to your soul.  Not only did He implant in you a willingness, He is even now at work in you to direct you in His will.  The Spirit Himself, the Helper, indwells you.  And He speaks in a still, small voice leading you in the will of God.

And God is at work in you to work.  He is at work in you.  Not on you.  Not against you.  In you.  This impossible task of sanctification is possible because God is at work in you.

SERMON

1. God is at Work in You

“It is God”

It is God, the creator of all things, who is at work in you.  When it comes to your salvation, others—fellow believers, church leaders, etc.—have a role.  But ultimately it is God who is at work.

And how incredible is this truth!  The God of all creation is at work in you.  The One who raised Christ from the dead is at work in you.  The One who works all things according to the council of His will is at work in you.  Look, how vast is His universe!  He rules over it all.  Yet He has taken a person interest in you and me as His children with respect to our salvation.

Note what it says—“He is at work IN you.”  Note that it does not say that He is at work ON you.  Or, TO you.  Or, TOWARDS you.  Or, even FOR you.”  It says IN you.

This work of salvation is not a religious thing.  It is not about going to church and doing other religious things and being conformed on the outside to some kind of religious template of what we think a religious person should be.

It is the inside-out transformation into Christ’s image that works to change every part of us—body, soul and spirit.  1 Thessalonians 5:23, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He is at work in us by the Spirit who indwells us.  And make no mistake about it—this work of sanctification is a Spirit-led and empowered work.  There is no other way by which it can happen.  But by the Spirit God has purposed to take us, rebel sinners that we were, and transform us into conformity with Christ and His glory.  2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

God is at work in you.  The term translated work is related to our word “energy.”  It means “to energize, to work effectively.”  He is at work in us.  He is effectively working in us to accomplish His purpose with respect to salvation.  In Ephesians chapter 2 we read of the grace and mercy of God.  How He has taken us, who were dead in our trespasses and sins, and saved us.  He made us alive together with Christ (2:5).  We are reminded in verses 8-9 that salvation is by grace through faith, and not of works.  And then in verse 10 we have this wonderful statement, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.”

We are His workmanship.  We are His “work of art.”  We are His “masterpiece.”  The same term translated “workmanship” here is used in Romans 1:20 in describing God’s creation.  And as God’s creation works to display His eternal power and divine attributes, so God is at work in you to that same end.  We are His workmanship.  You are His workmanship.  You have been born again to that.  And He is at work in you that His glory might be revealed in and through you.

And when it comes to this matter of salvation all the resources of the Godhead have been availed to the believer.  In His working God has left nothing out.  2 Peter 1:3-4, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who has called us by His own glory and excellence.  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

So, beloved, God is at work in you…

• He’s at work in you according to His plan. Romans 8:28-30.  “God causes all things to work together for good.”  He’s at work in you.  Note the repetition here in verses 29-30.  And note here God’s grand objective for you—to be conformed to the image of His Son.  But God is working in you.  He foreknew.  He predestined.  He called.  He justified.  He glorified.  He’s at work in you and there is no one who can stand in His way (8:31).  He’s at work in you and He will give all and do all necessary to finish the work that He started (8:32).
• He’s at work in you by His grace. Read Ephesians 1:3-14 and 2:10. Look at all that God has done in you by His grace!  To His glory!  The riches of His grace being manifest in you.  It’s all by grace.  Your salvation.  Your spiritual gifts.  Your Christian growth.  The grace prepared for you in His coming again.  Every good work that you will ever do.  “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe it all to thee.”  He is even now working by His grace in you.  1 Corinthians 15:9-10.
• He’s at work in you according to His power. Ephesians 3:19-21.
• He’s at work in you as a loving father. Hebrews 12:1-10.  Earthly fathers discipline their own children as seems best to them.  Our heavenly father is at work in us.  He disciplines us according to His love that we might share His holiness.
• He’s at work in you as a great physician. Jeremiah 17:9-10.  Hebrews 4:12-13.
• He’s at work in you as a master potter. Jeremiah 18:1-4.
• He’s at work in you as a divine husbandman. John 15:1-5.
• He’s at work in you by the Spirit. This work of Sanctification is a work of the Spirit.  2 Corinthians 3:18. 2 Thessalonians 2:13.  Philippians 3:3.

Joel Hemphill, “He’s still working on Me, to make me what I ought to be.  It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.  How loving and perfect He must be, cause He’s still working on me.”

2. God is at work in you to will

Verse 12 speaks to an obedience to the Lord that is at the heart level.

Verse 14 speaks to how we are “to do all things without grumbling or complaining.”

The verse is speaking to a God-given, Spirit-imparted, willingness and affection for the things of God.

Note that we did not previously have such a thing.  Colossians 1:21. Rebel-sinners have no interest whatsoever in doing that which is pleasing to God.  Something must be done to change that.

God is the initiator in all things spiritual.  John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.”  It is the Spirit who convicts of sin and presses upon the sinner the need to find salvation.  It is the Spirit who opens blinded eyes to the glory of the Lord Jesus.  It is by the Spirit that a person is born again.  And that person is, from that point forward, indwelt by the Spirit.

Years ago, that great Theologian Jonathan Edwards wrote a book entitled “The Religious Affections.”  In that book he addressed the affections for the things of God that give evidence of a person’s born-again condition—a desire for obedience, for the Word, for fellowship, etc.

A great example of what we are talking about is evidenced in what happened at Pentecost.  The Apostle Peter delivered his great sermon to a group of Jews.  Amongst his hearers were some who had previously mocked and insulted Jesus.  Peter indicted them, saying that they themselves had nailed Jesus to the cross (Acts 2:23).  And as Peter preached the Spirit was working to convict of sin and open the eyes of these folks to the glory of Jesus.  And they believed in Jesus and were saved.  And the first thing we read about these new believers is of their devotion to Jesus (Acts 2:42).  They had previously cursed and mocked Him, but now they love Him and are continually devoted to hearing His Word, fellowshipping with His people, and sharing in His communion.  God was at work in them to will.

Now when it comes to the things of God we need to understand this simple dynamic.  “The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).  The flesh has no interest in the things of God.  And we still, as believers, have the flesh.  There is a part of us—having to do with self-interests and self-wisdom and self-effort—that has no interest in the things of God.  Romans 7:18, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.”  In writing to believers, Paul said, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit” (Galatians 5:17).

Unfortunately, religious self-effort (the flesh) is man’s fallback position when it comes to doing the things of God.  The church of Galatia, having been misled and deceived by false teachers, gravitated towards this.  Galatians 3:3, “Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”  They were trying to do that.  But to do such a thing is impossible because, as we have already noted, the flesh has no interest in the things of God.

This approach, attempting to substituting religious self-effort for that which can only be done by the Spirit, characterizes the day in which we live.   The Apostle Paul spoke to this when he wrote of the nature of things in the last days.  He said that people would be “holding to a form of godliness (or, religion), although they have denied its power.”  In other words, they would be externally religious, but their faith in God would be lacking and so would be any divine spiritual power associated with it.

Webster’s defines “willing” as being “inclined or favorably disposed in mind.”  From the divine perspective God has done and is doing everything necessary that we, as believers, might be “inclined and favorably disposed in mind” to the things that he is doing.  Having been indwelt by the Spirit of God we have a Helper who is with us, in us, always working lead and empower us.  He is the divine cheerleader when it comes to the things of God.  And He resides in us.  He mediates the presence of Christ to us and through us.  He is well able and divinely motivated in love in what He is doing.  He is purposed to transform us into the very image of Christ.  And if there is a problem when it comes to our own willingness, the problem lies on our side of the equation, not God’s.

The Spirit is at work in us not just to make us willing, but to lead us in the particulars of God’s will.  Romans 12:1-2.  As the Spirit of God works through the Word of God to renew our minds, he works that we might “prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”  He leads in our prayers.  Romans 8:26-27, “And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”  God is at work in us to will.  The Spirit not only makes us willing, when it comes to the things of God, He leads us in the particulars of God’s will.  He is able to put that in our hearts so that we know and do His will.

We’ve said it before.  Everything that God has given for us to do as believers is to be done “by the Spirit.”  And, according to that reality, it is important that He have the freedom to do what He has purposed to do.  To be filled with Him and to walk with Him is to put ourselves in a position of reckoning ourselves dead to self and utterly dependent on Him to lead and empower us.

How thankful we should be for this reality—that God is at work in us “to will.”  Were it not for His work how could we ever make the journey.  The journey is too long, the obstacles too great, our frailties too many.  We’d long ago have given up.  But we find in the Spirit One who is always working to turn out attention back to Jesus.  In a still small voice He speaks to us in our discouraging times.  He kindles afresh a love for Jesus in our hearts so that we might say to God, when it comes to the things of God, “Here I am, Lord, send me.”

What if you are not in this place?  1 John 5:3 says, “His commandments are not burdensome.”  But what if they are to you.  What is there is no willingness?  What if everything has become nothing more than religious obligation.  You’ve tried harder to be better, but you have no heart for the things of God—no desire for the Word, or fellowship, or prayer.  No yearnings for God.  No heart for truth.  Then it’s time for some Spirit-led self-examination.  Are you born again?  Have you sincerely trusted in Jesus for salvation?  And if you have, have you grieved or quenched the Spirit?  Have your sins piled up without confession to God (1 John 1:9).  Don’t be satisfied with a form of Christianity that is nothing more than going through the motions, God has designed and equipped us for something far better than that.

3. God is at work in you to work

In verse 12 we are exhorted to “work out our salvation.”  But verse 13 makes it clear that there cannot be any working out without God working in.

Not only is God at work in the sense of “willing” us to do, He is at work in the “doing” part also.

Any work done by us can be traced ultimately back to God.  Apart from His intervention there are no “good works” done by man (at least in so far as God defines good).  Romans 3:12, “There is none who does good, there is not even one.”

But the born-again believer, the child of God indwelt by the Spirit, is a new creation of God.  He’s been saved by God’s grace to do good works by God’s grace.

The same Greek term is used here as is used earlier in the verse.  God is working effectively in you to work effectively for His good pleasure.  And it is important to understand that this is all by God’s grace.  Every aspect of salvation is by God’s grace.  Ephesians 2:8-9 speaks to the justification side of things when it says that salvation is by grace through faith.  Ephesians 2:10 speaks to the sanctification part of the matter.  And note what it says.  The good works that God has for us to do are good works prepared ahead of time by Him.  We can take no credit for the doing of them.

This dynamic with respect to God’s working is best illustrated by what we see in John chapter 15.  God wants us to bear fruit.  In fact, the text speaks to fruit (15:2), more fruit (15:2); much fruit (15:8) and abiding fruit (15:16).  There are two key terms in the passage: fruit and abide.  Now when it comes to fruit we can relate this to varying aspects of the Christian life: salvation; the fruit of the Spirit; Christian growth; Christian witness; good works; love for one another—all things that flow out of our relationship with Jesus.

Now the illustration that is used to describe this relationship between Christ and us is that of a vine and branches.  So, when it comes to fruit-bearing, in whatever sense we want to understand that, the key is abiding in Christ.  It is our relationship to Him that makes the difference when it comes to fruit bearing.  In fact, apart from that relationship there can be no fruit, as Jesus made clear: “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (15:5).  But if we abide in Him, by abiding in His Word and abiding in His love (15:7-9), then we are in a position in which divine power and divine love can flow through us such that good fruit is produced—not by us, but by God.

So, the key to working out our salvation is never trying harder to be better in our own strength.  They key is abiding in Christ and depending on Him and allowing Him to use us as He will.

This is all according to what Paul later wrote: “I’ve been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).  So, Christ lives in me.  I do not work in my own strength.  I don’t have the strength.  Apart from Jesus I can’t do a thing.  Instead I work according to the “strength that God supplies” (1 Peter 4:11).  I work according to the truth of Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Let me share with you another text that speaks to this dynamic.  When it comes to this work of salvation, God is doing a work in you that transcends our ability to comprehend.  He has purposed to fill you up—and I speak to believers in Christ—to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19).  Now that that is a reality that goes way beyond our capacity to imagine.  What does it mean to be filled up to all the fullness of God?  We’ll find out when we are in glory with Jesus.  In the mean time we understand that God is doing a work that is exceeding, abundantly beyond all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).  Now note in the text the means by which He is doing that work is “according to the power that works within us” (Ephesians 3:20).  The term “works” translates the same term we find in Philippians 2:13. The term “power” translates the Greek term “dunamis” (which speaks to power, force, or ability).  The same term is used in Romans 1:20 in speaking of the power of God by which He created all things.  It is used in Ephesians 1:19 where it speaks of “the surpassing greatness of His power” that was revealed in His raising Jesus from the dead.  So, His creative power and resurrection power is at work in us.  He is working in us.  And note this—what He has purposed to do in us could never happen any other way.  Salvation, in every tense, is a miracle.  And we don’t have to wonder as to God’s desire or ability to do it.  The question is our we willing to trust Him?   The question is our we on board with His dying to self and allowing the Spirit to fill us and to lead us and empower us.  Are we willing to submit ourselves to Him in the work that He is doing?  Are we willing to put ourselves in a position of absolute dependence on Him in the work that He is doing?

CONCLUSION

Now this work in you, to will and work, is to an even grander purpose.  It is to His good pleasure.

The term that is used here is used 2X in Ephesians chapter 1 (1:5 and 1:9).  There it is translated “kind intention.”

What is this good pleasure, this kind intention, of God?  He’s doing all that He is doing to reveal in and through you the true nature of His character.  To reveal His glory.  Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14, 2:7; 2:10; 3:10.

His work in us pleases Him.  We are His workmanship, His “work of art” (Ephesians 2:10).  He is the Master Potter, we are the clay.  He’s got a great purpose for us—to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).  That work, and its ultimate goal, is something that brings pleasure to Him.  It is good inasmuch as nothing better works to reveal His goodness (Psalm 119:68) and glory of His grace than the salvation of sinners and their subsequent transformation, by His grace, unto Christlikeness.

Since it is God’s good pleasure to work in us in such manner, it is befitting that we should cooperate with Him in the work that He is now doing in us.  So, we work out our salvation in fear and trembling, seeking always to do that which pleases Him (2 Corinthians 5:9).

Philippians 2:12-13

INTRODUCTION

“Your salvation.”

Is there anything of greater importance or value than this?

In the negative sense you have been saved from sin’s guilt and God’s wrath.

In the positive sense you are being saved from sin’s power unto eternal glory.

This salvation has come to you as a gift from God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for your sins.

And you now possess this salvation.  But what are you to do with it?  How are you to work it out?  What does God expect from you?  What are the attitudes and actions that God expects from you with respect to this treasured possession you now possess?

Before we dig deeper into this passage we need to explain a few things:

The “so then” in verse 12 is important.  It refers back to what we learned regarding the Lord Jesus in His humility and subsequent exaltation.  We see how He did what He did “by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  And that obedience is a key theme in our passage.  We are called to follow in the example of the Lord Jesus Christ.  And, amongst other things, we are to follow Him in His example of obedience.  We are to be “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2).  He has been set before us as an example in every way and in this particular way also.  He obeyed.  We are called to obedience.

The “my beloved” identifies Paul’s audience to be those who have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ.  Those who have been “born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s family divine,” as the song puts it.  They are those who experienced the inner-working of the Spirit.  They were born of the Spirit and indwelt by the Spirit.  Philippians 2:12-13 is addressed to believers.  It is only those who God has first worked in, with respect to salvation, that can subsequently work out their salvation.

A key phrase in the text is this: “work out your salvation.”  And that has caused some confusion.  Some misread this and erroneously suppose that we are to somehow work for our salvation.  But that would contradict other Scriptures.  Ephesians 2:8-9 for example, which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.”  Likewise, Titus 3:4-5, “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

We’ve stated it this way: “Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.”  It is not by works.

So how are you to understand this call to “work out your salvation?”  A key is to understand salvation in its three tenses.  The author of Hebrews speaks of salvation this way: “Hence, also, He is able to save forever (or, to the uttermost) those who draw near to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25).

So, what are the various aspects of this “salvation to the uttermost?”  There are three tenses to salvation:

Past tense.  Justification.  Salvation from the penalty of sin.  When a person puts their trust in Jesus for salvation they are “once for all” declared to be righteous on the basis of their relationship to Jesus Christ.  His righteousness is imputed to that person.  Romans 5:1, “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Future tense.  Glorification.  Salvation from the presence of sin.  There will come a day—either by your own death or through the rapture—when you are brought into the presence of the Lord Jesus.  And a marvelous thing will happen on that day, as Philippians 3:21 puts it: “(He) will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”  As with justification, this is a “moment in time” kind of thing.  It will happen all at once.

Present tense.  Sanctification.  Salvation from the practice of sin.  In theological terms we speak of this as “progressive sanctification,” since it incremental.  It is a work of the Spirit by which we are practically set apart from sin and unto Christlikeness.  Let me highlight a couple of texts having to do with this.  1 Thessalonians 4:3, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”  2 Thessalonians 2:13b, “God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”

Now our text lies in the realm of this aspect of salvation.  The sanctification part.  That part that has to do with the Spirit’s work of transforming us from the rebel sinners which we were into the Christlikeness God has called us to.  And in this part of salvation there is something we are called upon to do.  Now we need to be careful here, because some have come to some wrong conclusions when it comes to the matter of sanctification.  And we’ve spent some time in the past considering these matters.  Salvation in all three aspects is “by grace.”  We are justified by grace, sanctified by grace, and we will be glorified by God’s grace.  It all happens by the “unmerited favor” and strengthening on God’s grace.  And were it not for God’s grace there would be no salvation in any sense or any tense.  We have also considered the working of the Spirit with respect to these matters.  All that God calls upon the believer to do is to be done “by the Spirit.”  Later in this epistle Paul will address this, saying: “For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).  We put no confidence in the flesh when it comes to justification.  We put no confidence in the flesh with respect to sanctification.  We put no confidence in the flesh when it comes to glorification.

Having said all that, it is important that we avoid either of two extremes when it comes to our understanding of this matter.  It has been said that heresy is truth taken in its extreme.  And there are extremes for us to avoid when it comes to sanctification.  These two extremes could be labeled “quietism” and “pietism.”

Years ago, I read the classic Christian book entitled “The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life,” by Hannah Whitall Smith.  Those who have read the book will know that its main premise is that familiar phrase which speaks to the need for us to “let go and let God.”  Now there is an element of truth in that.  The realization that God is sovereignly working in our lives and we need to let Him work matters out.  We might even extend upon that truth and support it with other Scriptures, like Philippians 1:6 (“He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”).  So, the quietest might say that there is no need for us to do anything.  We can sit back and relax.  By the way…have you heard about these new cars that can drive themselves.  Tesla has designed a self-driving car.  It has sensors and cameras that allow the car to know where it is going.  All you have to do is climb in and turn it on and it will take you where you want to go.  The only problem is that the technology is not quite perfected.  Tragically, about a week ago, a man was driving such a car with the autopilot feature turned on.  The car and the driver both failed to see the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied.  And there was a crash and the driver died.  Brethren, the Christian life is not to be lived out on “autopilot.”  God has things for you to do.  To be sure, they can only be done by God’s grace, by the Spirit, but that doesn’t negate the fact that you have been given certain responsibilities with respect to your salvation.  It is hazardous for you to not take your responsibilities with respect to your salvation seriously.

The other error to be avoided is pietism.  Another term we might use for this is legalism.  This is the religious approach to the Christian life which wrongly overemphasizes that the duty of the Christian is to merely obey certain rules and regulations.  Paul confronted this error in his letter to the Colossians, saying, “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourselves to decrees, such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’  (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?  These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body but are of no value against fleshly indulgence” (Colossians 2:20-23).  The fundamental error of the pietist is that he wrongly supposes he has it in himself to do that which God requires of him.  Religion is no substitute to being filled with the Spirit and walking by the Spirit and doing the things that God calls upon us to do “by the Spirit.”  And by way of my earlier example—the car driven by autopilot—the pietist stands on the other extreme.  He’s like Fred Flintstone in the old cartoon.  He’s got a car devised of giant tree limbs and granite stones.  The wheels themselves probably weigh several tons.  But he jumps in his animated car and pedals his feet and the car goes.  But that could only happen because it was a cartoon.  And it is cartoonish to suppose that we can work out our salvation in our wisdom and strength and get anywhere close to where we are supposed to be going.

So, the quietist says you don’t need to do anything, “let go and let God.”

And the pietist says that you need to do everything, it’s all up to you to “get ‘er done.”

Now our passage speaks to balance of understanding that we are to maintain with respect to our sanctification.  God has something for you to do—work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”  But that which God has given for you to do can only be done because God is at work in you both to will and work for His good pleasure.

Before we leave this point, let’s consider a couple of passages which also illustrate this dynamic.  And before we do let’s reconsider what we are talking about.  Verse 12 speaks to man’s responsibility with respect to sanctification.  Verse 13 speaks to God’s sovereignty in that process.  Sometimes we like to camp on either side of this equation.  But they are intertwined. Colossians 1:28-29, “And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.  And for this purpose, also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”  1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace towards me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”  Paul labored, yet it wasn’t by His strength—it was the grace and power of God working in him.

So, we are called to work out our salvation, but verse 12 would be an impossibility were it not for verse 13.

Having said all of that, let’s look at the attitudes/actions we need to be careful to maintain when it comes to this matter of sanctification.

MESSAGE

1. Obedience to the Lord

Obedience = “to hear under.”  Has the basic meaning of listening to or of placing oneself under what is heard and therefore submitting and obeying what is heard.

Now the term is used a couple of times in this passage.  It is there in verse 8.  “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  In the God-man, Jesus Christ, we find the lone example of perfect obedience.  He always obeyed, and, in His obedience, He submitted Himself to the Father every step of the way.  And in His obedience, He died on a cross, thus fulfilling the Father’s will.  And He is an example to us in every possible way, and especially in His obedience.

The term is used again in verse 12.  The verse speaks of the obedience that had been demonstrated already by these Philippian believers: “just as you have always obeyed.”  Now this obedience came about as a direct result of their salvation.  These folks weren’t born to it.  They were born sin rebels just as all men are.  Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Colossians 1:21 speaks to the natural state of men—“alienated from God, hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds.”  But they had trusted in Jesus.  And they were forgiven.  And they were born again.  And they were made to be new creatures in Christ.  And they were given a heart to love and serve Jesus.  And we should note that there are only two classifications of folks, those who are still in their sins, “children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3), and those who have been born again and are the children of God.  1 John 3:10 speaks to this: “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”  But a change took place in these folks and that change was made evident in that these previous sin rebels were given a heart to obey.  1 Peter 1:1b-2, “Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may OBEY Jesus Christ.”

Paul then speaks to his desire for these believers—“not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.”  Paul was concerned that they might continue in their obedience to the Lord even in his absence.  Now this is an important point from which we can draw some very practical conclusions.  The obedience called for, in working out one’s salvation, is a heart level obedience unto the Lord.  To be sure, there can be some degree of dichotomy between how we behave in the presence of some sort of authority and how we behave when that authority is not around.  This is true for children who are not around their parents.  Of employees when the boss is not around.  Or believers when they are not at church or around the pastor or church leaders.  Ephesians 6:5 speaks to this: “Slaves, be obedient to the those who are masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice.”  What is “eyeservice?”  It is that kind of service that is only rendered when the master is watching?  Now that’s not going to cut it when it comes to “working out your salvation.”  What is necessary is a responsiveness to the Lord in obedience both in public and in private.  Whether anyone is watching or not.  The kind of obedience that only happens when others are watching might work to impress others, but it won’t fool God and will do nothing of value when it comes to the matter of working out your salvation.

Having said that, obedience to the Lord is the one most important thing that you bring when it comes to the “working out your salvation” matter.  We might speak of it as maintaining a responsiveness to the Lord.  He speaks, and you listen and you obey.  God said it this way: “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66:2).  The true blessings God intends for you can only be possessed this way.  There are no promises given to those who merely hear the Word of God, the blessings are promised to those who hear and do.  James 1:21-25, “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.  But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.  But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”

John MacArthur comments that Paul’s “point is that there is never a time when a true believer is not responsible to obey the Lord. Believers must never be primarily dependent on their pastor, teacher, Christian fellowship, or anyone else for their spiritual strength and growth. Their supreme example is the Lord Jesus Christ, and their true power comes from the Holy Spirit. Believers, gratefully, are never without Christ’s example and never without the Spirit’s power.”

2. Reverence of the Lord

“phobos and tromos”

Fear (phobos) = to flee from or to be startled.  In some contexts, it speaks of reverence.

Trembling (tromos) = tremble, gives us our English word “tremor;” quaking with fear or quivering.”

One translation renders the two terms “reverence and awe.”  The two terms are used in combination elsewhere of Paul in reference to what is to be the attitude of a slave towards its master (Ephesians 6:5) or the attitude in which he himself preached before the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 2:3).

We all have phobias.  Some are afraid of the water.  Others are afraid of heights.  Some people are afraid of spiders or snakes.  A lot of people have a fear of speaking in public.  Ask most people what they are afraid of and they probably won’t say that they have a phobia when it comes to thinking about the serious nature of their salvation.  They won’t say “my salvation is a priceless gift, I’m afraid of messing things up!”

We have good reason to approach the matter of our salvation with “fear and trembling.”  And it is not the fear of losing our salvation or of God abandoning us, for He has promised to never do that.  It is a holy dread of displeasing Him.

The roots of this fear and trembling lie in our understanding of who He is and who we are.  In the context we understand who He is.  The God-man, Jesus Christ, came to earth and took on manhood and servanthood and died for our sins.  God exalted Him to the highest place.  He’s coming again, and every knee will bow to Him and every tongue will confess Him to be Lord.  By grace we understand this reality.  All will be brought into submission to Him in His Lordship, but we’ve already confessed Him to be Lord.  And we know that He’s coming again.  And we are being prepared for that day.  And when He comes we will give account to Him.  2 Corinthians 5:9-11a, “Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men.”

We “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” because, as Colossians 3:24 puts it, “It is the Lord Christ whom (we) serve.”

And on the other side of the equation there is fear and trembling because we are aware of our own weakness and vulnerability.  We have come to a place where we don’t trust in ourselves.  We know that the world, the flesh, and the devil are all set against us.  In fighting the good fight of faith, we understand that we are in the “fight of our lives.”  These enemies we face are too strong for us.  “The Devil, prowls about as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  The world is at work to conform us to its own anti-God way of thinking and living.  The “flesh sets its desire against the Spirit” (Galatians 5:17).  These entities are always working to destroy and discourage us.  They work against our every move when it comes to the pursuit of holiness.  So, we don’t trust ourselves.  We know that we don’t have it in us when it comes to “working out our salvation.”  We treat the matter with a degree of reverence and awe because we realize what’s at stake.  We are guarded in every step.  We look to Jesus.  We are careful to take up the whole armor of God realizing that without it we could never be strong and brave to face the foe.

By way of practice this “fear and trembling” attitude reveals itself in how we approach our Christian lives.

Our salvation is something far more demanding than simply going to church once a week.

It cannot be a “going through the motions” kind of thing.

Not doing what we consider to be the “bare minimum” of that which is necessary.

J. C. Ryle, “If there is anything which a man ought to do thoroughly, authentically, truly, honestly, and with all of his heart, it is the business of his soul. If there is any work which he ought never to slight, and do in a careless fashion, it is the great work of “working out his own salvation”

3. Dependence on the Lord

“For it is God who is at work in your both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

Verse 13 comes before verse 12 in our Bibles, but the truth and reality of verse 13 precedes verse 12 in our experience.  Verse 12 speaks to human responsibility.  Verse 13 speaks to divine enablement.  But there can be no response by us if God is not working in us to enable.

Note that the verse speaks to two separate things.  God empowers both our “doing” (energeo, the verb just used to describe God’s “working”) and the “willing” that lies behind the doing.

God empowers the doing.  Ephesians 2:8-10 speaks to God’s working with respect to salvation.  And we readily understand the reality that salvation is by grace (i.e. God’s unmerited favor).  But we sometimes don’t read all the way through verse 10.  Verse 10 speaks to the “sanctification” aspect of salvation.  And there are a couple of things that are noteworthy in this verse.  We are His “workmanship.”  We are God’s “work of art.”  We are His beautiful creation.  That’s true of us both individually and corporately.  This work of salvation is not a human engineered or human achieved kind of thing.  It is a work that God is doing start to finish.  And to emphasize this “by grace” understanding, Paul notes that the works we’ve been called to are works “which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).  So, it is all by grace and His grace is all sufficient.

Look again to Ephesians 3:20.  Verse 19 anticipates the finished work of salvation, when we will be “filled up to all the fullness of God.”  In this context Paul glorifies God since it is He who is “able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Ephesians 3:20).  There is a power that is working within us that enables us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.”  This power is the power of the Spirit of God.  He is ever working in us.  We have noted in previous studies that everything God has given to us do as Christians is to be done “by the Spirit.”  This is according to what Jesus taught.  John 6:63, “It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing.”  Matthew 26:41, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  Philippians 3:3, “For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”  This needs to be our understanding about such things.  All that God has given for us to do can only be done by the Spirit.  We pray by the Spirit.  We understand and heed the Word by the Spirit.  We fellowship by the Spirit.  We put off sin by the Spirit.  We grow in Christ by the Spirit.  It is the Spirit who is at work in us to will and to work for God’s good pleasure.

Now for some this will require a reorientation of things.  The church in Galatia got things turned around.  They had been born again by the Spirit but then they were misled into believing that they could work out their salvation in their own strength.  So, Paul said to them: “Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3).  Another way of saying that would be “Having been saved through the work of the Spirit are you now attempting to work out your salvation in your own strength.  I’ve said it before and it bears repeating—religious doings are no substitute for the inner leading and empowerment of the Spirit.  To attempt to do what God has given for us to do in our own strength is like trying to drive a car without turning the ignition.  You can sit in the driver’s seat. You can even grab and turn the wheel and press on the gas pedal.  It might look like you are driving a car, but that car isn’t going anywhere.

The dynamic needs to be understood according to the reality of Galatians 2:20, “I’ve been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”

Warren Wiersbe tells of a frustrated Sunday school teacher whose class wasn’t growing as it should. She wore herself out working harder and harder, yet nothing changed. Finally, after recognizing that her ministry was self-motivated and self-activated, things began to change. “I’ve learned to draw constantly on the Lord’s power,” she said, “and things are different!”

We, as believers, are God’s work of art.  The One who created the heavens and the earth have created us anew in Christ Jesus and bestowed on us everything pertaining to life and godliness.  We are one with the One who died for sins and rose from the dead.  Sin has lost its power over us.  We’ve been created anew to walk in newness of life.  The newborn baby cries and wiggles and looks to its mother for nourishment.  The Creator has deemed things so.  There was a day when you were still dead in your sins and you showed no signs of life.  But then you were born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s family divine.  And then there were signs of life.  God was at work in you to will and to work.  Suddenly there were signs of life, what Jonathan Edwards referred to as “the religious affections.”  There was love and obedience and desire for truth and fellowship with God and your fellow Christians.  Those affections came from God himself.  That “willing” came from Him.  And that is where it must come from always.  And if the affections are somehow lacking we need to examine ourselves in our relationship to Him.  Have we grieved the Spirit?  Have we quenched the Spirit?  Have we lost the love we had at first?  Is there a need to remember and repent and to do the deeds we did at first (Cf. Revelation 2:5)?

J Lyth sums up God’s work this way…

God works:

SECRETLY — “in you.”

MEDIATELY — by His Word.

MIGHTILY — by His Spirit.

GRACIOUSLY — Of His good pleasure.

EFFECTUALLY — to will and to do.

James Hastings, “This virtually is what St. Paul says here: Work out your own salvation, for now the great impossibility has become possible; God is working in you; this is no hopeless task to which I am calling you, no fruitless beating of the air, no idle effort of the leopard to change his spots or the Ethiopian to wash himself white. The Lord is working in you, and He is mighty to save. Whatever impulse you feel, whatever goodwill to this work, look upon it as a token of His presence and of His readiness to help you in it; that is God working in you both to will it and to do it, for He has no feeling but one of goodwill to you.”

“For His good pleasure”

It’s a matter of worship.  Why do we exist?  Why are we here?  For what purpose were we created?  According to the catechism the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.  It is here where we find ourselves in harmony with God’s divine purpose.  And that He should do all that He has done to rescue us from our rebellion and make worshippers out of us speaks to His goodness, love and power.

The great Christian writer, A. W. Tozer, devotes a chapter to this subject in his book Whatever Happened to Worship. The chapter is entitled “Born to Worship God,” and it’s so good I almost decided to read his chapter to you today instead of preaching. In this chapter, he told a story. He said that he was waiting one day on a bench in front of City Hall when a stranger approached him. The man looked at him and smiled, but he seemed a little bewildered. Tozer said, “Do we know each other?” The man replied, “No, I don’t think so. I think I am in some kind of a jam.”

He went on: “Something has happened to me. I think I tripped and fell somewhere in the city and bumped my head. I cannot remember anything for sure. When I woke up I had been robbed. My wallet and all of my cards and papers were gone. I have no identification—and I do not know who I am.”

Tozer was just about to take the man to the police station when another man nearby let out a sudden shout and rushed over to the man and called him by name. “Where have you been and what have you been doing?”

The lost man looked at him strangely and said, “Do we know each other?”

“What? You don’t know me? We came to Toronto together three days ago. Don’t you know that we are members of the Philharmonic and that you are first violinist? We have filled our engagement without you and we have been searching everywhere for you!”

“Ah,” said the man, “so that’s who I am and that is why I am here!”

Tozer went on to say that the poor man in the story is emblematic of the human race. Many years ago, our forefather Adam had a fall and received a terrible bump. And ever since then, men and women on this planet have been walking around in a fog, not knowing who they are and why they are here. That’s why there is so much confusion in life, so much despair, so many addictions, so much entertainment, amusement, and diversions. But to be healthy and whole in life, we must have a clear sense of who we are and why we are here.

And with respect to our salvation that is who we are and why we are here.  We are His born-again children.  We are here being prepared for that great reunion that will take place when then blood-bought bride of Christ is brought into His glorious presence.  In the meantime, we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, wholly dependent on all of the resources He has graced us with.

William Temple defined worship this way…

Quickening the conscience by the holiness of God

Feeding the mind with the truth of God

Purging the imagination by the beauty of God

Opening the heart to the love of God

Devoting the will to the purpose of God.

And these are amongst the things that God does as He works in us to will and to work for His good pleasure.

CONCLUSION

William Hendriksen explains the working out process with several analogies writing that “The toaster cannot produce toast unless it is “connected,” so that its nichrome wire is heated by the electricity from the electric power house. The electric iron is useless unless the plug of the iron has been pushed into the wall outlet. There will be no light in the room at night unless electricity flows through the tungsten wire within the light-bulb, each end of this wire being in contact with wires coming from the source of electric energy. The garden-rose cannot gladden human hearts with its beauty and fragrance unless it derives its strength from the sun. Best of all, “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me” (John 15:4).  So here also. Only then can and do the Philippians work out their own salvation when they remain in living contact with their God…By means of his Spirit working in the hearts of his people, applying to these hearts the means of grace and all the experiences of life, God is the great and constant, the effective Worker, the Energizer, operating in the lives of the Philippians, bringing about in them both to will and to work.

Work out your salvation…

In Obedience to the Lord

In Reverence of the Lord

In Dependence on the Lord

Philippians 2:9-11

INTRODUCTION

Jesus.  No other name is more hated and more loved.

Years ago, I had a job at Trojan Nuclear Plant in the Training Department.  Most of my co-workers were ex-Navy guys as I was.  And they were prone to do a lot of cursing.  And one of their favorite curse words was “Jesus.”  And I remember how I would cringe when I heard them using His name in that derogatory way.  Silently, I’d pray “Lord, forgive them.”  But its striking to consider that amongst the various curse words that people use, “Jesus” or “Jesus Christ” is among the most popular.

By way of contrast, we have gathered here today to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.  We’ve prayed in His name.  Sung songs about Him.  And are now looking to His Word that He might instruct us in matters related to His Church.  We are here, as Philippians 3:3 puts it, to “worship in the Spirit and glory in Christ Jesus.”

The name of Jesus, which is despised by some, is adored by others.

Now we want to continue our study here in this incredibly important and relevant text, Philippians 2:9-11.  But before we do, we need to define some terms that we find here in this passage.  It will prove necessary for us to have a good grasp on these terms if we are going to understand.

Name.  The term “name” is used three times in verses 9 and 10.  Generally speaking the term “name,” as it is used in Scripture, represents not just one’s identity, but the total person—their character, authority, rank, power, etc.  And names were frequently given by God not merely to identify a person, but to identify them in their office or specific role in relationship to God.  For example, Abram—whose name meant “exalted father”—was given the name Abraham (“father of a multitude”), after God reaffirmed to him the covenant He made through which He promised to make Abraham “the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:5).  That’s just one example, but there are many more.  God gave Jacob the name Israel which means “he who strives with God” (Genesis 32:28).  Jesus gave “Cephas” the name “Peter” (which means “rock or stone”).

So, the name speaks to more than Jesus’ identity.  By the way…we use the name Jesus (at least we should use it) in this sense.  When it says those who “believe in His name” are given the right to become children of God, it is not speaking there about merely believing in His identity.  Its speaking about belief in His person.  And when we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we are not adding some kind of magical formula at the end of our prayers that guarantees that we will get what we want, we are submitting our prayers to the person of Jesus, His character, His purpose, His plan, and His will.

This passage speaks a lot about the name of Jesus, and you might note that He is referred to in a couple of ways.  The passage uses the singular name “Jesus.”  And it also uses the two names together, “Jesus Christ.”  It also speaks of the truth that “Jesus Christ is Lord.”  And all these terms are of great importance.

So, by way of introduction, let’s take a brief look at each of these names.  And we are going to do this backwards, leaving the name “Jesus” for last.

Lord = Greek “kurios” = “having power or authority.”  It was used in that day of owners and masters and fathers and such.  It was also used in the Septuagint version of the OT to translate the term Jehovah.  Jesus used the title in reference to Himself (Matthew 7:21).  Then in his first sermon, Peter applied the term to Jesus, saying, “God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).  Following the resurrection, with two exceptions (Acts 10:14; Revelation 7:14), there is no record of believers using the term kurios in addressing anyone except God and the Lord Jesus.  In other words, following the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, as far as believers in Christ were concerned, there was only worthy of the title Lord, and that was Jesus.  And in reference to Jesus the term is used in a very practical and relevant fashion in other texts:

• Salvation is to those who confess Him as Lord. Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”
• The believer is exhorted to set apart Jesus as Lord. 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.”

Christ.  The term means “anointed” and speaks to Jesus’ identity as the Messiah of Israel.  When Jesus asked His disciples of their understanding of His identity, Peter responded by saying, “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).  And Jesus affirmed Peter because, by divine revelation, Peter understood the truth about Jesus.  Later, following Christ’s resurrection and the out-pouring of the Spirit, Peter would declare: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).  And we should note, that in this very first sermon of Peter, the first sermon preached, we have the same terms used of Jesus that we find in Philippians 2:9-11.

Jesus.  The term is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name “Joshua.”  It was a common name up to the second century.  The term itself means “Jehovah saves.”  That’s the meaning of the name.  It is a name which expresses Christ’s humanity.  Now if we are going to appreciate the meaning of His name, “Jehovah saves,” we need to do a little background study.

The name “Jehovah” occurs over 6000 times and in every period of biblical Hebrew.  Because it was written without the vowels, there is some debate regarding its exact pronunciation.  So sometimes you will hear it as “Jehovah” and sometimes as “Yahweh.”  It is the name by which God revealed Himself to Moses.  Exodus 3:13-14, “Then Moses said to God, ‘Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’  What shall I say to them?”  And God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”  The NASB has a note regarding this expression, “I am,” which says: “Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered LORD, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be.”  So that’s where “Jehovah” or “Yahweh” comes from.  The name speaks to His self-existent nature and therefore His identity as our Creator God.

Now, Jehovah hears of the troubles of Israel, enslaved in Egypt as they were.  And He sends forth Moses as a deliverer.  And through God’s mighty hand the people are redeemed from Egypt.  And Moses and Israel respond by singing a song to the Lord.  We read of what they had to say in Exodus chapter 15.  But in Exodus 15:2 these say, “The Lord (Jehovah) is my strength and song and He has become by salvation.”  Jehovah, the self-existent One (the creator), is also our Savior.  He has worked to redeem us from slavery in Egypt and to set us free to serve Him.

As God has chosen His people.  And works to bring them into the promised land, He prescribes to them certain laws regarding the temple, the priesthood, and sacrifices, etc.  And these all are a part of His plan and speak to His provision of a future redeemer, the Messiah of Israel.

And this phrase, “The Lord has become my salvation,” is a phrase that speaks to all of this.  The fact that God worked to redeem His people from captivity and the fact that He has promised a future deliverer.  So, the phrase is repeated elsewhere:

• Psalm 18:2, “The Lord (Jehovah) is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.”
• Isaiah 12:2, “For the Lord God (Jehovah) is my strength and song, and He has become by salvation” (And Psalm 18:14).

Remember what I said, the name “Jesus” means “Jehovah saves.”  And the name Jehovah is the name by which God disclosed Himself to His people.  A Name which speaks to His self-existence and therefore His identity as the Creator.  And we should note that Jesus repeatedly used that expression, “I Am,” in reference to Himself.  In fact, on one occasion—during his arrest—He asked the arresting mob, “Whom do you seek?”  They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.”  And then Jesus said, “I am” (John 18:5).  The English text adds the word “He” in italics, but it’s not in the original.  He said literally “I Am.”  And do you know what happened when Jesus the Nazarene—who was purposing to go the cross to die for our sins—said “I Am” to that group of people?  “Where therefore He said to them, ‘I Am,’ the drew back and fell to the ground.”  Just a little side note.

But when Jesus was born we are told something about His name that is very important.  We read of it in Matthew chapter 1, verses 18-23.  The angel’s instructions were explicit.  The baby was to be given a particular name.  A name which was in keeping with His particular office and purpose.  It was also in keeping with all that was and is true about our God and in keeping with all that was prophesied regarding Him in Scripture.  The name is more than just His name, it represented all that was true of God in salvation.  Jesus means “Jehovah saves.”

Embodied in that name is the nature and character of God.  The types and prophecies of the Old Testament.  The purposed work of Jesus in dying in the cross.  The finished work of Jesus.  His death, resurrection, and ascension.  And His return.  In the beginning of our Bibles we read of the One who would come and bruise the head of Satan.  In the end of our Bibles we read about the Lamb who was slain and purchased for God men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  And central to it all is this truth which we’ve read about in Philippians 2:5-8, how God became man and died on a cross for our sins.

I’ve said before that you could summarize the message of the Bible in four words—“Man sins; God saves.”  And the name “Jesus” embodies these truths—“Jehovah saves.”  The main message of the entirety of your Bible is summed up in that one word—that one name—Jesus.

Now sometimes in Scripture we find Jesus referred to in alternative ways.  Sometimes he is referred to as “Jesus Christ,” as we have it here in verse 11.  And other times we find it in the reverse order, “Christ Jesus.”  Rarely do we find the simple term “Jesus” in the NT epistles as it is used here.  And it appears twice.

The disciples John and Peter and James and Jude refer to Jesus by using the two names in the order “Jesus Christ.”  And, of course, these men knew Him first by His human name and only fully comprehended that He was the Christ after His resurrection.  So, they used the name that reflected that.

The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, almost always referred to Jesus by using the two names “Christ Jesus.”  And the difference for Paul was that he first encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, and he encountered Him as the ascended Lord.

And as I’ve said, the name “Jesus” on its own is not typically found in the epistles.  So, the fact that it is found this way here is noteworthy.  As was mentioned before, the name emphasizes His humanity.  It was the name given to the human baby Jesus.  But embodied in Jesus and the name was the truth already spoken of—the truth that Jehovah saves.  But Jesus was His human name and as the God-become-man He humbled Himself in obedience to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore, God exalted Him, that is Jesus and gave Him the name which is above every name.

MESSAGE

The Preeminence of the Name:

In its Source

We read in Genesis chapter 11 how the residents of earth decided to build a tower, the tower of Babel.  They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”  And it is obvious that in sin this is something that we humans are inclined to do—“to make a name for ourselves.”

But Jesus didn’t make a name for Himself, God gave Him that name.  Note what the text says, “Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (2:9).

“Bestowed” translates the Greek term “charizomai” which is the verb form of the term “grace.”  It means to show favor, grant or bestow.  God “graced” Him with the name.  Now some are troubled by the fact that the giving of the name actually took place at His birth.  And they can’t understand how it would be that God would bestow the name on Him at a subsequent time.  But there is no contradiction here.  That name which was given to Him at His birth was affirmed in Him in His death for sins and resurrection from the dead.  Romans 1:4 speaks of how Jesus Christ was “declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.”  Wasn’t Jesus already the Son of God before the resurrection?  Of course, He was (and is).  But what was true of Him was affirmed and declared through His resurrection.  And in the same manner, His name Jesus, meaning “Jehovah Saves” was affirmed in every way when He completed His saving work on the cross.

Hebrews 1:3b-4 puts it this way: “When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.”

So, keep that in mind, next time you hear someone using “Jesus” name for a curse word.  That name was a name given to Him by God Himself.

In its Station

“Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (2:9).

God graced Jesus with a name that is above every name.  We read in the book of Acts of how Jesus sent forth His disciples to bear witness of Him.  And their efforts were met with both success and opposition.  In Acts chapter 4 we read of how the religious leaders threatened Peter and John, commanding them “to peak no more to any man in this name (i.e. the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18). And of course, they refused to abide by that.  They kept on preaching.  So, the apostles were put in jail again.  But an angel of the Lord set them free.  The religious leaders captured them again and reminded them how they had given them “strict orders not to continue teaching in this name” (Acts 5:28).  The religious leaders were befuddled as to what to do with these men.  So, they held a council.  And Gamaliel stood up and said (Acts 5:35-39):

“Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.  After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. So, in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

And, of course, the apostles kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.  But we should note that there were others that were claiming to be somebodies, and their plans and actions came to not.  And since those days, two thousand years ago, there have been plenty of nobodies claiming to be somebodies, and their plans and actions came to not.  And in our day, there are still plenty of nobodies claiming to be somebodies, and their actions will come to not.  But not so with Jesus.  He’s been given the name that is above every name.

Someone has compiled a list of the top ten famous people in all of human history.  They compiled the list according to the number of Google searches done on these names and the approximate number of books written about them.  Here’s the list:

#10: Sir Isaac Newton

#9: Leonardo da Vinci

#8: William Shakespeare

#7: Adolf Hitler

#6: The Apostle Paul

#5: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

#4: Moses

#3: Abraham

#2: Muhammad

#1: Jesus of Nazareth

He’s number one on that list right now—a list compiled according to the number of Google searches and approximate number of books written about Him—but to-be-sure not everyone would put Him at the top of their list.  There will come a day when He will be at the top of everyone’s list.

Years ago, a man wrote something he called “One Solitary Life”: “Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.  He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself…While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.  Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.  I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.

In its Sway

Note the repeated use of the word “every.”  His name is above EVERY name.  EVERY knee will bow to Him.   EVERY tongue will confess Him.

There have been a lot of despots in the history of men who have endeavored to rule over people by force.  At the time in which Paul wrote this epistle Caesar reigned over an empire which included about 57 million people.  Hitler tried to rule the world, but failed.  Mao Tse Tung ruled over some 1 billion people as the communist dictator.  His government was responsible, through famine, executions, and other means—for the deaths of approximately 50 million people.  There are today rulers in our world who would love to bring every human being on this planet into submission—the rulers of N. Korea, Iran, and ISIS—to name a few.

The Psalmist spoke prophetically of such things in Psalm 2:

¹Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
² The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
³ “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

⁴ He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
⁵ Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
⁶ “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

⁷ “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
⁸ ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
⁹ ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
¹¹ Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
¹² Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Note the repetition of the word “every.”  Then note this reference to the extent of His exaltation over all—“those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth” (2:10).

You will find the same truth spoken of, with minor differences, in other passages:

Ephesians 1:20b-21, “Seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.”

Revelation5:13, “And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

So, we have these three realms of existence—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.  Someone has referred to them as the “celestial, terrestrial, and infernal.”

So, when we speak of the celestial (above the earth) we are speaking of the angelic host.  And these, of course, have always been employed in the worship of God (i.e. Isaiah chapter 6).  But the angels struggle to comprehend something which we ourselves have experienced.  The angels in heaven do not sin.  And because of that they don’t experience the grace and mercy of God in salvation.  Peter writes of the greatness of the salvation we have received in 1^st Peter.  He speaks of how the prophets of old sought to understand what the Spirit of Christ was speaking of with regards to the “sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” (1 Peter 1:11).  What they sought to understand has been declared to us in the gospel (1 Peter 1:12).  Now note what it says in verse 12—“things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12).  The term translated “long to look” means to “gain a clear glimpse.”  It’s like that little child who stands on his tippy toes to look over a fence to get a better vision of something.  And what are text is saying is that all the angelic host will bow the knee to Jesus in the wonder and reverence as to what He has done in saving sinners.

And then we have the terrestrial.  And this will include people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  It will include people from every class and race and status—men and women, rich and poor, famous and infamous.  It will not matter.  It includes people of all differing religious beliefs—atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Mormons, Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus, and every imaginable cult.  In includes all of us and all of our loved ones and friends.  Includes all of those around the earth who are even now being persecuted for their faith in Jesus and it includes even their persecutors.  It includes all of those who exalt themselves in their own pride and power in this day, who are negligent of the reality that it is Jesus who is the “ruler of the Kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5).  Every means every.  The scope of what is spoken of here is beyond anything we can now comprehend.  There will be a kind of counterfeit duplication of this during the tribulation when the antichrist reigns for a time.  But Jesus will reign in this lofty place for all eternity.

Then we have the “infernal.”  That realm of existence which is “under the earth.”  And what is spoken of here is the demon realm.  Even the demonic realm will be brought into total subjection to Him.  It is even now defeated.  Colossians 2:15, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”  And you say, “But why are they still free to work in their evil ways?”  They are for now, but their ultimate doom is assured through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  They are like those Japanese warriors—on remote islands–who continued to fight on, though the second world war had long since ended.  They haven’t got them memo.

Homer Kent, “’This universal acknowledgment will include angels and departed saints in heaven, people still living on earth, and the satanic hosts and lost humanity in hell…Every’ indicates a universal acknowledgment of Christ’s sovereignty, even by his enemies.  Paul does not imply a universal salvation but means that every personal being will ultimately confess Christ’s lordship, either with joyful faith or with resentment and despair.”

In its Strength

“Every knee will bow…every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (2:10-11).

The statements are from Isaiah 45:23.  And we have here the language that is associated with the expected response of subjects to a King.  In this case we are speaking of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  There will come a day when all will be subjugated to Him.  They will bow the knee and confess His Lordship in humble reverence and submission.

Our text is associated with the second coming.  And we should note that there is a radical difference between the nature of His first coming and His second coming.  As Adrian Rogers put it: “He came the first time to die; He is coming again to raise the dead. When He came the first time, they questioned whether He was King; the next time the world will know that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. The first time He wore a crown of thorns; the next time He will be wearing a crown of glory. The first time He came in poverty; the next time He is coming in power. The first time He had an escort of angels; the next time He will come with ten thousand of His saints. The first time He came in meekness; He is coming again in majesty.”

How is this going to happen?  Note what it says at the end of Philippians 3:21. He has the power to “subject all things to Himself.”  By that power He will bring all into subjection.

Now this is going to happen in one of two ways.  There are those who have already confessed Him to be Lord.  Romans 10:9, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”  We are speaking here of believers.  He is, for us believers, our Savior and Lord.  We even now bow the knee to Him in humble submission and worship.

But that vast majority of folks are not now in this position.  But He has the power and right to bring them to this point.  And He will.  That does not mean that they are going to be saved, but they will nonetheless be brought into complete subjection to Him.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 speaks to His second coming: “When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His might angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed.”

British historian H.A.L. Fisher once said: “Men wiser and more learned than I have discovered in history a plot, a rhythm, a predetermined pattern. These harmonies are concealed from me. I can see only one emergency following upon another as wave follows upon wave . . . nothing but the play of the contingent and the unforeseeable.”  But things are moving towards a God ordained destiny.

There is indeed a predetermined pattern to which history is inevitably destined.  The long war against God that started with Satan when he rebelled against God with a third of the angels of heaven; that long war that, on man’s side of things, started when Satan tempted Eve and Adam and Eve fell in sin.  That long war which has been going on for centuries past.  Where the forces of good and evil have raged against each other.  That long war will come to a conclusion one day.  The Lord Jesus has already triumphed through His death and resurrection.  And there will come a day when He will return and “Judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31).  And on that day, all will be brought into complete submission to Him.

You wonder where things are headed in this world?  This is where they are headed.  Christ will reign over all.

CONCLUSION

Now what does this mean to you?  If you are here as one who has not sincerely trusted in Jesus for salvation it means you have some soul-searching to do.  You will bow the knee to Jesus one day.  The question is will you do that in adoration and gratitude as one of His own or will you be compelled to do that, as a vanquished foe.

Isaiah 45:22-23 speaks to this.  Our text quotes part of this passage.  It also speaks to God’s desire that you look to Him to salvation: “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God and there is no other.  I have sworn to Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back.  That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.”

A 15-year-old teenager headed off to church, as he normally did on Sunday mornings.  But there was a blizzard that day and the heavy snow kept him from going to his usual place of worship.  Instead he found himself in a Primitive Methodist Church. As a young man, from a long line of Pastors, he knew all about Christianity, but he didn’t know Christ.  Later he would write of those days, “It was my sad lot to feel the greatness of my sin without a discovery of the greatness of God’s mercy.”  The Primitive Methodist Church almost didn’t open that morning, but the caretaker, thinking that a few people might show up, opened the doors and lit the stove.  By 11:00 some 12-15 people had come inside, but not the Pastor. He had apparently been unable to get there because of the snow.  Finally, one of the laymen of the congregation reluctantly took the pulpit. As he looked down, he could see the small congregation, hundreds of empty seats, and the young 15-year-old boy seated under the gallery. The text for his sermon was “Look unto me, and be ye saved” (Isaiah 45:22), and after about ten minutes of repeating himself, the man was about to step down from the pulpit. But before he did, he addressed the teenager. “Young man,” he said, “you look very miserable, and you will always be miserable if you don’t obey my text. But if you do obey now, this moment, you will be saved.”  He paused again, then shouted at the young man with more animation, “Young man, look to Jesus!  Look! Look! Look!”  That young man was Charles Spurgeon.  Years later Spurgeon wrote of his experience, “There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness was rolled away.”  And there are some here today—at this end of the earth—who need to look to Jesus for salvation.  We are all sinners.  We are all deserving of God’s judgment.  There is but One way by which any person can be saved.  Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead.  Salvation is by grace through faith in Him.  Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”  And it is left to every man in this particular dispensation of time—confess Him now and be saved OR confess Him later as a vanquished foe.

Now if you are here as one who has trusted in Jesus, you even NOW confess Him as Lord.  You even NOW glory in His name and in His salvation.   But you see the events in this world.  You face tribulations and even some degree of persecution.  You see in the news how the name of Jesus is met with disdain and hatred.  People scoff at Him, His word, and the very prospect of His soon return.  But be encouraged.  Jesus has triumphed.  We’ve read the end of the book and we know about its conclusion.  Jesus wins!  And so, do all those who have been born again through faith to eternal life in Him.

We live in anticipation of the day when all things will be reconciled to Him.  And even now we recognize where things are headed in this world.  The spiritual battle we are now engaged in won’t go on forever.  It will come to a conclusion.  And every being in God’s creation will be brought into subjection to Him.  2 Corinthians 2:14-16 speaks to this: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the others an aroma from life to life.”

Vernon Grounds, “What’s in that name? All the grace of God, all the wonder of redemption, all that we believe, and all that we are hoping for. We say it, we sing it, and adoration fills our souls. We anticipate the indescribable glory of that day when every knee will bow and every tongue, by glad choice or by divine constraint, will praise that highest and holiest of all names–Jesus!”

In his book, “Approaching Hoofbeats,” Billy Graham wrote of what took place under the Christian persecution in Rome.  “Imagine a village,” he wrote,” in the suburbs of Ephesus or Laodicea.  Christian believers are at work tanning leather, dying cloth, harvesting crops, raising families, studying math and history—at worship, at work, or at play.  Then, suddenly, hoofbeats are heard clattering up the nearby cobbled streets.  The horses are reined in by a Roman centurion and his honor guard.  A leather camp table is unfolded.  An incense burner is placed upon the table.  A flame is lit.  Heralds sound the trumpets.  There is no place to hide, no time to decide.  Believers must join their neighbors in that line.  Just ahead the village mayor tosses his incense into the flames and exclaims proudly, ‘Caesar is Lord.’  Others follow.  The line ahead grows shorter.  The moment of decision draws near.  Will the Christian avoid the conflict and protect his life and security with the simple act of obedience?  Will he mutter ‘Caesar is Lord’ and sneak back home to safety?  Or, will he recognize that act as a symbol of a wider disobedience, refuse the incense, proclaim ‘Jesus is Lord’ and pay the price for disloyalty to the state?

What would you do?  What are you even now doing in response to the cultural pressures that now work to suppress the truth and conform you to its own way of thinking and living.  The believer in Christ is one who has already confessed Jesus as Lord.  We are exhorted to set Him apart as Lord in our hearts.  And we do that for good reason.  He, the One who died for our sins and rose from the dead, has ascended to the right hand of God.  He reigns even now as Lord over all.  And He’s coming again.

Philippians 2:9-11

INTRODUCTION

According to the law of gravity what goes up must inevitably come down.  That is a law which governs the way that things work on this planet.  It is an undeniable and unavoidable reality.

There are many such laws of physics and life that pertain to the physical realm of our existence.  Likewise, there are spiritual laws which relate to all of us.  There are undeniable spiritual laws, axioms if you will, that govern the affairs of men in relationship to God.

One of those is a principle often cited in the Bible: “Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”  Those who lift themselves up in pride, will be humbled by God.  Those who humble themselves before God, shall be exalted.

This correlates with another principle found in the Bible: “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  You will find this principle repeatedly cited in Scripture also.

Jesus spoke of such matters.

On one occasion he was invited to the house of one of the Pharisees for a meal.  He noticed how the invited guests were vying to sit in the places of honor at the table.  So, he spoke a parable to them about how a person, if invited to a wedding feast, should not take the place of honor, because someone more distinguished might come along.  And there would then be embarrassment if that guest was moved to the lowest place at the table.  Instead, the guest should proceed to the last place, so that he might instead be moved to a more prestigious place and be honored in that way.  And Jesus summarized the parable by saying, “For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:7-11).

On another occasion he spoke a parable to those who were trusting in themselves in their own righteousness and looking on others with contempt.  The parable had to do with two men who went up to the temple to pray.  The first prayed to himself.  He thanked God that he was not like other people: “swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer.”  The second was unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, “but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner’.”  Jesus summarized the parable by saying: “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:9-14).

On a third occasion Jesus was speaking to the multitude concerning the Pharisees.  He spoke of how the Pharisees loved the places of honor and how they gladly received respectful greetings, like “Rabbi” and “Teacher.”  And in doing that they were living contrary to this spiritual principle of which we have spoken.  And Jesus said regarding their misguided ambitions: “But the greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:6-12).

This spiritual axiom is proven to be valid in the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the preeminent example of the truth that “he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”  And that’s what we find here in Philippians 2.

Philippians 2:5-8 speaks to the humility of Christ.  Philippians 2:9-11 speaks to His exaltation.

REVIEW

But let’s back up, before we go any further, and do a bit of review.

We have noted how God has called us, as believers, to a radically different way of thinking and living (Philippians 2:3-4).  This way of thinking is contrary to the way the world, the flesh, and the devil thinks.  These think that “looking out for number one” is the way to go.  According to the world’s economy, in this sinful way of thinking, it is perfectly okay and proper to idolize oneself.

But God calls us to a way of thinking and living that is characterized by humility and servant-mindedness and a propensity to put the needs of others ahead of ourselves.  “Love does not seek its own.”  And this radical way of thinking and living is according to this Biblical definition of love.

The radical way of thinking and living is exemplified in the Lord Jesus.  Amazingly, God’s word exhorts us to adopt the attitude of Christ (Philippians 2:5).  We are to adopt His way of thinking.  This will require of us, of course, a change in the way that we think—by the Spirit in the renewing of our mind.

So, what do we find as we consider this example of Jesus.  The key facet of His example is His humility.  We are called to “humility of mind.”  He demonstrated humility.  The eternal Son of God relinquished His divine prerogatives.  “Though He was rich…He became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9).  He became a man.  He took on servanthood.  He humbled Himself in obedience.  He suffered and died on a cross.

And in all of this He is set forth as an example to us of how we are to think and live.

• Was Jesus selfless? We are to be like Jesus in that.
• Was Jesus servant-minded? We are to be like Jesus in His servant-minded perspective.
• Was Jesus humbly submitted to the Father in obedience? We are likewise called to submit ourselves to God and to others in humble obedience.
• Was Jesus willing to suffer? “It has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29).

Now the cross was not the end of the story for Jesus.  Nor is servant-mindedness and suffering the end of the story for any of His followers.  Jesus did what He did on the cross looking forward to His reward.  He was living according to the principle of which we have already spoken: “But he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”  In the words of the author of Hebrews, Jesus did what He did for the joy that was set before Him.  Hebrews 12:2, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising His shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  First the cross, then the crown.  First humility, then exaltation.

MESSAGE

“Therefore, also God highly exalted Him.”

The term exalted is a particular Greek term which means “to exalt to the highest rank and power, to raise to supreme majesty.”  God “super-exalted” Jesus.

And what we have here in Philippians 2:5-11 is the grand example of the truth of which we have been spoken, “he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”  To what extent did Jesus humble himself?  To the maximum extent possible.  In descending from the heights of heaven to humbling himself to the point of death on a cross, he humbled himself beyond that of any person in the history of men.  And note that “He humbled Himself” (Philippians 2:8).  He was not humbled by others.  He deliberately chose that path.  He “super-humbled” Himself.

And as we remember the events leading up to His death we see clearly how He humbled Himself.

• He knew full well what would happen, but He set His face to go to Jerusalem.
• In His prayer, He submitted Himself in obedience to the Father, “Yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).
• When He was arrested, He did not resist arrest.
• When He was tried, He did not plead His innocence.
• When He was beaten, He did not strike back.
• When He was reviled, He did not revile in return.
• And He was put on that cruel cross, and object of mocking and scorn. He was mocked and insulted by the soldiers, by the religious leaders, by those passing by, and by the two thieves who were crucified with Him.
• And a sign was placed above His head. It was written in three languages.  It was the charge held against Him.  It appeared to mock Him too, saying, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
• And people insulted Him, saying, “He saved others, He cannot save Himself” (Matthew 27:42).
• And He is all alone. Utterly forsaken.  The sin of the world is put upon Him.  He bears our sins and cries out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me” (Matthew 27:46).

So, on the other side of this spiritual axiom, we have the expected result.  “He who humbles Himself shall be exalted.”  So, what if someone were to super-humble themselves in a transcendent and preeminent manner?  What would we expect in that case?  Well it is exactly as we suppose—according to this spiritual law—that person would be “super-exalted” to a place of preeminent honor.

And this is exactly what we read about in the history of Jesus.  He was born into this world.  He lived among men as a servant.  He humbled Himself to the point of death.  He died on a cross for sins.  He rose from the dead.  And in Acts chapter 1 we read of how He ascended to heaven.  And in his first sermon, Peter preached on these matters.  And we read in Acts 2:32-33, “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.  Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God…”

Some might wonder “Where is Jesus now?”  The Apostle Peter acknowledged the fact that we “do not see Him now” (1 Peter 1:8).  But we believe in Him and love Him and know that He is now in heaven exalted to the right hand of God.

The Apostle Paul spoke to this (Ephesians 1:20-21): “He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.”

Likewise, the author of Hebrews (Hebrews 1:3), said: “When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

Charles Spurgeon, “He stooped, who can tell how low? He was raised, who shall tell how high? “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him. ” He threw away his name; he emptied himself of his reputation. How high is his reputation now! How glorious is the name that God hath given him as the reward of his redemptive work!”

And He stands in this super-exalted position in relation to the church, His body.  From heaven He exercises authority (Matthew 28:18).  From heaven He is at work preparing His bride, the church, for His return (Ephesians 5:27).  From heaven He intercedes on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25).  God has given to Him the Highest Place, the Highest Name, and the Highest Reign.

The One who died for sins in humility, is now exalted to the right hand of God in glory.  And He’s coming again and will reign over all.

Now, in sin, some still mock Him.  According to 1 Corinthians 1:23 the message of Christ crucified is “to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness.”  They deny the reality of His death and resurrection.  They refuse to obey the gospel.  They use His name for a curse word.

But none of this will work to dethrone Him from His super-exalted position.  He rules even now and is coming again, and all things will be brought into subjection under His authority.  And for us, as believers, this is a comforting truth.  We are members of His body.  He is our head.  He is our captain, our commander, the author and perfecter of faith.  He is our champion.  He has defeated all our foes—sin, death, and the devil Himself.  He has been super-exalted in this triumphant position.  We, the members of His body, have nothing to fear.  He has overwhelmingly conquered, we will too.

Or, to put this is real practical terms, we believe that Jesus, the son of a carpenter, who lived about 2000 years ago and who was executed on a cross, rose from the dead and is alive today in heaven where He ascended to the right hand of God.  Even now, He reigns, “as ruler over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5) and is coming again “to judge the world” (Acts 17:31).  Things are not spirally out-of-control in our world, to some unforeseen conclusion.  The ascended Jesus is coming again.  Those who have refused the gospel will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction.  Those who have believed in Him will be glorified with Him

CONCLUSION

There are a couple of other important lessons for us here:

The fact that He has been super-exalted by God implies that God was satisfied with the sacrifice He made for sins.  He finished the work.  Hebrews 1:3, “When He made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”  Through His death for sins and resurrection from the dead He has provided a means for lost sinners to be saved.  His ascension proves that.

Going back to the spiritual principle that we started with.  We see it perfectly fulfilled in the person of Jesus…

“Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”

This principle applies to the matter of salvation.  Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.  But that grace is received, and that faith is expressed by way of humility.  Salvation comes to those who humble themselves before God, acknowledging that there is nothing that they can do to merit or earn salvation from their sins.  Instead they confess their sins and turn their eyes to the provision God has made for their salvation in Jesus.  To those who believe in Jesus God gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

The path of humility exemplified to us in Jesus is the path that He has called us, as believers, to also.  We have already seen how we are to avoid selfishness and empty conceit.  And how we are to instead, in humility of mind, regard others as more important.  We are called, in this manner, to walk according to a Christ-like way of thinking and living.  And this is a manner of life which is pleasing to God and meets with Divine approval.

The Apostle Peter put it this way (1 Peter 5:5-6): “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He might exalt you at the proper time.”  In other words, live like Jesus.  Humbly serve Jesus by serving others.  In due time you will receive your reward.

As one writer put it, “As a consequence, God exalted Him.  Thus, in the divine economy of things, by giving a person receives, by serving he is served, by losing his life he finds it, by dying he lives, by humbling himself he is exalted.  The one follows the other as night follows day, but always in order—self-sacrifice before the self being exalted by God.”

Philippians 2:5-8

INTRODUCTION

I love reading biographies and especially missionary biographies.  The account of the life of Gladys Aylward is one of my favorites.  She was born to a working class family in London in 1902.  Having believed in Jesus, she was determined from an early age to go overseas as a missionary.  She applied to China Inland Mission, only to be turned down because of her inadequate academic background.  Undeterred, she saved up funds while working as a housemaid.  She spent all that she had on a train passage to China through Siberia.  In Siberia she was forced to get off the train and walk because of a war that was going on.  She traveled by train, by boat, by foot and finally made her way—through a long, arduous journey, to China.  And when she finally arrived at her destination the local villagers threw stones at her.  Ultimately she was much used by God to bring the light of the gospel to that very dark place.

It’s a long way from London to the remote region of China where Gladys traveled.  And when you think of missionary endeavor in times past, imagine how long and hard it was for people to go to those far away places.  But no matter how far any of us ever travel, or how hard and difficult our experience in serving Jesus, nothing compares to the missionary journey Jesus took when He left His Father’s throne above and came to this sin-cursed planet to die on a cross from our sins.

Philippians 2:5-8 is all about Jesus’ missionary descent from heaven to earth to die for our sins.

The word translated “attitude” in verse 5 means “to think, have an opinion, to be mindful of, be intent on.”  The Greek term is used 31 times in the NT.  11X in Philippians.  One such usage is in Philippians 3:19 which speaks of those who “set their minds on earthly things.”  Put simply, the term speaks of a way of thinking.

The term is a present tense imperative.  The fact that we are commanded to have this attitude means that it is something possible for us to do.  The reason why it is possible for us is not because of us.  It is because of what God has done and is doing in us.  The believer is a person who has been born again and thus made to be a new creature in Christ.  One who has been identified with Christ in His death and resurrection that he might walk in newness of life.  One who is indwelt by the Spirit of God, who works to mediate the very presence of Christ to us and in us.  It is possible for us, as believers, because we’ve been crucified with Christ and it is no longer we, in our old selves, who live, but Christ lives in us.

It is a present tense command.  So it is a way of thinking by the Spirit that attends our everyday walk in Christ.  It is not something to be turned on and turned off according to some kind of spiritual schizophrenia.  It is the way of thinking that is to characterize our lives 24/7.

Note this about our passage.  We are exhorted to maintain this attitude that was the attitude of Christ.  And that attitude is explained to us in verses 6-8.  The passage is saying that we need to maintain a way of thinking that is congruent with that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It goes on to speak of His incarnation, servanthood, and crucifixion, things which all have great relevance to us as believers when it comes to our salvation.  He came as a man.  He came to serve and give His life for sin.  He died on a cross to save us.  But what this text is saying that He is not only our Savior by way of His sacrifice, He is also our example.  The cross is not something we believe not just because of its power to save, the cross is something we also look to for the power of its example.

That being said, we do the passage a kind of theological disservice if we get bogged down in the theological minutiae that is here.  There are wonderful and important things that are spoken of regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ here in this passage.  Many suppose that this represented an early Christian hymn that was sung in the churches of that day.  And we can see why!  But we need to pay attention to those truths as we consider this incredible truth—we are called to think and walk in a way that resembles that of the Lord Jesus Himself.

A main point here is this passage is the “humility of Christ.”  This passage speaks to that.

MESSAGE

1. Humble in His Renunciation

“Who although He existed in the form of God”

The Greek term translated “form” refers to “an outward manifestation which corresponds to the essence.”

It is an affirmation of the deity of Jesus Christ.  As the NIV puts it, “Who, being in very nature God.”

Jesus is the eternal Son of God.  He has always been and will always be the Divine Son of God.

That’s the truth affirmed to us in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

That’s the truth affirmed to us in John 8:58, where Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am.”  His audience understood what He was affirming about Himself inasmuch as they took up stones to throw at Him.

“Did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.”  The term translated “regard” refers to “a judgment based on facts.”  It is the same word used in verse 3 with respect to how we are to think of ourselves in relationship to others.

The term “grasped” (translated “robbery” in the KJV) can have two distinct meanings: 1) to unlawfully seize something; and 2) to grasp and hold on to something at all costs.”  The second meaning is the sense here.  Jesus was willing to let go of privileges and blessings associated with His glorious heavenly existence.  He did not cease to be God, but He was willing to leave Heaven’s glory that He might come to this sinful world and die for sins.

It is the truth spoken of in 2 Corinthians 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”

It is the same truth spoken of in the hymn, “He is Lord”:

Emptied of His glory; God became a man

To walk on earth in ridicule and shame.

A Ruler, yet a Servant; A Shepherd, yet a Lamb

A Man of Sorrows, agony and pain.

Now note this regarding Jesus’ humble renunciation.  He voluntarily and deliberately purposed to do what He did.  This denial of self and selfish concern and selfish prerogative characterized His earthly life and ministry.  And He voluntarily and purposefully did that.

There is an interesting exchange between Jesus and Peter that is recorded for us in Matthew chapter 16.  Peter correctly identifies Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God.  And Jesus commends Peter for His God-given understanding of that truth.  Then Jesus spoke to His disciples of how He had come to suffer and die and rise again.  And Peter’s response?  That should never happen to you.  Then Peter receives a totally different response from Jesus, “Get thee behind Me, Satan!”  But it’s the rest of what Jesus had to say that should catch our attention: “You are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s” (Matthew 16:23).  Then Jesus went on to explain that His followers are called to the same “self-denying” manner of life that is exemplified in Him.  “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him (likewise) deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me’. (Matthew 16:24).

God’s interests vs. man’s interests.  God’s way vs. man’s way.  Dying for self vs. living for self.  These are the two different ways that are set before us.  The one, God’s way, is the way set forth for us in the example of Jesus Christ.  The other, man’s way, is the way of the world, the flesh and the devil.

Jesus did nothing from selfishness (i.e. self-will), we are exhorted to follow His example (Philippians 2:3).

2. Humble in His Incarnation

“But emptied Himself.”

KJV, “Made himself of no reputation.”

The Greek term translated “emptied” has been the subject of much debate by theologians.  My NASB has this note in the margin—i.e. “laid aside His privileges.”

It is not that Jesus laid aside His deity—that would be heresy—but that He emptied Himself of privileges pertaining to His deity.  One way to think of this is to set this text against what we read about in Matthew 17.  Jesus took Peter and James and John up a high mountain by themselves.  “And He was transfigured before them; and His face shown like the sun, and His garments became as white as light” (Matthew 17:2).  The experience was so startling that, after the Father spoke, the disciples fell to the ground in fear.  John would later write of it in John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory.”  Peter likewise would write of being “eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).  But Jesus did not live His life before people in this transfigured way.  In the word of the prophet Isaiah, “He had no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him” (Isaiah 53:2).

Or, as the hymn puts it, “He left His Father’s throne above, so free, so infinite His grace!  Emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race.”

He emptied Himself by “taking the form of a bond-servant.”

“Bond-servant” is the same term Paul and Timothy applied to themselves.  A bond-servant is a willing servant.  It is not one brought into a place of involuntary servanthood.  He is one who freely serves from a good motive.

The term “form” is the same used in verse 6.  And here it has the same sense.  An outward manifestation that corresponds to the essence.  What is affirmed here in verse 7 is readily apparent in what we see in the life of Jesus.  As He Himself said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).  And what we see in Him when He set aside His garments and wrapped Himself with a towel and proceeded to wash the feet of the disciples.

“And being made in the likeness of men.”

This is a different term than the term “form” used in verse 6 and 7.  It denotes something which is made like something.  Vine’s points out that this phrase does not either imply or exclude, by itself, the “reality of the nature Christ assumed.”  But other texts in Scripture make it clear that Jesus was a man.  In fact, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man.

This is the truth affirmed in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

As the Nicene Creed puts it: “I believe…in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.”

Theologically speaking, this truth—that Jesus is fully God and was fully man—is of great importance.  To deny either is to misunderstand or misrepresent the truth about Jesus Christ.  As it says in 1 John 4:2-3, “By this you know the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.”

3. Humble in His Crucifixion

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself.”

It is an amazing thing this humility of Christ.  And we’ve already noted that the word holiness means literally “lowliness.”  The Divine Son of God, the creator of all things, humbled Himself.  He was not “humbled” by somebody or something, He put Himself in that position.

And His life and ministry is characterized by humility.

• He, the creator of all things, was born in humble circumstances. And we read how there was no place for Him in the inn and how He was laid in a feeding trough in His birth.
• He, who reigns over all, lived in subjection to His parents.
• He, who through whom all things exist, had no place to lay His head.
• He came and lived not as a King, but as a servant.
• He took on the task of the servant when He set aside His garments, wrapped Himself in a towel and proceeded to wash the feet of His disciples.
• He purposed to subject Himself to the evil forces who worked to arrest and try Him. He refused to make a defense when falsely accused.  He allowed Himself to be beaten and crucified.

Calvin sums up the practical application of our text: “Since, then, the Son of God descended from so great a height, how unreasonable that we, who are nothing, should be lifted up with pride!”

“By becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus lived a life of perfect submission.  He came to do the Father’s will.  When the cross drew near He prayed, “My Father, if it possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).

Hebrews 10:7, “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come…to do Thy will, O God’.”

The Father’s will led Jesus to the cross.  And He purposed to submit Himself to that.

He endured physical suffering.  The cross was an especially brutal way to die.  But what was worse for Jesus was the spiritual agony He experienced when “He who knew no sin was made sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  A commonly used word in Isaiah 53 is the word “bore.”  He bore our sins on the cross.  And then it says in Isaiah 53 that the “Lord was pleased to crush Him.”  The full weight of man’s sin was put upon Him and He cried out, “MY God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”  The perfect and sinless Jesus felt the full measure of the Father’s wrath against sin.  And He was utterly alone there on that cross.  Galatians 3:13 quotes Deuteronomy when it says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”  He was made a curse so that we could be redeemed from the curse.

1 Peter 2:24, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”

1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that HE might bring us to God.”

CONCLUSION

This passage should work to stimulate both adoration and emulation of Jesus Christ.  We adore Jesus in who He is and all that He has done.  We also fix our eyes on Him, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2), endeavoring to live our lives according to His example.

The exhortations give to us in verses 2-4 were all perfectly fulfilled in the life of Jesus.

“Do nothing from selfishness.”  Jesus’ life was the antithesis of selfishness.  Agape love does not seek its own (1 Corinthians 13:5).  Jesus did not seek His own.

We are to do nothing from “empty conceit” but are to instead live according to a “humility of mind” (Philippians 2:3).  Jesus, the Divine Son of God and creator of all things, lived a life of humility.  He washed the disciple’s feet.

The world has known of no better servant.  He came not to be served, but to serve.  And we are likewise called to serve.  According to Christ’s example.

Philippians 2:3 exhorts us to put the needs of others ahead of our own.  Consider Jesus, who lived a perfectly selfless life.  Who was always putting the needs of other ahead of His own.  And who died on a cross for our sins that He might bring us to God.

Augustus Strong, “And Christ’s purpose is, not that we should repeat Calvary, for that we can never do, but that we should reflect in ourselves the same onward movement and gravitation towards self-sacrifice which He has revealed as characterizing the very life of God.”

Does your life bear resemblance to Christ?  Are you living according to Jesus’ radically different way of thinking and living?  When people see the way you think and act do they see something akin to the spirit of Jesus?  He is a glorious Savior and in Him we have a wonderful example!

Philippians 2:3-5

INTRODUCTION

In 1973 a man named Robert Ringer wrote a book entitled “Winning Through Intimidation.”  After the manuscript was rejected 23 times by publishers, he decided to self-publish the book.  It became a #1 bestseller and spent 36 weeks on the NY Times bestseller list.  In 1977 he self-published another book, “Looking Out for Number One.” That book also became a #1 bestseller and is still considered to be one of the top 15 self-help books of all time.  That second book was based on the premise that since man’s inherent nature is to look out for number one, we need to do a better job of looking out for number one.  Here’s a quote, “We sometimes lose sight of the fact that our primary objective is really to be happy as possible and that all our other objectives, great and small, are only a means to that end.”

That phrase—“looking out for number one”—has since become a part of our culture’s vernacular.  And there have been songs written that express the need to do just that.  For example, in 1992 Travis Tritt wrote a song having this chorus: “Lord everyone around me, I’ve tried so hard to please.  ‘Till the only one unhappy, feeling broken down is me.  But things are going to change, with each new setting sun.  Starting now I’m looking out for number one.”

But “looking out for number one” is nothing new to any one of us humans.  We don’t need a book to tell us to do a better job of it.  In sin, selfishness reigns.  And since we are all born sinners, we are all born with a natural inclination to put ourselves first.

We are, in sin, self-worshippers at heart.  At the beginning of the second chapter of his book, “Improving Your Serve,” Chuck Swindoll writes this: I, ME, MINE, MYSELF.  Those four words stood out in bold print.  They appeared as if they were forming an enormous monument, each letter seemingly chiseled out in granite.  At the base of this strange “monument” were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people with their arms held up high, as if worshipping at a shrine.  And then in very small letters, this caption appeared at the bottom of the editorial cartoon: “Speaking of American cults…”

This, beloved, is the culture in which we live.  It is a self-consumed and self-preoccupied society.  Worshipping at the idol of self we mistakenly assume that there is virtue and lasting benefit to be gained in the worship of self.

2 Timothy chapter 3 warned of the days in which we live, saying: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.”  Now we live in these difficult days.  And each of the maladies spoken of in this passage are readily recognizable in our society.  But note this about the passage, “lovers of self,” comes first.  And it would be fair that the rest of the maladies follow that first malady.  The “Looking Out for Number One” philosophy is, in fact, a recipe for social chaos and disaster.  As it has been ever since Adam and Even fell in the garden and sin entered the world.  We read about that in chapter 3, then in chapter 4 we read how Cain, as he was “looking out for number one,” killed his brother.

The long history of humanity is filled with such examples.  The reality is that in sin we are selfish and being selfish we don’t relate well to one another.  In sin, we are impatient, unkind, envious, prideful, rude, self-seeking, easily angered and embittered.

There is but one example—in the annals of human history—of a man who lived a purely selfless life.  And that man is Jesus Christ.  Philippians 2:5-8 speaks of Him: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance of a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

What happened when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us?  Jesus Christ was the Divine Son of God.  He was also a perfect man.  He was a man without sin.  In Him there was no sin.  He never sinned.  He was perfectly submitted to the Father in all that He did.  And He lived His life according to the godly character that was innate to His person.  And so, what do we see and find in this God-man, Jesus Christ?  He became man and took on the form of a bond-servant.  He lived a life of servant-hood.  He came into the world with no entourage.  He had none of the trappings of royalty.  He had no home and no possessions.  He came as a servant and He served others.  Purposefully.  Relentlessly.  Sacrificially.  And when He had given all that He had but His own life, He gave that up too.  And, as I said, His like is unique in the annals of human history.  He never exercised a selfish thought.  He never did a selfish thing.  He never uttered a selfish word.  Instead of looking out for number one, the Divine Son of God came into this world looking out for everyone but number one.

Now, by the Spirit, you—believer in Christ—have come to understand something of the beauty of the person of Christ.  You’ve worshipped at the shrine of self, but you came to the realization that “self” if a false god that can never work to satisfy your deepest needs and desires.  Christ alone can do that.  You thought, perhaps, that the universe revolved around you, but you came to realize that it is Christ alone who is worthy of such love and devotion.  But you nonetheless live in this flesh and are surrounded by worshippers of self.  And that’s why this passage is so important.  It reminds us of how God has called us, as believers, to a higher plane of living.  A way of thinking and living in Christ that meets with Divine approval.  And which proves to be a blessing not only to ourselves but to those around us.

MESSAGE

1. God has called us, as believers, to a radically different way of thinking

“In the last days difficult times will come, for men will be lovers of self” (1 Timothy 3:1-2).  But we need to purpose, by the Spirit, to think differently.

Romans 12:2 speaks to the need for us to not be conformed to the world (to not allow the world to press us into its own mold), but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind.  This is one of those matters where it is essential that we purpose in Christ to think and live differently.

We are to have the mind of Christ.  Note the phrase in verse 5, “have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”

The Greek term translated “attitude” is the same term translated “mind” in verse 2.  It is in the present tense so it speaks of a continuous “mind” or a continuous “way of thinking.”  The NASB has translated it attitude and that gives a good sense of it.  What’s an attitude?  Sometimes we must use that in a negative way.  What’s up with your attitude?  But one of the definitions of attitude is: “a mental position with regard to a fact or state.”  Put simply, it is a way of thinking.

And as we look forward in the passage, to verses 6-8, we can readily identify that attitude in Christ that we are called upon to emulate.  It is in respect to His servanthood.  To “have this attitude…which was also in Christ Jesus” is to think about your life in relationship to others as that of being a servant.

Note the other phrase used to represent the mindset we are to maintain as believers: “with humility of mind” (2:3).

The term translates a combination of terms, one meaning “low-lying” and the other “mind.”  The idea is lowliness of mind.  It is set against the other term in the verse, conceit.

God calls us as believers to this mind-set, one of lowliness of mind.  Now humility is commonly disdained and likewise commonly misunderstood.  It’s good for us to have a good, Biblical definition of what is meant by the term.  Romans 12:3 is helpful, “For through the grace of God given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as god has allotted to each a measure of faith.”  Humility involves having a proper estimation of ourselves.

C.J. Mahaney uses this definition: “Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.” In sin we are prideful and ignorant of these truths. But the Holy Spirit does a wonderful work in opening our eyes to the glory of God and His holiness and simultaneously convicting us of the depth of our sin problem.  Humility is essential not only in our relationship with God, but it also impacts the way we relate to others.  How important is humility in how we relate to God?  The Scripture repeats this principle of truth three times: “God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  And when it comes to our relationships with others, pride is at the source of all kinds of strife and divisions.  That is why Peter says, “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another” (1 Peter 5:5).

There is a great quote regarding humility from Andrew Murray.  He said, “Humility is perfect quietness of heart.  It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feeling nothing done against me.  It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed and despised.  It is to have a blessed hope in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door and kneel before the Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.  The humble person is not one who thinks meanly of himself, he simply does not think of himself at all.”

We have a great example of this attitude of Christ provided for us in the gospel of Mark (Mark 10:35-45).  James and John went to Jesus to ask of Him that he might give to them the privileged seats, on His right and His left, when He came into power.  Now they didn’t understand some things.  They believed Jesus to be the Messiah. But they couldn’t understand what He was saying when He spoke to them of His pending suffering and death.  They were all headed to Jerusalem, and then Jesus would be made to be king.  So, they asked for those privileged positions of power.  And Jesus responded by again speaking of His pending suffering and the sufferings that they themselves would eventually face.  Now after this discussion ensued, the rest of the disciples “began to feel indignant with James and John” (10:41).  This is not the only occasion when we read of such a thing.  Later in Jesus’ ministry, after He shared the last supper with His disciples, a discussion ensued amongst the disciples as to which one of them was the greatest.  So, these disciples were far from perfect men, they were prone to the same “looking out for number one” way of thinking that has infected us all.  But Jesus responded to the matter by distinguishing between two different ways of thinking and living.  He said that the Gentiles function according to man’s way of thinking.  Rulers “lord it over them.”  People vie for the highest positions and when they get them they use their power to command others and demand certain things from them.  And, according to man’s way of thinking, this is perfectly acceptable and normal behavior.  We might even speak of it according to what is commonly called “upward mobility.”  But Jesus said that that’s now how things work in God’s economy, “But it is no so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:44-45).  In God’s economy greatness is not defined in terms of “upward mobility,” but “downward mobility.”  Greatness in God’s kingdom looks like servanthood and Christ Jesus Himself is the great testimony to that truth.

In his book, “True Humility,” C. J. Mahaney differentiates between greatness as defined by the world and by God: “The difference couldn’t be starker.  As sinfully and culturally defined, pursuing greatness looks like this: Individuals motivated by self-interest, self-indulgence, and a false sense of self-sufficiency pursue selfish ambition for the purpose of self-glorification.  Contrast this with the pursuit of true greatness as biblically defined: Serving others for the glory of God.”

Note that phrase there, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”  Philippians 2:5 is telling us that we are to think the same way as Jesus.  And we ought to be able to say the same thing about ourselves.

• In our marriage: I am not in this marriage to be served, but to serve.
• In our family: I am not in this family, to be served, but to serve.
• In our relationships at work or at school: I am not here to be served, but to serve.
• In our church: I am not here to be served, but to serve.

We would say: “I am glad to serve you in Jesus’ name.  My great goal and aspiration is to know and love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and these things I do by following His example.”

With respect to the radical way of thinking God calls us to, the hymn, “May the Mind of Christ, my Savior,” puts it well.  And it is a prayer.  That the Holy Spirit may work through the Word of God, so that in our walk with Christ we might have the attitude of Christ: “May the mind of Christ my Savior, live in me from day to day, By His love and power controlling, all I do and say.”

2. God has called us, as believers, to a radically different way of relating to others

We are likewise called to a radically different way of relating to others.

“Do nothing from selfishness.”  The term translated “selfishness” denotes “ambition, self-seeking, rivalry.”  Vine’s Expository Dictionary explains that “self-will” is the underlying idea in the word.  So, it is that in us that is self-centered and demanding and contributes to a spirit of divisiveness.

The cause of this self-seeking behavior is an overestimate of one’s own importance.  “Empty conceit” and selfish behavior go hand in hand.  And, as we’ve already stated, there are a host of miserable consequence that go along with this kind of behavior.  As someone has written: How to be Miserable…

• Think about yourself.
• Talk about yourself.
• Use “I” as often as possible.
• Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others.
• Listen greedily to what people say about you.
• Be suspicious.
• Expect to be appreciated.
• Be jealous and envious.
• Be sensitive to slights.
• Never forgive a criticism.
• Trust nobody but yourself.
• Insist on consideration and the proper respect.
• Demand agreement with your own views on everything.
• Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown to them.
• Never forget a service you may have rendered.
• Be on the lookout for a good time for yourself.
• Shirk your duties if you can.
• Do as little as possible for others.
• Love yourself supremely.
• Be selfish.

This recipe—for being miserable—is infallible.

We’ve got a couple of great examples in Scripture of both the positive and negative to what is expressed here in verse 3.  In 3 John we read of Diotrephes.  It is said of him that he “loved to be first among them.”  Apparently, Diotrephes had a problem with pride.  This was a man who called himself a Christian.  But his behavior was hardly Christ-like.  He denied the authority of the Apostle John.  John was an apostle appointed by the Lord Jesus Himself.  He had walked with Jesus and had witness Jesus’ death and resurrection.  He had faithfully served Jesus for decades.  He had suffered much in bearing witness of the Lord Jesus, but in his prideful arrogance, Diotrephes showed no respect to that wonderful man of God.  And then there was the matter of showing Christian hospitality.  When other associates of John would go there to visit, Diotrephes wouldn’t receive them.  And if that wasn’t bad enough, if anyone dared to receive these friends of John, Diotrephes would put them out of the church.  Diotrephes was not living his life according to the truths of this verse.  He was of the “looking out for number one” mindset.

Look at Philippians 2:19-21.  Here we find another man, Timothy—Paul’s beloved son in the faith.  Paul was hoping to send Timothy to the church in Philippi so that he could receive a report on how things were going.  He said that he had no one else of “kindred spirit who (would) be genuinely be concerned for (their) welfare” (2:20).  Timothy was of kindred spirit with Paul, but they both were of kindred spirit to the Lord Himself.  They had that “attitude which is in Christ Jesus.”  Note what Paul went on to say.  “For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus” (2:21).  Timothy is a wonderful example of this Philippians 2:3 way of living.  Now I know of nothing that will work to promote unity better in a marriage or home or church than for each member to adopt this approach to relating to others.  If every member will seek after the interests of Christ Jesus, they will prove him or herself to be a source of great blessing to others.  Philippians 2:3 is a verse to memorize and meditate on and allow it to become deeply rooted in your heart.  That the Spirit might work to transform you through this Word.

“Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

I’m reminded of the story of Uncle Bob’s Shoes.  It was on one of my first trips to Uganda.  Pastor Bob and I had been leading a conference for pastors in Kabaale Village.  We were walking back to the guest house for lunch.  Bob stopped along the way to talk to one of the pastors.  When he was approaching our dining area, I noticed that he was walking gingerly along the path.  I looked then at his feet and noticed that he was wearing some crude and well-worn sandals.  “What happened to your shoes,” I asked?  He explained to me how the pastor had stopped him and asked him to pray that God would provide him with some shoes because his sandals were hurting his feet.  So, Bob had taken off his shoes and gave them to this pastor in exchange for the man’s sandals.  And as we were talking, Bob removed those pain-inflicting sandals.  And we were both amazed at what we saw.  The pastor had tried to repair the sandals, holding them together by punching a bunch of tacks through the soles.  And though he had tried to stub the points on the upward side, they still poked through and caused some discomfort when you tried to walk in them.  Why would Pastor Bob give away his sandals?  Because he was living according to his mindset.  He was living out what it says, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”  He had another pair of shoes.  He was glad to serve Jesus by serving this pastor and looking out for his interests.

History tells us of how a man named Copernicus studied the sky and came to a startling conclusion regarding the order of things.  He said, “If man is to know the truth, he must change his thinking!  Despite what we have said for years, our earth is not the center of the cosmos—but just one celestial body among many.  The sun does not move around us; we move around the sun.”  Years later someone did a study on children and concluded, “Each child must have his or her own “Copernicus revelation.”  Indeed, we are all in need of such a thing.

CONCLUSION

I just finished reading a great book, “Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown.”  It’s the true story of his life.  Adam great up in small town Arkansas.  He played football for his high school team and was a fierce competitor.  He had a lot of friends.  He graduated from high school and headed off to college.  But found he didn’t have much appetite for academics.  He came back home and worked for his Dad who had an electrical company.  But then he met a girl.  And this girl had a drug problem.  And she drug Adam along into it.  He was doing all kinds of drugs including Meth.  He would be gone overnight and sometimes for days.  His drug habit got real expensive, so he stole from his Dad’s company.  On one occasion he ran off with the company’s van.  And this went on for some time.  And his Mom and Dad loved him, as did his twin-sister and older-brother, but there was seemingly nothing they could do to stop Adam from his downward spiral.  They feared for his life.  Adam was totally given over to his sinful pursuits.  And he didn’t care at all about anyone else.  It mattered not the he was breaking the hearts of his parents.  His twin sister loved him, but he was oblivious to her concerns.  He was completely self-absorbed and utterly lost.

Then Mom and Dad decided to go to church.  And they talked to the pastor.  And they were saved.  And they began praying for their son.  They called the sheriff—there was a warrant for Adam’s arrest—and had Adam arrested.  The pastor when and visited him.  And the court made a deal with Adam—go to a Christian treatment program, for a year, and you won’t have to stay in jail.  And so, he did.  And somewhere along the way, Adam trusted in Jesus.  But that wasn’t the end of his drug issues.  Meth is especially hard to stay away from.  And he sometimes went back to it.  He met a young lady.  A Christian young lady.  And she began to pray for him.  And she got to know him.  And she would intervene whenever he was tempted to go back to drugs.  They got married.  And Adam decided to join the Navy.  He had seen the movie Navy Seals as a boy and had ever since carried that thought of being a seal.  A friend’s Dad, a Navy man, worked to get some waivers approved.  And Adam joined the Navy to become a Navy Seal.  And he passed all the rigorous training.  And by this time, Adam has grown in his walk with Christ.  He is a loving husband.  A child comes along.  And then another.  He is a loving father.  Despite some serious injuries, Adam excels as a seal and is counted among an elite group in the top one percent of all the seals.  He serves in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He is known for his willingness to put himself in harm’s way for the sake of his fellow soldiers.  When he’s in Afghanistan he sees that there are many children without shoes.  So, he calls his pastor in the US, and they ship hundreds of shoes to Adam.  When his fellows walked with him, they carried weapons, he carried shoes—and he would give them away to children who didn’t have any.  He would also carry MREs with him and would give them away to hungry children.  It was about time for his Navy career to be over.  He had one last mission he was called to perform.  His task force was called to enter a particularly dangerous and mountainous region.  They were going after a man who had led a team of Taliban rebels who had been responsible for the death of many Americans.  The team arrived at his holdout.  And much shooting ensued.  And there came a point where someone had to go to a spot where a man was firing from a window at the team.  Adam volunteered.  He put himself in harm’s way to protect his teammates.  And he was mortally wounded.  And Adam died.  He had been asked, before that day, how he could approach such situations with such fearlessness.  You know what his response was?  It was his faith in the Risen Christ that made the difference for him.  Adam walked with Jesus.  And as he did, he lived that kind of life.  I read that book and cried.  And I also rejoiced.  I rejoiced in the truth of what Jesus Christ did in that man’s life.  He rescued him from his sinful and selfish and bankrupt existence and made something very beautiful of his life.  It should come as no surprise to you that Adam’s example worked to encourage other Seals to put their faith in Jesus Christ.

Beloved, God has called you to walk in Jesus’ footsteps.  There is no virtue or valor in selfishness.  What does courage and strength and a purposeful life look like?  It looks like Jesus.  And God calls on all of us to follow in His steps.  To adopt, by the Spirit, His way of thinking and to replicate, again by the Spirit, His way of living.  And make no mistake about it—this radical way of thinking and living—is impossible for any of us in our own flesh.  It will do us no good to try harder to be better when it comes to these matters.  We can only do any of this as we are led and empowered by the Spirit to do them.  But let’s pray that it would be so.  Unto the glory of our Savior.

Philippians 2:1-2

INTRODUCTION

In Jesus “high priestly” prayer, Jesus prayed to the Father regarding all of those who would come to believe in Him and thereby make up His church.  We are in His prayer.  This is what He prayed:

“I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, are in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst sent Me.  And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me” (John 17:20-23).

We something here of the heart and purpose of the Lord Jesus regarding His church.

• His prayer was that we might be perfected in unity.
• The basis and nature of this unity is the unity that exists in the Godhead itself. “That they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, are in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us.”
• The unity He prayed for is first of all a positional unity as we are brought into fellowship with the Father and the Son through salvation. But the unity He prayed for us more than that, for He prayed for a unity that was demonstrably evident to others.  A unity that would testify to the truth of the gospel.

Paul shared the heart of God in his matter.  He had the same aspirations for the church in Philippi.  And this was a major matter of concern as he wrote to them in his epistle.  We saw something of this in Philippians 1:27-30.  That phrase, “with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel” captures the heart of the passage.  Believers are to be united in the common cause of the gospel.  Paul uses terms in the passage which emphasize the nature of the way that we are to relate to one another.  The world “conduct” means literally “to behave as citizens.”  As fellow citizens we are to relate to the Lord Jesus and one another in appropriate fashion.  The term “standing firm” is a military term meaning to remain in one’s post.  We are fellow soldiers we are a “band of brothers” fighting side-by-side in the good fight of faith.  The term “striving together” speaks to laboring together in a common purpose.  The Greek term is related to our English term “athlete.”  So, it could be said that we are like “fellow teammates,” each using our own particular gifts in doing our part in this common cause.  Fellow citizens, fellow soldiers, fellow teammates.  No Christian is an island to himself.  We are part of a grand and glorious and eternal cause.  We’ve been enlisted by God to that cause and the only way that we can have any degree of effectiveness is in joining together with our fellow believers.

Now what is here before us is very relevant to us in our day.  We look across the landscape of our society and culture and we see a lot of division—division in marriages, division in families, division in our country, in our churches, in our world.  Now some of this is not surprising, even as Paul warned Timothy of the spirit of things in the last days (Read 2 Timothy 3:2-5).  But God intends something very different for His people.  A local church is intended to be an oasis of Christ-centered unity in the desert of human selfishness and division.  God’s intent is that we might enjoy the benefits and blessings of unity in our relationship to Him and to one another.  As the Psalmist has put it: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1)!

I came across an article in the “Tabletalk” devotional this past week in which the author speaks to the challenges we face.  He says, “Real community doesn’t happen on its own—it takes time, patience, repentance, forgiveness, and love that covers a multitude of sins. The church community is not just a crowd of people on a Sunday morning; it is the gathered, worshiping people of God in a congregation where masks aren’t needed and where real friends help bear the real burdens of one another. Community is not just getting together; it is living together, suffering together, rejoicing together, and dying together.  Although many Christians claim to want genuine community, many want it only on their own terms, when it’s convenient, and when it demands nothing from them. What they want isn’t the church community, but a country club where they pay their dues for services rendered. They want to be served without having to serve anyone else. Real community forces us to die to ourselves and get over ourselves so that we might love one another as ourselves.”

And that’s Paul’s focus in our text…

MESSAGE

1. Our Shared “In Christ” Blessings

Note the four-fold occurrence of the phrase “if any” in verse 1.  The grammar is a “first class conditional” statement in the Greek.  It literally means “if, and it is so.”  You could translate it “since” (i.e. “since there is encouragement in Christ; since there is consolation of love”).

Now why did Paul put it that way?  He was inviting his readers to take spiritual inventory.  He was directing their thoughts to Christ and the blessings they enjoy in their relationship with Him.  He was calling upon them to take note of the way in which Christ relates to them.

And note this about unity.  In order for there is be any kind of unity there needs to be some basis for that unity.  A family enjoys that by way of their common identity as members of the same family.  For us as believers the basis for our unity is our common relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is a positional truth, but it is a positional truth with practical implications.  Because we are “in Christ” and He is in us, we are in a relationship with Him.  These things mentioned in verse 1 are all blessings we enjoy in our relationship with Him.

Note the first of these.  “If there is any encouragement in Christ.”  What is meant be this word “encouragement?”  The term translates the Greek “paraklesis” which is variously translated “encouragement, comfort, or consolation.”  It means literally “a calling to one’s side.”  I like the term “encouragement” and it is befitting of Christ in our relationship with Him.  In salvation He’s come along side us.  He is with us, even “in us,” and is with us encouraging and exhorting us along in our walk with Him.  We’ve known something of what it means to encourage or be encouraged.  We are easily discouraged and distressed.  We were that way in sin before we looked to Jesus for salvation.  And ever since that day Jesus’ has been by our side.  As they hymn puts it: “Jesus! what a Friend for sinners…Jesus! What a Strength in weakness…Jesus! What a Help in sorrow…Jesus! What a Guide and Keeper!…Hallelujah! what a Savior! Hallelujah! What a Friend!  Saving, Helping, Keeping, Loving, He is with me to the end” (“Our Great Savior”).  Do a spiritual inventory of your own life.  Do you find any encouragement in Christ?  Of course, you do.

“If there is any consolation of love.”  The term “love” translates the Greek “agape” which speaks of that love which is founded in the person of God and revealed to us in Christ.  It is that love that has been richly poured out within our hearts by God in our salvation through the Spirit (Cf. Romans 5:5).  The term “consolation” translates a Greek term which means “the process of speaking closely to anyone.”  Kenneth Wuest translates the phrase, “since there is a certain tender persuasion that comes from divine love.”  So, as believers, we are recipients of this.  He loves us, and His love works in us and speaks to us and works to transform us.  We need never doubt His love for us.  He is always relating to us according to His love.  In our good times and bad—He loves us the same and nothing can work to diminish His love for us.  He always relates to us according to His love.  Check your spiritual inventory.  Do you have any consolation of love?  Of course, you do.

“If there is any fellowship of the Spirit.”  The word translated “fellowship” is the Greek “koinonia.”  It means a “communion, a sharing together.”  The Spirit is the divine person of the Holy Spirit.  Every believer in Christ is indwelt by the divine person of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 8:14, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”  You’ve been born again by the Spirit and ever since that day the Holy Spirit has been at work to fulfill His appointed task.  His purpose?  To glorify Christ in mediating His presence in you.  What does this fellowship of the Spirit look like?  John 7:38-39 expresses it best: “He who believes in Me, as the Scriptures said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’  But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive.”  And this is your experience, believer, whether you realize it or not.  The ministry of the Spirit is compared to this river of living water flowing from your innermost being.  This life, which is as an inexhaustible fountain in Christ’s person, has been unleashed in your innermost being.  You are the recipient of this life.  In this spiritual wasteland, this desert, you have something that the unbeliever does not have—you have a relationship with God that works to fully satisfy your deepest longings.  Is there any “fellowship of the Spirit.”  Again, yes!  Of course!  We are incredibly blessed by the Helper’s ministry in us!

“If any affection and compassion.”  The first word is the same word used in Philippians 1:8.  It speaks of “tenderheartedness.”  The source of this “tenderheartedness” is Christ Himself.  The term was used repeatedly of Christ in His dealings with men.  You are a recipient of the “affection” of Christ Jesus.  He loves you in this way.  The second word is sometimes translated “mercy” (i.e. Romans 12:1).  He feels compassion towards you and is merciful in His dealings with you.  Taken together these two terms speak to how Christ cares for you and cares about what you are going through.  You have a friend in Jesus Christ who is always there for you and cares about what you are going through.

Are you experiencing the encouragement of Christ?  Are you comforted by His love?  Do you enjoy the fellowship of the Spirit?  Are you a recipient of Christ’s affection and compassion?  Of course you are!

God has loved you in this amazing fashion!  He loves you even now and is at work in your life. Now why are you so incredibly blessed?  What is God’s purpose in bestowing these blessings on you?

God has blessed you so that you might be a blessing to others.  God’s intent was not to save you so you could simply become a repository for His blessings.  He has called you to be a “channel of blessing” in your relationship to others.  You’ve been saved by Christ.  You are now loved by Christ in these various ways, so that you might relate to your brothers and sister in Christ “in kind” (i.e. according to Christ’s example).

There is a wonderful example of this in the land of Israel.  The river Jordan flows from north to south and empties itself in the Sea of Galilee.  By all accounts the Sea of Galilee is a beautiful place.  It is filled with an abundance of aquatic life.  Birds occupy its shores.  People vacation there.  Its full of life.  And a part of the reason for that is that it has a goes in and a goes out.  It both receives and gives.  The cleansing influence of the River Jordon does that.  The Dead Sea is a different story.  It receives from the Jordon River, but its low in elevation (the lowest elevation on dry land on earth), means that nothing goes out from it.  Its salinity is 33.7%.  It’s hypersalinity prevents macroscopic aquatic organisms such as fish and aquatic plants from living in it.  It’s dead.  God doesn’t want for you to be a “Dead Sea” Christian.  You were reborn in Christ to walk in “newness of life.”  That newness of life means that you are no longer to live as a sinful, selfish, consumer Christian.  You don’t come to the church with a “what’s in it for me” attitude?  God’s purpose is for you to be a channel of His blessing in your relationship to others.

2. Our Shared “In Christ” Unity

So, Christ relates to you in this way.  He encourages you.  He loves you.  You enjoy the blessings of fellowship with Him.  He cares for you and cares about you in all the details of your life.  How does this apply to our relationship with one another?

Note the emphasis on oneness in verse 2.  The term “same” occurs twice.  And then there are the terms “united” and “one.”  The basis of the unity we are to work to preserve is Christ and His example to us.

“Make my joy complete.”  Paul would rejoice to hear that the church in Philippi was experiencing the things spoken of in verse 2.  But, going back to Jesus’ prayer in John 17, these things are at the heart of Jesus’ desire for us as believers.

“By being of the same mind.”  The word “mind” translates a term which speaks to a “way of thinking.”  The tense of the verb speaks to an all the time activity.  One translator has it this way—“that you may be being disposed.”  Note the repeated use of this term.  You cannot tell in your English Bible, but the Greek term occurs repeatedly in this passage: mind (verse 2); purpose (verse 2); mind (verse 3); attitude (verse 5).  So, this “way of thinking” is obviously important.  Something else that is noteworthy here is the very fact that we are called to be of this “same way of thinking.”  Now this is incredible thing that God could work to do such a thing.  People can be stubborn and independent and have their own ways of thinking.  Sometimes getting people together in a common cause is like herding cats, something that it is impossible to do.  But God wants to work together in a similar way of thinking.  What is this way of thinking?  What is this “same mind.”  Well it’s not my way of thinking.  And it’s not your way of thinking.  Its Christ’s way of thinking.  It is to have the mind of Christ.   There’s a wonderful example of this in Matthew chapter 16.  Jesus had just explained to his disciples that He was going to suffer and die and be raised up on the third day.  And Peter rebuked him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord!  This shall never happen to you” (Matthew 16:22).  But (Jesus) turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s” (Matthew 16:23).  In sin we set our minds of man’s interests.  We think in a worldly way.  And the only way that we can think rightly is to be born again and then to have our minds renewed by the Spirit of God through the Word of God (Cf. Romans 12:1-2).  The bottom line is this—to be of the same mind we must all have the mind of Christ.  And the only way that’s going to happen if we are zealous towards the Word that we might better know Christ.

“Maintaining the same love.”  The term translated “love” is the Greek “agape” (same as in verse 1).  The word “maintaining” speaks of the practice of this love.  But note, again, that we are to practice this “same” love.  What is the love spoken of?  It is love of the same nature of that which we have received.  Paul is going to speak to the nature of this love in Philippians 2:5-8.  It speaks there of that love that Christ demonstrated in purposing to die for our sins.  But the main point here is that we were never meant to be merely a repository for this love.  According to Romans 5:3 this love has been shed abroad in our hearts.  We’ve been filled up to overflowing with the love of God, so that this love might be extended to others and especially to our fellow believers in Christ.  Ephesians 5:1-2 puts it this way, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you.”  What is this same love?  It is the “just as” love we have received.

“United in spirit.”  Positionally speaking, we possess a “unity of spirit” inasmuch as we are each indwelt by the same Spirit of God.  Practically speaking, we need—each one of us—to be filled with the Spirit, and to walk by the Spirit, and to keep in step with the Spirit if we are to be united in spirit.  This unity of spirit is an incredibly important thing.  So much so that Paul elsewhere spoke of the need to be “diligent to perverse the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).  We do that as we are all commonly led by the Spirit and, on the other side of things, forthrightly pursue those attitudes and actions that work to resolve differences and promote unity.  I read that book, “The Boys in the Boat,” a year or so ago.  Great book which tells the story of the University Washington eight-oared crew team which represented the US in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.  The book tells the story how these team members, who came from lower middle class families and had to earn their way through school through the depths of the Depression, were coached and prepared to compete and win.  In the book you read about the importance of the synchronization of the eight rowers as they responded to the commands of the coxswain.  The coxswain was in the back of the boat yelling out the command.  The rowers sat one behind another on either side of the boat.  They each needed to listen carefully to the coxswain.  They needed to row according to his command and they needed to be in sync with their fellow oar men.  This is a wonderful analogy of what God intends for a local church.  Jesus is the Lord of His church.  He speaks to us through the Spirit through the Word.  And the Spirit lets us on a Christ-ward course.  And He yells out the commands.  And he bids us work in harmony with one another.  It will do the boat no good at all if one oar man decides that he won’t listen to the coxswain.  It will do the church no good at all if one of its members heads off in the flesh to cause division and strife.  No, they all need to be pulling together.  They all need to “keep in step with the Spirit.”  They all need to be actively working together by doing their part in using their own spiritual gifts in serving the body of Christ.

“Intent on one purpose.”  The word translated “purpose” is actually a different form of the same term used earlier in the verse and translated “mind.”  It has the idea of “being disposed to” something. The through of the phrase is “being disposed to one thing.”  And again, the concern here is what was spoken of in Philippians 1:27, “with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.”  That’s the one purpose we are all intent on.

CONCLUSION

Brethren, you are there in verse 1.  You are so very blessed in Christ.  You have encouragement in Him.  You are loved by Him.  You enjoy the fellowship of the Spirit.  He cares for you with affection and compassion.  You might say—you should say—with the Psalmist—“my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5).

But Christ’s purpose was never that you should be only a reservoir of His blessings.  He intends for you to relate to your brothers and sisters in Christ according to His example.  He has it for you to be renewed in the spirit of your mind that you might fully adopt His way of thinking—that you might have the mind of Christ.  See that great example of love—whereby Christ died for you—He has for you to relate to your brothers and sisters in Christ in that same manner.  You are indwelt by the Spirit; His purpose is that we all might be filled and led by the Spirit that we are united in spirit and intent on one purpose.  You ask what that purpose is?  It is there in verse 27, “with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.”  It is the grandest purpose of all!  And God has enlisted you in this cause.

Now if these two verses are to be fulfilled in us we are going to have to change some things.  By faith we need to understand and appreciate how truly blessed we are!  We need to praise God and thank Him for all that He has done for us.  But beyond that we need to value our community.  We need to invest ourselves in it.  We need to be fully enjoined in it.

We need to value the church.  We need to reevaluate the way that we look at church.  Church is not something we go to—church is something that we are.  We are “members one of one another” (Romans 12:5).  You are a part of the grand assembly of believers.  God loves the church.  The church is the most important entity on this planet.  It alone possesses the answer, in the truth of the gospel, for what ails man.  It has a bright future inasmuch as God’s purpose in His church will not fail.

We need to value unity.  I always cringe if I hear a spouse saying something negative about their partner.  It’s painful to hear a family member criticize another member of their own family.  It’s no less disconcerting when a member of a church family criticizes a brother or sister in Christ.  These are things we must not do if we are to maintain the unity of spirit that God has called us to.  These things are not It is impossible for the church to fulfill its God’s appointed task apart if the members of a church family refuse to relate to one another in a Spirit-led, Christ-like manner.

We need to love one another according to Christ’s example.  That means showing forbearance.  That means exercising forgiveness.  That means actively pursuing opportunities to serve one another in love.  That means using our spiritual gifts for the common good of the body of Christ.  That means attending church with a degree of enthusiasm and genuine interest.  That means doing your part, pulling your weight, being a team player.  And doing all these things according to Christ’s example, to the glory of God.

Philippians 1:27-30

INTRODUCTION

The dictionary defines a cause as “a principle, aim, or movement that, because of a deep commitment, one is prepared to defend or advocate.”

Now there are a myriad of causes to which people devote themselves.  Some of these causes are noble and worthwhile.  Many are not.  Some of these causes are for temporal things that soon wither away.  Some of them endure longer than that.  Some people devote themselves to such causes with little ardor or devotion others give their all—their lives thoroughly devoted to a matter.

Of all the causes that have ever been fought for, no cause is more noble and more virtuous than the cause of the gospel.  It is a cause to which every believer in Christ has been enlisted.  And it is a cause to which we are to devote our lives and unite ourselves to.

Just a reminder of the context.  Paul is writing to the Philippians, a church which God had used Paul and his companions to start, from a prison.  The church in Philippi has sent a gift to him, and they were no doubt wondering how he was doing.  He responded with this epistle.  Most of the first chapter has to do with his own experience.  His prayer for them.  His optimistic understanding of his circumstances.  His question regarding what might happen to him and his optimistic perspective whether it be life or death.  So, we come to the end of the chapter, and the tenor changes from Paul’s experiences to the application of his own experiences to the Philippians in theirs.

MESSAGE

1. A Cause to Live For

There is a common misconception that exists in our day regarding the message of the gospel.  Many wrongly assume that the gospel message—that Christ died for sins and rose from the dead–is something that we simply believe and then we put the message behind us and move on to other things.  That’s a wrong way of thinking about the gospel.  We never put it aside as believers.

The ESV has it right in its translation of 1 Corinthians 15:2 when it says of the gospel that we “are being saved” by it (present tense).  The gospel message has not just worked to save us from our sins by way of forgiveness, it has also worked to unite to Jesus Christ and to His death and resurrection, so that we might walk in newness of life in Him (Romans 6:1-4).

That being said, there is a kind of conduct that is worthy of the gospel.  There are two important terms that we need to define in this phrase.

The first is the term “worthy,” which is related to our English term “axle” or “axis.”  The thought behind the term is “that which balances the scales.”  So, this verse is speaking of the kind of conduct that is consistent to the gospel message.  Put the gospel message on one side of the scale.  Put your conduct (your walk; the manner in which you live your life) on the other.  They should balance out.  The same term is used in Ephesians 4:1, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”  There needs to be a measure of consistency between one’s believe in Christ and their behavior in Christ.

The other important term is “conduct.”  An interesting term is used here which means literally “to live as a citizen.”  The term is related to our English terms “police” or “politics.”  The emphasis here, though, is not how we behave as citizens in the earthly realm, but as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20).

The emphasis in the passage is on Christian unity as it goes on to speak of how we need to be of “one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel” (verse 27).  So, the focus here is on that conduct which is appropriate for fellow citizens on God’s heavenly kingdom.  It’s not surprising that Paul uses this particular term, for Philippi was, after all “a leading city of the district of Macedonia.”  The citizens of Philippi took pride in their Roman citizenship.  So, Paul applied a term that they would be familiar with to their spiritual situation.

And the term fits.  What makes for a good citizen in the earthly realm? In the heavenly realm?

A good citizen acknowledges governing authorities.  What is true in the earthly realm needs to be true of the citizens of heaven.  Our authority is Jesus Christ.  He is the head of the church.  We are those who acknowledge Him as Lord and seek, as His servants, to do His bidding (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:4).

A good citizen obeys the law.  And again, in the heavenly realm we are guided not by our own human wisdom, but by the Spirit of God and the Word of God.  We gladly subject ourselves to the Word and live our lives according to a “what does the Bible say?” way of thinking (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:5).

A good citizen relates properly to his or her fellow citizens.  He doesn’t disrupt the peace or seek to do harm to his fellow citizens.  Instead he proves himself to a beneficial member of a community.  And so, it is the heavenly realm.

When it comes to the earthly realm people most endeavor to live their lives as good citizens.  But when it comes to the church there is much conduct that is not befitting those who claim to be Christians.  There are plenty of professing believers who are not subjecting themselves to the Lord Jesus or to any God-given authority.  There are plenty who don’t endeavor to live their lives according to the Word.  And there are plenty who see little value in having a contributing role in the community of believers.

This is a real problem for the church.  There ought to be a discernible difference in our lives as believers in Christ.  That’s what Paul was speaking about in verse 27, “So that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you.”  Whether I’m able to come to you or not, I’ll hear of the church in Philippi that they are living out the gospel.  We ought to live to the same purpose.  That when people hear of LCBC they might hear that our behavior is consistent to our testimony and that we are united in the cause of the gospel.

The gospel message is adorned when our behavior is consistent to the message.  Titus 2:9-10, “Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

The phrase applies not just to bondslaves, but to all of us.  There is a kind of behavior that adorns the gospel.  There is a kind of behavior that makes the gospel beautiful before others.  It is the kind of behavior that is the fruit of our relationship to Jesus.  It is people seeing Jesus in us—His love, His joy, His wisdom, His righteousness, His joy, His peace; the hope we have in Him.

If you are going to be contribution to the cause of Christ, you are going to have to conduct yourself in manner befitting to the cause of Christ.

2. A Cause to Unite Behind

The terms used in this passage are terms associated with warfare—“standing firm” and “striving together” (verse 27); “opponents” (28); “suffer” (29); “conflict” (30).  We are engaged in a spiritual conflict.

So, in this cause of the gospel we are engaged in a great conflict.  And it is important that we be united in the cause.  Let’s look at some of the terms are phrases that are used.

Note the terms “one spirit” and “one mind.”  It is possible for us to stand firm in “one spirit” and to have “one mind” because God has united us to the body of Christ.  The unity spoken of here is not a unity of human organization, it is a unity of divine relationship.  1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.”  Ephesians 4:3, “Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  There is a song in our hymnal entitled “Our God has Made Us One,” and that’s the truth of it.

It’s a miraculous thing when you think about it.  You will find the Latin phrase, “E pluribus unum,” on US currency.  The phrase means literally, “Out of many, one.”  That’s a noble statement.  And there is some truth to it inasmuch of America is made up of people who originally came here from all parts of the world.  But there is another sense where there is not so much truth to it—because America could hardly be called “united” anymore.  But it’s different with the church.  God has worked to join folks from every possible identity and background to the body of Christ.  Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  We all share the same Lord and are indwelt by the same Spirit.  You could fly anywhere in the world and find brothers and sisters in Christ whom you could readily identify with and enjoy fellowship with.  It is in the church that we find a genuine “E pluribus unum.”

Now we’ve been united by God in this common cause.  And it’s important for us to keep our focus.  Because we are all to prone to lose sight of that which unites us.  A.W. Tozer, “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So, one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”  We are united in Spirit to a common cause, the cause of the gospel.

The term “standing firm” is a warfare type of term.  A related term is used in Ephesians chapter 6 where it speaks of the spiritual conflict we are all engaged in and the need for us to take up the whole armor of God so that we might “stand firm.”  The idea in the military sense is to “not leave one’s post.”  To not abandon your place as a fellow soldier in the battle.  Now in the olden days of warfare it was important for an army to attack another army with a united front.  If a soldier were to leave his post that could mean disaster for his fellow soldiers.  The enemy would then attack at that point of weakness and gain a victory.  The same kind of thing happens within the church.  The enemy is always looking for a weakness in the Christian community from which to launch his attacks.

Make note of another phrase which is equally important—“striving together for the faith of the gospel.”  The phrase “striving together” translates the Greek term “sunathleo.”  Did you catch the last part of the word, “athleo?”  It a term related to our term “athletic.”  It means to “contend in games.”  But here it speaks of how we contend together for a certain thing.  Put simply, its speaking of teamwork.  We are to labor together as a team in this great cause.  We see something of the value of teamwork in the earthly realm.  I’m a big basketball fan.  And it’s the start of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  Recently the Oregon Ducks defeated the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac-12 basketball tournament.  The coach of Arizona complimented the Oregon team.  He called them one of the best teams in America.  He said that they weren’t the most talented team, but because of their teamwork the sum of their parts was greater.  Teamwork can do that for a group of people.  It’s amazing what a group of people can do if they will simply work together.  What can a people led and empowered by the Spirit of God do if they were to work together?  Amazing things!  That’s what the early church was doing.  That’s what God has called us to do.

If you are going to succeed according to that formula, there are couple of things that are necessary:

From the negative standpoint you are going to have to deal with conduct that is detrimental to the team.  Ephesians 4:2-3 speaks to this: “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

From the positive standpoint you need for every member to find their God-given place in service.  “Ephesians 4:16, “From whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part.”

Note that the concern is that we would be striving together for a specific cause, “the faith of the gospel.”  It is not…

• Striving together for a political party.
• Striving together for a social cause.
• Striving together for world peace or any other kind of earth-bound agenda.

The cause for which we are to strive together is the faith of the gospel.  Mark Dever, “When Christians unite around something other than the gospel, they create community that would likely exist even if God didn’t.”  But we’re united in a common cause and that cause is the gospel.

That’s the cause of which Christ spoke when He said, “And you shall be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8).  It is the cause which Paul called the “matter of first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:1).  It is the cause represented to us to be “the glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1 Timothy 1:11) and “the power of God for salvation for all who believe” (Romans 1:16).  It is a cause

3. A Cause Worth Suffering For

The Apostle Paul speaks of opponents.  The word speaks of those who lie opposed to the cause of Christ.  Later in the epistle we read of those who are “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18).

We should not be surprised by this. So, Jesus had forewarned His disciples, “I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18).  He also told them, “A slave is not greater than his master.  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).

Opposition and persecution are not an anomaly for the believer in Christ, it is to be expected: “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29).  Perhaps you didn’t realize that when you trusted in Christ for salvation?  We live in a society with a great degree of freedom, so our experience is not the same as those early believers or of people who live in oppressed regions of the world today.  But persecution and opposition are the norm for the believer.  2 Timothy 3:12, “And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

That is the legacy of the church.  From Stephen’s martyrdom to the one who died this very day in some persecuted region of the world.  Paul likewise faced opposition (Philippians 1:30).  He too had to deal with those seeking to cause trouble for him (Philippians 1:17).  There is a growing antagonism against Christianity in our world.  So, it’s important for us to understand that our cause will be met with opposition.  It’s always been that way.  It will be that way until Christ’s church is raptured into heaven.  God’s work done God’s way will always be met with opposition.

But it is important for us to respond to it in a God-honoring way.  Don’t be “alarmed” by your opponents.  The term “alarmed” translates a seldom used Greek word which means to be terrified or scared.  Don’t be scared by them.  You’ve got no reason to be?

You’ve got God on your side.  Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who is against us?

1 John 4:3, “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

I came across this delightful Scottish chorus the other day:

Cheer up ye saints of God,

There’s nothing to worry about;

Nothing to make you feel afraid,

Nothing to make you doubt;

Remember Jesus saves you;

So why not trust him and shout,

You’ll be sorry you worried at all, tomorrow morning.

1 Peter 3:15 speaks to how we ought to respond to those who seek to do us harm: “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

• Submit yourself in your heart to the Lordship of Christ. Trust Him.  Determine to obey Him.
• Your hope is in the Lord. Don’t be moved from that.
• Make your defense. Your testimony regarding Christ.
• Respond to your opponents in gentleness and reverence.

It matters how we respond.  Paul says that our response is a “sign of destruction to them.”  The term speaks to a “showing, or point out, or demonstration.”  So, your trusting response (i.e. Stephen when he was martyred) demonstrates the rightness of the cause and warns of the ultimate destruction of those who will remain opposed to the gospel.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.”

All that being said, the cause of the gospel is a cause worth suffering for.  People devote themselves to all sorts of causes.  Many of them are unworthy.  But in the cause of the gospel we have a noble and eternal cause worth fighting for and worth suffering for.

CONCLUSION

Someone wrote the following (taken from the Hymn “Onward, Christian Soldiers).  It is meant to be humorous, but there is far too much truth to it.  And we need to recognize this, repent of these wrong ways of thinking, and determine by God’s grace to head in a better direction:

Backward Christian soldiers, fleeing from the fight

With the cross of Jesus nearly out of sight.

Christ, our rightful master, stands against the foe

But forward into battle, we are loathe to go.

Like a mighty tortoise moves the Church of God

Brothers we are treading where we’ve always trod.

We are much divided, many bodies we

Having many doctrines, not much charity.

Crowns and thorns may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,

But the Church of Jesus hidden does remain.

Gates of hell should never ‘gainst the Church prevail

We have Christ’s own promise, but think that it will fail.

Sit here then ye people, join our useless throng

Blend with ours your voices in a feeble song.

Blessings, ease and comfort, ask from Christ the King

With our modern thinking, we don’t do a thing.

If you are a believer in Christ you’ve been enlisted into this common cause, the cause of the gospel.

And Paul uses three wonderful analogies to speak of the spirit in which we are to devote ourselves to the cause:

As fellow citizens.  Our allegiance is the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are led by the Spirit to trust Him and obey Him.  We work together as fellow citizens.

As fellow soldiers.  We are to stand firm in one mind.  That mind is the “mind of Christ.”  As fellow soldiers we are bonded together in this cause.  Our success is dependent upon the mutual support of each one of us for our brother in Christ and our sister in Christ.  There can be no Lone-Ranger Christians.  You need me.  I need you.  We all need each other.

As fellow athletes.  We are all part of a team.  Our success necessitates teamwork.  On the negative side it is important that we do all that we can to preserve the unity of the Spirit.  On the positive side it is equally important that we find our own particular role in serving the body of Christ.