Calvary Chapel Wenatchee
Sunday Service - Philippians 2 Pt2
  • Great Things
  • Open The Eyes Of My Heart
  • Holy Is The Lord
  • I will Exalt you Oh Lord
  • I See The Lord
  • Holy And Anointed One
  • How Great Is Our God
  • How Great Thou Art
  • Last week:
    In chapter one, we see why Paul has joy in the Philippians, why the Philippians can have joy in Paul’s circumstances, and why Paul can have joy in his own circumstances as well.
    Then here, in chapter 2, Paul gives us the attitude that we should have, which is the same one Jesus had, Who humbled Himself to the point of death, even on a cross.
    Today, we will see that same humility and how it comes into play for our lives today.
    Illustration:
    Think about what happens before a piano concert, hours before anyone shows up, a piano tuner walks into an empty hall. No lights, no audience. He sits at the bench and spends two hours on notes nobody will ever notice individually. When the pianist finally walks out and plays, hundreds of people are moved and inspired by the beautiful sound — and not one of them is thinking about the man who tuned the piano. He's not in the program. He doesn't come out for a bow. He goes home before the doors even open.
    But every beautiful thing that happened that night happened on top of his work.
    That's the attitude Paul is describing in Philippians 2. The Christian life is not about getting your name in the program. It's about whether the music is in tune — whether the body of Christ is unified, whether Jesus is glorified — and being content that God is the one who gets the applause. And that takes humility, a humility that goes lower than you think you can go.
    V.12
    Philippians 2:12 NASB95
    12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
    So then:
    Knowing we are called to take on the same, humble attitude as Jesus, and this will help as succeed in the unity as believers
    Just as you always obeyed:
    Paul recognizes the Philippians and the influence he has on them, that they not only obey when he was there, but continue to when he is gone.
    This is what we see in 3 John 4
    3 John 4 NASB95
    4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
    Work out your salvation:
    Going back to what we have already seen in Philippians 1:27 to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel,” now to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
    We just saw that the unity and oneness of the body of Christ is what Paul is talking about in walking in a manner worthy of the gospel. And how do we achieve this?? Humility, the same attitude Jesus had.
    What should we fear and tremble over?
    Do I have this attitude of Christ, or am I in this self destructive mode of pride and arrogance that is actually hurting the body of Christ rather than building it?
    I see many christians take this as a means to take the reigns from Jesus, to be thankful for salvation, but now, I got this. Now I need to make sure I stay saved and work out my salvation. But in context of Paul’s argument here, that is the attitude Paul is teaching us to avoid.
    If I want to see the body of Christ grow and thrive, it isn’t me doing the work, its me having the attitude that Christ had… Father, let your will be done, not mine. You do the work, You make it happen, and I will be obedient to what you are doing. I will lat aside my wants and my desires, I will lay aside this flesh, and let you Lord exalt those who you want to exalt, and I will trust you in all of that.
    V.13
    Philippians 2:13 NASB95
    13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
    It is God at work:
    It is God working, in and through every one of us. It isn’t us, it is Him
    V.14
    Philippians 2:14 NASB95
    14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
    Do all things:
    without grumbling or disputing
    Why do we grumble or dispute? Because we think too much of ourselves, we think what we want and need, not the others.
    How do you know if your humility is real or fake? Are you grumbling about other people? Do you see it as you are the only one who is humbling yourself? Are you the only one making sacrifices?
    This is where humility becomes really hard. You think that you have already crucified the flesh and you have denied yourself, you have picked up your cross every day, and now, you feel entitled. You feel things should be starting to go MY way. That isn’t humility, that isn’t the attitude of Christ, now is it?
    This is where we need the power of the Holy Spirit, working in and through us. Just when we think we have gone as low as we possibly can, the Lord wants to bring us lower. Not to make you miserable, but to bring unity and joy in your life.
    V.15
    Philippians 2:15 NASB95
    15 so that you will 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,
    You will prove yourselves:
    blameless and innocent, children of God, above reproach in the midst of a crooked generation, as lights in the world.
    When we fight for our rights, when we fight for what is best for us, when we treat others as less than ourselves, this does not accomplish in bringing joy, nor does it prove any of these things.
    The most miserable people to look at are those who are self absorbed. They are all about themselves.
    I remember listening to a program on CSN Radio, years ago. There was a pastor on there, when ever I would listen, would always talk about how wonderful of a job he did raising his children. He would proudly talk about his kids accomplishments and what he did to help them succeed. I’m sure it was great, but it always irritated me. Why? Because there was no humility, just things he did right. For me, it was off putting.
    But this is how we can work out our salvation, how we do things without grumbling or disputing, is having the attitude that Christ had. When we humble ourselves before the Lord, when we don’t exalt ourselves, then in a perverse generation, we appear as lights.
    Don’t be fooled, we live in a perverse generation, and today, we see many things in the news and social media that is bringing much shame on the church.
    To be fair, we know that this perverse generation will hate the church because of Jesus, but I have to admit, a lot of problems that we are seeing from the church, specifically in the western world, is not humility, and definetley not humility before the Lord. We see many ministries who have built themselves a name and are very popular. But there is so much pride and arrogance, the church is not a light that shines amongst the darkness, it is a stain on the already dirty fabric of society. It breaks my heart.
    But I say that in critique of specific leaders and the church in a generalized sense, but I can’t sit here and pretend that I am any better than any of those who spoil the name of Christ.
    In fact, I am the chief of grumbling and disputing, but thank you Lord, that it is God who is working in me to will and to work His good pleasure.
    This alone should help us realize, that we will never be perfect, and never be perfect in our attitude like Christ. Never is Paul using this to condemn us, because we know from Romans 8:1 that there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He never says those who act like Jesus are not condemned, he says those who are in Christ Jesus. So even as we fail, even as prominent figures in the church today fail, we are not condemned, but rather, God is the one working, even if we are failing in our attitudes.
    None the less, Paul wants for the Philippians to prove themselves blameless and innocent. How do they do this? How do we do this? Look at v.16
    V.16
    Philippians 2:16 NASB95
    16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
    holding fast the word of life:
    The word of life?
    What is the word of life?
    The gospel of Jesus Christ!! That we would hold fast to this truth, to this reality.
    Thinking of Romans 5:6-8
    Romans 5:6–8 NASB95
    6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
    This is where we all started, this is where we all are. This is the word we need to hold to, the truth we need to live by. That while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
    You are not where you are because you were so lovely and wonderful, you were quite the opposite. You are where you are because of Jesus, and you only stay there because it was His work, not yours.
    reason to glory:
    When we hold to the truth of the gospel, when we live by that truth, it is a reason to glory.
    Only when people cling to Jesus, we can know with absolute confidence that we have not run in vain.
    When I see people I haven’t seen for awhile, people that I have ministered to and poured into, what a joy it is when they talk about Jesus and what He has done. No matter what they have gone through or experienced, they have clinged to Jesus. That is a reason to glory, to e excited, to know I haven’t toiled or run in vain.
    V.17
    Philippians 2:17 NASB95
    17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
    poured out as a drink offering:
    The drink offering is an interesting one.
    The drink offering was to be added to the burnt offering and meal offering, but not the sin nor the trespass offering. It had nothing to do with redemption, but rather, as the offering would burn, the drink offering would be poured upon the sacrifice that was consumed by fire and it would go up in steam and disappear. It would go up as an aroma, but nothing more. It was to accompany, but never be the substance.
    He says upon their sacrifice and service of faith:
    Even if Paul and what he has done, everything he has gone through, is but just a vapor and compliment to the Philippians faith, then he is able to rejoice.
    And this is the same attitude he is encouraging the Philippians, and even us in. No matter how small your part is, no matter how big your part, that is never the point. Even if you had a big part, but others view it as small, it doesn’t matter. To Paul, the thing that matters is their faith, and how they are growing, not him.
    V.18
    Philippians 2:18 NASB95
    18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
    Rejoice in the same way:
    share your joy with me
    This is the key to joyful living, to having joy in any and every circumstance. To take on the attitude that Christ had, doing nothing from selfishness, or empty conceit, regarding others as more important than yourself, looking out for the interest of others and not just your own.
    And Paul doesn’t want them to be humble because he wants them to be miserable, but to have the same joy he has.
    Think of James 4:6-10
    James 4:6–10 NASB95
    6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
    Let your flesh and your pride be destroyed and turned around. Let the Lord exalt you. Let Him be the reason you have joy
    Conclusion:
    If we want to have that real joy, we need to understand what humility is. Once we do, we will find the joy in the oneness and unity in the body of Christ and in what the Lord has for us.

      • Philippians 2:12NASB95

      • 3 John 4NASB95

      • Philippians 2:13NASB95

      • Philippians 2:14NASB95

      • Philippians 2:15NASB95

      • Philippians 2:16NASB95

      • Romans 5:6–8NASB95

      • Philippians 2:17NASB95

      • Philippians 2:18NASB95

      • James 4:6–10NASB95

Calvary Chapel Wenatchee
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