Is Your Flashlight on?
Sermon Type: Expository
Title: Is your flashlight on?
Passage: Phil 2:12-17
Subject/Compliment: Living for Christ requires much work.
Proposition: We must shine as lights into the world!
Purpose: I want my audience to be motivated to shine as lights into the world.
Interrogative: How do we shine as lights into the world?
Transition Sentence: We must shine as lights into the world through doing these two things: being obedient and being willing.
Introduction
Have you ever been in a cave? Did they shut the lights out for you? In Mexico, we would always go to the caves in Monterrey. They would shut all the lights out and show you how dark it is in the cave. It was scary to not be able to see your hand in front of your face. It was so dark that you would have no hope of getting out of the cave without light. When the tour guide turns on his flashlight, it is like a light of hope and safety. With that light we can get around and see where we need to go.
We are to do the same with our lives. Brethren, we must let our lives be a light that shines to the wicked world. The world is dark and has no light in it except someone shines the Gospel of Christ to it. We live in a sinfully dark universe, and we need to illumine it. It is our job to go out into the world and give out the Gospel. We must shine as lights into the world.
Transition Sentence: We must shine as lights into the world through doing these two things: being obedient and being willing.
I. Be obedient. Phil. 2:12-16a
Explanation: Here Paul is giving the Philippians three different commands on what they must do to shine as lights into the world. When Paul says, “as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,” he is not saying anything about them stopping their obedience. He wants them to continue their obedience. The Philippians had not only done a good job at being obedient while Paul was present, but they were even more obedient while he was gone. The compound verb for obey, hupakouō, (where we get our English word acoustic) has the basic meaning of placing oneself under what has been heard, and therefore of submitting and obeying. A believer obviously must listen to God’s Word if he is to be obedient to it, so this is indirectly an appeal for believers to continue to study and obey Scripture. Paul’s first command then is for them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.
A. Work out salvation with fear and trembling. V. 12
1. Explanation/Argumentation: Much debate has taken place over this phrase. Many men have argued about what this is supposed to mean. The question is a valid one: how is the balance weighed between God doing the work in salvation and man doing the work in salvation? On the one hand, quietists stress God’s role in sanctification, to the virtual exclusion of any human effort. Pietists, in contrast, emphasize self-effort at the expense of reliance on God’s power.[1] Some have said that man does all the work for salvation, and that God just shows us the way. Others have said that man has no part in it at all. Both arguments are seen in scripture. I believe it is a combination of both arguments; there can be a resolution between the believer’s part and God’s part in sanctification. There is a specific continuing command here to keep on working. Man is responsible to respond to what he hears about the Gospel, then respond to it, and obey. God draws us to himself, and must justify us and sanctify us. The believers role is to very minimal to the role God plays in salvation. The believer is responsible to continue in what he has learned and obey. They were to continue and to put into practice in their daily living what they had been commanded to obey. Verse 13 shows that even though man is involved, God is the one ultimately in control of everything. The same dual emphasis is found throughout the New Testament and a consideration of the pertinent texts is helpful. Peter, in his second letter, reminds believers that: According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-8
2. Explanation: The phrase “with fear and trembling” was a very common phrase in the Old Testament. It does not mean to dread God or to be scared of him. The phrase is there to remind the Philippians of whom they are and who God is. It shows mans defenselessness. It should cause believers to have a serious dread of sin and yearning for what is right before God (cf. Rom. 7:14ff.). Aware of their weakness and the power of temptation, they should fear falling into sin and thereby grieving the Lord. Godly fear protects them from wrongfully influencing fellow believers, compromising their ministry and testimony to the unbelieving world, enduring the Lord’s chastening, and from sacrificing joy.[2]
3. Application: The obvious application is for the believer today to continue to grow in Christ. The sanctification process is not over until we are lying in the grave. Have you been growing in Christ? Have you been obeying with a fear and reverence to God, or have you been obeying because that is what everyone wants you to do. Your obedience is a direct relation to shining as lights in this world. You must be obedient to be able to shine in this world. A life that is marked by disobedience and laziness will not be effective for giving out the Gospel. However, a life that is marked by obedience and service will be a life that can shine into the darkness of this world.
B. Do everything without murmurings and disputings. V. 14
1. Explanation: Here Paul tells of things we are not to do when working out our salvation. He said to do all without murmuring and disputing. This is another common phrase in the Old Testament. The first term, “murmuring,” is talking about grumbling. This is what happens when someone responds disgruntled. Paul is telling them to do everything without grumbling against the decrees and will of God. This causes the believer to live in self-denial and self-renunciation. The second term, “disputings,” could be interpreted questionings. It carries the idea of evil reasoning, disputes, or doubting. Murmuring is mainly emotional, while disputing is intellectual. Paul is trying to get across that there should be a unity of spirit: of one mind and one accord. He mentions that frequently in this epistle (2:2; 4:2).
What is supposed to be here instead? There should be a willingness to trust God in every situation. Paul is trying to show the Philippians that it is futile to complain, but well worth it to rejoice. As the apostle emphasizes throughout this letter, it is an attitude of determination to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4; see also, e.g., 1:4, 18, 25; 2:18; 4:1).
2. Illustration: This summer I worked for OREMEX ministries taking teenagers down into Mexico each week. The number one response that people had was that they complained too much about what they did not have when the Mexican people are so content with the little that they do have. It never surprised me that almost everyone saw this point, because we are such a spoiled society.
3. Application: We must not be murmuring and disputing in our fellowship today. There is probably no problem bigger in the American churches than murmuring and disputing. God had given us more in this generation than any before, but we still find ways to complain and murmur about what we do not have, or how what we have is not good enough. Have you been questioning the direction of the church, or what the pastor has been preaching? Do not cause strife and division among the church. If you have a problem with what is being said or done, go directly to the source of the problem. This is biblical, murmuring and disputing are not. Can you go about your live and not complain about anything? In everything, we are to be praising and thanking God, not just in some things. As Paul writes just a little later in Phil 4:11 about being content in every situation, Christian, you must too be content in every situation. We all know this very well, because many of our conversations are built around complaining. Look at what God has given us in Christ; that should be cause enough to rejoice. If you are not rejoicing and praising God, your focus will be off him and focused on yourself. You must put away murmuring and disputing to be a servant of Christ that shines into this world.
4. Explanation: This is all so that we should become blameless and harmless. Paul wanted the world to know that they were children of God and that they were harmless and innocent. The world would not respond well to someone that was intimidating and unapproachable. They needed to be pure and uncontaminated so they could let their light shine clearly into the entire world. It was for the sake of the unsaved that they were to work towards this goal. Christians are striving to be without spot and without blemish. This is an impossible goal, but it must be strived for every day of our lives to have an effective witness. This is the focal point, trying to give the gospel out to a wicked and perverse nation must be are main work.
C. Hold forth the word of life. V. 16a
1. Explanation: As lights in a world of spiritual darkness, they were to “hold forth the word of life.” The context of the present text also makes clear that the point is not believers’ remaining faithful to (i.e., holding onto) God’s truth, but rather their sharing with others (holding out) the redeeming word that brings eternal life.[3] They must be lights because they have the only light to spread, the Word of life.
The world is unsaved and dead in their sins; they need to be made alive by the Word of life. Paul knew that the lost would not come to Christ unless Christians shined as lights into the world.
2. Application: Have you been giving out the Word of life as you should? We all know that we should. Every time I go out of my Christian comfort zone and talk to an unsaved person for any length of time, the Lord convicts me to give them the Gospel. If we are saved and following after God, then we will hear the Holy Spirit telling us to give that person the gospel. Do not sit back and stay scared to give out the Gospel. Too many times we as Christians just stay in our Christian circles. We live in a Christian home, with a Christian family, we go to church in our Christian car, we stay in the Christian school, and we go to our Christian job. Many of you never interact with the world. That should be a regular occurrence! We must get out into the world if we are going to shine as light to them.
Transition Sentence: Now that we have just seen the first thing we must do to shining as lights into the world: we must be obedient; we will now see that the second thing that we must do is we must be willing.
II. Be willing. Phil. 2:16b-17
Explanation: After Paul tells the believer how to shine as lights to the world, he shows by his own example that he is willing to do anything it takes to get the Gospel out.
A. In Labor. V. 16b
1. Explanation: Paul wanted the Philippians to follow out on his commands so his labors would not be in vain. The verb kauchaomai (to glory) can have the meaning of sinful boasting, as it clearly does in James 4:16. But it can also describe rejoicing, as it does in the present text (the King James Version reads, “may rejoice”). Paul knew that either way, whether they obeyed him or not, he would still have labor for a worthy cause: for the sake of Christ. This would definitely be a cause for rejoicing. Paul was willing to give up of his whole life for Christ. He knew that at the Judgment Seat of Christ (where Christian will be rewarded for their service for Christ) he would receive many rewards.
2. Illustration: This great missionary is known as the Father of American Missions. He was sent from America and arrived in Burma in 1813. Judson labored hard and faithfully but he did not see many results. Five long years passed before Judson was able to baptize his first convert. As he himself said, winning a convert in those regions was "like drawing the eye-tooth of a live tiger." Ten years he labored hard before he was able to gather one little flock of 18 converts into a church. In many ways those 10 years seemed fruitless. However, what may seem very fruitless to man may be very fruitful to God. Before Judson died there were 7,000 Christians living in Burma with 63 churches and 163 missionaries, native pastors and helpers to watch over the churches. God had given the INCREASE (see 1 Corinthians 3:7) in His time and in His way!
3. Application: Are you willing to use up your whole life to labor for Christ? Are you willing to let him have every aspect of it so that you may rejoice in what Christ has done in you? The mentality today focuses on results; is your focus on the results that you can bring, or are you resting in God to do what he wills in your ministry? Even if your ministry is not profitable and you never see anyone saved, will it be worth it to serve Christ? Paul said yes, I hope your answer and mine will be yes as well. If your answer is yes I am willing, then what are you doing right now to back that up? Your life must be a shining example to the lost. You must be giving out the Gospel no matter what the reward or cost.
B. In Life. V. 17; Phil 1:21-27
1. Explanation: When Paul says that if he is offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, he actually is saying that he is willing to be poured over the alter as a drink offering. Paul was in prison at this point of his life and some say that he was expecting to die, but many argue that he knew that he would not be martyred. Either way, Paul was willing to give his whole life to be poured out as a sacrifice to God.
2. Explanation: We see in other places (Phil 1:21-27) that even if it meant his death, he was willing to live for Christ. In these verses in Phil 1, Paul talks about dying for Christ. Paul’s desire was that he would be with Christ. However, he goes on to say that it is more important to be with the people then. Paul knew that God would take him in the right time.
3. Illustration: Adoniram Judson was the first overseas missionary sent out from America. In the early nineteenth century, he and his first wife went to India and, a short while later, to Burma, where he labored for nearly four decades. After fourteen years, he had a handful of converts and had managed to write a Burmese grammar. During that time he suffered a horrible imprisonment for a year and a half and lost his wife and children to disease. Like Paul, he longed to be with the Lord, but, also like the apostle, he considered his work for Christ to be infinitely more important than his personal longings. He therefore prayed that God would allow him to live long enough to translate the entire Bible into Burmese and to establish a church there of at least one hundred believers. The Lord granted that request and also allowed him to compile Burmese-English and English-Burmese dictionaries, which became invaluable to the Christian workers, both foreign and Burmese, who followed him. He wrote, “If I had not felt certain that every trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings.”
3. Application: If we are going to shine as lights into this world, we must be willing to serve Christ and obey him in all of our life and our death! Are you truly willing to do anything God wants you to? Would you go to be a missionary if God called you? Would you go to a Muslim nation? Would you be poured out as a complete and total sacrifice? Is your desire to be with the Lord? Your desire should be to be with the Lord, but also to desire to live for Christ for all the years that you have on earth. Paul was willing to give up everything; I want to be willing to give up everything as well.
4. Illustration: John Williams. The first Christian missionary to the New Hebrides Islands (the Islands where John Paton labored) was John Williams. As soon as he arrived on the Cannibal Island, he was clubbed to death and then devoured at a cannibal feast. His labor was not in vain. God had a purpose in allowing this. The news of this tragedy filled the London Missionary Society, which had sent him, with sorrow but also with a strong determination not to be defeated by this event. Immediately 25 new workers volunteered to take the place of Williams. Fifty years after Williams was murdered, the son of his murderer was laying the corner-stone of the martyr’s memorial, while another son was preaching the gospel for which that martyr died!
Transition Sentence: The first thing we saw that we need to do is to be obedient and the second that we need to do is to be willing if we want to shine as a light into the world.
Conclusion
What would have happened if the people in that cave in Mexico had not turned the lights back on? We would have been lost without any direction on how to get out of the cave. There is no way that an unsaved person can get out of the spiritual darkness that he is in without someone shining as a light to him. Are you obeying Christ without complaining and arguing? Are you obeying Christ by giving out the Gospel? Are you willing to go wherever God would have you to go, even if it means death? Are you giving up your life for Christ? Will you shine as a light in your community here? We must be that person that shows the lost how to come to Christ. We must shine as a light into the world!
Bibliography
Reference Works:
Orr, James. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. WM.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, MI. 1974
Nave, Orville. Concise Topical Bible. Moody: Chicago. 1974.
Ryrie, Charles. Ryrie Study Bible. Moody: Chicago. 1978.
Strong, James. Strong’s Comprehensive Concordance of the Bible. World Bible Publishers: Iowa Falls, Iowa.
Vincent, Martin. Word Studies in the Greek NT. Ages Software. Albany, OR. 1996
Vine, W.E.. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary. Thomas Nelson Publishers: London. 1996.
Commentaries
Barnes, Albert. Barnes on the New Testament: Ephesian-Philemon. Ages Software. Rio, WI. 2000.
Clark, Adam. Romans through Colossians. Ages Software. Albany, OR. 1997
Fee, Gordon D. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. William B. Eedermans Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, MI. 1995
Gaebelein, Dr. Frank E.; Kent, Homer A. The Expositors Bible Commentary: Philippians. Zondervan. Grand Rapids, MI. Pradis 2002.
Gill, John. Gill’s Exposition on the Bible. Leigh and Straud. 1810.
Gromacki, Robert G. New Testament Survey. Baker Book House: Grand Rapids, MI. 2000.
Hendriksen, William. New Testament Commentarty: Philippians. Baker Books. Grand Rapids, MI. 1962.
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible Galatians Through Revelation. Ages Software: Albany, OR. 1999
Howley, Bruce and Ellison. A New Testament Commentary. Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, MI. 1969.
MacArthur, John. Philippians. Moody Press. Chicago. 2001.
Walvoord, John and Zuck, Roy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Chariot Victor Publishing. Colorado Springs, Colorado. 1984
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[1]MacArthur, J. 2001. Philippians. Moody Press: Chicago
cf. confer (Lat.), compare
[2]MacArthur, J. 2001. Philippians . Moody Press: Chicago
[3]MacArthur, J. 2001. Philippians . Moody Press: Chicago