Sermon Tone Analysis

*Philippians X: Quit Whining*

*Philippians 2:14-18*

*/January 13, 2008/*

 

 

 

*Paul comes to Philippi*

 

Today, we continue our series on Philippians, and we will be in 2:14-18.

They basic *point* of the passage is very *simply*, even if it is *complicated* to do:

 

·         Don’t *complain* and don’t *argue*.

I want to start with a little *history* lesson about how Paul *demonstrated* *this* when he *planted* the church in Philippi.

Act 16 tell us that Paul was preaching the Gospel in what is now Turkey, when he saw *vision* of a man from *Greece* begging Paul to come to help them.

So *Paul*, *Silas*, and *Luke* went to *Philippi*.

Paul had a *standard* *routine* when he first came to city: He would go to local *synagogue* and preach the Gospel until he got *kicked* *out*, and then he would start *preaching* to the *Gentiles* in any public forum he could.

But Philippi did *not* have a *synagogue*, which may reflect an *anti*-*Semitic* mood in Rome.

Around this same time, all Jews had been kicked out of Rome by the *emperor* *Claudius*.

But Paul knew the Jews would meet on the *Sabbath* for *prayer* by the *river*.

So he went to the bank of the Gangites River, about 1 ½ miles out of town and found a bunch *women* *meeting*.

So he began preaching to them and at least one of them, became a Christian, the *first* *convert* in *Europe*.

She was a *Gentile* by the name of Lydia, and she was a “dealer in *purple* *fabrics*.”

*Purple dye*

 

As a side note, this tells us that she was very *wealthy*.

It’s like saying she was a *Fortune* *500* *CEO*.

Purple dye was very *expensive* and *rare* in ancient days.

The dye was extracted from a small mollusk, shown here.

It was a very *labor* *intensive* process.

It is believed that it took *12*,*000* *shells* to produce *1.5 grams* of dye.

Because it was so expensive, only *royalty* and the very *rich* could afford it.

That is why purple is traditionally the color of *royalty*.

And that is why the *advent* *candles* we used at Christmas were purple.

*Arrest and freedom*

 

As Paul continued preaching in Philippi, there was a *slave* *girl* who was demon-possessed that made a lot of *money* for her *owner* as a fortune-teller.

This girl began following Paul around shouting at them.

After *several* *days* of this, Paul has had enough and *casts* the *demon* out of her.

This makes her owner really mad, so he starts a *riot*, with *anti*-*Semitic* undertone.

·         Paul and Silas ended up being *flogged* (whipped) severely, and thrown in *jail*, *without* a *trial*.

This is the traditional site of Paul’s imprisonment from the *outside*.

And here is a picture inside.

We can’t be sure that this was actually it, but it was a place *like* *this*.

So here are Paul and Silas, *bleeding*, *sore*, *chained* to the wall, probably *cold* and *hungry* as well, since ancient jails were not know for *humanitarian* conditions.

Q   Put yourself in their shoes, how would you have responded?

·         Hymns would the first thing out of *my* mouth!

But rather than being *angry*, *complaining*, or *questioning* God, they praised him.

Even in the face of severe *hardships* they demonstrate the *joy* Paul was known for in Philippians.

·          The Bible points out that the other prisoners were listening.

This is not what they were used to.

They are used to *cries* of *agony* and *despair*, *profanity*.

·         Hey Joe, what’s going on in #4?

Those guys are singing and they aren’t even drunk.

That night, there’s an *earthquake* and all of the jail doors opened up.

Something about the entire event must have *freaked* *out* the *prisoners*, because they didn’t *take* *off*, which is *odd*.

The *jailor* sees the *open* *doors*, thinks the prisoners have *escaped*, and goes to *kill* *himself*, because he would executed.

But Paul stops him, saying that they are all still there.

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household.”*

/Acts 16:29-31 NIV/*/  /

 

We will *never* *know* what sort of impact Paul had by his *attitude* and *response*, which is so *different* than *mine*.

Not only did the *jailors* and his *family* become Christians, but I *guess* that he made a strong *impact* on the other *prisoners*, and I would *imagine* that some of Paul’s *readers* of Philippians were those *prisoners* and the *jailer*.

*The whining Israelites*

 

And so, as we pick up in Philippians 2:14, we see that Paul *practiced* what he *preached*.

We will be reading verse 14-18, so let’s turn there, page 831 in the pew Bible.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-- in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.* /Philippians 2:14-18 NIV/*/ /

 

What’s interesting is that Paul is making a *subtle* *comparison* and *contrast* between the Philippians and the Bible’s most *notorious* *grumblers*: The *Israelites*.

·         Verses 14 and 15 Paul alludes to the *Israelites* as the wandered in the *desert* after being *freed* from *Egypt*.

The Israelite served as a great example of “what *not* to *do*.”

God *saved* them from brutal *slavery* in Egypt, did great *miracles* to demonstrate his *ability* to *care* for them, including *parting* the *Red* *Sea* and having *food* literally *fall* *from* the sky.

·         But all they did was *whine* and *question* Moses’ *ability* to lead.

We know he’s alluding to them because every time this Greek word for “complaining” is used in the *Greek* *translation* of the *Torah* (first five books of the OT), it refers to *them*.

Then in verse 15, Paul quotes an OT passage:

 

...children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation... /Philippians 2:15 NIV/

 

But Moses said about the Israelites:

 

They have acted corruptly toward [God]; to their shame they are no longer his children, but a warped and crooked generation.*

*/Deuteronomy 32:5 NIV/* * 

 

The key words are “children,” and “a warped and crooked generation.”

In the Greek, these are identical.

Paul’s point: Don’t be like the *Israelites* that were *disowned* for *complaining* and *questioning*.

Rather, *shine* your *light* to folks like them.

*Complaining *

 

Personally, I wish Paul had left “complaining” out of this.

Since I knew that I would be talking about complaining, I more *sensitive* to my own *complaining*.

Not long ago, I realized that I could not *answer* the question “How are you” without some *complaint*.

Without exception, I had to qualify every *positive* with a *negative*.

·         When I finally *realized* what I was doing I was *dumbfounded*.

I am *not* *saying* we shouldn’t be *honest*, but why couldn’t I ever just say, “*Great*!”

It was like I was *afraid* being *happy*.

I still have *no* *idea* why I did that.

·         *Complaining* is like the great *American* *past* *time*.

It is one thing we can *all* *agree* on.

In the Northwest, we like a little bit of *personal* *space*, and we have all sorts of *unspoken* *rules*, like don’t talk on the *elevator*.

But there are two accepted *exceptions*:

 

·         “What floor?” and “Wow, this is slow.”

Complaining is the most *acceptable* form of *communication*.

If you are in a slow checkout line, it is completely acceptable to saying things like, “Why don’t they open up another line?”

But if you say, “It sure is a nice day!” people will look & hide their children from you.

 

 

*Complaining = Ingratitude*

 

So what is the *big* *deal*?

What’s wrong with a little complaining?

Complaining = ingratitude, that’s the problem.

When we complain, we’re saying that what *God* has *given* us isn’t *good* *enough*.

The Israelites had been freed from cruel *slavery*, but when the *hardship* of the *desert* *hit*, they *complained*.