Philippians Lesson 4

Philippians 2:12 – 3:3

Chapters 13, 14, and 15 in Motyer

We have some connected sections of scripture here so I want to remind you were we are as we start this weeks study. This week we really get a workout on the old “When you see a therefore then find out what it is there for.”

Last week we ended with a piece of worship music that Paul included and he was praising Jesus for His work and His life lived at one with God.

Last week we finished with:

Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That “therefore” was there because of the perfect life of the Lamb of God (Agnes Dei). He served perfectly and His perfect sacrifice provided both forgiveness and righteousness for us. Now His name is above every name. The name given him as a human, Jesus, is the most exalted name and every knee must bow in worship to Him to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

We have the example of Christ whose life of perfect obedience we are called to imitate. We have the “therefore” in this verse to point back to the exalted Christ to which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess him as Lord. Since our Lord is higher than any other our lives are lived before the face of the Lord Almighty and we naturally must live our lives with a deep awe and desire to please God. Even more so when we realize that it God within us motivating us to do those things He desires. To refuse to obey is to place your will above the will of the highest power in the universe. There is no one greater than Him and to sin is to set my will above His will. We have a responsibility to participate with God in our salvation. Our salvation is three fold. We are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. This is the “being saved” part that God calls us to participate in and pay attention to Him so we may be obedient children.

Philippians 2:14-18 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.

As a further explanation of working out our salvation Paul tells us to never complain or argue. That would include all arguing and complaining about being told not to argue and complain. The purpose is not be saved. Remember that you can’t add to the justification that is completed by Christ in your life. We are called to obedience so that we’ll become blameless and pure, children of God without fault. We are called to be different in a fallen world that doesn’t serve or love God.

Paul speaks of how his life is being spent and that should concern us as well. Don’t waste your life … Piper really did bring home some important points. It was great to hear Trey Sinyard speaking on those points in the service last week. On the last day when you stand before God what will be precious to you and what will be far from your mind?

A guy that I’ve found fascinating is Ernest Hemingway. He considered himself a man’s man and I think most people thought of him in that way. Even his writing was athletic in a way. Every word was chosen to be exact and mean something. Many of us read “The Old Man and the Sea” as a High School assignment. It was more likely to be read by guys because it was about fishing and it was short. The fishing part probably got guys to start it but the short part probably had more to do with finishing it. I listened to it while I mowed grass yesterday. Paul says that “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.” Hemingway says the opposite of this and says it for everyman. I don’t know how much you remember of the book but it is so short and pointed that it is hard to forget if you grasped his point and his point was “

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?

Hemingway builds a strong since of nihilism and yet bravery in the face of the meaningless universe with the Old Man. The fish represents all fish and his skill in fishing and hence his life work. The Sea represents God but not a personal god. Hemingway has the Old Man catch a huge 18 foot swordfish, fighting for days, spending 3 days without sleep (Christ Symbolism) at sea in a small boat, back cut from the line, hands bleeding, fish so big he could only strap it to the boat as he heads back, sharks eat his fish, he gets home with a head and back bone, and falls into bed in the position of the crucifixion. The boy, who loves him, sees his end in him and just starts crying. He cries as he goes to get him some coffee, he cries when he sees the remains of the fish, and he cries at the brokenness of the old man. I’m convinced that the crying was for both the old man and himself. Hemingway says the life will crucify you. It will be a meaningless ripping of your best from you and no one will really know or long remember your work. He even has some tourists who see the backbone and tail while eating breakfast and ask the waiter about it. He doesn’t speak English and all they get from him is “shark” and they comment that they didn’t know sharks had such pretty tails. I would bet that Hemingway read Ecclesiastes. It may have been the only part of the bible that he understood. He didn’t realize that God had a bunch more to teach him but the end of even someone with Solomon’s wisdom is nihilism and Hemingway wrote a very potent book preaching it.

Apart from God, Hemingway is right. The point of Ecclesiastes is to show us where we end up in our own wisdom. God give us meaning in our lives. The things we learn from Scripture will be useful after 10,000 years and God uses even our work under the sun to teach us spiritual lessons. For me, as a high school student, what I learned from The Old Man and the Sea was courage and perseverance. That was my take home lesson. I think it is ironic that while Hemingway meant mostly hopelessness I heard mostly face life as a man. That was very “Hemingway” too but I could face life with courage, not because it meant nothing, but because it meant something. I could trust God to lead me and use me.

Paul could say that if he was poured out as a drink offering on the top of the service of the Philippians … then fine and dandy and praise to God. He knew his Lord was Lord. He could work out his salvation with fear and trembling yielded to the God of the universe. God is not something without personality and meaning like the sea but a God who calls us His children.

We know that lives spent in the service of others can’t be wasted. The following scriptures show the love that existed within the Church.

Philippians 2:19-30 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.

For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.

And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon. But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.

If you want a life with impact then obey God. You need to address eternal things to have eternal impact. Jesus said that if we wanted to be great then we’d be the servant of all. God makes ministering to people fundamental to serving Him. He give us an opportunity to participate with Him in a work that will last forever.

Philippians 3:1-3 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

Sola Gratia … we are saved by Grace alone. On that last day I pray none of you will be clinging to something that you have done for God. I pray that you’ll be singing “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus”. We have no claim to stand before God except for the work of Jesus on the Cross by which our sins have been forgiven and His righteousness has been imputed to us. God counts me to be in right standing with Him because of Jesus and because of Christ alone.