The Church of Eleven22 - Wk 4: Shine Like Lights

Episode Date: February 26, 2023

During the fourth week of our series exploring the book of Philippians, Pastor H.B. Charles imparts wisdom on Philippians 2:1-18. His teaching serves as a reminder for us to refrain from grumbling or disputing in all situations. By doing so, we can strive to be blameless and pure, embodying the qualities of children of God who are without blemish. This is especially important in today's world, where the prevailing culture is often crooked and twisted. Through our conduct, we have the opportunity to shine like beacons of light amidst the darkness, illuminating the world with goodness and hope.

I'm trying to tell you, don't, don't come just to church for a refill and then try to live life in your own wisdom, strength, and resources until you run out. Make sure you are constantly in touch with the power and trust God for daily bread. Church of 1122, that is my dear friend, H.B. Charles. Not only is he my friend, he's one of the greatest communicators in our country right now, you are so very welcome for me bringing him back. here to share God's word, grab your Bible, open it up to the Book of Philippians, and stand to your feet and welcome to the stage, H.B. Charles.

God bless you. You may be seated. Grace and peace be multiplied to each of you and the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord. It is a great joy to be with you this morning. I love your pastor. I love this church. And I'm grateful for the opportunity to share God's word with you from Philippians, Chapter 2. If you'd get your copy of God's Word, and be turning there, let me breathe a word of prayer, and then we'll listen for what God will say to us out of what he has already said to us in His Holy Word. Father, in the name of Jesus, we simply pray that our worship would go higher as you deepen our understanding of your word. Open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things from your

word. Give us understanding, and we will obey your word and keep it with our whole. heart in Jesus' name. Amen. Philippians chapter 2 is my assignment for today, verses 1 through 18. If you'd get your Bible open and stay there with me, we'll endeavor to walk right through the progression of the text and follow the train of thought of the inspired writer this morning. Under this heading, shine like lights. After church on a Sunday morning, a college-age student pulled his pastor aside for advice. He wanted to move from the dorm area where he was staying.

The pastor asked him why. He simply said, because I'm the only Christian there. The pastor said, okay, I understand that. But why do you want to move? And again, he explained to his pastor as best he could, describing the circumstances, I'm the only Christian there. But again, the pastor says, I'm hearing what you're saying, but I'm not getting what you're saying.

What's the problem? He succinctly said, finally, pastor, I'm the only Christian in that building and it's just so dark there. To which the pastor finally replied, could it be that God has placed you in that dark situation so that you might be light for Jesus Christ? In a real sense, friends, this is the real dilemma every true Christian faces at one time or another, we could find ourselves in quote-unquote dark places. It may be at school, it may be at work. For that matter, it can be in our own homes. And our instincts would bid us to

flee of the dark and seek the light. But often we forget that God has called us in Christ to be light in dark places, to shine as lights in dark places. In Matthew chapter 5, verses 14 through 16, Jesus says, you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to the entire house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your heavenly fire.

Father. Note there that Jesus does not command us to be lights. He describes us as lights. It is what we are if we live in Him and for Him. Light transforms darkness. And this is how you and I can influence the world for Christ. And this is how you and I can influence the world for at least our little portion of the world where we live. We can make an impact for Christ simply by shining as lights. Let me remind us, friends, it is not our job to shout at the darkness. It's our job to shine as lights in the world. And in Philippius chapter two, this is the life that Paul calls the saints too, as we conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the God.

of Jesus Christ. Versus 14 and 15 says, do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. And so there's a big question each of us need to ask.

are you shining your light or hiding your light? Philippians chapter 2 verses 1 through 18 teaches us how to shine as lights in the world for Christ. But more importantly, beyond the exhortations and instructions, there is explanation here that teaches us why we should shine as lights. I suggest that the why is more important than the how. When you lose your why, you lose your way. Why should we shine as lights? Four reasons. I want you to see in these verses.

Reason one. The unity of the church. The unity of the church. The chapter begins with a plea for spiritual unity. And in a real sense, Paul opens the chapter by saying that you can't really shine as light to influence the world if you are an isolated light in your corner. We shine as lights together. And so the text begins with a call to unity in verse one.

Paul says, so if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort, from love, any participation in the spirit, any affection and sympathy that if is in the first-class condition, which assumes the statement is true, it can read, since these things are true, because these things are true. In a real sense, verse one, is saying, we should not treat others the way they treat us in response to retaliation. treat others the way Christ has treated us. Have you ever been encouraged in Christ, he says? Have you ever been comforted by his love? Have you ever known the communion, the fellowship, the participation of his spirit? Have you experienced any of his affection and sympathy? If so, he says, based upon the

ministry of Christ and the spirit to us, he says, verse 2, complete my joy. Friends, I think that is the most important exhortation, the most important command in this chapter. This is a call to unity. This church has shown in multiple ways they're concerned for Paul, and Paul tells them how they can be a blessing to him. Complete my joy. He is under house arrest in Rome. He wants them to know that in the midst of his difficult circumstances, he has joy, but his joy is somehow incomplete.

He says, but you can complete my joy. You can fill up my joy. You can cause my cup of joy to overflow if I can just hear that you are living in unity together. This is the heart of a spiritual leader. Spiritual leaders promote spiritual unity. So these overlapping phrases, he says here in verse two, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Those phrases almost deserve their own sermon. But these overlapping phrases are to be taken together to emphasize that what Paul is calling for here is spiritual unity, not worldly conformity. He is saying that our bond in Christ is infinitely. stronger than ethnic, cultural, and political differences. It is said often the old axiom is that

blood is thicker than water. Paul would say that blood is not thicker than baptism water. Galatians 3, 27, and 28 as many have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is no longer Jew nor Greek, male nor female, bond or free, but we are one in Christ. And so the chapter begins with a call to unity. And then Paul gives the key to unity. What's the key to unity? How do we live out our faith in unity with one another? The simple answer is this.

The key to unity is humility. The key to unity is humility. There cannot be true unity. unity if there is not genuine humility. And so verse three says, do nothing from selfish ambition or concede. Selfish ambition was an ancient political term that described one who played dirty politics in the midst of an election process. He says the church should not play political games. Conceit means to be puffed up on nothing.

I grew up with a translation that renders it vain glory. It is to think that you are more than what you are when actually you are nothing at all. Selfish ambition pulls down others and puffs up self. Paul says, do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count others as more significant than yourself. That doesn't mean that everyone else is more valuable, more important, more significant to God than you. But he's saying that the church should live in a way where we should come,

not pre-consume with our personal agendas and interests and taste. He is saying that we should view everyone else in the church as worthy of preferential. treatment. Just think about what our homes would be like, what the church would be like if we viewed others that way, that everyone else is worthy of preferential treatment over me. You say, how in the world is that possible, H.B? Well, it's actually more simple than you think. Just ask yourself this question. Who's the worst sinner you know? If we're honest, if you're honest, the answer is you. You may have secondhand information about other people's sin, but you are a first-hand witness of all the dirt you've done. You know worse things about yourself

than you do anyone else. None of us have any reason for pride. Every one of us in here who is saved, Don't be discouraged by this crowd, friends, if you are here today and you need to trust Christ for salvation, don't be intimidated by anyone else. Let me tell on everybody here. Every Christian here rode into the kingdom on amazing grace. Because we're only here by the grace and mercy of God. That grace that we have received should be the grace that we extend. So that verse four, we are not looking at our own.

interest only but for the interests of others. I love this verse. There's nothing wrong, friends, with you having your own interest. And Paul says there's nothing wrong with you looking out for your interests. But short-sightedness that causes you to only see your interest is selfish, foolish, and childish. We're to look out for the interests of others, not just ourselves. We're to look out for the interest of others, not just ourselves. Hebrews 10, 24, and 25 says it this way, and let us consider one another. How to stir one another up to love and good deeds. That's an amazing statement. We have been called to love and good deeds, but there is a level of love and good works I will never reach unless God brings godly people in my life that will stir me up to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together,

as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching. And so the first reason we should let our little light shine, if you will, is for the unity of the church. But secondly, because of the example of Christ. That's verses 5 through 15, 5 through 11, pardon me. Verse 5 says, have this mind among yourselves, which is also yours in Christ.

Jesus. Verse five is how to do verses three and four. How do you consider others better than yourselves, more significant than yourself? How do you look out for the interests of others? Verse five answers, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Here is the key to spiritual change. It is not the result of introspection. We are transformed by prayerful meditation on the divine person, holy life, selfless service, atoning death, and glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We grow to the degree that we forget about ourselves and focus on Christ. Versus 6 or 11 lays out for us the mindset of Christ.

It is called the hymn of Christ. It begins with the humiliation of Christ, as scholars call it. Verse six contrasts his deity and his humanity. It says he was in the form of God and did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. The verse begins by saying that the pre-incorinent Christ, before he was born in Bethlehem's barn, he was eternally the son of the living God. He shared God's nature, God's authority, and God's glory. glory. John says, in the beginning was the word, John 1,1, and the word was with God, and the word

was God. He was in the language of Colossians 2 and 9. He was the fullness of the Godhead wrapped in a body. Jesus is very God of very God. He is more than just a wise rabbi, a miracle worker, or a good example. He is God in the flesh. The text says That he was in the form of God But he did not count equality with God A thing to be grasped Literally the language of the verse says

That he did not clutch on To the privileges of his deity Like a robber Clutching his loot Think about it In eternity past About all history before the incarnation.

He set enthroned at the right hand of the Father, the object of the worship of the angels. Verse 7 says he emptied himself. Emptied himself does not mean he stopped being God. It doesn't mean he exchanged deity for humanity. It means that he became something more than what he was without ever becoming less than what he had been for all eternity. He took on a human nature without losing any bit of his divine nature. It's a miracle.

It's a mystery that God became one of us. The God who in Eden's garden took from a man, a motherless woman, went to Bethlehem's barn, and took from a woman, a fatherless man. Jesus was a woman. born into this world as old as his father and ages older than his mother. The ancient of days became the infant of days. He emptied himself and took on the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men. He became one of us. This is verse. Three, bids us to, in humility, consider others better than ourselves, more significant than ourselves.

Here is the basis for that exhortation. Verse 8, being found in human form, He, Christ, humbled himself. The living God humbled himself. He humbled himself how, by being, says the text, born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. Even death at the cross. He could have deemed his body was too pure to suffer for sinners. He could have deemed that his blood was too holy to shed for sinners.

He could have deemed that his life was too sacred to give for sinners, but thank God he did not. do that. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the gruesome death at the cross. Why would he do it? Two words, hold on to your seats. For us. He did it for us. Second Corinthians 521 says, for our sake, He God made Him Christ who knew no sin to become sin for us that we may become the righteousness of God in Him. it's the great exchange. At the cross, God treated Jesus as if he had committed all of my sin so that by faith in Him, God could treat me as if I had performed all of the righteousness

of Christ. This is the gospel. The word means good news. Gospel just means good news. But it's actually bad news, worse news, good news, and best news at the same time. The bad news is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The worst news is that there is nothing we can do to win God's approval. The good news is that God sent his son to die at the cross for our sins and he rose from the dead.

The best news is that today, if you run to the cross, today you can have new life, free forgiveness and eternal hope. So after the humiliation of Christ, verses 9 through 11 points us to the exaltation of Christ, if you think the story of Jesus ends at Calvary, you don't know the whole story. The Bible says God highly exalted him and bestowed upon him the name that is above every name. His humiliation was not just fully compensated, it was totally reversed. we can't imagine how low he descended to become one of us but now he says you can't imagine how high the father has super exalted him in his resurrection ascension and glorification he is so great his name is so great that it will not be denied every knee shall bow let me tell you what

every knee means it means every knee You would think that's a clear enough statement, but Paul says, let me clarify what needs I'm talking about. Knees in heaven, knees on earth, and knees under the earth. And every tongue will confess. Verse 10, sees the physical response to the glory of Christ. Verse 11, hears the verbal response to the glory of Christ. There's coming a day when every tongue shall confess. that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

What good news. Friends, if you're like me, you watch the news sometimes and you wonder, what in the world is this planet going to? What's the world coming to? No matter what the breaking news is, the truth is, the world is coming to Philippians 2, 9 through 11. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

This is the genuine confession of every true Christian. Jesus Christ is Lord. Romans 10, verse 9 says, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised them from the dead, you will be saved. But this passage is about submission, not salvation. It is not claiming that everyone will be saved.

It is saying that everyone will be saved. recognize the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. To do so now is to receive grace. To do so later is to suffer judgment. Now you may bow, then you must bow. So the text please with us, friends, run to the cross while you have a chance. The third reason why we should shine as lights is for the completion of our salvation. The completion of our salvation. Johnny Erickson Tata had a tragic accident when she was a teenager. She had spent her entire life serving the Lord from a wheelchair. And during one of her early hospital stage, there was a man who she befriended that suffered from a malady that caused him to hobble limp down the hallway every day as they would greet each other.

He had radical surgery to fix the problem, but when she saw him again sometime later, he was still limping. and Johnny said to the doctors, that's a shame that the surgery didn't take. The doctor said, that's not true. The surgery was a complete success. He's in a rehabilitation process. He's now just limping out of habit. Old habits die hard, don't they? For lame men and for Christians.

And the entire Christian journey is taking off of the old habits of sin and putting on the new ways of Christ. Paul says in verses 12 and 13, this process of sanctification, as it is called, is a twofold process. On one hand, there is diligent effort. Look at verse 12. He says, therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Fear is where we get our word phobia.

trembling is where we get our word tremor. It is consecrated caution. It's a healthy sense of self-distrust. It's a tenderness of conscience before God. Texas, with fear and trembling, we are to work out our own salvation. Let's be clear, salvation is a gift you receive, not a reward you earn. And so the text is not saying work for your salvation, but it does say work out your salvation. In fact, it says work out your own salvation, which indicates individuality

and responsibility. You can't depend on someone else to make you godly, and you can't blame others for your worldliness. You must work out your own salvation. Workout means to complete, to finish, to accomplish. Work out does not mean you need to add something to your salvation. You must work out. It means salvation is more than just a ticket to heaven. It's the transformation of life. Romans chapter 8, verse 29 describes it this way. For whom he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. That's God's purpose for your life, Christian.

That you would be conformed, shaped, designed into the image of Jesus Christ. If I could say it, the way I like to say it, it is the will of God. God, to have the Spirit of God, use the Word of God to make the children of God look like the Son of God. And the sex says, we're to be striving for that. Paul will say it this way in Chapter 3, forgetting those things which are behind. And reaching for what lies ahead, Chapter 3, 13, and 14, I press on toward the prize for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And so verse 12 is diligent effort, require, but verse 13 is divine energy. While you are working out your salvation, look at what verse 13 says for. It is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. I love this verse. God is working in you personally, perpetually, and powerfully to make you more like Jesus. This is a good verse to start your day with. Just ask yourself some questions about the day and let verse 13 answer the questions for you. Who can I count on to be with me today? It is God.

Where will God be in you? What will he be doing there? Working. What will he be working on? My will and my works. And why would he even bother to work with a ragamuffin like me? Because it pleases him. which means that you don't have to be overwhelmed and discouraged or frustrated by the circumstances of life.

God is at work in you. And chapter 1, verse 6 says that he has begun a good work in you and he will complete it at the day of Jesus Christ. And so the fourth and final reason why we should let our light shine is for the mission of the gospel. Because of the mission of the gospel. How do we spread the gospel? Verse 14 answers in a provocative way, do all things without grumbling and complaining. Grumbling reflects a bad attitude toward God. You are not in a situation that God does not know about.

When you grumble, you reflect doubt in God. Disputing reflects a bad attitude toward others. He says, do all things without grumbling or disputing. so that you may be blameless, innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Blameless, innocent, without blemish, all speaks of innocence and purity. It's picturesque language to say that God wants us to live like Christ. In the midst of a crooked and twisted generation.

isn't that a great description for the society we live in? A crooked and perverse generation. But we should not flee from it, he says. We should shine as lights in the world. Holding fast to the word of life. So that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Run in vain is the picture of an athlete. Labor in vain is the picture of a worker.

He is saying that we should shine as lights, we should hold fast the word of truth, we should honor Christ in the midst of this crooked and twisted generation because there's going to come a day when our race will be over and our work will be done. There is going to come a day when every one of us will be just bones in a box. And we will have to answer to the Lord for how we have lived our lives. And he says here, you ought to live in our lives. away so that you may hear the master say on that day a final inspection. Well done, good and faithful servant. He says in verses 17 and 18, even if I'm being poured out as a drink offering

upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all and you should be glad and rejoice with me. The sacrifice was the substance of the offering. The drink offering was just ceremonial. This graphic picture Paul is painting in these closing verses of the text is him exemplifying what it means to count others as more significant than yourself. He says, you're the real sacrifice, I'm just a drink offering. But rejoice with me, he says. What an amazing picture of true Christian joy.

It's different than the thing-centered, man-centered, possession-centered view of happiness that the world has. Here's how Paul describes joy. He says, the greater the sacrifice, the greater the joy. How is that possible? Because God will never allow your faithfulness to go unrewarded. So he says, rejoice with me, even in the midst of the sacrifices we must make to shine as lights in the world for Jesus Christ. September 8th, 1860, the lady Elgin ship took about 300 passengers sightseeing on Lake Michigan and in the darkness of the night ran into another ship. The captain thought it was limited damage and so he kept going on this trip from Milwaukee to Chicago but about 30 minutes later the hole broke open and everybody on board

fell into the waters most died that night a few were rescued Most notably by a Bible college student, Edward Spencer, who heard what was going on. He made his way to the shore and swam out and rescued a person and brought him back to safety. Swam out in the currents and brought another to safety. After bringing in the 17th person, he collapsed. When he woke up days later, his brother Will was sitting over him, and Will, in the biography of this story, says that his first comment to him when he woke up was Will, did I do my duty?

Did I give my best? Friends, there are lost people perishing all around us. May we do our duty and give God our best shining as lights in the world so that our lives, so that this church would be a lighthouse so that weary souls may find their way home to the amazing grace of God. You may build gray cathedrals, large or small. You may build skyscrapers, grahammed and tall. You may conquer all the failures of your past,

but only what you do for Christ will last. My favorite verse of that hymn says you may seek fortune and fame and the world may be impressed by your great name, but soon the glories of this life will all be passed, and only what you do for Christ will last. Let your life shine for His glory. Let's pray. Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus, we thank you for the truth, wisdom, and the truth, wisdom, authority of your word. These are commandments that we receive as your loving wisdom for your redeemed children, and yet we confess that we cannot live out the life of the teachings of

our faith and our own wisdom, strength, and resources. We pray that you would give us confidence afresh, that you are at work in us, that we might resist temptation. that we might live obediently, that we might witness boldly, that we might serve faithfully, and that we might even endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. I pray for our friends under the sound of my voice who do not know Jesus as Savior and Lord, bring them to an end of themselves, show them the sufficiency of Christ, and lead them to saving faith. And help us to let our light shine to the praise of your glory, we pray.

Amen. You know,