A Guide to Correct Service: Philippians 2:12-18

Philippians 2: 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, (Break 1) work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
(Break 2)

14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, (Break 3) among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life,
(Break 4) so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. (Break 5)

17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. (Break 6)

Break 1

Therefore…this is a conjunction that means in consequence of that; as a result.

My Beloved, who is this? Deacons and elders and saints in Philippi.

Does this next line seem familiar? Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. This thought is copied from Philippians 1:27.

Break 2

Let’s note the therefore again but this time with the comma’s. (Write out ch.2:9-11,12 and accentuate the punctuation.) Our understanding of “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” is because you must do it understanding that one day, whether saved or not, you will bow before Jesus as Lord and you will confess that Jesus is Lord, maybe not as Lord of your life but that Jesus is Lord of All.

Paul then writes that “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” So our work, if directed to please Christ, is the work of Christ because we without Christ cannot work out our salvation alone.

God’s good pleasure is not something that naturally we desire. We desire self. We desire our good pleasure but through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit the work of God wills and does the will of God.

Break 3

How should we do all things? Without complaining and disputing.

Why should we not complain and dispute? So that you and I may become blameless and harmless, children of God.

What is the benefit of becoming blameless and harmless? We have no fault before a crooked and perverse generation.

Break 4

What will come from this lifestyle? You and I will shine like lights in the world. (Shine like the Stars)

What will be in the faces of other students as your shining like stars? It will be the fact that you hold to the word of Life, the Gospel.

Break 5

What are the benefits to leaders/people who have poured into you and I?
1. They can rejoice;
Why can those people/leaders rejoice?
2. Because mine and your lives shine like stars and it reveals those people/leaders have not run or labored in vain.

Break 6

“Yes,…,I am glad and rejoice with you all.” Now, this is regardless of situation or circumstance that Paul reveals his admiration of those at Philippi.

Now, let’s look inside the commas, “If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith.” Paul gives a powerful illustration. Have you ever had someone just use you? Have you ever had someone show no appreciation of what you have done?

Have you ever used Jesus? Have you used Farmstead Baptist? Have you used your Sunday School teachers, pastor or even me? Let me say this…you live the life of a follower of Christ, I will be glad and rejoice with you all because we are all called to serve. I know ministers use the phrase, “I was called to the ministry” but that is incorrect; ministers are set apart for bi-vocational or vocational ministry. Everyone is called to serve.

I am pouring my life into this ministry, this church and you guys. I rejoice if you are walking with Christ and I should do so no matter how you treat me, although if you treat me bad then you might want to check your service.

You, just as me, should be pouring out your life in service to God and rejoice and be glad alongside me. Let’s rejoice together, let’s serve together and let’s expand the Kingdom of God together!

A Guide to Correct Humility: Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (Break 1)

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Break 2)

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Break 3)

Break 1 – Humility of Mind Modeled (Intellectual humility to someone else)

· Notice that Paul has used the word “Let” 4 times in the last 8 verses.

o Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1:27

o Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or deceit. 2:3

o Let each of you look out not only to his own interests. 2:4

o Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. 2:5

· The point being is that you must surrender humbly to God and his desires for your life.

· Now Christ is being defined to reveal the mind we should have:

o He was in the form of God – Form means the true and exact nature of something, possessing all the characteristics and qualities of something.

o Did not consider his “heavenly existence or divine life-style” as something to be “selfishly” maintained.

o No Reputation is revealing how he was to come. As the Omnipresent and Omnipotent King he obviously would have come in glory and splendor and pomp but Christ came in “to serve not to be served.” Christ came in humbly being born in a manger, surrounded not by golden walls and spotless floors but by thatch walls and hay-strewn flooring.

Break 2 – Humility of Body Modeled (Physical humility to someone else)

· Christ’s Bodily humility is defined:

o He was in the form of a bondservant – bond-unites servant – one that is hired to perform household duties for another

o He came in the likeness of men – being like, picture; copy. This means he was to participate on the level of life like you and I. He was not outside the struggles and temptations of life or the growth and maturity of mankind’s life.

o He found himself in the appearance of man – It wasn’t just an internal likeness but an external likeness. When Jesus looked into a mirror, he appeared as a man of Jewish descent. He was of dark-complexion, had physical features like that of a middle-eastern man.

o So incarnation means God who as spirit, takes upon himself a physical body so that he has fingers and toes and he blows his nose and goes to the bathroom. And not to be disrespectful to Jesus, but he takes on a human body. And what he’s saying here is that in becoming a man, Jesus is the most humble man who has ever lived, because Jesus is God – become a man. Creator entered into creation. Timeless eternal enters into time. Omni present, everywhere, enters into a place. Seated on a throne chooses to be born in a barn. Surrounded by angels in glory comes to be disrespected, mocked and abused by sinners. Living in heaven comes to live in poverty on the earth, and to suffer is the man of sorrows. And what he is saying is that in that, Jesus is the most humble person who has or will ever live. - Mark Driscoll

· So because of his mental and physical form Jesus did these things:

o He humbled himself

o Became Obedient (even to death, death on the cross)

o Now in saying this, we are not saying that Jesus ceased to be God when he became a man. Rather what he said here is that he set aside his rights and he set aside the use of his divine attributes. Doesn’t mean he didn’t possess them. He didn’t access them continually. While on the earth, Jesus was still God. He was worshiped as God. He declared himself to be God, and he forgave sin, which only God can do. So Jesus, while on the earth, was God. But God does not grow and change, and so Jesus set aside his divine attribute of immutability so that he could grow from a little baby, to a boy, to a man. God is omniscient. He’s all knowing. Jesus set aside that attribute so that he would learn to read and write as we do. That Jesus Christ humbly lived a fully human life while still being God, still having the right to be worshiped as God, still having the attributes of God, but humbled himself choosing instead to live with us, like us, without the sin. This doesn’t mean that Jesus lost anything when he became a human being. - Mark Driscoll

o Augustine, the church father, says that he maintained his divinity as God and he added to it humanity, or he became a human being. - Mark Driscoll

o Romans 5:8, says it this way – “God demonstrates his love for us in this while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God left glory and came humbly. God left his throne and was born in a barn. God left being worshiped by angels continually to be disrespected by stiff-necked, stubborn, unrepentant, self-righteous, proud people, like me, continually. And how did I – how did we respond to God? We murdered him. That’s how proud we are. Not only that, Jesus, who is God, allowed me, allowed us, to murder him. That’s how humble he is. And in dying, he is so humble that he died for me that I might have salvation and love and reconciliation with God who made me. - Mark Driscoll

Break 3 – Exaltation of Christ Modeled (Not self and by someone else)

Here is another conjunction – Therefore –

This is what God did for Christ where we just were looking at what Christ did for us.

What did God do for Christ because of his humility? What will God do for our humility?

· He exalted him – We are Co-heirs with Christ

· Gave him a name above every name -

o What happens with this name?

§ Every knee will bow – Whose knees?

· Those in heaven

· Those on earth

· Those under the earth

§ Every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord – Whose Tongue?

· Those in heaven

· Those on earth

· Those under the earth

o Why will these things happen at the name of Jesus?

§ To bring glory to God the Father!

A Guide to Correct Unity: Philippians 2:1-4

Philippians 2:1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (Break 1)

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem (Verbally Encourage) others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Break 2)

Break 1

Now, there is a conjunction at the beginning of this section so we must look back and see what it says.

Read Philippians 1:27-30.

So because of this, we move into this thought.

“If there is any consolation in Christ…” v.1

Consolation = an act of comfort or cheer

Does Christ show any comfort or cheer? Have you ever experienced Jesus’ comfort and cheer?

How does that feel? Explain.

Comfort = relief from distress – “If love has relieved your distress…”

Fellowship = state of association or state of being a pair – “If your partnership with the Spirit means anything…”

Affection = fond feeling

Mercy = kindness, power to forgive – “If any fond feeling or kindness or power to forgive…”

Let me read out of the Message Bible: Philippians 2:1-4

The knot that holds the two – FULFILL MY JOY! V.2

How do we fulfill a minister’s joy?

1. Be like-minded

2. Have the same love

3. Be in like-agreement and like-intention

What do these three things reveal about a body of believers? They are united.

Break 2

Beyond fulfilling a minister’s joy, how do we fulfill God’s Joy in Us?

1. Motivated in Unity v.3a

a. Reference Colossians 3:15,17

2. Speak for Unity v.3b

a. Reference 1 Timothy 1:3-7

3. Move in Unity v.4

a. Reference Hebrews 10:23-25

b. Read it again this time from the Message!
So what should we be united in doing?

i. Encouraging love

ii. Helping out

iii. Not avoiding worship

iv. Spurring one another on

A Guide to Correct Living: Conduct

Philippians 1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, (Break 1) so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, (Break 2) 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. (Break 3) 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me. (Break 4)

Break 1 & 2 – Reasons you should have actions/conduct worthy of the gospel.

Who else or what else is worthy of your conduct or actions? No one is worthy of our conduct except Christ Jesus. When we live for him our conduct will be more than adequate for anyone but to what do we live to be worthy of? The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to walk “worthy of the gospel of Christ?” It means that we live a life that represents a Savior who gave up all so that we may have life.

You are writing a gospel, a chapter a day; by the deeds that you do and the words that you say.
Men read what you write, whether faithful or true; just what is the gospel according to you?
- Source unknown

If I were to check your facebook, song lists on your itunes or ipod, your favorite movies or artists would it reflect conduct or actions that are “worthy of the gospel of Christ?”
What is the gospel according to _________ (you) ?

Break 2 – Your conduct should unite you with other believers

How are you acting away from those that might hold you accountable? This is the true reflection of the inner man/woman. If you put on a front when people around you, you might want to repent or even evaluate your salvation. If you are working hard at deceiving man how much harder are you, in vain, trying to deceive Christ?

Are your actions revealing a desire to conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel?

Let me ask you, if someone were to be explaining you to me, would words such as faithful, united, encouraging, loving or compassionate be spoken? Or would words be: divisive, mean, inconsiderate, hateful, or is a gossip?

My desire for this student ministry and for you as individuals is that what I hear about you is what Paul desired to hear of the saints in Ephesus and the bishops and deacons. That of having: One Spirit, One Mind for the One Faith in the gospel of Christ Jesus.

One Spirit means unity of desires which ties together last week’s study and next week’s.

One Mind means unity of plans of how to accomplish the furtherance of faith in the gospel.

Break 3 –Your conduct should reveal a lack of fear of your adversaries

What does it mean to you, if you fear something?

Doesn’t fear reveal that you believe that something could hurt you, beat you, humiliate you or overcome you? Christ did not give us a spirit of timidity/fear. He gave us a spirit of boldness/power. Christ said to his disciples and to us, "These things I have spoken unto you, that you in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD." There is no reason to fear your adversaries! Christ is within you and HE has overcome the world. The World cannot hurt you!

Scripture says that your lack of fear is “to them a proof of perdition.” What does that mean?
Perdition means ruin, loss or waste

Your conduct worthy of the gospel is a waste to the unbeliever but for you it is to your salvation. It is accredited to not creating it. Your conduct is a product of your salvation not the production of it.

Break 4 – Results of conducting yourself worthy of the gospel and not fearing your enemies.

Now let’s think about this, it has been granted (gifted) to you…

1. To Believe in Him

2. To Suffer for Him

References are John 16:33 – You will have tribulations; and 2 Timothy 3:12 – Yes, all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

I usually don't give things to people I know is going to make life hard but Christ's economy is not the same. My mind is not the mind of Christ. I must surrender to His will and way. His gift to us is the ability to believe in God and to suffer for his name. Have you opened your gift?

Maybe you are struggling because the devil and your adversaries are seeing conduct worthy of the gospel of Christ. Is that what they are seeing?

You need to realize the gospel that you are writing. Are you writing a gospel that is only worthy of the true gospel:
when someone is looking?
when there is no adversary to intimidate you?
when there is no persecution to try you?

Don’t live in fear. Live worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace, Blake Prater