Daily Bread Philippians 2
Daily Bread Philippians 2
Shining as Stars
12Therefore, 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, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so 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 16as 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. 17But 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. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Observation:
Paul continues in chapter 2, by urging the Philippians to continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Some might say wait a minute I thought salvation was a gift of grace what does it mean to “work it out”? We know it is not returning to a new kind “works righteousness” because in his next sentence he says, “For it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose.”
Meaning Paul is saying that as we respond to God’s grace with an attitude like Jesus’ (vv.5-11), we should do it respectfully and fearfully (in the sense of understanding the importance of our calling in Christ). The sense in Paul’s voice is one of urgency. As Paul challenges them to do everything without complaining and putting others’ interest above their own, he points to his own life and likens it to being poured out like a drink offering.
In days gone by, part of worship ceremony would include drink offerings made to please God. Paul says that his whole life has been poured out for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the Philippians and their faith. He now urges them to make sure his labor was not in vain by having a similar attitude, which was the attitude Jesus had when he gave up his life for us.
Application:
Whose life are you imitating? Paul makes it clear that those who he brought to faith, he felt a responsibility to disciple so that they would not receive God’s grace in vain. He urges them to work out the gift of grace (salvation) with fear and trembling because it is so important.
Is there a Paul in your life who urges you to run the race to win? We all need encouragement, as there are plenty of distractions and things that try to knock us out of the race.
This past weekend I ran in the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. I ran a mixed team “men and women”. In this race you couldn’t finish, until the last person crossed the line. And when each team finished each of the five team members linked arms as they finished together. I feel this is a great image of the way God wants to the church to be. God wants us to have the same urgency as Paul did to run the race and to finish well in a way worthy of the calling we have been given in Christ.
Think of some people you can lock arms with as you run the race. Run to win. Finish well.
Prayer: Jesus gives us people like Paul in our lives, who will be a model of someone who has poured out their lives for the sake of the gospel. Help us to lock arms with a few others who have as their goal to finish well. We know you will to act in us according to your good purpose as we hold on to the world of life. Amen.
Shining as Stars
12Therefore, 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, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so 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 16as 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. 17But 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. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Observation:
Paul continues in chapter 2, by urging the Philippians to continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Some might say wait a minute I thought salvation was a gift of grace what does it mean to “work it out”? We know it is not returning to a new kind “works righteousness” because in his next sentence he says, “For it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose.”
Meaning Paul is saying that as we respond to God’s grace with an attitude like Jesus’ (vv.5-11), we should do it respectfully and fearfully (in the sense of understanding the importance of our calling in Christ). The sense in Paul’s voice is one of urgency. As Paul challenges them to do everything without complaining and putting others’ interest above their own, he points to his own life and likens it to being poured out like a drink offering.
In days gone by, part of worship ceremony would include drink offerings made to please God. Paul says that his whole life has been poured out for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the Philippians and their faith. He now urges them to make sure his labor was not in vain by having a similar attitude, which was the attitude Jesus had when he gave up his life for us.
Application:
Whose life are you imitating? Paul makes it clear that those who he brought to faith, he felt a responsibility to disciple so that they would not receive God’s grace in vain. He urges them to work out the gift of grace (salvation) with fear and trembling because it is so important.
Is there a Paul in your life who urges you to run the race to win? We all need encouragement, as there are plenty of distractions and things that try to knock us out of the race.
This past weekend I ran in the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. I ran a mixed team “men and women”. In this race you couldn’t finish, until the last person crossed the line. And when each team finished each of the five team members linked arms as they finished together. I feel this is a great image of the way God wants to the church to be. God wants us to have the same urgency as Paul did to run the race and to finish well in a way worthy of the calling we have been given in Christ.
Think of some people you can lock arms with as you run the race. Run to win. Finish well.
Prayer: Jesus gives us people like Paul in our lives, who will be a model of someone who has poured out their lives for the sake of the gospel. Help us to lock arms with a few others who have as their goal to finish well. We know you will to act in us according to your good purpose as we hold on to the world of life. Amen.
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