Living Towards maturity: Philippians 2:12-18
Sermon Seed #4 in the Series “This Is Living!” – Philippians 2:12-18
Text: Following the great christological hymn in verses 6-11, Paul returns to the initial concern that he voiced in the beginning of the chapter. He wants the church in Philippi to be unified. Now, however, in stead of looking to Christ as the example of the humility they will need, he looks to Christ as the source of the maturity they should cultivate, which will yield the attitudes necessary for unity. Verses 12 and 13 give the command and the reason — they are to work out their salvation, because it is God who is at work in them to accomplish his will and pleasure. This formula places the initiative and the power for our salvation and Christina maturity in God’s work, while still requiring our participation in the process.
An interesting exegetical thought …. Paul seems to quote Deuteronomy 32:5 in Philippians 2:15. Perhaps he had in his mind the rebellious children of Israel, grumbling in the wilderness, and failing to work out the salvation that God has provided for them. He wanted the Philippians, in contrast, to stay the course, to work out that which God had accomplished for them. This would require them, in contrast to the children of Israel, to live without grumbling, shine as stars, and hold out the word of life.
Big Idea: Just as we are saved when we receive what Jesus has done for us, we grow when we live out what God is doing in us. (We can’t accomplish Christian maturity any more than we can accomplish our salvation.)
Gospel Focus: What God is working in, is the cross (context of Philippians 2:1-11). We can’t grumble and complain when we are living at the foot of the Cross. The cross is not the end, but the beginning …Working it out is a matter of living there. But when we live there, we can rejoice even when we are “being poured out” as a drink offering.
Bullet Points:
What does it look like to “live out what God is working in?”
Living without grumbling
Shining as stars in the universe-his light within us.
Holding out the word of life
