Being The Church 13

Philippians 2

The gospel does not end at the cross or even the tomb. Verse 7: God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. We have the same attitude to suffering and humiliation as Jesus, because we are also raised up together with Christ. Jesus brought humanity up from its grave with him when he rose from the dead. He was given a name above every other - God has put a Man – Jesus Christ – at the head of everything, so that every other name or authority has to submit to him. We share in that exaltation. We are seated in heavenly places with Christ.

Ephesians 2.4-7. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Once again, we are called to the same attitude as Jesus Christ. We must think as he does in his exalted position: That in Christ nothing can succeed against us. We are no longer those who are held in slavery to the fear of death. Even demons must shrink back from us. Hebrews 2.14-16. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

We are freed up to serve each other generously, without the fear of suffering loss. Every opposition that faces us is under Christ’s foot. Nothing maliciously planned against us can succeed against Christ’s will for us. We are not afraid of the enemy’s ultimate weapon, death, because Christ has defeated it for us. (Remember 1.21 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain!). So just as the attitude of Christ is supreme confidence and authority – so we take our lead from him. We can ‘risk’ our lives – spend them - (including our reputation, our resources, our health, our relationships) for Christ’s cause, because we are investing in an unstoppable, utterly triumphant Kingdom. That kingdom is under than flag of Christ, and every knee shall 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.

If we humble ourselves as Christ humbled himself in service of others (especially the family of God) we need have no fear that we will be trampled down and miss out on any good thing. Jesus humbled himself into death – even death on a cross – and yet God exalted him. God will exalt you if you follow that path.

THEREFORE (v14) – meaning because of the attitude and mind of Christ who freely humbled himself to deliver us from death and who was majestically raised to life and given full authority over all created things – there is something for us to do as a church family.

And what is that thing we are to do? V 12-13

Your salvation must be ‘worked out’. When you work out a maths problem, you take the known facts and you operate on them, whether by adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. You work out or bring out the meaning or the answer. Likewise, your salvation is accomplished facts – accomplished for you by Jesus Christ at the cross and through his resurrection. Now you and I must ‘work out’ our salvation. We have to bring out the meaning of it – that is, show it and apply it in our everyday lives. Each believer has their ‘own salvation’ to be worked out. It is personal. It must show in your personal circumstances. Each of us must work it out with fear and trembling. This is not a cowering, hateful fear. It is the awe we feel as we consider God’s awesome power, beautiful purity and staunch righteousness. We do not want to offend him, nor put ourselves under his displeasure and wrath. So we work out our salvation – taking it seriously – with a due sense of awe towards God.

Now, in case someone thinks that this is something God expects him to do on his own, Paul adds that we CAN ONLY work out our personal salvation in daily practice, because it is GOD who works within us both to will and to work for his good pleasure. God himself motivates us – that is the ‘will’ part – and God himself gives us the tools, the circumstances and capability – that is the ‘work’ part. And the daily working out of our salvation is for ‘his good pleasure.’ This means that it is work that makes him pleased. Your pleasure is to seek God’s pleasure. The sooner you realize this – the happier you will be.

Finally, Paul ties this all up by explaining how it will work out in the Onehunga church family. With Christ’s attitude – having his mind – there will be:

§ No grumbling – that is, no complaining, blaming and criticizing each other

§ No questioning God’s Word – that is, no cynicism – no doubting and challenging God’s Word – we will eat it and drink it up for our own good and the good of those we serve.

§ Blameless and innocent behaviour – that is, no deceiving of each other – no double lives that are lived one way elsewhere and differently in the church

§ Contrast in the way we live compared to the ways of society – that is, our lives will demonstrate a totally different tone to that of godless society which is crooked and twisted – i.e. we will live direct, upright lives.

§ Lives that shine so brightly that they stand out in the darkness – that is, lives that reflect Christ and light the path to him.

§ People holding very tightly to God’s Word – that is, lives that are shaped, instructed and motivated by the Bible – the Word of Life.

Verse 17,18 Paul reckons that pouring out his life for these people is an immense privilege and he is happy to do it. He sees it as a chance to be like Christ for them – laying down his life for their good. He sees himself like one of the wine offerings that used to be poured onto a sacrificed animal in the Temple. He says that their faith in Jesus is what pleases God and he has poured out his life in service to them so that their faith in Jesus will be strong. He is saying that this kind of sacrificial giving of himself for the good of others is not miserable – it is not a loss but a joyous gain.