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Philippians 2:12-18
12 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, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 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, 16 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. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Watch the Sermon
Summary: Coming off the beautiful Christological passage from last Sunday, Paul now turns his attention back to the Philippians. As we look at the Text, we see that he is actually resuming the application he began in 1:27–2:4. There, he charged the church to walk in bold, humble unity before giving the example of Christ’s humiliation and exaltation. This week’s passage makes it clear that our humility and unity aren’t merely good virtues to consider—they are part of the obedience commanded of all who confess that Christ is Lord. Through our gentle, joyful, non-grumbling, and non-disputing obedience, we will stand out from our non-Christian neighbors and shine like lights in this world. In doing so, we give evidence that our faith is not in vain. The hope this Sunday is that we will see how our humble, joyful obedience uniquely shines in the darkness and confusion of our world.
Review & Apply
How has the sermon from last Sunday impacted you throughout this week? How has it affected the way you prayed? How has it affected the way you worked and interacted with co-workers? How has it affected the way you relate to your children or to your parents?
What do you think the "therefore" in verse 12 is referring to? What are we meant to see as the foundation for the command Paul is about to give?
Does Paul argue that salvation is accomplished by us in verse 12? How does verse 13 help clarify the meaning of verse 12? Are there still questions left in your mind about the relationship between God's sovereignty and human responsibility?
Is the command in verse 14 a challenge for you?
What do you think it looks like to run and labor toward the day of Christ? Are you running well?
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