Shine Christian, Shine!
(or, “God’s Cure for Spiritual Myopia”)
Philippians 2:14-18
Introduction: Before our granddaughter got glasses a few years ago, for
some time we had noticed her squinting to see things in the distance. She was
hesitant about the idea of glasses at first, but when she put on her new
glasses, she just couldn’t stop smiling! She said, “Everything looks so clear!”
Myopia is a common eyesight problem, and figuratively speaking, it is common in
the Christian life as well. We can get so distracted by the struggles of
life in a fallen world that are right in front of us, that we can easily lose
sight of the bigger picture. Paul used that imagery as he prayed for the
Ephesians in Eph 1:16-20,
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you
in my prayers, 17 that the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of
wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your
hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has
called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable
greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his
great might 20 that he worked
in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in
the heavenly places…
Paul is praying there for God to cure the spiritual
myopia of his readers, that they might see more clearly the greatness of the
salvation they have in Christ. In our passage for today, Philippians 2:14-18, Paul
is urging the Philippians to find joy as they let their manner of life bring
the light of the Gospel to the world.
The BIG
Idea: As we see God’s work in us,
and begin to grasp our part in His plan, we can serve in unity, shining as
lights in this fallen world. That attitude will be noticed! So… 1)
Stop whining; 2) Start shining; and 3) Strive to align your perspective with
God’s.
I. Stop Whining:
Do everything without complaining or arguing (2:14-15a)! These
verses spell out some implications of how we can begin to work out our
salvation with fear and trembling…
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…
First, what we shouldn’t do: grumble
and complain (v.14). The ESV says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing..” In hearing
that phrase, if you are familiar with the Old Testament, your mind may go
immediately to Jews in the wilderness, Exodus 16:6 ff.
"At evening
you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of
Egypt, 7 and in the morning
you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling
against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against
us?" 8 And Moses said,
"When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning
bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble
against him- what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against
the LORD." 9 Then Moses
said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel,
'Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.'"
You get the idea: they grumbled! The Psalmist
characterized the attitude of the people during the wilderness wandering in Psalm
78:40-41,
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
and grieved him in the desert! 41
They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
We can think of the nation in the wilderness as an
example of complaining against God, but we dare not stop there. Think about how
easily we can fall into “complaint mode.” We too easily start
complaining or grumbling about even little inconveniences we ourselves
experience… I remember reading of a lady who walked into a major department
store, and
…suddenly the lights
started flashing, whistles were blowing and people came up to her with lights
and cameras. She was the one millionth customer in the store! An interviewer
explained what was happening, and asked her why she came to the store that day.
With an embarrassed look, she said, “I was on my way to the complaint
department!”
Oh well! As I read that, I thought of how the Scripture
says we are “living letters, seen and read of men…” Let’s not be a
letter of complaint!
Even in
writing this letter, Paul is an example of not grumbling, of having joy
that goes beyond his circumstances: remember, he is a prisoner! Rather than grumbling and complaining about
his situation or moaning about his adversaries, Paul is expressing his faith
and urges the Philippians to live in the joy that can be theirs in Christ. Remember he just pointed to Jesus as our
example of humble service (2:3-8). Jesus
fulfilled to prophecies of Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed and He was
afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His
mouth.”
Paul gives at least one reason to live
differently: our life is a testimony “…that
you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault…” (15).
Our conduct is a testimony to the world. How we react under pressure says
something about the reality of our faith!
One translation captures the sense here when it says “That you may prove yourselves to be…” Our attitude under
pressure speaks!
“…in the
midst of a crooked and perverse
generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” The phrase “crooked
and perverse generation” echoes the language of Deuteronomy 32:5 where God
is describing the stubborn and sinful nation after 40 years in the wilderness,
3 For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe
greatness to our God! 4
"The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of
faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. 5 They have dealt corruptly
with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are
a crooked and twisted generation.
6 Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless
people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established
you?
Paul deliberately uses the same pair of words that were
used to describe the Jewish nation. He is not describing the Philippians, but
now, as a part of His church, a mixed church composed of Jews and Gentiles, he
is describing the hard hearts they are encountering in the world around them. This
is no news flash: The world is a bad place. You can try to hide from it or deny it or
ignore it, but we are living in the midst of a “crooked and perverse
generation…” Violence, war,
suffering, sickness, injustice and
immorality… it never seems to end.
There was once an understanding of eschatology that has almost died out
today called postmillennialism. The idea
was that the influence of the church would gradually increase until finally a
“golden age” was ushered in, which would continue for a thousand years until Christ
returned to inaugurate the eternal state.
I don’t know of any theologians who hold that view today. History has shown us and Scripture confirms
that things are getting worse, not better. In the last days, perilous times will come…
God has us in the world because He has given us a mission. We are to be salt and light, living
like children of the King, citizens of heaven. We are to look for every
opportunity to proclaim the Good News of salvation by Grace alone through
Faith alone, in Christ alone. * As we see God’s work
in us, and begin to grasp our part in His plan, we can serve in unity, shining
as lights in this fallen world. So, let’s stop whining, and...
II.
Start Shining: Jesus said you are the
light of the world (15b-16a)!
“…among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding
fast to the word of life…”
We are
called to “…shine as lights in the world…” Jesus used similar imagery in the Sermon on
the Mount when He said in Matthew 5:14-16,
14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor
do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives
light to all in the house. 16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
God gets the glory when we hold fast to His word, and when
we hold it forth to the nations. Light dispels darkness. Light exposes what
was hidden in the shadows. Light leads
the way. We shine as lights to the degree that we point people to JESUS,
the One who is THE Light of the world (John 8:12, cf. 9:5). If He is the
light, how can we be described as “shining lights”? The
moon shines in the night sky because it reflects the light of the sun. Without that reflected light the moon would
become lost against the darkness of space.
The believer in Christ shines as light in the world only because of the
reflection of Christ’s light. Without
that reflected light, the believer becomes lost in the darkness of the world
and sin.
“…holding fast the word of life …” Some
translations say, “holding forth the word of life…” Both ideas
are true: we hold it fast, and we should hold it forth, since it is the Word of
Life. By the way, it seems in the context that Paul intends us to understand
the participle, “holding” in the instrumental sense. We shine in the world “BY
holding fast/forth the Word…” Perhaps you have memorized Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Paul
said in Romans 10:17, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of
Christ…” It is the Word of Life because it brings life, as we read in 1 Peter 1:23, “…for you have been born again
not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living
and enduring word of God.” God has spoken life by His word! And
through the Word *we see God’s work in us, and begin to grasp our part in His
plan. So, it gives a perspective that allows us to have joy that goes beyond
circumstances. That attitude will be noticed by the world. So 1) stop whining, 2)
start shining, and 3…
III.
Strive to Align with God’s perspective: And
so find “Big Picture” Joy (16b-18)!
…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.
Notice how our passage today started in
v.14 talking about not complaining, and it ends in these verses, referring once
again to rejoicing in the Lord. He begins here by alluding to a future joy
(2:16) “…so that I may rejoice in the day
of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain…” Paul points ahead to a future joy that will be
his ‘in the day of Christ…” because of the perseverance of the
Philippians. Remember the reference back
in 1:6, “I am confident… that He who began a good work in you will bring it
to completion in the day of Christ…” They are his crown! What greater joy could there be than to see
one you have loved and encouraged and discipled in the faith standing firm and
growing in their relationship with Christ.
John said in v.4 of his third Epistle, “I have no greater joy than to
hear that my children are walking in the truth.” The promise that God has a
plan of which are a part, and that this story is moving to a climax should
encourage us who know Him. Yes, the world closes its eyes, but the truth is
that Jesus is coming back. For us, that is Good News!
Because we
live in the light of the Word of God, we live in the sure hope of the return of
Christ. Peter warned that mockers will ask "Where is the promise of His
coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was
from the beginning of creation" (2 Pet 3:4). For
our part he goes on to say: “…what sort of people ought you to be in
holy conduct and godliness, 12
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God…” (2 Pet 3:11-12). Believe it or not, ready or not, He is
coming! The sure future that we
have in Christ is something that can encourage us and give us strength to
persevere and yes, even be joyful in the midst of difficult times. Now, we
weep, but our sorrow will be turned to joy! Jesus wins! But Paul’s faith was not
simply based on the future hope of new life in the new heavens and the new
earth. For us the future is present,
we have, now… already… eternal life.
So, we have a sure joy in the future, and
because it is sure, we have joy here and now (2:17,18). Listen to Paul’s words
again, “…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.” Remember Paul’s perspective: “To live is
Christ, to die is gain…”!
It is not only then and there
that Paul will have joy. He is in
Christ, here and now. “Rejoice with you” is a
compound form of the word “rejoice” that keeps appearing in this letter. This
compound form speaks of “a deep mutuality of purpose and feeling.” Rejoicing
together! The same word was used by Luke in describing the relatives of
Elizabeth “rejoicing” with her over the birth of John the Baptist (Lk
1:58). Jesus used it of the one who “rejoiced” with friends over finding
his sheep (Lk 15:6).
God’s perspective gives joy, as we align
our perspective with the big picture, we start thinking more like Jesus, God’s
thoughts stir our love for Him, causing it to well up in our hearts and to
overflow. That seems to be the perspective in Psalm 63:1-7,
O God, you are my
God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as
in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 So I have looked upon you in the
sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips
will praise you. 4 So I will
bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as
with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and
in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
Joy that
goes beyond the moment. Paul uses the language of Scripture to refer to his
experience of sacrifice as a priest pouring out the drink offering (Num
15:1-10). From Paul’s perspective the larger, more significant sacrifice is “their
faith.” If his life is to be given, it is a small thing in the light of
eternity compared to his joy in the Lord.
What
is God saying to me in this passage? What’s the BIG Idea?
May God open our eyes to His work in us, may we grasp our part in His plan and serve
in unity, shining as lights in this fallen world. So, stop whining, start
shining, and strive to align with God’s perspective.
What would God have me to do
in response to this passage?
1) Joy
in serving Jesus, a joy that goes beyond the circumstances of the moment is at
the heart of this letter. The Jews in the wilderness complained against God…
and just maybe, so have we at times. Maybe
in the form of complaining about politics, or finances, or even people around
us. Does any of that surprise God? Holding fast to the Word, whatever
else it means, surely speaks to believing God, trusting Him when life gets hard
or things don’t go our way. If we
question His providence, complaining about the circumstances that we are facing
in the world, it can sound like we are headed to the complaint department. Against
whom are we complaining? Is God sovereign or isn’t He? Whatever you are
facing, God has got this, trust Him. He will use it for our good, and for His
glory.
2) The
world is a twisted and corrupt place. It is the result of the Fall. But we are
called to shine as lights in the World. We should be different, because God is
with us and in us. Let’s embrace our calling to live as children of Light!
3) As
you hold fast to the Word of God, read it prayerfully, asking God to open the
eyes of your heart and your mind. Let the Word of Christ dwell richly within
you… Have this attitude in you, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Let’s let
the hard things of life remind us that this is why Jesus came. Let them
cause you to press in close to God, and to trust Him. May each of us find joy
in serving Jesus! AMEN.
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