9.5 - Finding Joy in Service, Pt 2

What happens when we follow Jesus' example of obedience and submission? Join us as we discuss how God works in us through our obedience to achieve his will and accomplish his glory!

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Paul and Noah both preach and teach with the Cedar Park church of Christ in Cedar Park, TX. You can visit our site at: https://www.cedarparkchurchofchrist.org/

Transcript

Noah: 0:30

Welcome back to the Stand Strong podcast. We are here in Philippians. We're continuing Philippians chapter two, as we continue to consider this idea of finding joy. In service and through serving. And obviously last time, Paul, we went over the first you know, chunk of chapter two, where we see the mind of Christ, the, the perfect example of, of humble service and what a challenge that was, what a encouragement that was to follow that example. But now it's time to, to move on to some of the admonitions that Paul has here as he moves forward, beginning in verse 12. You know, the challenges that then he brings to the Philippians, the, the encouragement that he gives them.

Paul: 1:12

Yeah, it might help for those that missed the last episode, which is clearly, you know, the, the mind of Christ, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. The attitude, disposition of Christ there. Philippians two, five through V, verse 11. It might be good to go back and listen to that because as you know. When we start in verse 12, it's a therefore,

Noah: 1:30

yeah.

Paul: 1:31

So it's therefore a reason. So we're just, we're continuing to let the thought flow. That had to do with Christ. Yes. As our example of humility and service and submission, but clearly obedience. Obedient. Yes. Even to the point of death. Death by way of the cross. So this example, this attitude that we see in Christ Jesus. Of obedience. Yeah. Is what Paul is really gonna press here.

Noah: 1:58

Yes. And I think it's important to note that in basically the same breath, if you want to put it that way, in a written form, in the same breath, he talks about Jesus' obedience. Mm-hmm. So his example of obedience there, but also of his glorification and his authority, that he's the one that all creation will bow the need to at the name of Jesus. So we see him as both obedient. But also as our authority to whom we must be obedient. And that's the context in which we get verse 12. And Paul says, 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 for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. We can pause there. There's, there's more in, in this section, but I think that trying to get that chunk right on the heels of Jesus, like you said, Jesus' example of obedience and then also every knee bowing before him. Now Paul says, as you have always obeyed, obey, well, that's not quite what he says, is it? So this is one of those passages that I think a lot of times we talk about. In a very isolated way because it has a phrase in it that catches people's attention. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, but if you try to remove that from the context, we, we start to lose the meaning of what Paul's trying to say. I think. I, I would say, is that fair?

Paul: 3:34

Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. I mean, there's, there's a responsibility to places clearly upon our shoulders, right? But he doesn't, does not disconnect that from the activity of God.

Noah: 3:46

Yes.

Paul: 3:46

And we must not either. Yes. What impresses me, Noah, and maybe that's, maybe that's this guy in the room getting older. But he says clearly and, and we talked about, I think in the very first podcast as we were introducing Philippians, and in chapter one you can clearly see how, what kind of relationship Paul had with this church, right? It was a very intimate, close relationship. He loved this church. This church gave him great joy. Paul says, you have obeyed in my presence. And now he says, now he says, but much more in my absence. It didn't take an apostle being in their presence to move them to a point of obedience and submission to Christ. He brought up Christ. He said, let me remind you what Christ did for you. Him. Let me show you the attitude of Christ. Have that attitude in yourselves. That's what's gonna produce this. Like-mindedness. That's what's gonna help you even become closer knit group connected to Christ. Oh, remember the glorification of Christ? It's all about Christ. The point I think he's trying to just mention without just being so direct with it is. When you submit to Christ Jesus as Lord, when you have bowed the knee to him and you say, I'm gonna follow him, and part of following him is just be like him. Have the attitude he had when that is my heart. I don't have to have some now and our, for our purposes today, it's not an apostle, but maybe it's an elder or some other authority figure who has the responsibility to shepherd and to mentor and delete. I don't need someone coercing me and constantly pushing me and prodding me. No, I've surrendered my life to Christ, so my obedience and my working out my own salvation is gonna look like this. The fear and trembling. Mm-hmm. You know, he, they didn't need an apostle there.

Noah: 5:49

Right. You don't have to have somebody breathing down your neck.

Paul: 5:53

Yeah. I mean, you could make a lot of examples about, you know, when the 18-year-old or the 19-year-old leaves, leaves home away from mom and dad. It needs to be their faith. They, they need to submit themselves to Jesus Christ. Yeah. This, this idea of helicopter parent where somebody's got a text and call and say, Hey, did you do this? And don't do this. And are you going here? And are you participating on this level with the church family? No. If you surrendered yourself with Christ and you're trying to model and be like Christ and have that attitude, what is this working out your'cause? It's very personal.

Noah: 6:27

Mm-hmm.

Paul: 6:27

But God hasn't left us to this. Working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. He hasn't left that to us, just, it's what I do without him helping me.

Noah: 6:38

Right, right. That's, that's kind of the two points that are that, that some would say our intention, but really I think our imbalance in what Paul is saying here is that he essentially equates this idea of working out our own salvation to obedience, and so some. When we read that without the greater context, have the tendency to think. So he's saying, we are working for our salvation. That this obedience, our salvation is in direct correlation to, you know, how how well we keep a to-do list, you know, a spiritual to-do list. Well, we're, we are, we're obeying. Check, check, check, check, check. And so we are, we're working for our salvation, but that's not what he says. What he says is to obey is, is, is expected, like you said, regardless of the presence of an apostle, without the, regardless of the presence of an authority figure, because God should be working in you, right, for his good, for his will, and for his glory. So God hasn't left us alone. I think that's a great way of putting that.

Paul: 7:46

Yeah. I mean, no notice. I, I didn't, I didn't even say anything about. Something here that would help us to deal with Calvinism in some way that argues the once in grace, always in grace, once in Christ, always in Christ. Once saved, always saved. Well, Philippians two says, no, you need to work out your, he's writing to Christians and he says, oh, by the way, work out your own salvation.

Noah: 8:09

Yeah.

Paul: 8:10

So it's, it's, it's not a, you've got a responsibility in this, and I love the fact he connects and the new King James says, with fear and trembling. I didn't go back and look at the ESV as ES v's. Fear and Trembling.

Noah: 8:22

Yes. Yeah.

Paul: 8:23

Okay. I I, I love when you connect those two together. I, you know, it's, it's, it's a trembling anxiety. It, it's, it's an attitude again that says, I just want to do. The father's will. I, I want to humble myself and submit myself to him and to follow him. I, and, and in doing that, I'm, I'm confident that I have divine help.

Noah: 8:51

Right? Right. God will help us in our desire to have the mind of Christ. To go back to last week's episode, we've seen Jesus's humble service. We've seen his ultimate glorification and Paul says, therefore, since you've seen that, since you know this, keep obeying Jesus and keep doing his work. Mm-hmm. And God is the one that's ultimately working through you. And I feel like when we, when we boil it down that way, I think in the context that helps us understand, I mean, this is an encouraging thing. We have an example, we have a work to do and we have a God who strengthen, strengthens us to do that work. Yeah. Praise God.

Paul: 9:39

Yeah. Jesus clearly said John 15. Without me, I think it's verse five. Without me, you can do nothing. I mean, there's a relationship there and, and because the relationship is there, there's a responsibility I have in that relationship. He says, it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Mm-hmm.

Noah: 9:57

It's

Paul: 9:58

his good pleasure. It's, it's the doing of his will, but it's God who works in you both to will and to work for his to do for his good pleasure. We're not gonna have the work without first having the will. You're not gonna, you're not gonna be involved in the doing or the service or the obedience, and unless there's the will and the mind, the determination, okay? A trembling anxiety, do what's right. I just wanna serve the Lord. Okay? God says, I'm gonna help you in that.

Noah: 10:35

Right.

Paul: 10:35

So if, if, if God is at work in me, he's in work, he's at work and those, I love this, this one author says he's at work and those who are working out. The point is the, the point is cooperating with God willing to work out the will of God.

Noah: 10:49

Yeah. And, and this is where, this is where Paul goes moving forward and verses 14 and following he's, he is giving them some concrete ways. In which this is going to affect their lives. Or maybe another way of putting it is this is how somebody looks when they have submitted to the will of God when they've said, Lord, I want to do, I want to, I want to do your good work. According to your will. Mm-hmm. For your glory, for your good pleasure. Here's what it looks like and what we see is some things that really tie together everything going back to the beginning of chapter two, the, the humility and the counting one another as, as more significant than ourselves because he starts off with do all things without grumbling or disputing. And he continues to go on. And I, we should probably read this section for those who, who might be following along while driving, or something along those lines, because I think. Again, this is, there's so many sections of Philippians that are familiar to us. Mm-hmm. But sometimes we have them all chunked out and parceled up that we forget they're right next to each other. Right. So, for instance here, okay, so we've got the section on the mind of Christ, which is immediately followed by the section on working out your own salvation with fear and trembling, which is immediately followed by. Verse 14. Do all things without grumbling or disputing 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. 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, 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. Likewise. You also should be glad and rejoice with me. So those are familiar verses, but in the context he's saying, we're, we're called to do God's work, his good work every day holding fast to his word. And that means we're gonna do that work without grumbling, without complaining, without backbiting. Why? Well, because remember, we're doing this. To God's will and for his glory, and what are we gonna do? We're gonna bring him glory in the world. My how we live. That's, this is kind of the practical application side of, of this section.

Paul: 13:14

Yeah. You know, I, I I love that. You know, depending on the translation, do you, if you've got complaining or grumbling or disputing and arguing one translation has questioning. Mm-hmm. That, so this dis dissatisfaction and doubt. Paul says that that can't be. In the working out of your own salvation.

Noah: 13:34

Yeah.

Paul: 13:34

And in the all things. And I think part of the all things goes back to where he started in chapter two that had to do with our responsibility and the relationship one with another in that community, in that local church. If we're gonna be like-minded, if we're gonna have the same love, if, if we're gonna, we gotta deal with this, we've gotta deal with that. We gotta make sure that we have the attitude of Christ. And so God's gonna help us in all of this. But what's my attitude and disposition in working out his will in my life? Mm-hmm. Am I resistant to that? Am I pushing against that? Am I always saying, yeah, but you don't understand. You don't understand how you don't. If you just knew something about the local church where I'm a part of, or if you just knew something about this or this, this, and the Lord says, I'm gonna help you, but where's your attitude in this? Mm. You know, what's your disposition? Are you gonna work out all things? Are you gonna do all things and have a complaining, grumbling, doubting, disputing kind of spirit or disposition? No. No. My people are people that want, that are concerned about being innocent and pure and without fault, and that's certainly, that connects to holiness and sanctification. The concept of, of doing Right. Right. But think about how practical that is in relationship to things he's already been talking about here that have to do with the relationships with one another in the local church.

Noah: 14:58

Yeah.

Paul: 14:59

A life of influence, pure and blameless, not just as it relates to me and the world to the unbeliever, but a life of influence as it relates to other believers.

Noah: 15:11

Yeah. And in how we interact with and treat other believers. Right. Again, if we go back to. What we touched on last week about how this is the mind that we are to have among ourselves, certainly with people outside of Christ as well, but it starts with our relationships in Christ. That is setting an example. I think something that Paul really, he to use your phrase masterfully does here, is he, he intertwines the ideas of our personal responsibility and our relationship with God. And our cooperative responsibility to work for God and bring God glory, certainly we have an individual responsibility to. To to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling to obey, as we always, as he says, as you always have, continue to obey and work out your own salvation. But in the context we see him talk about them collectively shining his lights, their, their interactions their mindset toward one another, their attitudes and, and treatment of one another, their sacrificial service for one another, that collective. That group activity or group mindset brings God glory as well. And then Paul even says, he kind of talks about that idea here in verses 17 and 18, talking about how he, he's willing to be poured out as a sacrifice for them. He, he models this in his work with the Philippians, who he's so affectionate toward. Mm-hmm. And feels like they, they, he describes them as partners in the gospel. Right. So. He just really intertwines the ideas of individual responsibility toward God and also the collective responsibility we have to be God's people together. And that's a really challenging balance to strike, but it's all through this text. Yeah.

Paul: 17:15

Think, think about the world of darkness, the world of depravity. And Paul says in, in that kind of environment, in that kind of world, you shine as lights. Mm-hmm. There's a personal thing in that for every believer, here's one way I make it personal to me. I'm part of the Cedar Park Church. I'm a part of a community. I'm a part of a body of believers. And we say together we are representatives of Christ.

Noah: 17:47

Yeah,

Paul: 17:48

we are followers of Christ and as an individual part of a community. If my life is not reflecting the gospel, if my life is not a true rep representation of Christ, and I'm, I'm not saying we get it right all the time, but if I'm out there sinning like the devil and living like everybody else in the world, and there's no distinction between me and the depravity and the darkness in the world, I don't, there's, there was no light there.

Noah: 18:19

Mm-hmm.

Paul: 18:20

There's no illumination in that. People aren't attracted to that. I'm no different.

Noah: 18:25

Yeah.

Paul: 18:26

Now make it about the group. And again, you can't control everybody, but, but there is, there is an influence we have, not just as individuals, but as a local church. Right. Hey, where, you know, I'm accommodative language. Where do you go to church? Right. But, well, the Cedar Park Church and the people in the world, you know, it's like, oh, mm. Well, don't give the church a black eye.

Noah: 18:50

Yeah.

Paul: 18:51

And he says, you shine as lights in the world. And then he says this, depending on the translation holding fast, the word of life, other translations holding forth or holding out.

Noah: 19:02

Mm-hmm.

Paul: 19:02

I don't know which one it should be, but we could make it both in terms of the steadfastness and the stability because of the, the strength of the body. As it relates to us being connected to Christ and trying to be more like Christ and demonstrate that attitude that he demonstrated. And so the, the church is stronger and getting stronger, and we're holding fast the word of life. This, this great demonstration we have in this church that others are seeing something about the Cedar Park Church and saying, Hey, I want what they have.

Noah: 19:36

Yeah.

Paul: 19:37

Or am I, am I sharing the gospel? Am I holding out the gospel to people in the lost world and if we have others in, in this church who are trying to hold out the gospel and, and take it forth as a light in a world of darkness and somebody says, yeah, I'd, I'd listen to you better, but man. Your life doesn't line up with what you're teaching me or, yeah. You know, you're the church where you're a member, man, you're, you're telling me this and your church is a reflection of something completely different.

Noah: 20:13

Yeah. Yeah. It, it isn't anything like, this is an opportunity to put a mirror in front of ourselves, individually and collectively and, and ask is this. Is this the kind of life that I'm living? Is this the kind of life I, I can teach one thing, but am I, am I living that out in, in my everyday life? It's not just enough to know what is right, but to, as Paul puts it in verse 12. To obey. Mm-hmm. To work out our own salvation means to live these things out. And we're, we are we're strengthened in that by God. It's, it's God working in us for his good pleasure. If we're doing his works, right? Yes. If we're not doing his works, then I can pretty much guarantee you he's not the one that's working through us for his good pleasure. Amen to that. What do you mean to that? I feel like it's important. I know we're coming up on the end of time, but I feel like it's important that we point out that where Paul kind of wraps this up before he moves into the, the next section where he starts to talk about some examples. He talks about how in his work for the gospel and in his work with the Philippians he finds joy. He finds joy. He rejoices in doing God's work, in working out his own, in his own salvation and obeying Jesus. And following Jesus' example, he finds joy and he says in verse 18, likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me. He's saying, this brings me joy and it ought to bring you joy as well. This is something worthy of rejoicing. In other words. Paul finds joy in the doing, not just in the results. He finds joy in walking in the footsteps of Jesus. He finds joy in doing the will of God for God's pleasure, not just the results of it, which are God's glorification, but in the doing of it as well. And he says, you too can find that joy.

Paul: 22:23

Yeah, that's a, that's a key thing. You know, why? Why do we sometimes? Come across to other believers, but certainly to, to a lost world. A sour, cynical kind of people who don't find joy. Hmm. In what we do. And I know I, I know that that's a challenge at times and I'm not, I'm not a fake it till you make it guy. I'm not. But I am a guy who says, okay, if, if, if something is robbing me of that joy, if I'm finding myself becoming more or less and less like Christ and, and more cynical and jaded and just. Negative and complaining and critical, and I'm losing this joy. What's the root problem? Mm-hmm. What's, what's the big reason for that? And I, I think it's what you said. Look at, look at the Apostle Paul.

Noah: 23:19

Mm-hmm.

Paul: 23:20

You know, his attitude and disposition of service to Christ and what he says I to this church. I want to hear this about you. Yeah. I want to know this about you.

Noah: 23:30

Yeah.

Paul: 23:31

So well for those who have joined us today, thank you in this journey in Philippians. We'll pick up, Lord willing, next week and try to finish up Philippians chapter two. But in until then continue to go through this. If you, if you're catching up and you haven't listened to some of the other episodes. Where we were highlighting some things in chapter two, or just go back and read a beginning of chapter two for yourself. The thought just flows beautifully with what Paul is trying to teach these Christians here in the church about being more like Christ and being closer knitted together as a community of believers. We just want the gospel to be shared, and we want the glory and the beauty of Jesus to be seen in our lives. So until now, Lord willing, and next week maybe together, we believe with God's help, we can stand strong.