Philippians 2:16-18; Poured Out Joy ~ 20240218 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

02/18 Philippians 2:16-18; Poured Out Joy; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20240218_philippians-2_16-18.mp3

John wrote:

3 John 1:3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Here in Philippians 2 we get a glimpse of Paul’s heart for this church, his heart as a father for his dearly loved children. There is no greater joy than that of a father to see his children walking in the truth, believing the gospel and living consistent with the gospel.

Paul has been exhorting the Philippians to gospel unity; He encouraged them in chapter 1:27 to live consistent with your new gospel identity; let your life as citizens be worthy of, consistent with, in step with your blood-bought gospel identity. He wants to hear that they are standing firm in their Spirit-wrought unity with one another and that they are they are contending together as athletes on the same team, striving together for the faith of the gospel. It is out of the gospel unity of the church that their gospel witness shines.

Here in chapter 2 he holds up the example of Jesus’ self humbling lay-down-your-life sacrifice for others. Jesus, now exalted by his Father as Lord over all, to whom we owe our allegiance. Jesus, who calls us to take up our cross and follow him. Jesus, who says that anyone who wishes to be great in his kingdom must be servant and slave of all (Mk.10:43-45).

Paul affirms their consistent life of faithful obedience to the gospel (2:12) and encourages them to continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling.

John Eadie, pastor and professor at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, wrote in 1857;

“Work out with fear and trembling, for God it is that worketh in you. Engage in the duty, for God prompts and enables you; engage in it with fear and trembling – emotions which the nature of the work and such a consciousness of the Divine presence and co-operation ought always to produce.” [Eadie, p.132]

Two Dangers

There are two dangers here; and Paul balances us between them. On the one side, when he says ‘work out your own salvation’ we might be tempted to take credit for our own salvation, as if we by our own efforts earned our salvation, as if because of our performance God now owes us something, as if the cross of Christ was empty and unnecessary.

So he reveals God’s prior working to which our working is only ever a response; ‘because it is God who works in you both to will and to work’. Even our willing finds its source in God; we cannot take credit for our willing or our working because in rests on God’s working in us. All our working is working out of God’s prior work in us. We love because he first loved us; we forgive because we have been forgiven much; we work because he has worked in us.

The other danger is to so rest in God’s sovereign work in us that we become complacently passive and inactive, so that we do nothing but wait for God to work in us. ‘If he wants me to be holy, then I don’t have to try; I will just wait for him to make me holy’. This attitude implies that if I am not living the way he has called me to live then it is ultimately God’s fault for failing to cause me to do it. So he commands us to ‘work out our own salvation with fear and trembling’. John Eadie puts it this way:

“The apostle writes to persons who have received salvation, and he bids them carry it out. And who doubts that man’s highest energies are called out in the work – that every facutly and feeling is thrown into earnest operation? What self-denial and vigilance – what wrestling with the Angel of the covenant – what study of the Lord’s example – what busy and humble obedience – what struggles with temptation – what putting forth of all that is within us – what fervent improvement of all the means of grace – industry as eager and resolute as if no grace had been promised, but as if all depended on itself! The believer’s own conscious and continuous effort in the work of his sanctification, is a very prominent doctrine of Scripture, and the apostle often describes his own unrelaxing diligence.” [Eadie, p.134]

John Murray puts these two sides together for us:

“God’s working in us is not suspended because we work, nor our working suspended because God works. Neither is the relation strictly one of co-operation as if God did his part and we did ours so that the conjunction or coordination of both produced the required result. God works in us and we also work. But the relation is that because God works we work.” [Redemption Accomplished Applied p.148-149]

Gospel Relationships Result In Gospel Witness

Philippians 2:12 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.

Work out in daily life what God has worked into you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. What does this look like?

Everything you do, do it this way; without grumbling or disputing. This is evidence that you belong to your Father in heaven; become who your are; embrace and live consistent with your new identity in Christ.

See the gospel connection here? You shine in a dark world by your gospel unity, by rejecting discontent or unnecessary division. In your unity with other believers, with the church, you both hold fast to the word of truth, and you hold up the word of truth as a gospel witness. Gospel shaped relationships result in gospel witness in the world.

The Day Of Christ

Paul brings them back to the ultimate aim when salvation finds its consummation on the day of Christ. Brothers and sisters, do you know, Jesus is coming back? Jesus is coming back for us, for his bride, the church! Jesus intends to present the church to himself without spot or blemish (Eph.5); and God is at work in us both to will and to work for his sovereign good pleasure. So work out your salvation; let your salvation work itself out in gospel shaped unity among believers, longing for his glorious appearing!

Paul expressed his confidence in 1:6

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

And so he prayed for them in 1:9

Philippians 1:9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul has his eyes fixed on the day of Christ, and so should we. It should be our greatest hope and shape how we do everything we do. Think about your biggest complaint, your biggest dispute; will you still be holding on to that when Jesus comes back?

Paul’s Pride and Joy

Paul urges the Philippians to hold fast and to hold forth the word of life in this way for this purpose:

Philippians 1:16 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.

Is Paul simply pursuing his own ability to boast on the day of Christ? Is he seeking to walk with pride into heaven? Of course not! This is the pride of a father who says on game day ‘son, get out there and make me proud’. Paul’s greatest joy was seeing his churches thrive. He said to the Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

With the Corinthians he anticipated mutual boasting:

2 Corinthians 1:14 ...that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.

Paul’s Weight of Responsibility

Paul’s joy and boasting was in his spiritual children, but this came also with a weight of responsibility; He says to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

And again

2 Corinthians 11:28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

To the Thessalonians he describes his relation to them ‘like a nursing mother taking care of her own children’ and ‘like a father with his children’ (1Thess.2:7,11).

He took his responsibility seriously, and if his greatest joy was seeing his children walking in the truth, his greatest fear was:

Galatians 4:11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

Paul was confident of the Philippians that ‘he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ’ (Phil.1:6) and he was confident that if they continued ‘holding fast to the word of life’ he would not have run in vain or labored in vain.

A Drink Offering of Poured Out Joy

Paul told the elders of Ephesus:

Acts 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

He told the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 12:15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. ...

He even told the Romans:

Romans 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

Here he tells the Philippians;

Philippians 2:17 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.

The Old Testament sacrificial system is the imagery behind his statement. A sacrificial animal had to be without blemish or defect for it to be a legitimate offering. But it was not only animals that were offered; grain, oil and wine were also required (Num.28-29). There were specific temple vessels that were made for pouring out the wine of the offering to the Lord. The wine was not the main offering, but it was to accompany the offering.

Paul pictures the sacrificial offering as the faith of the believers, and he pictures himself as the drink offering that is poured out on the sacrifice. In this way, he makes their believing the gospel the central thing, and his life of sacrificial service simply an accompaniment that goes with the main sacrifice. Faith, believing the good news of Christ crucified for sinners is a pleasing offering, and the Apostle’s life of service merely complements their faith.

Paul had stated in chapter 1 that he was in prison, and he didn’t know if he would live or die. To live would mean necessary fruitful labor; to depart and be with Christ would be gain; far better. Here he pictures his martyrdom as a drink offering poured out on the faith of the church.

In 2 Timothy it is clear that he pictures his martyrdom as a drink offering poured out;

2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Here in Philippians his future is much less certain, but his response to the possibility is clear. We might expect fear, apprehension, a request for urgent prayer. Instead we find joy. Paul is joyful, and he rejoices together with them. We would expect sorrow and sadness on their part at the news of the possibility of his death, but instead he invites them into his joy and to rejoice together with him. Reciprocal joy. This is grounds for holy joy. In the Bible, wine is connected with joy; God causes ‘wine to gladden the heart of man’ (Ps.104:15; Ecc.10:19; Zech.10:7. Wine is bottled, not in order to sit on a shelf in a dusty cellar, but to be opened and poured out, to celebrate. Paul looks at his life that way; it is a life to be lived, open and poured out for others, like his Lord Jesus. This is an occasion for celebration, and he invites us to rejoice over that which is truly grounds for rejoicing.

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2024.01.18 Sermon Notes

Philippians 2:16-18; Poured Out Joy

No greater joy than children walking in the truth

3 John :3-4

Exhortation to live consistent with the gospel

Philippians 1:27

Exhortation to sacrificial service to others

Philippians 2:1-18; Mark 10:43-45

Work out your own salvation;

for God works in you to will and to work

-Not something we can take credit for

-Not a reason to be complacently passive

Gospel relationships result in gospel witness

Philippians 2:14-16

The Day of Christ; Jesus is coming back!

Ephesians 5:25-27; Philippians 1:6; 9-11

Paul’s pride and joy

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12, 19-20; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 11:2, 28;

Paul’s weight of responsibility

Galatians 4:11; Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Romans 9:3

A drink offering of poured out joy

Numbers 28:4-7; Philippians 2:17-18; 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 10:19; Zechariah 10:7

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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org