I’ve led many groups on church-related trips, all over the world. One thing that always happens with group trips is that group members ask a lot of questions. People want to know details. In my early years, I could get frustrated by all the questions. I wanted to say, “Look, we’re planning as best we can to do and experience good things. We’ve put some thought into this, and we actually have a plan.”
Did you know that God also has a plan? He has a plan for your life, and He has a plan for His Church.
Part of God’s plan involves Him doing good things in and through His people.
As the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we should rejoice in God’s work through His people.
That’s what we’re to learn today in our passage in Philippians 2.
Before we do, let’s pray together and ask God to bless us.
(prayer)
In three sections today, we’re going to learn about a group of people, then two individuals.
In these three sections, let’s notice good elements related to God and His Church.
First, . . .
I. God’s good purpose.
Remember, we’re talking about a group of Christians in the ancient city of Philippi.
The Apostle Paul is giving them instructions on how to live their lives as followers of Jesus.
Look at verses 12-18:
12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.
Paul has been glad to see the Philippians live in obedience when he was with them, and he is calling them to obedience once again; not obedience to him but obedience to the Lord.
Part of that call to obedience involves them working out their salvation with fear and trembling.
What Paul is telling them to do here is take their faith seriously.
We should take the Lord and His ways very seriously.
Listen, church: We shouldn’t mess around with following Jesus.
If Jesus saves you from your sin, you should live a changed life; a life that takes the ways of God seriously.
Paul then helps us see why we should take our lives of faith seriously.
In verse 13, Paul says that God is working in us “ . . . to will and to work according to his good purpose.”
Not only should we take our faith seriously because Jesus is worthy of our total devotion, but we should also do so because God has a good purpose for us.
Following God’s plan for your life will lead to experiencing God doing good things in and through you.
Following God’s plan for our church will lead to experiencing God doing good things in and through our church.
Paul then gives some specifics about God’s good design for His people.
In verse 14, he says:
“Do everything without grumbling and arguing . . . ”
Let me just pause here and ask, “How are you doing with this verse?”
I must admit, I’m trying to do better with this, and I’m trying to lead others to do better with this.
Just the other day, when our pastors met for our prayer and strategy meeting, we all went around and shared about someone who has encouraged us. We wanted to focus on something positive. We wanted not to be negative.
Church, let me just add my affirmation to what Paul said. There is enough complaining and arguing out there. We don’t anymore, especially from those who claim to follow Jesus.
In verse 15, Paul says that if we do not complain and argue, it will help us (in part) live blameless lives as children of God.
Let me just make it plain for you: If you want to be a more faithful child of God, stop complaining and stop arguing.
Then, God can use you to shine like a star in a dark world.
Paul then goes on to say that he doesn’t even mind if he suffers while he is ministering to them, so long as he knows that he didn’t waste his time with them.
Keep in mind that Paul was in prison. Let me remind you that Paul said when we suffer, we can identify with Jesus.
Let me be clear, it is a good thing to suffer for God’s mission.
However, Paul doesn’t want to suffer for no reason.
There are few things more sad than when a minister pours out his life to minister to others, and he goes away wondering, “Did I even make a difference?”
Likewise, there are few things more joyful than when God’s people follow God’s good purposes, and they shine like stars in a dark world.
Listen, church: God has a design and purpose for you and for our church.
May we all seek to discover and follow God’s good purpose.
Second, notice . . .
II. Timothy’s good reputation.
The follower of Jesus is to be one who has a good reputation.
Look at verses 19-24:
19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.
Notice here that both Paul and the Philippians know that Timothy has a good reputation; he has proven character.
Paul couldn’t be with them in person so he wanted to send Timothy to them. He trusted Timothy and referred to him as “like-minded.”
Paul then says that all seek their own interests, but not Timothy.
Of course, Paul means that most people seek their own interests.
However, as we learned last week, self-interest is not the way of a follower of Jesus. Rather, we should look out for the interest of others, which is the type of person Timothy was.
This quality of his, and others, gave Timothy a good reputation among others.
Later in the Bible, when Paul is giving instructions to Timothy about qualifications for pastors and deacons, he says in 1 Timothy 3 that pastors and deacons should be “above reproach.” That means that they should have the type of behavior where bad accusations don’t stick.
The reality is that should be true for every follower of Jesus, not just pastors and deacons.
Think for a second, what kind of reputation do you have?
What do your neighbors, coworkers, and family think of you?
What do other followers of Jesus think of you?
What do others in the church think of you?
Listen, you can’t control everything people say about you. I’ve had people in our church lie about me. Not many, but some. However, overall, you should have a good reputation so that those accusations aren’t strong enough to carry any weight.
Timothy was dependable and well-respected.
What about you?
Can others rely on you to do God’s good work?
Can others rely on you to follow Jesus well?
Finally, see . . .
III. Epaphroditus’ good return.
Paul couldn’t go to see the Philippians at that time, Timothy couldn’t go at that time, but there was one who could: Epaphroditus.
Let’s read about him. Look at verse 25 through the end of the chapter:
25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need—26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.
Paul considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus, both to get his letter to them and to hear a report about how they were doing.
I love how Paul immediately speaks positively of Epaphroditus, calling him “brother, coworker, and fellow soldier.”
Notice the character of Epaphroditus: He was sick and almost died, yet he was concerned for the Philippians because he knew they would be concerned for him.
There’s a theme here about the people in the Book of Philippians 2: selflessness.
Timothy was helping Paul and the Thessalonians. Paul loved and trusted Timothy. The Philippians were concerned for Paul and Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus was concerned for Paul and the Philippians. Paul was concerned for the Philippians and Epaphroditus.
The result of all of this selflessness was positive Christian blessing among all those involved. Listen to these positive Christian blessings:
Paul was eager to send Epaphroditus.
The Philippians could rejoice in his coming.
They could welcome Epaphroditus with joy, and they could hold him in honor.
So, in this beautiful blessing of cooperation, selflessness, and sacrifice, Epaphroditus had a good return to Philippi.
So, ask yourself, church:
What would you do for your brothers and sisters in Christ?
What would you do for the mission of God?
Will you be selfless? Will you sacrifice? Will you love others well?
Will you do God’s good work?
That takes us to our bottom line:
Bottom Line: God works in and through His people for His good purpose.
I’ve said this many times before, and I’ll keep saying it: The church is God’s plan A to change the world, and there is no plan B.
God wants to change you through the church, and God wants to change the world through the church.
God works His plans and purposes through His people, the Church.
God worked through Paul. God worked through Timothy. God worked through Epaphroditus. God worked through the Philippians.
God wants to work in and through you for His good purpose. God wants to work in and through us for His good purpose.
To that end, challenge yourself in this one way this week:
Weekly Challenge: Discover God’s good purpose for you.
We know a lot of what God wants us to do from His Word, the Bible. Dive into His Word more and more and discover His good purpose for you.
Also, God may have something special and specific for you. He may have a good work for you that is part of His good purpose for you and the world.
Take some time and listen to the Holy Spirit.
Is He leading you to serve in some specific way?
Is He leading you to make a decision?
Is He leading you to make something right?
Is He leading you to forgive or ask for forgiveness?
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
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