Philippians 2:17-18

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Uh without any further ado, uh where we get truth and love, uh is a bible verse

And um, it's this exhortation from paul in ephesians chapter 4 verse 15 It says but speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head even christ and You know that is that is our goal, you know, not just you know mine or or those of us who are or doing video ministries um

But our goal as a christian my goal your goal as we interact with everyone

We we cannot fall into um either ditch Uh where we neglect one of these two things that paul tells us here.

Um, we must speak truth Um, people may call it judgmental people will call us judgmental people will say we are judging

People will say you're not supposed to judge only god can judge and that's a whole different video And we can talk about that.

But we are exhorted to speak the truth. We must speak the truth

And we are to speak the truth in love So we can't go and fall in one of or either ditch where we neglect

One of these truths we've got to speak the truth of god's word And we must do it in love not just you know, those who are preaching or teaching but us as christians

This is an exhortation to us as christians that this is what we must do And we can't neglect either one and I hope that I do not do that Um here or anywhere else in my life.

I do not neglect to speak the truth And to do it in love Because we want folks to know who their creator is and that he and about his love and about his son and so You know sharing the gospel is offensive enough

The gospel says that we are sinners that we are bad people that we have done nothing good

I mean, that's what scripture says. Um, there's no one good. No, not one. Uh, no one is righteous. No one seeks after god.

I mean In and of ourselves left to ourselves we we are not good

We are we are bad rotten to the core dead in our trespasses and sin and that message is offensive so when we share the gospel when we share truth from god's word

You know, we don't need to be Unnecessarily offensive or Um mean or ugly we should share it in love and I think that's the exhortation that we would get from ephesians 4 15

And I want to follow that to the best of my ability. Um So one last time just wanted to request of anybody that watches

Like share comment ask questions interact. Um, if it's If these videos are encouraging to you um

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But tonight we're going to look at uh, we're going back to philippians Uh, we we took a little break.

It was requested that we do some selective passages in hebrews We finished the hebrews passages that were requested of me

And now we're going back to philippians and we're going to start where we left off in philippians chapter 2

So if you have your bible, uh, if you want to look it up, we're in philippians chapter 2. We're just going to look at um

Well our our main two verses are our main verses are going to be two verses verses 17 and 18

But of course, you know me, um, we've got to recap just a little bit And we got to look at some other verses to help explain um

What paul is saying in verses 17 and 18? And so that's that's why we're going to look at some other verses

But the our our two our main verses are going to be two verses verses 17 and 18 of philippians chapter 2

And these two verses say but even Even if I am being poured out

As a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith I rejoice and share my joy with you all

Verse 18 and you too. I urge you Rejoice in the same way

And share your joy with me So in verse 17 we actually have two

Sacrifices or two offerings one is called an offering and one is called a sacrifice But it seems to me that they're both kind of interchangeable there and paul is speaking of two offerings or two sacrifices um

That that are going on here that he wants them to to um have in their mind that that's happening uh kind of figuratively in a spiritual sense

And the first one is is him he says but even if i'm being Poured out as a drink offering and the second one is the the sacrifice and service of their faith

So I want to talk about I want to talk about their um, the the audience here the the philippians

I want to talk about their service Uh their sacrifice and service that that paul is uh speaking to Uh here their sacrifice and service of faith

What is it? What does it look like? What is he talking about? So that's that's where we're going to recap and and look back at some verses so, um

Just this thing about those two things that that paul brings up here sacrifice and service.

He already Speaks to these things Um, and we've we've done videos Um On these passages earlier, but so that's why it's just a little recap

But sacrifice their sacrifice and service of faith, uh, the first thing that we can look at if you flip over to chapter one and you look at um

Starting in verse 28 In no way Alarmed by your opponents.

So they have opponents which is a sign of destruction for them But of salvation for you and that too from god

For to you it has been granted for christ's sake not only believe in him

But also to suffer for his sake Experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me and now

I and now here to be in me so The philippians the philippian church the christians there um, they had opponents they were going through suffering and and And it was paul says it was granted to them

Uh, not just to believe but for christ's sake to to suffer and to experience the conflict that that he uh, paul had been having

So, um, that's part of their sacrifice as as following christ as being followers of christ um being granted, um

Having that they would have opponents that they would have conflict that they would have suffering So, um, this is you know, this is the part of part of the sacrifice and service of their faith that paul is addressing here is is calling to their mind because Of course, they are experiencing experiencing it we have to be reminded that they're going through this because you know, he he brings it up here in chapter one, but but these folks were actually

Going through this situation So it you know was fresh on their mind Uh, they could see when he when paul speaks of their opponents they could see

And know the faces of their opponents. It wasn't something that was um

You know far off or something that they were unfamiliar with um They knew what he was talking about and we we need to be reminded and refreshed about what he's talking about so You know going back to chapter one.

We're reminded that that these folks were um granted Opponents Conflict and and suffering so this is part of their sacrifice and service uh that that paul was talking about and then

Here's the other part One half of it is is this sacrifice and conflict that they were were granted that they had to to walk in and walk through as followers of christ but then

This exhortation that he gives them Uh about living living for christ and and looking to christ as an example, um one of the transition verses

Is verse 12 and in chapter 2 You know just go back up a few verses from 17 and 18.

Um verse 12 says so then my beloved just As you have always obeyed not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence

So this is one of those of course transition verses where he says so then and we need to know what um

What is leading up to the so then my beloved so based on all this so then do this

So so what is he talking about? So? the major theme here in chapter 2 Um, we can we can find that in verse 3.

He says do nothing from selfish Or empty conceit but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself

Do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interest of others

So there's the admonition there Humility humility humility humility

Think regard Um others More important than yourself

Seek the interest of others more than your own interest um Looking and thinking and reflecting on the verse that we just read what kind of offering

What kind of offering does paul say that he is? We're gonna we're gonna address that here in a second.

But if you can just remember in verse 17 I'm not going to bring it up. I I want you just to think if you would

Um verse 17 what kind of offering paul said he was And this is kind of what the picture looks like regard others more important than yourself, um

Seek others interests before your own interest So that's what that offering kind of looks like and we'll we'll hit on that here in a second

But but first we're going to look at the uh, the sacrifice and service of their faith that paul is talking about um

So he he's he's telling them teaching them humility and then he says, uh, what's our example?

What does that look like? And of course he goes in verse five He uh have this attitude which is the attitude of humility in yourself

Which is also in christ jesus who existed in the in the form of god and did not regard

Equality with god a thing to be grasped, but he emptied himself

There's that um, there's another key word Think about the offering Think about the offering that paul says he is in verse 17

But he emptied himself Taking the form of a bond servant and being made in the likeness of men

And being found in the appearance of as a man. He humbled himself by being obedient to the point of death even death on a cross

Therefore also god highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name That at the name of jesus

Every knee should bow and those who are in heaven and those who are on earth and under the earth

So christ is the example for humility christ emptied himself And came in the likeness of man and and was obedient even to the point of death even death on the cross

Jesus emptied himself. So the theme is humility humility humility Christ is the example

Christ is the one we follow we look to him. We followed that example of humility in christ

So he he's leading us up to the so then my beloved so with humility with this theme of humility.

We've got our Um, we've got our character we've got our direction

Walking in humility And now that we're walking in humility beloved

I know that you're being in my presence and I um Now much more in my absence he said work out your own salvation

So with this humility, um, this is not a works righteousness. That's not what paul's talking about He's talking about your salvation that is in you

Let it manifest itself out Work it out into your life

So so as you're walking in humility work out your salvation in these ways

Excuse me For his god who works both in you. Um to will and to work for his good pleasure

And there's another Another key point there that I want you to hold on to for his good pleasure as we look at verses 17 and 18

Paul says that you now as you're in the position of walking in humility In verse 14, he says do all things without grumbling or Disputing another key verse as we look at 17 and 18

That you may so we're um as we're walking in humility We're not grumbling and we're not disputing that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent children of god

Above reproach so we want to have you know, you know that type of reputation that you know, we may not be liked uh, we we may be called names for our

Uh our speaking the truth, uh the stands that we take but You know the life that we live

Will be above reproach will be blameless and innocent children of god So they they they can't tear us down in that area um in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation among whom you appear as lights or The word means stars.

So we are these bright Shining stars in this dark world.

That's that's the imagery here. We are these stars in the world Because of this behavior this walking in humility, um innocent children of god blameless and above reproach

Doing things without grumbling or complaining that makes us stars into this dark world

And this is so then my beloved Do these things obey christ in this way verse 16 holding fast to the word of life and that holding fast in the original language means um,

It's the idea of serving So we're serving or they were serving and he was exhorting them to to be serving holding forth

Serving the word of life. So walking in humility Humility Looks like this with your character and then as well

Sharing the gospel sharing the words of life sharing jesus christ with with others

So we've got you know, we're we're living our character looks like this and on the other hand we are

Sharing the gospel serving up the word of life Holding it forth

So that on the day of christ he may not um that he may have calls paul may have calls to glory or boast

Because he did not run in vain Nor toil in vain. So so this is the sacrifice and this is the service of their faith that that Paul was talking about here that You know, they knew about and so his his reminder to them

They knew they would have known what he was talking about, you know, it's fresh on their mind They they knew their opponents.

They knew the conflict. They knew the suffering that they were going through because they were following christ and then this this service that he was teaching them

In was the humility the life of humility the living without grumbling or complaining to the living

Um of being innocent children of god being above reproach and to and to be serving the gospel holding forth the gospel

Sharing the gospel of jesus christ. So that was their That was their service and sacrifice

Okay, we've got that as our as our image here their service and sacrifice of faith

Now paul says right before that he says but even if i'm being poured out I'm hiding my face

Uh, but even if i'm being poured out as a drink offering upon your sacrifice and service of faith

So he was the he was the drink offering being poured out on their sacrifice and service

What what is a drink offering? Uh, if you look in the old testament what that was was you would have the um, you know, the sacrifice the

Whatever animal it was whatever animal it called for you would have that sacrifice you would have that animal And it would be prepared and you would put it on the altar

And then you would burn the sacrifice And then after you would burn the sacrifice, uh, one of the last things or if not, the last thing that you would do is that most cases

They would have wine And they would pour it out on the sacrifice

And when you would pour out the liquid the wine on the sacrifice on this burning hot sacrifice

What would happen you would create this steam? And the steam would would rise to heaven and god does speak in his word about about The aroma coming up and him taking pleasure in in the aroma or the smell of the sacrifice

And so that's what the that's what the liquid the The pouring out would do for that sacrifice

It would it would be the last thing and it would it would touch the the hot sacrifice and in the area of the sacrifice and it would would cause the

The vapor to to rise and the the aroma of the sacrifice would rise and it would be pleasing to god so Paul is saying that he is being poured out

Out Onto their sacrifice and faith Poured out emptied

What does it mean to be a a drink offering I could think of three things the first one is, um, just imagine that we have a cup and the uh

To to be able to be a drink offering where you are poured out You have to have something to pour out, right?

and and so What do we have that we pour out? What are we filled with we must be filled with jesus.

We must be filled with christ first. We must have christ And then we have this, um

After we have christ we have the obedience to christ, uh

The love of and for christ um humility Because of christ and living living for christ in obedience

So we we have this we have christ and we have this life of christ that we have that we can offer

And then the second thing about being a drink offering is that you must it must be poured out and so that's what we

Well, excuse me, that's what we see and that was the the key verses that we were looking at earlier when um, paul is exhorting them to Regard another it's more important than yourself

Do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interest of others.

What what is that? It's being poured out i'm emptying of myself

Whatever is in this cup that is mine. It's being poured out on you for you

And um in jesus the example verse 7 but emptied himself

Taking on the form of a bond servant jesus emptied himself of what he had and then

Um, yeah So we've got to be filled. We've got to have something to pour out

And then as an example We pour out We pour out christ

We pour out his example. We pour out his obedience. We become an example

We we hold fast hold forth serve the word of christ Excuse me

We we give the gospel we give the word to others And then we live as an example

We give them christ And then we we we give them Um the life that he taught us to live as an example, so we we empty ourselves out we pour ourselves out for others

That's what paul is saying. I'm a i'm even but even if i'm Being poured out as a drink offering

I'm giving you jesus. I'm giving you his word. I'm giving you his teachings

I'm telling you what what he would have of you And then the third thing about being a drink offering paul teaches us is that With the aroma that that comes from the the steam that rises up to heaven um

That that aroma Pleases the lord And so the third thing about being a drink offering is that Emptying yourself and giving others christ and giving others of yourself and thinking of others before yourself

And their interest before your interest and um and It's pleasing to god

That you would empty yourself And this is the best part This is the other key verse that I wanted to bring back up verse 14.

He says do all things without grumbling or disputing You can't go in anywhere in paul's writings and find where he is grumbling or complaining about his circumstance

He's emptying himself. He's giving them jesus. He's giving them of himself. Um While he's in prison, he's he's emptying himself up to to the other prisoners to the guards

Uh to the the leaders that call him to speak and and talk to him Um, he's writing letters while he's in prison to the churches.

Um He was in prison in philippi Um, and he he wrote letters, uh while he was in prison

Uh, he wrote letters when he was in prison somewhere else to philippi and he was emptying himself constantly and because this emptying rose up to god

And the aroma is sweet and pleasing to god It gave paul calls to rejoice and gave paul joy

How can you have joy? when you have Nothing when you when you've emptied yourself

And you're chained to a guard 24 7 And you you have no material possessions.

You have nothing that you can claim of your own You've emptied yourself. You've given everything

How can you rejoice and have joy It's because what you have done what has been worked in you

Is pleasing to god and so knowing that paul Has pleased god

That's all that matters to paul so therefore he can rejoice and he can have joy

And that's where he is at the end of verse 17 I rejoice and share my joy with you all

And that's what he did he He Me emptying myself paul says emptying myself being a drink offering to you

Is pleasing to god and it glorifies him And so therefore we rejoice in christ and we we find our joy in god not in our circumstances

Not in our opponents that he speaks of in chapter one and the conflict and the and the suffering

The sacrifices that they were going through that he was going through His eyes were not on those things

His eyes were on pleasing god that emptying himself

Serving the gospel giving the gospel teaching the gospel teaching About christ and how he would have us to live

Giving his all Gave him cause to rejoice because it pleased god and it gave him joy

And he wanted to share that With the church at philippi to the philippians

And this is where uh, if we go to verse 18 In my in my post earlier

Uh, I said we're going to look at philippians chapter 2 verses 17 and 18 and and we can see um how we can view uh

One of the good ways that we can view our pastors And in verse 18 is where we get to that where we can we can think about our pastors and how we can view them and um

And it will it will I think Cause them great joy it will um

Maybe ease ease some burden from them and help them and encourage them if we view them in this way

Because after paul after paul says what he says in verse 17 In verse 18, he says and you too

I urge you rejoice in the same way How can they rejoice in the same way

By following paul's example by emptying themselves. I mean, that's what he was encouraging them to do to um

Be humble walk in humility Follow christ's example and christ's example was to empty himself and then do all things without grumbling or disputing

Be innocent children of god blameless um without reproach Um so that we are these stars these lights to the world and then serve the gospel share the gospel hold fast the gospel so Do as I did and empty yourselves into each other

And to the people around you empty yourself And find your joy not in the material things that you have not in this world, but in serving christ and pleasing god

And and find your joy and rejoice in the fact that you are pleasing god

And not in what you have or what you don't have so he was urging them to to rejoice in the same way and so This is what

I thought about, uh, this is how I thought about uh pastors today, you know pastors um

We're similar to paul in that, you know, our pastors are pastors all throughout time. Um that god has called

Are similar to paul in this way where? You know pastors are men themselves, right and as as men they

They carry their own personal burdens. They have their own homes.

They have their um own relationships They have their own struggles. They have their own families.

They have their own children um You know, they have their own bills to pay so pastors, you know have their own burdens that they carry with them but as A pastor as your shepherd as you know your elder your leader at your church

Not only do they carry Their own burdens their their personal burdens

But as your shepherd they carry the burdens of the flock

On their shoulders and on their knees when they pray they're not just praying for themselves

And their circumstances and what they're going through But they are they are praying for the the burdens that they are also carrying and sharing that are that are yours

And so Paul shares with them.

Uh, he says I rejoice and I share my joy with you Paul says to them and to you

I urge you rejoice in the same way And share your joy With me

He wanted them to reciprocate He wanted them to reciprocate and share their joy then with him so they could rejoice together

Can we do that for um, you know each other and can we do that for our pastors

Where we we reciprocated and it's not just our elders. It's not just our pastors.

It's not just our shepherds who are continually emptying themselves Carrying their own burdens and carrying your burdens and carrying the burdens of of their flock and and of their church

And of course, that's what they're called to do and that's what gives them energy And that's what they love to do, you know, of course, and they're going to continue to do that.

However Paul is calling those whom he is serving to Rejoice in the same way

Follow christ example follow my example as a drink offering empty yourself

Give yourself to each other put others interests before your own Um, think of others before yourself

Be humble do things without grumbling or complaining share the share the gospel share jesus christ with others

And and do it in such a way that your eyes are not on what you have or what you don't have

But on the fact that you emptying yourself Pleases god this sacrifice pleases god

And you have christ and that's all you have and that's all you need and you rejoice in that Though you are empty

You are full because you have christ and you have pleased him and you you please the father

And so you your pastor your shepherd looks and sees

What you as a Congregation what you as his his flock are doing and and you empty yourself into others

And you rejoice in god And you find your joy in him and not on material things

And then you share with your pastor with your shepherd with your elder I too

Find my pleasure in the lord and my joy in him because he is good

And he is wonderful And You begin to share his burdens and you begin to Come alongside him

And he rejoices because you are growing in the lord and you are holding forth the word of god and you are

Walking in humility and pulling yourself out To others and your pastor as paul would rejoice over the philippians who would do this your pastor and shepherd and elder will rejoice

And and be glad because you are now pouring yourself out

You know It should not be just our pastors our shepherds our elders who are pouring themselves out and we

We do church as a as a checkoff list and or we go to church because it's entertaining and they you know, they've

They've set up stages They set up these stages for our entertainment for our pleasure

So that they will you know attract So many more people and i'm sure most of their motives are are in the right place.

But you know, it's not for us And it's it's for the lord it's not for us and um

And so Yeah, I just lost my train of thought but It shouldn't just be our pastors that empty themselves day after day week after week

And church is not just a you know a checklist it's not entertainment.

It's not But this this world is the lord's and all that dwell in it and we um

Just as philippians says here Um in verse 10 chapter 2 verse 10 that at the name of jesus every knee shall bow

And those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth That is the case that will be the case

Everyone will eventually recognize the lordship of jesus christ

And so So Religion christianity um church is is not not just An an additive an add -on to our life

Empty yourself Empty yourself today And not and not have your focus on what we have or what we don't have

But you will find that you will be filled Once you empty yourself

For the lord and you and your pastor will be overjoyed when he sees Your sacrifice and your love for the lord in your service

And so I hope that was encouraging to us. I hope it was helpful And like I said, if if any of this is ever helpful encouraging to you

Um, would would you support? Uh me and this ministry by by liking commenting and especially sharing um so that we can

Get the gospel out there get the truth of god's word out there. You're just doing our part to reach reach the community

If you don't know jesus christ as your lord and savior Today is the day of salvation.

That's what we learned in hebrews. Um Today is that day

Today is the day that we find rest in him. We're not promised tomorrow We're given today and so Turn from your sins repent acknowledge

Apologize and turn from your sins change your mind and change your heart change your behavior However, you want to phrase it

Just turn from your sins And turn to jesus christ in faith put your faith and trust in him his work and his sacrifice on the cross for our sins

And And Live for him turn to him and live for him

Cry out to him to save you He is our lord he is our master let him be your savior

Call out to him tonight Um, if I can pray for you, just let me know love to be able to pray for you.

All you have to do is type me And i'll see that and i'll pray for you when I see that so let's close with prayer tonight father

We thank you for allowing us to spend time together. Thank you for letting us look at your word. Thank you for Explaining to us

Thank you for teaching us father. Will you help us to? Live humbly

And to live life without grumbling or complaining That our character may be

That which pleases you Father we know that we're going to have opponents. We know that we're going to have conflict and suffering

There's going to be times of opposition But father help us to be consistent in sharing truth

Sharing it in love living A life that's blameless to the best of our ability that we may be stars that shine on jesus help us to hold forth to serve up the gospel the word of life

That others may be saved And come to you in repentance and faith

Father I just thank you and worship you For this time that you've given us

We ask that you for your help And your mercy and your grace In jesus name.

Amen All right. Thank you for watching. I really appreciate it. Remember that jesus is king