Grumbling and Disputing - 08/28/2022

That was psalm 78 put to music All right for our new testament reading pastor.

Jason will come and read for us romans 14 and then pray that the lord would

Open our minds our hearts to the word of god Thank you romans 14

As for the one who is weak in faith welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions

One person believes he may eat anything while the weak person eats only vegetables

Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats

For god has welcomed him Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?

It is before his own master that he stands or falls and he will be upheld for the lord is able to make him stand one

Person esteems one day is better than another while another esteems all days alike Each one should be firmly fully convinced in his own mind

The one who observes the day observes it in honor of the lord The one who eats eats in honor of the lord since he gives thanks to god

While the one who abstains abstains in her honor of the lord and gives thanks to god

For none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself For if we live we live to the lord and if we die we die to the lord

So then whether we live or whether we die, we are the lords For to this end christ died and lived again that he might be lord both of the dead and of the living

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you why do you despise your brother?

For we will all stand before the judgment seat of god for it is written As I live says the lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to god

So then each well each of us will give an account of himself to god Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer

But rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother I know and am persuaded in the lord jesus that nothing is unclean in itself

But it is unclean for anyone who thinks it is unclean For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love

By what you eat do not destroy the one for whom christ died So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil

For the kingdom of god is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the holy spirit

Whoever thus serves christ is acceptable to god and approved by men So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding

Do not for the sake of food destroy the work of god Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything That causes your brother to stumble

The faith that you have keep between yourself and god Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves

But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats because the eating is not from faith For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin

Let's pray our heavenly father we thank you

For the liberty that is found in christ jesus We thank you for your grace.

We thank you for your patience And lord, we pray that we would extend that grace and that mercy and that patience and that long suffering to our fellow brothers and sisters

We pray lord that as a church we would be unified That we would be of one mind that we would give preference to one another that we would love one another that we would care for one another

We pray lord that the love of christ would be poured out within our hearts that it would abound more and more

And we thank you for this love lord, and we thank you for our church And we pray now that as we open up your word and as we continue our worship

We pray that the proclamation of your word would go forth Not only here but through the internet and through the notes and that lives would be changed

We pray lord that everything would be done for your glory Thank you lord in jesus name.

Amen Well today we'll give attention to philippians 2 12 through 18

I hope you're not Intimidated by the number of pages in your notes today. There's 13 pages.

We're not going to deal with them all of course Don't have time the last two pages are just for your

Benefit if you want to read at another time And then also i'm mindful as I put together these notes that it's not just for us here but they're sent out to about 350 folks or so or email address,

I know they don't all read them, but but I think about 125 of them are pastors in africa india and elsewhere south africa

And so I might i'm thinking about them too. What might be helpful to have in my notes and so We're not, you know, we'll probably skip through some of this stuff because it's just so extensive

And so be mindful of that Today grumbling and disputing something i'm sure that can apply to each one of us in a degree

Now it's our intention in two weeks from today to begin a series on the gospel of luke we've mentioned that And after my return from my sabbatical several weeks ago knowing

I had four sundays before Addressing luke's gospel. I thought it fitting to address several issues that are

That are common issues or concerns to a local church And so three weeks ago, we addressed the two common threats to the biblical doctrine of grace

That being legalism and licentiousness And um then

Two weeks ago. We spoke of how christians are to hold one another in the highest regard as new creatures in christ

That's how we regard one another And then last week we addressed how

Christians are to treat one another and that is of course with brotherly love now a similar

Theme for the past two sundays has resulted in a couple people asking me Gee, are we having problems in our church family that you're addressing these things?

And no That i'm aware of But rather this is a theme that is is uh is a matter that we all need to hear

And if there are such problems or conflict, I wouldn't be surprised if I learned of them heard of them

But i'm not doing this because of anything specific in my mind The fact is conflict is commonplace in church life

And so these matters need to be rehearsed and repeated from time to time And so is the subject today?

And if the last two sundays resulted in some people wondering if there's conflict in the church certainly today's subject will

Accentuate that suspicion, but again, this is not the case Uh, and so today we want to give our attention to two paragraphs from philippians 2

Actually portions from these two paragraphs verses 12 through 18

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 the will and to do and to work for his good pleasure 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

And 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 And likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me now we actually want to give attention to the second paragraph, but I felt in order for us to give a context of the second paragraph.

We should read the first And address it briefly And so as we look over particularly verses 14 through 16, we'll

We'll examine first of all how our lives Should live be lived out in obedience to our lord and then secondly

And the second paragraph in more detail there's the manner in which our lives of obedience are to be conducted

We are to be obedient to our lord, but the word of god tells us precisely how we are to be obedient And so that's the subject of this second paragraph

And so let's first consider our lives of obedience unto the lord verses 12 and 13

Here we read of the importance of obeying god's word He was speaking these words to christians notice therefore my beloved

Here we have paul expressing what we considered last lord's day He had written to the church at thestalonica now concerning brotherly love.

You have no need that I That anyone write to you for you yourselves been taught by god to love one another

And now we read here in philippians 2 to a different church He addressed these christians at philippi as my my beloved

So god had taught paul just as he has taught you and me to love our christian brethren He taught us to love him himself god christ.

He's also taught us to love one another in christ The lord taught paul to do so and he's taught you and me in christ as well

Paul appealed to these christians to continue in their obedience to the lord He wrote therefore beloved

As you have always obeyed What a wonderful description of this church

Of course obedience is what characterizes christians This is the outworking of faith

Obedience is the fruit of faith The scriptures speak of the obedience of faith

That is obedience. That is the product of faith the outworking of faith

And so for example here are the opening words of paul to the epistle to the romans Paul the servant of christ jesus called to be an apostle set apart for the gospel of god

Which he promised beforehand through his prophets and the holy scriptures concerning his son Who descended from david according to the flesh was declared to be the son of god in power

According to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead Jesus christ our lord through whom we have received grace and apostleship

And now he gives a purpose for his writing And the purpose for which god has saved us to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations

Bring about not just faith, but the obedience that flows from faith And then he closed the epistle with the same idea being expressed

Now to him who's able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of jesus christ according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages, but has now been

Disclosed to the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations according to the command of the eternal god

And here again is the purpose clause. What is god doing in history? What is god doing in our lives through christ to bring about the obedience of faith?

To the only wise god be glory forever through jesus christ. Amen And so in all of our efforts to evangelize our world for jesus christ, we're not just attempting to make believers

Those who believe those who have faith in jesus christ We want more than that We're attempting by the grace of god to produce believers who are obedient to jesus christ

This is incredibly important He's called us not to make believers but to make disciples

That is those who do to their true faith in jesus christ the lord are resolved to obey jesus christ the lord

We not only desire to see sinners believing unto their justification before god, but we desire to see them living in obedience onto their sanctification before god

If paul was able to say of these christians you've always obeyed May that be said of every one of us you've always obeyed

Paul did not just commend them for their consistent past obedience. He then exhorted them to continue to obey jesus christ in the future verse 12

Therefore my beloved as you've 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 and that expression work out your salvation with fear and trembling is speaking about their obedience

You've always obeyed god bless you now and on to the future You continue to be obedient.

You continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. It's good that they had always obeyed

But it was necessary for them to continue in their obedience to the lord as it is

Important and necessary for us as well Paul knew they had been obedient when he was present with them

In my presence you were always obedient. He says You've always obeyed

And sometimes there are those christians who may put on a pretty good show of their christianity when they're

With or before another christian or especially a pastor But how do they do when those who had observed their obedience are absent from them

Is your obedience unto the lord as thorough and consistent when you are alone? Even though we're never alone.

The lord's always with us We should follow the word of god's instruction through the apostle and purpose to be much more obedient when alone

When no one else may be watching us That's when the real trial and difficulty takes place

Now to what end are we to be always obedient in what manner are we to be obedient to our lord?

Well, paul wrote that through obedience you were to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling To work out your own salvation with fear and trembling is to continue through life and obedience

To the lord jesus christ as taught in the holy scriptures The context makes that clear

Of course when it says work out your own salvation it's not suggesting that we obtain our salvation through our obedience

That would be errant Again as we've already said to believe that or teach that would be a denial of salvation by god's grace through faith alone

But rather our obedience is the manner in which our faith in jesus christ is displayed

You know james wrote you say you have faith that's fine and well You need to show your faith by the way you live

By your obedience by your works. That's what paul is saying When the word of god instructs us work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

It does not mean that we're to be fearful or in terror Of our losing our salvation

That's commonly taught too, but it's errant Nor is it hinting that we may not have assurance of salvation in this life.

That's certainly not true What is being said is that this work of obedience requires our utmost attention and diligence it requires desire and effort

Work it out And so it's the most important matter to which we should give ourselves

Fear and trembling speaks of the manner in which we are to work out these things As a note in the new reformation

Study bible states this is awe and reverence rather than panic and alarm

The right emotions are stirred by the presence of god verse 13 not by doubts or questions about eternal security

Thomas watson, he's my favorite puritan in 18th century That should be 17th century

A puritan pastor in london hear his words to the mayor of london. He wrote a letter Actually, it was the opening of a sermon.

He gave entitled the one thing necessary And he admonished the mayor of london

My lord, it was my design in this sermon to call you off the empty high -flown notions And litigious disputes of these times to look after that which is more solid wherein i'm sure every man is very nearly concerned the working out of his salvation

It is a good work that may call forth the most spiritual vigorous actings of the soul in the prosecution of it

That work could need be well done which is for eternity My lord, this is the true wisdom to be wise to salvation

By this godly policy. We shall go beyond all the politicians of the times. We shall escape hell

We should be raised to the true seat of honor. God will be our father christ Our brother the spirit our comforter the angels our companions

And when we die, we shall carry a good conscience with us and leave a good name behind us

The proposition is this that it should be a christian's great work to be working out his salvation

The great god has put us into this world as a vineyard and here is the work. He said about the working out of salvation

There's a parallel in scripture to this in second peter 1 10 give diligence to make your calling an election sure

When a state he's talking about property and belongings friends or life cannot be made sure or certain

Let this be made sure in other words. It's the most important matter of life The greek word for workout signifies to study or to beat the brains about a thing

And the word in the text workout implies two things first it implies shaking off spiritual sloth

Sloth is a pillow on which many have slept the sleep of death And secondly, it implies a uniting and rallying together of all the powers of our souls that we may tend to the business of salvation

God enacted a law in paradise that no man should eat of the tree of life, but by the sweat of his brow

And god has called us to live a life of obedience Again, we're not saved because of our obedience, but obedience is the

Manifestation and outworking of saving faith in jesus christ This is what we do

And so even as we speak of obedience to christ and the fact that characterizes every true child of god

We need to always to emphasize that obedience is not the ground of our salvation It's not the basis upon which we're saved

Jesus christ alone is the ground of our salvation not obedience Yes, our obedience will be examined on the day of judgment to validate or invalidate our claim to have faith in jesus christ

Faith in christ, which is alone the instrument through which god saves us by his grace

But Our obedience could never be the ground that is The basis of our salvation jesus christ alone is the ground of our salvation

We don't trust in our obedience The ground of our salvation is jesus christ in his life of obedience

His righteousness that's freely given to us through faith in him As well as the sacrifice of his life on his cross

That atoned for our sin whereby the justice of god was fully satisfied on our behalf Christ is the ground

Jesus christ alone saved not jesus christ plus anything on our part Not jesus christ plus our obedience

Jesus christ alone So is christus christ alone

And so obedience is not the ground of our salvation but obedience is the working out in our lives lives of of that salvation that god freely gives us to in christ

Our faith in christ directs us and sustains us in our life of obedience unto our full and final salvation

Those who are in christ Saved by him alone are ones who carefully And with due diligence order their lives in obedience with fear and trembling

Again with fear and trembling does not describe one who's terrified of god and thereby obeys god

Oh perfect love casts out fear is what john wrote But rather with fear and trembling speaks of the careful concern and the diligent watchfulness of Of one over his own heart and the nature and manner of his faith and obedience before the lord

It's a daily matter, isn't it throughout the day? It's not just something you do on the lord's day on the morning for a couple hours

There is a concern and watchfulness on the part of the christian who's thinking biblically regarding obedience calvin

Who is a very devotional? warm -hearted Man, especially in his commentaries

He wrote in this way. He paul would have the philippians testify and approve their obedience by being submissive and humble

Now the source of humility is this acknowledging how miserable we are and devoid of all good

That'll keep you humble should And to this he calls him in this statement

For whence comes pride but from the assurance which blind confidence produces

When we please ourselves and are more puffed up with confidence in our own virtue Than prepared to rest upon the grace of god in contrast with this vice is that fear to which he exhorts

It's the fear of god Paul gave the reason that christians should give forth this diligent effort in our obedience for it's god who

Works in you both the will and to work for his good pleasure God is sovereign

And he's working in you both to give you the desire and the ability to do his will

And so all of our effort even our desire to put forth our effort is due to the enabling grace of god

They should humble us as well as encourage us in our effort to live for him

Again calvin commented This is the true engine for bringing down all haughtiness

The idea that it's god working in you both the will and to do of his good pleasure that humbles you

Takes away any basis pride haughtiness. This is the sword for putting an end to all pride when we're taught that we are utterly nothing

And can do nothing except through the grace of god alone I mean supernatural grace which comes forth in the spirit of regeneration

Being born again for considered as men we already are and live and move in god.

In other words every human being Exists and lives and moves in god, but paul reasons here is to a kind of movement different from the universal one

It's different for christians We live in obedience and our faith in christ

Is shown forth in our obedience And then I always appreciate the words of matthew henry

Writing of the grace of god and our obedience Because it's god who work than you

Do you work out your salvation work for he worketh? It should encourage us to do our utmost because our labor shall not be in vain

God is ready to concur with his grace and assist our faithful endeavors

Observe though we must use our utmost endeavors in working out our salvation Yet still we must go forth and go on into dependence upon the grace of god

His grace works in us in a way suitable to our natures And in concurrence with our endeavors and the operations of god's grace in us are so far from excusing

That they are intended to quicken and engage our endeavors In other words the sovereignty of god and the grace of our salvation in no way should lead us to complacency

Well, i'm just believing on christ Doesn't matter how I live No, just the opposite Work out our salvation with fear and trembling for he worketh in you all our working depends upon his working in us

Do not trifle with god by neglects and delays lest you provoke him to withdraw his help and all your endeavors prove in vain

Work with fear for he works of his good pleasure to will and to do he gives the whole ability

It's the grace of god which inclines the will to do that Which is good and then enables us to perform it and to act according to our principles

Thou hast wrought all our works in us isaiah 26 12 Of his good pleasure as there is no strength in us

So there is no merit in us as we cannot act without god's grace So we cannot claim it nor pretend to deserve it

God god's good will to us is the cause of his good work in us And he is under no engagements to his creatures, but those of his gracious promise

And so we recognize that if god were to Let up his work of grace in our souls.

We'd be hard pressed to move forward in faith. We'd be goners In fact, we'd be stopped in our tracks we'd be arrested in our walk

His great grace at work in us should cause us to work that much more diligently in our obedience to him

And this is what paul had written of himself But by the grace of god, I am what

I am and his grace toward me was not in vain I wonder how many people could say

Would have to admit that the grace of god had been in vain with respect to them Paul said but I labored more abundantly than they all yet.

Not I but the grace of god which was with me And so may each of us have the same resolve and may each of us have the same gift of grace to enable us to do so We're in need of grace

Lord, I don't even want to do what you command me to do in your word. You better give me the desire

Give me the desire and the ability god. Give me grace And we are to go to him in that prayer in faith

Well after the apostle had commended them for having always obeyed And after he had exhorted them to continue always in their obedience

We read in verses 14 and following the manner in which their obedience was to be shown or displayed in their lives

And so the manner How do we show forth our obedience?

How are we to conduct ourselves and this is what we have set before us in verses 14 through 16 a

Do all things without grumbling and disputing You want to be obedient to the lord jesus?

Do all things without grumbling or disputing? For what purpose 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

And so here we read the specific sphere Of obedience in it is in our relationship with others

And the manner that we react to things that happen to us Paul describes the obedience that leads to our full and final salvation both negatively and positively

First we read negatively speaking that our obedience to god is shown in not reacting sinfully to people in life situations

That's what the world does. That's not what christians should do Paul wrote do all things without murmuring and disputing

We can stop and camp here a while And I suspect that every one of us can get stung a little bit with these words

Paul seems to suggest that non -christians are characterized by murmuring and disputing with people about what's happening to them or around them

That should not characterize us Our understanding of who god is and how he relates to us and to the events in this world should teach us

Not to be like them who live as though there were no god And so we are to do all things without grumbling or disputing

Let's break this down first do all things without grumbling or complaining or murmuring

That's quite a task Murmuring speaks of a quiet grumbling against persons or situations that one encounters

Murmuring is like a half suppressed or muttered complaint about someone or something Sometimes believers murmur against god in his providential dealings with them rather than submitting to god's lead into dealings

They murmur against god This is sin Our lord jesus never complained in all of his life and if anybody could complain had a reason to complain it would have been him

He never once did And even when he encountered the most difficult situations or had dealings with the most contrary persons.

He did not murmur We read of his reaction to difficulty. He was oppressed.

He was afflicted yet. He opened not his mouth That's how we ought to be Jesus never murmured even when oppressed and afflicted we tend to complain when we're slightly inconvenienced

The fast food line isn't going fast enough for me and we get irritated complain

Jesus told some jews who spoke among themselves concerning him do not murmur among yourselves.

That's what jesus said It's common for there to be complicity of complaining between persons by the way who may agree with one another against another

They do not speak to the perceived offender but rather they murmur against him behind his back to somebody else

Paul wrote do all things without murmuring. The lord has commanded us through paul do all things without murmuring

When we murmur against things that happen to us or around us, we're actually expressing our dissatisfaction

With the way that god is governing our world and the events that are taking place We're actually saying if I were god,

I would certainly govern things differently Thank god he hadn't made me god or you

That's how non -christians think and talk. That's not how we should think and talk It should not be characteristic of christians it's sinful to do so Jesus christ is lord.

You think anything that's happening in our world today as Grieving and difficult as it is is happening out of the control of the lord.

Jesus He's exercising his righteous judgment in history And we would argue that it's a good thing and what he's doing

He's bringing judgment upon sin and sinners Thankfully, he's in the business of saving sinners too the ones that father has given him from eternity

But let's not murmur against god Job was not guilty of this sin and think about what happened to him

He lost his wealth lost his livelihood lost his family and we read of god's testimony of joe

Job arose tore his robe shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshipped And he said naked

I came from my mother's womb naked shall I return there? The lord gave the lord has taken away blessed be the name of the lord in all this job did not sin nor charge god with wrong

Now that was the devil, of course who did those things but god gave him permission Job did not charge god

With injustice or wrongdoing Well, that was chapter one After the lord permitted the devil to have a second round with job resulting in the loss of his health

Even his wife urged him to complain And charge god with wrong And we read of job's response to her

He said you speak as one of the foolish women speak Shall we indeed accept good from god shall we not accept adversity in all this job did not sin with his lips

He didn't murmur and complain When things do not go as well as we think we they should if things occur that irritate us and causes

Inconvenience, we're not to murmur and complain do all things without murmuring That takes grace doesn't it

It doesn't come natural. It's a supernatural Grace of god

But paul not only said our obedience to god involves not complaining But if we're living in obedience to god, we're not to be disputing with others

Do all things without grumbling or disputing and disputing of course is to be directly argumentative with others

Some people always want to fight they always want to have the last word Yes, there's a time and place to defend the faith the truth

But this is a prohibition of being contentious toward others A soft word turns away wrath

Is what the scriptures tell us? We're not to be this way do all things without disputing

Paul expressed the reason or purpose we're not to be murmuring or disputing about persons and things

The purpose for doing all things without murmuring and disputing is so that you may become blameless and harmless children of god without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation

In other words so that you might stand out as different and distinct from the fallen world

We live in this way so we may be blameless Nothing we do should bring reproach upon our god whom we claim to know believe and represent

And if we're murmuring and we're an argumentative sort of person, we're not blameless, but rather we are blameworthy

And second we're to live in this way so that we're harmless that we don't do harm

A murmuring and disputing person is doing harm to his profession And is doing harm to the cause of jesus christ and probably harming others in the process

Unbelievers blaspheme the name of our god because of the manner. They see some christians live We mentioned last week

The world the unsaved world knows enough about christianity still to know how you and I ought to believe and behave

And they're quick to identify a hypocrite And then it says we're to do all these things without murmuring and disputing so that you may become blameless and harmless children of god

It's not so that you might become children of god. We're children of god through faith in christ But that we might become blameless and harmless children of god

We become more like our father God our father is similar to what our lord.

Jesus said in his sermon on the mount You've heard it said you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

I say do you love your enemies? He's not talking about having warm feelings for you know fuzzy feelings for your enemies saying

That you do loving things toward them you pray for those who despitefully use you He gives a whole list of ways that you love your enemies

Bless those who curse you do good to those who hate you pray for those who spitefully use you For what reason that you may be sons of your father in heaven you become more like god the father because he

He's kind and good to his enemies. He makes sun rise on the evil and on the good sends rain on the just and the unjust

Of course the scripture is prescribed for us the manner in which we are to address problem people and problematic issues

If and when a person particularly a fellow christian offends you or troubles you you are to go to him directly

You don't go to other people about him you go to him or her directly alone

Our lord said moreover if your brother sins against you go and tell him his fault between you and him alone

That is very rarely practiced frankly on a consistent basis We tend to go to somebody else and talk about him

And that's sin If he hears you you've gained your brother When we fail or refuse to go to him alone, but rather we murmur and complain of him to another others we sin against god

You're not blameless We're failing to love our brother by respecting him and going to him with a desire and hope to enable him to escape and recover from his failure

Here in his principle of christian living as christians We're always to attempt to keep the sins of our brothers and sisters from becoming known more broadly

We don't want to expose and unfold and make it known to everybody we want to do just the opposite Love covers a multitude of sins you keep it down You don't want it to be known you try and preserve another person's reputation

Even with all their flaws and difficulties you don't spread it abroad That's one of the commandments that no doubt pastor jason will be addressing in coming months

The the commandment forbidding us to bear false witness the opposite is commanded us we are to build up The character and and the value of person esteem in other people's eyes

You cover their sin Above all things have fervent love for one another for love covers a multitude of sins

We're to cover sins that is we're to keep them hidden from wide exposure I want to do what

I can to make you look good and be perceived as good to others about you

Matthew henry again always expresses the matter properly and appropriately It is the property of true charity of love to cover a multitude of sins

It inclines people to forgive and forget offenses against themselves Boy, he must have really having a bad day because that's not generally his character

I'm going to let it go and pray for him You cover the sin rather than spreading it about it inclines people to forgive and forget offenses to cover and conceal the sins of others rather than aggravate them and Spread them abroad

It teaches us to love those who are but weak and who have been guilty of many evil things before their conversion

And it prepares for mercy at the hand of god who has promised to forgive those that forgive others

That's a pretty good incentive, isn't it? One other reason that we are not to be

Murmuring and disputing with other believers is because we're very limited in our ability in our objectivity

And passing judgment on others Granted we can observe the actions of other people and in some ways to some degree we can detect their attitudes

But we're incapable of assessing the thoughts and motivations of people That's something you cannot do and that's forbidden to us

This should cause us to avoid passing judgment on these matters to which we're incapable and unqualified to pass judgment

Pastor jason read of this in romans 14 just a few minutes ago Do you remember david what he experienced as a young man as he was so upset about goliath challenging the armies of israel defying the god of israel

And so he voiced his concern About goliath and eliab his older brother.

Remember how he Assumed david's motivations were flawed and that he was sinful

Eliab his oldest brother heard when david spoke to the men eliab's anger was aroused against david

Older brother, he said why do you come down here and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?

I know your pride and the insolence of your heart for you've come down to see the battle

David responds what i've done now, you know Is there not a cause?

He was accused wrongly. That wasn't his motivation. He was concerned about the glory of god and the honor of israel's army

And the wickedness of goliath but what eliab was doing was passing judgment on motivations

That that he assumed Were moving david's heart and he was completely wrong.

Eliab was unjust in his public accusation The manner which he accused david really more about his own heart eliab than it did david's heart

The word of god forbids us to pass judgment on people's thoughts and motivations that are hidden from us

We cannot see into people's hearts make accurate judgments as to why or why not they may have

Be doing what they're doing and this is why we have clear instruction and caution About being judgmental of things that we cannot know with certainty

Therefore judge nothing before the time that's the day of judgment until the lord comes who will bring

Delight the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels Of the hearts see those are areas that you and I don't have the ability or authority to scrutinize accurately and pass judgment

There are some who insist on murmuring and disputing with respect to someone or some people Even though they know the word of god instructs them not to do so This may be to due to feeling

Feelings hard feelings they harbor against someone due to some great injury or hurt that they've experienced in the past bitterness consumes the heart

A complaining and murmuring person may be a person who is consumed by the sin of bitterness

I wanted to go into great detail to this. We don't have time, but I wanted to point out esau

He's the he's the premier example of a bitter person in the scriptures It's true he didn't care enough about his birthright he sold it for a bowl of stew to jacob, but later on you remember that esau

Was cheated out of a deathbed blessing of his father isaac jacob

Which means supplanter? a deceitful deceiver Came in and pretended to be esau and got the blessing from isaac which could not be withdrawn because it was a pronouncement in the presence of god

And so esau was cheated Out of this bedtime blessing. He became bitter with jacob and later

He found out that his own mother was complicit with jacob In in cheating him and so it the scriptures say that when he learned this

Esau cried out with a loud and bitter cry And the bible records how esau became a bitter person

And bitterness is a root sin And i'm just going to paraphrase just briefly and then we'll go on the bible has sin lists

And you can almost categorize them into three categories There is a set of moral impurity sexual sin

And the bible says that that has to do with an individual's own

Sin against his body It's a personal selfish thing And so it's a sin against one's own body and then there is greed of course the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil

Somebody who's greedy who wants to acquire obtain whatever That's a root sin

And all kinds of ramifications that has to do with how we relate to things outside of us the world about us

Lust of the eyes Lust of the flesh sexual sin lust of the eyes

But bitterness That third category has to do how we relate with other people

You become bitter towards somebody sometimes bitter against god And i've often noticed that bitter people can sometimes are

Are pretty humble and passive and they have a keen sense of Right and wrong and justice in their mind

And this person this dad or this person has so harmed me

And he hadn't suffered the consequences justice hadn't been rendered and i'm bitter.

I refuse to forgive him or her for whatever And it's really hard to win that person over And they become consumed by their bitterness like esau

God told Their mother before they were born that contrary to convention esau was going to serve the younger jacob

Well when jacob went off to haran, he didn't come back for 20 years and even when he did come back they

Were able to sell things somewhat, but they still lived apart for the rest of their lives Coming together to bury their dad, but how did esau serve jacob?

Well, he was bitter his whole life He could probably recount what happened what jacob did what his mother did as though it happened yesterday

It was so vivid in his mind. He was bitter. He He served jacob all his life jacob controlled his emotions his thoughts his attitudes his lives

And that's what a bitter person does they're consumed Their whole lives are shaped by that And that's why it's so important turn it over to the lord

Nobody's going to sin in history and get away with it You know our sin was paid for as christians on the cross when christ died

Holy paid for it satisfied. Thank god But on the day of judgment every sin that everybody has ever done

Every sin because they failed to do something omission commission Every sin will be accounted for nobody gets away with anything in god's world

And the bitter person ought to Remember that and take that to heart

I don't have to be burdened and labored by this Because I know the lord's going to do right

And in his own time and in his own way Bitterness is a terrible terrible

Devastating sin and actually the basic problem i'm top page nine now as we come toward the end

Actually, the basic problem with the bitter person is a lack of desire or refusal to show mercy to the offender

The bitter person wants to see justice Quick on justice not so quick on mercy

There's a resistance to see the evil of despising someone who is so wretched and unjust there's a sense if I let this go

Then he'll he'll get away with it There'll be nothing or no one that'll take a stand against the great injustices that he has inflicted upon me and mine and others

But again, the real problem with the bitter person is the lack of desire or refusal to show mercy on the offender

The thought is well, he doesn't deserve mercy. The fact is by definition.

No one deserves mercy Mercy Mercy is the compassionate or kindly forbearance that one shows toward an offender an enemy or an unjust person

To show mercy is to desire and show pity towards someone who does not deserve it

Who does not deserve to escape just punishment or retribution for what he's done Mercy is the refusal to execute justice on a guilty undeserving person

And god thankfully is full of mercy Or we would be in a world of hurt

The fact is no one is deserving of mercy, but god is freely and granted mercy to you and me in christ

We're not going to receive what we deserve which is god's eternal wrath in hell

He showed us mercy Because we've received so freely and fully god's mercy toward us in christ

We are to desire and extend and bestow mercy upon others who are not deserving nothing

If it's in our power to do so And the word of god teaches this

In fact on the day of judgment if we've never shown mercy to someone will not receive god's mercy

There's a cause and effect here. That's what james wrote For judgment is without mercy

To the one who has shown no mercy You refuse to show mercy well don't expect to be given mercy or shown mercy

And thankfully mercy triumphs over judgment The lord jesus taught that you got to settle these matters whenever you stand praying if you have anything against anyone forgive him

For what reason what purpose that your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses

You want god to forgive you of your trespasses? Forgive others their trespasses On another occasion jesus taught judge not you shall not be judged condemn not you'll not be condemned forgive and you will be forgiven luke 6 37

And if the lord jesus himself could pray upon the cross father forgive them for they know not what they do

Obviously they knew what they were doing They didn't know the extent and gravity of what they were doing

Father forgive them. They do not know what they do. Can we do like can we not do likewise?

And then remember what the lord declared about this matter showing mercy to others because of the great mercy shown to us

Jesus said therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants

When he began to settle one was brought to him who owed 10 000 talents You couldn't earn that much in a lifetime generally normal person

And since he could not pay his master ordered him to be sold with his wife and children

And all that he had in payment to be made. That's how they settled debts in the biblical world

So the servant fell on his knees imploring him have patience with me. I will pay you everything. That was an impossibility

And out of pity for him The master that servant released him and forgave his debt mercy

But when that same servant went out he found one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 denarii 100 days labor

Seizing him he began to choke him saying pay what you owe And so his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him have patience with me.

I will pay you He refused however and went out and put him in prison until he should pay the debt

Well when his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed They went reported to their master all that had taken place

Then his master summoned him and said to him You wicked servant I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me

Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you? And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debt and then jesus said these words

So also my heavenly father will do to you every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart

That's amazing Do all things without grumbling and murmuring turn it over to the lord let him deal with it god you take care of this

That doesn't mean that you're excusing the fault or the infraction or the or the crime

You're just letting the lord deal with it. He can do it Deal with it rightly in his own time

Well again, we have to wrap things up here But we're to live obediently to the word of god in order to distinguish us and distance ourselves from evil people in the world

Do all things without grumbling or disputing so that you may be blameless and innocent children of god without blemish

In the midst of a crooked and twisted generation Are we living in a crooked and twisted generation folks?

Well, we always have been it's just it seems to be getting more crooked and and twisted Holding fast the word of life

And then paul says so that in the day of christ, I might be proud that he did not run in vain or labor in vain

And so when we are obedience to christ doing so without grumbling and disputing it'll result in us

Really standing out in this fallen world In contrast to the manner unbelievers think and behave may the lord enable us to be blameless and innocent children of god without blemish

In this Crooked world perverted world perverse The world is twisted.

What is right and good the world has redefined morality It sets standards right and wrong which are contrary to god's law.

The world has come to place. It calls evil good and good evil We're there And we have to not live by lies if as we've emphasized in the past and speak truth regardless of the consequences

And it takes courage and grace We're to hold fast the word of life

And again, why did paul press this upon these christians at philip eye?

So that in the day of christ, I may be proud of you When I will realize then that I didn't run in vain or labor in vain with respect to you

In other words, he's saying that on the day of judgment whether or not they're true christians

Was going to be discovered on the day of judgment by how they whether or not they obeyed in this way Don't be disputing and murmuring so that on the day of judgment.

I will see indeed you have salvation Because again, this is what christians how christians are to think and to live

He was concerned about having spent all of his labor in vain if they didn't obey him and follow his instruction

He talked about the churches of galatia. I labor in christ like an expectant mother

I I once did so when you were first coming to christ i'm laboring all over again I'm, like in a second labor until christ be formed in you.

He stood in doubt of them And paul was concerned about these people. Yes, you've always obeyed

But continued to do so live without murmuring and complaining So that you'll be able to distinguish yourselves as true christians and children of god

In a dark and perverse world and so that I can be assured that on the day of judgment

You're going to stand forth and true show yourself to be true disciples of jesus christ

Because your life of obedience has testified to that. That's what paul is saying here

It's an important matter And so paul wrote something similar in romans 8 and we'll close with this

Brethren, we're debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. Why? For if you live according to the flesh you will die

However But if by the spirit it takes the holy spirit to do it you put to death the deeds of the body you will live

And this is what paul was Concerned about the philippians and we ought to be concerned too may the lord help us to be humble and Before the lord very merciful toward others not because they deserve it

If they deserved it, it wouldn't be mercy it would be justice May the lord help us to truly desire the well -being of one another

And and and not be spreading Disclosing opening up the sins for everybody to see of some individual.

Let's do everything we can to cover them And if it's a problem that you know is is going to be seen by others go to that one and seek to restore him

Because he's he's bringing difficulty upon himself and others The way that we live as christians is significantly distinct and different from the fallen world

And may the lord by his grace enable us to to live accordingly. Amen Let's pray

Father we admit that in so many ways we fall short That we grumble and murmur and complain we pray our god that you would help us

As christians lord to be delivered from this Help us rather our god to be a praise offering people to you our god and help us our god to be representatives of you our father

Uh to do as you do to show mercy and to be loving even to enemies our god

As we seek their salvation And help us our god to love our brothers and sisters in christ

And be very concerned our god when we see a brother and sister overtaken on the fall to pray for them and desire our god their their their reclamation and their restoration and their growth in grace