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Citizens: A Study on Philippians

(Part 10)

We are entering the double digits on our study of Philippians

• I encourage if you have missed or are just jumping in
  • Listen to the beginning of the series (Link at the top of the page) 
  • We lay down frame work for the letter: Context – Significance
• Last week Paul addressed the idea of
  • That “good works” isn’t a bad thing… something to ignore
  • “Good works” is something God has made us to do
  • That you and I have a job to do… and in so we’re obeying Jesus
• And we work out that obedience thru the power of the H.S.
  • That power (Ener-jon) enables u to be a tool in the hand of God
  • Not to make it happen on your own… with no power
  • But plugged into the Spirit & effectively equipped 4 good works

This week we are going to be in Phil 2:14-18

Phil 2:14-18

[PRAY]

Story – Anyone notice how crazy housing market is?

It was just over a year ago that my family moved into our new house

• But when we moved in we decided to gut the place
  • Because… how hard can it be right???
  • I’ve watched HGTV… I can do this…
  • And we had seen this specific floor plan before (tried to buy)
• But Moment we saw it… knew exactly what we wanted to do
  • Rip out some walls….
  • Completely gut the kitchen and start from scratch
  • Basically make it into a whole new house… just had to wait
• So finally the house model we wanted came on the market
  • Put an offer in the first day… circumstances worked well for us
  • And we got the house – Now all we had to do was the work…
  • And…well – it was worth it… maybe not jack hammering tile

But what I love is that we got to make it exactly how we wanted it

• Michelle and I were basically the architects for our house
  • Which is awesome b/c I know everything about our house now
  • I know the value of light/flow/open space of the house
• I just know how the house is supposed to work
  • How it’s supposed to feel and look
  • The way even technology works throughout the house
  • Because I was there on the inside

And the same is true with Philippians

Think of Paul as an and a builder – not with wood but words

• And he isn’t building a house… he’s building a letter to this church
  • And like an architect works with building blocks to create space
  • Wood/glass/metal all fit together to create something amazing
• In the same way PAUL works with building blocks…
  • Not word/glass/metal – But passages from the OT scriptures
    • Which means this paragraph is full of “Intertextuality”
    • Which is when an author picks up texts from all over (OT)
    • And puts those text together to create a work of genius
  • Paul quotes 3 direct passages from the OT (Ex/Deut/Dan)
    • And then he references even more passages
    • So all over scripture Paul is pulling blocks to build a point
• So for today we are gonna take apart the house…
  • Look at each of the building blocks that Paul uses
    • And then we’ll put it all back together…
    • Make sense of what Paul is building – how it works
  • Sound good??? And forewarning… some of this is nerd talk
    • But that is only (hopefully) half of the sermon
    • The 2^nd half will be payoff for what we learn in the 1^st half

3 building blocks Paul quotes

Building Block 1 –

The Story of Exodus is about Israel – OR – The people of God

• And we know in Genesis God designates a family (Abraham)
  • Gods desire: They’d be a picture of what God sees as family
  • And their job is to be a blessing to the world
  • To spread the God’s light to every square inch of creation
• And Exodus is about the journey of Israel out of slavery in Egypt
  • Thru the desert – All the way to what is called: Promised Land
  • So where we pick up the story is right in the middle
• This is just after the RED SEA is split in two
  • All of Israel is saved from certain death at the hands of Pharaoh
  • And that’s where we are starting

Ex. 16:1-4

Now is that true of God? – No… but in spite of that God says

Ex. 16:6-10

• Point: Israel right from beginning is marked by 1 word… Grumbling
  • But the story goes on… turn the page to Ex. 17
• Fast forward – out of desert of sin… traveling and then set up camp
  • But no water… so they start to quarrel with Moses & each other

Ex. 17:2-4

• Block 1 – God’s people (job to spread God) marked by 2 words
  • 1: Grumbling – 2: Arguing

Building Block 2 –

Israel years later still wandering in desert – Keeps grumbling/arguing

• Long story short – God says they not ready for the Promised Land
  • Shuts the door to that future… closes the way to their land
  • An entire generation (3 million) dies off in the desert
  • All because of grumbling & arguing with God
• Duet 32: Moses at end of his life… speaks over the next generation
  • And they are right on the edge of the promised land
  • Moses speaks – Sorta cool… its done in song (Song of Moses)
    • Which is why we put so much value on song and music
    • When God speaks thru song… there is something powerful

Duet 32:1-2

Duet 32:3-4 (And first Moses speaks about creator God)

Duet 32:5-7 (Then Moses speaks about Israel: THEY – past generation)

• Moses goes on to tell the story of Israel – It’s a story of failure
  • Israel failed and sinned against the living God
    • They failed to be a blessing and light to the world
    • To spread the truth of God to the Nations
  • And this isn’t just this generation that grumbled and argued
    • The judges fail… kings fail – keep turning away from God
    • And fail to turn the world to right
• That is building block 2… Israel failed at her calling

Building Block 3 –

This building block is over 1000 years later in Israel’s story

• Daniel takes place during a time called “The Exile”
  • Israel is back where she started… in slavery (Babylon)
  • And Daniel/Prophets start to dreams of a day in the future
• Yom (Day or Period of time) Yahweh (Of the Lord)
  • To Daniel there is a creator who made everything GOOD
  • We allow sin 2 corrupt it… but God will not abandon us…
• And they believed a day was coming when God would come back
  • Redeem all of creation to himself
  • There will be no more evil/injustice/pain/suffering

Hebrew prophets call it Yom Yahweh

Dan 12: 1-3

• So while the story of Israel marked by grumbling/arguing/failure
  • It’s also a story with of hope/redemption at its end
  • B/C this story doesn’t end in the failure that Israel created
• The story: God is coming to save us from our story… to His story
  • And on that day God will resurrect all the dead
  • And the people of God will shine like stars – That is our future

Now back to Phil 2

First: v.14-16 are a long complexed run-on sentence

Phil 2:14-16 (Paul starts with…)

• Notice: Paul quotes Duet 32 – But tweaks it to make
  • Duet says:
    • Israel IS to blame
    • NOT kids of God
    • People r warped
  • Phil says:
    • Be blameless
    • You are Gods kids
    • You live in a warped world
• Then he goes on and quotes Daniel

So there are lots of layers to what Paul says…

On 1 level Paul starts with don’t – Straight forward

• • Greek for Grumbling is Gunzimon
  • One scholar defined Gunzimon as follows…

Scholar 1

Whispering and complaints, talking in secret against someone, making negative comments about others behind their backs.

Scholar 2

Grumbling means complaint or displeasure expressed in murmuring, secret talk or whispering about someone. A kind of grumbling action that promotes ill-will instead of harmony and good will.

• Grumbling is when u talk about your boss behind their back
  • Grumbling is when u roll your eyes at your parents
  • Grumbling is when u go 2 a corner to talk about what u dislike
  • Paul says do everything without that garbage
• And also do it without arguing
  • Arguing is infighting… just can’t get along… seriously grow up
  • It’s when ur at each others throats
  • When u press send on the mean spirited critical message
• When u promote negativity… create friction.. rifts in relationships
  • And Paul says – STOP IT
  • You are followers of Jesus… and this is what it says of him
  • Were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.

Could that be said of you? They marvel at your gracious words…

Col 4:4-6

Eph 4:29

• Which means if it isn’t building someone up – Keep ur mouth shut
  • And he’s not saying to be fake…
  • Paul is never fake on what he is going through
• The opposite of grumbling isn’t being fake/plastic… its gratefulness
• Says “DO EVERYTHING” (why not hey don’t grumble & argue)
  • Reason is b/c no matter where you are in life… season… stage
  • Regardless of situation do everything w/o grumbling & arguing
    • But instead filled with gratitude for our very lives

TAG: So that’s what it means on the surface…

But underneath Paul is saying some so powerful

The children of God (hear & now) are called to a specific purpose

• Jesus did not come to found a church… but to build his brand
  • Jesus came to finish the story of the people of God
  • To do o what Israel was supposed to do all along
  • Which was to spread the love and hope of Jesus to all creation
• And Jesus succeeds where God’s people failed
  • And if we are followers of Jesus –we are a brand new Israel
  • And now you are called just like Israel to partner with God
  • We get a 2^nd chance to succeed where Israel failed
    • To not wander in the desert 40 years grumbling/arguing
• Paul says God is call us as this new chance as the people of God
  • And then he quotes Daniel… to “Shine like stars”

My uncle has amazing cabin north of strawberry… know where that is

• We were up there with them a couple years ago
  • Away from the city… traffic… civilization…
  • You know how bright those stars are – who doesn’t love that?!
  • Just stare at the beauty of God’s celestial canvas all night
• In the same way that those stars stand out in the night sky
  • You are to stand out against a warped and crooked generation
  • And I’m not a pessimist – But we live in a messed up world
  • It’s a beautiful world… but it’s a broken world
• The world needs the church 2 be the church now more than ever
  • To step up… shine like stars… fulfill the mission God calls us to

Great… But how do we do that… 2 Ways!!!

First: Paul says do everything w/o grumbling & arguing

• I love how simple that is… not rocket science
  • We think 2 … have 2 do something extraordinary
    • Write a book… Go to Africa… Start a non-profit
    • Those are great but it doesn’t have to be that
• Its so simple to Paul – Just start by not Grumbling
  • Because if you do stop… you’ll stick out like a star in the sky
  • Why… b/c NOT COMPLAINING – It makes you werid
  • Seriously… next time at the checkout – They ask how things are
    • Tell them you have so much to be grateful for
    • I guarantee you get a surprised reaction… seriously try it!!!

Second: Paul says – As you hold firmly to the Word of Life

• Now the Word of Life to Paul means the Gospel… not the Bible
  • Paul is talking about the message of Jesus… the story of God
    • Who has come to a warped/crooked/dysfunctional world
    • And in Jesus there is a new reality that is now functional
    • And in it life is spreading through the acceptance of his life
  • And 1 day what is spreading… Jesus is come back and complete
    • He will destroy all the hate/pain/discord/viruses/abuse
    • What a great day… we no longer argue over right v wrong
• Hold firmly can be translated in two ways
  • Hold tightly not to let go
  • Hold out… as in put on display for all to see (both are right)
• We are called to hang on tightly to the message of Jesus
  • Not let go… not lose faith
  • But also to hold up 4 all the world to see – the message of Jesus

TAG: Really Fast… that’s the end of sentence – But not paragraph

Phil 2:17-18

Love that Paul is so honest… takes

And Paul is referencing animal sacrifice which is sorta lost on us

• But anyone in the 1^st century: Greek… Roman… Jew… Barbarina
  • They would have all known about animal sacrifice in temples
  • You would offer an animal on the altar…
  • But you would also a drink offering – Poured out on the animal
    • Then light it all on fire as a sacrifice to your god
• Paul picks up on imagery & says “YOU” are the animal on the altar
  • I am the wine poured out as a drink sacrifice
  • And together we are a living offering for God of the universe

Paul is calling you and me to give our lives away

• Saying… there is nothing harder than living out the gospel
  • And I love his honesty – B/C there is sacrifice… it will cost you
  • We will soon be starting our Wednesday night program for kids
    • And we will need volunteers
    • And that is absolutely a sacrifice… one we are called to
    • Serving for Jesus is going to COST YOU
• And it might be really hard… but that’s really good
  • And it might sound crazy – but if u are willing to give life away
  • That’s where you find joy
  • And its upside down.. counter intuitive… but it is true
• Paul is his own example of this idea of Joy and shining like stars
  • In prison (more right to grumble & argue than anyone)
  • And in prison because of the gospel

2 thoughts as we close

First thought – For us followers of Jesus… time to

• Are we grumbling/arguing in our daily lives (marked by negativity)
  • Because it is so easy to fall into this… masks/gyms/schools
  • But I don’t want to end up wandering in desert for 40 years
  • Are you bringing unity or discord to the world around you

Second thought –

• Does everyone around u know you follow Jesus b/c of what u say
  • Does your life shine for Jesus or does it actually hide Jesus
  • Because you hold firmly to and out the message of Jesus

 

Give Online: Tithes & Offerings

Catch up on the series HERE