Sermon 18 Nov 2018

 

Philippians 2: 12-14

 

 

Philippians: Building a character that can know contentment in any Circumstance (4:12)

  • Struggles (1:30) can help grow our character, if we navigate them well.
  • Paul, in his letter to the Philippians is helping us navigate a struggle well.

 

 

Philippians 2:12-13

  • A tension to manage, not a problem to solve.

 

Salvation:

An idea which includes a number of different elements

  • Justification > sanctification > Glorification
  1. Justification is a declaration from God that we are righteous in his sight.
  2. Sanctification is the process of becoming like Chris.

 

Illustrations:

  1.  (Justification) Receiving a gift
  2. (Sanctification) Two people rowing in a boat.

Paul is saying that the process of becoming like Jesus is a partnership between us and him.

 

 

Philippians 2:13-15

Something that is going to inhibit or disable the growth process throughout a struggle is complaining/grumbling and arguing.

Without complaining and arguing = becoming blameless and pure children. (Verse 14-15)

 

Paul says these things

  • Not as a harsh parent: “stop complaining and eat your broccoli”
  • But as a wise guide

 

To complain is to constrain your growth

 

To this church Paul is saying: Work with God, who is working in you.

 

Work out what God is working in you:

  • Understand it.
  • Then partner with God in it.

 

Pressure reveals what’s inside:

  • Squeeze tooth paste, it comes out.

We have to deal with what’s inside.

 

Complaining and arguing can be used to our advantage.

  • What’s God revealing?
  • What’s God doing?
  • What’s God saying?

 

“I just removed everything that didn’t look like David”. Michelangelo

 

 

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