If Jesus is Our Lord...

There was a time in my life when I enjoyed getting up at four o'clock in the morning

and driving from Pendleton to near Abbeville, Parsons Mountain,

sitting out in the cold, black, dark, waiting on a buck to come out at daylight.

I don't enjoy that anymore.

I don't like to be cold like that anymore.

But I do miss some things about it.

Some of you know this, even if you're not a hunter living out in the country

or just living away from a place where there's just no light around.

On those cold, clear mornings in the woods before the first light of dawn,

the stars just fill the sky with bright, flickering lights

that really just illuminate against that black pitch, black, dark sky.

You know, that is an awesome display, isn't it, of God's glory, His splendor.

Or are you aware that God wants us to live such Christ-like lives

in this world of spiritual and moral darkness

that we, you and me, that we stand out like stars

in a pitch black, dark sky?

And we are awesome displays of God's grace and God's glory.

I want you to turn with me to Philippians chapter 2

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

and see how God calls every one of us

to so live our lives as followers of Jesus in this world

that we do stand out as light

in the midst of this world's darkness.

Philippians chapter 2, and today we'll begin in verse 12.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Paul says,

Therefore, my beloved.

Some translations say, therefore, my dear friends.

This is just a reminder now

as we've gone through this study in the book of Philippians.

Paul has a special relationship with these people.

These are overall faithful Christians.

They've really supported him in a lot of ways.

They've prayed for him.

They sent money to meet his needs.

They have been encouragers to him

and he counts them as dear friends.

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 to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, arguing,

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,

even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice,

sacrificial offering of your faith,

I am glad and rejoice with you all.

Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

I want us to note before we get into the body of the message,

the word therefore in verse 12.

Paul intends as he starts this section

for us to recall what he's just said,

which is what we looked at last week.

In verses five through eight,

we saw last week how Jesus is the model

of how to humble ourself.

He humbled himself by leaving the glory of heaven,

coming into this world as a man, as a slave,

and ultimately to die on the cross,

to pay the penalty for our sins.

We also saw in last week in verses nine through 11,

how God lifted Jesus from the grave

and exalted him, elevated him

to the highest place of honor in the universe

at his right hand.

And there in that exalted place,

Jesus is given the name Lord.

And every knee in the universe

will one day bow before him.

Every tongue one day will confess,

whether they want to or not,

that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Now what we find in verses 12 through 18

is a description of how we,

as Christians,

who willingly bow before Jesus,

who wholeheartedly honor him as Lord,

what we're gonna find in these verses

is how we are to live now

under the Lordship of Jesus.

So I want us to go through this passage

with the understanding,

what we're gonna be reading now

is how we will live

if Jesus is the Lord of our life.

Let's look first.

If Jesus is our Lord,

it will be evident by the way

that we relate to God.

It'll be seen in our relationship with the Lord.

First of all,

we'll demonstrate our ongoing faith in God.

We'll demonstrate that our faith is real,

it's living,

it's active,

it is continuing

from the time we were converted

to this very moment.

Look at the first phrase.

Paul says,

work out your salvation

with fear and trembling.

We need to be as clear

about what this does not mean

as what it does mean.

Let me just say point blank.

Paul is not saying

that we work for our salvation

or anything like that.

James Boyce,

in his commentary,

he makes this very clear.

I want you to look at it.

He says,

this verse does not say

work for your salvation

or work toward your salvation

or work at your salvation.

It says,

work out your salvation.

And no one can work his salvation out

unless God has already worked it in.

Paul is telling us,

we who are writing to Christians,

believers in Jesus,

people that God has already

brought about a new birth,

he is saying,

you live like the Christian you are.

You show the world

what it means to be

a follower of Jesus.

This is one way of him

just saying,

seek to grow and mature

as the child of God

that you really are

by God's grace.

Now,

I think it's important

that we note here

how the word salvation

is used

throughout the New Testament.

A lot of times,

people have the idea

that the word salvation

or saved

is just talking about

our initial conversion.

We repent of our sin

and put our trust in Jesus.

We are saved.

We think about that.

That's what salvation is.

Well,

that's only a part

of how the word salvation

is used

in the New Testament.

More often than not,

in fact,

the New Testament

uses the word salvation

to describe a process

that takes place

throughout our Christian lives.

Let's look at it

under three categories.

First,

salvation actually begins

when we trust Christ.

The biblical word,

the theological word,

is the word justification.

When a person

puts their faith

and trust in Jesus,

God looks at them

at that moment

and declares them

to be righteous,

justified,

if you want to use

that word.

No matter who a person is,

what they've done,

how awful they have been,

when they repent

of their sin

and trust Jesus,

they become one

with Jesus by faith.

And when God

looks at that person,

they've not done

one thing

to please God

their whole life.

God looks at that person

and declares

they are right

because united to Jesus,

the penalty for their sin

has been paid.

United to Jesus,

they have His righteousness,

His obedience

credited to their account.

So, salvation begins

when we trust Christ

and we might call it,

we might describe it

like this,

I have been saved.

If you're a Christian,

you might even say

I was saved

at a certain point

in my life.

That's good.

But that's not the only way

salvation is used.

Salvation continues.

Our salvation,

your salvation,

continues as we follow Christ.

The theological word

is sanctification.

To be set apart.

You are a saint

if you're a Christian

by virtue of

God declaring you

to be a saint.

But from the moment

He declares us

to be righteous,

a saint,

He begins to work in us

through His Spirit.

When God saves us,

He puts His Holy Spirit

in us

and from that point on

He works in us

to actually make us

like Jesus.

Now it's a

lifelong process.

In this room,

we are spread out

along the continuum

of growing in Christ's likeness.

Some people are just,

you know,

haven't grown a whole lot.

Some have shown

great strides

in Christian maturity

by God's grace.

We're all somewhere

on that line.

When God saved us,

put His Spirit in us,

He began the process

of making us

more like Jesus.

We could say like this,

I am being saved

right now

as God works in us,

developing us,

our character

to make us

more like Jesus.

Third way salvation

is used,

salvation concludes

when we go

to be with Jesus.

One day,

we're all going to die.

If we're Christians,

we're going to go

to be with the Lord

or He could return

before we die.

That's when we will

be glorified.

That's the word,

the big word,

glorification.

That's when we will

actually be made

like Jesus

without blemish.

We've already talked

about in a previous study.

That's when we'll overcome

or our sinful nature

will be totally eradicated.

We may describe that

as I will be saved.

Salvation will be complete.

Paul is using

the word salvation

here in verse 12

to describe how

we continue

to follow Jesus

after our conversion.

He's talking about

our sanctification.

When he says,

work out your salvation,

he could say,

work out your sanctification.

He's describing

our growing relationship

as children of God

developing the character

of Jesus.

Jesus.

Now,

what does that mean?

What does that look like

if we grow?

Well,

in verses 14 through 16,

Paul is explaining

what it means,

what it'll look like

as we

grow like this,

as we work out

our salvation.

Look at this.

He says,

after he said,

work out your salvation

with fear and trembling

for God works in you

to will and work

for his new 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.

That's describing

how we're to live,

how we're to grow,

how we're to mature,

how we're to change.

Now,

let's just stop here

for a moment.

Look at yourself.

Can you see signs

that you are growing

like these signs?

Can you see signs

that you are growing

in living

a Christ-like life?

Can you see signs

of spiritual growth?

Think about it this way.

Are you,

more often than not,

somebody who just grumbles,

complains,

whines,

likes to argue

about everything under the sun?

Are you just basically

a negative person?

Do you easily

take offense

at something somebody says

or the way they look at you

or slight you?

Do you like to talk about

how life's not fair?

You get the short end

of the stick all the time.

Deep down,

you're halfway mad at God

a lot of times

because life doesn't work

the way you think

it ought to work,

at least for you.

more,

now let's just be honest.

Everybody gripes

and complains at times.

Everybody has a pity party

at times.

Everybody thinks

life's not fair

to me at times.

Let's just be open

and honest about that.

But is that

just the way you are?

Is that your nature?

Is that your character?

Or,

are you more often

than not

seeking to obey God?

I mean,

you really want to.

You put forth the effort

to do what you know

God wants you to do.

Do you more often

than not

see the needs

of other people,

think about other people,

or instead of just

always thinking

about yourself?

Do you more often

than not

not take offense?

Not wear your

feelings on your sleeve?

Do you more often

than not

count your blessings,

be thankful

for what God

has and is doing,

what He's promised

to do,

rather than

be disappointed?

Are you quick

to forgive?

forgive?

Well,

cooperating with God

as He works

in us

to make us

more like Jesus,

if we do that,

we won't be doing

all this

grumbling

and disputing,

but we'll be

developing this

more blameless

Christ-like character.

That's just

a fact.

So look at yourself,

evaluate yourself

and where you are

in your relationship

with God.

Now,

as we do,

as we cooperate

with God,

as He works

in us,

we need to take

this very seriously.

Look at what else

He says.

Work out your salvation

with fear

and trembling.

God has graciously

saved us,

He's made us

His children,

and God wants us

to know Him

as our loving

Heavenly Father.

He wants us

to have a close

relationship with Him,

be able to come

into His presence

and talk to Him,

fellowship with Him,

praise Him,

thank Him.

He does that.

Jesus even taught us

to pray,

our Father.

So,

I don't want to

minimize in any way

the fact that we

as Christians

have a close

relationship with God

as a Father.

But even as our

Heavenly Father,

God never ceases

to be

the God that He is,

the holy,

the pure,

the awesome,

the glorious,

the sovereign God

who's created

all things

and for whom

everything exists.

we must never lose

a healthy fear

or reverence

for God

no matter

how long we live

as Christians.

We,

you and me,

as children of God,

we should never cease

to be in awe

and wonder

of who God is.

A long time ago,

I watched a movie

that centered around

the personal life

of a fictitious

President of the

United States.

The President's

closest advisor

was his

lifelong friend.

Late one night,

they were

in the White House

shooting pool together,

no one around,

and talking about

a serious issue.

The advisor

kept calling

the President

Mr. President.

Yes,

Mr. President,

Mr. President,

this and that.

The President

finally looked at him

and said,

we have known

each other

practically all

of our lives.

You are my

closest friend.

No one is here

but you and me.

Please quit

calling me

Mr. President

and call me

Phil.

And without

hesitating,

the advisor

said,

yes,

Mr. President.

You see,

he knew

there are some

relationships

that we just

must never

lose sight

of

our

superior's

authority

and dignity.

And we always

show respect.

That's the way

it should be

in our relationship

with God.

call him

father.

Think about

how much

he loves us,

loves you.

How he called

you to be

his child.

Enjoy

closeness

with him

but never

cease to

also see

him

as the

holy God

that he is.

And that we

must always

in how we

approach him,

talk to him,

live before him,

treat him

with the utmost

reverence

and respect.

If Jesus

is our

Lord,

it'll be

seen by our

ongoing,

continuing

faith

in God.

Always remember,

saving faith

is continuing

faith

throughout the

Bible.

But also,

if Jesus

is our

Lord,

we'll

demonstrate

our ongoing

obedience

to God.

Look at this

next verse

13.

For it is

God who

works in you

both to

will and

to work

for his

good pleasure.

This

explains

how

we are

to work

out our

own

salvation

because God

is at work

in us.

We work

out our

own

salvation

with fear

and trembling

because God

works in us

giving us

the desire

and ability

to please

him.

I put an

article in

this week's

newsletter by

Paul Tripp.

It explains

this verse,

this whole

concept very

well.

I especially

like the way

he describes

some signs

that God

is working

in us

to will

and work

for his

good pleasure.

Look at

this.

Tripp

says,

so when

you have

a hunger

to know

what is

right in

God's

eyes,

think about

this.

Do you

ever have

that?

So when

you have

a hunger

to know

what is

right in

God's

eyes,

when you

care about

his glory,

when you

willingly

submit to

his will,

when you

forsake

your plan

for his

plan,

and when

you find

joy in

surrendering

to his

lordship,

you know

that you

have been

visited

by rescuing

grace.

grace.

Do you

see signs

in your

life

that God

is giving

you

true

desires,

an act

of the

will

kind of

desire,

and the

ability

to please

him?

Think about

it.

Can you

look at

your life,

the way you

think and

the way

you live,

can you

point to

signs?

I see

that God

is working

in me,

giving me

these kind

of desires

to please

him,

enabling me

to act

on those

desires.

Let's think

about how it

actually would

work out.

Do you have

a real desire

to please

God as a

husband to

your wife?

Do you

have a true

heartfelt

desire as

a wife

to be the

kind that

a wife

or your

husband

that God

wants you

to be?

As you

think about

being a

parent at

any age,

do you

have a

desire to

be a

godly

parent,

to have

the influence

on your

child that

God wants

you to

have,

to teach

them and

train them

according to

the way

God has

taught us

in his

word?

Children,

boys and

girls,

many of

you in

here,

you would

say,

I am a

Christian.

Some of

you I've

baptized.

Do you

have a

desire to

honor your

parents,

to obey

them because

you know

that's what

God wants

you to do?

Do you

have a

kind of

desire to

be a

Christian

friend?

you go

to work

tomorrow

or today?

Do you

desire,

have that

God-given

desire to

be an

employee or

employer

that truly

honors God

by the way

you treat

people and

interact with

people?

Now,

let's take it

a step

further.

Do you

act on

those desires?

do you

willingly and

regularly,

nobody does

it perfectly,

nobody does

it all the

time,

but do you

willingly and

purposefully

say no

to getting

your way

in your

relationships

at home?

Do you

willingly put

forth the

effort to

serve your

spouse,

your children,

your parents?

This takes

an act of

God,

your brothers

and sisters.

If we are

Christians,

the Spirit of

God lives

within us.

What Paul is

saying here,

he gives us

the desire,

the will,

the want

to,

to actually

do or

live this

kind of

life.

Now,

I want to

be clear about

what Paul is

saying here in

verse 13.

Be clear.

God is the

one who gives

us both the

desire and

the ability to

live an obedient

Christian life.

So we are

dependent upon

God.

We don't just

muster this

stuff up.

God gives

us the desire

and then the

ability to act

on that desire

to live a

faithful Christian

life.

So we are

dependent upon

God.

But we do

have to,

you and I,

we have to

act on the

desires.

We have to

actually put

forth the

effort to do

what God

calls us to

do.

So we must

discipline

ourselves in

order to obey

God.

The Christian

writer Jerry

Bridges says

that faithful

Christian living

requires that we

practice dependent

discipline.

Now here's a

good example

from the life

of Paul.

It comes from

Colossians chapter

one.

He's talking

about his

ministry, his

preaching.

He says, he,

that is Jesus,

is the one we

proclaim,

admonishing and

teaching everyone

with all wisdom

so that we may

present everyone

fully mature in

Christ.

To this end,

I strenuously

contend with

all the energy

Christ so

powerfully works

in me.

I want you to

see, Paul is

saying that he

disciplined

himself to

work hard at

his ministry.

I strenuously

contend.

If you read

in the book of

Acts and some

of his letters,

Paul worked

hard knowing

he was going

to be arrested,

beaten, put in

prison.

Sometimes he had

to support

himself.

He was a

tent maker.

And so

sometimes he'd

work all day

and preach late

at night or he

would preach

throughout the day

and work late

at night to

support himself.

Paul worked

hard to the

point of exhaustion

at times.

That's what the

word is talking

about.

in order to

be faithful,

in order to

fulfill the

desires that

the Lord gave

him.

But he never

thought it was

all about him.

He knew he was

dependent upon the

Lord to enable

him to do

whatever he did.

That's that last

phrase, with all

the energy Christ

so powerfully

works in me.

I want you to

understand.

If you're a

Christian, it's

by the grace of

God.

God chose to

save you.

You heard the

gospel.

You repented of

your sin.

You trusted

Jesus.

God put his

spirit in you.

And from that

moment on, God's

been working in

you to cause you

to desire and be

able to grow as a

Christian.

We'll put it that

way.

God gives you

those desires.

And as people of

God, it is our

responsibility to

act on those

desires, even if

it means it's hard,

we have to

rearrange some of

our schedule.

We just have to

do it.

I don't know a

better way to say

this.

We have to

learn to suck it

up and do it.

You know, there's

tomorrow.

Everybody in this

room who's going to

go to work,

everybody's not

going to want to

jump up in the

morning and just

go to work.

Sometimes we just

have to make

ourselves go and

do what we need to

do to work, to

support our family.

We have to suck it

up and go.

If you ever play

sports, they're

going to run you

and condition you

and put you through

more than you ever

really wanted to do.

But if you want to

play the sport, you

got to suck it up and

do it.

God saves us by

his grace.

God puts his

spirit in us who

gives us the desire

and will give us the

ability.

But we got to suck it

up and do it.

Serve.

Suffer if necessary.

Be inconvenienced if

necessary.

In our home, at

church, out in this

world.

Because we're

supposed to shine

like light in the

midst of the

darkness.

When it comes to

living a faithful

Christian life, we

are totally dependent

upon God.

The desires and the

ability, it comes

from him.

But even God's

supernatural work

within us does not

make our efforts to

discipline ourselves

unnecessary.

If you're a

Christian, we'll

wind this down and

think about some

serious things here.

If you're a

Christian, you are

about as spiritually

mature as you want

to be.

And so am I.

You say, that's not

true.

Well, it is.

Think about it.

God has saved you by

his grace through

faith in Jesus.

He has forgiven you.

He has made you his

child.

He has put his

spirit within you to

give you the desired

ability to please him.

The way you respond to

what God is doing in

your life shows how

serious you are about

your own personal

spiritual growth.

How can you argue

that?

It's convicting,

isn't it?

It is to me.

If Jesus is our

Lord, it will be

evident in the way

that we relate to

God.

In our ongoing faith

and in the way we

obey him.

But I will look at

one thing.

We're just going to

look at the title

here.

If Jesus is our

Lord, it will be

evident by the way

we relate to people.

There is no

relationship with God

that doesn't

correspond, work out

in relationships to

people.

If Jesus is Lord, it

will be evident by

we relate to people.

First, we will work

on having healthy

relationships with our

brothers and sisters

in Christ.

That's what we were

talking about in

verses 14 and 15,

about not grumbling

and arguing and

fussing and carrying

on.

And then we'll work

on being positive

witnesses to

unbelievers around us.

We shine.

We stand out in the

midst of a very dark,

sinful world.

Now, Paul Tripp

concluded that

article I had in my

newsletter with this

statement.

Every moment of our

obedience is an

evidence of and a

celebration of the

grace that not only

forgives us, but

rescues.

And not only rescues,

but transforms.

Look at that.

Every moment of our

obedience is an

evidence of and a

celebration of the

grace that not only

forgives us, but

rescues, and not only

rescues, but transforms.

Now think, how many

moments during the week

do you actually live in

obedience to God?

How much do you really

live your life, seek to

live your life in

obedience to God?

What does that say about

your desire to please

God?

If we don't really

desire and put forth the

effort to please God,

what does that say about

us?

What does your

obedience say about the

way that you discipline

yourself to act on the

desires that God gives

you to please Him?

Think about that.

Or would you have to

admit that you don't

really have a desire to

please God, bottom line?

Let's be real honest.

Would you say this

morning, I don't really

have a desire to please

God, and that's why I'll

ever put forth any effort

to obey God.

If that is your true,

you know, if that's a true

description of who you are,

you're not a Christian.

Because the Holy Spirit

doesn't live within you.

And Paul tells us in Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8, if the Spirit of

God's not in us, the Spirit of

Christ is not in us, we're not

Christians.

But if He's in us, what Paul

is saying here, He works in

us to give us the desire and

the ability to obey God.

So if we never have that

desire and ever put forth the

effort to obey God, how could

we be Christians?

But I will say this, if you

tell me, I know exactly what

you're talking about.

I do believe I'm a Christian.

I have had those desires in a

day gone by.

I put forth the effort in a

day gone by.

But the truth is right now, I

am, I'm rebelling against God.

I've, I've turned away.

And I don't desire like I used

to.

And I certainly am not

obeying.

If you're truly a child of God,

God will discipline you.

Because Hebrews, Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 13 · chapter mention

13 tells us, 12 tells us that

God disciplines His children

whom He loves.

So I'm going to encourage you,

if you're not a Christian, let

this be a wake-up call.

Don't think about you profess

faith, you've been baptized, you're

a member of the church, or

anything like that.

Evaluate where you are in your

relationship with God right now

like this.

Do I have a desire to please God?

And do I desire to put forth the

effort and actually do to please

God?

That's a sign of a Christian.

If you don't, it's a sign you're

not a Christian.

If you're not a Christian, that

bothers you.

You want to be.

This is a wake-up call for you.

Humbly bow before God.

Repent of your sin.

Trust Jesus as your Lord and

Savior.

Call upon Him to save you now.

And if you'd say, I am a

Christian, but I've fallen far,

let this be a wake-up call to

you.

Come back to the Lord humbly and

confess your sin.

Repent.

Draw back close to the Lord and

ask Him to just reawaken you,

your conscience, your heart, so

that you will have those desires

again.

And as you have those desires

again, act on them.

Ask God to help you to follow

through on them.

Because that's how we are to

live in this world.

If Jesus is really our Lord.

Let's pray.

Dear God, show us now how we

should respond.

Show us now, Father, how we can

leave here this morning

demonstrating that Jesus is the

Lord of my life.

Let's just, in attitude of

prayer, listen to God.

And then do what He's telling

you to do.

Respond as He wants you to this

morning.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

See you.