Obedient in Christ

We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christchurch.

This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christchurch.

Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org.

Good morning. I'm Melissa Arseniega and I'm part of the El Cerrito Kensington Community Group, an Oikos group, and a deacon.

Today's scripture reading is from Paul's letter to the Philippians, chapter 2, verses 12 to 30, as printed in your liturgy.

Philippians 2:12–30

A reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence,

continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure,

children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.

Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on this sacrifice and service, coming from your faith,

I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send you Timothy to you soon,

that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you.

I have no one else like him who will show genuine concern for your welfare.

For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father,

he has served with me in the work of the gospel.

I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.

And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus,

my brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier,

who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.

For he longs for all of you and is distressed, because you heard he was ill.

Indeed, he was ill and almost died.

But God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but also on me,

to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

Therefore, I am all the more eager to send him,

so that when you see him again, you may be glad,

and I may have less anxiety.

So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and honor people like him.

Because he almost died for the work of Christ,

he risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.

This is the word of the Lord.

So back earlier in January, our very own David Lopez,

he put me onto this guy.

His name is Wesley Huff.

Anybody heard of Wesley Huff?

A couple of you, thanks.

If you haven't had a chance to check out Wesley Huff, I highly recommend him.

He's this up-and-coming Christian apologist,

incredibly sharp, incredibly articulate.

He's doing his PhD in New Testament right now at the University of Toronto,

and he does this podcast called the AC Podcast.

It stands for Apologetics Canada.

And I highly recommend that you check him out.

And he's actually been invited onto some pretty large stages recently.

He was invited onto Joe Rogan's podcast.

It's like the most widely listened to podcast in the world.

And then just a month ago, it's this podcast I listened to just this past week.

It's Andrew Schultz's podcast.

Andrew Schultz is like this big-time comedian.

He's got his own Netflix special.

And, you know, whatever you think about Andrew Schultz and Andrew Rogan

and, you know, kind of the bro-y manosphere thing,

at least we can say these are huge audiences that Wesley Huff is getting in front of.

I mean, President Trump was on both of these podcasts, like, not long before Wesley Huff.

So it's pretty interesting, right, to see this Christian getting on this pretty large stage.

And, you know, so I was listening to Wesley Huff and Andrew Schultz

and his, you know, kind of crass comedian buddies on this podcast earlier this week.

And he said something there that I really think gets at the heart

of what Paul's trying to communicate to the church in Philippi and to us today in our passage.

And what Wesley Huff said was, you know, for Christians,

reading the Bible and praying and going to church and, you know,

doing all these spiritual practices,

these are not the fruit of the Christian life,

but they're more like water.

They're more like how we water the Christian life.

And while sure God wants us to water the soil of our hearts,

what we will ultimately be judged upon is not simply how well we watered,

but whether or not our lives bore fruit.

See, that's Paul's vision for the church in Philippi.

That's our vision here at Christ Church.

Not just a well-watered church, but a fruitful church.

Not simply a learned church, but a living church.

Paul doesn't just want the church to accept the gospel of Jesus,

but to apply the gospel of Jesus in our everyday lives.

Or as he will say here in our text,

to work out our salvation.

To work out our salvation.

So remember last time we were in the book of Philippians,

we looked and marveled at that brilliantly concise summary,

that core confession, that amazing statement of Christianity

in the beginning of Philippians chapter 2 called the Christ hymn, right?

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

The Christ hymn.

But today what we find is that Paul is not just sharing it as a creed to confess,

but more so as a calling to carry out in our lives.

He's sharing it because he wants the church to live a certain way.

So remember what Paul's doing.

He's imploring these Christians living in this patriotic Roman colony.

He says in chapter 1 verse 27,

to make it their primary aim to be citizens of the gospel of Christ,

distinct citizens, right?

Distinct citizens of a distinct kingdom.

A kingdom where the king, God himself,

in the person of Jesus Christ,

took on not just humanity,

but slavery and crucifixion and obedience to his eternal father

on the way to glory and exaltation.

And what Paul wants for the church is to, quote,

have the same mindset as Christ Jesus,

who humbled himself by becoming obedient to death,

even death on a cross.

Paul commands the church to live with selfless service

and humble obedience just like their maker and their Messiah.

And that is what comes right before our passage today, okay?

Where he writes in verse 12, we can look down at that now.

Therefore, my dear friends, or in the Greek,

therefore, my beloved.

Therefore, meaning because, or as a result of what God has revealed to us

in Christ, crucified and exalted,

as a result of what God has shown us

about who he is as God

and what it means to be ideally human.

Therefore, my beloved Philippians, verse 12,

as you have always obeyed, like Christ obeyed,

and not only in my presence when I was with you,

but now much more in my absence,

continue to work out your salvation

with fear and trembling.

He's saying,

I saw you obey when I was with you,

when we all lived together in the same household,

and even now when we are apart,

I've been very pleased to see and hear about you

all grown up and off to college,

no more parents in the house,

and you're still obeying great.

But hey, as your spiritual father,

this is still my command to you,

keep continuing to obey.

Or to give it even more texture and meaning,

continue to work out your salvation

with fear and trembling.

So in one sense,

he's not saying anything new, obey.

But in case you're tempted to, you know,

just kind of check out here,

of course this pastor's gonna come up

and preach a sermon about obeying God.

Just hang in there with me, okay?

And let's try to catch the nuance.

It's not just obey,

but it's continue to work out your salvation

with fear and trembling.

So the question to ask is,

what is Paul trying to get at

with this more specific language,

work out your salvation?

Why does he say it that way?

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Well, let me start by clarifying

what this doesn't mean, okay?

When Paul says to continue

to work out your salvation,

it's very important to distinguish

working for your salvation

from working out your salvation.

Remember, this is the same Apostle Paul

who's written elsewhere in his other letters

that salvation, being restored

into a right status and relationship with God,

it isn't earned by good works of merit,

but received by grace through faith.

Paul isn't departing from this core truth

of the good news about Jesus.

He's not telling them to work for

or earn their salvation.

So the question is, okay, what does he mean

when he says work out your salvation?

Well, let's define salvation.

What is salvation?

You see, for many of us,

salvation is simply about what happens when I die.

Do I go to heaven or do I go to hell?

And yes, the scriptures do teach

that heaven is real and hell is real

and eternal life is real

and judgment is real,

but these truths never constitute

the core essence of what salvation is

and what it means to be saved.

See, according to the scriptures,

according to Jesus,

Jesus said this,

I have another slide in,

oh, sorry, in John chapter 17.

John 17 · chapter mention

Can you pull that up for us, Ben?

Jesus said this,

and this is eternal life.

Not that you go to heaven.

And this is eternal life

that they know you,

the only true God,

and Jesus Christ,

whom you have sent.

So see, according to the scriptures,

the essence of salvation

is not about destination.

It's about relationship.

Paul confirms this as well,

Romans chapter five,

2 Corinthians chapter five,

Colossians chapter one,

that to be saved is to be rescued

from alienation from God

and to be restored into communion with God.

Salvation is reunion

with the starting point

and the sustainer of all of life,

the maker of our souls.

That's what salvation is.

So again, salvation is about so much more

than the day you die.

It's about the life you live

in union with the life giver.

And if this is true,

if this is true that salvation

is not primarily about your future,

eternal destination,

but about your union with God,

then that means that salvation

can be spoken of

as something that's past,

present, and future

all at the same time.

So if you look at Paul's letters,

you can find him talking about

how we were saved in the past,

like before the foundations of the earth,

Ephesians one,

or at the cross,

before we were even born,

Colossians chapter two,

or at the time of our conversions,

Titus chapter three.

But Paul also talks about

how we are being saved presently,

1 Corinthians chapter one,

1 Corinthians chapter 15,

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

and then how we will be saved

in the future.

Romans chapter five,

Romans 13,

Philippians one,

he who began a good work

and you will bring it

to completion

at the day of Christ Jesus.

It's kind of like marriage, okay?

I was married,

I am married,

and Chelsea willing,

I will be married,

all right?

All that to say here is

when Paul is saying

continue to work out

your salvation

with fear and trembling,

he's getting at the present,

the present aspect of salvation,

the present aspect of being

in a dynamic

and ongoing relationship

with God.

He's calling the church

to presently

and continually live out

their renewed

and ever deepening union

with their infinite

and eternal God.

He's saying don't just

receive salvation,

don't just receive

some past salvation,

and don't just hope

and wait for some

future salvation.

He's saying live in it

now and forever,

work it out in your life

today.

And not just casually,

he says,

but with fear and trembling

because this isn't just

any kind of casual relationship,

it's a relationship

with the thrice holy God,

right?

The great I am.

And maybe this gives

some of us pause,

this idea of fear

and trembling

in our relationship

with God

because, you know,

so much of our soft,

secular, heavily therapeutic

Western culture

tells us that healthy,

loving, safe relationships

should not involve

any kind of fear

or trembling.

And so much of the

American church

with its, you know,

Jesus is my homeboy,

come just as you are,

his arms are open wide,

authenticity over everything,

self-expressive individualism,

so many popular

therapeutic versions

of American Christianity

go out of their way

to downplay

the fear of God

as if it were incompatible

with the love of God.

But let me try to dissuade you

of this false dichotomy,

this wrong-headed way

of thinking

that runs counter

to the teachings of Jesus

and the Scriptures.

Now, some Christians

want to say fear

and trembling here

is just about reverence

and respect.

And sure,

that is definitely

a part of working out

our salvation

with fear and trembling,

but I think

he actually means

fear and trembling here.

Let me try to illustrate that.

So, for example,

you know,

I personally find gorillas

like fascinating,

glorious,

like amazing creatures.

And many of us,

we have Oakland Zoo passes

and we can get

like really close

to these huge,

majestic,

grizzly bears, right?

And on the one hand,

these creatures

are marvelous

and they awe us

and they shock us.

Like think of the intelligence

of a silverback gorilla,

right?

So intelligent,

it could communicate

with sign language,

it could be so gentle,

it could pick those

little flies, right,

off of its baby,

it could unpeel a banana

with its fingers,

incredible dexterity,

it's amazing, right?

And it's even endearing,

right?

It's heartwarming, right?

This massive gorilla.

But then at the very same time,

this silverback

could also rip my arms off,

right?

It could.

If I step beyond my boundaries,

then interact with the gorilla

in a rightful

and natural way.

So even while we can

and should marvel at

and enjoy a silverback

or a grizzly

within a properly

ordered relationship,

it is also right of us

to fear and tremble

before these creatures

that we at the same time

adore, love, and honor.

Think about maybe

a cliff, right?

The cliffs of Moor in Ireland

or the edge of El Capitan

in Yosemite,

these majestic cliffs

of such great beauty

and splendor

that fill our hearts

with wonder and awe

that we hope to preserve

and we fight to preserve

and honor.

And yet,

is it not also true

that at the very same time

that we marvel,

standing atop these cliffs,

we also stand

at the edge of these cliffs

with rightful fear

and trembling

because we know

that there is a right,

good, beautiful,

and natural way

to interact with these cliffs

or like with a grizzly bear.

And then there are wrong,

dangerous,

and unnatural ways

to interact with them.

Fear and trembling

are right,

natural human responses

in the presence

of greatness and power.

So if fear and trembling

are appropriate

in the presence

of a silverback,

how much more appropriate

are fear and trembling

in the presence

of the holy maker

of the silverback,

maker of our souls?

It really makes complete sense

to work out our salvation,

to live out our relationships

with God

with fear

and trembling.

And it is actually

the enemy

that would whisper

into our ears

not to fear.

You just do you.

Choose your own way.

Go ahead and cross

that boundary

between the creator

and the creature.

There is nothing

to fear

for you will not surely die.

No,

it makes complete sense

to fear

and tremble

at the prospect

of not relating

to God Almighty

as we were naturally

meant to relate to Him,

as His obedient creatures,

as His obedient children.

It's like the Psalms

and the Proverbs say,

the fear of the Lord

is the beginning

of wisdom.

And you know,

the beauty of the gospel

is that while we have

every reason to fear

and tremble

before this holy God

against whom

we have all rebelled

and gone our own way

time and time again,

the beauty of Christianity

is that this God

before whom we ought

to fear and tremble,

He also loves

to lay His strong

yet calming hand

upon us.

He loves to come

near to us

to be more than

a fearful,

frightening presence

in our lives,

but also a kind,

gentle,

calming,

empowering,

and ever-present

presence in our lives.

It's like what

was said of Aslan.

You remember

what they said of Aslan?

It's like,

no, for heaven's sake,

he isn't safe,

but he is good.

He is good.

In Christianity,

the fear of God

and the enjoyment

of God

go hand in hand.

I have another slide.

I want you to see

what the prophet Jeremiah

says,

what God says

through the prophet Jeremiah

to his people.

They've gone astray

again and again,

yet he promises

to restore them.

He says,

behold,

I will bring it

to health

and healing

and I will heal them

and reveal to them

abundance of prosperity

and security.

I will restore

the fortunes of Judah

and the fortunes of Israel

and rebuild them

as they were at first.

I will cleanse them

from all the guilt

of their sin against me

and I will forgive

all the guilt

of their sin

and rebellion against me

and this city

shall be to me

a name of joy,

a praise,

and a glory

before all the nations

of the earth

who shall hear

of all the good

that I do for them.

They shall fear

and tremble

because of all the good

and all the prosperity

I provide for it.

So the fear

and enjoyment of God

can and in fact do

go hand in hand

because God

doesn't just insist

on His way

but He also makes it happen.

He assists us

in His way.

Look with me

at verse 13.

See,

Paul doesn't just call

the church

to work out

their salvation

with fear

and trembling

like go ahead,

keep on trying,

good luck guys.

No,

he says work out

your salvation

with fear

and trembling

for or because

it is God

who works in you

both to will

and to act

in order to fulfill

His good purpose.

See,

Paul isn't calling them

to an onerous

solo grind

but in honoring

shared grace.

This is a God

and Father in heaven

who demands

the highest standard

from His children

and who at the same time

provides for the fulfillment

of that standard

by coming near

and uniting Himself

to us

to work out within us

what He demands of us.

It's like St. Augustine

once said,

grant what thou dost command

and command

what thou wilt.

God isn't a father

standing afar off

with His hands

on His hips

waiting for us

to perform

and attain

to His standards.

No,

He is a father

who is intimately involved

and interested

in us fulfilling

His perfect purposes

and not just

at the level

of our actions

but at the level

of our wills.

It says,

it is God

who works in you

both to will

and to act

in order to fulfill

His good purpose.

This is a God

who changes hearts.

He changes our hearts

to want what He wants.

He strengthens our hands

to do what we were made

to do.

This is a Father

who wants to see us

crush it

in His perfect plan

and who will never

leave us nor forsake us

to have to go it alone.

And isn't that good news?

Isn't that good news?

Now, I know I've spent

most of my time here

this morning

in these first two verses

but this is just

so important.

And I imagine

that this is,

you know,

a multifaceted word

to all of us

this morning.

Continue

to work out

your salvation

with fear and trembling

for it is God

who works in you

both to will

and to act

for His good purpose.

So maybe for some of you

this morning

God's word to you

is that word continue.

You have been living

a life on mission,

a life of service

toward God,

love toward God,

service toward others,

love toward others,

not a perfect life

but a faithful one,

a long obedience

in the right direction.

And your Father in heaven,

maybe He wants you

to hear that He sees you.

Maybe He wants you

to know He sees you.

He sees you in your moments

of wanting to quit,

your moments of doubt

when you're trying

to be faithful

but you wonder

is life in relationship

with God

really supposed

to be this hard?

Is there any point

in faithfulness

and obedience?

Will salvation ever come

for my health,

for my trauma,

for my marriage?

God's word to you

this morning

is to not grow weary

in doing good.

Continue to work out

your salvation

for God is at work

in you

and He has not

left you to yourself.

Maybe for others of us,

God's word to you today

is that it is God

who needs to work in you

both to will

and to act

according to His good purposes.

You've been trying

this Christian life thing

but you are weary

and you are tired

and you feel so unmotivated.

What if God's word

to you this morning

is not try harder

but seek God's work

in you

both to will

and to act?

What if God

is not so much

challenging you this morning

but inviting you

into a collaborative

relationship?

What if your next step

isn't stricter

spiritual disciplines,

right,

to kind of self-manufacture

fruit in your life

but what if He's asking you

to just ask Him?

Ask Him,

see what I will do.

See what I will do.

What if God's word

to you this morning

is that He is just

as much for you

and in fact

even more so

than you are for yourself?

That He is more committed

to His good

and perfect purposes

in your life

and in this world

than anyone else

and you're His workmanship,

His masterpiece

created in Christ Jesus

for good works

which He has prepared

beforehand

that you should walk

in them.

What if God's word

to you this morning

is that even you

cannot get in the way

of God's good

and perfect purposes

for you and the world?

Can you hear Him?

Can you hear Him speak

that word to you

this morning,

these words of invitation,

these words of comfort

comfort in the sovereign power

and ability of God?

But now maybe others of you

need more of a word

of challenge today

or maybe you need both.

Perhaps for you though

today your word

is to work out

your salvation

like now

and with fear

and trembling.

Maybe some of us

have been tempted

to view salvation

as something

I secured in the past

and I'll enjoy

in the future

and in the meantime

I'm going to live

however I want

because I have

my salvation card,

my get out of hell

free card.

But might God

be challenging you

this morning,

convicting you

to work out

your salvation

even today

and every day

with fear

and trembling

remembering that

your life

is not your own.

You are living

your life

in the very presence

of the holy God

of the universe.

Do we live

with that kind

of earnestness

and gravitas?

Are we working out

the implications

of who God is

and what Christ

has done

in our everyday lives,

in our workplaces?

Does the story

of Jesus

have any bearing

on how we manage

our staff?

Does the story

of Jesus

have any bearing

on how we develop

or pursue

or market

that product

or in our relationships?

How we go into

our relationships

with our spouses,

our children,

our parents,

our neighbors?

How are we showing up

every day

as people

who have been saved

by and united

to the divine

suffering servant

and Lord,

Jesus Christ?

How are we showing up?

Are we showing up

as servants

of the suffering servant

or are we showing up

as those

who are living

unworthy

of the gospel,

unworthy

of the citizenship

that he has granted

to us in Christ?

Alright.

So, you know,

I've totally

not budgeted

my time well

with these first

two verses

and we won't have

time to go

verse by verse

through the rest

of this passage.

But I want you

to look with me

at verse 14

to see how Paul

commands that we

show up

in our day-to-day lives,

how we work out

our salvation

with fear

and trembling.

This is what it looks

like when God

is at work in us

to will

and to act

in fulfillment

of his good purposes.

Verse 14 says,

do everything

without grumbling

or arguing.

Okay?

A tough one, right?

Who of us

can stand up

to this?

And notice the command

here isn't

thou shalt not grumble

or thou shalt not argue.

The command is

do everything

without grumbling

or arguing.

This is a totalizing

command.

Paul's divinely

inspired words here

are laying a claim

on the whole

of our lives.

Everything we do

and he is commanding

the whole manner

of our lives.

We are to do

everything

as obedient servants

of Christ.

Everything we do

falls under the umbrella

of the working out

of our salvation.

And we are to work

out that salvation

with fear

and trembling

but without

grumbling

and arguing.

So that,

verse 15,

you may become

blameless and pure

children of God

without fault

in a warped

and crooked generation

among whom

you will shine

like stars

in the sky

as you hold

firmly

to the word

of life.

And you know,

this is another sermon

in and of itself

about grumbling

and arguing

but good thing,

you know,

American Christians

don't struggle

with that, right?

But my question is,

of all the things

that Paul could have

named as antithetical

to Jesus' way,

why does he say

do everything

without grumbling

and arguing?

Why not like

do everything

and don't murder,

don't rape,

don't steal,

do everything

without hating

and fighting?

Well,

if you are an astute

reader in Philippi,

you would catch

a connection

Paul is making here

when he uses

the words

grumbling,

arguing,

warped

and crooked

generation

and shining

like stars

in the sky.

He's actually

alluding

to Israel

in the wilderness.

In Exodus

Exodus 16 · chapter mention

chapter 16

and 17,

the people

of Israel

are characterized

by just that,

grumbling

and arguing.

And in Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 32 · chapter mention

chapter 32,

Moses rebukes

the people of Israel

for being a crooked

and twisted

generation.

And then hundreds

of years later,

the prophet Daniel,

he prophesies

that even though

the people of Israel

have strayed

again and again

and again

as grumbling,

argumentative

and crooked people,

God would still

one day redeem

some of them

and make them shine

like stars

in the sky.

So basically,

Paul is using

the ancient Israelites

as a negative example

of grumbling

and arguing,

as an opposite example

to Jesus

in the Christ.

And Paul is basically

laying out two ways

to live.

The pure and blameless

Jesus way

of humility,

service,

obedience,

fear,

and trembling,

a way that will

bring light

and bear witness

in our dark

and twisted generation

or the crooked

wilderness way

of grumbling

and arguing

the way that we

experience in this world

every day,

right?

And why Paul singles out

the grumbling

and arguing

of Israel

in the wilderness

is not so much

that grumbling

and arguing

are the worst

imaginable sins

that one could commit

but because

of the hearts

from which grumbling

and arguing

come from.

You see,

the sin of grumbling

isn't simply about

breaking the thou shalt

not grumble

rule,

all right?

And my children,

like,

they break that

all the time,

right?

But you know,

when my daughters

grumble,

especially when I ask

them to do things

that they're not

excited about,

what do I tell them?

Stop grumbling?

Well, yeah,

I do say that a lot.

But the best version

of me says,

hey,

you gotta trust me,

you gotta trust mommy,

you gotta trust

what I'm telling you

to do.

This is for your good,

it's for the good

of the family,

it's better for our world,

and if you keep

insisting on doing

otherwise,

you're gonna regret it.

See,

the grumbling of Israel

was so twisted

because it reflected

their entitlement

and their defiance

of the authority

of God,

their lack of faith

in His goodness

and His promises.

It came from a place

of them thinking

they deserved better

and that they also

knew better

than God.

God,

staying in Egypt

as slaves

would have been

so much better

than wandering

in the wilderness

with you,

having to trust you

every day

for our daily bread.

We grumble

because we don't

trust God's word

and His ways.

Paul is saying,

no,

verse 16,

hold firmly

to God's word of life

instead.

Hold firmly

to His word,

believe it,

trust it,

it's good,

it's true,

especially as those

who believe

that Christ is risen,

especially as those

who believe

that yeah,

Christ did suffer

the wilderness

experience of obedience

unto death on a cross,

but God exalted Him,

that's the gospel,

that's the word of life

that you must hold

firmly to.

God exalted Christ

and He will exalt

His sons and daughters

as well.

And in verses 16 to 18,

Paul talks about

how this is

His ultimate boast,

this is what He wants

for everyone,

the whole church,

everyone that He is

sacrificing for,

laboring for,

ultimately He wants

their joy in Christ

at the last day.

And then He closes

with two more

positive examples,

okay,

of people living

as citizens

of the gospel

having the same

mindset as Christ,

Timothy and Epaphroditus.

And this could be

another sermon too,

but just very briefly,

look at how He describes

Timothy in verse 20.

I have no one else

like Him

who will show

genuine concern

for your welfare.

For everyone looks

for their own interests,

right,

that's that whole

warped and crooked

generation,

everyone looks out

for their own interests,

not those of Jesus Christ.

We are called to be

a different kind

of generation

with a different

kind of citizenship.

Paul says,

but you know that

Timothy has proved

himself to be different,

right?

This guy Timothy,

he genuinely cares

about you,

he genuinely cares

about the things

of Christ

more than himself.

And then in verse 29,

look,

Paul says to honor

people also like

Epaphroditus,

who,

verse 30 says,

almost died

for the work of Christ,

right?

He risked his life

for the things of God,

for the things

that exalt Christ.

Another Christ-like example

in real life,

in the flesh,

in the church.

And the point is,

we all have our roles

and it is all

in service of Christ.

We all have

an opportunity

and a calling

and a command

to live like Christ,

carrying on God's work

in the world,

whether as a teacher

or an apologist,

an assistant pastor

and evangelist

like Timothy,

or as just a messenger

and a care package

transporter

like Epaphroditus.

Regardless of what we do

or what happens to us,

God sees

and God honors

such people,

just as he honored

and exalted Jesus,

risen and ascended

into heaven.

So just to tie all this up,

the question is,

will we

or won't we

pursue

this life

of honor

and work out

our salvation

with fear

and trembling

and ultimately

with life-giving service?

Timothy and Epaphroditus

had no idea

that they were going

to end up

in this record

that we'd be reading

about 2,000 years later,

honored

as Christ-like servants

in the gospel?

What will be our stories?

Right?

I think of that

Hamilton song,

Who Lives,

Who Dies,

Who Tells Your Story.

How will they tell it?

I have another slide

that I want to share.

It's my last slide.

It's something

that's really stuck with me

over the past couple years.

It was written

by David Brooks.

He's a recently converted

New York Times writer.

He wrote this book,

The Second Mountain.

I highly recommend it.

The Second Mountain,

The Quest for a Moral Life.

And he basically says

that there are

First Mountain people

and there are

Second Mountain people.

Or another way he puts it

is that there are

resume virtue people

and eulogy virtue people.

Resume virtue people

focus on individual achievement,

career, wealth,

and personal happiness.

They're motivated

by external validation

and societal expectations.

Their values are success,

status,

and personal pleasure.

And their approach

to the world

is self-centered

and focused on individual goals

and achievements.

But eulogy virtue people,

they focus on meaning,

purpose,

commitment,

and contributing

to something larger

than themselves.

They're motivated

by a desire

for deeper fulfillment

and connection.

Their values are community,

service, love,

and moral joy.

And their approach

is others-centered

and focused on

building relationships

and making a positive impact.

Now you can easily guess

the kind of person

David Brooks suggests

we become.

But the more important question

is will we?

And how?

Will we and how?

So God's word to us

this morning

is to consider Timothy,

is to consider Paphroditus,

consider ancient Israel,

consider all the people

you most abhor

and all the people

you most admire,

and then above all

consider the life,

death,

and resurrection of Jesus

and ask yourselves,

what kind of person

do I want to be?

And what kind of life

do I want to live?

What is my ultimate salvation?

Is it knowing Christ?

Is it knowing the God

of the universe

who went to the cross for me

and whose spirit

is still at work within me

to will and to act

according to his perfect purposes?

God invites us this morning

simply to work out

what he has worked for

and what he has committed

to working in us.

Salvation,

union with God Almighty.

And that's good news.

It's a challenge

but it's an invitation

that he extends to us

in love and gentleness

and confidence

that he will bring it

to completion.

Let's pray.

Oh God,

fill us

with that fear

and trembling

in your presence

and at the same time

fill us with that joy,

comfort,

and security.

and let us work out

our salvations.

Let us work out

our union with Christ.

Let us enjoy that.

Live dynamically in that

as your people

so that we might be

bright and shining

children of God.

Bearing witness,

shining like stars

in this dark

and crooked generation,

oh God.

Beacons of hope.

An alternative way

to live

for this world,

this self-centered,

broken world,

oh God.

In our union with Christ,

help us to live out

selflessness

and sacrifice

and servanthood

and humility

and bring glory

to yourself,

Lord God,

as your people

seek to follow

their Savior,

Jesus Christ.

In his name we pray.

Amen.