Everything's Possible - 12

Philippians 2:12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.

Paul reminds the Philippian community how well they have always followed his instructions and admonishes them that it is of even greater importance to continue to follow these instructions. The second phrase of verse 12 lets them know that they do this as a result of their salvation. Paul’s point is that once salvation has been received, they should put into practice this life through obedience to the commands given by Jesus, who he now mirrors in his commands to love one another in unity.

Do you remember your parents leaving and telling you to remember to do what they have told you, even though they weren’t there? Did you do it? I often found it hard to continue to obey their commands when they were not around. I didn’t do the dishes or make my bed. You can be sure I did those things right before they got home, so I wouldn’t get in trouble. What probably should have happened was I should have simply done what they asked out of respect and certainly out of gratitude for all they had given me. However, I was a typical teenager who thought he could get away with a few things while they were gone.

Paul wanted to make sure the church in Philippi didn’t do the same thing that I did when I was a teenager. They were to keep obeying God with reverence and fear. He then reminds them that they are being developed by God, he is literally working in them to give them the desire for what God would have them do. The outworking of this is as follows:

There will be less complaining and arguing. That would be beautiful if that were the case in church or anywhere in our lives. Sometimes, it is not even our own complaining and arguing that gets to us, we see it happening all around us and it creates a difficulty for us.

Have you ever worked with a group of people who don’t complain and argue? That is an amazing experience. And the work you can finish! Amazing! Oh, every church was able to experience a group of people who were self-sacrificing, who were not worried about complaining, or who were not concerned about what other people have and do not have. Wouldn’t it be great if there were no jockeying for positions and we were all just serving in our positions and in our capacities as we were called? I think that is something that we all dream about! I certainly do!

1. How can you cease complaining and arguing? 
2. What can you do to lift up the people around you? 
3. How can you make sure that your responses in life are the same responses that you give for the grace of Jesus in your life?