Over the past two weeks we have bee speaking about how Paul urges the Philippian church to model his and Christ's lives.

 As we consider this, though, how easy is it to live up to those kinds of expectations?

 Mark Twain, the famous author once wrote: "Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.

 Why can a good example be an annoyance? Well, I guess the annoyance isn't in the example, but it is in the personal application. Our admiration for a great person may inspire us, but the inspiration of its own does not enable us. Therefore, it is sometimes easy for us to feel overwhelmed as we attempt to model examples that come into our lives.

 When this is the case, then, what options do people take when they cannot reach the heights of their great examples?

1. The first way is to be a fake. That is, just polish up the image and make a good appearance in order that you can bluff your way through life. The problem is that this approach to life often backfires and someone calls our bluff.

 You may recall a scandal in the music industry back in 1990, when the pop group Milli Vanilli won a Grammy Award for the album "Girl You know It's True". The problem was it wasn't theirs as they had lip sung the whole recording. Subsequently they had to return the Grammy Award and return to Germany in disgrace. In a newspaper article, someone wisely said:

 "…the Milli Vanilli scandal will only repeat itself unless audiences stop valuing image more than content."

 

2. A second way to overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed by role models is to hurry the process. Todays generation commonly has as an ideology "Don't slow me down by making me pay the price or go through some long and painful process. I don't want to wait until later in life. I want it now."

 We find this to be a problem with young people who go through university. Many get a qualification and demand a top job as soon as they leave university, only to be left disillusioned because they are knocked back on job offers because of lack of experience. They don’t want to start in lower positions to gain experience because it takes time. And yet they have difficulty getting work at the level they want because of inexperience. Subsequently they wonder if all the study was worth it and become disillusioned with life.

 

3. Finally there is another option which is common in Christian circles. When faced with an example, such as Paul and Jesus Himself, where we feel we just will not measure up, we strive harder. An old song states this philosophy in one line which says, "Striving to please Him in all I do."

 But is this the kind of life that God wants? If the answer isn't in faking it, or in hurrying the process of Christ likeness up, then is it in just working harder for the prize? Do we want to live our lives striving towards the goal, with our limited strength, ;but still not quite managing to get there?

 The honest one's say, "I'm doing my best. I'm trying. But I'm exhausted." If you are one of these people, then today's message is for you.

 The great thing in a relationship with Christ is that he is different to all other role models in life. Where human role models are great examples to us and they inspire and motive us, they cannot enable or empower us to change. But when it comes to Jesus, things are very different. In effect he says, "Do you want to live My life?" "Do you want to obey me when I said 'take up my cross daily and follow me?" "Well, then here is my power and enablement by my Holy Spirit to assist you."

 This is the great thing about a relationship with God. He didn't just say "Go and do the same", he promised He would enable us to do the same by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As Chuck Swindoll, a modern day great preacher wrote, "Jesus gives us His pattern to follow … while at the same time providing the needed power within."…for us to achieve His end.

 Last week we saw how Jesus had provided us the example to live by. Paul now builds on this theme illustrating how this example is to work its way into our lives.

Read Phil. 2:12-18

1. BALANCING PURPOSE AND POWER (VV12-13)

Here, Paul is writing to Christians. So he is not telling us to work towards our salvation. The phrase to 'work out' your salvation should not be confused with 'work for' your salvation. These two phrases have entirely different meanings.

 The phrase 'work out' was the same Greek word used for 'working a mine' or working a field'. In each of these cases there were benefits that came as a result of the work that was put in. The same as for a Cane Grower - You spend time preparing the soil, fertilizing when needed, scarifying weeds, irrigating the crop etc. At the end of the hard work you receive your reward which is a higher yielding crop then a farmer who did not put the same time and effort into their crop.

 By 'working out' our salvation we bring the whole purpose towards completion…we carry out the reason for our existence.

 So what Paul is saying is that we should conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. Remember we looked at this in Philip. 1:27 which said:

Therefore, I believe Paul is warning us to busy ourselves with that which is best so we may be found 'pure and blameless' until the day of Christ's return. Again, we looked at this 3 weeks ago in Philip. 1:10 which said, "so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,"

 That is discern the things God wants. Involve ourselves in areas we know will build up our relationship with God and each other. Come to church each Sunday, involve yourself in a home group where you share together with other Christians what God is doing in your life and learn together from His word. Pray together as God's family. Spur one another on in our spiritual and personal lives - be there for one another.

I was a member of a gym. In fact, Julie-Ann transferred her membership over to me. I had all the right intentions in the world to stick to the programme in order to get fit. My motivation was looking at a photo of myself at age 18 in a rowing scull. I was well muscled, trim and super fit. At, then, 34 I decided to be the shape of that 18 year old again. Well, obviously I was disillusioned as you can see of my shape today. You see, I wanted to magically be that shape again, but I didn't want to stick to the programme.

 Paul says, stick to the example Christ left - obey him and obey the message, the teaching, I have given you. Now Paul wasn't asking for obedience to him in the sense of a power play or manipulation over the lives of others. BUT he did expect the Philippians to obey the gospel. It was this way they were working out their salvation. Paul is saying here, "I'm not asking you to imitate my personal, but I do want you to model my way of life in Christ Jesus". Which basically came down to one thing - obedience.

 Let's investigate this a bit further. Jesus gave His life as an example to follow. Ultimately He died for our sins and rose again to declare He had victory over sin and death. He has said to us to follow Him and that He will empower us and equip us by the Holy Spirit. In other words, He will do the work, He we bring the results about, but what He does require to be able to achieve that end, that is to work out our salvation, is simply this - our obedience. That's all - our obedience.

 Let me illustrate this to you with an example from my own life.

Two years ago I was extremely ill for about 8 months. It was found that the illness I had had been present probably for several years. The prognosis was this: left untreated I would eventually die from associated illnesses, but treated I would live a normal effective life - I just needed to stick to the medication. The result is this: the doctor prescribed a certain medication which I need to take for the rest of my life, whilst I obey the directions of the physician I live a healthy happy life. But if I decide to ignore the physicians instructions and cease my medication, then I will undoubtedly get quite ill again.

 You see, the doctor can help a long way, but it takes action on my behalf to ensure the benefits are forthcoming. Jesus has done everything for us and He guides and equips us by the work of the Holy Spirit but He can only do as much as our obedience enables Him to do. While we obey, we are being molded into being the people He wants us to be. Once we say, "no, I'll listen to the guidance but I'll do my own thing thank you very much," then our growth in the Lord is stunted.

 This is what Paul is getting across to the Philippians and wanting to get across to us.

 Spiritually speaking, the ultimate goal and purpose of our lives is "His good pleasure." Our lives are to be lived for God's greater glory - not our own selfish desires.

 Is this to be done by our own work and effort? Not at all! Here is the balance. God is at work in us to will at to work in us for His own good purpose.

Therefore, God is the one who gives us strength and empowers our perseverance. As He pours His power into us, we do things that bring Him pleasure. Take note that His pleasure (not ours), His will (not ours), and His glory (not ours) are what makes life meaningful. But herein lies the problem and potential conflict of interests if we are like most people and prefer to have things our own way which brings us back to a word we looked at a couple of weeks ago - attitude.

Paul presents two sides in these couple of verses. One is the negative side and one the positive. They bring the balance.

1. Watch your attitude

A bad attitude reveals itself from two sides: something we do alone - grumbling, and something we do when with others - disputing. Both these steal away any sense of joy, harmony, unity and love within the Christian church.

 Here Paul seems to be reflecting back to the Israelites as they walked through the wilderness. They whinged and complained amongst themselves about having to walk around this desert, even though God himself provided food and water for them. They complained against Moses, but Moses said that as they complained against him, they also complained against God (Ex. 16:2-9; 17:3; Num. 11:1). Paul, in the language he uses, reminds the Philippians that they need to learn from the mistakes of their spiritual ancestors.

 Too often, we find this kind of thing happening in churches. Some things that are said are these:

1. I'm not going back to that church because I didn't like the decision they made.

 

The other day I was speaking with someone, not from this church - they were a regular attendee in a church but no longer go there because a piece of furniture was moved.

 

2. Another one is - this church isn't caring, or this church isn't meeting my needs.

 Often there is something a person isn't revealing of a deeper issue when using these statements. And maybe what they are saying is true of a church not sensitive to people's needs. But possibly there are better ways of going about addressing these issues then by complaining to others, other then that of the people they need most to talk to.

 I would hope that if you have issues in the life of this church of which you become concerned about, that you can talk directly with myself, the Elders or any member of the church council. By addressing issues early a lot less hurt and greater understanding comes as a result.

 We do need to be careful though because, unfortunately, a part of our Aussie nature is to have a good whinge and complain - but every time we blow off the top of our heads like this we either damage our own or someone else's reputation and respectability. Plenty of damage is done in church's where unnecessary complaining is left un-addressed, which is then witnessed by the people who matter most - the community in which we live. Paul hints at this when he tells the Philippians to be found "without fault in a depraved and crooked generation."

 There is that song which is so true that "they will know we are Christians by our love."

1. Prove that you are Different

Paul now says "now prove that you are different". This is the positive side of the picture.

• Prove yourselves to be blameless
• Prove yourselves to be innocent
• Prove yourselves to be children of God
• Prove yourselves to be above blame

HOW?

• Appear as lights in the world
• By Holding fast to the word of light

1. To be blameless suggests a purity of life that is both undeniable and unhypocritical - free of defect.
2. To be Innocent means to be having pure motives, possessing integrity
3. To be above reproach (blame) means to be free from any kind of blemish - that is any kind of fault or defect.
4. To be lights means that we are to shine like the stars shine in the darkness of night.

Remember in Mat. 5:16 Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven."

 Our lives are to be a testimony to the unsaved world around us. This testimony is not just by speaking out, but it needs to first be modeled, and then spoken - the two go hand in hand.

 The wonderful thing is, that as we obey Jesus, we then have the power of Jesus Christ working within us to give all that is needed to make whatever impact He would have us make.

 So to fulfil this end, we need to:

1. Discard the mistakes of the past
2. Give up complaining and conflict and dissension
3. Present a unified presence in a disunified world
4. Obey Jesus and let him do the work in us.

 This was Jesus' desire as he prayed before he was betrayed to the Jewish Religious Rulers. In John 17:20-23 he prays

3. BALANCING SERIOUSNESS AND JOY (vv16b-18)

Paul was serious when he said he was being poured out like a drink offering. This analogy is drawn from a practice the pagans had of pouring out a chalice of wine before and after their meals in honor of the gods they worshipped. It was poured out to gain favor of or soften the anger of their gods.

 Paul thought is this: I may never get out of this situation alive. It may be that God's will is that my life be poured out as a drink to the last drop. But eve3n if this is the case, if this is the end of my life, this pouring out of my life on your behalf is worth every moment. And for this I rejoice.

 Paul speaks of how he had run the race. He had persevered. And his hope was that he could say at the end, when he met with Christ in Glory, "I didn't have to run in vain Lord", "I didn't have to persevere for nothing, because the fruit of my labor is found within the Philippian church".

 What an attitude! Paul was serious and realistic about the situation he found himself in. But at the same time he could say, "Hey guys, it's worth it. I just need to look at you and your love for Christ and know it is worth it. Just stick at it and rejoice with me.

 How could Paul be so confident in saying this? Because:

a) He was faithful to his call 1 Cor. 9:24-27

2. He didn't allow hindrances placed before him placed by other Christians get him down

We saw this two weeks ago in Philip. 1:15-18 where he says:

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

3. Faithfulness of the Philippian Church

As we find in the first few verses of this letter, Paul expresses the special part that this church played in his heart.

• Are you and me being faithful to God's call on our lives? Will we use the resources he has given us to serve him? Are we giving our time to serve? Do we regularly tithe as an act of appreciation for the things He has blessed us with? Are we generous with our resources?

• Are you and me moving beyond hindrances, even from other Christians, in order that we fulfil Christ's work and mission? That is moving beyond unnecessary criticism and not allowing ourselves to be involved in such behavior.

• Are we as a church going to be faithful to God's call and leadership? Are we open to whatever and wherever God wants us to move? Are we willing to allow God be God and obey His guidance in our personal lives and in the life of this church?

To be able to fulfil these ends then we need to obey God. Listen to His guidance, be receptive to His leading, be gentle in our dealings with one another. Allow the love of Christ so saturate our hearts that we are not attempting to strive harder for Christ-likeness, but that through our soft hearts to Christ that He then is able to do the molding and changing in our lives to be the people He wants us to be.

(Read conclusion from Chuck Swindolls book "Laugh Again" p. 104-105)

 Old habits are terribly hard to break. Down inside of you is a voice that continues to nag you …saying, "No, no, no, No, NO!" As soon as you attempt to bring some necessary balance into your life, you are going to have a fight on your hands. After all, self has had its way for years. Giving you the freedom bring some needed joy into your life is not on self's agenda.

No matter. This invisible master needs to be brought back under the authority of Christ if you ever hope to laugh again. A life lived under the dominion of self is both unsatisfying and unproductive.

When self reigns supreme, it lives for moments of personal gratification. Wean it away. Once you are able to see how out of balance you have become, you will have fresh strength to control its urges. Self needs to be bucked off its high horse.

John Wooden, former coach of an NBA basketball team for so many national championship seasons, gives this helpful advice:

The longer you live the more you will realize the value of having Christ call the shots in your life. Not self, Christ. But that age-old battle will continue. Self wants to gain the mastery and convince you that it is a reusable source of energy. It is not. Self cannot be trusted. Any day you forget that and turn the controls over to self will be another day you will operate on strictly human energy, and you will lack the Spirit's power.

 And so should we. But if we hope to bring things back into balance-if we hope to change our habits of negative thinking, which leads to grumbling and a too-serious mentality--we'll have to dethrone this master and give the right Master His rightful place over our lives.

Please Note: Portions of this sermon have been adapted from the book "Laugh Again" by Chuck Swindoll

By Scott Douglas, Burdekin Baptist Church, 1^st November 1998