Shine Like Jesus
July 5, 2020
Over the last twenty years or so I keep hearing a number of statements made about Christians that are not too flattering. Here’s a few: “Christians have lost their distinctiveness.” “Christians don’t stand apart from the culture today like they once did.” “Christians aren’t a whole lot different than the world.” Now as disconcerting it is to hear statements like this, we really need to ask why. Why aren’t we more attractive to the world? What are we doing that may be compromising our witness? And what can we do to regain our distinctiveness as Christ followers?” Well, this morning, as we come to God’s Word, this was the same dilemma facing the Church in Philippi. It seems that there was something going on that was compromising the witness of their church. Rather than shining as bright lights in the midst of their pagan culture, something was tarnishing their light and therefore diminishing their effectiveness as a witness to the pagan culture around them.
What was it that was compromising their witness? And what did they need to do to restore their effectiveness so they might once again shine brightly for Jesus. Well, that’s what we’re going to look at this morning from Philippians 2:14-18. And as we do, we are going to identify three key elements God would have us address if we are going to Shine Like the way we are meant to shine. And the first element we’re going to look at are two attitudes that compromise our distinctiveness in the world – two self-centered behaviors that diminishes our light. So you may be wondering:
What Diminishes Our Light? What compromises our distinctiveness? What behavior does God want to eradicate from His people? Not what you would normally think of. Paul writes: Do everything without grumbling or 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 Philippians 2:14-16
What diminishes our light? It is grumbling or arguing among ourselves. It’s our grumbling or arguing among ourselves that gives the watching a world a reason to turn away from Jesus. So we are commanded to “Do everything without grumbling or complaining” So let’s look at this a little closer:
What Does it Mean to Grumble? To grumble is to complain. We grumble when people don’t live up to our expectations. At some point people fail us, or simply disappoint us. When that happens you can be patient and gracious with them or become short-tempered and judgmental toward them. So whenever you are grumbling against someone you are judging them. You are taking the place of God, therefore, whenever you grumble you are manifesting a rebellious heart toward God.
“Grumbling” was the same word used of the Israelites in the wilderness when they grumbled against Moses and Aaron. They complained because they missed eating the meat they enjoyed when they were slaves in Egypt. They were only thinking of themselves and had forgotten that God had rescued them from the tyranny of slavery. This attitude is closely related to selfish ambition. It focuses on what we think we deserve. And it manifests itself in taking someone aside and murmuring about what you don’t like, rather than taking your concern to God.
This is why grumbling or complaining not only creates division among God’s people, but it compromises the gospel. Grumbling compromises the gospel because when you complain against someone you trample on the grace of God. For when we are grumbling about someone we can’t possibly be looking out for their best interests – we are not valuing them like Jesus. So grumbling or complaining is a black mark on the grace of Jesus Christ. That’s why we are to do everything without grumbling or complaining.
Do you ever complain? I’m sure you do. I know I do. I’ve found myself complaining about what the media is constantly feeding us. When I’m playing golf and I have a slow group in front of me, I complain. Up until a week ago, I’ve found myself complaining to have to wear a mask wherever I go. So the one thing about preparing this message for me, is that I don’t want this attitude to come out of me, because when you look at Jesus you never see him complaining about anyone. But it’s not just complaining I want to rid myself of. It’s also arguing.
So let’s look at arguing: What Does it Mean to Argue? Arguing is more of an intellectual thing. Arguing carries the idea of skeptical questioning and refers to an intellectual rebellion against God. It’s what we do when we think we are right, and the other person is out to lunch – and we end up looking down our noses at them. The person arguing just wants to win at all costs, because they think they are superior to you. So this mindset not only devalues the opinion of others, it doesn’t even want to hear the opinion of others. Arguing then, is the fruit of pride, and therefore obscures the humility of Jesus that God wants to form in us. It’s no wonder God wants us to have nothing to do with arguing. For this mindset is completely opposite of Jesus and not only compromises the witness of Jesus, it obscures it completely. That’s why we are to do everything with grumbling or arguing.
But what Paul is emphasizing here, is the word “everything.” We are to do everything without grumbling or complaining. Every conversation, every encounter. Never to complain or argue with others, and especially when they don’t agree with you. So this is a tall order. How are we do eliminate grumbling or arguing?
Rather, God wants us to focus on characteristics of Christ that will make us Shine as Light in the darkness. God wants us to stand out as distinctive in our world. So What Makes Us Shine: Well, let’s look at that now: Do everything without grumbling or 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 Philippians 2:14-16
Being Blameless Being blameless is to be the kind of person who never has anything bad to say about anyone – even if there is something bad to say. Let’s be honest. If we’re around someone long enough, we will see their faults. That’s what the world majors in. We live in a world of fault finders. It seems every week someone is being criticized for something they said or did ten or twenty years ago. Everyone in the world is a critic. In fact, it’s easy to be a critic. But that’s not what we are called to be. We are called to be blameless. To speak well of people. To encourage people. The world is quick to criticize and then condemn. But that’s not the way of people who have been forgiven of sin and made children of the living God.
Being Innocent This characteristic is closely related to being pure – being pure of heart. And the contrasting image is that of having a corrupted or rotten heart – the kind of heart that characterizes the world that is crooked and depraved. So it’s having an inner disposition that has not been polluted by the crookedness and depravity of the world. God wants our hearts to be cleansed of selfish ambition and vain conceit. God wants our hearts to reflect the heart of Jesus. To have hearts that accept, never judge, but only think of what is best for others. Blessed are the pure in heart. This is how we are to shine for Jesus. To be unspoiled by grumbling or arguing.
Being Without Blemish The idea here is to be without fault. When we are without blemish we cannot be accused by the world as being like them. So what does that look like? That now, we no longer grumble when things don’t go our way, or be critical when we don’t get our way – because that’s not the way of Jesus.
So the question that you may be asking right now might go something like this: How do we become blameless, innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world? How do I rid myself of the grumbling and complaining that’s in me, so I don’t obscure the light of Christ?
How Can I Shine Like Jesus? Well, Paul tells us in verse 16 when he adds to what He has just written and says: 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 sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 2:16-18
The key to shining as bright lights in the darkness of this present evil age is this one phrase: Holding fast to the word of life, What Paul is saying here is critical. If you want to shine like Jesus, you’ve got to hold firmly to the gospel of Jesus. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the Word of Life!
Everything Paul has done in his ministry to the Philippians was to equip them in the Gospel – this New Life they possess in Christ. For inherent in the Gospel is the power to live the Christian life. So then, when we neglect the gospel, we lose God’s power, and begin to do life in our own power. I mean look at what the Bible says about the power of the Gospel: Paul says in Romans 1:16 that the gospel is the power of salvation to those who believe. In Ephesians 3:7 he says the gospel was given to him by God’s power. In 1 Thessalonians 1:5 he says the gospel is accompanied by power. In 1 Corinthians 1:18 he says the message of the gospel is the power of God. In Colossians 1:6 he says the gospel is bearing fruit and growing. Mark 1:1 tells us that the gospel is Jesus himself, and in Acts 2024 we are told the gospel is God’s grace.
So then, When you hold firm to the gospel, you stay connected to your power source for the Christian life. When you hold fast to the gospel you no longer have to prove yourself to God, for you are already approved by God through Jesus. When you hold fast to the gospel, you don’t have to keep trying to be righteous, because you are already righteous of Christ. You no longer need to perform out of your flesh, because God is now working in you to will and to act according His good pleasure. Your power to obey,our power to live and shine like Jesus comes from holding firm to the gospel. Why?
When you’re holding firm to the gospel, you’re holding on to Jesus. And life is no longer about what you do for God – life is found in resting in what God has already done for you. You are now free to walk with Jesus, learn from Jesus and live for the glory of Jesus.
That’s why God set you free through the Gospel of Jesus. And that’s what Paul labored for, and what he hopes will give him reason to rejoice. What Paul summarizes here he explains more fully in his letter to the Colossians where he articulates the goal of his labor: Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. His labor is for the sake of the Church. And so he says, I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:25-27
He 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 labor with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:28-29
This is what Paul gave his life too, it’s where he spent his energy, proclaiming all that we have in Christ. And He did this for one purpose to present everyone fully mature in Christ. This is why Paul commands us to hold firm to the word of life, the Gospel: God’s grace to you in Jesus. Christ in you, the hope of glory! This is why we continue to gather online. This is why someday we will worship together again. This is why we do Journey Groups. And this is why our purpose as a church is to be people helping people become friends, family and followers of Jesus. For when we follow Jesus and learn from Jesus and He works in us so to become blameless and innocent children of God who are without fault in this crooked and depraved world, so that we shine like Jesus.
So then, let us hold firm to Jesus. Let us hold firm to the Word of Life. For from Him comes the power for you to shine like Jesus. He is our distinctiveness. For more you hold fast to Jesus, the more you will become an encourager and not a complainer. The more you will become a listener and not an arguer. And the more you will shine as God’s child in the midst of this crooked and twisted generation. May God in His grace give you the power to shine like Jesus. Let’s pray.
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