Obey God.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Well, all right, you can go ahead and have a seat welcome to Village Church [0:02] If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve [0:05] And I’m always thankful to see each and every one of you [0:08] It’s a privilege to be able to share the Word of God with you [0:12] If you have your Bibles go ahead and open them to Philippians chapter 2 [0:16] We’re gonna be starting in verse 12 this morning of Philippians 2. We’re not going to make it very far

[0:22] We’re just going to cover two verses this morning verses 12 and 13 [0:25] I mean my plan had been to go all the way through verse 18 [0:28] But I realized that would take me about three hours [0:31] So I kind of cut it down a little bit for for your sake really [0:37] And there’s so much in verses 12 and 13 that it demands that we really take time to focus in on it [0:45] Because what really happens in this text and verse 12 is one of those famous verses of scripture

[0:52] Work out your salvation with fear and trembling [0:56] It’s one of those texts that we often use as a proof text [0:59] It’s one of those texts that we often use to to get ourselves excited about obeying God [1:04] To get ourselves to understand what God calls us to do in our lives [1:08] But we often just look at it like we do many other verses [1:11] We kind of make it an island to itself

[1:14] And when we do that, we lose so much of the beauty of what God’s Word is [1:20] That it must be understood in light of other texts [1:24] And specifically in light of what the father has had the apostle Paul write in the text [1:30] Just preceding it and just going after it as well [1:34] And so what I want to do is is kind of want to treat these like juice concentrate [1:39] Because that’s what 12 and 13 are so much of God’s beauty and so much of what God wants to happen in our lives

[1:47] So much of the potential that God has put into your life through faith in Jesus Christ [1:55] Can be taken out of verses 12 and 13 that I don’t want to move too quickly past it [2:02] Because so often we’re tempted to do that with the scriptures [2:06] We move too quickly in our hopes of just kind of getting as much of the Word as we can [2:12] We don’t often slow down to just expose these important and vital texts that relate to the life that God wants us to live [2:21] And so this morning that’s what I want to do with verses 12 and 13

[2:26] And so we’ve been talking about the book of Philippians for a few weeks now [2:29] And last week what we did was is we looked at verses 5 through 11 of chapter 2 [2:35] And really just spent a week exposing and looking at the goodness of Jesus [2:40] Looking at he who is not just the example of humility but he is the example of humility [2:47] God becoming man then God serving among people then God going to the point of death and then it goes further [2:56] It says even to death on the cross that’s the humility that Jesus had and in light of that

[3:03] He’s the ultimate example for us to understand what humility is [3:08] But more than that he’s not just your example he’s the victory [3:13] Because that death was something that could not defeat him it could not overcome him [3:18] And instead Jesus rose from the dead and then it says in light of everything that Jesus has done [3:24] At the name of Jesus every knee should bow every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the [3:35] of God the father and so it’s almost like one of these moments in scripture there’s this story

[3:42] Called the transfiguration where Jesus takes three disciples up onto a mountain [3:47] And in this amazing moment of miracle Jesus reveals his glory to those disciples [3:54] And their response is worship so much so that the glory overcomes their lives they say let’s stay here [4:01] Let’s not move off of this mountain instead let’s build dwelling places [4:05] And Jesus forget those other guys let’s stay here so that we can experience your glory [4:12] What verse 12 is for our lives is like it was Jesus looking at the disciples and saying we

[4:19] Can’t stay here we must take the glory down off of the mountain verses 12 and following [4:25] Get to the nitty gritty of life it says this mountaintop glory that you were able to see [4:32] In verse 11 bring that down from the mountain to every day life and that’s why that term in [4:41] Chapter 2 verse 12 therefore is so vital for our understanding of just how it is that we can obey [4:49] Jesus with our lives if I can get the verses up on the screen and that word therefore is so [4:57] Important what it means is since Jesus has been exalted above every name since Jesus is the God

[5:05] Whose glory we live in light of you need to live in this way because I think what we’re tempted [5:11] To do so often is we read verse 12 and it’s one of those you know alpha verses it’s like work out [5:17] Your salvation with fear and trembling and so my reaction so often is all right I will find [5:24] The strength to do that I will find the ability I’ve got the guts to obey Jesus do you have the [5:32] Guts to obey Jesus but we can’t view it like that because we’re not meant to view it like that if [5:40] We read it like that then all that we will find at the end of the day is disappointment and

[5:45] Inability because we are unable to work out our salvation under our own strength [5:49] What he’s doing is is he’s taking this amazing beauty of Jesus he’s taking this amazing strength [5:56] Of Jesus his amazing humility of Jesus and this amazing victory and exaltation of Jesus and he’s [6:03] Saying find your strength in glaring at Jesus being overwhelmed and overcome by his strength [6:11] And when you do that

[6:15] You then have the ability to do this [6:17] You then have the ability to face life you then have the ability to actually work out your salvation [6:25] And find the strength that is needed to obey the lifestyle that Jesus has called you to obey [6:33] And it’s only possible in light of who Jesus is what Jesus has done and placing your faith in [6:40] Jesus Christ and so verses 12 and following I want you to understand that they are written [6:46] To followers of Jesus so verses 12 and following are written to Christians if you are not a

[6:53] Follower of Jesus Christ you have no hope of obeying what Paul is about to say you don’t have [7:01] The ability you don’t have the strength because you don’t look at Jesus and bend the knee to [7:07] Submit yourself to him you’ve not placed your faith in Jesus Christ and so for you what I want [7:12] You to understand is that every moment of obedience that we talk to today the only way that you can [7:19] Come into the life of Christ to obey him in this way is if you obey him in the first step of [7:26] Obedience that he calls you to you need to place your faith in Jesus Christ you need to trust him

[7:32] As your Lord and Savior and God is so gracious that if you will do that he will save you forever [7:39] He will come into your life he will reconcile your relationship with him and then when you [7:45] Admit the beauty of Jesus when you see the power of Jesus when you experience the amazing victory [7:50] Of Jesus then through that faith God places this amazing potential into your life it is the [7:59] Potential to obey the commands of God with no fear of condemnation [8:05] And so look at the apostle Paul in verse 12 he says therefore my beloved there’s that affection

[8:11] That he expressed in chapter 1 my beloved as you have always obeyed [8:19] What an amazing thing if it’s said about you there’s this glad assumption that Paul makes about them [8:26] This based on experience that he’s had with this excuse me church [8:30] That he has this glad assumption that they’ve been obedient to God and that they’re being [8:35] Obedient to God he says as you’ve always obeyed there’s no greater thing that could be said about [8:40] You in your life and so your goal in life should be that that could be said about you that you have

[8:49] Been obedient to God and he says so now not only is in my presence but much more in my absence [8:58] Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you both to will [9:06] And to work for his good pleasure everything that Paul wrote to finish [9:13] This chapter verses 12 and following is written in light of what he has said about Jesus [9:21] And so when you see him call you to obey think I obey because of Jesus when you think about God [9:28] Working to will his good pleasure into your life to work his good pleasure into your life

[9:34] You must think in light of what Jesus has done this is because of Jesus [9:40] But just as important understand number one this morning that God has called you [9:45] To obey God has called you to obey him what’s amazing is over the many years of ministry that [9:52] I’ve done so far and working in churches working under pastors being the lead pastor of village [9:58] Church and just talking to Christians so much for the last two decades is that Christians are [10:03] Passionate about obedience I mean people talk to me all the time about obeying God

[10:09] But what’s troubling is is that we’re passionate more about other people’s obedience [10:14] We’re passionate more about how other people need to be obedient to God we’re passionate about I [10:20] Wish this other person had been here to hear how they need to be obedient to God and [10:28] It’s sometimes from a good attitude that we have that but what we need to understand is that when [10:34] We read texts like this if our attention is immediately drawn into what God demands of [10:42] Someone else you’re missing the blessing for your own life God has primarily called you

[10:52] To obey him do not fall for the temptation to be more passionate about someone else’s obedience [11:00] Than you are about your own obedience do not be so foolish as to be more judgmental about where [11:07] Other people fall short than you are where you fall short absolutely there is a place and a time [11:15] For correction of other people but the the main factor about correcting other people is correction [11:22] Is always better received when you are an example of what they should be doing so often where we fall [11:29] Short is we call people to repentance in areas that we ourselves are not even being obedient in

[11:35] But we don’t think anybody else notices well notice the text tells you who you need to be obedient in [11:40] Light of not what other people think in light of who Jesus

[11:46] You don’t need to be worried about what other people think about you you need to be worried [11:49] About God thinks of you God is calling you to be obedient to him and we are [11:57] Are obedient because of Jesus we are obedient because he was so obedient this must be understood [12:05] In light of what Paul has just said about Jesus so in Philippians chapter 2 verse 8 [12:10] Paul talks about Jesus’s obedience he says that Jesus being found in human form humbled himself [12:17] How by becoming obedient you cannot be humble if you are not obedient to God

[12:29] It’s impossible the humility of Jesus is ultimately seen through his obedience and obedience was the most [12:38] Vital thing about Jesus’s life how do we know that because of the next stanza he was obedient to death

[12:48] So obedience was so valuable to who Jesus was it was so valuable to his mission and what he [12:57] Valued that there was nothing that Jesus would not obey God to he was obedient to the point of death [13:08] Even death on a cross and so when I think about all of the reasons for my disobedience [13:16] I realized just how prideful I am and I realized just how foolish I am because if I am living in [13:23] All of the cross of Jesus if I am living in worship of Jesus Christ knee bowed mouth confessing Jesus Christ is Lord [13:31] And then I do not obey the clear direct calls of God on my life

[13:42] I make the example of Jesus meaningless to me and so understand God is calling you [13:50] To obedience but your obedience must be lived in light of his obedience [13:55] Did you know we are only able to obey because of Jesus’s obedience [14:00] That he was the sacrifice. He brings forgiveness. He changes your life. He is the victor that creates a mentality [14:08] That is not self-dependent [14:11] So if your obedience is based on Christ’s obedience, then you do not fall for the foolishness of I can do this on my own

[14:20] I will make myself less sinful. I will make myself obey God [14:25] I will pull myself up by my bootstraps. I’m not going to depend on anyone but myself [14:32] That’s not Christian [14:34] That’s anti-gospel. That’s frivolous. That’s a suicide mission [14:40] Self-dependence is not the answer but others dependence is also not the answer note what Paul says [14:46] He says much more in my absence than in my presence

[14:50] He says I’m not calling you to a dependence that is dependent on me [14:55] I’m not calling you to obey because of me [14:57] I’m calling you to obey when I’m nowhere near you when I have no idea what you’re doing [15:02] Because there’s this temptation in our lives to say oh well [15:05] I will obey God when things work out a different way when this person is more available to help me [15:13] When that person is willing to pour into my life

[15:16] You know because it’s their fault that i’m struggling with obedience if they had just given me more of themselves [15:21] If they had just discipled me one more day if they had just had that one more meeting [15:25] Paul is saying no not because i’m with you because i’m not with you when you are dependent on someone [15:33] Else to obey God you are putting people before you put God. Therefore those people are your God [15:42] When you obey in light of Jesus’s work on the cross and his victory in the resurrection you are Christ dependent [15:52] See Jesus is not calling you to self-dependence

[15:55] Jesus is not calling you to others dependence [15:58] Jesus is calling you to Christ dependence [16:03] And that helps us understand why Paul is pointing out their obedience in his absence [16:08] You ever seen [16:10] Something that someone was doing and maybe it’s even another part of the world and you were just in awe of their faith [16:18] You said man. Oh my goodness if I could just have that level of faith

[16:23] You saw what somebody was doing in another part of the world and you’re like, oh my goodness [16:27] I wish this community that i’m in had the opportunity to see that person had the opportunity to have that person [16:35] Work in this community it would revolutionize our community it would help us so much or maybe it’s not even somebody that’s that’s in another part of the world [16:43] Maybe it’s somebody even locally and you see them and you’re like man. I wish I had that person in my life [16:48] I wish I had that person serving alongside with him because we’d be so much better with that person [16:55] Paul is actually fighting that mentality in this text

[16:59] Because it would have been very easy for the Philippian church [17:03] To say if only paul were here philippi would be a better place [17:08] See I am so thankful [17:11] For the history of the church of jesus christ [17:13] I am so thankful for the people in the past that have given their lives [17:20] To gospel ministry and have fought battles to really preserve the truth of jesus christ

[17:27] Who have made disciples who have made disciples [17:31] And so I will read church history even people that gave their lives [17:34] They laid their lives down for the gospel and I am in all of their faith [17:39] I am in all of the things that they have done. Well paul is writing this to tell me he’s saying the [17:46] Gospel witness in medlothian does not need them

[17:54] It needs you

[17:57] So paul writes to the church of philippi and he says [18:01] Much more in my absence you need to obey god [18:06] Why because paul is telling the church of philippi he’s saying i’m not the hope of the church of philippi [18:12] From a human level paul is saying you are the hope [18:15] of philippi [18:17] People need to see you obeying god people need to see you

[18:22] Repenting of sin people need to hear a gospel witness from you [18:27] Stop being so worried about someone else and what they could do and start unraveling [18:36] The potential that god has put in your life [18:41] Do you realize that if you are a follower of jesus every place that you go has potential [18:48] For a work of god to happen simply because you are there

[18:53] But so often we think oh god needs someone else. Why would god need someone else if he has you?

[19:02] See you think too little of what god could do through you [19:07] That you think it needs someone else. They are a person just like you [19:11] But maybe they have caught a vision for their lives that you have not caught of how faith in jesus christ can transform [19:19] lives

[19:23] God doesn’t need that other person god is asking you [19:28] to obey him [19:29] God is looking into your life and saying is the gospel good enough? [19:35] Is the spirit powerful enough? [19:40] For a work to happen through you

[19:45] The potential of god to change the world [19:50] Is in your heart right now because it is the gospel of jesus christ under the work of the holy spirit [19:59] Stop looking for someone else to obey jesus [20:03] You obey jesus [20:06] God has called you to do the work [20:10] You do

[20:12] something [20:14] Sometimes [20:16] We lose the vision of what god can do in our lives because we don’t want to walk away from what we’ve got going on in life

[20:25] Friend to tell you right now god’s call to obey is more important than anything else [20:30] You’ve got going on in your life. You need to put your yes [20:35] on the table [20:37] In romans chapter 6 the apostle I think gives us some [20:41] Helpful instruction here. He says do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness [20:46] But present yourselves to god as those who have been called and brought from death to life

[20:51] And your members to god as instruments for righteousness. You see everything that I do apart [20:58] From jesus is sin [21:01] As if it’s not done for jesus is not done for his glory [21:04] So it’s less than the design that god has for my life because he has put the potential [21:09] To bring god glory into my life [21:11] And so I when I accept anything less than the glory of god i’ve accepted sin

[21:16] But now that we are in christ we have the opportunity to offer ourselves as instruments of righteousness [21:23] And what that means is is that jesus has given you a purpose for your life that is different [21:30] Than what you would have without him in your life [21:33] And that purpose is to present yourself over to be used by god through your life [21:41] To let the world know what god’s doing in your heart [21:45] But too often we lead with no

[21:49] Because we’re unavailable [21:51] Because we’ve got too much going on [21:54] Because i’m too tired [21:55] Because i’ve got too much work to do why i’ve got too many commitments to do i’ve got this going on [22:02] I’ve got that going on i’ve got the other thing going on so I don’t have time to invest fully into my own discipleship [22:08] Nor do I have time to find the commands of god

[22:12] And what specifically he has told me I need to do so i’m just not going to be able to do that

[22:19] That is what is stifling your discipleship and that is why you are not growing and for some of you [22:24] That is why you will never grow [22:27] You see what god is saying when he says don’t present your members as instruments of sin [22:32] But instead present your members as instruments of righteousness. He’s saying put your yes on the table [22:37] He says take the yes put it directly on the table then worry about what god’s going to call you to do [22:42] Because whatever it is just say yes

[22:46] The people that god uses and the people who grow in following jesus are people who lead with yes

[22:55] Yes [22:56] Are people who just say yes lord whatever the call is whatever obedience is required [23:00] Whatever I must walk away from whatever commitment I must say goodbye to so I can add more of you into my life [23:06] Yes, I will do it. I don’t even need to know what it is. I trust god [23:11] Those are the people that grow [23:12] When you are stagnant when you are overcome with the negativity of self-centeredness

[23:19] It is because you lead with no until you know what the calling is

[23:27] Put your yes on the table and god will change your life because number two your work for god reveals your view of god [23:36] Your work for god reveals your view of god. You know following jesus must be the work of your life [23:43] Because it is what god has called you into [23:46] Your life [23:46] There’s no greater calling that god has on your life other than to follow jesus [23:51] And the next stanza of the text is often quoted and it’s so important work out your salvation with fear

[23:58] and trembling [23:59] What a sobering command [24:01] It’s so full of what life is supposed to be about it is a statement that shows the importance of focusing the way that you live [24:09] Towards jesus now there are two aspects to this command and we’re going to spend the rest of the service the sermon [24:14] Unpacking those two aspects the first one is what paul writes about in verse 12 [24:20] It’s your effort

[24:22] It’s what god requires of you the second one [24:25] Is what god promises to do in you so that you can put forward effort [24:30] But I want to start with the first one because it’s what comes first in order. It is the effort [24:35] But I warn you never lose sight of the second one never lose sight of the grace in the text [24:41] You are not doing it under your strength. It is god who works in us [24:45] But paul begins by talking about you taking responsibility in following jesus

[24:51] For some of you there’s no [24:53] scarier two words in the world than personal responsibility [24:59] They’re terrifying [25:00] You can’t imagine what it would be like to be personally responsible for your own life [25:04] but what god is saying here is you [25:08] Work out your salvation with fear and trembling and you say whew that sounds like a lot of work

[25:13] Yes, it is [25:14] He even says in verse 13. He says god’s going to will and work

[25:20] It’s effort it takes discipline and that scares us [25:24] When we take the attitude that god working in us just means it happens apart from our effort though. We are foolish [25:32] Sometimes we sit and we say okay god work then i’ll do something

[25:40] Every time in scripture god responds and says do something and you’ll see me work

[25:46] Do something and you’ll grow do something and I will make something happen through what you do

[25:54] But it’s requiring me to put my yes on the table and it’s requiring me to do [26:01] Work it’s requiring me to put forward effort. You see god working in you is a statement that he is making about your will [26:10] There is a requirement of you making decisions and actions based on your faith in jesus [26:17] But he uses this phrase this phrase work out [26:20] All right. This is something that a lot of you on december 31st said you were going to do a lot of this year [26:26] All right, we’re gonna work out

[26:28] All right, and some of you you’re still just making those monthly payments and you ain’t working out [26:33] All right, you’re a member of the gym and you’re just like how many years was that contract? [26:38] Oh boy, that’s a lot of money every month that I am not doing because I don’t have time [26:42] All right, but you know it’s frustrating about working out. I love [26:47] finishing tasks [26:48] All right. I like

[26:51] Feeling like i’ve completed something and so if I start something if I haven’t finished it [26:57] Oh, man, that just gets at me. I’m just i’m just overwhelmed by my desire. I want to finish the task [27:04] I feel so good when i’ve finished preaching [27:08] All right, but you know what happens to me. I immediately start thinking about next week [27:11] But that moment where it’s just like oh it’s done. It’s just a wonderful thing [27:14] That’s why I love doing tasks around the house because I always finish it and that’s also

[27:18] Well, one of the reasons reason number two is because i’m lazy but we’re not going to talk about that [27:22] But that’s why working out frustrates me

[27:25] Because I would love it if I could diet and exercise and I mean [27:31] I just get to a point where the six pack is just popping and i’m just you know [27:34] I’ve got traps just like there’s no tomorrow. I mean people like what a freak [27:38] He’s got he’s so muscular and I could get there and i’m like i’m finished and then just go sit down for the rest [27:44] of my life [27:46] And stay that way

[27:47] I mean, it wouldn’t be wonderful, but the problem is is once I [27:52] When i’ve never been there, but if I could get there, I know what I would do never been there. Trust me [27:57] Look at pictures through the years. It’s just this I don’t even know high school. I looked like this. I just don’t change [28:04] My wife would say I’ve aged though on the this has changed but [28:08] When you when you work out and you get fit and you feel good about yourself, you know [28:12] You know, it’s tempting as you sit down and you get sugar shack

[28:17] And then you get belly bloat [28:20] All right [28:21] Because you got to keep doing it if anybody will tell you fitness requires continuous effort and that’s exactly what paul is saying here [28:31] The verb that he uses here for work out is a verb that says you start and then you continuously work at it [28:40] It is a life long pursuit [28:42] see

[28:44] When we follow jesus, we never arrive at perfection in this life

[28:51] We never arrive there we’re gonna arrive there when we see jesus face to face in glory [28:56] But the terminology he’s using here [28:58] He’s saying when you work out your salvation you join into a lifelong [29:02] Pursuit of growing and becoming more and more like jesus throughout the rest of your life [29:08] But you will never be satisfied with how much of jesus you have so you will go after more and more [29:15] See it means to keep on working to completion to ultimate fulfillment

[29:20] When you see jesus face to face now next week [29:24] We’re going to be talking about verses 13 verses 14 and following but there’s an aspect in verses 12 and 13 [29:29] It needs to be understood in light of verse 15. So I want to talk to you about it just for a second in verse 15 [29:37] He states that all of this is so that the light of jesus can shine into the lives [29:42] of a wicked generation [29:44] You see the focus of jesus can shine into the lives of other people and that must be your focus

[29:51] All that jesus did was to the glory of god so that people could be redeemed and that must be what captivates your focus [30:01] But all of that needs to be understood that it’s going to require you to continually pursue obedience to god [30:08] In second corinthians chapter 10 verse 5 the apostle paul says as much [30:11] He says we tell people about jesus we dispute them [30:15] We talk to them all the time with lofty opinions and we just give truth where error is and why do we do that? [30:22] Through knowledge of god so that we can take every thought captive to what?

[30:27] to obey christ [30:30] See it’s all about obedience [30:31] And so what is your focus? Are you focused on working out your salvation or has something else? [30:39] Captivated your attention [30:41] See the apostle paul said that everything that we do is so that we can become more and more obedient to god [30:47] Because that is the goal that is the pursuit that is what overcomes us

[30:52] But so often our attention can be taken on to other things even seemingly good things [30:58] I mean there are so many things that you can make your focus in this world [31:03] And it amazes me there are a lot of good things that you can make the focus of your life. I mean [31:10] The list is [31:11] Overwhelming about how many things need to have my focus. I mean I am a father. I’ve got a mortgage [31:19] I’ve got a wife. I’ve got so much going on just in that realm

[31:23] The idea of bringing something else in is just mind-boggling to me [31:28] But what the texts are telling me is that when something other than obeying god captivates my attention [31:34] Then that thing that’s got my attention, you know what that is a false god [31:39] And it is what I am worshiping [31:41] But what the apostle is telling me here is he’s saying you need to have your thoughts in working out your salvation [31:48] Because when you work out your salvation when you are captivated by obeying god above absolutely everything else

[31:59] I cannot follow jesus without being a good father [32:04] Did you know that? [32:07] I can’t be following jesus if i’m not a good husband [32:11] I can’t be following jesus and be irresponsible [32:14] With my finances and all the responsibilities that I have in my life as an adult

[32:23] But the apostle’s saying don’t get it backwards because you can focus on all of those things and lose jesus

[32:30] But you cannot focus on jesus and not focus on those things too [32:35] When you put jesus first [32:39] When you put obeying him as primary in your life [32:42] The one thing that’s been amazing to me in my life is i’ve seen the grace of god and how everything else seems to fall into place [32:50] And jesus makes me more responsible jesus makes me more loving jesus makes me a better steward [32:56] Jesus makes me a better husband jesus makes me a better father jesus makes me a better employee

[33:02] Jesus makes me better [33:04] But when I get it backwards I lose the thing that will make all other things worthwhile [33:11] So where do you start [33:13] Where do you start? [33:14] Well, I think you need to start with a vision of personal holiness [33:18] Because so often we move on to secondary matters before we get the primary matters focused and what I mean by personal obedience is is just simple

[33:26] Understanding of who god is in his holiness in light of who I am as a sinner and how god has bridged that gap with [33:32] The personal work of jesus and he looks to me then and he says be holy as I am holy [33:36] And so my obedience [33:38] Actually puts the holiness of god on display and in talking to so many christians we treat this like an elementary matter [33:45] And what I mean what we treat as an elementary matter are the foundational elements to personal holiness like the scriptures [33:54] See part of the problem with so many of you and being disobedient to god is you don’t need even know what god has called you to

[34:01] Because you don’t spend time on the word every single day [34:04] You don’t spend time saturating your mind in the word [34:07] You don’t spend time in prayer [34:09] And then when we get together and we actually talk about bible reading and prayer we say oh isn’t that christianity 101? [34:16] Isn’t isn’t that just the elementary principles of christianity? Should we move on to something else? Oh, really? How you doing in those areas?

[34:24] Let me ask you a question when you get busy, what’s the first thing that goes out the window? [34:29] I know it’s the word and prayer [34:32] Because you don’t have room for them in your life [34:35] And we don’t have room for those in your life. You can’t receive the commands of god [34:40] See a lot of the problem with some of your obedience and the reason that you aren’t obedient is because you’re ignorant [34:46] You don’t even know what god has called you to because you refuse to know

[34:51] Because you will not pursue personal holiness with your life [34:56] See scripture is receiving the words of god. It’s hearing from god [35:01] Prayer is responding to what god has said [35:06] Remember dr jay fall well one of the quotes that has stuck with me through the years as he said a man [35:12] Is who he is when he’s before the lord in prayer? [35:17] Nothing more and nothing less

[35:20] And so your prayer life can tell you a great deal [35:24] About how you are working out your salvation with fear and trembling [35:28] Ah, but then that gets us to the second stanza there fear and trembling. I do not like that

[35:35] Mostly because in the original language it is actually the word fear [35:39] It’s the term that we get our word phobia from and so he’s talking about legitimate fear [35:46] But he’s talking about the right kind of fear see paul delves into the idea and he connects it to this [35:52] Affection and what it is is the dread that seeks to avoid anything that would offend and dishonor god [36:01] See john mccarthur says that a true and reverential fear springs from deep adoration and love [36:08] That is the idea here. It’s a deepest

[36:11] It’s the deepest type of affection that you could have in your life [36:14] It is hatred of sin because you love god so much [36:19] It is a love for holiness because you admire god’s holiness so much [36:26] You see fear and trembling goes to our view of god [36:29] See if you struggle with this mindset, the problem is is that your view of god is too small [36:35] If you say fear god, I don’t like the attitude behind a god that I need to fear

[36:40] Do you want to know why you think that way? [36:42] Because you cannot imagine a god who is greater than you

[36:47] Because you are your god [36:50] See god is greater than you because infinitely greater than i am [36:56] Yes, it is appropriate to fear someone that’s infinitely greater than you are [37:01] infinitely more powerful than i am [37:04] infinitely more eternal than i am infinitely more omniscient than i am [37:11] And he says work out your salvation in light

[37:14] Of who god is in his holiness and who you are in your sinfulness [37:19] What’s fascinating about this text is then the term trembling so we don’t delve much into that once we get with fear [37:25] But trembling is literally the term for tremor [37:29] It’s the term [37:30] That happens when you when you’re shaking [37:33] Is this you’re so overcome with who god is and who jesus is and the glory overwhelms you

[37:40] So you put forward strenuous effort in fear of who he is and it’s so much effort [37:46] Have you ever worked so hard that your hands were a little shaky afterwards?

[37:52] So that’s the idea that the apostle’s giving us here saying you’re overcome by who he is

[38:01] Because you want to find joy and pleasing the god who saved you

[38:10] That’s the only a mentality that a christian could have [38:13] See true fear of god healthy fear of god [38:18] Is only found in trusting jesus christ as your lord and savior [38:22] Because you find an infinite god [38:26] A god who can speak and out of nothing everything exists

[38:33] It’s only upon the realization that that same god [38:38] Saves you out of rebellion against him at great cost to himself

[38:47] It’s only in that mindset that you can understand a healthy fear of god [38:52] Because it’s a fear that’s also overcome with gratitude [38:57] But the beauty of this text is number three god will strengthen you to obey him [39:03] God will strengthen you to obey him. It’s a second element that I was talking to you about [39:09] That yes god calls you to put forward great effort so much effort that’s going to take all of your life [39:15] To do what he asks you to do here

[39:17] But he’s going to give you the strength to put the effort in look in verse 13 [39:21] He says for it is god who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure [39:27] Your effort alone is insufficient if it was up to you there would be no hope of working out your salvation [39:33] That’s why I said at the beginning that if you are not a follower of jesus if you are not a christian [39:39] Then you cannot hope to do any of this [39:42] Because you do not have the strength of god in your life

[39:46] You need to obey god in the very primary command that he gives put your faith in jesus christ

[39:53] See a lot of times we don’t look at that as a moment of obedience [39:55] But it’s the greatest moment of obedience. It’s a moment of trusting god [40:00] It’s again that god calls us to put our faith in jesus christ [40:02] And when you put your faith in jesus christ he instantly [40:07] fills your life [40:09] with the potential that the strength of god brings

[40:15] God will never call you to a moment of obedience that he does not also give you the strength [40:23] To obey him in that’s a beautiful thing because it tells us that my effort is [40:29] insufficient [40:31] But it also tells us that our effort is filled with the strength of god [40:37] So my effort can come through with victory [40:42] I’m not left to myself. And so what I want you to understand in this very moment

[40:49] Is that you have the potential to obey god did you know that [40:55] You are not condemned to disobedience [40:58] See some of you believe a lie about yourself. You’re a follower of jesus christ [41:01] You put your faith in jesus christ, but you believe that you are condemned to a life of inability [41:09] In obeying the commands of god in your life [41:13] That’s not true

[41:15] You will never be perfect [41:18] But you will always be getting better if you’re a follower of jesus [41:22] Why because he has put the ability to obey his commands into your life [41:29] That is why we should be convicted of our sin because our sin [41:34] Shows that we are not taking advantage of the strength that god has sowed into our lives [41:39] It is god who works in you both to will and to work for what for his good pleasure?

[41:48] See, this is all coming back to joy [41:51] It is our joy to please god note that he gives us two categories here [41:57] First he talks about the will then he talks about the work. See the will is about god’s will [42:02] What does god want from your life? [42:05] You ever ask yourself that question in a moment of desperation and you’re not really asking yourself [42:08] You’re asking god. What do you want from me?

[42:11] Anything goes wrong. That’s immediately where I go. All right, i’m weak [42:16] I’m weak but the fact is is that god sows his will into our lives through jesus [42:23] His will is not a mystery [42:25] As I said, he’s told us through his word. He’s told us through the personal work of jesus [42:30] We can know what god expects of us [42:32] We can know what god demands of our lives and he wants you to live in light of jesus

[42:38] He wants you to obey what he has laid down for you in scripture [42:42] You see god’s work works in your will as well god wants you [42:49] To direct your choices through his calling [42:53] So but so often you make choices and adjust god’s calling to your choices [43:00] You’ve get you’ve been getting a backwards friend [43:03] That’s disobedience veiled

[43:05] In decision making [43:07] See what is keeping you from working out your salvation? [43:12] His spirit is available [43:14] His salvation is available [43:16] his uh, his word is available [43:20] Friend you need to choose to obey

[43:23] And when you do that you are choosing to let god work through you [43:31] It’s amazing moment in scripture [43:34] When jesus is in the garden of gethsemane [43:37] He leaves the other disciples and he goes off by himself and he prays

[43:45] And it says that jesus was under so much distress and i’ve never been under this type of pressure [43:50] I’ve never had this type of agony. It says that his perspiration

[43:55] Had blood in it [43:58] It was a stress he was experiencing in that moment [44:01] Because he’s facing the cross and he understands that in just a few hours that [44:05] All of the sins of all time [44:09] The penalty will be placed on his shoulders [44:13] And jesus in that moment he prays a prayer. He says lord if there’s any other way

[44:19] Let this cup pass from me and I think about that and I think about what jesus was going after [44:25] And I think about the time that I whether it be in an actual prayer or just a moment of disobedience [44:31] I’m like lord. Is there any other way?

[44:38] I’m so convicted of my weakness. I’m so convicted of how little effort I put forward into working out my salvation [44:44] Lord if there’s any other way. I just don’t feel like praying with my kids tonight [44:50] My eyes are burning it’s allergy season

[44:54] Or if there’s any other way [44:58] I don’t want to tell my wife I was wrong [45:02] Again

[45:04] I [45:05] Or if there’s any other way

[45:10] Let this cup of needing to tell this person about jesus [45:14] Let it depart from me [45:16] But I don’t want to have my neighbors over for dinner lord. I don’t want to be in discipleship group lord [45:20] I don’t feel like going to community group tonight lord. I don’t feel like [45:23] Leaving work in order to study the scriptures lord. If there’s any other way

[45:30] Consider jesus

[45:35] Humble to the point of obedience to the point of death

[45:41] My obedience is so frivolous and so weak

[45:47] And then I see the victory of jesus in his next phrase because he says lord if there’s any other way [45:52] Let this cup pass from me, but he doesn’t stop there his prayer ends not my will

[45:59] But yours be done [46:03] There was no greater joy in the life of jesus christ than the joy of pleasing god the father [46:11] I ask you what is more important to you than obeying god

[46:19] Obeying god [46:20] Is this amazing thing that’s different than anything else in my life because too often we base [46:26] Our view of obeying god on our view of everything else in life because what do you typically look at you say? [46:32] What’s in it for me? [46:34] What are the results to my obedience that I will get to enjoy right here right now? [46:40] What’s my return on investment?

[46:42] See obeying god doesn’t leave room for that because when you look at it like that you base your obedience to god on what you base [46:50] Everything else in your life on you base it on you in the position of god [46:55] You in the position of the superior intellect you in the position of the one who makes the decisions and the choices [47:03] Obeying god is different because it simply does it because god is so good and god is so holy [47:11] And god has promised through my obedience to bring himself glory [47:16] Too much of your obedience only lasts until you are discouraged

[47:23] True obedience faces discouragement and says I will continue to obey because god [47:30] You see friends

[47:34] The path of real joy obeys god no matter what the cost because god simply promises us that every [47:41] moment of obedience [47:44] Even if we don’t fully understand why we need to do it [47:49] Will give him the glory [47:52] See the life of faith simply lays our yes on the table [47:57] And obeys god no matter what

[48:00] See that could possibly be what you are missing out on [48:06] Friends you need to follow jesus in obedience if you’ve placed your faith in him [48:15] As the band comes forward [48:18] Friend I tell you you need to follow jesus [48:21] You need to obey god [48:23] That is the mission for your life

[48:28] Obedience to god is such a simple matter [48:32] But it will change your life [48:35] It will change everything about who you are [48:38] It will change everything about the life that you’ve been living so far [48:42] And it will be something worth building a future on that’s greater than what you have right now

[48:48] and [48:49] Every week though we reflect [48:51] On the cup that represents the shed blood of jesus [48:55] The bread that represents the broken body of jesus [48:59] And what I want you to understand this week. I want you to understand [49:03] That that table represents jesus and what he did after he said not my will but yours

[49:11] See what that table represents is jesus’s yes

[49:18] Is that he obeyed to the point of death even death on a cross his blood shed [49:25] his body broken [49:28] To the glory of god the father [49:31] And when we come we come in light of the fact that jesus has done [49:36] Everything necessary for me to have god’s forgiveness [49:40] Jesus has done everything necessary for me to have an eternal relationship with god for my sins

[49:46] To never be counted against me and he’s done everything that needs to be done so that I can have the life [49:53] Of god in me so that I can have the life that he designed for me so that I have the potential [49:59] To obey god in the life that I was designed to have under his power

[50:05] That’s jesus’s yes [50:08] And when you come forward to eat and drink

[50:13] Friends let it be a picture of you laying your yes on that table and saying I will follow you

[50:23] When you’re ready