And please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Philippians. We've been working through this for the last few months. It has been interrupted by other sermons and so forth, but in light of the circumstances that are in our world and noting the general theme of this book to be that of joy, Paul's letter to the church in Philippi is appropriate for us, especially now, as it's very easy for us to lose sight of joy and just that which is present in our being because of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we want to look at Philippians chapter 2, verses 12 through 18. I'll read that. Our text this morning will be verses 14 through 18. But let's give our attention to the reading and hearing of God's Word this morning. Paul writes, therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it's God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing that you may become blameless and harmless. children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world holding fast the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason, you also be glad and rejoice with me." Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. Remember, the grass withers and the flower falls, but God's word abides forever. So this morning as we start, we want to consider the idea of the joy of shining. The joy of shining. And as we think about shining, usually you think about a light. And so what are some of the benefits of light? What are some of the reasons that we like to have light? For example, there was a survey done of 1,600 employees, and they asked them to rank their number one desire for their workplace environment. Number one desire for workplace environment. You want to know what it was? They didn't talk about benefits. They didn't talk about pay. They didn't talk about having, you know, meetings where they could sit down and work through their differences or their grievances. That wasn't it. The number one thing they wanted was natural light and a view of the outdoors. Think about that for a moment. They saw the importance and the benefit of light being present in their work environment, and consequently that's what they desired. Light truly is helpful. I don't mean to sound as if I'm making this profound statement by that simple statement, but imagine where we would be without light. Without light, you can't see. Without light, you don't know what you're running into. Without light, maybe certain fears that you have might creep up as you head off to bed or might exist throughout the day. Children, some of you still have nightlights. Some adults still have nightlights, for that matter. It allows there to be safety in terms of going about your days. Imagine if we could drive our cars without headlights. How many of you would want to be in that world? No. There's a sense of crime being reduced because light is present. There's all sorts of things that are useful. There's health benefits as well. It can boost vitamin D. It can deal with seasonal depression, even helps with sleep. We appreciate we're thankful for, and we benefit greatly because of light. And in our text this morning, Paul then notes that the church are called to be light bearers in their context. that God uses the church as a light in the context of the church, in the context of the world, even in the context of the life of the minister, God uses the church as a light in those environments in order to then also produce benefits, in order to bring about a great use by them and through them, to bring encouragement, and also then to draw attention ultimately to himself. And so this morning we want to consider the joy of shining as we reflect firstly on the idea that it's ultimately the light of Christ in us. And then secondly, the impact of Christ's light through us. So firstly, the light of Christ in us. Secondly, the impact of Christ's light through us. Now, how in the world do I assert that it's ultimately Christ's light in us? Well, it's a few things. Firstly, remember what Paul just said in verses 12 and 13. He says, hey, as you have obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. The first aspect of noting that it's Christ's light in us is simply the fact that God is doing a work in us which causes us then to will and to do of his good pleasure. The only way that God can do this work in us is if the light of Christ is present. God doesn't work in those who are apart from Christ. God only works in those whom are united or joined to his son. Jesus talked about this in John 17, in his high priestly prayer, when he noted that eternal life was to know the one true God and the Son whom he had sent. Turn over to John chapter one. John chapter one, where we see Jesus established or identified as the Word, who then came in flesh Notice what he says in verse nine. Actually, verse six, John the Baptist came to give witness of Jesus. He says, John wasn't that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light, the light being Jesus, verse nine. That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. You see, the only way in which light can be present in your life is if Christ is the one who is illuminating you. The scriptures note that man, apart from Christ, is in darkness. He's in sin. He's blind. He cannot see. He ultimately is just shrouded and covered in dark misery. But we then see through the gospel the glorious light of Christ coming before us, coming into us, impacting us, changing us, and consequently bringing about this work of salvation that God does whereby he causes us to not only desire but also act according to his good pleasure. It's ultimately the light of Christ in us. which is brought about by salvation. But there's a second reason why we see it's the light of Christ, and this is set more in the context. Notice what Paul just said in verses five through 11. He just gave this great statement on the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ. He notes the steps in which Jesus took in order to come into this world and to be our savior and the blessing that God gave as a result of his obedience. But who is he talking about? He's talking about Jesus. He's identifying for us this one who humbled himself to the point of death. This one, Jesus, who was equal with God and yet did not consider it robbery to remain in that equality, but made himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant and humbled himself to the point of death. And Paul consequently tells the church at Philippi, in light of the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ and the work of God in your life, verse 14, do all without complaining and disputing. Even prior to that, he connects it in verse 12, when he says, as you've always obeyed. Christ obeyed, you've obeyed, consequently, Don't complain or dispute. Paul is reminding us, assuring us, and directing us that it is only by the light of Jesus Christ in us that we can go about our Christian lives. And yet this light is manifest. Jesus tells us that we don't have light in order to simply take it and hide it under something. You don't turn the lights on in order to then say, cover those up, we don't want to see it. You always turn on the lights so that it has a value, a benefit, a use, a significance for what it's being utilized for. And Paul then says that the light of Christ in the context of Philippi, and in our lives as well, will be manifest in what way? Doing all without complaining and disputing. Why would he make that challenge? In terms of drawing attention to the light of Christ in us, Why would it be reflected in the sense of not complaining and not disputing? Well, it seems that this was an issue for the church at Philippi. For example, if you walk through chapters one and two, you see a refrain a few times over regarding the call of unity. For example, when he notes in verse nine that his desire is that their love would abound still more and more in knowledge and discernment to then be sincere and without offense. an aspect of truthfulness, an aspect of unity, and a togetherness. Paul even notes that there are some who showed up in order to try to bring greater challenge or burdens to his chains, and yet he notes that the gospel is still being advanced or preached, and consequently he's happy about that, and in turn he wants the church to rejoice, to be unified in that celebration of the gospel as well. Verse 27 of chapter one, he then notes that he desires that they would then come together to believe and to suffer, and in doing so, that their conduct would be worthy of the gospel. Chapter two, he notes that if they have comfort in Christ, and they have celebration in his love, and they have a togetherness in Christ, then be of one mind. So for the church at Philippi, there seems to at least have been this struggle that was present in their lives where they were at least separate or divided. Chapter four, two individuals are called upon to come together and to be of one mind. But even if we get beyond the context of Philippi, isn't this really a call that is necessary for our lives in our current context? Society is ruled by discontentment and dissatisfaction. In fact, it seems that the greater affluence a society has, the greater the level of discontentment that's present. This past week, I've been considering the need for a cell phone. The current one I have is about six years old. Cell phone terms, it's a dinosaur. How old is your cell phone? Why did you think that you needed to get a new one? Now, for some, it was, well, it broke. For some, it was batteries no longer good. For some, it was just simply because I walked into the store and the salesperson said, look at this one. Look at how I can make you discontent or dissatisfied with what you have and consequently get you into a new phone with a new plan. Some of the rules that we see that govern our world to lead to our sense of dissatisfaction include the following, that things always take longer than you think. Consequently, you get frustrated and are not content. That nothing is as easy as it looks. It always involves more steps, more problems, more issues. And therefore, we get frustrated and we struggle and we then are discontent. I like this one. The chances of bread falling with the peanut butter and jelly side down are proportional to the cost of the carpet in the room in which you are serving it. What's the point? The point is, is that society is built on this sense of dissatisfaction, and consequently, as we live in this type of world, it's very easy for us to show up and allow it then to affect the way in which we relate to one another, how we look on things, and in turn, it affects the light of Christ in us. And so Paul then is directing us back to Christ to say, look, if His light is in you, and if He consequently humbled Himself to the point of death, even the cruel death of the cross, and did so out of joy and delight in submitting to the will of His heavenly Father, then how can you not be content? How can you then simply look at your circumstance and grumble or complain? Complaining comes very naturally. It's been present ever since our first parents aided the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam complained to God that he had given him such a woman as Eve to then say, well, if I just would have had a different wife. it would have been different. Cain griped to God regarding Abel, that Abel was accepted and he wasn't, and consequently, he complained. Israel, after having been delivered out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, out of the land of slavery, three days after they see the waters parted in the crossing of the Red Sea, and Pharaoh and his armies completely decimated, three days, 72 hours, began to go, God, where's the water? Where's the food? How can you put us in this circumstance? In fact, they even got to the point that they said, maybe it would just be better if we went back and were under the shackles of the Egyptians. Grumbling, complaining is contagious. Israel at a later time, by the voice of one or two, then were led through the entirety of the nation to then want to overtake Moses and no longer have him lead them. What does Paul tell us? He says, look, Since God's at work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure, since the light of Christ by means of example and by means of being at present in your work or in your life, then this issue of grumbling, this issue of having this inner argument that takes place, this idea of having an emotional expression or outburst regarding your circumstance ought not be present. Because he says, do all without complaining and disputing. Notice this. Do all. every situation in every place. He doesn't say sometimes. He doesn't say when it feels good or when it's comfortable, then you don't complain. He doesn't say in the context of, well, I really feel like it today. Or, well, you know, the kids don't really deserve it this time. And so because of that, then you don't complain. But over here, they really do. And so, He doesn't say only when it's going well, or simply when you're at church, or he doesn't even say, well, when you're not in a pandemic, then you don't complain, but when you're in the middle of a pandemic, you then can complain. Am I meddling? Every situation, every place, every inconvenience, every irritation, every feeling, Because the light of Christ is in us and because the light of Christ has been set before us, he who endured the suffering of the cross, despising its shame and laying himself down accordingly, causes us in turn to have to say that we do all things without emotional outbursts and without inner arguing. If we put this positively, we would say Philippians chapter four, verse four. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. How do you go about fighting against this? Well, I think the first step is to simply remember that God is in control. We argue when we think God has forgotten us. We complain when we believe that God is no longer present or go no longer there. We become practical agnostics. And consequently, we then begin to assert something else needs to happen. Remember that God is sovereign. Number two, remember where discontentment and this sort of criticism and complaining comes from. It's not a spirit of Christ, it's not a spirit that is of God, but it ultimately is a view of the system of the evil one in his things. And so rightly recognize where this comes from and in turn helps us to fight against it. There's a third help and we'll see it here in just a moment. But we also see then this call that we need to joyfully shine by recognizing that Christ's light is in us as we then see that it has an impact through us. There's three impacts, the church, the world, and even the minister. Notice what he says here, verse 15, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. The church is seen in the fact that he identifies them as the children of God. The world is seen in the fact that they live in the context of a generation. And lastly then, the impact even on the minister or pastor is that in not complaining, Paul is able to rejoice that he hasn't worked in vain. Let's consider this for a moment. You individually and we corporately are called to be content with whatever the Lord has given us or put us in because it means that Christ's light is in us and consequently it goes forth through us. And as it goes forth through us, it has a bearing, it has an effect. It's seen, it's felt, it's observed. Paul says that the call then is that as Christ shines in us, the church then shows itself to be blameless and pure. Simply put, he's saying by the expression of contentment, you as the children of God are being those whom God wants you to be. You're being the type of children he desires. You're showing yourself to be without defect, and you're also then showing yourself to be unmixed. He's saying that in every aspect of your life, if you then are content and satisfied with who God is and are trusting him in all things, then every reflection that you have of him in your life will only come back to show there's no defect. It will only show that there is no mixture of truth and falsehood or of good and evil, of certainty and things that are uncertain. It's ultimately showing that the effect of Christ in your life means that you go forth revealing His presence in you. When we hear some of these terms of being pure and being unmixed, unadulterated, in every aspect of our being, Does that scare you? Does that overwhelm you? Does it cause you to go, well, how in the world can I do that? After all, I know my weaknesses. I know my imperfections. I know my insecurities. I know my struggles. I have things that have been present in my life since I've been young or since I've been a Christian, and I've been that for years now, and I still see these things that are present in my life. Remember what he said just in two verses prior. God works in you for his pleasure. This is Christ's light reflected through you. Paul is not telling you to somehow then create your own purity and your own perfections. Paul is simply saying that if this is in you, if it is there, it won't be hidden, it will shine forth, it will do so sincerely, and consequently, you will stand out as the people of God. This is a stark contrast to some of the things that we see in churches today, isn't it? It almost seems as if churches today, the running narrative is just simply complaining and dissatisfaction. That oftentimes we're easily distracted by what's happening in music, or the presence or lack of programs, or by the appearance of the minister, or the appearance of the building, or some other situation, and consequently we say, well it's time to go elsewhere. And then we only complain about that and are dissatisfied with that, and then consequently we say, well, it's time to go to this other place to then find another situation or condition there that causes us to say that we have to depart from there. Nothing theological, nothing of significant substance, all superficial. And yet I think if we took to heart what Paul says by noting that we are content in the circumstance that he sets us, in the context of the church, there would be a lot less complaining, a lot less infighting, and a lot more unity that would occur. And that's not the testimony of Jesus, to be bickering and fighting and arguing. It's submitting to the will of the Father. Christ calls His light to shine through His church in this manner so that the testimony of encouragement towards His people cause them to be able to see Christ in each other and strengthen accordingly in unity, fellowship, and oneness. But the light of Christ also has an effect on where we live. He says, being without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world holding fast or forth or to the word of life. Christ's impact on the world is through his church. One individual said that you may be the only Jesus that anyone ever sees. You ever thought about that for a moment? Now you go, well, what does that mean? It means that the gospel may be, that one person may only ever hear or know of the gospel through you. Now, of course, believing in the sovereignty of God and His purposes in terms of His eternal decrees of election and so forth, we go, of course, well, God will bring about the means of accomplishing salvation in accordance with His will. Yes, but He uses means. God doesn't write the gospel in the sky. God doesn't hire airplane riders to do that. God doesn't do that through unusual or extraordinary means. He does so through the preaching of his word and through his word, Christ being lived out in his people. You as Christians must be seen as being straight. If the world is crooked, if it's perverse, if it's bent, if it's twisted, if it's warped, if it's covered over in sin and diluted or watered down in terms of good, then how is it that the light of Christ is going to be manifest? It's not gonna produce that light, it's in darkness. God will only bring that light through His Word as the church holds forth to it and through you as you live it out. And how do you live it out? In unity with His people. In contentment with the circumstances that you're in by the providence of God. Let's put it down to its most basic element. If you are just as big of a complainer as your coworker, and your coworker doesn't know God, but you do, what really is different then between you and him? If you testify, man, I love Christ, he is my only hope, he is my comfort, he is my joy, he gives me strength, and yet as you go to school, your friend doesn't have that and is uncertain about everything, and you echo what she says, How then are you standing as being faultless and without blame in a crooked and perverse generation? Remember what light does. Light gives warmth. Light shows things. Light manifests something that is beautiful. Light convicts. Light stands out. But if you're diluting your light, If you're hiding your light, if you're embarrassed about your light, how is it useful and helpful? God ultimately uses you to shine forth Christ to the world around him. And it shines forth by your testimony, by your words, by how you interact with his people. Notice it's not just simply good feelings. Notice it's not just simply warm fuzzies. It's not simply a matter of, hey, I got all my ducks in a row, and everything is lined up perfectly, and as people look at you, they go, yeah, you got your stuff together. It's only as you hold to the word of life. Some individuals look at this and see it as holding it out. You put the gospel before the world and they in turn hear that they are sinners in need of a Savior and that it's Jesus Christ alone. Others note that it's you are strengthened in your light as you hold to Christ. I say split the difference and say it's both. Because the only way in which you can put Christ forward is if you know Him. And the only way in which you can know Him is by knowing what He says in His word. And in turn, it will flow forth. The point being is that if you want to shine in a dark place, if you want to be strengthened by the Spirit of God to have the light of Christ manifest in your circumstance, You can't simply do it apart from His Word. Without the Word, your light will grow dim. Without the Word, you will not have fuel for the fire of Christ. Without that battery or that energy source, you will not be able to shine. And so if you don't hold to God's Word, if you don't utilize it, read it, meditate it, study it, You then won't know how to be at peace with others. And consequently, you won't know how to shine forth Christ to the world around you. But there's also an impact to the leaders then. That as you're faithful to live out the gospel, to see the light of Christ being reflected in you, among the context of his people, in the context of the world, it does something for your pastor. Look at what Paul says here. So that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that have not run in vain or labored in vain. I know you guys love your pastor. I know that. You've said it, you've shown it, you've expressed it. But another way for you to do that is to follow through with what Paul is noting here. Even when you and I don't have a conversation about things in your life, as I'm able to hear things or to see things, as I'm able to observe how you've grown in faith and understanding, or how the Lord has given you success in a particular situation, or you show greater interest in what's happening in the church, or express greater interest in learning God's word, whether you realize it or not, it speaks to me. I guess what it ultimately is getting at through all of these things is that our lives are not lived in a vacuum and they're not lived in isolation. It's always lived in the context of a community. And that community impacts every one of us, including your pastor. Paul here notes the desire that as they stick to it, he then can celebrate at the very end that what he's done had a value, had a benefit, that it wasn't simply running for a phantom prize, that he didn't work hard for nothing, or that there was no use to the work that he had done. There truly is a joy now to the gospel being worked out in your life, but even more so, there's a joy in the very end, that as we all come before the Lord Jesus Christ, this light who illuminates each and every one of his people, we in turn see how it reveals and shows him even more, and consequently, even your pastor stands up and says, praise the Lord for what Christ and how Christ was shown in that one. The Apostle John in 3 John 4 says there's no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. The ones whom he serves apply God's word to their lives. Those who have the light of Christ in them aren't simply taking that light and hiding it. They're utilizing it. They're utilizing it by means of their expression of satisfaction with the will of God in their life. They utilize it by means of their expression of contentment with one another in the context of the church and their circumstances. They use it as a means of encouraging and shining forth Jesus Christ to those around. And they even shine this light to the servants of God and strengthen them. to see that the labor that is being brought forth among the church members is of use and benefit. Light is invaluable. Light is of great service. Light is not useful when it doesn't stand out, when it just simply blends into the background. You have the greatest light, the light of the world dwelling in you, the Lord Jesus Christ. He assures you that His Spirit is at work in your life, strengthening you to do His will in all things. Take your light and shine. Shine to the glory of God. Shine for the good of your fellow members. Shine for the benefit of the world. Shine forth for service even to your minister with the hope and trust that God will bless those things and utilize it and encourage and strengthen each one and in turn ultimately uphold you in your life. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, you've given us light We pray that we would utilize it. Cause us to be thankful for it. Cause us to see that you don't leave us to ourselves. And yet cause us to see the responsibility to shine. We even note that if light gets separated and on its own, it's not of any use, but when many lights are together as one, What a great power is present there, and you then renew our lights as we come together as your church each week. And so we pray that you would continue to do so, that we would go forth satisfied with who you are, satisfied with the situation you placed us in, and willing to serve in any circumstance and situation. Strengthen us in this desire and in this truth, even as we pray, saying, our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.