1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000 Shall we pray together? 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,280 Our great Father in heaven, 3 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,880 we just gathered before you this morning around your word 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,880 and we need to hear from you. 5 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,120 We are nothing apart from your work in our lives 6 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,640 and so we ask that by your spirit, 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,400 you would do that work through your word, 8 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,120 by your spirit amongst us this morning. 9 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,520 And we ask this in Jesus' name, amen. 10 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:36,960 I should probably clarify this upfront 11 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,040 that there's a significant and exciting meeting 12 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,320 that we're having at our church at about 11.30-ish. 13 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,600 So I'm gonna race out the door at the end. 14 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,360 It's not because I don't like you or you smell bad 15 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,240 or I don't know, something like that. 16 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:54,880 It's just so you know ahead of time 17 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,840 that that's what's gonna happen. 18 00:00:57,840 --> 00:00:59,840 Let's get into it. 19 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:01,920 I wonder what comes to mind for you guys 20 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,880 when you think about obedience. 21 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,400 Particularly a word that gets thrown around 22 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,000 in Christian circles, obedience to the Lord. 23 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,080 Maybe the word obedience brings back memories of high school. 24 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,360 Tuck your shirt in, pull your socks up. 25 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,280 Stop talking, speak up would you? 26 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,040 I'm sure those are really great memories for all of you. 27 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,120 I was chatting with someone a while ago 28 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,760 and they told me how WorkSafe had rocked up 29 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,920 at the work site and they were telling them 30 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,920 that they were doing something the wrong way, 31 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:36,880 something that they've been doing for decades 32 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:38,160 in a particular way. 33 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,800 But they had to change and they had to obey. 34 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,000 These types of obedience frustrate us, I reckon. 35 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,480 And I reckon there's a couple of reasons for it. 36 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,120 We don't understand why we have to obey 37 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,440 or perhaps we don't trust the person 38 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:55,320 that we're being called to obey. 39 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:58,680 Yeah, I reckon the thought of obedience, 40 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,040 the thought of having to submit yourself 41 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,160 to someone else out there 42 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,160 can sometimes be quite a negative thought. 43 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,120 I wonder if it's been the case for you 44 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,680 when you think about obedience. 45 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:12,840 But I wanna tell you upfront, 46 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:14,120 when we get into this passage 47 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,960 and start thinking about obedience, 48 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:18,920 particularly in the Christian sense, 49 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:23,920 that's not the case when it comes to obedience to Jesus. 50 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,480 And I reckon as we see what God has to say to us this morning, 51 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:28,520 we're gonna see why. 52 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,280 And we're gonna have a look at three things in this passage 53 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:33,120 about obedience. 54 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,480 We're gonna see gospel obedience in the heart 55 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:37,760 and in our lives, 56 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,200 gospel obedience in the church 57 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,960 and gospel obedience in the end. 58 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:47,000 So let's get into it. 59 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,240 Gospel obedience in the heart and in our lives. 60 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,720 Paul raises the subject of obedience 61 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,240 in the very first verse. 62 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,560 And Mikey will be excited by this. 63 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,360 I heard his sermon from last week. 64 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,960 The passage starts with a therefore. 65 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:07,400 So what's it there for? 66 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,680 The humiliation and the exaltation of Jesus 67 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:14,680 have just come before, hasn't it? 68 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,560 Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, 69 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,760 emptied himself. 70 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:22,600 He sought out not his own interests, 71 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,400 but the interests of others 72 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,400 and for the glory of his Father in heaven. 73 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:29,680 He poured himself out completely, 74 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,960 giving himself over to humiliation 75 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:34,600 for the interests of others 76 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,640 and for the glory of his Father in heaven. 77 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,480 And so verse nine, God exalts him. 78 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,040 He elevates and promotes him to the highest place 79 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:44,480 in the universe. 80 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:49,480 To one day be recognized by all as the King, 81 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:51,280 the true King. 82 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:57,440 Every knee, every tongue, every person submitted to him. 83 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:04,040 Therefore, given this glorious King and his gospel, 84 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:06,280 Paul commends the Philippians. 85 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,040 He says, well done for their obedience. 86 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:14,840 Just as you have always obeyed, he says. 87 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:16,320 At this point, the Philippian church 88 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,440 are about 10 years old, roughly. 89 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:20,920 They receive the gospel. 90 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,200 When they first received it, they accepted it. 91 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,760 And since then, they have been living in obedience to it. 92 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,040 They've been faithful to Jesus. 93 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,880 Which, by the way, is exactly 94 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:37,840 the way we ought to respond, isn't it? 95 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:40,840 This is the exalted Lord of the universe. 96 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,080 It's fitting, isn't it, to submit to his rule? 97 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:49,120 To live in his ways rather than our own. 98 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,240 And for this very reason, obedience is not 99 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,480 an optional extra to the Christian life. 100 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,320 It's not something you can decide to do one day 101 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,360 and then the next day think, no, that's off the shelf. 102 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,960 No, at the very heart of being a Christian 103 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,880 is to submit to Jesus as your King. 104 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:12,720 It's at the very heart of our faith. 105 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:14,640 He rules, we submit. 106 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,480 He leads, we follow. 107 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,080 He commands, we obey. 108 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,680 And he puts a little bit more flesh on the bone 109 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:26,880 when he's trying to describe this obedience. 110 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,320 In verse 12, he describes it like this. 111 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,680 He's describing it as working out of yourself 112 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:37,680 working out of your salvation with fear and trembling. 113 00:05:37,840 --> 00:05:39,920 It's a bit of a funny phrase there, isn't it? 114 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,880 Work out your salvation. 115 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,520 We gotta ask the question, what does that actually mean? 116 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,000 It's helpful to know what it doesn't mean. 117 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,760 It doesn't mean work it out like a maths equation. 118 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,120 You know, if you look at a problem long enough, 119 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,840 you'll eventually work it out. 120 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:00,280 Now, that's not what Paul is saying. 121 00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:03,360 It's not figuring it out. 122 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:08,360 And on the other hand, nor is it working for your salvation. 123 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,560 No, we share in our salvation that is a free gift 124 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:13,560 from a loving God. 125 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,800 Now, I think it means taking the salvation 126 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,600 that we have received from God, 127 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,760 we're taking it and outworking it. 128 00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:30,080 Living out the implications of our salvation. 129 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,760 It's to push it down into our lives 130 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,800 and to push it out into every single facet of our life. 131 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,400 I wonder if you've got ice cream 132 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,640 from a cold rock ice creamery before. 133 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:48,960 Have you seen what they do? 134 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,560 They'll grab something like some Oreos 135 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:52,960 and they'll put it right in the middle 136 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:54,520 of the lump of ice cream and then 137 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,440 they start to crush it up and push it into the ice cream 138 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,440 and then work it out and push it all the way through. 139 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:06,960 They knead it in so that the ice cream 140 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,760 is now saturated with Oreos. 141 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,120 That's what outworking looks like. 142 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,800 It's taking our salvation, pushing it in 143 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,760 and kneading it into every part of our lives, 144 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,800 thinking through what does the gospel 145 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,280 and what does my salvation mean in this part of life 146 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:28,000 and this part of life and this part of life? 147 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,360 That's what outworking is. 148 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:33,960 This shows us what it means to grow up 149 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:35,680 as a Christian, doesn't it? 150 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,120 We become more and more shaped by the salvation 151 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:41,680 that we have received. 152 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,320 And as we do that, I just wanna highlight 153 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:49,280 one particular fruit that we would see in our lives 154 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:50,560 as we do this. 155 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,360 That one particular fruit would be humility. 156 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,960 The humility of Jesus in the gospel 157 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:58,840 is so striking, isn't it? 158 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,480 He was in very nature God, 159 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,240 creator of heaven and earth 160 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:13,680 and he took on a human nature and embraced death. 161 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:16,920 Why did he do that? 162 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,040 He did that for the glory of God 163 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:24,040 and to serve the interests of others above his own. 164 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,040 And as we work out that salvation in our lives, 165 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,640 what would one of the results be? 166 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,440 We'd start to see humility working itself out 167 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:38,840 in our lives, wouldn't we? 168 00:08:41,680 --> 00:08:44,560 It's worth clarifying here that humility 169 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:47,600 is not the opposite of confidence. 170 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,680 It's not a lack of boldness or conviction or zeal. 171 00:08:51,680 --> 00:08:54,280 No, humility is something else entirely. 172 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,000 I'm gonna try and define it for you, here we go. 173 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,280 Humility is the growing awareness 174 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:06,280 that your preferences, your interests 175 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,520 are not what your life is about. 176 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,320 What you have to say in a conversation 177 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,640 is not the most important part of a conversation. 178 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,840 What you think and feel in a particular situation 179 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,520 are not the most important. 180 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:27,720 Humility is the growing awareness 181 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:32,720 that the glory of God and serving the interests of others 182 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:39,000 are of greater interest to you than your own. 183 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,240 In any and every situation, 184 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:46,080 the glory of God and the interests of others. 185 00:09:47,680 --> 00:09:50,240 And this actually means that a humble person 186 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,760 won't actually know that they're humble. 187 00:09:55,240 --> 00:10:00,240 They'd be so caught up with glorifying their God in heaven, 188 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,800 so caught up in serving the interests of others 189 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:09,800 that they've not given a thought to themselves. 190 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,000 And genuine humility shows itself under pressure. 191 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,520 Concern for the glory of God and the interests of others 192 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,960 is easy to fake when things are nice and easy. 193 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,320 It's a little more difficult to remain humble 194 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:32,320 when there's conflict or perhaps things aren't as good 195 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:36,040 or perhaps things aren't going your way. 196 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:42,640 To sustainably and continuously show concern 197 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,880 for the glory of God and the interests of others 198 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,160 in those circumstances, that's difficult. 199 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:53,120 And it's in those very moments 200 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,240 that we need the gospel of our salvation, don't we? 201 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,200 It assures us that we are still loved 202 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:03,840 in spite of our shortcomings, our forgiveness remains sure 203 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,160 and our place in the family is unchanged. 204 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,440 But more than that, the gospel also supplies 205 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,520 the power we need to be humble. 206 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:15,840 Here's how. 207 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:19,960 The gospel tells us that Christ, at great cost to himself, 208 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:21,760 enduring shame and suffering, 209 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:23,760 carrying the judgment of God upon his shoulders 210 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:31,440 on the cross, Christ died serving our interests. 211 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,000 He gave up all of that, he endured his suffering 212 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:35,520 for our sake. 213 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,040 The creator of heaven and earth, 214 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:46,040 he endured humiliation and disgrace to serve your interests, 215 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:51,040 to serve the interests of the person next to you. 216 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:53,160 That is stunning grace. 217 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,840 And so we don't need to live this life 218 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,640 looking out for our own interests any longer. 219 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,960 We have been lavished with grace upon grace. 220 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,080 We don't need to be a slave to our self-interests. 221 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:12,000 And so we work out our salvation. 222 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,600 We work out our salvation deep into our hearts 223 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,440 and deep into our lives and we push it down 224 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,000 and we push it out. 225 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:24,000 And as we do that, we'll grow more and more like our savior. 226 00:12:28,560 --> 00:12:31,440 For a little while this year, I was riding my bike to work 227 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:34,440 and I was riding my bike to work and I was riding my bike 228 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:36,640 to work and I was riding my bike to work. 229 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,360 I was riding my bike to work and home again each day. 230 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:44,040 I live in Seville Grove and I work at the church in Gosnells. 231 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:47,040 I would ride along Lake Road, then Champion Drive, 232 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,200 then shoot down the cycle paths along Tonkin Highway 233 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:51,960 and then I'd loop around on Albany 234 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:53,360 to get onto Albany Highway. 235 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:57,000 I wonder if you guys know that path. 236 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,120 Then I'd obviously do the reverse in the afternoon. 237 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:03,480 And if you have your bearings right, 238 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,360 you will know what that means that I'm riding east 239 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:09,880 in the morning and west in the afternoon. 240 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,360 Does anyone wanna have a go what that might mean for me 241 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,120 as I'm riding my bike sometimes? 242 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:17,760 Oh, yes, sun in my eyes. 243 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:19,160 There's also another reason. 244 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:21,840 Yeah, that's right. 245 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,360 It means both in the morning and in the afternoon, 246 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,160 not every day of the year, I might add, 247 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:29,640 but most days of the year, I'm hitting into the wind 248 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,160 and it's highly demoralizing. 249 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,360 Here I am doing the right thing for my health, 250 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:35,760 doing the right thing for the environment, 251 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:37,080 not using the petrol. 252 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:42,480 And then headwind, headwind straight into it. 253 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,120 I reckon that can feel like, 254 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,120 I reckon that is what it can feel like 255 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,960 trying to pursue our own obedience to the Lord. 256 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,040 It can feel like such hard work, 257 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,680 like the winds are full against us. 258 00:13:58,680 --> 00:14:03,200 We have our own flesh that wants to be concerned 259 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,520 for our own interests rather than those of others. 260 00:14:10,680 --> 00:14:15,680 But there is an absolute gold nugget worth holding onto 261 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,800 in the verse that comes straight after, isn't there? 262 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:26,240 Verse 13, after having called us to obey, 263 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:31,240 he says, for it is God who works in you. 264 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,520 It is God who works in you to will and to act 265 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:40,480 in order to fill his good purpose. 266 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:47,760 Let's just take a moment to think about that. 267 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:48,600 Which God is it? 268 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,280 It is the God who exalted the Lord Jesus 269 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:52,840 to the highest place. 270 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:54,960 It's the same God who elevates him 271 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,080 to the most highest place in the universe, 272 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,040 who raised him up from the dead. 273 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,480 It's that God who is working in us. 274 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,000 And that is wind in our sails 275 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,240 to continue in our obedience. 276 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:20,920 As we obey, God is right there working in us. 277 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,920 And I reckon that does two things to our obedience. 278 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,440 There's two really important things. 279 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,520 The first one is that we do our obedience 280 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,080 in dependence on him. 281 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,600 Not with self-reliance, not as though we can muster up 282 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,760 this energy and effort within ourselves, 283 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,560 not with the right amount of focus or grit or tenacity. 284 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:48,560 No, we do it in dependence upon the Lord Jesus. 285 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:53,080 In dependence upon the God who is working in us. 286 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:56,120 And the second thing is, 287 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:00,760 we can obey with confidence. 288 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,280 We don't need to feel defeated. 289 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,360 It's God working in us as we obey. 290 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:12,760 So yes, we will come against challenges and road bumps 291 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,080 and walls that we need to get through 292 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:17,120 in our own obedience to the Lord, 293 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:18,680 but we can do it with confidence 294 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,680 because God is working in us. 295 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:28,240 And he's working in us to fulfill his good purpose for us. 296 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:33,600 And so we obey. 297 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:39,920 Not defeated, not self-reliant, but dependent, 298 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:42,240 and with confidence. 299 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,440 So that's obedience in our hearts. 300 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,920 We then move on in the following verses 301 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,920 to obedience in the church. 302 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,760 Paul now moves on to apply what he's been saying 303 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:54,440 in these first couple of verses 304 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:57,600 in an awfully specific way. 305 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:59,800 He says to them, verse 14, 306 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:04,800 do everything without grumbling or arguing. 307 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,240 Paul has the Philippian church community in his heart, 308 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,400 as he says these things, he's speaking to their 309 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,760 church community as a whole. 310 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:17,200 And as he's thinking about how they might work out 311 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,520 their salvation with fear and trembling, 312 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:23,280 there's this particular thing that he thinks 313 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:25,760 he needs to name boldly, 314 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,920 arguing and grumbling. 315 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:34,880 Arguing and grumbling. 316 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,920 So what happens when a person is arguing 317 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:41,920 and grumbling, so what happens when our own self-interests 318 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,360 become what is most important, isn't it? 319 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,960 See, when my interests are more important 320 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:52,520 than your interests and we're coming up head to head, 321 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:54,920 I'm gonna argue with you on that. 322 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,800 I'm gonna make sure that my interests are looked after 323 00:17:57,800 --> 00:17:58,960 in that circumstance. 324 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,200 And so arguing and grumbling, you could say, 325 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,280 is the opposite of humility. 326 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:08,440 It's serving my own interests above your interests. 327 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:15,800 And make no mistake, these things will drive 328 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:17,560 a wedge between people. 329 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,680 It'll drive a wedge and split communities. 330 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,560 Think of an ax, an ax is just a sharp wedge. 331 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:28,800 An ax comes through and hits a tree 332 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:31,360 and it will split it in two. 333 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:36,360 Arguing and grumbling will be like a wedge between people. 334 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,520 And Paul here is making a very pointed 335 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,880 and confronting application for the Philippian church. 336 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,880 We know from the rest of the book of Philippians, 337 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,400 the rest of the letter that Paul has written 338 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,960 to the Philippian church that their sense of togetherness 339 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:57,960 is really important. 340 00:18:57,960 --> 00:18:59,920 He imagines them functioning together 341 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:03,160 and he imagines them functioning as a group 342 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:06,080 and a community that strive side by side 343 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:08,400 for the cause and the advance of the gospel. 344 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,680 In chapter one verse 27, he calls them to stand firm 345 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,040 in one spirit. 346 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:18,400 Chapter two verse two and three, 347 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,640 he tells them to be like-minded, 348 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:23,840 to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceits. 349 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:26,160 In chapter four verse two, 350 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:30,120 he even calls out two people by name. 351 00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:31,720 Could you imagine that if I rocked up 352 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:33,600 and called out two people by name and said, 353 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:35,400 hey, get your head in line. 354 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:41,040 Paul calls out Iodia and Syntyche. 355 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,000 He calls on them to agree in the Lord, 356 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:45,560 to be reconciled to each other, 357 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,560 to acknowledge their own sin to each other 358 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:49,240 and to offer forgiveness. 359 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:54,240 Here in verse 14, Paul is calling them out for their sin 360 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,000 and he's calling it how he sees it. 361 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,520 He's saying church, stop with the grumbling and arguing. 362 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,480 Be finished with the gossiping and snarky comments. 363 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,520 Do not cut down your leaders behind their backs. 364 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:13,240 Do not let anything drive a wedge in the gospel community. 365 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:15,680 It's precious. 366 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,920 Don't let selfish ambition drive you. 367 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,920 Let self-interest drive a wedge. 368 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:29,800 Of course, it's no surprise that when we throw 369 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:31,760 a hundred people into a building together 370 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,240 and tell them to meet together every week 371 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,360 and to be united in the cause of the gospel, 372 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:42,360 all who are sinners, it's no surprise that arguing 373 00:20:42,360 --> 00:20:49,040 and grumbling would slowly surface, wouldn't it? 374 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,880 It's actually the true test of your humility. 375 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,240 You can't call yourself humble 376 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,360 and close yourself behind a door. 377 00:20:59,920 --> 00:21:01,040 It's never tested. 378 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:05,840 But here's a test. 379 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,280 Commit yourself to a gospel community. 380 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:13,000 Not just attend and not just for a few weeks or months either, 381 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,160 but commit yourself to a community of believers. 382 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:20,240 Be part of a Bible study. 383 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:23,800 Get alongside and serve in some way. 384 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,040 Be involved in the lives of those around you. 385 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,680 Get to know them, allow them to get to know you. 386 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:38,680 And that will test your humility. 387 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:40,600 You see, it puts you in a fairly vulnerable position, 388 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:41,880 doesn't it? 389 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,600 People will probably start to see the gaps 390 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:45,160 in your godliness. 391 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:47,160 Maybe they start to see your anger problem 392 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,400 or your workaholism or your passivity or your gossiping 393 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:51,720 or your prayerlessness. 394 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:55,840 And what will you do then? 395 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:02,080 Because in those moments, you might be tempted 396 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:07,080 to just cover up, retreat, put on a face, put on a mask. 397 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:16,480 Or will you trust the Lord of the universe 398 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,320 that there is not one sin that His death on the cross 399 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:22,480 has not covered? 400 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,560 And so be joyful and confident in Him 401 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,080 that it doesn't matter if people see that I struggle 402 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:29,920 or fall short. 403 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,680 I've trusted in Jesus. 404 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,000 I don't need to defend myself. 405 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:36,520 I don't need to make excuses. 406 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:39,000 I can be open, I can be honest. 407 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,200 I can ask for people's forgiveness. 408 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:49,600 And to flip it, what about when you see the gaps 409 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:51,520 in someone else's godliness? 410 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,320 When you see someone else falling short. 411 00:22:56,320 --> 00:23:01,320 I wanna be clear here that sin is not something 412 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:06,320 to cover up or to ignore in someone else. 413 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:07,920 As a brother or sister in the Lord, 414 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,720 we wanna get alongside them and help them 415 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:13,400 in the battle for obedience to the Lord. 416 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,400 But there is a way that we could respond 417 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,960 to seeing the gaps in someone else's godliness 418 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,480 that would drive us to the Lord. 419 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,680 That would drive a wedge into a community. 420 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:32,880 You see, you could see it as an opportunity 421 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,760 to pounce on them, to gossip behind their backs 422 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,880 about how they're falling short in this particular way. 423 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,240 Or just even in the quietness of your own heart and mind 424 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:44,360 to condemn them. 425 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:49,480 We have to hear this question. 426 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,800 Does that reflect the way that Jesus treated us 427 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,640 when he saw the gaps in our godliness? 428 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:03,320 He humbled himself to the point of death 429 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:08,080 to save people, not just with gaps in their godliness, 430 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,280 but with no godliness at all. 431 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:15,000 That definitely includes me. 432 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,200 And it certainly includes you. 433 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:22,040 When we see the gaps in someone else's godliness, 434 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,080 it's not surprise or shock. 435 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:26,800 In fact, we expect it, don't we? 436 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:31,680 When we see them, we embrace them as a brother 437 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:33,720 or sister in the Lord. 438 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:37,120 We embrace them as someone covered by the blood of Jesus. 439 00:24:37,120 --> 00:24:40,600 And we get alongside them, we get behind them 440 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:45,600 in striving to live a righteous and godly life. 441 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,600 That's what humility would look like 442 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:51,480 in the life of a church. 443 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:59,280 To quote a famous pastor, his name's Tim Keller, 444 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:03,000 he passed away not long ago, he said this, 445 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,520 the church is a hospital for sinners, 446 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:08,600 not a museum for saints. 447 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:13,600 The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. 448 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:17,960 In other words, it's not a place you come to 449 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:21,800 to display something to your brothers and sisters, 450 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,160 to somehow conjure up their, 451 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:27,040 impress your brothers and sisters. 452 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:30,680 No, it's a hospital for sinners. 453 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:33,680 So let me ask you a couple of questions. 454 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:36,680 What's going on in your heart and mind 455 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:40,040 when you gather here each Sunday? 456 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,880 What are the thoughts that are going through your mind 457 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,280 or the comments that are made on the drive home 458 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:51,080 about your brothers and sisters in the Lord? 459 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:55,880 What are the thoughts that are going through your mind 460 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,880 or the comments that are made on the drive home 461 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,280 about your brothers and sisters in the Lord? 462 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:10,280 And this is as good a time as any to ask the question, 463 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:14,280 is your behavior towards the church 464 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:18,080 more characterized by arguing and grumbling 465 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,080 or grace and unity in the Lord? 466 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:27,080 See, being part of a church is not for the faint-hearted. 467 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:35,280 But here's the beautiful thing. 468 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,680 If we're willing to be humble, 469 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,680 humble ourselves before the Lord, 470 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:47,280 to allow that humility to work itself out in our lives, 471 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,280 as brothers and sisters encouraging one another, 472 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,280 if we would allow that to happen, 473 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:53,680 what would be the result? 474 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:58,280 Verse 15, we will shine as a light. 475 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,080 We will shine in a light, like a light in this region. 476 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,080 You see, the local netball club, 477 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:13,080 the local cafe and the local church 478 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:15,480 all have the same problem. 479 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:18,280 They're full of sinners. 480 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:20,280 They're full of sinners. 481 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:25,280 But only one of them has the power of God to transform. 482 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,680 Only one will shine as a light in this world. 483 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,280 But only if we would submit ourselves 484 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,080 in the power of the Spirit to the Lord Jesus 485 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:39,880 and the gospel of our salvation. 486 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:47,680 Finally, Paul then turns to consider obedience 487 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,280 in the end, obedience in the end. 488 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:54,680 Paul calls on the Philippians to commit to gospel community, 489 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,280 to being part of a gathering of people 490 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:01,080 who strive side by side for the cause of the gospel. 491 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,480 To be a community that works out their salvation 492 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:10,280 with fear and trembling, to hold fast to the word of life. 493 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:15,280 Of life. And he gives us one of the reasons why he does that. 494 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:22,080 And we see it there from verse 16 to the end. 495 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:28,080 And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ 496 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:30,680 that I did not run or labor in vain. 497 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,680 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering 498 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:38,780 on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, 499 00:28:38,780 --> 00:28:41,480 I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 500 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:47,280 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. 501 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,680 Paul has in mind here the day of Christ, 502 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:55,880 the day of the Lord Jesus' return. 503 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:58,780 The day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess 504 00:28:58,780 --> 00:29:03,280 that the Lord Jesus, he is the King of the universe. 505 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:08,080 And it's on that day that everything will be revealed. 506 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,580 Those who held fast to the word of life will be bowing their knee, 507 00:29:11,580 --> 00:29:15,480 confessing with their lips, with rejoicing and celebration. 508 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:20,880 Confessing that this Lord Jesus is the King of the universe. 509 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,680 While those who held fast to the things of this world 510 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:29,280 will be bowing and confessing with anger and despair 511 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,880 as they face the judgment of the exalted Lord of the universe. 512 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:37,380 And for Paul, he desperately wants to see the Philippian Christians 513 00:29:37,380 --> 00:29:42,580 bowing with him, rejoicing and celebrating at the Lord Jesus. 514 00:29:43,380 --> 00:29:46,780 He wants them to be there in his arms. 515 00:29:49,580 --> 00:29:53,580 That's what it would mean for him not to have labored in vain. 516 00:29:53,580 --> 00:29:57,580 He longs that they would hold fast to the gospel. 517 00:29:57,580 --> 00:30:00,180 Verse 17 can be a little bit difficult to understand. 518 00:30:00,180 --> 00:30:02,780 He speaks of being poured out as a drink offering 519 00:30:02,780 --> 00:30:06,580 upon the sacrificial offering of the Philippian Church's faith. 520 00:30:07,980 --> 00:30:10,980 In the background is the twice daily sacrifice of the lamb 521 00:30:10,980 --> 00:30:12,780 from the Old Testament. 522 00:30:12,780 --> 00:30:15,980 And as a lamb was placed on the altar, 523 00:30:15,980 --> 00:30:20,380 a cup of strong drink would be poured over that lamb 524 00:30:20,380 --> 00:30:23,980 and together they would make a sacrifice for the Lord Jesus. 525 00:30:23,980 --> 00:30:28,380 And what Paul is saying here is that the faith of the Philippians, 526 00:30:28,380 --> 00:30:32,980 their trust in the Lord is like placing a lamb on the altar. 527 00:30:34,580 --> 00:30:37,180 That's the sacrificial offering there in verse 17. 528 00:30:37,180 --> 00:30:41,380 And Paul himself is the drink offering being poured out 529 00:30:41,380 --> 00:30:43,780 over the sacrificial offering. 530 00:30:45,780 --> 00:30:49,380 And so what Paul is saying here is that the faith of the Philippians 531 00:30:49,380 --> 00:30:51,980 is like placing a lamb on the altar. 532 00:30:51,980 --> 00:30:56,580 And so what Paul is saying here is that they are making a sacrifice together. 533 00:30:57,980 --> 00:31:00,380 It reminds us of back in chapter one, verse 30, 534 00:31:00,380 --> 00:31:03,380 how they're engaged in the same conflict. 535 00:31:05,780 --> 00:31:08,980 And Paul is making an astonishing point here. 536 00:31:10,380 --> 00:31:14,380 He's saying it would be rejoicing for me 537 00:31:14,380 --> 00:31:19,180 if I were to be utterly poured out as a drink offering. 538 00:31:19,180 --> 00:31:22,980 If it means that you believers are holding fast to the gospel 539 00:31:22,980 --> 00:31:25,980 on the day that Jesus returns. 540 00:31:28,580 --> 00:31:32,180 That he would be poured out as a drink offering. 541 00:31:34,780 --> 00:31:39,580 Whether that means suffering, long hours of toil, persecution, 542 00:31:39,580 --> 00:31:41,980 opposition, dealing with tricky people, 543 00:31:41,980 --> 00:31:44,780 not to mention any names, a yodhiya and syntyche. 544 00:31:44,780 --> 00:31:50,180 Nothing is off the table in terms of what Paul would do 545 00:31:50,180 --> 00:31:55,380 to see people holding fast to the gospel on the day that Jesus returns. 546 00:31:56,380 --> 00:31:58,380 And if they are, then rejoicing. 547 00:32:00,380 --> 00:32:03,180 Not just for him, but verse 18, also for them. 548 00:32:07,780 --> 00:32:11,980 I'm not sure how good your memory is of what high school was like, 549 00:32:11,980 --> 00:32:15,180 but something people always used to say was this. 550 00:32:16,780 --> 00:32:20,580 High school goes so quickly, enjoy it while it lasts. 551 00:32:22,580 --> 00:32:24,980 Then of course it would be week after week of assignments 552 00:32:24,980 --> 00:32:27,380 and then you'd be thinking when is school going to end? 553 00:32:28,580 --> 00:32:31,780 I wonder, is there anyone in that kind of boat right now? 554 00:32:35,380 --> 00:32:38,580 But then they say exactly the same thing when you hit your 20s. 555 00:32:38,580 --> 00:32:42,180 The time goes past so quickly, enjoy it while it lasts. 556 00:32:44,380 --> 00:32:46,780 And then it continues when you start to have children. 557 00:32:46,780 --> 00:32:49,980 They say enjoy them while they're little, they grow up so fast. 558 00:32:53,980 --> 00:32:58,980 You know, we will stand together on the last day when the Lord returns 559 00:32:58,980 --> 00:33:00,980 and we will say exactly the same thing. 560 00:33:00,980 --> 00:33:07,380 We will say that time went so fast. 561 00:33:07,380 --> 00:33:12,380 And we'll look back and we'll see what it is that really mattered. 562 00:33:14,380 --> 00:33:20,380 We'll also say the things that we consumed ourselves with that didn't matter at all. 563 00:33:23,380 --> 00:33:27,380 And in light of that, let me ask you this question. 564 00:33:27,380 --> 00:33:32,380 Will you join in with Paul's struggle? 565 00:33:33,380 --> 00:33:38,380 Will you join him in his labour and toil in advancing the gospel? 566 00:33:38,380 --> 00:33:42,380 Both in your own life but also in the life of the church, 567 00:33:42,380 --> 00:33:45,380 in this region, in this city, in this world? 568 00:33:49,780 --> 00:33:54,780 The thought struck me this morning that I'll be standing there 569 00:33:54,780 --> 00:33:59,780 on the last day, the day that the Lord has returned. 570 00:33:59,780 --> 00:34:04,780 And I'll say, hey Mikey, chatting with Mikey, I might chat with Andy and Trudy as well 571 00:34:04,780 --> 00:34:08,780 and might be just chatting with all you and we'd be looking back. 572 00:34:10,780 --> 00:34:14,780 And I wonder what we would say are the good things. 573 00:34:15,780 --> 00:34:19,780 What are the things that we'd look back on and think that was worth doing? 574 00:34:19,780 --> 00:34:24,780 And it's so upside down that Paul would do the same with us. 575 00:34:24,780 --> 00:34:31,780 He'd look back on his life and he would see those times when he was completely given over, 576 00:34:32,780 --> 00:34:39,780 enduring the worst suffering, being persecuted, abandoned. 577 00:34:42,780 --> 00:34:47,780 And he would look at those things and he would say, that is the good life. 578 00:34:47,780 --> 00:34:50,780 And he would say, that is the good life. 579 00:34:52,780 --> 00:35:00,780 He'd say those moments when he was holding on by a thread for the sake of the gospel, 580 00:35:01,780 --> 00:35:05,780 he'd say that was meaningful living, that was the good life. 581 00:35:12,780 --> 00:35:15,780 There was a famous cricket player called C.T. Studd. 582 00:35:15,780 --> 00:35:18,780 He's got a famous quote that I want to share with you. 583 00:35:18,780 --> 00:35:24,780 He played in the original Ashes Test match, but then he became a missionary in India. 584 00:35:25,780 --> 00:35:29,780 And he said this, only one life, yes only one. 585 00:35:30,780 --> 00:35:33,780 Now let me say, thy will be done. 586 00:35:34,780 --> 00:35:39,780 And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say, it was worth it all. 587 00:35:39,780 --> 00:35:44,780 Only one life, it will soon be passed. 588 00:35:45,780 --> 00:35:49,780 Only what's done for Christ will last. 589 00:35:54,780 --> 00:35:55,780 Let's pray. 590 00:35:55,780 --> 00:36:01,780 Lord Jesus, you gave up your life. 591 00:36:02,780 --> 00:36:07,780 You who were in very nature God, creator of heaven and earth, 592 00:36:08,780 --> 00:36:15,780 took on human flesh, embraced humiliation and death. 593 00:36:16,780 --> 00:36:18,780 You gave up your life. 594 00:36:18,780 --> 00:36:25,780 Took on human flesh, embraced humiliation and death, 595 00:36:26,780 --> 00:36:30,780 for the glory of God and the interests of others. 596 00:36:33,780 --> 00:36:36,780 Displaying to us perfect humility. 597 00:36:37,780 --> 00:36:42,780 Humility beyond what we could conjure up within ourselves. 598 00:36:42,780 --> 00:36:45,780 And yet Lord Jesus, we ask for your help. 599 00:36:46,780 --> 00:36:49,780 Please help us to be humble. 600 00:36:50,780 --> 00:36:55,780 Would you help us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling? 601 00:36:57,780 --> 00:37:03,780 Give us confidence, knowing that you are the one working in us. 602 00:37:05,780 --> 00:37:09,780 Might we be a community of people, 603 00:37:09,780 --> 00:37:12,780 who strive side by side for the cause of the gospel, 604 00:37:14,780 --> 00:37:16,780 who encourage one another, 605 00:37:17,780 --> 00:37:23,780 who get alongside one another in the pursuit of holiness and righteousness, 606 00:37:24,780 --> 00:37:26,780 in the pursuit of serving the interests of others 607 00:37:27,780 --> 00:37:30,780 and the glory of God above our own interests. 608 00:37:32,780 --> 00:37:35,780 Father, we ask for your help because we need it. 609 00:37:35,780 --> 00:37:38,780 Father, we ask for your help because we need it. 610 00:37:38,780 --> 00:38:05,780 We ask in Jesus' name, Amen.