The Joy of Sacrifice and Service

1. Read: Philippians 2:12-18

2. About the Text:

1) Verses 17-18 is key here.

2) Paul’s imprisonment was not because he was a bad character.

3) It was due to trying to improve people’s character – the sacrifice and service of faith.

4) For this reason, he rejoiced, and he wanted them to rejoice with them.

5) The sacrifice and service of our faith is a reason to rejoice.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. The sacrifice of my will (12).

1) Paul commended the Christians in Philippi for their obedience.

a. This obedience was at first in Paul’s presence.

b. Now it was in his absence.

2) He exhorted them to “work out” their own salvation with fear and trembling.

a. There is a sense in which we “work out” or “accomplish” our salvation.

b. We are to have an attitude of fear and trembling before God.

3) When we obey, we are sacrificing what we want to do.

a. Jesus is our example in this regard: “not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

b. Ecclesiastes 12:13

c. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:2-3).

2. The service of God’s will (13).

1) God works in us as we obey Him.

a. For the accomplishing of His will and work.

b. For the purpose of His kindly intent (good pleasure).

c. This is not some arbitrary dictatorial directive.

d. He knows what is best for us; His will is kindly.

2) When we obey, we are serving God’s will.

a. It is the only way to know that we are serving God; that bring the joy of assurance.

b. The blessing is that God’s will is working in our lives.

c. “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:22-23).

d. John 14:15 – “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

3) Obedience to God gives us joy because we know that we know Him.

a. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:3-6).

1. The sacrifice of my attitude (14).

1) People who murmur and complain general do so because of their attitude toward life.

2) Nobody likes a whiner, but we all whine from time to time.

3) We all need an attitude adjustment occasionally.

4) What attitude causes us to murmur and complain?

5) It is the attitude of wanting to have our own selfish desires fulfilled.

6) Think about the Israelites in the wilderness murmuring and complaining all the time.

7) What had God done for them?

a. Delivered them from slavery.

b. Given them freedom.

c. Created a nation out of them.

d. Yet they were not satisfied.

e. “nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Corinthians 10:10).

8) If we are constantly trying to please ourselves, we will never have joy.

9) We must sacrifice our attitude of selfishness.

10) “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

2. The service of Jesus Christ (15).

1) Just like Jesus was blameless and harmless, God wants us to be so also.

a. So we can truly be children of God.

b. So we can be without fault in a world that is corrupt.

c. So that we can shine as lights in the world.

2) In the service of Christ, we have no reason to murmur and complain.

a. His grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).

b. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-25).

3) Christ wants our goodness and innocence to shine in this world.

a. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

3. Joy comes from sacrificing my attitude and serving Christ’s actions.

1) Just focusing on our personal desires creates tremendous dissatisfaction.

2) This leads to murmuring and complaining.

3) When we are busy serving Christ, we won’t have time to think about our own personal wants.

1. The Sacrifice of my plan.

1) To have joy, I need to sacrifice my plan to God’s plan.

2) He is the one who has the “word of life.”

3) Human plans lead to death.

a. Jeremiah 10:23

b. “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

c. “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:2-3).

4) Jesus plan leads to life.

a. John 10:10.

b. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

2. The Service of the Holy Spirit.

1) We must follow the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2) “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

3) “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

4) When we are led by the Holy Spirit, we will practice the fruit of the Spirit.

5) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

6) The Bible is the product of the work of the Holy Spirit.

7) “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

3. Joy comes by holding fast to the word of life, not by following our own plan.

1. Joy comes through the sacrifice and service of …

1) Obedience

2) Doing All Things Without Murmuring and Complaining

3) Holding Fast the Word of Life

2. Invitation