WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.879 And we are back in the book of Philippians and Philippians chapter 2 and we're in verses 12 to 18. 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:09.140 So if you have a church Bible, it's 1179. 00:00:10.040 --> 00:00:11.859 Page 1179. 00:00:13.320 --> 00:00:17.879 Let me pray and ask for the Lord's help and then we'll read the passage and consider it together. 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:18.640 Let me pray. 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:24.480 Father, we thank you like Mike prayed as we opened our meeting together this evening. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:29.100 We thank you that you, by your spirit, speak through your word to us. 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:37.560 Lord, we want to pray that you might make us attentive, that you might give us tender hearts, eager ears to listen. 00:00:38.340 --> 00:00:40.719 Pray that the words of my mouth might be pleasing to you. 00:00:41.420 --> 00:00:48.120 Pray, Lord, that you would help me to speak clearly and faithfully and for all of us to listen for the sake of your glory. 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:49.000 Amen. 00:00:50.659 --> 00:00:53.900 Okay, verse 12 of Philippians chapter 2. 00:00:53.899 --> 00:01:19.539 I just flicked into the ESV then in my brain. 00:01:19.540 --> 00:01:30.740 Do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. 00:01:30.739 --> 00:01:37.979 Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. 00:01:38.739 --> 00:01:44.239 Then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:53.899 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 00:01:54.500 --> 00:01:58.599 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:08.319 Now my experience is that these Sunday evenings go quicker than I anticipate and we get through much less material than I hope we would. 00:02:09.019 --> 00:02:12.060 And so I'm trying this evening to try and keep it simple for us. 00:02:12.139 --> 00:02:19.340 And I want to pull out for you three instructions in the passage and three reasons that Paul gives those instructions. 00:02:19.539 --> 00:02:20.939 And so we're just going to get straight into it. 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:25.539 There's no amusing story or anything to generate your interest. 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:27.759 We're just going to dive straight into the passage. 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:30.439 So the first instruction is this. 00:02:30.939 --> 00:02:34.859 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 00:02:35.079 --> 00:02:38.139 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 00:02:38.239 --> 00:02:40.319 It's there at the end of verse 12. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:45.359 Now the context to this is obviously the stuff that we were looking at last week. 00:02:45.359 --> 00:02:54.959 So the idea in verses 6 to 11 of chapter 2 that God the Son left the glories of heaven, humbled himself by becoming a man, 00:02:55.539 --> 00:03:02.379 and by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross, and therefore has been given the name that is above every name, 00:03:02.780 --> 00:03:04.659 a name that which we must bow. 00:03:05.099 --> 00:03:06.239 So, verse 12, 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:10.899 or therefore, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 00:03:10.900 --> 00:03:18.920 In other words, we live our Christian lives in the presence of one who is to be feared and trembled at. 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:25.719 You and I live our Christian lives in the presence of one who has a name that is above every name, 00:03:26.040 --> 00:03:31.460 at whose name every knee will bow and every tongue acknowledge that he is Christ the Lord. 00:03:32.180 --> 00:03:34.860 In other words, this is Paul's sort of highlighter pen. 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:37.920 Take this very seriously. 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:40.199 It matters. 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:43.219 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:46.759 Now, to their encouragement, this is what they have already been doing. 00:03:46.899 --> 00:03:48.779 It's something they are to continue doing. 00:03:49.239 --> 00:03:53.939 They have done it in Paul's presence, and even more so in his absence, 00:03:54.459 --> 00:03:56.839 demonstrating the reality of their faith in Christ. 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:00.219 But here his point is that what you do in the Christian life matters. 00:04:00.339 --> 00:04:01.119 How you live matters. 00:04:01.219 --> 00:04:02.679 What you do with your time matters. 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:07.340 What you do with your gifts, your energy, your hopes, and your aspirations, all of that matters, 00:04:07.819 --> 00:04:11.159 and should be worked out with fear and trembling in the presence of God. 00:04:13.140 --> 00:04:16.699 Now, I discovered, I think this is because one of my children pointed it out to me, 00:04:16.740 --> 00:04:17.740 but I can't remember which one, 00:04:18.180 --> 00:04:19.480 but that you can go on YouTube, 00:04:19.480 --> 00:04:23.220 and you can watch videos of people studying. 00:04:24.259 --> 00:04:25.460 Do you know this? 00:04:26.200 --> 00:04:28.920 So that if you're struggling to concentrate at your desk, 00:04:28.920 --> 00:04:32.140 what you can do is you can go onto YouTube, 00:04:32.140 --> 00:04:35.840 and you can have a video of someone for a couple of hours or an hour, 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:37.540 depending on how long you want to do study, 00:04:37.540 --> 00:04:40.860 of them just working on their books and doing their study. 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:48.200 And the idea is that doing your homework in the presence of somebody else doing their homework 00:04:48.200 --> 00:04:53.120 will inspire you not to be distracted or to get off and do something else. 00:04:53.420 --> 00:04:55.140 I don't know whether you think that might work, 00:04:55.240 --> 00:04:56.740 but if you think it might work for you, 00:04:56.860 --> 00:05:00.080 you can Google on YouTube or whatever, 00:05:00.340 --> 00:05:02.300 study with me or something, I think it is, 00:05:02.460 --> 00:05:04.000 and you can see these videos. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:09.120 But in a sense, the Christian life is not quite like that, is it? 00:05:09.180 --> 00:05:14.720 But we are living our Christian lives in the presence of one 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:17.579 who we are to be fearful of and tremble at. 00:05:17.620 --> 00:05:19.079 Not in a sense of be afraid at, 00:05:19.139 --> 00:05:23.939 but one who is awesome in glory and power and exaltation. 00:05:24.579 --> 00:05:28.240 We live our lives in the presence of the exalted King Jesus. 00:05:29.379 --> 00:05:31.139 And he's not on a YouTube channel, 00:05:31.540 --> 00:05:33.300 but he is in the heavenly places, 00:05:33.300 --> 00:05:35.660 and he is eternally aware of what we're doing. 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:38.000 And that should make us take Christian living seriously, 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:39.500 with fear and trembling. 00:05:40.400 --> 00:05:41.939 But there's actually more to it than that, isn't there? 00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:43.160 If Paul left it there, 00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:45.819 we might think that Christian living was done in our own strength, 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:49.100 as if the acknowledgement of the presence of Jesus 00:05:49.100 --> 00:05:52.019 was enough to drive us in our own strength 00:05:52.019 --> 00:05:53.439 to live the Christian life, 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:55.360 as if God had saved us through Christ. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:57.240 And you guys, you better get on with it then. 00:05:57.319 --> 00:05:58.800 You better get on with living the Christian life. 00:05:58.860 --> 00:05:59.960 But it's not like that at all, is it? 00:05:59.959 --> 00:06:02.579 Instead, look at verse 13. 00:06:02.579 --> 00:06:06.779 We're to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. 00:06:07.019 --> 00:06:07.159 Why? 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:11.239 For it is God who is at work to will and to act 00:06:11.239 --> 00:06:13.680 in order to fulfill his good purpose. 00:06:14.819 --> 00:06:15.939 This is incredible. 00:06:16.120 --> 00:06:16.939 It's Bible logic, 00:06:17.060 --> 00:06:18.799 because it makes no sense in any other way. 00:06:19.179 --> 00:06:21.060 It's a logical Bible logic, if you like. 00:06:21.060 --> 00:06:24.939 We work hard, but actually it is God 00:06:24.939 --> 00:06:27.319 who is not only changing what we desire, 00:06:28.019 --> 00:06:30.339 but also giving us the power to do it. 00:06:30.899 --> 00:06:34.240 He is at work, not only just on our wills and our desires, 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:36.620 but also in our actions. 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:39.459 For it is God is at work in you to will 00:06:39.459 --> 00:06:42.500 and to act according to, 00:06:42.699 --> 00:06:45.079 or in order to fulfill his good purposes. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:47.600 So that working out our salvation 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:50.760 is something that we really, really want to do 00:06:50.760 --> 00:06:53.860 because God really, really wants us to do it. 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:57.040 And it's something we work really, really hard to do 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:00.500 because God is working really, really hard for us to do it. 00:07:01.660 --> 00:07:04.360 It's the same in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 10. 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:06.260 Did I actually put the verse on your handout 00:07:06.260 --> 00:07:08.260 or did I type it out? 00:07:08.320 --> 00:07:09.120 So yeah, here you go. 00:07:09.200 --> 00:07:10.620 1 Corinthians 15, verse 10. 00:07:11.160 --> 00:07:11.700 Paul says, 00:07:11.699 --> 00:07:14.079 But by the grace of God, I am what I am. 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:16.839 And his grace to me was not without effect. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:19.699 No, I worked harder than all of them. 00:07:20.219 --> 00:07:22.000 He experiences the grace of God 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:25.199 and he works harder than all the other apostles. 00:07:26.300 --> 00:07:27.800 Yet not I, he says, 00:07:27.899 --> 00:07:29.759 but the grace of God that was with me. 00:07:30.680 --> 00:07:33.300 In other words, he is working hard by the grace of God, 00:07:33.379 --> 00:07:35.680 whether then it is I or they. 00:07:36.039 --> 00:07:38.579 This is what we preach and this is what you believed. 00:07:38.579 --> 00:07:41.839 I was thinking about this. 00:07:41.939 --> 00:07:44.139 I think it's impossible to illustrate this. 00:07:45.359 --> 00:07:50.519 I think you might think that we are like the engine of a car 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:52.279 and God gives us the fuel. 00:07:53.139 --> 00:07:54.439 But actually, that's not right, is it? 00:07:54.459 --> 00:07:56.959 Because he is both the fuel and the engine. 00:07:57.259 --> 00:07:59.299 But if you say that God is both the fuel and the engine, 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:01.039 that might make me feel like you're just a passenger 00:08:01.039 --> 00:08:01.799 in your Christian life 00:08:01.799 --> 00:08:03.319 and you just sit back and let God do it all. 00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:05.740 But of course, that's not right either, is it? 00:08:05.740 --> 00:08:09.900 No, it's more like, I suppose, if you... 00:08:09.900 --> 00:08:10.800 I don't know whether this works, 00:08:10.860 --> 00:08:13.699 but it's like God has done a complete nut and bolt restoration 00:08:13.699 --> 00:08:16.079 of the engine of our lives 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:17.879 and has swapped the gearbox around 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:19.480 so that it's going in the opposite direction 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:20.400 to what it was going in before. 00:08:20.980 --> 00:08:23.960 So he is doing the work and he is giving us the fuel. 00:08:24.060 --> 00:08:26.240 He has given us new passions and new energy 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:29.180 and so that we are going in the opposite direction 00:08:29.180 --> 00:08:30.420 than we were going before, 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:32.060 full of the fuel of the spirit. 00:08:32.059 --> 00:08:35.619 But we are driving hard in the Christian life, 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:37.199 working out our salvation. 00:08:38.719 --> 00:08:40.019 So what I want you to think about 00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:41.619 just with the person next to you 00:08:41.619 --> 00:08:43.179 in just for a few minutes 00:08:43.179 --> 00:08:44.259 and then you can feed back to me 00:08:44.259 --> 00:08:47.179 is why is it important that we understand 00:08:47.179 --> 00:08:48.519 God is at work within us? 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.419 How does this help us avoid these two errors? 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.819 One is legalism and the other is laziness. 00:08:55.359 --> 00:08:58.459 Okay, how does this prevent us 00:08:58.459 --> 00:09:00.559 from legalism or from laziness? 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:02.239 Why is it important that we understand 00:09:02.239 --> 00:09:03.439 God is at work within us? 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:07.799 How does this help us avoid legalism and laziness? 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:09.819 Speak to the person next to you for a couple of moments. 00:09:09.979 --> 00:09:12.739 If you're online, you can speak in your little group 00:09:12.739 --> 00:09:14.519 or you can think on your own. 00:09:17.779 --> 00:09:21.799 Okay, sorry if I'm interrupting your conversations, 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.519 but let's share some of our thoughts. 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:30.139 How does this prevent us from falling into legalism or laziness? 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:33.879 Anyone want to help us out? 00:09:35.319 --> 00:09:36.179 Yeah, yeah. 00:09:36.980 --> 00:09:39.879 Yes, if I understand salvation properly, 00:09:40.199 --> 00:09:42.179 I'm going to want to work hard. 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:45.139 What else do you say then, Ray? 00:09:45.199 --> 00:09:46.279 Sorry, finish that off for me. 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:51.100 It's just that if God is working in us, 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:54.860 if we understand it correctly, 00:09:54.980 --> 00:09:57.100 because you can understand it in a 40 way, 00:09:57.299 --> 00:10:00.699 if God is working within us and we understand that, 00:10:01.839 --> 00:10:05.419 we won't want to be lazy. 00:10:06.319 --> 00:10:09.120 We will be wanting to honour what God is doing. 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:10.220 Yes, yes. 00:10:10.820 --> 00:10:12.299 We will want to honour what God is doing. 00:10:12.580 --> 00:10:12.899 Yes. 00:10:13.740 --> 00:10:16.840 There is a sense in which God has given us something great and brilliant 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:17.899 in the gospel, isn't it? 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:21.600 Regeneration gives us a whole new life and a whole new motive. 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:24.600 And so we're going to want to use that, right? 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:26.080 We're going to want to live that out. 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:29.259 Like, how crazy to be given a whole new set of desires 00:10:29.259 --> 00:10:32.000 and a whole new set of energy and not want to do it. 00:10:32.379 --> 00:10:33.320 That'd be nuts, wouldn't it? 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:36.100 It'd be like me handing you the keys of a sports car 00:10:36.100 --> 00:10:37.480 and you going, oh yeah, very interesting, 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:39.659 and then just walking off and not driving it. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:42.659 Like, the Lord has given us a desire to love him 00:10:42.659 --> 00:10:46.000 that we never had before and the Spirit's power to do it. 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:48.860 Oh, wow, what an amazing way to live. 00:10:48.940 --> 00:10:50.399 Let's get on and do that. 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:51.840 I don't want to be lazy about that. 00:10:52.019 --> 00:10:53.019 Yeah, I want to get on and do that. 00:10:53.019 --> 00:10:54.680 What about legalism? 00:10:57.980 --> 00:10:58.940 Go on, Elise. 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:03.159 We're not earning our way. 00:11:03.580 --> 00:11:03.779 Yeah. 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:04.740 Yeah. 00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:06.899 We're not doing it because, you know, 00:11:06.899 --> 00:11:08.700 our thoughts are going to actually do it. 00:11:08.779 --> 00:11:09.000 Yeah. 00:11:09.740 --> 00:11:13.340 We say, it's the idea of actually going to be a saving me 00:11:13.340 --> 00:11:17.799 and becoming believers, the Spirit works in us 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:19.879 to give these desires to do those things 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:21.820 in accordance with God's will. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:22.299 Yeah. 00:11:22.539 --> 00:11:25.820 So it's like, it's not because we really want to 00:11:25.820 --> 00:11:27.120 because we just have to do it. 00:11:27.399 --> 00:11:27.580 Yeah. 00:11:27.580 --> 00:11:29.980 It's like we have this desire that we really want to do it 00:11:29.980 --> 00:11:32.379 to serve the Lord and to the glory of him. 00:11:32.379 --> 00:11:32.779 Yeah. 00:11:33.179 --> 00:11:35.639 So the desire to do it comes not from ourselves. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:38.100 So it can't be legalism because we're not earning anything 00:11:38.100 --> 00:11:39.659 with something that we've been given. 00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:40.200 Yeah. 00:11:41.159 --> 00:11:42.039 Yeah, that's right. 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:44.000 Yeah. 00:11:45.059 --> 00:11:48.580 This is the offense of legalism, right? 00:11:49.299 --> 00:11:52.539 It tries to take what God has given us 00:11:52.539 --> 00:11:54.980 and pay him off with it. 00:11:54.980 --> 00:11:55.259 Right? 00:11:55.340 --> 00:11:58.100 See, which is just such a stupid thing to do, isn't it? 00:11:58.820 --> 00:12:02.379 If God has given us new desires and new energy to live for him, 00:12:02.460 --> 00:12:04.540 the idea that then we could pay him with that 00:12:04.540 --> 00:12:09.139 when we've received it is utter nonsense, isn't it? 00:12:09.920 --> 00:12:11.620 So this defends us against legalism 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:13.840 because actually God gets the glory. 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:17.500 You see that, don't you, in the 1 Corinthians 15 passage 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:19.220 that I mentioned, that Paul is not afraid to say 00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:20.279 that you work really hard 00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:21.800 and lots of really brilliant things happen, 00:12:21.899 --> 00:12:24.320 but he's saying, no, that was grace at work in me. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:26.820 It wasn't actually for my glory or for me. 00:12:28.760 --> 00:12:29.900 Okay, let's move on. 00:12:30.300 --> 00:12:31.940 Verse 14, the second instruction, 00:12:32.220 --> 00:12:35.720 do everything without grumbling or arguing. 00:12:36.680 --> 00:12:38.379 Now, I think you could make a very good case 00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:39.520 for this being the instruction 00:12:39.520 --> 00:12:41.300 that is at the center of the whole passage. 00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:43.620 I'm not sure, but I think it's probably 00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:44.860 the only one in the imperative 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:46.860 that we were talking about last week. 00:12:46.940 --> 00:12:48.420 All of those are more passive. 00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:50.860 And it comes with a reason as well, doesn't it? 00:12:50.860 --> 00:12:55.740 So that, verse 15, you may become blameless and pure 00:12:55.740 --> 00:12:57.519 children of God without fault 00:12:57.519 --> 00:12:59.820 in a warped and crooked generation. 00:13:00.419 --> 00:13:04.039 Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:07.019 I think this is utterly astonishing, okay? 00:13:07.060 --> 00:13:09.200 If I was to be mean and play a trick on you, 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:10.120 I'm not going to do this, 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:11.940 but if I was to be mean and play a trick on you, 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:14.320 and I say to you, I want you to speak 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:15.159 to the person next to you, 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:17.159 and I want you, no context, 00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:19.679 just to define what it is to be pure 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:20.980 and blameless as a Christian, 00:13:21.319 --> 00:13:22.879 what you might come up with. 00:13:23.259 --> 00:13:24.259 I think you might come up with 00:13:24.259 --> 00:13:25.159 all sorts of different things. 00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:27.179 You might come up with something 00:13:27.179 --> 00:13:28.899 relating to humility, 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:30.879 or to commitment to the life 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:32.120 and ministry of a local church, 00:13:32.219 --> 00:13:33.819 or to reading your Bible, 00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:35.379 or to having pure thoughts, 00:13:35.539 --> 00:13:37.679 or to not watching too much television, 00:13:37.779 --> 00:13:38.559 or whatever it is. 00:13:38.939 --> 00:13:41.379 And then I would say, ha ha, I got you. 00:13:41.439 --> 00:13:42.819 No, because being pure and blameless 00:13:42.819 --> 00:13:44.059 is not about any of those things. 00:13:44.539 --> 00:13:46.039 Paul's description of the blameless 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:48.799 and pure life has one instruction to it, 00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:50.779 and it's this, stop grumbling 00:13:50.779 --> 00:13:52.399 and stop arguing. 00:13:53.339 --> 00:13:54.799 Now, of course, that's not because 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:56.639 Paul thinks that grumbling and arguing 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:58.679 are the only sins in the Christian life. 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:00.059 That would be completely illogical. 00:14:00.599 --> 00:14:02.159 Rather, I think it is because 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:03.919 in the context of Philippians, 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:06.899 Paul is concerned that grumbling 00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:09.259 and arguing are, get this, 00:14:09.599 --> 00:14:12.240 tolerated sins within the Christian community. 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:13.679 That's, I think, the point. 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:15.339 This, if you like, 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:17.399 is the blind spot of the Corinthian church. 00:14:17.479 --> 00:14:18.120 The Corinthian church, 00:14:18.179 --> 00:14:20.899 which are so committed to gospel partnership, 00:14:21.419 --> 00:14:22.539 that take Christian ministry 00:14:22.539 --> 00:14:23.739 and mission so seriously, 00:14:24.259 --> 00:14:25.559 that is massively committed 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:28.120 to the faithfulness of gospel ministry. 00:14:28.599 --> 00:14:28.679 Right? 00:14:28.739 --> 00:14:31.599 So they are hugely committed to faithfulness. 00:14:31.699 --> 00:14:34.439 There's no doctrinal corrections here. 00:14:35.219 --> 00:14:37.500 Yet, they have this blind spot 00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:41.379 that they tolerate moaning, grumbling. 00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:44.299 I think probably the two things, 00:14:44.419 --> 00:14:45.240 the grumbling and arguing, 00:14:45.439 --> 00:14:48.559 one, I think, is the internalization of moaning. 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:51.000 It's what we do under our breath or on our own. 00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:53.580 And arguing is the externalization of it 00:14:53.580 --> 00:14:55.179 when we moan to others 00:14:55.179 --> 00:14:58.279 and we disagree and discuss with them about it. 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:01.039 I suggest to you this evening 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:03.679 that there's not a more challenging verse 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:07.860 in the Bible for us on a Sunday evening. 00:15:07.860 --> 00:15:10.300 We're the church keynos here. 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:10.980 I don't know whether you know that, 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:12.220 but you are the church keynos. 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:13.980 Yeah, you're the Twicers, right? 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:14.879 Most of you. 00:15:15.860 --> 00:15:17.639 And yet, here, I think, 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:19.460 is a blind spot for all of us. 00:15:19.580 --> 00:15:21.580 Here is what we might not have noticed, 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:23.820 but which is a blemish on our walk with the Lord, 00:15:24.300 --> 00:15:25.639 which is that we grumble, 00:15:26.300 --> 00:15:27.000 we complain, 00:15:27.419 --> 00:15:28.019 we moan, 00:15:28.180 --> 00:15:28.840 we gripe, 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:29.560 we argue. 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:31.879 And that means, verse 15, 00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:33.139 that if we're like that, 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:34.539 we fail to stand out 00:15:34.539 --> 00:15:36.099 in a warped and crooked generation 00:15:36.099 --> 00:15:36.860 that we live in. 00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:41.000 And we don't shine like stars in the sky. 00:15:41.659 --> 00:15:42.019 In other words, 00:15:42.059 --> 00:15:43.079 I think the point is, 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:47.240 if you grumble and argue, 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:49.620 you are just like the world. 00:15:50.439 --> 00:15:51.539 I mean, they grumble and argue 00:15:51.539 --> 00:15:52.759 about different things, right? 00:15:52.779 --> 00:15:53.679 They're not grumbling and arguing 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.120 about the things that we're arguing about 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:56.399 because they're not interested in those things. 00:15:56.519 --> 00:15:58.319 They're grumbling about other things. 00:15:58.899 --> 00:16:00.899 But actually, we just blend in. 00:16:02.019 --> 00:16:03.120 It's interesting, isn't it? 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:04.360 It's like this in 1 Corinthians 10. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:06.019 Turn, actually, to 1 Corinthians 10 00:16:06.019 --> 00:16:07.120 because we're going to spend 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:08.139 a little bit of time just there 00:16:08.139 --> 00:16:09.799 explaining this. 00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:12.259 Page 1151. 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:16.179 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:21.399 This is brilliant from Paul. 00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:23.799 For I do not want you to be ignorant 00:16:23.799 --> 00:16:25.659 of the fact, brothers and sisters, 00:16:25.820 --> 00:16:29.000 that our ancestors were all under a cloud 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:30.399 and that they passed through the sea. 00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:31.759 It's really fascinating here. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:33.200 Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, 00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:35.819 wants to invite them into the Old Testament 00:16:35.819 --> 00:16:37.720 as if it were their ancestors. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:40.139 Listen, I know not all of them 00:16:40.139 --> 00:16:40.899 are from Jewish backgrounds, 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:42.980 but I want you to read the Old Testament 00:16:42.980 --> 00:16:46.639 as being the story of your story, 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:47.580 of your ancestors. 00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:50.840 They were all baptized into Moses 00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:52.240 in the cloud and in the sea. 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.159 They all ate the same spiritual food 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:55.720 and drank the same spiritual drink, 00:16:55.779 --> 00:16:57.299 for they drank from the spiritual rock 00:16:57.299 --> 00:16:58.159 that accompanied them, 00:16:58.220 --> 00:16:59.480 and that rock was Christ. 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:00.519 Wow. 00:17:00.800 --> 00:17:02.159 Okay, your mind is now blown. 00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:05.339 How can the rock in the desert be Christ? 00:17:05.500 --> 00:17:07.579 How can walking through the Red Sea 00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:08.860 be baptism? 00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:10.539 Anyway, you can ask those questions 00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:12.180 to Nick at the end. 00:17:12.620 --> 00:17:14.660 Nevertheless, God was not pleased 00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.519 with most of them 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.720 and their bodies were scattered 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:17.519 in the wilderness. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:20.079 So you know that, don't you, 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:21.339 from your Old Testament story, 00:17:21.460 --> 00:17:23.980 that actually, despite all these great experiences 00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:25.779 of the saving power of God, 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:26.920 rescuing them from Egypt, 00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:30.839 still, the wilderness is full of the bodies 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:32.940 of fallen Israelites. 00:17:33.639 --> 00:17:36.240 Now, these things occurred as examples 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:38.019 to keep us from setting our hearts 00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:39.519 on evil things as they did. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.680 Okay, so, Paul's saying, 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:42.799 the Old Testament history 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:44.099 of the people of Israel 00:17:44.099 --> 00:17:45.400 being brought through the wilderness 00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:48.140 is there, not only to tell us what happened, 00:17:48.220 --> 00:17:49.720 but also to teach us 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:50.980 not to fall into the same sins. 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:52.519 Okay, then, Paul, what are the sins? 00:17:52.560 --> 00:17:53.440 What are the sins of the Israelites? 00:17:53.660 --> 00:17:55.120 Okay, number one, verse seven, 00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:56.880 don't be idolaters as some of them were. 00:17:57.280 --> 00:17:58.600 Okay, so don't worship other gods 00:17:58.600 --> 00:18:00.320 as some of them did. 00:18:00.380 --> 00:18:00.920 As it's written, 00:18:01.019 --> 00:18:02.640 the people sat down to eat and drink 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:04.400 and got up to indulge in revelry. 00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:05.460 It's the first thing, 00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:06.080 don't be an idolater. 00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:07.160 Secondly, verse eight, 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:09.400 we should not commit a sexual immorality 00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:10.160 as some of them did. 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:13.340 And in one day, 23,000 of them died. 00:18:14.900 --> 00:18:16.620 Verse nine, the third one, 00:18:16.660 --> 00:18:18.420 we shouldn't test Christ 00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:19.279 as some of them did 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:21.080 and were killed by snakes. 00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:23.200 Again, Christ is in the Old Testament. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:25.040 Their failure to obey 00:18:25.040 --> 00:18:26.460 is a testing of Christ. 00:18:27.340 --> 00:18:29.180 And fourthly, 00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:31.560 and I think we probably just skip over this, 00:18:31.620 --> 00:18:32.620 but this is really important, isn't it? 00:18:32.620 --> 00:18:34.660 We understand idolatry, sexual immorality. 00:18:35.100 --> 00:18:36.080 We understand that we're not supposed 00:18:36.080 --> 00:18:36.660 to test Christ. 00:18:36.660 --> 00:18:37.380 Verse 10, 00:18:37.860 --> 00:18:40.680 and do not grumble as some of them did 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:44.140 and were killed by the destroying angel. 00:18:44.820 --> 00:18:46.340 I think Paul probably has in mind 00:18:46.340 --> 00:18:47.460 that Numbers 14, 00:18:47.560 --> 00:18:48.779 when the spies come back 00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:50.140 from the promised land 00:18:50.140 --> 00:18:52.680 to persuade the people that actually, 00:18:52.840 --> 00:18:53.140 do you know what? 00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:54.300 The promised land is amazing, 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:56.240 but it's way too hard for us to get there. 00:18:56.620 --> 00:18:56.860 We're not gonna, 00:18:57.360 --> 00:18:57.680 you know, 00:18:57.740 --> 00:18:59.200 with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, 00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:00.320 the rest of them are like, 00:19:00.460 --> 00:19:01.400 there's no way, 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.660 there's no way we'll be able to get there. 00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:04.040 There was no way we'll be able to conquer that. 00:19:04.039 --> 00:19:06.639 And so the Israelites moan and complain, 00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:07.519 have you brought us here 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:08.480 to kill us in the desert? 00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:09.139 You know, 00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:10.799 I wish that we'd just stayed in Egypt. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:12.200 And they grumble and they moan. 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:14.779 It's that we'd be better off 00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:15.859 if we weren't even Christians. 00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:17.819 Life would be easier 00:19:17.819 --> 00:19:20.399 if we weren't trying to do this thing called church. 00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:22.700 And they grumble and they moan. 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:26.059 And that whole generation litter the wilderness 00:19:26.059 --> 00:19:27.920 with their dead bodies 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:30.559 because they grumbled. 00:19:31.139 --> 00:19:31.879 Because they grumbled. 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:34.560 Now, 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:36.380 I want you just in your pairs 00:19:36.380 --> 00:19:37.260 or groups or whatever 00:19:37.260 --> 00:19:39.100 to think about the answer to this question. 00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:40.200 Then we'll talk about it together. 00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:42.780 What do Christians tend to grumble about 00:19:42.780 --> 00:19:43.540 and why? 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:46.620 And why do we tend not to take it seriously? 00:19:47.520 --> 00:19:47.660 Okay, 00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:48.320 have a think about that. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:49.580 I don't think it's a difficult question. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:51.720 What do Christians tend to grumble about 00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:52.380 and why? 00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:54.800 And why do we tend not to take it seriously? 00:19:55.700 --> 00:19:56.680 And then we'll talk about it together. 00:19:56.680 --> 00:19:57.180 Okay. 00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:02.799 Do you want to share our answers? 00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:06.900 Great. 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:08.799 Let me repeat that for the Zoomers. 00:20:09.840 --> 00:20:10.200 Yeah, 00:20:10.360 --> 00:20:12.440 we grumble when we feel entitled to something 00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:13.299 and we don't get it. 00:20:13.560 --> 00:20:13.720 Yeah. 00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:15.120 Thank you, Charleston. 00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:15.799 That's really helpful. 00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:16.279 Yes. 00:20:18.339 --> 00:20:19.539 So that's really helpful, Mike. 00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:22.299 We want to distinguish between a sinful grumbling 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:25.799 and complaining in a sort of sinful sense 00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:28.799 and that it is right to raise things 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:29.839 that are not right 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:31.539 and to seek resolution to them. 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:33.700 And you see that, don't you? 00:20:33.779 --> 00:20:34.779 Particularly in the Psalms. 00:20:35.139 --> 00:20:37.819 The Psalmist is raising complaints with the Lord 00:20:37.819 --> 00:20:38.480 about things that... 00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:39.200 Yeah. 00:20:39.539 --> 00:20:39.700 Yeah. 00:20:39.819 --> 00:20:42.659 So that's a really helpful corrective. 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.200 Thank you, Mike. 00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:44.940 We do need to distinguish between that. 00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:46.200 We're not saying that Christians 00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:47.660 are never allowed to say anything bad. 00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:48.120 Yeah? 00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:52.000 So I think we've tried just to find out on you. 00:20:52.620 --> 00:20:53.660 So what would be a test? 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:55.680 What is the acid test of the difference 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:57.580 between righteous complaining 00:20:57.580 --> 00:20:59.299 and unrighteous grumbling? 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:00.880 Yeah. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:02.680 Mike? 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:03.039 Yeah. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:05.680 I wonder if... 00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:07.900 That's one of the sorts of questions 00:21:07.900 --> 00:21:11.100 which is really difficult to give a definition to right now 00:21:11.100 --> 00:21:12.279 but you kind of know. 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.120 in your own heart. 00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:16.319 Does that make sense? 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:19.600 I wonder if maybe then the distinction, Liz, 00:21:19.660 --> 00:21:21.819 is that sinful grumbling 00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:24.600 is not seeking any resolution 00:21:24.600 --> 00:21:26.539 other than airing it, right? 00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:30.500 Whereas complaining is seeking some kind of resolution 00:21:30.500 --> 00:21:32.519 with the Lord or with others, isn't it? 00:21:32.900 --> 00:21:34.580 So actually if I'm... 00:21:34.580 --> 00:21:36.059 Grumbling is that self-fulfilling thing 00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:37.640 where actually all I really want to do 00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:39.039 is moan or grumble about it. 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:40.640 I don't actually really want anything to change 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:41.940 because I'm not really desiring change. 00:21:42.020 --> 00:21:43.800 I'm just grumbling. 00:21:43.800 --> 00:21:44.759 Can you still decide? 00:21:45.020 --> 00:21:45.740 Jen at the back? 00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:46.980 Yes. 00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:47.940 Yeah. 00:21:49.100 --> 00:21:49.460 Yeah. 00:21:49.520 --> 00:21:50.980 It could be to do with your motives. 00:21:51.780 --> 00:21:51.940 Yeah. 00:21:52.380 --> 00:21:52.759 Jeff? 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:54.080 Yeah. 00:21:54.740 --> 00:21:55.180 Yes. 00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:57.660 Yeah. 00:21:57.720 --> 00:21:59.940 Grumbling is the opposite of thankfulness, isn't it? 00:22:00.020 --> 00:22:00.860 In that sense. 00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:01.180 Yeah. 00:22:01.560 --> 00:22:01.800 Yeah. 00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:05.159 Do we ever have a right to be angry with God? 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:06.659 I don't think so. 00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:09.180 I mean, I think we might be... 00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:12.500 There might be times when it's right and okay to, 00:22:13.059 --> 00:22:14.000 like we were saying before, 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:16.019 raise a complaint with God about the situations 00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:17.399 and circumstances that we're facing 00:22:17.399 --> 00:22:18.500 in a psalmist-like way. 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:21.659 I'm really struck... 00:22:21.659 --> 00:22:24.259 When God comes and speaks to Jonah under the tree 00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:24.480 and goes, 00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:26.599 do you do well to be angry? 00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:28.500 And the answer is, 00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:30.220 no, you don't, Jonah. 00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:30.779 No. 00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:31.460 Yeah. 00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:36.720 Why do we not tend to take grumbling seriously? 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:41.480 Why do you think this is a blind spot? 00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:44.240 Yeah. 00:22:44.860 --> 00:22:45.299 Great. 00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:45.660 Yeah. 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:46.920 Because it's so normal. 00:22:47.100 --> 00:22:48.140 Because everybody does it. 00:22:48.339 --> 00:22:48.460 Yeah. 00:22:49.400 --> 00:22:49.799 Yeah. 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:50.519 Yeah. 00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:52.940 And people grumble in all sorts of different forums 00:22:52.940 --> 00:22:54.339 about all sorts of different things. 00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:54.700 Yeah. 00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:57.000 It's challenging, isn't it? 00:22:57.339 --> 00:22:58.000 It's challenging. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:22:58.360 Right. 00:22:58.359 --> 00:23:01.379 Let's do the final instruction. 00:23:03.179 --> 00:23:04.259 Verse 16. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:07.719 Hold firmly to the word of life. 00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:10.379 Hold on. 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:13.619 Hold firmly without letting go to the word of life. 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:15.059 There's a reason for it as well, isn't there? 00:23:15.099 --> 00:23:16.399 Second half of verse 16. 00:23:17.399 --> 00:23:18.419 And or so, 00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:21.940 then I will be able to boast that my running wasn't vain 00:23:21.940 --> 00:23:23.580 and my labors were not vain. 00:23:25.140 --> 00:23:27.180 Now, it's worth noticing what Paul is doing here. 00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:28.980 He's consistently doing this in the passage. 00:23:29.100 --> 00:23:30.740 He's pushing us forward to action 00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:33.140 and then pushing us back onto the word of God 00:23:33.140 --> 00:23:34.440 all at the same time. 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:37.980 So hold firmly to the word of life. 00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:42.640 He's pushing us back into the word of God. 00:23:43.120 --> 00:23:44.960 This work, you know, do this. 00:23:45.259 --> 00:23:46.140 Do this work. 00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:46.579 Go. 00:23:46.819 --> 00:23:47.319 Change. 00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:48.120 Hold. 00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:48.720 Trust. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:50.160 Rely at the same time. 00:23:50.860 --> 00:23:53.700 You know, in a sense, forward motion in the Christian life 00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:57.019 is motion downwards into the word of God 00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:58.339 and the truths about Christ. 00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:02.559 You know, holding on is the same as moving on. 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:04.700 You know, Paul is running and laboring, 00:24:04.700 --> 00:24:07.819 but he doesn't want his running and laboring to be in vanity. 00:24:08.059 --> 00:24:10.720 He wants the Philippians to keep standing 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:13.319 and keep holding firm to exactly where they are 00:24:13.319 --> 00:24:15.100 in the truth of God's word. 00:24:16.080 --> 00:24:17.539 I guess it's true to say, isn't it, 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:19.940 that every generation of the church 00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:21.440 has a slightly different temptation 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:24.360 to let go of the gospel in a slightly different way. 00:24:24.840 --> 00:24:28.440 Each culture or each particular background or congregation 00:24:28.440 --> 00:24:30.600 has a slightly different nuanced temptation 00:24:30.600 --> 00:24:31.660 to abandon the truth. 00:24:32.340 --> 00:24:33.860 I think it was J.C. Ryle who said 00:24:33.859 --> 00:24:36.539 that the gospel itself is both very, very strong 00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.679 and powerful to save, 00:24:37.819 --> 00:24:39.779 but at the same time, it's very fragile 00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:41.439 because it's easy to break it. 00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:44.539 So you can break the gospel by adding to the gospel. 00:24:45.159 --> 00:24:48.579 You can break the gospel by subtracting from the gospel, 00:24:48.819 --> 00:24:51.599 or you can break the gospel by neglecting it 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:54.439 or by twisting it or tampering with it. 00:24:55.159 --> 00:24:58.479 It might be that we add to it rules or peripheral beliefs. 00:24:58.579 --> 00:25:00.839 It might be that we subtract from it 00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:02.299 so that it's fundamentally changed 00:25:02.299 --> 00:25:04.899 or that we just neglect to talk about it 00:25:04.899 --> 00:25:06.439 so that it is not heard. 00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:09.279 So I think it's worth us thinking, 00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:12.079 and we'll do this perhaps just as a big group 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:13.139 just before we finish. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:16.199 What are our temptations to let go of the gospel? 00:25:16.379 --> 00:25:18.039 How does this work in our culture? 00:25:18.039 --> 00:25:20.559 So when we're told to hold on, 00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:24.000 where do we find the pressure to let go? 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:26.180 And what are people's thoughts on that? 00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:28.799 Where are we tempted to let go 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:31.759 as we're told to hold firmly to the word of life? 00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:38.920 Yes, so the temptation to let go of the gospel 00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:41.480 because it seems like you get a better life 00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:42.299 by letting go. 00:25:42.819 --> 00:25:42.940 Yeah. 00:25:43.899 --> 00:25:46.200 That's the lie of the devil 00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:47.700 from the Garden of Eden, isn't it? 00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:49.759 He's God really good. 00:25:50.200 --> 00:25:50.539 Is he? 00:25:50.779 --> 00:25:51.879 Are you sure he is? 00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:53.639 Because he's withholding this from you. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:54.420 Are you sure he's good? 00:25:55.259 --> 00:25:55.460 Yeah. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:25:57.500 And it comes in all sorts of different guises, 00:25:57.639 --> 00:25:57.940 doesn't it? 00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:59.039 To all sorts of different people. 00:25:59.299 --> 00:25:59.440 Yeah. 00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:01.039 That's really helpful, thanks Lee. 00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:02.539 Anything else? 00:26:05.220 --> 00:26:05.619 Yeah. 00:26:05.899 --> 00:26:06.940 An intellectual idolatry. 00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:07.720 That's really fascinating. 00:26:08.019 --> 00:26:09.200 Would it be fair to summarize it 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:09.720 something like this, 00:26:09.779 --> 00:26:13.180 that you fail to hold on to the word of life 00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:17.200 by removing any sense of mystery 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:19.180 or the unknown in it? 00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:23.620 Yeah, so if you can fail to hold on to the word of life 00:26:23.620 --> 00:26:26.360 by making either God too simple, 00:26:26.740 --> 00:26:29.180 so that you just think you can understand everything about him, 00:26:29.400 --> 00:26:31.000 or Christian living easy. 00:26:31.660 --> 00:26:31.799 Yeah. 00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:32.079 Yeah. 00:26:33.019 --> 00:26:34.919 Yeah, so if your version of the Christian life is easy 00:26:34.919 --> 00:26:36.960 and your version of God is simple, 00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:38.500 then you have not really understood. 00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:38.940 Yeah. 00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:39.880 I mean, I was reading a statement 00:26:39.880 --> 00:26:42.619 about somebody that went into younger and stuff 00:26:42.619 --> 00:26:43.059 and they said, 00:26:43.180 --> 00:26:45.579 oh, this helps me to worship God better. 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:46.440 And I thought to myself, 00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:49.000 oh, it's because the view of God that you have done, 00:26:49.059 --> 00:26:49.680 there's no mystery. 00:26:49.859 --> 00:26:50.099 Yeah. 00:26:50.420 --> 00:26:50.740 Yeah. 00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:51.319 Interesting. 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.319 Yeah, that's helpful. 00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:54.559 Yeah. 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:55.339 Yeah. 00:26:55.339 --> 00:26:55.359 Yeah. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:55.900 To make up for something 00:26:55.900 --> 00:26:57.700 that they left in their relationship with God. 00:26:57.880 --> 00:26:58.119 Yeah. 00:26:59.859 --> 00:27:01.119 That is really interesting. 00:27:01.380 --> 00:27:01.740 Yes. 00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:03.400 Do you compromise, 00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:06.900 whether it's work or relationships 00:27:06.900 --> 00:27:09.019 or whatever, 00:27:11.060 --> 00:27:11.720 that it's, 00:27:12.060 --> 00:27:13.380 and it's almost like the fear of men, 00:27:14.320 --> 00:27:14.820 in a way, 00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:18.360 because you know what the gospel is all about, 00:27:19.580 --> 00:27:20.780 but the compromise may be, 00:27:20.840 --> 00:27:21.180 well, actually, 00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:22.240 I'm not going to actually say, 00:27:22.340 --> 00:27:23.540 like, I'm going to water it down. 00:27:23.660 --> 00:27:23.900 Yeah. 00:27:24.040 --> 00:27:25.640 Or I'm not going to live the way 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:27.240 the Bible says to live. 00:27:27.400 --> 00:27:28.700 Otherwise, I may not have friends 00:27:28.700 --> 00:27:30.600 or I may not have a job or whatever. 00:27:30.600 --> 00:27:31.040 Yeah. 00:27:31.420 --> 00:27:33.600 And we find ourselves compromising 00:27:33.600 --> 00:27:34.759 the truth of the gospel 00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:38.299 in order to achieve our aim. 00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:39.859 Yeah. 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:40.720 Yeah. 00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:41.359 Yeah. 00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:43.039 So we can compromise the truth 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:45.099 in order to try and get ourselves on in life. 00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:45.519 Yeah. 00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:47.740 Oh, the Christian life's too hard, 00:27:47.819 --> 00:27:48.220 too difficult. 00:27:48.339 --> 00:27:48.819 We're not going to, 00:27:48.879 --> 00:27:50.339 we're going to twist and compromise it that way. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:51.339 Last bit, Charleston. 00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:51.519 Yeah. 00:27:51.579 --> 00:27:51.660 Okay. 00:27:53.539 --> 00:27:53.940 Yes. 00:27:54.299 --> 00:27:55.539 I think you're right, Charleston. 00:27:55.640 --> 00:27:57.420 I think the pressure to compromise 00:27:57.420 --> 00:27:59.480 around relationships 00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:00.720 in all sorts of different ways 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:01.619 is massive, isn't it? 00:28:01.799 --> 00:28:02.019 Yeah. 00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:02.599 Massive. 00:28:02.599 --> 00:28:03.480 Yeah. 00:28:04.419 --> 00:28:04.819 Great. 00:28:05.139 --> 00:28:06.619 We've run out of time. 00:28:07.539 --> 00:28:09.099 Paul just wraps up this section, 00:28:09.199 --> 00:28:09.459 doesn't he, 00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:11.159 with his joy and gladness 00:28:11.159 --> 00:28:14.079 that's interestingly not dependent 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:15.419 on him playing a big part, 00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:16.899 but rather in verse 17 00:28:16.899 --> 00:28:18.199 that he is like the drink offering, 00:28:18.779 --> 00:28:20.759 the small libation, 00:28:20.859 --> 00:28:21.439 as it was called, 00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:22.959 poured out on the big offering 00:28:22.959 --> 00:28:24.039 of the Philippian church 00:28:24.039 --> 00:28:25.659 in sacrificial service of the Lord. 00:28:26.399 --> 00:28:27.059 Paul is just happy. 00:28:27.099 --> 00:28:28.619 I get to play a part in this 00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:29.980 and that's enough for me 00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:31.759 in joyful participation 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:33.120 in what Christ is doing in them. 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:33.940 And he says, 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:34.640 verse 18, 00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:36.539 that that should bring them joy too. 00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:39.519 So you too should be glad 00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:41.259 and rejoice with me. 00:28:41.380 --> 00:28:41.880 In other words, 00:28:41.940 --> 00:28:43.019 and we'll end with this thought, 00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:44.480 Paul knows of no better way 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.400 to be happy, 00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:47.700 to be a happy Christian 00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:49.440 than to pour out yourself 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.660 in the service of others 00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:51.779 to the glory of Christ. 00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:53.819 If you're not happy 00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:55.940 or joyful as a Christian, 00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:57.899 then this is the way 00:28:57.899 --> 00:28:58.680 to find joy, 00:28:58.779 --> 00:29:00.180 to pour yourself out 00:29:00.180 --> 00:29:01.339 in the service of others 00:29:01.339 --> 00:29:02.420 to the glory of Christ. 00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:03.359 Let me pray 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:04.079 and then we'll stand 00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:05.000 and sing as we praise. 00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:07.839 Heavenly Father, 00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:09.740 these have been challenging words 00:29:09.740 --> 00:29:10.879 for us this evening. 00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:13.420 And so we pray, please, 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:14.579 that you might help us 00:29:14.579 --> 00:29:16.279 to work out our salvation 00:29:16.279 --> 00:29:17.559 with fear and trembling. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:19.920 We pray that you might help us 00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:20.559 to do everything 00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:22.379 without grumbling or arguing. 00:29:23.379 --> 00:29:25.059 And we pray that you might help us 00:29:25.059 --> 00:29:25.960 to hold firmly 00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:27.099 to the word of life. 00:29:28.059 --> 00:29:29.279 And even as we say 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:30.500 and pray these things, 00:29:30.679 --> 00:29:32.779 we know and we rejoice 00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:34.279 in the fact that it is you 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:35.559 who is at work in us 00:29:35.559 --> 00:29:37.119 to will and to act 00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:39.119 according to your good purpose. 00:29:39.419 --> 00:29:40.700 So we praise your name 00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:42.519 in Jesus' name. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:43.319 Amen. 00:29:43.980 --> 00:29:44.339 Amen.