Every week I sit down and write a blog post about my pastor’s sermon. I’m going to do it a little differently today. I’m going to give you the scripture reference and then give you just a few things that I took away from the sermon.
4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross? 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is a over every name, 10th at at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11am every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Philippians 2:4-12
1. As we try to be better, we can focus on our progress so much that we can become self-centered. For example, when Peter walks on water, he loses sight of Jesus and begins to sink. Did he perhaps think that it was himself that brought about this act? No one else but Jesus had ever done it!
We must be aware that we can become so absorbed in what we’re striving toward that we begin to forget where our skills from. I can see how a musician could spend so much time perfecting their skills, that they forget to spend time in prayer and worship, or even to read their Bible. The skill, the calling came from God and we have to fear that we don’t fall into that trap!
2. There is danger in becoming too comfortable in your faith. Feeling like you’ve got it all figured out, you’ve “arrived”!
If Jesus himself became a servant instead of taking on equality with God, shouldn’t we give some thought to the fact that we should pattern our lives after Him. We’re supposed to be more like Jesus, right? I know I’ve got a long way to go. It doesn’t matter how much I study, pray, or practice, there’s still a lot more I can learn about Jesus and his character. Every time I read the Bible I feel like something else is revealed to me. We are all at a different place in our journey and that’s okay.
3. Working out our salvation is an ongoing thing. We pray, we read our Bibles, we go to church. But where are we putting our efforts? Why is God not moving?
God’s not moving because we think we’ve already got it figured out. We’re arrogant to think we’ve arrived. God has so much more for us than we can even imagine. But we’re too busy patting ourselves on the back for what we’ve done, that we’re not even considering what else we need to do. When was the last time you fell to your knees in confession of your sins and praised God for loving you anyway? Thanked Jesus for sacrificing himself on the cross so that you could have everlasting life?
It’s easy to look at someone else and point out their faults. Much more difficult to open our eyes enough to see our own inadequacies.
Instead of waiting for God to move, we’ve got to let him work in us. He does this for his good purpose. He knows the purpose he’s laid out for each of us. Authentic faith works from the inside. We gain a better understanding of him.
Each day remember where you were and then ask God what he has for you today.
God has to be in us before he can work through us.
Ask God what areas of your life you need to change. Jesus completed the work, “It is finished”. But we still have work to do. What does God have for you to do today?
Where God Leads 