Philippians 3:12-21

We continue our series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

Paul wrote his from prison in Rome about 10 years after the Church had been established in Philippi, really unsure of whether he will be dead or alive at the end of the day. Paul writes like a soldier to his family. He tells them that God’s plan is being worked out and that they are on the winning side.

As we learned last week from Shane, Paul wrote not to worry about him because he had everything he needed in prison. All the things he used to have when he was a free man were no longer important, he saw it all as worthless rubbish, he had the only thing in life of true value because he knew Christ. His goals were all spiritual now, material things were no longer possible, neither did they matter. 

He told them he had joy in his sufferings because he identified with Christ. The Bible means so much more to you when you can personally relate to the situations that the people in the stories were going through, especially the hardest situations. The Lord is always there when we call to Him in our worst moments.

Psalm 34:18-19

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Whether in prison or dying the Christian can say, my God has delivered me in every trial, he will do so in this one as well!

Paul could say

Psalm 30:11-12

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

There is no need to remain stuck in a moment if we turn to the Lord because he is very near in those times in our life.

Philippians 3:12

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 

Being a Christian is a journey. As in the book Pilgrim’s Progress, we have not arrived yet. We face many difficulties along the way. Sometimes we have to move forward when we don’t understand. We have to trust the Lord that what he says is true. 

Philippians 3:13-14

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

In this context apprehended doesn’t mean to arrest a criminal but rather means to have understood.

There is nothing wrong with us if we have doubts and questions. Paul had questions. It is normal not to understand the things God is doing in a crisis. But we can still believe even if we don’t have the answer.

Some Christians have difficulty forgetting the past. Paul says he didn’t look back, he only looked forward. There was his old life when he persecuted the Church and murdered the saints. But we don’t want to get stuck in something we did or something that may have happened to us either.

The Devil wants to remind you of your past. It is said,

« When the Devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future ».

You are not the same person you once were !

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

We can’t walk this road alone though. This has never been truer than now, at this moment in history. So many Christians today have stopped going to Church regularly post COVID. We need our brothers and sisters now more than ever, we need to be in the Church especially in these last days before Christ returns. 

Philippians 3:15-17

Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 

Consider the people you are listening to and patterning your life on today. Do our heroes lives look anything like these great saints of old like Paul who suffered great hardship for what they believed and proclaimed. I think even Paul would be shocked to see the celebrity preachers of today and their luxurious lifestyles. Paul was able to tell others to follow his example, can we say the same to people who look to us? 

Philippians 3:18-19

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 

In Jewish thought, the belly is the seat of our emotions. The stomach soon becomes empty. Most of us get hungry within 5-6 hours of a meal. Same with earthly things. They don’t satisfy for long. In economics, they call it the law of diminishing returns.

What really upset Paul was to see people in the Church who weren’t truly saved, who were deceived about their true state. They were just like people of the World, whose god is their belly.

A true Christian is mindful of spiritual things more so than earthly things. Our bank balance, the place where we live, a good job, a nice house, a holiday, these are temporary earthly things that are unimportant compared to our relationship with God. I loved my Uncle but they moved house often. Each house was amazing but it didn’t take long before they moved again. Earthly things don’t satisfy for long. Whereas eternal things, our relationship with God, ours and others salvation, storing up treasures in Heaven, these are things that will last eternally and do satisfy. 

An example of having your god as your belly was Esau who gave up his birthright for a single meal. He wasn’t prepared to delay gratification, he took what he wanted in the moment and didn’t count the cost. He ignored the future for gratification on the present.   

Hebrews 12:14-17

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

This is how the Devil works to corrupt us and make us unholy. He tempts with gratification now. He did it to Eve, he did it to Esau, he tried to do it to Jesus.

But we are to

James 4:7-10

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Note that beating temptation has 2 parts. The first is to submit to God. At all costs, make time for God by reading and writing down what you learn. The second is to resist the Devil. Don’t make it easy for the Devil. Don’t go to the bar ! Take a different route. Tell Facebook you don’t want to see their wicked advertising.

Philippians 3:20-21

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

We don’t belong here, we are living in a foreign land. It’s exciting to think of going home. If you travel overseas to a country with another language, there are a lot of challenges and life becomes much more basic. There is no sweeter feeling than to be back on your own country, able to speak the language, and not feel like a stranger out of place. How do you feel about living here when you think about Heaven? 

Letters Back Home: Philippians 2:12-30

When a soldier goes to war, he really doesn’t know if he’s coming home, and he knows his family and loved ones are going to be worried about him so he writes to tell them he’s doing alright, that he’s not discouraged but hopeful. He tells them he loves them but in the back of his mind is what should he tell them in case he doesn’t make it.

If you remember the map from a few weeks back, you will remember Paul’s missionary journeys to the Gentiles.

⁃ 1st missionary journey is the dark blue line (Acts 13:4-15:35)

⁃ 2nd missionary journey is the red line (Acts 15:36 - 18:22)

We learned it was on his 2nd missionary journey with Silas, Timothy and Luke that the Church in Philippi was established around AD 50.

The Church had the first European convert who was a woman called Lydia and a jailor whose whole household was converted and probably a young fortune teller delivered from an evil spirit.

⁃ 3rd missionary journey is the purple line (Acts 18:23 - 21:17)

⁃ Journey to prison in Rome is the green line (Acts 27 - 28)

Wait a minute ! What happened in between the 3 missionary journeys and prison ? You can read how Paul came to be in prison in Rome from Acts 21:18 - 26:32. 

Immediately following the success of the 3 missions, Paul went against advice of other disciples to visit Jerusalem. Speaking to Paul through the Spirit, these disciples told him not to go to Jerusalem. It was a clear warning.

Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles. Should he have been back in Jerusalem preaching to the Jews? It was on his heart but our heart’s are fallible. You know, sometimes we get ourselves in a lot of trouble by not listening to others and the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit ! Paul said he was ready to die for Christ. When they couldn’t change his mind, they told him « the Lord’s will be done ». In all our decisions may this be true, even if sometimes we’re a bit too headstrong for our own good.

So Paul went to Jerusalem and there he preached a message in the temple about freedom from the law that angered the Jewish leaders and caused a riot which then brought in the Roman commander who arrested Paul and put him in chains. He was sent to Caesarea for trial by Roman Governors Felix then Festus and finally King Agrippa. They all found him not guilty and the story would have finished without further issue if not for one thing. Paul appealed to Caesar ! This is how he ended up on the boat bound for the prison in Rome.

Nevertheless, it was really unjust what happened to Paul. Paul had credentials that were second to none. He was a Pharisee, taught under the renowned teacher Gamaliel. Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin, a zealous persecutor of the Church until his amazing conversion and underpinning all that was that he was a Roman citizen by birth with the full rights that gave him. Paul held all the cards and the commander was terrified to find out he was a Roman citizen after arresting him and preparing to whip him without a conviction from a Roman judge.

This shows how you can have a very good character, the qualifications from the best university, present the Gospel with unchallengeable reason but still the World will hate you and won’t listen because they don’t want to hear the message. They can’t handle the truth !

When King Agrippa heard Paul’s testimony, he realised that Paul was undeserving of judgement. 

Acts 26:30-32

When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains. Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

This moment marked the end of Paul’s freedom and his missionary journeys but it was not the end of the Lord’s work through Paul. Paul would continue to be a missionary to the Gentiles from prison. The Lord’s will continued to be done in Paul’s life despite the circumstances.

Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians from prison in Rome about 10 years after the Church had been established in Philippi, really unsure of whether he will be dead or alive at the end of the day. Paul writes like a soldier to his family. He tells them about the light in the darkness, that God’s plan is being worked out despite appearances ;

Philippians 1:12-14

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

And especially not to feel bad in case things take a turn for the worse;

Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

And he already has assured them that the war that they are in will be won by Christ, that they are on the winning side;

Philippians 2:10-11

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When you’re in the foxhole, suddenly all the things the World loves, seem unimportant. Having a nice house, plenty of money, the music and luxuries we love seem of little value. Other things become important. How is our relationship with our spouse, our family? What about where they are at with the Lord. Are they heading in the right direction. If they are on track, will they stay on track. He wants to see them again, if not here, there !

He worries that the things that he has worked for may be wasted. That they will forget about Christ and fall away. He wants to leave a good legacy.

He writes just like a soldier writing home from the war.

This is the context for the passage we will look at today. 

Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 

Paul was the one everyone at Philippi looked to. When the leader has gone, there needs to be more focus individually and unity of purpose as the leader is not there to carry the responsibility anymore or tell what to do. It is a time for growth. How do you do that? By looking to Jesus, working out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This does not mean to live in a perpetual state of anxiety.

The sense in which we are to work out our salvation in fear and trembling is different to being a nervous wreck. First, the Greek verb rendered “work out” means "to continually work to bring something to completion or fruition." Paul explains further in the next chapter of Philippians. He describes himself as “straining” and “pressing on” toward the goal of Christlikeness (Philippians 3:13-14). The “trembling” he experiences is the attitude Christians are to have in pursuing this goal—a healthy fear of offending God through disobedience and an awe and respect for His majesty and holiness. "Trembling" can also refer to a shaking due to weakness, but this is a weakness of higher purpose, one which brings us to a state of dependency on God. Obedience and submission to the God we revere and respect is our “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1-2) and brings great joy. Psalm 2:11 sums it up perfectly: “Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.” We work out our salvation by going to the very source of our salvation—the Word of God—wherein we renew our hearts and minds (Romans 12:1-2), coming into His presence with a spirit of reverence and awe.

And then God can use us to do his will which brings us and him great satisfaction.

Philippians 2:14-15

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 

It is so easy to complain as we encounter our daily troubles. But Paul wasn’t moping at the injustice of his suffering. Quite the opposite in fact. If we can remember that trials build character, if we can remember that Jesus went as far as to die on the Cross in great humility, then we also can endure them.

Recognise that all of our difficulties are for good and have a purpose, they build our character and make us stand out from the crowd as a light in this world. This is a very hard thing to say to someone who has suffered the worst of things. In fact when someone has suffered that badly, it is an opportunity for those around them to stand out as lights in their darkness. 

Nobody wants to suffer, what can we do to endure it? The next verse answers it.

Philippians 2:16

holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. 

The Word of God is gold. In it we can find our shelter from the storm, counsel in the most vexing circumstances, hope for the future, encouragement and strength for today.

And as we do what it says, we find a way though every trial. Paul’s great concern was that he had not laboured in vain. That after he was gone, the Church would fall apart. He wanted to install in them the need to hold on to the Word of Life. That is referring to Christ himself. It is the Word of God of course, but don’t forget Jesus is the Word. Holding on to the Word of Life means holding on to Jesus, in fellowship with him, abiding in Him and His Word.

Philippians 2:17-18

Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. 

So Paul explains his own personal suffering in prison is not something that is bringing him down but is actually causing him to rejoice. Isn’t that amazing? You would naturally think that he would be down, frustrated that he can’t continue his mission that God had called him to. But he sees it differently. He sees it as a sacrifice that is helping to build them up. His absence will make them grow stronger. He sees it is an opportunity for them to grow in faith. He realises that they are better off him not being there.

Philippians 2:19 - 24

But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. 

This is where the soldier’s letter is a little heartbreaking because we know he’s not going to make it. We can read how much Paul cares for them and he’s praying for the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to help them. This might mean he’s lost contact with Timothy or that Timothy is about to be released from prison. In any case he can only trust in the Lord for the future as it is very uncertain which way it will go and probably it’s not looking good. There are times in our life where everything is out of our control and we can only pray and trust in the Lord. We don’t know which way it will go but we need to trust him that whatever happens, he’s got us. Timothy is one of the 4 missionaries alongside Paul, Silas and Luke who helped establish the Philippians church 10 years earlier. Timothy comes with a commendation from Paul with proven character and a heart for the Philippians church.

Philippians 2:25 - 30

Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 

Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

Paul also tells them that he has already sent Epaphroditus with a commendation as a fellow soldier who has persevered through illness. We don’t know much about Epaphroditus but probably he was Paul’s assistant doing all the background tasks like a PA would. 

We know that this is the moment where the baton gets passed from Paul to Epaphroditus, not even a big name and not in 100% good health but he took up the challenge not knowing if Timothy or even Paul would be able to join him. Thank God for all people who step up to a challenge, who put aside their own personal struggles to do the will of God. We know these type of people, they’re not the ones you hear talking up front but they quietly get on with the Lord’s work and over a much longer time produce much fruit. It is a good saying, « it is not our ability but our availability that the Lord wants ». 

There will be a lot of people like that who get a great reward in Heaven. The ones who  looked after the kids church or who served in other positions in the background that others didn’t recognise actually kept the Church running. Thank God for Epaphroditus !

So to these unlikely ones who God asks to take on a big challenge that is out of your comfort zone, remember with the calling comes the equipping. It is your time, the baton is passed.