Series: Developing a Muscular Faith VBC Pastor John Johnson April 25-26, 2015 Philippians 2:4-18 How to be the Light in a Dark Place John Ortberg, in his The Life You ve Always Wanted to Live, tells the story of Hank. You may remember him Hank was a crank. He did not smile easily. He had this knack for discovering islands of bad news in oceans of happiness. He would always find a cloud where others saw a silver lining. Hank rarely affirmed anyone. His was a ministry of cranial downsizing. His native tongue was complaint. There was a time it centered on music. It s too loud! Hank protested to anyone who would listen, including the innocent visitors. One day Hank called OSHA and said, The music at my church is too loud. And they sent a federal agent to investigate. Hank was a cranky young man who grew up to be a cranky old man. Year after year, his soul withered and soured. Just about every church has a few Hank s over the years, I have met some of them Wayne, Craig, Matthew -after all, complaining is a favorite past time there s a bit of Hank in all of us actually -and our culture doesn t help -exposure 24/7 to talk radio, talk show hosts can send us to bed in a sour mood ready to do combat the next day -mix in our sense of entitlement, our need to be pampered our general displeasure our critical spirit -and we can become professional complainers -whiners conditioned to express our discontent 1 -but while it may seem to be a minor issue a misdemeanor one of the Respectable Sins (because hardly anyone calls us out they rather affirm and join in) -our passage would suggest that carping, whining, grumbling, murmuring are felonies in the eyes of God read 2:14-18 -these words give us a strong hint as to what was going on in Philippi -over the years, a negativity took hold -maybe it was directed towards the leaders complaints generally go that direction -thanks to Paul we are suffering -what good is he to us in Rome? His letters are weighty -most likely people complained about one another
-people not parking their cars between the two white lines, the thermostat not set to the right temperature -the coffee does not have enough latte; what is it about people bringing cups into the sanctuary? -the length of the sermon; the shortness of one s dress -too much is said about money; not enough is said about money -the music could be ramped up the drums are too loud -I don t like it when they raise their hands -complaints directed against God -complaints that likely went beyond all reason Illustration I once was a youth pastor and some year s back I ran into a mother of one of my high school kids -the years had passed, and we had all changed -but when she saw me she with some annoyance asked what did you do to your hair? -heredity did not seem to be enough of an explanation -it s not that nitpicking was a unique problem at Philippi -it s always been a problem for the community of faith (and every other gathering for that matter) -Moses lived with the constant complaints of God s people Exodus 17; Numbers 11, 14 -ethnic division led to complaints at First Baptist Jerusalem Acts 6:1 -apostles and elders argued over theology Acts 15 -Peter exhorted the believers scattered in Cappadocia to stop their complaints and be generous to one another -Paul urged the Ephesians to keep the unity of the faith and stop the bitterness and rotten talk 4:3-32 -he warned the Corinthians not to exhibit the same grumbling spirit that characterized Israel and cost them their lives I Corinthians 10:10 (complaining can lead to the death penalty) -it still goes on present day churches can be complaint mills -we demand certain ministries whine when there is change shout orders to the board orders to the universe -worship generates its share -in my first church I remember a morning our worship was glorious filled with so much praise -but even still one rather annoyed couple complained afterwards You re singing way too many joyful songs! -this passage calls us to stop complaining in everything in dimension of life why does it matter? 2
1. COMPLAINING VANDALIZES -complaining gets in the way of our integrity verse 15a -grousing pollutes, defaces the image of God -disfigures our identity as God s children Illustration last weekend kayaked up the Pend Oreille this pristine river but here and there a piece of Styrofoam, a discarded tire disrupts the beauty -that s what complaining does to our character In Eugene Peterson s memoir, he tells about a friendship he developed with Sister Genevieve and a Carmelite order of nuns -he was drawn to their godliness -but when Genevieve suspected he was romanticizing her holy life of prayer and community, she responded - Some of these nuns can be real bitches. -something says this is not the way it is supposed to be 2. COMPLAINING OBSTRUCTS -the reason for avoiding this behavior is not simply that it defaces us -complaining interferes with the church s purpose 15-16a a) there s a reason we must aim to be pure -it enables us to shine like stars that dispel the darkness illuminate the path, guide the way forward, brings life out of death -Israel was called to be holy as God is holy in order to be the light - I will make you a light to the nations, in order to open blind eyes Isaiah 42:6-7 -but their murmurings in the wilderness diminished the light -and impeded the mission they were called to Paul does not want the church to follow in their steps -become a black hole rather than a bright star -be graceless rather than generous -miss the opportunity to live the gospel, share the good news show grace, give hope, offer life b) we have to be a community of faith where complaining is a rare occurrence not a pastime -if we hope to be an alternative to a crooked and perverted generation When Christian conversation is laced with complaints and personal attacks, Christians have lost their distinctive quality as the children of God in a world characterized by the same kind of negative tone Hansen -so Paul urges them and us to hold fast to the Word of life rather than dispense words of death verse 16 3
-behind this passage you hear an apostle saying -YOU ARE ON MISSION TO ADVANCE THE GOOD NEWS!!! -be salt and light -don t screw it up by being a people who constantly focus on each other s shortcomings mistakes -don t enable Life Groups that gather to gripe when they are called to pray -don t use the foyer to criticize when it is there to do the ministry of care and reaching out to someone new -you are messengers called to light the way rescue the dead -and a complaint free culture will set you apart authenticate the gospel advance the kingdom more than you realize -but understand a bickering, complaining, and contentious spirit can sabotage all of this 3. COMPLAINING NEGATES -its here Paul gives one more reason and it is personal -if you continue to be a community known for its complaint department -you will nullify my ministry verses 16b-18 a) I will be like a runner running a race that ends up short verse 16 -it will have been an immense physical and emotional effort for nothing b) I will feel like a laborer who has given his best energies to a project only to see it collapse verse 16 c) I will have sacrificed my life on the altar for nothing verses 17-18 So how do we break this habit this very human tendency to constantly express our unhappiness? -it s right here in the context -Paul has already laid out a plan that deprives complaining hearts of their lifeblood 1. Humble yourselves-2:3 -more than we may realize a critical and complaining spirit is fueled by arrogance a certainty we are always right -get over yourselves quit living like it is all about you and what are you entitled to -get on your knees and confront your demanding spirit and repent of it! 2. Look beyond yourselves to the interest of others 2:4 -complaints almost always reflect self-centeredness -a grumbling heart tends to have tunnel vision does not stop to look out for the interests of others -there is a reason he misread you he has Asperger s -there is a reason she is skeptical you have had a history of lying 4
-there is a reason the church talks about money people are not fulfilling their obligations -there is a reason the music is different we are trying to reach an emerging culture -there is a reason she was offended she is of a different ethnicity and is more relational than task oriented -there is a reason she is not reaching out to you you rarely think of her needs -so before you criticize and complain listen have the interests of others in mind 3. Check your attitude 2:5 -complainers are generally demanding driven by the need to assert their rights -Paul tells us to have the mind of Christ who placed His rights aside -and be willing to die to self 4. Live out your faith 2:12 -you have been saved from your old ways -quit acting like your former self small minded, petty, petulant, temperamental, self-absorbed -you have been saved from your whispering ways from writing unsigned cards that only intend to vent not talk -saved to express grace so live it out! 5. Get out of the way 2:13 -let His power live out through you -the next time you gripe ask yourself is this God being released? CONCLUSION So what are you going to do with this passage? -complain about it or say time to change -time to be different time to be gracious time to be Jesus -my church at Lent 5