Nov 22, 2020. Philippians 2:17-18

Posted byJohn Sanzone

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LIFE OFFERING ON GOD’S ALTAR. Philippians 2:17-18. 11/22/20. #10.

Philippians 2:17-18 [New King James Version]

17 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. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

  • Not my own
    • Major theological concept: Our lives do not belong to us
      • Genesis 2:7 God created man in His image (Genesis 1:26-28)
      • Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 all spirits return to God who gave them
    • Believers owe service to God and not to self
      • I Corinthians 6:19-20 our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we do not belong to ourselves
      • Hebrews 9:27 everyone will give an account before God
    • Freewill was given to us so that we could freely choose to worship and submit to God
      • Genesis 3 Adam used his freewill to rebel against God
      • I Corinthians 3:12-15 those who use their freewill to serve him he rewards them for choosing to do so
    • The list of the rebellious in the Bible is nearly interminable: Adam, Cain, Nimrod, Saul, Ahab, Samson, Solomon, Jeroboam…
  • A living sacrifice
    • Romans 12:1-3 Paul saw himself as a living sacrifice for God
      • His life was to given over to the Lord for whatever purpose God would have for him
      • II Timothy 2:1-10 at the end of his life, Paul declared that he had fought the good fight and endured all things for the sake of God’s church
    • Paul realized that he had to lay his plans aside to follow the will of God
      • When Paul disobeyed God to go to Jerusalem, the results were disastrous
      • When Paul argued with Barnabas over taking John Mark with them, he later had to acknowledge that Mark was “profitable to me for the ministry”
    • Paul described himself as a “drink offering”
      • His life was poured out on God’s altar for service
      • A drink offering was used to offer dedication to the Lord (a solemn vow to serve and obey)
      • II Timothy 4:6 Paul moves from “am being poured out” to “already being poured out”, referring to his sacrificial death as a martyr (pouring is complete)
    • Paul’s life was poured out with purpose (well spent)
      • He performed the Lord’s will
      • The object of his offering was serving the Philippian believers and believers in other churches
      • Paul’s entire life was dedicated to serving others for the cause of Christ
    • What we want and what God calls us to do are often radically different (Moses, Jonah, Jeremiah, Job, Elijah…)
    • Often God allows us to live comfortable lives and does not demand the extreme sacrifice of a Paul, Jeremiah, or Elijah
      • Luke 16:10 do we even do what small amounts that he asks us to do (Romans 8:18)?
      • Are we willing and ready to follow his lead no matter what he calls upon us to do?
  • A time for rejoicing
    • Paul was not bitter, sad, or disappointed in his life
      • He counted the sacrifices as minor inconveniences compared to bringing people to Christ
      • Romans 8 as Christ counted it a joy to sacrifice himself to bring many people to glory (Hebrews 2:10; 2:12), so Paul = glad + rejoiced for being poured out for church
    • Many have poured out their lives for themselves to a miserable end (Abiram, Pharaoh, Solomon, Judas, Demus, Ahab…)
      • The rich man enjoyed his life until judgment
      • Many carnal saints suffer loss of rewards (I Chronicles 3)
    • Paul wanted the Php. to be glad and rejoice with him
      • Even though suffering and death are times of grief, they yield the fruit of salvation and reward for faithful
      • Paul is not asking Php. to rejoice in his suffering, but to rejoice in the fruit of his suffering = their gain
    • The faithful are called upon to rejoice while also suffering

Key verse:

2 Timothy 2:1-10 ]New King James Version]

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. 8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.