Title: Embrace the World with a Missionary Perspective.
Contents
Embrace the world from a missionary perspective.
Philippians 2:12-18
1. Introduction
ex) What is in the Bible?
It happened one Sunday at school.
The poor Sunday School children were listening to the Word.
The evangelist who was preaching asked the children. What's in the Bible? (The answer is the Word of God.) A child raises his hand. Pointing to my older brother next to me. Yes, there is a picture of my lover in my brother's bible. That evening, there were rumors that there was a sibling riot at home... and that both of them were beaten by their parents...
There are two main things in the Bible. The first is the story of God's love for us. Second, how should we live in that love? Today's text belongs to the latter. It is a teaching about life.
First of all, there are some things we need to grasp before we tackle life's problems.
We need to understand the meaning of the phrase “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” in verse 12.
If you accept Jesus, you will be saved (John 5:24). For Christians, it's already happened in the past. God's children are people who have already been saved. However, the salvation of the text here is in the present tense. And it is something that must be continued in the future. What happened?
The meaning of the word “salvation” in the Bible is slightly different. First, there is the salvation of souls obtained by receiving Jesus as the Christ. Second, there is salvation from all tribulation. Salvation from all troubles. It is usually expressed as ‘Delivery’ in English. Third, there are times when we talk about the life of Christians, living like a child of God. The word salvation in today's text means living like a child of God and a person who has been saved. This is about personality. It is about the identity of the children of light. It's about living right in this world. This salvation has to do with the reward of the heavenly kingdom. This is called superior salvation.
There is a difference between the robber who was saved and died right next to Jesus in Golgotha and our salvation, who continues the good fight after being saved. That is, our salvation is the ‘rewarded salvation’ for the good fight. That there is a crown.
Guys, our lives are judged by people countless times. The first is evaluation from parents, evaluation from friends and neighbors, evaluation at school, evaluation at work. It gets evaluated countless times. However, compared to the evaluation we receive from God, this is like practicing. The evaluation you receive from God is real. The result is eternal. So that's the most important thing. I ask you, “How will you be evaluated before God on the day of Christ?” are very interested in You may or may not live comfortably, you may or may not be healthy, you may or may not be successful. You can be a little less appreciative in this land. But on the day of Christ, it must go well with God that day. Even if we live a little uncomfortable on this earth, we must be perfect before Him that day.
For that reward, our attitude and our work are in the text. Let's take a look at it today.
2. Body
1) We must live in the sight of God (verse 12).
First, it's about our posture.
The apostle Paul says in verse 12: My beloved, always obey, not only in my presence, but even more now in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Everyone, when you were in school, did you cheat a lot?
Will new students do it too? won't you? Yes, I do. Just as much as you guys.^^
I'm not saying I cheated a lot. It's about other people...^^
Some test supervisors come wearing sunglasses. Then, even people like me who don't cheat get nervous. It means that you can be misunderstood. But the wiser bishop writes on the blackboard and leaves. "Be honest in the sight of God." Then, there are the sounds of paper folding and tearing. In one corner, a voice of repentance is heard saying, 'Lord, Lord.' How did you do something bad in front of these words?
When people do bad things, no one sees them. There's a movie called "Lord of War" that came out a few years ago. Two Interpol (international police) met an illegal arms dealer in a rural area in Africa. One of Interpol points a pistol at an illegal arms dealer and shouts that they will kill him. . And he mutters: “In this vast land, in the middle of Africa, who sees who is watching, I will kill him here because no one is watching. But his colleague Interpol, who is watching him, makes a meaningful statement: “It seems that no one is there, but you I am watching.” You and I are watching, the consciousness of the eye of conscience.
Guys, but we have a more certain, more terrifying gaze! It is God!
Christians are people who live in the sight of God. Even if you are alone or without anyone, but there is God's gaze. If we recognize that, we can live like a child of God with fear and trembling. I hope you will always be conscious of this gaze of God.
2) Do everything without grumbling or arguing (verse 14).
Second, we have work to do. What is that?
It is given in verses 13 and 14. “It is God who works in you, to do what you will and do for His good pleasure. Do everything without grumbling or disputing.”
It is said that God puts a wish in us and works it for the will that pleases him. Everyone, you have to think carefully. God has a purpose in us. And he made it a wish for us. God started it, so God will finish it. The will that God wants to accomplish, it will surely come true. Because that's what God is doing. Everyone, then you can see that the results are already there. It will be according to God's will. But for that result, he invited us to participate. Verse 14 tells us our work. “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”
The result belongs to God, but the process is left to us. This is our work. Guys, where are our fruits? Strictly speaking, the result belongs to God. Our fruit is in the process. Find all the words that are the fruits of the Bible (Galatians 5:23-24, the nine fruits of the Spirit). It's not telling the results. What you get in the process. The fruit of perseverance, the fruit of hard work (good good), the fruit of love, everything is true. That's what you get in the process.
For example, the fruit of evangelism. In fact, “get one soul” is the sovereignty of God. It is God's will. If there is a will, the soul is saved by God. Then what is given to us, what are our fruits? When you evangelize, you pour out labor, patience, and love. The result is God made, and the process is entrusted to us. That is, in this process, do it without 'grieving and arguing'.
3) Embrace the world from a missionary perspective.
But, “Do it without grumbling or arguing. This is really hard. None of us have ever not fallen into this trap. I'm angry. And burst out in anger. So that's what creates resentment. Our neighbors are neighbors, too, but not so well in the home. When it comes to neighbors, even if you feel uncomfortable inside, kindness is maintained to a certain extent, but it is very difficult with family. In the home, it is often unrefined and what is inside comes up as it is.
If you look closely, there seems to be a difference between men and women when it comes to getting angry at home. In general, husbands get angry directly. Then, over time, it gradually turns off. But women are different. I am dissatisfied. Still, I can't get angry. Get a little annoyed Express dissatisfaction indirectly. When my husband is tired after a week and wants to fall asleep on the sofa after a long time, he starts turning the vacuum at the same time. I just lifted it up to the top of the sofa and gave you a vacuum cleaner. Whenever I read a newspaper, I start to dust off. I mop while watching TV. Also, in a very important scene, the screen is mopped. It is said that there are complaints.
Then you fight. When you fight, it turns into a big fight. The first complaint is not a problem. The words spoken during the fight make it more serious.
Guys, what is the difference between us and the spiritual masters in the Bible? How could they have embraced even their enemies with their hearts? Verse 17 reveals the secret. The Apostle Paul said that he would offer himself as a drink offering on the sacrifices and services of faith of the saints. It will be the blood that is poured out on the sacrifice. He is talking about his own martyrdom. You can even lay down your life for the saints. “I will rejoice over it.” do.
Gentlemen, the great spiritual masters are different from us. Jesus, and the Twelve Disciples, the Apostle Paul, and many other great men have something in common. When I look at people, I don't see them as titles like husband and wife, deacon and pastor. Spiritual masters see them as 'one soul'. It is seen as 'one soul in need of God'. To put it in the language we use today, we see people from a “missionary perspective.” It focuses on the essence of existence and its necessity. It is a poor soul who needs God. So he could have died for those souls.
When you see your weak wife, you see her as a soul in need of God. When you see a weak husband, you think of God as a soul in need. As I was preparing this sermon, I came up with a new word related to this.
A man who needs God is abbreviated as ‘a man by necessity.’ A woman who needs God is ‘a woman by necessity.’ Everyone, if you are a little dissatisfied, you can think of it as ‘a man by necessity’ or ‘a woman by necessity’. But don't call it that way. Think of the words that will go into the yogi of ‘I’m sorry,’ ‘I’m supposed to be 0.
3. Conclusion
Dear members of the Logos Church,
Embrace the world with this missionary mind in the sight of God. And I pray in the name of the Lord that you will fight the good fight and work out the good reward of salvation with fear and trembling.
Amen.