Sermons on Philippians 2:16

… When he writes to the Philippians, he uses the same word in the 16th verse of chapter 2. As you hold out the word of life in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor—and the word there is kopeao—I did not labor, work, toil, expend myself for nothing. In other words, he says, this responsibility of laboring in the Word and in doctrine, of directing the affairs of the church, he says, let nobody be in any doubt, this is work. And anyone who engages in the responsibilities of pastoring, of teaching, of being involved as an elder, and doesn't break a sweat, or doesn't break their back, or it doesn't break their heart, or it doesn't keep them awake, or it doesn't lift their spirits, or it doesn't devastate them, doesn't know what it means to be an elder. The word here conveys the fact that it is both vigorous and it is laborious. And at the end of the day, it has the ultimate examination. …

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… For example, in Psalm 119, verse 105, the psalmist said, your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Or in Philippians 2 verses 15 and 16, Paul wrote that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you appear as lights in the world holding fast the word of life. I like 2 Peter 1 19. Jot that down. Peter said, so we have the prophetic word, that's referring to the word of God, made more sure to which you do well to pay attention as a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. Maybe you've used a nightlight before. You know what a nightlight does. Glows in the middle of the night. If you're a child, it can give you comfort if you're afraid of the dark. As an adult, nightlights are helpful. If you're getting up in the middle of the night, they go to the bathroom or to the kitchen, whichever one it is. It's good to have a light and the darkness to give you direction. Now, the only time a nightlight is absolutely of no use is in the daylight. …

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4. I shall mention those virtues of the apostle that respected both God and men, in which we should imitate his example. First. He was a man of a most public spirit; he was greatly concerned for the prosperity of Christ’s kingdom, and the good of his church. We see a great many men wholly engaged in pursuit of their worldly interests: many who are earnest in the pursuit of their carnal pleasures, many who are eager in the pursuit of honours, and many who are violent in the pursuit of gain; but we probably never saw any man more engaged to advance his estate, nor more taken up with his pleasures, nor more greedy of honour, than the apostle Paul was about the flourishing of Christ’s kingdom, and the good of the souls of men. The things that grieve other men are outward crosses; losses in estates, or falling under contempt, or bodily sufferings. But these things grieved not him. He made little account of them. The things that grieved him, were those that hurt the interests of religion; and about those his tears were shed. Thus he was exceedingly grieved, and wept greatly, for the corruptions that had crept into the church of Corinth, which was the occasion of his writing his first epistle to them 2 Cor. ii. 4. “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you, with many tears.” The things about which other men are jealous, are their worldly advantages and pleasures. If these are threatened, their jealousy is excited, since they are above all things dear to them. But the things that kindled the apostle’s jealousy, were those that seemed to threaten the interests of religion, and the good of the church: 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3. “For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” The things at which other men rejoice are their amassing earthly treasures, their being advanced to honours, their being possessed of outward pleasures and delights. But these excited not the apostle’s joy; but when he saw or heard of any thing by which the interests of religion were promoted, and the church of Christ prospered, then he rejoiced: 1 Thess. i. 3. “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.” And chapter ii. 20. “Ye are our glory and joy.” He rejoiced at those things, however dear they cost him, how much soever he lost by them in his temporal interest, if the welfare of religion and the good of souls were promoted; Phil. ii. 16, 17. “Holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.” He rejoiced at the stedfastness of saints: Col. ii. 5. “For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.” And he rejoiced at the conviction of sinners, and in whatever tended to it. He rejoiced at any good which was done, though by others, and though it was done accidentally by his enemies: Phil. i. 15,16, 17,18. “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds. But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” When the apostle heard any thing of this nature, it was good news to him: 1 Thess. iii. 6, 7. “But now, when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also you; therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith. “When he heard such tidings, his heart was wont to be enlarged in the praises of God: Col. i. 3, 4. “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.” He was not only wont to praise God when he first heard such tidings, but as often as he thought of such things, they were so joyful to him, that he readily praised God Phil. i. 3, 4, 5. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.” Let us compare ourselves with such an example, and examine how far we are of such a spirit. Let those on this occasion reflect upon themselves, whose hearts are chiefly engaged in their own private temporal concerns, and are not much concerned respecting the interests of religion and the church of Christ, if they can obtain their private aims; who are greatly grieved when things go contrary to their worldly prosperity, who see religion, as it were, weltering in its blood, without much sorrow of heart. It may be, that they will say; It is greatly to be lamented that there is such declension, and it is a sorrowful thing that sin so much prevails. But if we would look into their hearts, how cold and careless should we see them. Those words are words of course. They express themselves thus chiefly, because they think it creditable to lament the decay of religion; but they are ten times as much concerned about other things as these, about their own private interest, or some secular affairs of the town. If any thing seems to threaten their being disappointed in these things, how readily are they excited and alarmed; but how quiet and easy in their spirit, notwithstanding all the dark clouds that appear over the cause and kingdom of Christ, and the salvation of those around them! How quick and how high is their zeal against those, who, they think, unjustly oppose them in their temporal interests; but how low is their zeal, comparatively, against those things that are exceedingly pernicious of the interests of religion! If their own credit is touched, how are they awakened! but they can see the credit of religion wounded, and bleeding, and dying, with little hearty concern. Most men are of a private, narrow spirit. They are not of the spirit of the apostle Paul, nor of the psalmist, who preferred Jerusalem before his chief joy. Psal. cxxxvii. 6. …

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