"The Work of a Disciple!" Philippians 2:16b-18

“The Work of a Disciple!"

Captivated by Christ: An expository sermon series on Paul's Letter to the Church in Philippi (message #17)

Pastor Jerry Ingalls

August 15, 2010

This morning, we are concluding the section of Paul's letter to the Philippians that started with verse 27 of chapter 1. This is a closing section for what we have been discussing for nearly 2 months of messages: What does it mean to live your life in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? This is an intriguing couple verses because we are now seeing Paul's response to choice of the Christ-followers of Philippi to live lives that shine like stars in the universe as they hold out the word of truth, the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why I have entitled this message, "The Work of a Disciple!" because Paul is showing us what is most important to Him as a follower of Jesus Christ engaged in the mission of God!

God's word to us this morning is from Philippians 2:16b-18 (NIV), "In order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. ¹⁷But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸So you too should be glad and rejoice with me." [prayer]

What can we learn about the work of a disciple of Jesus Christ from Paul's response to the obedience and faithfulness of the Christ-followers of Philippi?

First, THE WORK OF A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST IS TO PERSEVERE UNTIL THE END!

Paul's response begins with the second half of verse 16, "In order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor [kopiao] for nothing" (Philippians 2:16b).

If there is one thing we need to hear from Paul is that Christian leaders should be eager, if not zealous, to see the maturing faith of younger Christ-followers! In fact, the entire next section of this letter (Philippians 2:19-3:21) focuses on the importance of emulating the right kind of Christian leaders. Paul cares deeply about the discipleship of new Christians…it is not enough for someone to accept Christ, they must grow in Christ!

Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is the work of disciple of Jesus Christ to persevere until the end of the race. Paul is utilizing a sports metaphor that he does not want his apostolic ministry--his missions efforts, evangelistic outreach, discipleship ministries--to have been for nothing because his spiritual children stopped shining as lights to a darkening world before the day of Christ Jesus! For Paul, the greatest prize in life was to know that through the grace of God's calling in His life others had come to know and to love and to serve Jesus Christ!

The purpose for which Paul perseveres to the end is not maintaining status quo by focusing on his own gift of salvation. No! Paul’s ambition is to work the harvest fields for the Lord and raise up harvesters; His ambition is to please his Master by multiplying the gift.

For this Paul trains and disciplines his body as an athlete. We read in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

The Holy Spirit is illuminating the heart of a disciple. We must persevere until the end! And if today, you feel overwhelmed by your life and by all that threatens to stop you before you've given it your very best, let me encourage you with this reality: you can keep going, you can go farther than you imagine, stay the course...put everything you have into being a disciple of Jesus Christ!

Watch this clip from Facing the Giants-"Death Crawl"

Who's next? Are you feeling defeated before you even get to the Friday night game? Does your opposition look too big?

Persevere to the end! Give your very best! The Greek word kopiao translated "labor" is an intense word that means to labor to the point of sweat and utter exhaustion; it describes the kind of labor into which a person puts their last ounce of strength and energy.

Don't let all the training that an athlete puts into winning the prize at the games; don't let that last ounce of sweat count for nothing!

What do we labor for? Why must we persevere until the very end? Because we are the crown that Paul boasts about. Paul, the slave of Jesus Christ, told the saints of Philippi that they are his "joy and crown" in Philippians 4:1 and then to the Christ-followers of Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 he said, "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy."

We labor for this younger generation to know Jesus Christ and to live their lives for Jesus Christ. Remember the person who shared Christ with you and invested in your life? Persevere to the end for you are their crown! Remember the ones who have come to Christ through your ministry, your friendship, your witness. Pray for them, encourage them, disciple them for they are your glory and joy! The work of a disciple is to persevere in the ministry of reconciliation until the day of Christ Jesus. This is the vision of God--to build His Kingdom through the cross of Jesus Christ and through your witness resulting from perseverance!

Second, THE WORK OF A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST IS TO GIVE YOUR ALL FOR GOD'S KINGDOM!

Paul now moves from imagery of athletics and hard labor, to imagery of the priestly duties of the Old Testament.

Philippians 2:17 states, "But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering [spendomai] on the sacrifice and service [leitourgia] coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you."

The entire phrase, "being poured out like a drink offering" is found in one Greek word spendomai which literally means, "to be poured out as a libation". A libation is a drink offering and we learn what this is by going to be the sacrificial system of the Israelites. There are numerous references for this, but one that captures the primary nature of the drink offering is found in Numbers 28:7, Moses recorded, "The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the LORD at the sanctuary."

Here is the essential reality of the drink offering you must grasp to understand what Paul is stating. When a sacrifice, such as a burnt offering, was presented at the temple, a drink offering of wine or olive oil might be poured out over it or beside it. This drink offering was added last and it completed the sacrifice! Paul is stating, that he is willing and ready for his personal suffering, his sacrifices, even his own life, to be the completion of the primary sacrifice of the “sacrifice and service coming from [the faith of the Christ-followers of Philippi]”, and we know by extension the faith of all the churches he planted throughout Asia and Europe!

This is a subtle point, but I need to point this out to you because it is the very attitude of Jesus Christ modeled by the Apostle Paul for each of us to replicate.

Paul's personal sacrifice, selflessness, suffering, and even his own death are not the primary sacrifice, but the libation that is added on to the sacrifice, the supplemental drink offering that is meaningless unless it is poured out on a more substantial sacrifice!

Paul knows that his life is to be poured out for other people; Paul is willing to give all he has, including his life, for the Kingdom of God! This is the same as the sacrifice of Jesus Christ! There is intentionality in the sacrifice; they both model for us the giving of all they had for the ushering in (Jesus) and then the advancement (Paul) of the Kingdom of God! Jesus' blood was shed not for His own gain. No, He emptied Himself so that we can have life. Paul's sacrifice to the extent of his life were given so that the missionary churches may receive eternal life, not so that he can receive a greater reward. Paul knew his glory and crown was the people who persevered to the end. His reward was found in his obedience, not in something he gained by his obedience!

The Greek word leitourgia is the word we derive our word ‘liturgy’ from. It is a direct reference to the duties of the Levites, including the actual service of sacrificing animals on the altar. This word speaks of our service to God that we have been called to do as priests. We are the priesthood of believers. Paul knew his priestly duty. He states in Romans 15:15c-16, "Because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit."

Paul knew, as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, that his priestly duty was to bring the Gentiles to Christ. It was for this call that he persevered to the end and gave everything he had for the Kingdom. Like a good slave of Jesus Christ, he did his duty and for this he greatly rejoiced. It was his good pleasure to do what he must, even if it meant suffering, pain, discomfort, unpopularity, conflict, and even death. Perseverance and obedience to the call were Paul’s driving force!

Paul speaks to the Roman believers of their service to the King in Romans 12:1, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship."

Because of the final atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary, we no longer need to appease the wrath of God with animal sacrifices. The blood of Jesus Christ has paid the debt of our sin and rebellion. What then is our sacrifice to God? In response to this wonderful gift of life and forgiveness, we are to daily present ourselves as living sacrifices; to live a crucified life; to carry our cross!

But Paul does not stop here with obedience. We can be obedient with really bad attitudes! Remember, we are to shine like the stars…so even our obedience must reflect the attitude of Jesus Christ modeled by Paul. He finishes by reminding us that we are to be cheerful givers, yes, even of our very lives! He is “glad and rejoices” that his life will have meaning if it is poured out on the sacrifice and service of the Church in Philippi.

Our last teaching point, THE WORK OF A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST IS TO MODEL JOY!

Paul concludes this section with Philippians 2:18 by exhorting us, "So you too should be glad and rejoice with me."

Interestingly enough, this is similar to the way Paul ended the last section of this letter. He wrote in Philippians 1:25-26, "Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me."

Paul is modeling for us a life of joy that transcends his circumstances (he is in chains for Christ!). Paul's joy is in his relationship with Jesus Christ and in fulfilling his priestly duties as a missionary to the Gentiles.

Paul's life has been far from easy, but he rejoices. Paul has suffered greatly, but he rejoices. Paul has lost so much of what the world had to offer him, but he rejoices in what he has gained in Jesus Christ.

Throughout this short letter, Paul emphasizes the importance of joy in the Christian life. Paul models it, but he repeats the imperative to rejoice over and over again. Brothers and sisters in Christ, to miss the call to joy in the Christian life, is to miss the point of Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

He writes in Philippians 4:4-7, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Are you heading into the Friday night football game and you've already given up because the other team looks bigger and faster?

What is your Friday night football game? Is it your marriage? Your job? Your finances and debt? Your children? Your parents? Maybe it’s an addiction that you can’t seem to beat?

Has God called you to do something great for Him, but you have turned away from the call because you think it’s too big? Do you see too many obstacles?

Are you blinded by what you see? I think, like in Facing the Giants, we need to put on blind folds so we can learn what it is to accomplish great things for God by walking by faith and not by sight. Listen for the Coach, the Holy Spirit, He is there rooting for you every step of the way!

God is calling you this morning to be a follower of Jesus Christ and to be about the Father’s business as a disciple of the Son. Walk by faith…keep going until you have given your very last ounce of energy!