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[Music] Good evening everyone. Welcome back for a second time on this Lord's Day to the house of the Lord for worship. We're going to turn to Psalm 122 for our call to worship this evening. Psalm 122. A song of a sense of David. I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good." Amen. We're going to turn to this altar and sing 46 C as in Charlie 46 C together. Please stand with me as we sing. [Music] is [Music] [Music] our we will not hear the word for God is to us all [Music] and the nation [Music] shore. Our mighty God will [Music] us forever [Music] with Jes. He stands on roof to [Music] ground and all his peace from the nations [Music] sees high are most is our eternal way. [Music] behind. [Music] by all the earth. The Lord, the Lord of hosts, our [Music] father is our son. [Music] You may be seated. Let's turn to the Lord in prayer. Our gracious, merciful heavenly father, we thank you for your blessings upon us this day. Thank you that we have this day, one of seven, to come into the house of the Lord to worship together with your people. And we thank you for the family of God. Thank you that you have put us together with brethren and with sisters of various uh places in life with those who have come together in this place that know and trust their God. We thank you that you have given us that faith to believe. We thank you oh God for the family of God. The fact that we can hold each other up in prayer that we can uh be concerned about each other's needs. We pray oh God that you would meet the needs of everyone that are gathered here this evening. Lord, there are those who need encouragement. There are those who are bubbling over with encouragement. We pray, oh God, that you would bless and encourage your people this day. We pray that as the word is preached, you would minister to our hearts, that you would give us that which we need to follow you more earnestly. We pray, oh God, that we would see the good that you are doing in our nation, not only through this church, but through many other churches where the gospel is preached. We thank you for those in our association. We pray that you would bless the brethren out there in in Regina, Saskatchewan, in Pinoa, Alberta, Medicine Hat, in Armstrong, in Suriri, and here free grace. Lord, we pray that you would cause us to have good fellowship again together that we would lift each other up in prayer. I pray, oh God, that you would uphold the men that stand in the pulpits from Sunday to Sunday. Lord, give them wisdom. Give them accuracy to open the word of God and to preach to your people. It is this that we need to strengthen us and to fortify us in this world in which we live. We thank you again for this opportunity. Lord, we pray for your people in the far east. We think of our brother Peter and the ones that he's working with, the children there in Myanmar. We pray you'd be gracious and merciful to them, that you would continue to sustain them. And Lord, we pray that you would bring peace to that nation, cause wars to cease, and cause your church to thrive even now in this difficult situation. May you be building your church in that nation. And Lord, we pray for the church of Jesus Christ throughout the far east. We pray Lord in those countries where there's very little freedom, in those countries where there's much freedom, for North Korea, South Korea, Indonesia, China, Japan. Lord, we pray that you would raise up a great multitude, a great army of Christians to take the gospel to those parts of the earth and elsewhere. Thank you for the work that you're doing in that part of the world. Lord, we pray once again that you would be with us this evening as we continue in worship. We pray, oh God, that you would work in the hearts of each one of our children. We pray, oh God, that you would do us good for your own name's sake. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. We're going to stand again to sing hymn 209. 209. Oh splendor of God's glory [Music] bright eternal great. Oh my living strength to all [Music] his son of [Music] heaven from above. and for the Holy Spirit on all we do today. [Music] And now to you our prayers are sing. Oh father glorious [Music] without we gra to [Music] temper our will to do the right and keep our hearts and be the earth and the false of the truth. Oh, joyful be the passing day with us as new as morning. With light shining bright, our souls are shadow by the night. God's glory builds the earth and stars. Let [Music] him go, the father. One, the father in the [Music] son. You may be seated. Please turn with me in the Old Testament to Judges 12 for our evening scripture reading. Judges 12. Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zephon, and said to Jefftha, "Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire." And Jeffa said to them, "My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon, and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands. So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me? Now Jeffa gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim because they said, "You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites. The Gileadites ceased the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead would say to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No," then they would say to him, "Then say, Shibuv," and he would say, "Calev," for he could not pronounce it right, then they would take and him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time 42,000 Ephraimites. And Jeffa judged Israel 6 years. Then Jeffa the Gileadite died and was buried among the cities of Gilead. After him Ipsand of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had 30 sons. And he gave away 30 daughters in marriage and brought in 30 daughters from elsewhere for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. Then Ipsan died and was buried at Bethlehem. After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel 10 years. And Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Idelon in the country of Zebulun. After him, Abdon, the son of Hillel, the Pythonite, judged Israel. He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years. Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pythonite died and was buried in Python in the land of Ephraim in the mountains of the Amalachites. Amen. Well, in chapter 11, we're introduced for the first time to this Jeffa the Gileadite. We're told right away in verse one, he was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot. And it he would seem to be a very unusual candidate for the Lord to pick to deliver his people from their oppressors. Being that he was not just the son of harlot, but that his own family despised him. His brothers kicked him out. He had to flee and become an exile in the land of Tob. But the Lord chooses whom he will to deliver his people. And I would say that when we pray for men to take the pulpit, we ought to pray for men like Jeffa. Now he was definitely a man at best, but he was chosen by God to do his work. And we see very briefly a number of interesting characteristics that Jefftha um shows us. For one thing, he was a man who knew his history. He knew his own history, but the history of the children of Israel. And he knew that God was the one that had delivered them in the past and that God was the one that had given them the lands that they had taken. And he places his trust in that God because God had been faithful in the past. And then we find that he also was a man who the Lord had chosen. Aside from these two chapters, chapter 11 and 12 in Judges, we only have a couple other commentary in the scriptures on Jeffa. And one of them is in Samuel where Samuel when the people of Israel ask for a king and the Lord sends Samuel the Lord is through Samuel upgrading them. But he Samuel gives them a bit of their history and he said Samuel speaking to the children of Israel. Then they cried out to the Lord and said we have sinned because we have forsaken the Lord and served the Baal and the Ashits. But now deliver us from the hand of our enemies and we will serve you. And the Lord sent Jerubiel, Bedant, Jeffa, and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt in safety. So that's one thing we learn about Jeffa. He was sent by the Lord. He wasn't just self-appointed. He was sent by the Lord. And then in Hebrews, of course, in chapter 11, the wall or the the hall of faith, we sometimes call this, the author of Hebrews and says, "And what more shall I save? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Bareric and Samson and Jeffa also of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lying and so forth. So Jeffa is amongst those who by faith did what he did. He wasn't a man that was just simply self-appointed. He didn't just show up one day and say, "I'm here to deliver you. I know how to do it. Put your trust in me." He was rather appointed by God. And he was a man of faith who had trust in his God. These are the kind of men that we need to see in the ministry in our day and age. He was also a man who was anointed by the Holy Spirit to do what he did. Um in the passage we just read or briefly in uh chapter 11, it says the spirit of the Lord came upon Jeffa when he went out to attack the enemies. It was the spirit of the Lord that motivated him. And we need we need men in our day and age that are consumed by the spirit that are motivated by the spirit and by faith in the living God. Let's pray. Gracious father in heaven, we thank you for the men that you have raised up throughout history. And though they were men at best, those that you have chosen and anointed to do the work of leading your people, we we thank you that you are the one who's also equipped them, given them faith to believe, and cause them to do great and wondrous works as we see there in the book of Hebrews. Lord, we pray that you would raise up more men even in our midst and send men forth from this church to preach the gospel. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. For our final hymn, we'll sing number 447. Please stand with me as we sing Christ of All My Hopes the Ground 447. [Music] Christ the spring of all my joy. Still in you may I be still for you my powers and boy. Still for you my power and boy. and your love my heart in flame. Keep your fear before my side. Be your praise my highest. Be your smile. Be your smile. Mighty delight. Fountain of flowing [Music] gra till I close my earthly race. May I prove with Christ who live. May I prove Christ to live firmly trusting in your blood shall my heart safely I shall pass the blood safely save We reing ground to the land of powerless. How we know Christ to live. Let go to die. Let me know to [Music] God. Well, you can turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians 2. As we work our way through Paul's epistle to the church in Philippi, our focus tonight will be verses 14 to 18. Last time we see the apostle gave a general exhortation in verses 12 and 13 and then he gives some concrete application of that in verses 14 to 18. So I'll read the section beginning in verse 12 and concluding in verse 18. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for his good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world holding fast the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes. And if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice in service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason, you also be glad and rejoice with me. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for this time together. We thank you for the written word of the living and true God. We know it's God breathed. We know it is given by you for for our good and for our our instruction. And we pray that that would occur tonight. That the spirit would guide us and lead us as we consider this passage. It's very very specific passage in terms of our conduct, in terms of our heart attitudes. Give us grace in the presence and the power of the spirit that we may comply with such instructions that we find here. Do forgive us for all of our sins. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness and grant us that power wherein we may resist temptation and sin and we may conduct ourselves as individuals and as a church in a way that brings glory and honor and praise unto you, our great God. And we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, as we come to this section, as I mentioned, verses 12 and 13 are general. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. God is at work in us both to will and to do for his good pleasure. And then he connects that general statement with specific application. Interestingly, don't complain and don't dispute. If I was one of those clever preachers that used clever titles, I would title this sermon, "Stop whining and always be shining because that's the point of the very passage itself." Now, I'm not a clever preacher and I'm not a clever title maker, so please don't ever attach that to this particular sermon. The believer in a sinful generation. How does the believer conduct himself? I think it moves from him in himself, him towards his fellows in church and then him in his church or or or in the world that he finds himself in. So I want to look first at the condemnation of grumbling in verses 14 to 16 and then secondly the commenation of joy in verses 17 and 18. So note first do all things without complaining and disputing. And then he goes on to say that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world holding fast the word of life. So notice in terms of scope do all things obviously all good things. You're not supposed to sin. You're not supposed to engage in wickedness. But whatever it is that you do, you're to do it in such a way as you are compliant with the prohibition here, compliant with uh the exhortation here, to do it without complaining and disputing. So in terms of complaining and disputing, the idea is simple. Outwardly by the tongue or inwardly by the heart. In fact, this word translated complaining is oftentimes translated grumbling. Jesus found this in the uh Pharisees and the scribes very often. They would grumble about him. Luke 15:1, all the the sinners and the tax collectors drew near to Jesus to hear him. And then it says the scribes and the Pharisees, they grumble and they said, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So the apostle says we're to do all things without that attitude of complaint, without that attitude of grumbling, and without that attitude of an argumentative or disputing spirit. He's not condemning legitimate theological debate. He's not condemning questioning one another in such a way as to achieve a good end. He is condemning that attitude wherein we're always argumentative. We're always exalting ourselves. We're always making problems or being sers of discord. And it's very difficult, especially in light of what he says in verse 15, to not see the Old Testament as backdrop to this particular passage. Notice when he says, "Children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation." That language crooked and perverse generation comes from Deuteronomy 32:5. And then again, Deuteronomy 32:20. there. God through Moses is upgrading the children of Israel for their sinfulness. They had been given that covenant status as God's people and yet they did not live consistently with that. So God, the Lord through Moses describes them as a perverse generation. So in a table turning here, the apostle says the Philippians are to live in Philippi in that crooked and perverse generation in a manner that's consistent with that religion that was commended to the old covenant Israelites. And then Paul in 1 Corinthians 10, you can look back there for a moment because we're going to go back to the old covenant to see what he is fleshing out in our text. Notice in 1 Corinthians 10:10, nor complain well verse 9. Nor let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents. Nor complain as some of them also complain and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples and they were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come. So now go all the way back to the book of numbers, the book of numbers. We see many instances of complaint. We see many instances of disputing. We see that argumentative attitude. we see that that lack of of of embracing the very providence of God most high. So in Numbers 11, it starts off in verse one with an indication of their complaint. Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord. For the Lord heard it, and his anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses. And when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place Tabra because the fire of the Lord had burned among them. Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving. So the children of Israel also wept again and said, "Who will give us meat to eat?" So they're complaining about the lack of meat. And this complaint is completely unwarranted because they had just started out on their journey. They couldn't have been that hungry as well. They had mana. In fact, if you look to verses 7 to9, this isn't a menu. This isn't a description of the wonders of mana. It is rather the rationale as to why what they were doing was absolutely wicked. You could use mana for a whole host of applications. You weren't going to starve to death. You may not get that blessing of meat, but you're not going to go hungry. And again, God promised to deliver you to a land that flows with milk and honey. He didn't say that the the the the pathway there would flow with milk and honey either. You're going to have to realize that in the wilderness with this many people, you're not going to get the sumptuous fair that you always long for. And so they complained, they whine, they grumbled, they disputed with Moses. Notice in chapter 12 of the book of Numbers, verse two. So they said, "This is the brother and the sister of Moses, Miriam and Aaron." So they said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the Lord heard it. So they're grumbling. They're complaining. They're disputing. They want something. They're not content with God's providence. Look over at Numbers 13 and 14. Basically a reconnaissance mission. The 12 spies are sent to spy out the land to bring back a report to to bring back uh useful data and and object uh uh uh good intel so that they could launch this this incursion into the promised land. So they s come back 10 spies whine, grumble and complain and the two spies say, "Let us go up at once." Now notice who the congregation listens to in Numbers 14:1. So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried. And the people wept that night, and all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron. And the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness." What whiners, what complainers, what disputers. They're not being content with the providence of God. So when Paul writes what he writes to the Philippians, I would suggest his invocation of that description of this wilderness and and second generation from Deuteronomy suggests that we ought to reflect on what's happening in the book of Numbers. Notice in Numbers 14:26. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against me." And then notice in chapter 16, this rebellion against Moses and Aaron. You've got Kora. Kora is not content with his particular task as being a Levite. No, he wants to be the high priest. He wants to go into the Holy of Holies. And Moses understands the nature of his challenge. And and Moses brings this out in verse 11 of Numbers 16. Therefore, you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him? So when Paul says, "Do all things without complaining and disputing," there's a large history in our history of whiners and complainers and those who engage in dispute. Notice as well, Dayan and Abram in chapter 12 uh uh verse 12 in chapter uh 16. And Moses sent to call Dayan and Abram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, "We will not come up. Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness that you should keep acting like a prince over us?" What are they doing? They're complaining about Moses. They're disputing with Moses. They're argumentative with Moses. They're basically saying, "Who made you boss?" Well, God did. In fact, that's what they go on to say in verse 14. Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, uh, nor given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of men? Will uh, we will not come up. So basically they are upgrading Moses because he's acting like a prince among them. So if you go back then to Philippians chapter 2 when Paul says what Paul says Paul has a reason for saying what Paul says. Grace taught our heart to fear but it doesn't always teach us or it does but we don't always listen to not be complaining and whining and disputers. Aquinus says, "For no one can exist without sin, but he can without grumbling." Hence, he urges them to do this. So, do all things without complaining and disputing. And he's going to explain that and flesh it out. But before we move on, let's just consider when we're doing what Paul condemns here, when we're engaging in complaining and disputing, guess what we're not doing? We're not doing what we're supposed to be doing. Look over at Philippians chapter 4 and verse 4. We are to be joyful. Verse four, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. Hard to be rejoicing in the Lord while we're whining and complaining and disputing and arguing. Hard to rejoice in the Lord when our mindset with reference to God's holy providence is that I've been dealt a bad hand. Because in essence, isn't that it? Whenever we complain, we're basically complaining against God and against the circumstances that he has placed us in. As well, the believer is to be thankful. Notice in Philippians 4:6, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with with thanksgiving. It's hard to be thankful when we're complaining, when we're whining, and when we're disputing. The believer is to be prayerful. that same text, Philippians 4:6, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by by prayer and supplication, holy complaints to God about the wretchedness on the earth and vindication of his bride, that's an okay complaint. But when we're complaining about God or we're complaining about men and we're not prayerful, we are we are sinning against the Lord. And then turn back to Ephesians chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5, the worshipper, rather the believer is to be worshipful. Notice in Ephesians 5:17, therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not be drunk with wine and which is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. So when we're complaining and whining and disputing and arguing, we're not doing that. We're not making melody in our hearts to the Lord. We're not teaching and admonishing one another. We're not being faithful to our calling as the bloodbought children of the living God. The believer is to be a faithful child of God. Notice in verse 15, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault. This children of God without fault is connected in large part, at least in our text, to this prohibition against complaining and disputing and arguing. What's the implication? The children of the king don't whine. The children of the king don't grumble. The children of the king don't dispute. The children of the king function in a manner that is consistent with their family orientation. The believer is to be a faithful subject of God's providence. Now, brethren, I'm not here as the guru that has mastered this. Believe you me, I need this sermon preached to me probably a lot more than all of you need it preached to you. But this is what it is. We are to do all things without complaining and disputing. And as I said, if we think about God's providence, the essence of all whining, of all complaint, is to to to conclude or to at least suspect that we've been dealt a bad hand. We have a right to complain because we're not getting everything we think we should. We have a right to complain because I've got this guy for a husband or I've got this girl for a wife. It's right for me to complain. No, it isn't. God's providence is his government of all his creatures and all their actions. He's not dealt us a bad hand in life. There are challenges. There are obstacles. There are hurdles. There are trials. There are afflictions. There are hardships. Those things are to further conform us under the image of his beloved son. God is purposeful in that Christ was an obedient son who learned obedience through suffering. according to Hebrews 5:8. So the essence of all whining and complaining, it is a symptom of our feeling that we've been dealt a bad hand in our life. And this living in light of our feelings, too, that only ever evokes complaint and wanting. Do do you ever feel as good as you think you should? Do you ever feel as good as you want? No. Don't live by feelings. Feelings is a bad guide in life. Let's be stoic. Let's be smart. I'm not talking about the actual philosophy of abandon Jesus and be a I'm not I don't mean that. I mean we're too easily governed by our feelings and our emotions. Yuck. It's a big problem in our generation, principle, obedience, submission to God's providence, understanding he governs all his creatures and all their actions and that whatever my God ordains is right. That's the attitude that sustained the the the faithful throughout the history of the church. That's the attitude that sustains the faithful when they are subject to frowning providence. That's the attitude and the mindset that helps us to persevere and to obey the apostle in Philippians 2:14 to do all things without complaining and disputing. Now, in terms of the direction, complaining toward God, his word and his his providence, but complaining toward others, their words and their conduct. We're not supposed to do that. We're supposed to be gracious. We're supposed to be peaceful. We're supposed to be long-suffering. We're supposed to be gent uh gentle. We're supposed to be governed by the fruits of the spirit. The fruits of the spirit are not complaining and disputing and whining. Now, the prohibition is clear and simple. Verse 14, the purpose comes in verses 15 to 16a. So, first the purpose for the prohibition. Secondly, the validation of their identity. Thirdly, their function toward the world. And fourthly, the confirmation of Paul's ministry. Note first the purpose for the prohibition. So after saying what he says in verse 14, do all things without complaining and disputing that this is the purpose that you may become blameless and harmless. This is God's purpose in election and predestination. He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be without blame. In love, he predestinated us unto adoption as sons. Paul is speaking here in terms of sanctification. He's not saying that if you stop complaining and stop disputing, you're going to earn your salvation. No, you're going to magnify or manifest or validate that you are God's children. The purpose of God in election, Ephesians 1:4, and the purpose of God in sanctification. Remember, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. So verse 15, that you may become blameless and harmless. Other words, towards God and towards men. That's a good sort of pursuit there. Blameless and harmless. Faithful in terms of God's word, in terms of spirit rot sanctification. What is our goal? It's to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, not so that we will be saved, but because we've been saved, we've been justified freely by God's grace, we work out the salvation that God has given us, and we pursue that blamelessness and that harmlessness. And one of the means by which we do that is by shutting our mouths and checking our hearts against complaining and disputing. Notice that he doesn't say, "I want you to be able to jump over tall buildings in a single leap, and then you'll be blameless and harmless. I want you to be able to split the atom, and then you'll be blameless and harmless. I want you to read every volume of every sermon that Spurgeon ever preached, and then you'll be blameless and harmless." No. Stop complaining. Stop grumbling. Stop whining. Stop arguing. Stop exalting yourself. Exalting yourself around your fellows. Don't be like those numbers gener or that numbers generation. They had food. They just wanted different food. And and and the nature of their complaint was we want to go back to Egypt. We got three hots in a cot when we were there. We weren't eating all that mana here there. We we we were in we were living large. Yeah, but you were slaves. You were subjects. You were beaten. You were abused. You were used. Yeah, but we ate good. It's a horrifying expression of godlessness on the part of that generation. It really is disgusting. They would rather be uh uh bound men with leaks and garlic than than free men in the wilderness serving God going to a land flowing with milk and honey. So the purpose for the prohibition is that you may become blameless and harmless. Now notice secondly the validation of their of their identity. Children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Again, Paul has certain themes and emphases that that you see uh emerge over and over again. Ephesians 1:4, he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame in love, having predestinated us unto adoption as sons. So, he combines those themes here with reference to sanctification. And that by not complaining and not by uh uh not disputing, you may be become blameless and harmless and and evidence or validate your identity as the bloodbought children of God. You're not the bloodbought children of God because you do these things. You're the bloodbought children of God because you're the bloodbought children of God. You've been the recipients of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. You've been justified freely by God's grace. Now live in light of that reality and demonstrate your affinity with the father. You can turn now to Deuteronomy 32 because that's what he's invoking. Children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. That was specifically the calling upon old covenant Israel. They were to function in that capacity. But they had become the crooked and perverse generation. Look at Deuteronomy 4. Deuteronomy 4:E 5. Surely I've taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore, be careful to observe them. For this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." They were to mediate the blessings of Yahweh to the nations around them. They were a kingdom of priests. They were supposed to function in a way that was appropriate to their to their covenant identity as the the the children of God. Now turn over to Deuteronomy 32. Deuteronomy chapter 32. We got the creation of Israel verses 1-14. But notice specifically that along the way they had fallen. Along the way they had misstepped. So 32:5, they have corrupted themselves. They are not his children because of their blemish, a perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus deal with the Lord, oh foolish and unwise people? Is he not your father who bought you? Has he not made you and established you? Notice in verse 20, and he said, I will hide my face from them. I will see what their end will be. For they are a perverse generation, children, and in in whom is no faith. And that perverseness and that unbelief and that grumbling and that whining and that complaining and that disputing is the the the the the ground from which idolatry grows and it thrives and it flourishes in a godless and wicked sort of a way. He upgrades them for that idolatry. Notice in verse 16, they provoked him to jealousy with foreign gods with abominations. They provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God. To gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear. Of the rock who begott you, you are unmindful and have forgotten the God who fathered you. So Paul using that background, no doubt including the the whining and the grumbling of the wilderness generation and the second generation. They weren't immune from it. They weren't, you know, perfectly holy and without blame. Paul is saying to the Philippians in Philippi that when you do this, you are validating the the reality that you are children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. And then he highlights third their function toward the world. So in yourself, don't complain, don't whine, don't dispute. in yourself. Pursue those things that are endeared here or commended here, blamelessness and harmlessness toward those in your church. Don't be that guy. Nobody can stand because he's always blathering on about him and how great and wonderful he is and his arguments are better than any. Don't be that guy. and then toward the society that that you're in. Notice what he doesn't say withdraw yourself. He doesn't mandate monkery. He doesn't mandate withdrawal. He doesn't mandate go hide in a cave so those filthy people in Philippian culture don't, you know, get you all nasty. No, he doesn't do that. The church isn't a retreating body. The church isn't a holding up body. The church is supposed to be shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. The church is supposed to hold fast. There's two ways to translate. Uh the New King James has hold fast. I prefer hold forth. Both meanings are fine. We hold it fast and then we hold it forth to the dying world around us. So notice after having said children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world holding fast the word of life. Now this emphasis on uh Christians as lightbearers begins not begins but it's certainly uh one of the places is in Matthew chapter uh Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5 specifically at verse 14. You are the light of the world. The city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. See, withdrawalism or separationism. I'm not saying, you know, go out and smoke crack with them because you want to win them to Jesus. That that's not what I'm saying. You know, shoot up and and you'll win them to Jesus when you're in your, you know, bent there. That's not what I'm saying. This idea of withdrawal is not biblical. It it just isn't. Keeping oneself unspotted from the world is don't sin while you're in there. But to go live in the Now, there might be other reasons to live in the woods. I'm not anti- living in the woods. That that's okay. But if it's because I'm a Christian and I can't be around disgusting people like that, you're not thinking biblically. You're not thinking biblically. Let your light so shine before men that they say may see your good works and give glory to God. So Paul says, "Shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation," individual believers. But then how is the church identified according to Revelation 1 verse 20? It's a it's a lampstand. It's a lampstand. So in the midst of a of a de decadent or degenerate generation, a perverse and crooked generation, you have nevertheless in the midst of it these churches that function like lampstands. These churches that shine as lights, these churches that that hold fast and hold forth the word of truth. You see, brethren, within the culture, the church is to shine. Within the culture, the church is to expose. Within the culture, the church is to hold fast the word of truth. Notice in Ephesians chapter 5, we see another sort of a lightbearing reference. You walk in love in Ephesians 5:1. Walk in light, Ephesians 5:8, and walk in wisdom in Ephesians 5:15. Paul is very interested in how we walk, our conduct. So notice in 5'8, for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the world. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the light or fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light. For whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore, he says, "Awake, you who sleep, will rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." So, back to our text, "Children of God, without fault, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." The believer and the church must shine as lights in the world. But the believer and church must hold forth the word of truth, preaching the gospel. Remember this morning in John 18, the Lord Jesus before Pontius Pilate, what's the instrument? What's the power behind the kingdom of Jesus? It's truth. Propagate the truth. Everyone who who who is of the truth hears my voice. It's all about the truth and advancement of of Christ's cause. And so the apostle says to that church in Philippi, which is a, you know, within the Roman Empire, pagan city, you know, godlessness abounded, wretchedness abounded. What are they supposed to do? Go find another city? No. You shine as lights in the midst of that crooked and perverse generation. And you hold forth that word of truth. You preach the gospel. The lampstand functions the way it's supposed to in the context of Philippi. You preach truth. You maintain truth. You walk in truth. You shine the light of truth upon a a perverse and crooked generation. It's it's very, you know, very simple. When you when you stop and think about God's purpose for the church in the world, we really make it a lot more difficult. We really make it a lot more difficult than it needs to be. Uh, show up, sing, pray, read, preach, love each other, don't complain, don't whine, don't dispute, go home, raise your kids, work your jobs. It's not rocket science, brethren. We're always looking for that angle. We're always looking for that means. We're God's means are very simple. Show up, do what you're supposed to do. Go home. Do what you're supposed to do there. Fathers, bring up your children. Mothers, bring up your children. Husbands and wives, love each other. you you you really have to work to make the New Testament's application of Christianity to home and and and and society hard because it just isn't. You shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and you hold forth that word of truth. That's your calling in this present evil age. And then notice the confirmation of Paul's ministry. Wow. They're supposed to think about Paul. Yeah, that's what he says. Notice in verse 16, holding fast the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. That's a pretty powerful motivator that the apostle puts on them. He's saying, "Brethren, my joy in Christian ministry is in large part tied up in how you conduct yourselves. If you're whining, if you're grumbling, if you're complaining, if you're disputing, if you're not blameless, if you're not harmless, if you're not acting like children of God, if you're not shining as lights in a crooked, perverse generation, you're not holding forth the word of truth. I'm not going to have that joy on the day of Christ that I should have because you should really do what I'm saying. Notice in 2 Corinthians 1:14, 2 Corinthians 1:14, Paul had no problem, I don't want to say binding the consciences because I don't think that's what he's doing. I think he's just speaking out of a pastoral heart of love and the connection that he maintains with the people to whom he ministers. I'm sorry. 2 Corinthians 1:14. We'll pick up at verse 12. For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand even to the end, as also you have understood us in part, that we are your boast, as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. Wow. there is this affinity between him uh between him and the uh the Corinthians. But notice 1 Thessalonians as well. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, specifically at verse 17. But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time, in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore, we wanted to come to you, even I, Paul, time and again. But Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown or rejoy of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For you are our glory and joy. And then in our epistle, look from Philippians 2 right over to Philippians 4 and verse one. Therefore, my beloved and long for brethren, my joy and crown so standfast in the Lord beloved. So the admonitions, the exhortations he gives them in verses 14 and 15 all the way into verse 16a, he has a purpose clause in 16b. So that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. He speaks of vanity in terms of gospel missions in Galatians 4:11. He speaks of vanity in terms of gospel mission in 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. And what he means by that is if the people to whom he ministers don't receive the truth. If the people to whom he ministers don't receive the truth, then what good is it? It's vanity. Right? If if if Spurgeon himself fell out of heaven and he and he occupied a pulpit and he preached the the the spurgeonic sermons that he's famous for, but nobody listened. It's that old if a tree falls in the forest does it then nobody's around to hear it does it does it make a sound brethren if nobody receives the word and doesn't act upon it then it's in vain and Paul doesn't want that Paul ties up his joy on the day of Christ which is judgment day to the Philippians growth and grace to their progress in the things of God most high and notice the language that he uses so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or or labored in vain. He has no problem referring to the apostolic ministry as labor. It's not digging ditches. He is making tents to to supplement and to help along, but it's labor. It's mind labor. It's mental labor. And the Philippians concern with Paul's joy and well-being is assumed by Paul. It's it's really kind of neat. You you guys should just be vested in my joy on the day of Christ that that I haven't labored in vain among you. Paul speaks to this in 1 Thessalonians 5. You can turn there. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 12. And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and am and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. That be at peace among yourselves, it's not just kind of dangling. It's not a staccato uh sort of exhortation. It's not a separate thing. This be at peace among yourselves is in large part affected by how the people and the pastors get along together. If there is breach, if there is disrepair, if there is problems, then there's not going to be peace among yourselves. Notice in Hebrews chapter 13, Hebrews 13:7, remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you. We know they're ecclesiastical leaders and not civil authorities because they're over you in the Lord. They speak the word of God to you. Remember those who rule over you who have spoken the word of God to you whose faith follow considering the outcome of their conduct. And then verse 17, obey those who rule over you and be submissive for they watch out for your souls. Again, ecclesiastical officers, not civil. You don't want the civil officers or civil state looking out for your souls. In fact, you want just the opposite. So obey those who rule over you and be submissive for they watch out for your souls as those who must give an account give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief for that would be unprofitable for you. So back to our text, the apostle has no problem saying that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. In other words, if they are a bunch of whiners, if they are a bunch of complainers, if they are not living consistently as the children of God, if they're not shining as lights, if they're not holding forth the word of truth, then Paul's ministry among them was in vain. And then that brings us finally, notice the commenation of joy. Verses 17 and 18. We won't spend a long time here, but simply to point out the possibility of Paul's death. Now, he's referenced his death on a couple of occasions, and it seems to be the case that he thinks he's going to make it. He thinks he's going to live. He's got a confidence in that. He uses this language though in verse 17. Yes. And if I'm being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, again, Old Testament background, when you presented an offering to the Lord, you put a a drink offering on it to sort of complete it and offer it up to the Lord. 2 Timothy 4:6, he uses the same metaphor where he says, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand." Now, in 2 Timothy 4, he's going to die and he knows it. Here, he doesn't know he's going to die. In fact, he thinks he's going to live, but who knows what's going to happen with the civil state. Who knows what's going to happen in terms of direction in the empire? So, there is that possibility that he may be martyed with that. The confidence that he would live is in 125 and in 2 uh 224. The potential that he could die is here. And in 121-24 again, he thinks he's going to live. He's confident that he's going to live, but he could die. He gets a bad guy in his sort of chain. He's in prison. They call him out and they say, "Let's go ahead and take his hat off." So there is the possibility there's a fellow suffering with the people of God in Philippi already in 15 they're partners in the gospel 129 and 30 they are fellow sufferers in the gospel. So Paul is essentially saying we could all be fellow martyrs in the gospel. So if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice in service of your faith I am I am glad and rejoice with you all. Other words, if this is my end, if this is how I am going to go, if I am going to be subject to to martyrdom at the hands of the Roman state at this particular time, I'm ready. He's encouraged by the Philippians. He loves the Philippians. Now, he's exhorting them on specific things, which I don't think necessarily implies that they had a problem with those things, but they probably had a problem with those things. Who of us doesn't need the exhortation to not complain or whine? If you raise your hand, then you've got some hood spa. We all need it all the time. And so when he exhorts things to people, yeah, it doesn't necessarily mean they're just a mess, but do they need it? Yeah, they they need it. Everybody needs it. So, he loves these people. And he says, if I'm being poured out as a drink offering, then I'm happy. I'm ready. I'm I'm ready to go. I could pillow my head in martyrdom right now with the relationship we sustain together. Philippians and Paul and and and and and peace out. So notice then the reciprocation of his joy in verse 18. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. In other words, he had a good relationship with the church in Philippi. He speaks very glowingly of them. He commends them in in 2 Corinthians chapter 8. They didn't have much, but when there was a need, they dug deep and they gave what they had. The church in Philippi was a good church. They had problems. Every church has problems to be sure, but was a good church. So in conclusion, the connection, the general exhortation in verses 12 and 13, and the specific application in verses 14 to 16, not whining, not disputing, blamelessness, harmlessness, children of God, shining his lights, holding forth that word of truth. And in this context, them being concerned for the apostle that he is not ministering in vain. And then the nature of the children of God in himself, blamelessness, harmlessness, not because of himself. It is because of the blameless and harmless son of God that he has eternal life. It is because of what Christ has accomplished that we have the forgiveness of sins and a righteousness that is imputed to us and received by faith alone. But in terms of the sanctification by the spirit according to God's word, blamelessness and harmlessness is what we should be about. We should have that compliance with the the revealed will the law of God most high toward those in his church. He's not always butting heads with that. He's not complaining. He's not whiny. He's not always upgrading them. He's not the guy that that that that just can't is difficult to be around. And then in terms of the the the world around him, shine his lights, hold forth the word of truth. Now, the shining of lights doesn't mean you stand out on the street corner and say, "Hey, pagan city. I'm out here to shine." No, just be faithful. Be a good husband. Be a good father. Be the guy at work that doesn't complain. The guy at work that actually shows up. The guy at work that actually works. Be that guy and you'll shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. You just teach these young men and women to show up on time. They're going to surpass any other employee that they're going to meet in this present evil age. I mean, the thought of having to be somewhere at 8:00. Oh, that's oppressive. Raise your children to show up and to be faithful to live in light of God's revealed will. So, shine as lights and hold forth that word of truth. And may God bless, strengthen, and encourage us as individual lightbearers and as a lampstand in the city of Chilowak. certainly needs at least one place that is going to shine as lights and hold forth the word. Now, thankfully, we're not the only place. There's other good churches, and we pray for them. May God bless them as well. So, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the clarity of the apostles admonitions and exhortations. pray that you would give us ears to hear in hearts to receive these things to guard our minds to guard our hearts to guard our tongues against the sorts of things that are that are condemned in our passage and help us to faithfully shine and help us to hold forth that word of truth and we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. We can turn with me in your hymbooks to 564. 564 will stand as we sing God's praise together. [Music] The blessed angel God of Israel will only lead you with wonderous in glory. We exel wondous works in glory magel and blessed be his glorious name to all eternity. the whole earth. Let his glory fill. Amen. So let me the whole earth let his glor bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen. Well, please be seated for a brief time of meditation.