Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not
only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and
to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or
arguing, so that you may become
blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked
generation.”[a] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And
then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor
in vain. (Philippians 2:12-16)
The church of Philippi was marked by love. Love was a major element in
the fellowship of the church. The pastor had a love for the people, the people
had a love for their pastor and they both loved Jesus with all their hearts. Philippians 2:1-11 tells us about harmony with God and how we
achieve it. Verses 12-16 speak to us about fellowship and joy and
how we maintain it.
I have pastored for 30 years and I can say without hesitation the
fellowship at North Side is the sweetest of any church I’ve served. I tell people all the time, “North Side is the
real deal”. You’re loved and accepted
for who you are. That kind of fellowship doesn’t just happen. Fellowship is
achieved when it’s kept as a priority.
It was fellowship of labor!
Verses 12-13 state we are to Keep Working - ‘work out our salvation with
fear and trembling’. A
literal translation from the Greek is ‘to
work on to the finish’. They were
saved and sanctified; set apart and united in a common task and purpose. That purpose
was to know Jesus and to make Him known. You see, faith and works go together but faith
without works is a dead faith. James says the faith that saves us and sustains
us produces work in us as we learn to walk with Jesus.
How do we measure that kind of dead faith? Is there apathy in your heart
and attitude of ‘I don’t know and I don’t care’? Are you quick to take offense
and offer excuses? Is there a lack of fellowship with God’s people and
involvement in the work of the Lord? Is there self-centeredness rather than a
Christ-centeredness about your life? The faith that saves us produces works in
and through us (Philippians 1:6) “He who
began a good work in you will carry it on to the completion until the day of
Jesus Christ”. Let me
illustrate with a humorous poem
He wasn’t much for stirring about, it wasn’t
his desire;
No matter what the other did, he was sitting by the fire.
The same old story, day by day, he never seemed to tire.
While others worked to build their church, he was sitting by the fire.
At last he decided as all must do, some say he went much higher,
But if he’s doing what he used to do…he’s still sitting by the fire.
No matter what the other did, he was sitting by the fire.
The same old story, day by day, he never seemed to tire.
While others worked to build their church, he was sitting by the fire.
At last he decided as all must do, some say he went much higher,
But if he’s doing what he used to do…he’s still sitting by the fire.
We work it out after God works in it! We must keep working!
He also says we’re to Keep Watching! ‘…with fear and trembling” the scriptures say, “work out your salvation”. The literal translation is, “trembling with an anxiety to do right or
the right thing.”
One of the things Satan desires to do above all else is disrupt the
harmony and joy of our fellowship of believers. We must guard it carefully,
cautiously and prayerfully. We must not allow the unity and harmony of our
fellowship to be harmed by losing sight of the common goal, task and purpose as
a New Testament church. We must not grieve nor quench the Holy Spirit but allow
Him to do His work in us and in others.
(Ephesians
4:30 and 1 Thessalonians 5:19). The light of Jesus must not grow dim.
Finally Paul says Keep
Worshipping! Keep glorifying the Father and keep lifting up Jesus. When we
asked Jesus to come into our hearts, we established a relationship to our
Heavenly Father as sons and daughters of God. Beyond that, through worship we
maintain a fellowship that is sweet and growing.
Keep on working, keep watching and keep worshipping.
Scripture to Claim:
from whom the whole
body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to
the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for
the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:16)
Submitted By Donnie O’Fallon
