Philippians 3…

Morning!

Raises his cup of coffee

It is Thursday May 1st of 2025.  We have a cool, comfortable morning so far with some sunshine forecast and a high of 84.

Today is May Day.  I had heard the term before but didn’t fully understand what it meant, so I did a little digging for us.  May Day, traditionally observed on May 1st, is an ancient holiday with pagan roots. It was originally a festival marking the beginning of summer—positioned roughly halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.  By the late 19th century, May Day had taken on new meaning, becoming a day of labor solidarity in the Marxist tradition. It is now observed in some places as International Workers Day and has been historically associated with the push for the eight-hour workday here in the United States.

So.

Pagan in roots.

Adopted by atheist communists.

Should we as Christians observe May Day?

Something to think about.

Yesterday, we left off with this powerful truth: Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Paul teaches us in Philippians that Jesus humbled Himself—He took on the form of a bondservant, the form of a human. And it was through His humility and obedience that God exalted Him and gave Him the Name above every name.  And it is this same God—the Beginning and the End, whose power is immeasurable, whose loving-kindness and long-suffering endures forever— that we pick up with today.

Philippians 2: 12-18

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 int eh world, holding fast the World of Life, so that I may rejoice int eh 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 and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.  For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”

Paul teaches us something important in this passage.  A line that has stuck out for me for a long time and I have a suspicion it sticks out to a lot of people.  That we are to work out our own salvation.  What does he mean?  We are to work with God on our sanctification.  We are to figure out the race that Jesus is having us run and then we are to run it.  We are to run it with a specific state a mind.  A state of mind of fear and trembling.  Now, the words used for fear and trembling are…

Phobos: (Greek)

- Alarm or fright

- Be afraid

- Exceedingly, fear, terror

And

Tromos: (Greek)

- Trembling

- Quaking with fear

We are to work out our own salvation with God, and we are to take a humble, reverent, awe-inspired attitude—understanding that it is the God of the universe who is working in us and with us.  And it is precisely because God is working in us that we are to do all that He asks without grumbling or complaining.  For God is not only working in us for our own benefit, but for His good pleasure.  He wants to.  How blessed are we?  I don’t know about everyone, but this thought humbles me.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God—for who will be our advocate if we sin against Him?

This humble attitude—the attitude of fear and trembling, of doing without complaining or disputing—is going to set us apart.  It is going to make us look different from the rest of humanity.  Taking this attitude with God brings us out of darkness and into being a light for the world—an example that God can use.  It moves us from being earthen vessels into vessels of silver and gold territory.  And while we are working out our own salvation with Jesus, we are to hold fast to the Word.

The road we walk with The Spirit is not a frivolous one.

Jesus teaches..

John 15: 1-11

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.  As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

While we are working out our own salvation—while we are figuring out the race Jesus has for us to run—it is good, as we are sanctified, to remember the words of Jesus.  Every branch that does not bear fruit, that does not develop in sanctification, is taken away.  The vines that do bear fruit are not spared either—we are pruned.  Perfected.  Adjusted.  Readied to bear more fruit for the Master.  Jesus reminds us that we cannot bear the fruit He is looking for unless we abide in Him—unless we are attached to the vine.  Without Jesus, we can do nothing.  Now, this is a harder saying than it may seem at first.  We can, of course, do things without Jesus. It’s called sin.  But even sin, we must do in the presence of Jesus—for Jesus is God.

God is omnipresent.  There is nothing that He does not see.

Proverbs 15: 3

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

Jesus continues…

John 15: 12-17

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My Name He may give you.  These things I command you, that you love one another.”

Part of our journey into Sanctification is the journey of loving each other as Jesus loves us.  Jesus teaches us that there is no greater love and to lay down our lives for our friends.

So.

Do we consider Jesus a Friend?

Have we laid down our lives for Him?

How?

Paul had laid down his life to teach the Philippians.  He had laid it down to the point of going to prison without a justified reason which was for Jesus, but by association, was for the Philippians as well.

Paul continues…

Philippians 2: 19-24

“But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know our state.  For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.  For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.  But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.  Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.  But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.”

Part of Paul’s encouragement was the state of his flock—his children in the faith.  He brings up the fact that he does not have many whom he can trust with the care of the Philippians’ faith.  It is a powerful reminder that our spiritual leaders are encouraged by our faith and by the growth of our faith.  But it is also a powerful reminder that we are meant to care for the things of Jesus, not to be focused on our own desires.

Philippians 2: 25-30

“Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.  For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.  Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.  Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because of the Work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.”

Paul gives us a picture—a snapshot—of a loving church here.  A church with members who care for each other’s needs.  Working to the point of sickness and nearly to death in the Name of Jesus.  Paul also gives us an example of how to interpret God’s hand in our lives in this passage—something that might go unnoticed at first.  There is a happening in Paul’s life: he is taken to prison for the work of Jesus.  And it is plain, as our text has told us, that Paul’s chains are in Christ.  His imprisonment is furthering the Gospel, and the Word of God is being preached more boldly.  Epaphroditus, a member of the church in Philippi, had been taking care of him—but he had no help.  He became sick, and Paul understood that Epaphroditus was a gift from God.  He also understood that the sparing of Epaphroditus’ life was a gift from God.  And I am guessing it was an answer to prayer as well.  What might seem like an everyday occurrence—someone getting sick—Paul teaches us to understand and interpret in light of God and the reality that He is working in our lives.

Let’s not forget.

God is Eternal.  He is outside of time.

God is Sovereign.  He is King of all creation.

That which happens is either caused directly by Him or allowed to happen by Him.

But what an interesting and amazing picture of a church where Jesus is working, no?

Work out our own salvations with fear and trembling.

Have we considered our attitude when dealing with Jesus?

It is easy to take advantage of a friend’s love if we are not paying close attention to who our friend is.  Do we have fear?  Do we have awe and reverence?  Or are these things we still need to work on with Jesus?  I know we’re treading on some dangerous questions here—questions that lead back to asking Jesus to increase our faith more.  Questions that will lead us to a more public and noticeable holiness.  Which is our goal, isn’t it?  To be a light in the midst of a crooked generation?

Jesus teaches…

Matthew 5: 14-17

“You are the light of the world.  A 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 lamp stand, 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.”

And I think that’s a good place to start for the day.