Fear and Trembling
Philippians 2: 12 “Wherefore, my beloved, ias ye have always kobeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, lwork out your own salvation with mfear and trembling.” [1]
I. Precious
A. Presently
B. Personally
II. Proven
A. Presence
B. Absence
III. Productive
A. Decipher
B. Deliver
Introduction: Today is Fathers’ Day. When I was a young child my mother would warn me about what would happen when my father got home. Most of the time when I needed correction it would come from her but the threat of my father coming home after working away all week to spank me when he got home was enough to make me take a back step. That worked for a while but the time I spent with him down at the bay fishing and the things he did to make me understand how much he loved me were more than enough to make the threats not so scary.
We continue in our exposition of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. Bible verse memorizer folks probably remember this particular verse as the “fear and trembling verse.” The title of today’s message could have been “Now what?” Though Paul used these words that coincide with or are translated into English as fear and trembling, we need to understand what Paul is saying to the Philippians and us with his words.
The fear and trembling part is already here for most people. We fear that this dreaded virus might overtake the world again as we are attempting to continue our earthly lives. As the testing increases so do the numbers of positive cases though we really have no idea what a positive case might look like. Some people have the virus and don’t know it. Some people know they have the virus and no symptoms. Others have it and don’t know it until it’s too late and complications lead to death. It is a very scary time. Fear is a presence that we cannot minimize and really shouldn’t try to.
We see people being made to be afraid of each other and especially the ones who are supposed to be protecting us from danger. It is definitely enough to make you tremble. The people who are acting out are even in our nearby neighborhoods. The noise is too loud and it’s no wonder that we tremble under the stress of now.
Last week we considered that we could have the mind of Christ and as Christians we should reach that place. Though we are bought with the price that He paid to be in the royal family, we like Jesus can be humble servants even during fearful times. Jesus was obedient even to the point of death on the cross and though He asked for another way, Jesus was not fearful of what He would go through because He trusted God. So since we strive to have the same mindset that Jesus has, we should be able to face whatever comes without fear, certainly without trembling.
As we consider this particular verse let us pay close attention to our Bible verse from last Sunday. 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but sperfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth eis not made perfect in love.” [2] John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, used the noun fear 3 times. John said anyone who fears, verb tense, has not reached the place of perfect love. We need to understand what it is to work out something that we cannot work to attain. We need to understand that there is fear of the bully and there is fear of The Awesome God that takes away the need to ever be afraid. We need to understand that sometimes it is OK to tremble when we begin to comprehend the love that such a loving Heavenly Father has for me and for you.
Scripture: The scripture is Philippians 2:12. When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.
Prayer: Please be seated
Message: Wherefore or because we have arrived at this place and have experienced enough to understand that you can trust me and I can trust you, since we are now here, the conditions have been met to take the next step. Wherefore or presently we are ready now to move on to more.
What is the thing that had been reconciled? That a person can be in the mindset of Jesus! That Jesus really did walk this earth in the form of a human being and experienced every aspect without falling into sin though He was tempted to even more than we are often tempted. Because Jesus was, is, and always will be Lord to whom we should fall on our knees in worship, now we are ready to consider how to take our next step.
Beloved says that no matter what might happen in the future, the love that I have for you and you have for me will not decrease. You will be loved as you are presently loved and there’s nothing that can change that. The mind of Christ allows us to understand how precious I am to Him and He is to me. That relationship will be precious forever and ever. When a thing is precious it is worthy of holding onto no matter what it takes to preserve it.
Paul had been there with those people as the church there had been born but he could not stay there. Now he was in a place of house arrest in Rome. Some people say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and that is certainly true for the most part especially when we are separated by death.
We often forget the hard times when things were not so good and remember more fondly when we think we might never see that beloved one again. Then there is that old thing about the mouse playing while the cat’s away. We are in a different state of mind when someone is with us than sometimes when they are away from us. The true and lasting relationship has no sense of presence or absence. The love is the same either way because this is a proven relationship.
Unfortunately relationships like this are few for most people. I would even go so far as to say that unless a person does have the mind of Christ, which requires the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life, this type of relationship is not possible.
We have mentioned how when we see certain names come up on the phone sometimes we are selective on how we answer if we even do answer. Other names show up and we do whatever necessary to answer the call as quickly as possible. I do that. Hard to admit but I do that.
When a tried and true friend calls I will sit there no matter what it takes and listen intently because the conversation is precious. Sometimes I know that I will not be with that person in person again but the joy from having that conversation is valuable enough that I will put aside whatever I am doing at the time. Whether we are together or not the trusting relationship and prayer will keep us together.
Paul had trust with those he was scribing this letter to. He knew that their faith had prepared them for the big next step of moving on with Jesus. Though Paul could not be with them to instruct them anymore, he knew that they could figure out what to do next. Work it out yourself. Figure out what is the right next thing. This is not saying that they worked for their salvation. This was saying that now since you have been saved; figure out what to do with that!
You have been saved to produce something. Figure out what it is that God has gifted you to do and do it. Now it is time for you to produce that which God expects you to want to do. When you make the decision to accomplish the work He has in His mind for you, He will accomplish that work through you for His good pleasure.
Work that out in your mind with awe for God which is incomparable to anything that you have ever tried to figure out. Sometimes we try very hard to accomplish a thing because we want a positive response for ourselves. Well we already have our Atta boy. God saved us through the blood of His Beloved Son Jesus. Wanting to do His will the best we can should not be because of being afraid to fail God; though we should always want to give Him our very best.
Working out His will through discovery and delivery is in itself an awesome gift from God. He doesn’t need us to accomplish His will yet He chooses us to do it. Have you ever been so excited over a thing that you could hardly contain yourself? Maybe it was a college degree or a promotion; maybe it was at the sight of that child you thought you might never meet. Maybe it was that pretty little blond girl at the State Fair.
Sometimes we tremble at the realization of a thing we never thought we would realize. There is a group of believers that actually meet not far from here. Some of you might even work with these folks who call themselves “friends.” In early Philadelphia, Pennsylvania there was a denomination called Quakers. They believe that whatever comes should not be protested against. They don’t believe in war even though they can serve in the military. They consider themselves to be conscientious objectors. Whatever happens, God could change it so they feel we must accept whatever comes without dispute. Their thing to do when they have a dilemma they don’t understand is to sit in the sanctuary saying nothing, moving nothing, making no gestures, and just sitting there very still. Try that sometime. After a while their bodies would begin to shake or quake. After such an experience they would remember the words here in this verse and decide that God had allowed or caused the trembling so now they are ready.
I’m fairly sure that Paul didn’t mean for us all to quake before we produce for God but if some feel that is their way than so be it. We should be more excited about serving God than any worldly experience that might cause a reaction that moves us in any way. If you are truly saved, don’t just sit there. You have it! Use it for His glory!
Prayer:
Invitation: We are living through a time when there is enough to cause us to be afraid unless we know that we can trust Him. He is that Almighty Father who shows His love more than His wrath. Yes He often allows correction and testing to make our faith in Him strong enough to withstand anything that this world can throw our way. Remember this; Your Heavenly Father loves you and enjoys the time you spend with Him. You can trust Him because He loves you and He will preserve us forever because we are precious in His sight.
Do you believe that? Then what are you going to do with that salvation that was free to you yet cost Jesus so much. What are you going to do? What are you going to show this generation about being a Christian Father who loves because His Heavenly Father so love us. Talk with Him about it while we sing…
i Comp. ch. 1:5.
k See 2 Cor. 2:9. Comp. ver. 8.
l Eph. 6:13 marg.
m See Eph. 6:5.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Php 2:12). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
s So Ecclus. 25:12. See Rom. 8:15.
e See ch. 2:5. So ver. 18.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., 1 Jn 4:18). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
