Lights in a Perverse World
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Paul establishes goals to help Christians and churches prepare themselves to be Lights in a perverse world.
Text: Phil. 2:14-16
Date: 05/19/2024, the Evening service.
Series: "Evenfall; Sunday Evening Worship" Part 15
Description:
Like a lighthouse on a rocky promontory marking the entrance to a safe harbor, Paul encourages Christians and churches to strive for goals of Christian excellence for a reason. As we will see, this is not just for personal piety, but to impact the crooked and perverse culture they live in and fulfill their calling. We will analyze these familiar goals and explain how they work together with the Spirit of Christ, both individually and corporately as a church, to shine the Light of truth into the darkness. Ultimately we will find that if there is any pride to be found in Christianity it is in the fruit born by our Lord as He accomplishes the mission and purpose of His church using the likes of us as Lights in a Perverse world
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, Phil 2:14-16.
A. Context
B. Reasons for Sanctified living.
1. Attitude matters, vs. 14.
a. Looking at the words.
i. An all-inclusive instruction.
ii. Do not grumble, Ex. 15:24; 1Cor. 10:9-10; Luke 15:2.
iii. Do not dispute.
b. Comparing and assessing the words.
c. A few examples, 1Pet. 4:9; Luke 9:46-48; 1Tim. 2:8; Col. 3:23.
2. Ambassadors of Light in a perverse world, vs. 15.
a. Looking at the words.
i. Introductory words.
ii. Goals to strive for.
1) The goal of blamelessness, Job 1:1; 2Sam. 22:24.
2) The goal of innocence, Rom. 16:19; Matt. 10:16.
3) To be identifiable children of God, John 1:11-13; Phil. 1:3-7.
4) The goal of moral purity.
iii. The reason for the sanctifying goals, Deut. 32:5-6.
iv. Describing the culture.
1) Crooked.
2) Twisted.
3) The generation.
v. Lights in the darkness, Matt. 5:14-15; John 12:35-36.
3. Finishing well, vs. 16.
a. Holding fast to the Gospel, Matt. 5:14-15.
b. "Boasting" in the day of Christ, Phil. 2:2; 2Cor. 10:17.
III. Application
A. The uniqueness of Christian ethics.
B. The lighthouse analogy.
IV. Conclusion
