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Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:14-18 NIV)
One of our former presidents talked about 1000 points of light. He was talking about the importance of volunteerism, and trying to encourage people to volunteer in areas of meaningful service to humanity. In so doing, they would shine as points of light.
I like the idea of points of light. It is the idea that what we do matters. Our contribution in life makes a difference–– it makes a difference to us, and it makes a difference to others. And this is what Paul was talking about here. He is not talking about volunteerism, but he is talking about our lives making a difference. He refers to the fact that we are to "shine like stars in the universe." Our lives are to make a difference. Our lives are to count.
All of us like to think that our life counts. We want our trip through this earthly existence to matter. Sometimes we don’t really know whether our lives really matter like we want them to matter. But all us want to matter. In fact, one of the greatest pursuits in our society today is the search for meaning. It is a search for significance. Everyone wants to believe that he or she has a real purpose that can be fulfilled.
And after people have discovered that fulfillment does not come in the acquisition of material possessions, position, status, and money, many of them discover that one area that brings fulfillment is when they reach out and help another person. Touching the life of someone else in a positive way, a helpful way, provides incredible satisfaction. And you don’t have to be a Christian to understand this. People everywhere are coming to understand the value of relationships–– of having wholesome and healthy interaction with other people.
As Christians, however, we know the value of people. Jesus Christ left his throne of glory, came to this earth, died on the Cross, and paid the penalty of sin for every person. So we know the importance of people. People matter to God, and so people matter to us. But we also know that there is a higher purpose in our interaction with people. We are not here simply to be helpful. We are here to point people to Jesus. Our interaction with people has a higher purpose–– an eternal purpose.
Paul wanted these Christians to whom he was writing to make a difference. He wanted their lives to count. He had invested time and energy in their spiritual maturity and he did not want that to be wasted. That is why he said in verse 16, "in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." He wanted these Philippians to live in such a way that they would be a testimony to his labor in Christ. He wanted them to be his trophy, the evidence that his ministry mattered. Paul wanted their lives to shine as points of light.
Did you know that your life is significant? Your life has a purpose. Your purpose in life is to shine as a point of light in a dark world. Paul says that you are to "shine like stars in the universe." The purpose of every Christian is to shine.
In fact, God created you to reflect his glory. He created you to shine. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shared this purpose with us in graphic language.
You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.
(Matthew 5:14 NLT)
The purpose for every Christian is to be light in the midst of a dark world. We are to shine with the reflected glory of God. The light of his glory has shined on us, and now we reflect that light to others. We glow in the dark night as a point of light that gives others hope.
Indeed, our highest honor is to bear his name as children of God (v. 15) and to reflect his image as sons and daughters. We have been born again. We have been born into the family of God. We are now his children and we bear his name. We are Christians. We are called by the family name. And we also bear the family image. In fact, the longer we serve Christ the more we are to resemble him.
This is what God is doing in each of our lives. He is conforming us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. It is a gradual change that his presence in our lives produces. The light that we have encountered in Christ is changing us in such a way that we become the light of the world.
For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
(Ephesians 5:8-9 NLT)
When we encounter his light it produces a transformation in us. Once we were full of darkness, but now we are full of light, and our lives should reflect that light. In fact, the light itself produces those things that are good and right and true. The light makes us more like Christ.
Notice some of the words that Paul uses in verse 15. He uses words like blameless, pure, and without fault. These are words that are to describe us! This is who we are to be. After all, these words describe Christ, and we are to reflect his image.
Now I should point out that we do not arrive at this overnight. It is not an instantaneous transformation. But neither is it something that never happens. Far too many Christians are stuck in spiritual kindergarten when they should be in graduate school. It is true that we are not perfect and never will be in this earthly existence, but our standard is not imperfection! God expects us to grow in our commitment to him, to grow in our obedience, to grow in our service, and to grow in our spiritual maturity. We need to plan to grow and do those things that foster that growth. As we do, we will shine as points of light.
Too many Christians think that the place they are to shine is in the church. They must think this because that is the only place that they make any effort to shine. But we are to shine where it is darkest. We are to shine in the world.
The world is often referred to as a dark place. Here in our text Paul describes it has a crooked and depraved generation. And the world is full of evil. It began with what is called the Fall. That refers to the time when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and go their own way. They chose to believe the lies of Satan rather than trust God. The Bible teaches that sin entered into the world at this time. The impact has been devastating. Evil has corrupted our world. Decay and death are at work in society. We are crooked and depraved in many ways. Good is called evil and evil is called good. It was foretold in the Scripture that it would be like this. Satan now rules in the hearts of men and women. This world can be a dark place indeed.
But God has delivered us from this darkness. He has set us free. We are no longer under the power of the dark forces that control this world. Christ has set us free.
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
(Colossians 1:13 NIV)
We have been delivered from the world but we have not been taken out of the world. As those who have been delivered from the world, we are now to shine in the midst of the darkness. God has left us here in order to shine because the enemy of God, Satan, is still seeking to blind the eyes of human beings.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
(2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV)
According to this passage, the minds of unbelievers have already been blinded by Satan. This is his strategy. Only God can cause them to see. And God uses us in that process. He wants us to shine as points of light–– people he can point to as living examples of the difference God can make in a human life. God uses us to reflect his glory. We stand in contrast to what is normal in this world. Actually, what is normal is in fact abnormal. But when everyone you know is abnormal, you begin to think that what is abnormal is in fact normal. That is why we are here. We are to be God’s normal. We are to reflect the transforming power of God.
Now this assumes that we are in fact transformed. We are certainly called to be. We are called to be essentially different. We are called to change the way we think and the way we act.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
(Romans 12:2 NIV)
You see, our goal is not to blend in with the world. Our goal is to be different. It all starts with a renewing of our minds. Nothing will change until our minds change. Our way of thinking must be altered. Until our thinking changes, we will continue to respond in the same old ways that we have always responded.
It is amazing how much of the world’s philosophy we have adopted. Even as Christians, we have let so many things that pass for truth go unchallenged. In some cases we have adopted the philosophy of the world without realizing that it is the opposite of what the Bible teaches. It may be widely accepted but that does not make it true. We must reexamine our thinking in light of the Bible. The Scriptures must reprogram us. Then we will be essentially different. Then we will illuminate the darkness around us.
How do we become points of light? We do so by following a specific path. Paul outlines it for us here in this text. Look at verse 14. There he tells us, "Do everything without complaining or arguing."
What an incredible command! Is he serious? Does he really expect us to do everything without complaining or arguing–– everything? Why, it can’t be done. This is really too much to ask. As a matter of fact, I think I am going to complain about it!
This is really the point. When we complain, we’re showing a lack of submission to God. We are essentially saying, "God, you don’t really know how to run my life. I’m not sure I trust you to do what is right." When we complain, we reveal a lack of trust.
There are numerous illustrations to this found in the Old Testament. The prime example is the people of Israel, when they were delivered from Egypt. God brought them out of bondage in Egypt in order to bring them into the land of promise. In order to do that they had to march through the wilderness. That became a problem. They did not want to be in the wilderness, and they began to complain and complain and complain. The object of their complaint was usually Moses. But they were really complaining about God and the leadership he was providing through Moses.
In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard you complaining about him. Why are you complaining about us?" Moses also said, "The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and all the food you want in the morning. The Lord has heard you complaining about him. Who are we? You’re not complaining about us but about the Lord."
(Exodus 16:7-8 GW)
We are like these Israelites. We have been delivered from the dominion of darkness and are on our way to heaven. For now, however, we are living in this world. We are not yet to our land of promise. Are we willing to trust God to guide us until we arrive? Or will we, like the children of Israel, complain? When we do, we are really complaining about the Lord.
When we complain, we reveal a lack of trust, and when we argue, we reveal a rebellious spirit. We need a checkup from the neck up, and maybe a little heart surgery as well. In other words, we need to make sure that our attitude is right before God if we are to shine before this watching world. What do we want the world to see? Do we want them to see dissatisfied Christians, refusing to trust God? If we are complainers, that is what they will see. Our attitude should reveal faith. It should reveal hope. It should reveal love. The world is watching.
When our attitude is right, we are then in a position to share the good news of Christ with people. This is a path we must follow in terms of our action. You see, you shine "as you hold out the word of life" for people to receive.
People need Jesus. And our challenge is to share Jesus with them. How do we do this? Well, how were you changed? You and I were changed by the power of God’s word.
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
(1 Peter 1:23 NIV)
This is the word of life that we are to hold out. God’s word is powerful. The Bible teaches that it is sharper than any two edged sword. We are told that God’s word accomplishes what God sends it forth to do–– that it never returns without achieving its purpose. As we share God’s word with people, God works through that to touch their hearts. The word is alive. God will use it. The word of Gospel has the power to transform lives, and we need to share it.
A life spent to make a difference in the lives of others is a life well spent. Paul gave his life this way. So should we. Paul was now in prison writing to these Christians at Philippi. He didn’t know exactly how his case would turn out, but he wasn’t complaining. Throughout the book of Philippians a common theme emerges. It is joy and rejoicing in the Lord. The message is clear–– Jesus makes a difference. He certainly had in Paul’s life. And Paul was more concerned about them than he was about himself. Although he could be executed, he essentially told them not to worry about him, but to rejoice with him. "But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me" (vv. 17-18). What was important to him was that his life had made a difference in them. He wanted them to shine.
God wants you to shine. He wants you to be a point of light. He wants you to be a testimony to his power to transform a human life. He wants you to make a difference in the lives of other people by how you think and by how you live. He wants you to be essentially different. He wants you to live out what you believe and to share the good news with others. He wants you to shine. And by his grace you can.
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