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How a Minister and Congregation Should Get Along

July 22, 2018 Speaker: Brian Wilbur Series: Philippians

Topic: Gospel-Shaped Life Passage: Philippians 2:14–18

THE GOSPEL-SHAPED LIFE:

HOW A MINISTER AND CONGREGATION SHOULD GET ALONG

An Exposition of Philippians 2:14-18

By Pastor Brian Wilbur

Date:   July 22, 2018

Series: Philippians: Gospel Partnership on Mission in the World

Note:   Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

INTRODUCTION

HOLDING FAST TO GOD’S WORD

In order to live a life that is pleasing to God, we must always be “holding fast to the word of life” (Philippians 2:16). God’s Word is the means by which we grow in faith, obedience, and service. Last week I contrasted Deuteronomy 32:5 and Philippians 2:15. Deuteronomy 32:5 describes an entire generation of Israelites who turned away from God and worshiped idols: “They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation.” By contrast, all of you who claim to follow Jesus ought to be utterly different: you ought to be true “children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation.” (Philippians 2:15) The crookedness and corruption and twisting and blemish of sin are all around us, but they must not be in us. The question is: how can we avoid decaying into the spiritual rottenness of Deuteronomy 32:5 and instead live and grow in the spiritual beauty of Philippians 2:15? The answer is given near the end of Deuteronomy 32:46-47,

“Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47)

How do you live as a faithful servant of the Lord? By “[taking] to heart” the life-giving words of God and putting them into practice through obedience. God’s Word is “your very life” and “by this word you shall live.” This is the same answer that Paul gives in Philippians 2:16,

“[holding] fast to the word of life.”

Cherishing God’s Word, trusting His promises, honoring His principles, and living in accordance with His instruction – this is how you walk in the unity of Philippians 2:2, in the love of Philippians 2:4, in the joyful service of Philippians 2:14, and in the holiness and witness of Philippians 2:15.     

This word-of-life-shaped-life that expresses itself in joyful service to the Lord results both in the present benefit of a good name now (Philippians 2:15), and also in the eternal benefit of a glorious celebration in eternity, which Paul speaks of in the rest of verse 16: “so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” As I said last week, Paul will not have “run in vain or [labored] in vain” if the Philippians stay the course and safely arrive in God’s eternal city.

GOD’S TRUE CHILDREN WILL AND MUST PERSEVERE IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

God’s true children will persevere on the path of faithful obedience unto final glory, and they will do so because “God… works in [them], both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philppians 2:13). In other words, God doesn’t abandon His work: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). That said, the comforting truth that God’s true children will persevere on the path of faithful obedience unto final glory doesn’t negate the sobering truth that God’s true children must persevere on the path of faithful obedience unto final glory. In this matter of perseverance and growth, we must not sit idly by with the mindset that we will just ‘let go and let God’ carry us home. Instead, the Bible tells us that we must actually follow Jesus and hold fast to His Word and “press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:14) and prepare ourselves for that wonderful day when we will see Jesus face to face.

Our faithful obedience over the long haul doesn’t qualify us to become God’s holy sons and daughters. On the contrary, God qualifies out-and-out sinners to become His children through the atoning sacrifice of His perfect Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. When God takes a sinner and brings that sinner into His family on the basis of Jesus’ blood and Jesus’ righteousness, He transforms that sinner from the inside out and beautifies that sinner with a new heart and puts His own Holy Spirit inside that sinner-turned-saint. Thereafter, faithful obedience over the long haul reveals and demonstrates that this has actually happened. And if it has happened, then perseverance and growth happen, and in this way the beloved saint is ripened for glory.

However, when faithful obedience over the long haul is lacking, when the lives of churchgoers are characterized by unfaithfulness and disobedience, when people claim to be Christians but don’t have a heart to follow Jesus and don’t have a hunger to know the Father and don’t have a thirst for righteousness and don’t have a longing to see Jesus, and if this spiritual deadness is the pattern of a person’s life for years, then the proper biblical conclusion is that such people are not God’s redeemed children, and as such God is not at work in their lives.

Thus Paul continually sets forth the basic trajectories of spiritual health and calls people to pursue it. Paul doesn’t sit back and say, ‘Since all of God’s true children will persevere to the finish line, and since everyone else won’t, I’ll just sit back, do nothing, and let it all play out.’ Instead, knowing that God’s true children not only will persevere, but also must persevere, Paul labors with great energy for the sake of their perseverance and progress. He urges them to stay the course: “as you have always obeyed, so now… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). And: “[hold] fast to the word of life.” Paul understands that no one should presume that they will coast to glory on the memory of yesterday’s grace. We must hold fast, strain forward (Philippians 3:13), and press on (Philippians 3:12, 14) today – and every day.

The necessity of perseverance should put everyone into a sober and serious frame of mind – “with fear and trembling,” as Paul says. The necessity of perseverance should fill seasoned saints with gratitude for the grace that has led them thus far even as they continue to press on, should fill new believers with a desire to confirm their calling and election (2 Peter 1:10), and should fill the backsliding and the unsaved with great fear. Paul told the Colossians, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard….” (Colossians 1:21-23) Continuation and perseverance in faith confirms that we have indeed been reconciled to God, whereas reverting to a life of unbelief, disobedience, or long-term spiritual apathy, shows that our former religiosity was an outward reformation produced by ourselves, but not an inward transformation produced by God.

Therefore, “holding fast to the word of life,” continue to walk in the way of life that the word of life produces in and through you, continue to pursue that “manner of life [that is] worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27), continue to participate in the church family that gathers around that “word of life,” continue to “[bear] fruit in every good work” (Colossians 1:10) and conduct yourself in all such things with joy and gladness, “without grumbling or questioning” (Philippians 2:14). This is the God-appointed pathway that leads to our final glory.

PAUL WANTS HIS LIFEWORK TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME

As Paul looks at the Philippians and every other congregation he served, he wants his lifework to stand the test of time. When he presents the Philippians to Christ on the day of Christ, he wants them to be “children of God without blemish” (Philippians 2:15), he wants them to be “holy and blameless and above reproach” (Colossians 1:22). He doesn’t want to lift up his hands to the Lord on that day, only to find that the Philippians – or any other congregation – have slipped through his hands, because they proved to be false converts. To say that Paul wants his lifework to stand the test of time is to say that he wants the Philippians themselves to stand the test of time, to be “stable and steadfast” (Philippians 1:23) in Jesus forever. After all, Paul’s lifework is these dear saints and the congregations in which they are gathered.  Paul doesn’t want his labor to ‘come to nothing’. Instead, he wants his labor – these beloved congregations – to go the distance, finish well, then enter into glory: “so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”

Paul did not run for the mere enjoyment of the run. Paul did not want to finish his race only to be empty-handed. Instead, Paul ran so that, at the end of the race, his hands would be full of mature believers who, like him, finished the race: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). In the Lord’s strength (Colossians 1:29), Paul labored diligently for the growth and godliness of God’s people. Paul did not labor for the mere enjoyment of activity. He did not want to labor unto futility, but rather unto fruitfulness, and an abundance thereof. The fruit that he labored for is the fruit of holy people who love the Lord and live for His glory. Paul’s lifework, his running and laboring, was so tied to the faithfulness and holiness of the church, that he said to the Thessalonians: “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:8) Every faithful minister of the gospel lives, if the people to whom he ministers “[stand] fast in the Lord” and “[hold] fast to the word of life” and walk in faithful obedience. But if a people lose their footing and stumble into unbelief and go far afield of God’s truth and make a shipwreck of their spiritual life, then Paul would only suffer with untold grief. Paul runs and labors and teaches and writes and prays so that the people under his care will stay the course and finish the race.

MUTUAL LOVE BETWEEN PAUL AND THE PHILIPPIAN CONGREGATION

As we come to verses 17-18, I want us to notice the mutuality of relationship between the apostle Paul and the Philippian congregation. Although this same mutuality of relationship should exist between all of God’s people as we all “[strive] side by side” (Philippians 1:27) and support one another and show love to each other, the emphasis in verses 17-18 is the mutuality of relationship between a minister, like Paul, and the congregation he serves. Paul says,

“Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” (Philippians 2:17-18)

With the mutual rejoicing of verses 17-18 in view, let’s step back and pay attention to the mutuality of deep, loving relationship between Paul and the Philippian congregation. Paul says, “I am glad and rejoice with you all.” Then he adds, “Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” The relationship between minister and congregation is to be of the same quality as what Paul describes in Philippians 2:4, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” A godly minister looks with loving attentiveness to the true interests of the congregation, and a godly congregation looks with loving attentiveness to the true interests of the minister. The mutual love between Paul and the Philippian congregation is modeled throughout this letter.

PAUL’S LOVE FOR THE PHILIPPIANS

First, let’s consider Paul’s love for the Philippians. He brought them the life-giving message of the gospel (Acts 16:6-40), and through that gospel message they had become Christians. Thereafter Paul thanks God for them: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy.” (Philippians 1:3-4) Paul prays for them – not mainly for the ten thousand practical needs that they might have had, but for their spiritual progress: “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” (Philippians 1:9-10) In fact, Paul’s entire life and ministry and preaching and writing was about their progress: “I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith.” (Philippians 1:25) The entire letter of Philippians is an instance of Paul seeking to encourage, instruct, and strengthen the Philippians in their spiritual walk. Paul sought to protect the congregation from false teachers, as we shall eventually see in Philippians 3. Paul also set forth his life as an example for the Philippians to imitate: “Brothers, join in imitating me” (Philippians 3:17; see also Philippians 4:9). When Paul speaks of his running and laboring in Philippians 2:16, he means his running and laboring for the sake of the Philippians, for the sake of their long-term spiritual health – and by long-term I mean forever. Paul told Timothy: “I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:10) Paul ran and labored with serious and steadfast purpose so that every believer in every congregation would walk in fellowship with the Lord now and forevermore. And he labored with great love and ran his course with great joy: “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:8); “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved” (Philippians 4:1); “I am glad and rejoice with you all” (Philippians 2:17).

With this love and joy in his heart, Paul gave everything he had in order to establish God’s people in a firm and fruitful faith. In Philippians 2:17 Paul refers to “the sacrificial offering of your [the Philippians’] faith.” This experience and exercise of true faith on the part of the Philippians, is what Paul’s ministry to them – and to every church – was all about: “I will… continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25); “[hold] fast to the word of life” (Philippians 2:16); “stand firm… in the Lord” (Philippians 4:1). Paul wants their faith to be growing, well-grounded and firm, and fruitful. This is why Paul proclaims “the gospel of Christ” to them in Philippians 2:6-11 and in Philippians 3:2-11, so that their faith will always be established firmly on the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why Paul proclaims the “manner of life” that is worthy of this gospel, so that their faith will bear fruit in obedience, love, service, and mission. Paul’s ministerial running and laboring is all aimed at getting God’s people established in a persevering and productive faith. When such faith is present in a congregation, the result is sacrificial offerings. Faith-filled people bring forth sacrificial offerings that are pleasing to the Lord.

So, we have seen Paul’s love for the Philippian congregation. His entire life and ministry was about their “progress and joy in the faith.” It must be likewise for every minister of the gospel, for every missionary, for every preacher and pastor and elder, that their lives would be given for the spiritual well-being of the churches they serve. But what about a church’s love for its minister (or ministers)? What about the Philippians’ love for Paul?

THE PHILIPPIANS’ LOVE FOR PAUL

We see their love for Paul at several points during this letter. To begin with, when they had first become Christians, the Philippians immediately became partners with Paul in the work of the gospel: in Philippians 1:5 Paul speaks “of [their] partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Lydia opened her home to Paul and his team; the Philippian jailer invited Paul and Silas into his home, and he washed their wounds (see Acts 16:11-40). Upon their conversion, there was immediate spiritual fellowship with Paul as well as practical support for him. This fellowship and support continued: “I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:7) The Philippians supported Paul and his missionary labors, and they stood with him in his sufferings. The Philippians prayed for Paul: “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” (Philippians 1:19) They “[shared Paul’s] trouble” by sending financial support to him: “Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again…. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.” (Philippians 4:14-18) All this highlights the fact that Paul and the Philippians had true fellowship with one another in the gospel. This fellowship was not abstract or theoretical. It was rooted in the gospel and in hearts that had been knit together through that gospel, and this fellowship then expressed itself in earthy, tangible ways. The Philippians demonstrated their love for Paul by praying for him and by providing him with practical support.

SEEKING THE OTHER’S SPIRITUAL AND EVERLASTING JOY

In addition to these things, Paul also anticipated further demonstrations of love from the Philippians – and these further demonstrations of love had nothing to do with Paul’s material comfort in this present world, and everything to do with his spiritual and everlasting joy. The whole point of Paul’s ministry was to bring about the spiritual and everlasting joy of God’s people. Though much smaller in scale, that is the whole point of my ministry to you: to bring about your spiritual and everlasting joy through a firm and fruitful faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If I am laboring for your joy in the Lord, is it too much to ask you to love me for my joy in the Lord? This is what Paul is doing in Philippians 2:

“complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:2)

The joy of Paul’s heart will be enlarged now at the present time if the Philippians live in Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered unity with one another. He goes on to say that the joy of his heart will burst forth in godly pride later at the future glorious day of Christ if the Philippians “[hold] fast to the word of life” and bear all the wonderful fruit that flows from it as they follow Jesus all the way to glory (Philippians 2:16). Healthy congregations love their ministers best by living faithfully for Jesus, by loving one another for Jesus’ sake, and by having a bright witness for Jesus in this sinful world. Do this, and you will bring joy to your minister’s heart; and moreover, when your minister stands before the Lord on the last day and you stand there with him, it will be evident that his ministry was not in vain. Then a big smile will break over his face as his heart overflows with joy, and all will be well as we stand together in the presence of our Lord.

Even so, this anticipation of greater joy “in the day of Christ” doesn’t undermine the real joy that we get to experience now. As Paul runs and labors for the Philippians, the joy is real: “I am glad and rejoice with you all.” Now at the present time they enjoy “partnership in the gospel.”[1] Paul is confident “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul considers it a great privilege to be part of God’s work in the Philippians – and so with gladness he runs and labors “for their progress and joy in the faith.” Paul serves the Lord by serving the Philippians and he does it with joy, and as he does so he sees God’s work in the Philippians and he receives love from the Philippians. The whole thing makes his soul deeply happy. And the Philippians ought to return the favor: they get to benefit from Paul’s labor, they get to be strengthened in their spiritual walk from Paul’s teaching and example, they get to participate in the Lord’s mission by supporting and praying for Paul’s missionary efforts, they get to love this dear servant of Christ and thereby demonstrate their greater love for Christ, and all this is headed to glory, resurrection glory, everlasting glory, “to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:11). So then, “you also should be glad and rejoice with me.”

GLADNESS THAT ENDURES THROUGH MARTYRDOM

Paul’s gladness and joy on account of the Philippians is so profound, that even the prospect of dying in the course of serving the Philippians does not undermine his joy: “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.” G. Walter Hansen comments, “Paul is using sacrificial language… to depict the possibility of martyrdom: his life being poured out as a sacrifice to God.”[2]

During this past week I spent a lot of time reflecting on this unfamiliar phrase “to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith.” In the end, though, I found myself indebted to others – Moisés Silva, G. Walter Hansen, D. A. Carson – for a correct understanding of the passage, and so I acknowledge my debt to them.[3]

The main point of verse 17 is that the gladness and joy with which Paul serves the Philippians is so great, that even if the great exertion of his ministerial running and laboring (verse 16) became the great sacrifice of a martyr’s death who died for the cause of Christ (verse 17), that wouldn’t change the fact that he is running his course with joy. Why is Paul running his course with joy and why would continue to do so even if his head was about to get chopped off? Not only because of all the other reasons we have contemplated in our journey through Philippians this morning, but also because of another reason that he gives us in verse 17. Here’s the additional reason: the Philippians’ faith is producing sacrificial offerings that are pleasing to the Lord. Which means, as Moisés Silva says, that Paul is here “affirming the genuineness of the Philippian’s Christian commitment.”[4] Therefore, Paul would consider it a privilege to have his life “poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of [their] faith.”

If the reality of faith and its fruit was not visibly manifest in the Philippian congregation, then Paul might be much more restrained in his affections. When a congregation is wavering in faith, or weak in faith, or confused about how to live by faith, then Paul is concerned, troubled, and upset. In such cases Paul might even wonder if his labor to that congregation was all in vain. But in Philippians, even though Paul knows that the final public confirmation of whether or not a professing Christian is a true Christian, will not be known until “the day of Christ,” nevertheless he really does have great confidence that the Philippians are the real deal. Even if there are a few weeds among the wheat, Paul believes that by and large the Philippians are true converts based on the evidence of a lively faith that is producing all kinds of good fruit. If Paul didn’t think the Philippians’ faith was a pure, persevering, and productive faith, then he wouldn’t have been so willing to be served up “as a drink offering upon [their] sacrificial offering.” But since the Philippians are the real deal, Paul is happy to be with them on the altar of God.

OFFERING, SACRIFICE, WORSHIP

The whole notion of pouring out a drink offering upon and in conjunction with a sacrificial offering of a slain animal that is being laid on the altar as an offering to God, isn’t all that familiar to 21st century Americans. But if we are familiar with the Old Testament, then we know that such sacrifices and offerings were an important part of how Israel worshiped the Lord.   

Whatever else is going on in Philippians 2:17, this much is clear: Paul sees the faith-filled Philippians as true worshipers who are offering sacrifices to God. As Christians, our most fundamental calling is to “worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23), and to offer this worship through our Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. This puts all of the instruction of Philippians 1:27–2:18 into the highest possible key: our way of life, our obedience, our love for one another, our unity as a church family, our witness to the world – all of these things are part of something far greater, namely, the worship that we render unto the Lord. A humble faith that holds fast to the word of life expresses itself in God-honoring worship all day, every day.

If you were to open the Bible to its third book, Leviticus, and began to read the chapter or section headings, you would see: “Laws for Burnt Offerings,” “Laws for Grain Offerings,” “Laws for Peace Offerings,” “Laws for Sin Offerings,” “Laws for Guilt Offerings,” “The Priests and the Offerings.”[5] What are these holy offerings all about? They are sacrificial offerings to the Lord, they are expressions of devotion to the Lord, they are acts of worship that are performed upon the altar in the presence of the Lord. Paul was wholeheartedly devoted to worshiping the Lord: “that… Christ will [always] be honored in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20). In Philippians 2:17 Paul sees the Philippians as fellow worshipers who are offering “sacrifice and service”[6] to the Lord.

But what does Paul mean when he contemplates “[being] poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith”? There are many references to a drink offering throughout the Old Testament. Generally speaking, a drink offering sometimes accompanied the sacrificial offering. The sacrificial offering was a slain animal – a lamb, a bull, a goat – offered upon the altar to the Lord. But meat alone doesn’t make a complete meal, does it? So we might say, in a manner of speaking, that the meat was to be accompanied by bread and wine: by bread, I refer to the grain offering; by wine, I refer to the drink offering. What is important to understand is that the sacrificial offering – the slain lamb or bull or goat – was the central feature of the offering. The drink offering was important but secondary. The drink offering found its significance in relation to the main sacrifice. For example, Exodus 29:38-41 says,

“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. And with the first lamb a tenth seah of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.” (Exodus 29:38-41)

So, what do you think Paul meant when he compared himself to a potential “drink offering” in relation to the sacrificial offering that was being offered up by the Philippians?

PAUL’S HIGH REGARD FOR THE PHILIPPIANS AS FAITH-FILLED WORSHIPERS OF GOD

We can say at least three things. First, Paul is communicating very clearly that he thinks very highly of the Philippians![7] Paul had instructed them: “in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). Paul is doing so here! Paul looks at the Philippians and sees their faith expressing itself in good deeds and sacrificial offerings, and he says: these are the sacrifices of true worship that are so pleasing in God’s sight.

Second, Paul expresses his humility by saying that he is only like “a drink offering.” The Philippian congregation’s worship of God is what it’s all about – it’s like the slain animal upon the altar, the central feature of the offering, the main sacrifice – and by comparison Paul’s role is the important but secondary “drink offering.”

Of course, the Philippians aren’t actually offering slain animals on the altar. Instead they are offering spiritual sacrifices. As Christians, God calls us to be living sacrifices: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1) “Through him [Jesus] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:15-16) When we offer ourselves to God in order to carry out His agenda (such as what we find in Philippians 1:27–2:18), when from our hearts we offer up praise and thanksgiving to God, and when we “look… to the interests of others” to the point of doing good and sharing what we have and practicing hospitality, we are offering sacrifices to God: the sacrifice of wholehearted devotion, the sacrifice of praise, the sacrifice of loving deeds.

In Philippians, as Paul recalls the recent gift that the Philippians sent to him by the hand of Epaphroditus, Paul says: “I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:18) The Philippians’ faith sprang into the activity of love for their beloved Paul, and their gift to Paul for the sake of the gospel was nothing less than the sacrifice of true worship in the presence of God.[8] As Paul considers this example and other examples of spiritual vitality among the Philippians, he sees a faith-filled church that is characterized by worship.

If you were to envision yourself as “a drink offering [poured out] upon” the altar, you wouldn’t want the main sacrifice on that altar to be blemished, worthless, or in any way displeasing to the Lord. The animals that were offered to the Lord had to be “without blemish” (Leviticus 1:3). Only a pure and spotless animal, offered in the right way, would be “a pleasing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9). If Paul thought that the Philippians were fundamentally blemished in their character or corrupt in their worship, then he wouldn’t have wanted to be “a drink offering” on the altar of their idolatry. But even as Paul called them to prove true as “children of God without blemish” (Philippians 2:15), Paul knew that they were holy people who were growing in godly character and offering pleasing sacrifices to the Lord. Therefore he thinks, I would be glad to accompany their worship in the same way that a drink offering accompanies the main sacrifice.

Third, and perhaps most important for understanding the texture of verse 17, Paul says that if he dies for the sake of the gospel, then the meaning and significance of his death will be found in the people that he lived for – in this case, the Philippians. What would you think if all you had was a drink offering, but there was no sacrificial offering on the altar? Even if the drink offering was the very best wine in the world, the overall picture is incomplete. Where is the sacrifice? Paul was running and laboring, preaching and teaching, serving and suffering, living and (eventually) dying for the sake of God’s people, in order to establish them as faithful saints, fruitful disciples, fervent worshipers. He was running and laboring for their faith, their obedience, their love, their service to the Lord and His church – in other words, he was running and laboring that they might render worship, devotion, and spiritual sacrifices to God. If they did so and continued to do so, then His running and laboring would not be in vain. After all, Paul wasn’t running and laboring for himself; he was running and laboring for others, for the Lord’s sake.

Therefore, the fitting way for Paul to die was for his life to finally “be poured out as a drink offering” on the same altar where his disciples were so faithfully worshiping the Lord. Their faithful worship of God is what Paul lived for, and in martyrdom he would be poured out as red wine upon the prime rib of their spiritual devotion. Just as prime rib was the meal’s centerpiece around which the rest of the meal was ordered, so the Philippians’ sacrifice of true worship was the centerpiece around which Paul’s missionary labor was ordered. He lived for them. He would “spend and be spent,” for the well-being of their souls (2 Corinthians 12:15). He would feel truly alive, if they stood firm in the Lord. He would rejoice, if they loved one another. He would boast on the day of Christ, if they finished the race and kept the faith. And if in the meantime he would die as a missionary martyr, he would do so as a gospel minister whose death finds its meaning and significance in the spiritual and everlasting good of the people he served: “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.”

MUTUAL REJOICING BETWEEN MINISTER AND CONGREGATION

We must pity that man or woman who lives only for a narrow range of selfish interests. Equally, we must pity that man or woman who in some sense lives for others, but not for the Lord’s sake. The only way to live, the only “manner of life [that is] worthy of the gospel of Christ,” is to trust in Christ and to express your faith by living for others, for the Lord’s sake. It is the privilege of every minister – every missionary, preacher, pastor, or elder – to diligently seek the spiritual and everlasting good of the congregation he serves: though it cost me everything, what a privilege to accompany you in offering worship to the Lord. The minister is glad to serve the congregation, and he rejoices with them all on account of all the spiritual riches that they share together in Christ. At the same time, it is the privilege of every congregation to render glad service to its minister, especially by walking in joyful obedience to the Lord and thereby bringing joy to the minister’s heart. And the congregation should rejoice with him on account of all the spiritual riches that they share together in Christ.

Thus we see the mutual relationship that ought to obtain between the congregation and its minister.

Let us pray.

  

ENDNOTES

[1] Commenting on verse 18, G. Walter Hansen helpfully points out: “The larger setting of imperatives to rejoice with him in suffering establishes partnership in the gospel (1:5), partnership in the Spirit (2:1), and partnership in the sufferings of Christ (3:10) as the ultimate basis of joy” (The Letter to the Philippians, p. 190).

[2] Hansen, G. Walter. The Letter to the Philippians (Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009: p. 188.

[3] i) Silva, Moisés. Philippians: Second Edition (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005. ii) Hansen, G. Walter. The Letter to the Philippians (Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009. iii) Carson, D. A. Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996.

[4] Silva, Moisés. Philippians: Second Edition (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005: p. 129.

[5] These headings are found in the English Standard Version for the following chapters/sections: Leviticus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:14, 6:8.  

[6] Where ESV has “sacrificial offering,” many translations (including KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV) have “sacrifice and service.”

[7] Boice comments, “Paul was placing his own achievements, even his martyrdom, at a very low point on the scale of Christian service. He was holding up the faith and achievements of his converts for admiration. This is an example of the humility and obedience to Jesus Christ that Paul was writing about. Do you show such humility as you meet with other Christians? If not, you need to apply Paul’s self-evaluation to yourself and not reckon your own achievements too highly.” Boice, James Montgomery. Philippians: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000: p. 154.

[8] I appreciate both Silva (p. 129) and Hansen (p. 189-190) directing me to the strong connection between the “sacrificial offering” in Philippians 2:17 and “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” in Philippians 4:18.

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