The Lord's Day Bible Message Outlines
April 18, 2010
Pastor Dana Johnson
"...it is God who
works in you...for His good
pleasure."
-Philippians
2:13
For it is God who works in you both
to will and to do for His good
pleasure.
1. It is the sovereign
God's good pleasure to be continually at work sanctifying
His saints.
a. God made
us His saints when He placed us in Christ.
Philippians
1:1 - Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To
all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with
the bishops and deacons.
b. God is
completing the work which He began in us.
Philippians
1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that He who has
begun a good work in you will complete it until the day
of Jesus Christ.
2. The Lord
accomplishes His work even as human helpers come and
go.
a. Some are
removed by the wise providence of God.
Philippians
2:12 - 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.
Philippians 1:7 - Just as it is right for me to think
this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch
as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation
of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of
grace.
b. Good leaders are
scarce.
Philippians
2:20-21 - For I have no one like-minded, who will
sincerely care for your state. 21For all seek
their own, not the things which are of Christ
Jesus.
3. God accomplishes
His good pleasure by working IN His saints.
a.
This is one
of the major improvements of the New Covenant.
b. First, through
His Spirit, He exerts His holy influence on our will.
Notice some examples of the things He wants us to do:
Philippians
1:8 - For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you
all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:11 - Being filled with the fruits of
righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and
praise of God.
Philippians 1:20 - According to my earnest expectation
and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all
boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified
in my body, whether by life or by death.
Philippians 2:16 - Holding fast the word of life, so that
I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in
vain or labored in vain.
c. Second, through
His Spirit, He enables us to do His will.
4. Consider our
responsibility to the good pleasure of God:
a. To "work
out your own salvation" means to be willing participants
in the willing and doing.
b. Beware of
ignoring our responsibility: hyper-calvinism;
hyper-positionalism.
c. Beware of
over-emphasizing our responsibility: It can lead to forms
of external religion; tradition; hypocrisy; a spirit of
self-righteousness.
d. Personal
responsibility involves obedience and the fear of
God.
Philippians
2:12 - 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.
e. Are you ready to
participate in the willing and doing much more?
Philippians
2:12 - 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.
(All
Scripture quoted is from the New King James
Version)
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