SERMON VIDEO:
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Questions: Leaving a Legacy of Authenticity (Philippians 2:14-18)
Introduction
Question 1: “Context is everything.” What do I mean, and give an example in real life?
Question 2: “The truth of the Gospel informs us, saves us, changes the heart, transforms our values, empowers our living, and creates us anew.” That’s a summary of the Scriptures. Spend a few minutes taking that sentence apart, and ask, “how does it do that?
Question Three: “Jesus Christ is God’s non-negotiable revelation to radically take total ownership of our lives; and any response less than that, dishonors God, plays with Truth, dances with deception, straddles the fence of constant compromise, plunges marriages into doubt and uncertainty, catapults us into the syrup of mediocrity, and we end up our lives looking back in regret, shame and self-condemnation.” That’s a mouth-full! But the reality is, many times in our lives, we experience the above far more than we care to confess. So, what stops us?
Leaving a Legacy of Authenticity
Question 4: When hitting the latter part of life, we start to ask ourselves a sober question, “is that to be our parting gift to our families?” this message is about legacy; what do we want to leave behind, when people remember us?
Question 5: The great sin of the western world is fueled by the devil’s passion and plan “to lull us to sleep on the bed of distractions, in the far away land of hobbies trinkets and toys.” Any truth in that? If so, how do you see it?
Question 6: Here is the central point of my message – “Christ wants us to leave a legacy of authenticity built on the foundation of His grace and mercy.” Spend a minute and write that down in your own words. Share it together.
Question 7: “The darker colours on this canvas are believers grumbling and disputing in a crocked and perverse world.” He tells us first to do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit (2:3), now he says “do all things with out grumbling or disputing (2:14).” What do you think is the relationship between selfishness and grumbling?
Question 8: when babies begin to crawl, the goal is not to crawl better and better, but to walk and to run. What should we expect to be like as we grow in Christ?
Question 9: “All grumbling in the Scriptures is in fact a grumbling against God. And in the community of God, it finds its expression in the destruction of unity.” Why the first, and why the second?
Question 10: “Grumbling starts in the bleachers but always ends up on the pitch of complaining, gossip and slander,” when there is no repentance. Do you think this is particularly harder in a small church community? If you agree, why? If not, why not?
Question 11: “How would we know the difference between voicing legitimate concerns and selfish complaining?”
Question 12: Here are my three conclusions to the dark part of the canvas – Grumbling and disputing are (1) characteristic of those with whom God is displeased (2) Grumbling and disputing are also the deepest forms of self-centred worldliness to whom we are called to contrast (3) Grumbling and disputing are a waste of a life. Upwards, outwards, and inwards. Why can a Christian not hold on to a grumbling heart and expect to grow?
Question 13: Contrary to our principles of spiritual optometry, it is popular for Christians to say, “we want people to see Jesus” in us; but in fact, “the world only sees us.” Why is it important to keep this perspective in prober balance?
Question 14: Beginning to look at the bright colors on the canvas, the definitive verse is, Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Discuss together all the observations you see in this verse.
Question 15: “The Christian life is not a call to an effortless sanctification based on some inner experience of God.” According to Philippians 2:14-18, we are to be (1) Blameless & Innocent. (2) To be Above reproach – (Ephesians 1:4, 5:27, Ex. 12:5, Heb. 9:14 & 1 Pet. 1:19) (3) “In the midst of…” Discuss all three elements. The first is essentially toward God. The second is about our general practice. But the third places the emphasis, where?
Question 16: In practically applying this passage there is a clear balance between being, doing and saying – (1) Be the light and (2) Carry the light-giving message (3) Hold it out. The implication is that a true Christian witness is wholistic. Why is this so important to make this balance the default of the Christian life?
Question 17: “Keep your focus on the returning Christ.” Like Paul, places our hope in what’s to come. If this is done, is it possible that grumbling might get to be minimized? Imagine that today you got the inside revelation from God Himself that His Son was on His way between now and midnight. Would complaining not seem a little out of place?
Question 18: Lastly, we are to play the part given to us by God, in the same way Paul speaks of his service. And to do so in a shared joy together. There is quite a distance between grumbling and the last note of joy! In the light of 2:14-18, map out together how grumbling gets crushed, and joy becomes our legacy?
