“Life Being Poured Out”
SERMON Title: 2023 Vision Message - Life Being Poured Out
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2:12-18
Passage
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 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. (Philippians 2:12-18)
Introduction
As we grow to know God more and more, we come to know Him as a good Father who wants to give us every spiritual blessing (ref). More than just a good or perfect job, a good or caring spouse, or a good and easy life, His gift of spiritual blessing for us is greater than a life without worry or pain. Inevitably there will be a disconnect in receiving His blessing and living a comfortable life reflecting the truth that He is good. What does it take to be like the drink offering from the olden days, an offering given with great passion and fervour for the Lord under any circumstance (v17)?
Much like the soccer players who were in the running to win the World Cup, we are players who run for the gospel. Whether you’re running as a starter or as a substitute, this year, we as a church seek to run with passion and experience an outpouring of grace from God. Instead of a life where we never run or never expected to run as a sub, let us run with purpose and pour out with contentment and satisfaction knowing in the end, we will stand before Jesus proud of all that we have achieved in His Name.
We are restless because we can’t pour out. How do we live a life where we can pour out?
Let us prepare ourselves: We are vessels for the Lord to work all things according to His purpose. But because we live in a fallen world, we need to be cleansed and whole. Otherwise, without proper restoration and renewal by God, we will simultaneously struggle to pour out while working to restore broken relationships, embracing new identities, or easily susceptible to our old ways of thinking and doing (v15).
We live in a reality that is twisted and crooked. This reality bleeds into forming hearts and minds that are twisted and crooked. We struggle perpetually with sinning over honouring God.
Without principles from Scripture and encounters with the changing grace of God, we tend to prioritize convenience and independence in our decisions. This includes how we may worship at our own convenience and form.
In what areas do you need to be cleansed in? Is it a certain area of your life (work, family, the home, relationships) or is it an internal way of thinking or seeing? Until we confess and surrender so God may cleanse us, sin will be a hindrance in God’s purposes of working in us.
Let us receive God’s outpouring of grace: What is inside of us will naturally flow out and what flows out is our response to receiving His grace for us. We cannot pour if there is nothing in us to flow out. Our love for the gospel will naturally flow out if by God’s grace, the gospel is taking root in our hearts. Without a firm seed planted in us, a response cannot be forced out of nothing (v12).
Have you been choosing to receive God’s grace for you? How are you reflecting this gift to others?
With the grace we receive, let us bless the Lord by how He lavishes His grace on us. Let our daily life be filled with grace through choosing to start off with thanksgiving as we gather.
Let us grow in specificity by how we thank and bless others. As we cultivate gratitude in our interactions, we will cultivate gratitude as a church. As the Lord’s outpouring of grace becomes more abundant and we reflect this grace in our community, home, and relationships, we will be renewed from the inside out with the Lord’s Word which is alive and active, where His good purposes are made known and accomplished in His people.
Let us be poured out unto others: When we experience the overflowing of grace and power, we can let it flow through our life, bringing new joy and peace to not only ourselves but also to others.
Many of us tend to prize self-preservation and we have forgotten the focus and needs outside our immediate circles. Being stuck in these habits, we fail to allow God to use us to pour unto others (v17).
We may have used to be like those who only look out for our own self-interests. Acting only when it is beneficial for the self and refusing to give more than we would receive. But we see close to home through the Mississauga church how generosity and a joyful attitude can bring multiplicative effects of exceeding everyone’s needs (Philippians 4:11-12).
Let us be a drink offering for Christ’s Name. As we imitate and follow Christ, seeking to be His image-bearer, pursuing gospel living above all else, we who receive God’s blessing and simultaneously pour out will grasp the essence and blessing of abundant life.
Sermon reflection questions:
In what areas do you need to be cleansed in? Is it a certain area of your life (work, family, the home, relationships) or is it an internal way of thinking or seeing?
Have you been choosing to receive God’s grace for you? How are you reflecting this gift to others?
Has there been a period in your life where you witnessed God using you to pour out to others? How did that experience encourage you to be a vessel who pours out for others?
Note: If you are a member of New Hope DT campus, are baptized, and have an interest in writing and would like to serve through helping write sermon outlines, contact me here.
