Calvary Bible Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan

On one occasion some people brought their children to Jesus. They wanted him to lay his hands on them and pray for them. Apparently, the disciples didn’t think this was a good use of Jesus’ time, so they began to rebuke the people. Jesus intervened, however, and made this statement: “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14).

What is it about children that Jesus likes so much?

This week my wife went to the local Walgreens to pick up a prescription for our daughter, Priscilla. It was the first time we have had a prescription filled for her at that location, so for some reason they had a collection of special gifts for her: a water bottle, a daily pill box, and a bottle of hand sanitizer. She graciously shared these items with her brother and sister, and when I came home that evening, you would have thought our family had won the lottery. My kids were ecstatic about these items. They were jumping up and down crowding around me to show me the water bottle, the daily pill box, and the hand sanitizer.

I tend to be pretty reserved, but seeing their enthusiasm challenged me. In their childhood simplicity, their hearts are moved by the smallest things. That’s not always good! Sometimes they respond with tears of grief or cries of anger over very little things. As we grow up, we learn to control those wrong responses, but in doing so we often squelch the good responses as well. We lose the capacity for wonder, amazement, and enthusiasm that flows from childhood simplicity.

Jesus wants us to come to God like little children. He taught his disciples: “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3-4).

As we return again to the subject of finding and experiencing true joy, we have to wrestle with this concept. To experience joy we have to regain some of our childhood simplicity; we have to live as children of God. That’s a good way to summarize some of the lessons we glean from the Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 2:12-18.

As I look at these verses, I see three connections between being a child of God and finding joy: (1) the joy of growing up; (2) the joy of being alike; and (3) the joy of giving back.

1. As children of God we can experience the joy of growing up.

In the physical realm, there are all kinds of signs that our children are growing up. We see it as parents when we have to keep buying bigger and bigger shoe sizes.

In the spiritual realm, the sign that you’re growing up is an increasing obedience to God.  Look at what Paul says in Philippians 2:12-13: So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

What does he mean by working out salvation?

The Bible is very clear that prior to salvation, we do not obey God. Romans 3:10-12 states: “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one."

This explains why Jesus said that we must be born again (John 3:7). Even though we have physical life, we are spiritually dead. Our hearts do not respond to God. Even though we may understand God’s commands, we are powerless to live them out. I remember my own experience prior to my salvation, feeling convicted, guilty, and helpless.

But then I heard the gospel. I learned that Jesus died in my place so that my guilt could be wiped away. He rose from the dead so that I could be brought to spiritual life. The moment I embraced this message, trusting in Jesus, I received spiritual life. I was saved, rescued from God’s judgment. I began a relationship with God. I was no longer spiritually blind. The Bible began to make sense to me. I was empowered by God’s Spirit.

Before we go any further, I have to ask—have you come to the place in your life that you have personally embraced the gospel message? Are you trusting in Jesus? Do you have spiritual life? Some people spend their lives trying to obey God in their own strength. That’s not what God wants. He wants you to have spiritual life and until you do, obeying God is impossible.

Once you have been saved, you begin this process that Paul calls working out your salvation. Many of the ways we’ve learned to think and behave are not Christian. To grow up spiritually, we have to begin putting aside those unchristian habits. We have to learn how to live as children of God. Our salvation enables us to do this.

At the same time, spiritual growth is not an easy process. It’s often hard work. We have to learn to resist temptation. We have to change the way we think, the way we speak, the way we respond to things. How can we find joy if the process is so hard?

Two ways—first, growing up spiritually brings us joy because we have God’s help. Look at verse 13: it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work…

I like the way that Eugene Petersen paraphrases this in The Message: “Be energetic in your life of salvation…. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working…”

A few years ago, we use to have a toy basketball hoop. Even though it was short, it was still too tall for our kids to shoot a basket, but they loved it when I would hold them up so that they could dunk the ball in. That’s what God does for us spiritually. He lifts us up to accomplish things that we could never do in our own strength. The strength of your Heavenly Father is always with you.

Second, growing up spiritually brings us joy because it pleases God. In verse 12, when Paul says to work out your salvation, he says to do so with “fear and trembling.”  When I hear those words, the picture that comes to mind is of a child cowering in fear of punishment, but that’s not what Paul intends.

Prior to salvation we do have cause to fear God’s condemnation and judgment. But once we are saved, our sins are forgiven. We stand before God with confidence, assured of his love. So this is not a cowering type of fear. This fear is one of respect and a desire to please. Petersen says it well in The Message: reverent and sensitive before God.

Most of us probably had someone in our lives who loved us, and whom we wanted to please. Perhaps it was a parent, maybe a teacher or a mentor. Pleasing them meant everything in the world to us. That’s the way we should feel toward God.

The incredible news is that as Paul says in verse 13, God is “at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Once you have been saved, God is not difficult to please. He is working in you so that you can know the joy of His smile, His delight. He wants you to succeed.

This is the joy of growing up as a child of God: having His help so that we can enjoy His delight.

2. As children of God we can experience the joy of being like our Father.

It seems that there were some arguments going on in the church in Phillipi. In chapter four, Paul urged two women named Euodia and Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. We don’t know exactly what the issue was between them or what effect it was having in the church, but it must have been something significant for Paul to address it in his letter.

If you’ve been around any church for any length of time, you know that relatively insignificant disagreements sometimes grow to become very divisive. That kind of behavior is out of character for those who are children of God, so Paul addresses the situation. 

Look at Philippians 2:14-16. There Paul tells the Philippian Christians, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life…”

I find it interesting that he makes the connection here with being a child of God. This kind of complaining is a normal part of childhood immaturity, but it’s not to be that way with God’s children. Our behavior is supposed to be blameless, innocent, and above reproach.

Our behavior should set us apart from the world around us. Paul describes the world as crooked and perverse. As we said earlier, our natural inclination is to ignore God’s way. All people do that, and the result is that our character becomes bent or crooked. Our actions do not line up with God’s standard. That’s what perverse means: turning aside from the path of righteousness.

But when we become a Christian a transformation begins to take place. God begins to straighten out bent and crooked lives. He directs us back onto the straight path of righteousness.

God’s plan is that we as his children would shine as lights in the world or as the NIV reads, “stars in the universe.” SLIDE What a vivid picture! Most of us live around too much light to truly appreciate the stars. But when you get away from the city lights into genuine darkness on a clear night, the stars shine with a breath-taking brilliance.

That brilliance prompted the psalmist to say, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1). People see God’s glory in the stars. And that’s the way it should be with us too. Our behavior should show people what God is like.

But our example is not enough. Paul adds the phrase “holding fast” or some translations says “holding forth the word of life.” In both word and deed, we are to reveal who God is and what he is like.

Physically speaking, it’s not always encouraging to recognize our resemblance to our parents. It dawned on me at one point that one side of my nose seems to resemble my mother’s nose, while the other seems to resemble my father’s. Then there’s the issue of the growing resemblance between my hairline and my dad’s. On the other hand, think for a moment how you would feel about family resemblance if your parents were super models—natural icons of beauty?

In the spiritual realm, when you become a Christian, you are born again as a child of the absolutely perfect and holy Creator of the universe. Consider these descriptions of what our Heavenly Father is like.
Psalm 8:1 says, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!”

In Psalm 27:4 David writes, “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.”
Psalm 72:18 says, “And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and amen.”

Psalm 96:6 says, “Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.”

Just think what it means for us to grow up into his likeness!  God is holy and pure, majestic and glorious, and He is working in us to transform us into His likeness so that we shine in the world. That is the privilege and blessing of being a child of God.

3. As children of God we can experience the joy of giving back.

Paul changes thought in the middle of verse 16. The thought comes into his mind, what would happen if the Philippians didn’t hold fast to God’s Word?  What would happen if they didn’t shine for God?

Follow along in verses 16 through 18: “…holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”

In a sense, if the Philippians didn’t shine brightly in the world, Paul’s ministry would be worthless. It’s a sobering thought to think that the same is true for me. What will it be like for me to stand before God and to have him ask me how I’ve used my time? I spent 15-20 hours every week getting ready to teach your people at the East Main Campus. Will I be able to rejoice in how the truth has spread through you? Or is this time every Sunday morning a waste?

Those are the kinds of thoughts that go through pastors’ minds on Sunday night. Paul is thinking that way even in the middle of the letter. Then he catches himself and he realizes that if the Philippians do not respond, then his ministry is like a drink offering.

The Jewish form of worship in the Old Testament required a variety of different sacrifices and offerings, and one of those was a drink offering. The worshipper would bring about a half a quart of wine with other animal or grain offerings. A fire was kindled upon an altar, and then these offerings would simply be thrown into the flames.

That’s the picture Paul has in mind. Even if no one responds to his preaching and teaching, he is still giving his life back to God as an offering of worship. As Paul thinks about this sacrifice idea it gives him joy, so he tells the Philippians to share his joy. In other words, he’s calling them to offer up their lives too. Pour yourself out for God!

I think it’s hard for us to grasp this image of sacrifice.  Perhaps a different image might help us. Think of a child giving a parent a gift. Kids put huge amounts of effort into creating homemade cards for mom or dad. To the objective bystander a card like this just looks like a bunch of scribbles, but to the child who made it, it’s a precious gift. They’ve put their all into it, and they present it to mom or dad with pride and joy.

But that’s only part of the equation. When you receive one of those childish creations, how do you respond? You make a huge deal about it. You display it on your refrigerator or on your desk. You go on and on about how great it is. You know it’s no work of art, but its value comes from the heart behind it—a heart that thinks the world of you. The parent delights in the heart of the child.  And the child’s joy is fulfilled by the delight of the parent.

It works the same way in your relationship with your Heavenly Father. Give him your all. Pour your life out for him as an expression of worship. Serve and minister.  Love people and speak God’s truth.  Our efforts in and of themselves don’t add anything to God. They’re like that childish scribble. But even if no one ever responds, you have the joy of knowing that your Heavenly Father delights in the heart behind the gift.

Conclusion

Are you willing to live as a child of God—finding joy in growing up in obedience, in becoming like our Heavenly Father, and in giving back to him your life as a gift?

For some of us the thought of being childlike scares us. Some of us had to grow up too quickly. We had to face harsh realities so early in life that we never really experienced childhood wonder. Others of us have been through difficulties as adults that have left our souls callused.

To find joy we must be willing allow God to strip away those calluses. We have to open our hearts to God in a fresh way—with childish simplicity. Ask Him to restore to you the wonder and amazement that God could love us and adopt us as His own.