Pour out

 

 

     Today we wrap up our three-part series in Philippians 2, where Paul has been teaching us how to live as faithful followers of Jesus in this world. This world is crooked and corrupt, and we are to be true to Jesus as we journey through this life in His grace.

 

     I find it very fitting that we are studying this passage on a weekend where we are looking ahead to Independence Day. Independence Day is a reminder to us of an important paradox. Freedom is not cheap. For a person to be free someone else has to be willing to give up their own freedom. Paul alludes to that very cost in our text.

 

     Philippians 2:17-18(CEB):

 

     But even if I am poured out like a drink offering upon the altar of service for your faith, I am glad. I’m glad with all of you. You should be glad about this in the same way. Be glad with me!

 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

 

 

     An important piece of information to remember as Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians is that he is doing so from a jail cell. The verses we have studied up to this point, Paul has been writing with a hope in Jesus. He hopes to be released or that Jesus would return. But now Paul offers mentions another possibility, his death.

 

     In verse 17, Paul writes, “Even if I am poured out like a drink offering upon the altar of service for your faith.” The Jews practiced a drink offering, given up to God. An animal was sacrificed to God, but wine was poured on the offering. As the offering was consumed by fire, the wine would become a puff of smoke that quickly disappeared. Paul was saying his life was like that puff of smoke, wine poured onto the lives of the Philippians as they lived surrendered to God. His life was lived in glad surrender to God and for the Philippians as they worked out their own salvation with fear and trembling.

 

     Paul’s words make sense. If you are a pastor, your life belongs to God and the people whom you serve. But Paul does not stop his thought in verse 17. Verse 18 says, “You should be glad about this in the same way. Be glad with me!” Being a drink offering for the Philippians is not something Paul is doing begrudgingly, he is doing it out of genuine love for them. As Paul goes about the work, he is essentially telling the Philippians, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” And as Paul is joyfully being poured out like a drink offering for the Philippians’ faith, the Philippians should gladly allow their lives to be poured out as drink offerings for Jesus and one another.

 

     And that is what this passage teaches us. As we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, it will always lead us to become disciples of Jesus who make disciples. Believers who GO, LOVE, and DO. We have faith in Jesus, but working out that faith points to being entirely sanctified. Entire sanctification points us to loving God and loving others. Loving others points us to using our freedoms to get other people to freedom in Jesus.

 

     In his letter, the Apostle Peter wrote, “You are being made into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5) A priest is someone who represents God to the people and represents the people to God. Jesus died and rose again for the forgiveness of our sins, then He ascended to the right hand of God as our eternal high priest. Our faith in Jesus gives us direct access to God. Jesus is not only man, He is also God. So when we go to Jesus, we go to God. And that makes you and me priests who represent God to others and others to God.

 

     How did Jesus get to be our high priest? By emptying Himself of all but love for us. By pouring out His life for the ministry of the Kingdom. By pouring out His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Notice, our Lord, Savior, and High Priest “poured out.” Likewise, the apostles through the power of the Holy Spirit poured themselves out so the message would spread. This is what we must do.

 

     Working out our salvation with fear and trembling is an inward work of God’s grace that transforms so radically our lives become different. We can leave grumbling and arguing with one another and the world because our love for Jesus drives us to love one another and the world. The love moves us to be so busy pouring out our lives in service for God to our neighbor, that we do not have time for anything else.

 

We are going to close today by gathering around the Lord’s table, reflecting on the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:17-18. Paul, writing from his prison cell, speaks of being “poured out like a drink offering upon the altar of service for your faith.” His life, like a puff of smoke, was a sacrifice for the believers in Philippi and the glory of God. Today, as we partake in communion, we remember the ultimate sacrifice—Jesus Christ, who poured out His life for us.

 

Paul’s joy in being poured out for the faith of others is a reflection of Christ’s sacrifice. Jesus, our High Priest, emptied Himself of all but love for us, pouring out His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. As we prepare our hearts for communion, let us remember His sacrifice and our call to pour out our lives in service and love for others.

 

Let us pray. Gracious God, we thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ. As we take this bread and drink this cup, we remember His body broken for us and His blood poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. May we, like Paul, find joy in being poured out for the sake of others. Help us to live lives of service and love, reflecting Your grace to the world. Amen.

 

[Distribution of the Elements]

 

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Distribute the bread)

 

In the same way, after supper, He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (Distribute the cup)

 

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

 

Let us eat the bread together. (All partake of the bread)

Let us drink the cup together. (All partake of the cup)

 

As we have received these elements, may we go forth to pour out our lives in service to others, loving God and loving our neighbors. Let us live as true followers of Jesus, working out our salvation with fear and trembling, and sharing the freedom we have in Christ with the world.