Sermon Info
Summary
As followers of Jesus, we are called to “work out” our Salvation. We are not called to work “for” our Salvation, but to work “out” our Salvation. It is God who does a miracle by bringing us from spiritual death to life, but then we are called to live out our faith in Him. This is seen in our attitude and actions. As Christ-followers, we should not spend all our time complaining or arguing, but we should love those around us and pour into others the joy of Jesus. Does our attitude and actions look more like the world or Jesus? Let’s daily live out our faith in Jesus.
Content
Forward in Attitude
Living as Light in the Darkness
Have you ever had the power go out at night in your home? All of a sudden, the lights go out, and you are unable to see your own hand in front of your eyes. However, as soon as your eyes adjust and you’re able to find a candle to light, the darkness that had just surrounded you subsides as the light floods in.
The world we’re living in is a dark place. We are surrounded by division, destruction, and turmoil. Just turn on the news, and you’ll see the brokenness in our cities, country, and world today. It’s a result of the fallenness of our humanity, and we will not see a true end to it until Jesus returns.
But still – we have hope. Jesus has provided for us a hope that is found in Him. He lived a perfect life and died for our sins, and through that, we now can have eternal life. Because of our hope in Jesus, we have true joy and true peace that can only be found in Him. It is this hope that leads us to living as a light in this dark world. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15) Jesus living inside of us allows us to live as a light in the world. It’s through our actions, our love for others, and our attitude that we show others Christ’s love in us.
What the Bible Says about Attitude
In Paul’s admonition to the church in Philippi, he says, “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.” (Philippians 2:14-16a) Paul’s words here are not written to make the Christ-followers feel guilty for complaining about their circumstances, but, rather, they are written to draw attention to the impact that their attitude can have on the people around them.
When we grumble and complain, we forget about God and His many blessings. When we choose to have an attitude of gratitude and joy, we are shining our light as Christians, showing the people around us that there is something different about us – and that difference is Jesus in us.
It starts with our attitude, and our attitude is shaped by what we are putting into our minds and our hearts. Spiritual disciplines, whether those are inward, outward, or corporate disciplines, are a major part of spiritual growth and maturation. The Bible constantly points out disciplines such as meditation, fasting, prayer, solitude, service, confession, and worship as elements that are catalysts for growth in our walk with Jesus. When we are consistently in God’s Word, community, and prayer, we are able to grow in our spiritual maturity, leading us to develop our attitude into one that is pleasing, honoring, and glorifying to the Lord.
Why Your Attitude Matters
Though we do not have to earn our salvation, we do have a responsibility in our spiritual life to "work out" our salvation (Philippians 2:12). Working out our salvation requires spiritual discipline and an active decision to focus on being thankful to God for all that He’s done and is doing in our lives.
As we grow in our faith, our attitude begins to reflect that of Christ Jesus. When the world tells us to have a complaining spirit, the Gospel teaches us gratitude and patience. In times of uncertainty or times of joy, in times of difficulty or in times of ease, in times of triumph or times of defeat, our focus should be on the cross. Just as Paul poured out himself to Timothy and to the Church, so should we pour our lives out by investing in what really matters. Invest in the people in your life. Invest in your local church and the Church at large. Invest in things of eternal merit and value. When we make these types of investments, we are making investments in the Kingdom of God, and that is what matters most.
Live differently than the world. It starts with our attitude and with what we choose to invest in and make our purpose. Let’s be the light of Christ to those we encounter today, Church.
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