This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, October 20, 1991.

This morning, we are turning to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 10. And we begin reading at verse one. Here are the word of God. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud. and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.

But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were for our example, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day free and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed as serpents. neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.

Wherefore let him that thinketh, he standeth, take heed, lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful. He will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

And then turning over to Philippians chapter 2, Verses 14 through 18. Philippians 2, 14 through 18. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as whites in the world. holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me.”

Let’s pray together. Our Father, we come unto you knowing that you will feed us. We do ask, Lord, that we might be fed, fed with your word, for your word is life. May it be plain to us, we ask, just where our life is to be found. We pray, our Father, that we would have discernment then with respect to the words of men. We ask our God that we might not be led astray, but insofar as their words do in fact match the word of life, that we would hold fast that word for our good. Do encourage us, our Father, as we listen, as we take in your word, and may this mean our satisfaction in You. We pray this for the sake of Christ, who is Himself the living Word of God. Amen.

Now I could hope that you all have your Bible open this morning. And even if you don’t know the person next to you, they have a Bible while you don’t, you just scoot over and look on. This is one of those texts that is important to have opened in front of you, because it is so explosive. I have in mind here verses 14 through 18 in Philippians 2. In the space of a few verses, the Apostle Paul has packed together material so suggestive, so reflective, so instructive, as to leave us all reeling when, in fact, these verses are unleashed. I want you to consider, as you look at these verses, the Old Testament references and allusions that are laid within the lines. They all are obvious. The first one is plain and clear.

We shouldn’t have any difficulty identifying the murmurings and the disputing. Those murmurings and disputings mentioned in verse 14. Our mind does race back to earlier portions of scripture We could begin reading the story of the children of Israel at chapter 5 in the book of Exodus. We could read through to the conclusion of Deuteronomy, and there has a chronicle of the murmurings and the disputings of the children of Israel.

The background of Paul’s statement there in verse 14 is all that. You might want to specifically mark texts like Exodus 15, verse 24. Exodus 16, the second verse. You might want to look at Numbers chapter 11, verse 2. Again, Numbers chapter 14, the second verse, where we have pointed descriptions of Israel’s attitude in the wilderness. It’s going on, then, to verse 15.

We have that phrase appearing there, a crooked and perverse generation. Now, I know that there are a number of times in the New Testament where that phrase appears. Jesus himself used that terminology. But those words are actually lifted from Moses. You may want to check out Deuteronomy, chapter 32, verse 5, where Moses uses those words explicitly in reference to the generation of Israelites with whom he had the deal. And the sentiment expressed by Moses in the 5th verse of that 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy is reflected on again in that same discourse in the 20th verse so as to bring the point home, the 20th verse of Deuteronomy 32. So twice, Moses makes mention of it, like the people missed the point.

Many have found connection between Paul’s remarks at the end of this 15th verse where he speaks about these Philippians being lights in the world, they have found a connection between Paul’s words there and a most remarkable text. Now, I don’t have in mind what Jesus says in Matthew 5. I have in mind what Daniel says in Daniel 12, verse 3.

There the prophet speaks about the saints of the Lord in their wisdom, shining as the brightness of the firmament and as stars in the heavens forever.” A remarkable text. Powerful in its own right. And some, with respect to these words at the end of that fifteenth verse, have seen a further tie in the creation story, running us all the way back to Genesis chapter 1, and God’s command with respect to life, let there be light, and that followed in verses 14 through 17, with God’s placing of the lights, the sun, the moon, the stars, in the firmament. Then verse 16 of chapter 2 in Philippians. Here things become a little bit more obscure.

But this verse contains references to the latter chapters of the prophecy of Isaiah. When Paul speaks of his hope of not laboring in vain, There is, as background for that, the Song of the Servant in Isaiah 49, verse 4, a passage where that servant of the Lord expresses his own personal strain and agony in his devotion to the Lord, but concludes in the overwhelming confidence that the justice due to him was safe with the Lord, who would keep his reward, if not be his reward. You may want to look at that prophecy of Isaiah, the 49th chapter, the Song of the Servant, as the servant expresses himself both with respect to his distress and also his magnificent hope But this language, with regard to futility, laboring in vain, reappears in Isaiah at the conclusion of the prophecy, the sixty-fifth chapter, the twenty-third verse. And here it’s not with respect to the servant of the Lord specifically, but rather with respect to all of God’s children.

And these are now viewed in the setting of the new heavens and the new earth. The new heavens and the new earth spoken of in verse 17 of that 65th chapter of Isaiah. And in the context of those new heavens and new earth, these children of God will rejoice, rejoice incomparably. Verses 18 and 19, they will give life in the ends for which they have labored. Verses 21 and 22, and they will live in an environment that is surrounded by and secured within peace itself, verses 24 and 25.

And still with all of this, in a few short verses, Paul isn’t done. We move on to verse 17, and I would like to read that verse to you from the New American Standard, the sense of it doesn’t come out as well in the King James Version, but here from the New American Standard, that 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. Do you see what is in the background, then, of the Apostle’s words? He’s building upon figures that arise out of Numbers 28, verses 1 through 8, and the description that you find there of the morning and evening sacrifices. Sacrifices which were always to be accompanied with libation, with drink-offering, which were to be burned then with the sacrifices being offered up to the Lord. So as you move through verses 14 through 18, you can see that these verses are simply packed.

They are packed full of references to, allusions to, matters that arise for our consideration out of the Old Testament. We are not a people who embrace merely the New Testament, we follow the lead of those servants whom the Lord has given us. We hold together the Old and the New Testament understanding that the background for the New is the Old, and much of the imagery that comes to us in the New actually arises out of the old.

Here you are, then, merely in terms of the book’s reference to the story. Here you are moving from Genesis to Exodus to Numbers to Deuteronomy to Isaiah to Daniel. But as well, you are moving through the wide sweep of biblical declaration and revelation. You’re moving from creation to deliverance for Israel from Egypt, you’re moving into the experience that the children of Israel had in the wilderness and the institution of the sacrificial system. You’re having placed before you once more the captivity of Judah and the promise of the servant of the Lord, the glorification of the elect, and the coming of the new heavens and the new earth.

Philippians 2 verses 14 through 18 is an extraordinary text. It says, “…if it compressed a mountain into a symbol.” These verses, then, are a veritable goldmine for biblical theologians. I know that some of you understand what I mean when I speak of biblical theologians. Those theologians who are especially interested in understanding the relationship between portions of Scripture, between Old and New Testaments, and seeing the connections that are there unearthed or discovered or seen seeing those connections in light of the grand and glorious goal which God has set in his wondrous plan of salvation. It all fits together. It all coalesces. It’s a marvelous, integrated whole, this plan and purpose of God.

But how do we handle all of this? It’s one thing to let it all out from the page and spill it out in your presence, but how do we then gather it up together and make use of it? How do we do justice to a text, a passage like this? How do we get at all the riches that are here for us, for our benefit? How do we look at this particular text, wishing to delve into the riches that are here, and keep in mind the Apostle’s intention at this particular point in his letter? It’s not an easy task. We will only begin it with mourning. in verse fourteen. What does he mean when he says, do all things without rumbling or disputing, without murmuring and disputing?

It is clear to us, I’m sure by now, that the Apostle Paul has in mind at this point some correlation with the experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness. We recount that experience. We go back over that history. And we recall how disappointing that history was How, in fact, God overthrew many in the wilderness, as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10.

In the broadest terms, then, the Apostle Paul is saying to these Philippian saints, and through these Philippian saints to us, the Church of this day, don’t be like them. The children of Israel did everything with grumblings and disputings. And we are to do nothing with grumblings and disputes. That in the broadest terms, then, is his intent. Don’t be like that. But is there something here deeper than merely this? imperative don’t be like them. Paul wants you to see something here more than the fact that these.

Wilderness Israelites are an example to. Philippians Christian. By using terminology like this, the Apostle Paul is actually suggesting to us that the Philippian Christians, the Philippian saints, are themselves a wilderness generation. No, even more than that, these Philippian Christians are THE wilderness generation. They are, in fact, that generation that is in between, quote, in between, unquote, in between their liberation and their introduction into the promised land, in between their redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and then their reception in their resurrection bodies into glory. They are the in-between generation, the wilderness generation.

Now, this fact upon which the Apostle is playing is both exhilarating and sobering. For Paul sees them, the Church of Jesus Christ, as the true and final Israel of God. Don’t let anyone dislodge you from that conviction. I know there’s a lot of excitement about things in the Middle East. I know there’s a lot of excitement with respect to what is happening in Palestine presently. But please keep this spiritual perspective in mind from a Jew who knew.

The Apostle Paul is writing against the background of a conviction that he has with respect to the Church of Jesus Christ, and the fact that that Church is the true and final Israel of God. She is what the Old Testament Israel credited to, and the Old Testament Israel finds her fulfillment in her. in the church.

So keep this then in mind. It’s not merely the fact that the apostle Paul is saying to the Philippian saints, don’t be like that wilderness generation of Jews so many centuries ago. Instead, he is saying, you are the wilderness generation. Truly, strangers and pilgrims here, wayfarer, in between your liberation through the death and resurrection of Christ and your reception in your resurrection bodies into glory.

But secondly, this deal, true, the Church must always be on her guard against murmurings and disputing. Because it was specifically those murmurings and disputing that incurred the wrath of God in Israel’s case and brought her over. You could make a case for Israel’s idolatry, but an equal case could be made for Israel’s murmuring and disputing evidence of her dissatisfaction with God and the redemption that He provided. In fact, the two go hand in hand, don’t they? People who are dissatisfied with God Those who are dissatisfied with him and the redemption that he has provided will, in fact, look for other gods.

But we want to ask ourselves one more time, what is the precise nature of these murmurings and disputings of which Paul speaks? The precise nature of them as he speaks of them in the context of this Philippian congregation. Now, it may well be that in answering this question, we have before us an explanation that would take more time than we have this morning to give it and develop it.

But let’s get started on it, nonetheless. Get pointed in the right direction. Let’s rule out a few things, first of all. Obviously, it is not as some have interpreted it. It’s not as if the injunction here is meant as one against all debate, all argument, and all militancy. Christians are nice, they don’t argue. Oh. Or, Christians are nice, they shouldn’t argue, and therefore all arguing is wrong. Oh. I was just at a presbytery meeting. Were we all sinning? Maybe. Some have interpreted the text that way.

In Christian circles, from Christians, then all debate, all argument, all militant is out of place. But isn’t it true that in other places in Scripture we are actually commanded to contend, the word is contend there, contend earnestly for the faith? Jude, verse 3. Is it not a plain fact that Jesus and his apostles argued, debated, not only with their opponents, but also with each other?

The whole notion of a church court, or a governing body, is predicated upon this point. So no, this text is not the justification for doing away with sessions, or consistory, or classes, or presbyteries, or general assemblies, or synods. Deliberative bodies are given to debate and argumentation, and that rightly. Note, then, the point The pause-making lies elsewhere.

And in the most general sense, it lies with the parallel that exists between that Israelite wilderness situation and the present church situation for the Philippians. Do you remember against whom the Israelites grumbled? could say they grumbled against God, and ultimately that was true, but in the first instance they grumbled against Moses. Now why is that important? Because you see, Moses was their head. He was for them, an Old Testament type of Christ, and that is why you are told in 1 Corinthians 10 that the Israelites were baptized into Moses and into the sea. The Israelites were crumbling against their head, their covenantal head, their leader, In grumbling against Moses, they were actually grumbling against Christ, who stood behind Moses and in him. The Israelites were grumbling against this One who was set over them in the Lord. and they were grumbling against their identification with him. And all that that identification meant. They were grumbling and disputing against their union with Moses.

I think you know where I’m going. The specific point at reference then, when Paul comes to the murmurings and the disputings that have arisen within the Church at Philippi, is this. The Philippians, in some way, are grumbling, that is, murmuring and disputing against Christ, their head in their wilderness of present suffering. They are murmuring against their union with Him, with Christ. But think a little bit further on this point.

Paul isn’t here specifically concerned that these Philippian saints might be grumbling against Christ because of the suffering that has come their way, because of identification with Him, that is, with Christ. although that tangentially is in you. Therefore, the grumblings and disputings are not because of the suffering these people are experiencing at the hands of those who are outside and enemies of the Church. Instead, he has in mind that suffering that is born of the self-sacrifice of these individual Christians in their posture, one toward another, as members of the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul has in mind specifically that suffering that is the product of self-sacrifice towards those who are of the body of Christ. Don’t murmur, don’t grumble, don’t dispute against your identification with Christ, this one who calls upon you to offer yourself as a sacrifice in service for others. just as he offered himself in service for you upon the cross.

You will have to sacrifice when the demands are made of you. It will be very, very painful. And you will have to put yourself last for the sake of the one you’re serving. We could have a testimonial here this morning in this congregation. We could have individuals stand up and tell of the cost to them of serving someone in dire need. But such service is that is not to be extraordinary.

It is to be common amongst the people of God so that at all times we are offering ourselves up as sacrifice for the service of others in imitation of Christ who sacrificed himself for us. You agree, do you not? Amen. Our Father, that Christ would become more and more evident in us and that our selfishness would be shelved. Oh Lord, light unto him then, in whom we are found, that we would not insist upon our position, but actually give ourselves up, that others might be served, and you may be honored. So then, Lord, bless us in the Spirit, so that this congregation is characterized through and through, from the oldest to the youngest, by this attitude. That attitude, which is found nowhere else but in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.