BROADCASTS.com

Welcome to Day 2326 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to\xa0Wisdom Philippians-6 Working Out God's Inner Work \u2013 Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message \u2013 01/14/2023 Joy in Serving \u2013 Working Out God\u2019s Inner Work \u2013 Philippians 2:12-18 Last week, we explored A Christlike Decent Into Greatness. \u201cWhat\u2019s the secret to a great life?\u201d The Bible\u2019s answer to that question isn\u2019t long, convoluted, or complex. As indicated last week, we can sum it up in two words: selfless humility. This week, we continue our study of the letter to the church at Philippi. With the question, How can we allow God to work within us to become more like the perfect imager of Jesus Christ with selfless humility? Today's scripture passage is Philippians 2:12-18 on pages 1827 and 1828, in your Pew Bibles. \xa012\xa0Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed\u2014not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence\u2014continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,\xa013\xa0for it is God who works in you\xa0to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14\xa0Do everything without grumbling\xa0or arguing,\xa015\xa0so that you may become blameless\xa0and pure, \u201cchildren of God\xa0without fault in a warped and crooked generation.\u201d[c]\xa0Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky\xa016\xa0as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ\xa0that I did not run\xa0or labor in vain.\xa017\xa0But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering\xa0on the sacrifice>and service>coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.\xa018\xa0So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Examples are wonderful things. People who have gone before us and lived admirable and exemplary lives are valuable because they can show us how we ought to live. We can study the lives of great women and men throughout history who have lived inspirational and motivational lives and have set the stage for us to do the same. \xa0 We have many examples of good and godly people to imitate, but ultimately, we can look to the radical obedience exemplified in Christ\u2019s selfless humility, as described in Philippians 2:6\u201311. He left the glories of heaven to take on inglorious humanity and live amid suffering, /sin, /and death. He veiled the brilliance of His divine attributes in the flesh and willingly accepted the limitations of human life. He ceded angelic adoration>and praise to become a victim of torture and, ultimately, of an excruciating death on a cross. And He carried out all of this in perfect obedience. Not one flaw. Not one inconsistency. Not one impatient word. Not one misstep or stray thought contrary to the Father\u2019s will. \xa0 Mark Twain once wrote, \u201cFew things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.\u201d What about an impossible example? I\u2019m not a God-man. Neither are you. Only Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, could embody this kind of supernatural humility and miraculous obedience! How in the