Skip to main content

Philippians 2:17: Even If I Am Poured Out As A Drink Offering


Philippians 2:17
[17] Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. (ESV)

There are some who think that ministry is about getting a job which pays them well and having a congregation of people who are impressed with every thing you say. We call them first year Seminary students. The reality is that true ministry for Jesus Christ is all about sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed his life for us, and we in turn lay our lives down for Him.

The Apostle Paul has a description of ministry that is most beneficial for us. He describes himself as being poured out as a drink offering. This illustration is lost on most of us in today's culture. Because we are not familiar with actual sacrifices, whether to God himself, or even to false idols, we would likely miss what Paul is saying here. Dr. John MacArthur will help us to understand:

"He is referring to his sacrificial ministry among the Philippians. Drink offering. This refers to the topping off of an ancient animal sacrifice. The offerer poured wine either in front of or on top of the burning animal and the wine would be vaporized. That steam symbolized the rising of the offering to the deity for whom the sacrifice was made (cf. Ex. 29:38–41; 2 Kings 16:13; Jer. 7:18; Hos. 9:4). Paul viewed his entire life as a drink offering, and here it was poured on the Philippians’ sacrificial service."
- Dr. John MacArthur, MacArthur Study Bible Notes

In what way are you serving the Lord? Maybe you are a Sunday School teacher at your church. Perhaps you are an usher. Maybe you are the janitor. Everything that is done for the Lord is ministry. You will be most satisfied in your efforts if you give them sacrificially to the Lord. Do not look for anyone's approval. Give to Jesus everything. It will be a drink offering, pleasing to the Lord.

Ask the Lord to show you the areas of ministry that he has for you. Give yourself to that ministry with  everything you have. The church is waiting for you.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

James 2:18: I Will Show You My Faith By My Works

James 2:18 [18] But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (ESV) There are certain things in life that go together. Peanut butter and jelly. Double stuff Oreo cookies and milk. Faith and works. James raises the point that someone might argue that faith and works can be separated. "One will say, "You have faith and I have works." Is it ok for works to be separated from faith? James is making the argument that faith and works are not to be separated. James is saying to the one who has faith only, with no works, that he wants them to see his faith by his works. In other words, if you are going to claim to have faith, but have no works, you have no evidence of faith. If I am to believe that a person has genuine faith I can only see that by their works. Faith brings action. There are so many people to claim to have some kind of faith, yet when it comes down to it, their

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co