How to Stop Grumbling and Disputing
Philippians 2:14-18
Let’s open our Bibles to the book of Philippians. And if you need a Bible, please raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Philippians 2 is on page 981 in the Bibles we are passing out. Let’s start by getting an overview of what Paul has been saying so far in the book of Philippians.
Paul is going to call them to obey Christ in some areas aren’t easy. And so he starts off in verses 3-11 emphasizing that it’s God who will enable them to obey.
Then, in verses 12-26, Paul describes how God has enabled him to live in loving unity with others, and to be a bold witness in the face of persecution. And he does this to encourage them that God will enable them to do the same.
Then Paul gives them the commands he’s been leading to. In verses 27-30, Paul urges them to not be frightened of persecution. And in chapter 2:1-4 Paul urges them to live in humble and loving unity with each other.
Then in 2:5-11 Paul points to Jesus who is a powerful example of humility, and that even though he was fully God, he lowered himself by also becoming fully man. And Jesus is a powerful example of obedience and willingness to suffer for the gospel, in that he was willing to die on the cross to save us from our sins. And because of Jesus’ humility and obedience, God highly exalted him.
And then in 2:12-13 Paul says that we should follow Jesus’ example of obedience, and that we can do this, because God will enable us.
This brings us to verses 14-18. Look at what he says –
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
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.
18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Notice that Paul starts off saying “do all things without grumbling or questioning.” What does it mean to grumble or dispute?
Grumbling refers to complaining about something. So let’s say there is someone in your home group who regularly dominates the conversation, without allowing others the opportunity to say anything. It would be easy to respond to that by grumbling – by complaining about it to yourself, or to others. So that would be grumbling.
Disputing refers to quarreling or arguing with someone. So back to that person in the home group who dominates the conversations. You might find yourself getting so upset that after a home group meeting you blow up at him, accusing him of being selfish and always wanting to be in the limelight. That would be disputing.
So with that in mind, read verse 14 again -- “do all things without grumbling or disputing.” Not just some things without grumbling or disputing. But all things. Paul is calling us to never grumble, and to never dispute.
So let’s say the traffic tomorrow morning is terrible and it takes you almost twice as long to get to work. It would be very easy to grumble about that to people at work. But Paul says do all things without grumbling. It does mean you can’t say anything about it. If you are late for a meeting because of the traffic, you could apologize and mention the unusual traffic. But that’s not grumbling. Grumbling is when you’re complaining, when you are angry, when you are frustrated about something. But Paul says do all things without grumbling.
Here’s another example. Let’s say that after getting your children breakfast you step out of the kitchen to talk with on the phone, only to come back and see pancakes, maple syrup, and powdered sugar being thrown back and forth between your children. Paul would say “do all things without grumbling or disputing.” Not that you would never talk about this. It would make a great story. But Paul would say you should not lose your temper with your children, or complain to your husband, or grumble to your friends.
But Paul does not just urge us to do everything without grumbling or disputing, he also tells us why this is so important. So why is it crucial that we stop grumbling and disputing? That’s the point of verse 15. Let’s read verses 14-15 together –
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing
15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
One reason we should stop grumbling and disputing is so we will be seen as blameless and innocent children of God in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. It’s so we will shine as lights in a dark world.
Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, the world has been full of sin’s darkness. And part of sin’s darkness is that everyone grumbles and disputes. But God’s plan is to save people. And as part of that plan he saved you and me. Through Jesus he forgave all our sins, and adopted us into his family. So we now are children of God. We are not orphans alone in the world. We have God as our Father, and he promises to use every trial and problem to bring us great good in him.
And so, because we have God as our Father, we don’t ever need to grumble. We don’t ever need to dispute. Because God is in loving, sovereign control of everything.
But everybody else is cut off from God because of their sin, and they don’t have God as their Father. So when things go wrong, they grumble and dispute.
So God’s plan is that as we walk through life without grumbling or disputing we will be like lights shining in a dark world. We will be like big billboards proclaiming to the world that “there’s no need to grumble or dispute, because through Christ you can have God as your Father!”
But that will only happen if we go through life without grumbling or disputing. And we need to be honest. That’s not easy. There’s commuter traffic. Long lines at Costco. Crowded seats on airplanes. Friends who hurt you. People who drive slow in the fast lane. Spouses who disappoint you.
Which means it’s not easy to do all things without grumbling or disputing. And that’s why in the next verse Paul tells us how it’s possible to do this. So how is it possible to stop grumbling and disputing? The answer is at the beginning of verse 16, but let’s start reading in verse 14 to get the flow of thought –
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16 holding fast to the word of life …
So how do we do all things without grumbling or disputing so we are seen as children of God shining as lights in a dark world? It’s by holding fast to the word of life. No matter what’s happening in our lives, if we will hold fast to the word of life, we will not grumble or dispute.
How does that work?
Think of what the word of life tells us. The word of life is the message which tells us where true life is to be found. This is huge, because every human being is longing for life. We all want meaning and purpose. We all want joy and excitement. We all want pleasure and beauty.
And the word of life tells us where this life is found. Where is it found? Look at 1:21 –
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
You were created to have life. And the life you were created to have is found only in Christ. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is a real person whom you can know and worship and trust and love. He will be your Savior, and God, and Friend, and Comfort. He will be your Provider, and Guide, and Strength, and Joy.
And it’s in knowing and worshiping and trusting and loving Jesus Christ that you will experience the meaning and purpose, the joy and excitement, the pleasure and beauty you long for.
So holding fast the word of life means believing that life is found in Christ, and seeking my life in Christ. So how does that keep me from grumbling and disputing?
Think about your home group, where that person dominates the conversations so no one else can get a word in edge-wise. If you have had a rough day, and are seeking your life by telling your home group of your rough day so they will sympathize with you, then you will definitely grumble if someone else dominates the conversation so you can’t share your story, and you might even have a dispute with them afterwards.
But think of how different it would be if you went into home group holding fast to the word of life. You are knowing Jesus, trusting Jesus, casting all your cares upon Jesus, worshiping Jesus. And Jesus is comforting you, strengthening you, filling and satisfying you.
So you won’t be seeking your life in having the group sympathize with you, because you have an infinitely better life in knowing Christ. So when this person dominates the conversation so no one else can say anything, you will be concerned, because you know that’s not how fellowship functions. But you won’t be grumbling or disputing. Maybe you’ll be able to gently talk with this person afterwards, and with humble love encourage him to give other people a chance to share something.
Do you see how that works? Every time we grumble about a flat tire, about the commute, about the maple syrup and pancakes on the kitchen wall, every time we grumble it’s because we are not holding fast to the word of life. It’s because we are looking to something else for our life instead of Christ.
But if we will start off our day opening up God’s word, seeing Christ as our life, praying Christ into our life, and then if we will head into the day knowing Christ, trusting Christ, worshiping Christ, living for Christ -- then we will never grumble or dispute.
That’s how it’s possible to never grumble or dispute. So ask yourself honestly: were you grumbling about anything on the way here this morning? If so, it’s because you weren’t holding to Jesus as your life; you are holding to something else as your life, something which will never give you the life you’re looking for.
The wonderful news of Jesus Christ is that he is life. And we can turn to him by faith alone, and be assured of forgiveness for our sin, and receive so much strength, comfort, enjoy that we will not need to grumble or dispute.
But that’s not all Paul says about grumbling and disputing. Paul gives another reason for why they should do this. Why else should we not grumble or dispute? Read all of verse 16 –
16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
If Paul’s readers hold fast the word of life, and don’t grumble or dispute, then when Christ returns Paul will have Christ-centered pride and joy. It will be Christ-centered pride and joy, because the way they lived without grumbling or disputing will magnify Christ, not Paul. And it will bring Paul great joy, because there is no greater joy than seeing Christ magnified.
Think about the people who have poured into you spiritually. The more you hold to the word of life and don’t grumble or dispute, the more joy they will have in Christ forever. That’s another reason why we should hold to the word of life and not grumble or dispute.
Then in verse 17 Paul wants to help them understand how great Paul’s joy will be. How great will it be? It will be so great that even if Paul dies for the gospel, he will be filled with joy. That’s the point of verse 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.
So Paul is saying to them: think of the joy that I will have in Christ when he returns, and how you will display his glory for me to enjoy. That joy will be so great that even if I lose my life for the gospel, it will all be worth it.
But it’s not just Paul who will have great joy on that final day. Notice the last eight words of verse 17 – “I am glad and rejoice with you all.” And then notice verse 18 – “likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.”
So the more they have held fast to the word of life, the more they have glorified Christ by not grumbling or disputing, the more joy they will have as well.
The way we live now will affect our joy in eternity. The more we hold fast to the word of life now, and as a result of are free from grumbling and disputing now, the more joy in Christ we will have forever. So hold fast to the word of life, and do all things without grumbling or disputing.