God's Work In Us Working Out

What appears to be a break in Paul's declaration of the gospel and his exhortations to the Philippians to tell of his travel plans for himself and his fellow workers, is in fact no break at all. On the contrary, as we'll see this week, Philippians 2:19-30 demonstrates the same selfless love and humble service that Paul exhorted his readers to walk in earlier in the chapter. The same selfless love and humble service that Christ himself displayed in his life and death (2:6-11), are now shown to be at work in those who believe. Those who share in the very 'affections of Christ Jesus' (1:8) also share in the his actions of love and humble service. After all, 'to live IS Christ'.
We have heard the promise, that 'he who began a good work in us will bring it to completion,' and the call to 'work out our salvation with fear and trembling' knowing that it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Here we see some of that work in action and reaching its goal in the people of God when they love one another. This is the church, the body of Christ in action, growing up in Him and building itself up in love as the affections of Christ take root in their hearts and sprout forth into selfless actions of love.