Drink Offering | Philippians 2:14-18

I have so been looking forward to the month of August. I am so thankful to be here.

Your senior minister, Adam Woods, is on a time of sabbatical for a month, and he's away, and he's basically recalibrating his soul for what's ahead this next coming year, and I just want to encourage you to pray for him. And because he's gone, I'm going to speak a few times in the month of August, and Austin and I are going to really tag team some responsibilities and just so thankful to be back and to be here with you. Austin, you said the church sent the interns away with $29,000? Was that like each? Oh, that was divided in four.

I'm like, if that's each, I'm going to request a love bucket. Wow, that's amazing. Way to go, church.

Way to go. On one occasion, a husband and wife walked into a pet store. As soon as they walked in, they walked through this aisle where a parrot squawked, Hey, mister.

And the guy said, Hey, what? And the parrot said, You're dumb, and your wife's ugly. Well, that infuriated the guy, and he went over to the counter, and he asked for the owner of the pet store, and he told what happened. Well, the pet store owner went over and just kind of looked and, you know, glared into the cage.

You're cruising. A few minutes later, the couple were walking to a nearby aisle, and that parrot squawked again, Hey, mister. And the guy said, Hey, what? And that parrot said, You're dumb, and your wife's ugly.

Well, the owner of the pet store overheard that, and that owner came over, opened that cage, grabbed that bird by the beak, shook it a little bit, and said, Don't say it again, or those will be the last words you ever speak. Shook the bird a little bit, threw him in the cage, slammed the door, stormed away. Well, that couple was about to leave the pet store, and as they opened the door, that parrot squawked again, Hey, mister.

And the guy turned around, Hey, what? And that parrot paused, looked around. You know what. Some of you are going to use that this week, and I'm just, I'm so thankful to bless you.

Have you ever thought about what you would like your last words to be? Aye, aye, aye. I mean, someday you're going to have last words.

I understand that Steve Jobs, on his deathbed, his last words were, Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Oh, wow.

And he passed. The comedian Oscar Wilde was laying in his deathbed when he's just looking around, and he said to the guest in the room, Either this wallpaper has to go, or I will. And in minutes, he passed.

Crazy. Thomas Edison was said to have said, with his last words, Oh, my. It's just beautiful over there.

I bet it is. Sanford, some of you will remember. Sanford and Sons.

How old am I? He wanted his last words to, you know, It's the big one, Elizabeth. I'm coming to join you. Right? Well, the Bible mentions some famous last words, right? The Bible does.

Jacob, his last words to his family, I'm about to be gathered to my own people. Joshua said, You have to choose. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Samson's last words, Oh, Lord, remember me. The Apostle Peter's last words were, Grow in the knowledge and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The last words we have recorded from him.

Stephen's last words, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. The Lord Jesus himself, remember his last words? Tetelestai, like one word. Tetelestai, it is finished.

The price for our sin, paid in full. Hallelujah for that. Amen.

Tetelestai. Famous last words. I love some of the Apostle Paul's famous last words.

In 2 Timothy 4, verse 6, he says this, I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is near. I'm being poured out like a drink offering. Interesting.

I want you to know that that's not the only time he mentions this metaphor. This wasn't a one and done illustration. This was his MO.

Like this was his lifestyle. Once Paul came to Christ, he gave his life pouring out. He gave his life pouring out for the glory of God and the good of others.

The first time he uses this illustration is in Philippians chapter 2. That's going to be our real text for today. Our text today is Philippians chapter 2. And I want to start with verse 14. Verse 14 says this, do everything without grumbling or arguing.

How many of you just love that verse? Is this anybody's life verse? You saw what it said, right? Do everything without grumbling or arguing. For some of us, the command could have simply been stop breathing. Do everything without grumbling or arguing.

And look at the next verse. So that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Listen, the sign that you are warped is constant grumbling, arguing, and complaining.

I mean, after all, if I'm not going to get my way, it's a sign of a warped mind. But if you decide today, if you've already decided that grumbling and arguing and complaining is not going to be your lifestyle, look what it says, then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. Then, he says, I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering, there it is. Even if I'm being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you, so you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Lord Jesus, we acknowledge you are in this place today.

Would you bless the giving and the receiving of your word in this place, amen? I just want to give you a heads up that this month of August, we are going to deviate from the series in the book of Acts. Such a great series, it will continue, but for the month, we're going to pause that series. And I want to offer a series to you this month where we're going to lean in to that illustration of being poured out like a drink offering.

And so, I want to offer a series this month called Pour Me. Pour Me. Now, please notice the spelling.

The key to the whole sermon series is that you can notice the spelling difference, right? I am not encouraging you to live a Pour Me attitude. P-O-U-R. I want you copying a Pour Me attitude.

P-O-U-R. Now, there's only one letter difference, but that one letter makes a big difference, right? And really, from our text today, it really underscores that in life, there are two perspectives. There are really two different perspectives in life.

Let's discover those from our text today. The first perspective that you could have is, I've labeled it typically the world's perspective, the world's way. And I'll be honest with you, the world's way is often Pour Me, like P-O-O-R.

And when somebody, basically, when somebody doesn't get their way, they argue and grumble and complain. You've seen it. You've done it.

Pour Me. If it helps, just hear it in Eeyore's voice. Pour Me.

And we cop, isn't it so easy to cop a Pour Me attitude? Like when you realize you weren't chosen. You weren't selected. You didn't make the cut.

You were overlooked. You didn't get what you wanted. Pour Me.

And it is so easy to go that. And that's typically the world's way, Pour Me. But the Word of God suggests there's another way, a different way, a better way, the Jesus way, and that's Pour Me.

P-O-U-R. The world keeps proclaiming, hey, protect yourself. Right? Protect yourself.

Promote your own platform. Like, prioritize your own comfort. And Jesus says, no, there's a better way.

And the Jesus way is to empty yourself. To give of yourself. To pour out yourself for the glory of God and the good of others.

That's His way. That's His way. And He suggests that we pour out ourselves like a drink offering.

A what? A drink offering. Preacher, what in the world is a drink offering? I'm glad you asked. A drink offering.

Well, a drink offering is making use of an Old Testament illustration. And the main illustration is found in Numbers chapter 15, the first 10 verses. If you later want to look at that and study that, the drink offering is found in Numbers 15, 1 through 10.

It's also, you know, it's found in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, you know, a couple different places. And here's what's interesting. In the Old Testament, in the Old Testament, you know, design of sacrifice, they were commanded.

Like every one of the Israelites were commanded to bring a sacrificial lamb to be the atonement of their sin. But what we don't really remember sometimes is when you were to bring a lamb to be a sacrifice for your sin, you were also to bring a grain offering and a drink offering. Huh, I don't remember that part.

Yeah, and here was the recipe. When you were to come to make atonement for your sin, you were to bring a sacrificial lamb, a perfect sacrificial lamb, three and a half pounds of grain, a bottle of olive oil, pure virgin olive oil from you know where, Israel, right, and a bottle of wine. What's up with that? I mean, I get the lamb, right? I get the lamb, that each sinner was supposed to bring a sacrificial lamb, and it would be, you know, the atonement for their sin.

The Bible says, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin, okay? I get the lamb, and every time a lamb was slain, every time a lamb was put on the altar, every time a lamb was killed, it was foreshadowing, every time it was foreshadowing a coming Messiah, the Lamb of God, who would take away the sin of the world. I get the lamb. So do they.

But what about that drink off? Drink off. Well, because it's commanded, obviously, it's what the Lord wanted, right? Obviously, it's what He wanted. It's what pleased Him.

It's obviously what He likes. You know, I think it's obvious the Lord loves Italian. I mean, a little bread dipped in olive oil, a fine wine.

I mean, the Lord Jesus would love a touch of Italy or Lupo, you know. Am I right? By the way, that little shout out probably ought to get a free dinner. I don't know.

You can talk to the hunters. The whole design of a grain offering representing bread and olive oil and a fine wine, the whole design of that was to add a personal touch to the sacrifice. You see, the Lord wanted something from the house, not just the barn.

He wanted something from your cupboard, more personal, that you would have consumed. And really, it's a personal touch. And really, when you would offer the grain representing bread and the wine, it was really kind of a personal, intimate sharing of a meal, a great meal with the Lord.

It was designed to bring a personal touch. And here's what I love about a drink offering. I need you to think with me on this.

I need you to picture this. Here, the priest put the lamb up on the altar. It's on fire, right? It's burning.

It's a sacrifice. And then the priest takes that bottle of wine, and he pours it on the hot lava rocks. What just happened? Sizzle and steam, baby.

Sizzle and steam. He poured it out. And then the steam.

And when you think about it, as quickly as this sizzle and steam came, it would disappear. I was reminded as I was thinking about this, you know, going to my favorite Mexican restaurant. And they're bringing out the fajitas.

You know that deal. It's sizzling and steaming. Why did they do that? Keep that back in the kitchen.

No, man. It got your attention. And guess what you're ordering next time.

And Paul is saying he's pouring himself out like a drink offering because he's basically saying, yeah, I'm going to be the steam and the sizzle for a bit. But it'll evaporate quickly. And it'll be gone.

And your eyes will be left staring at the lamb sacrificed for you. Isn't that cool? Here's what the apostle Paul is saying. I'm just a drink offering.

I'm just a drink offering. Yeah, okay. I might do a little sizzle and steam for a minute.

But it's only to get your attention for a brief moment so that your lasting gaze will be focused on the lamb of God who takes away the sin, your sin. That's genius. That's genius.

But I kept thinking, why would Paul choose that? Why would he choose that illustration? Why would he see himself as a drink offering? And my conclusion is because that's just like Jesus. In fact, the previous paragraph before our text today, listen to this previous paragraph. In Philippians chapter 2, 5 through 11, let me read this to you.

It says, in your relationships with one another, in our relationships with one another, have the same mindset of Christ Jesus. We need to be just like him. Who, being the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used for his own advantage.

Rather, he made himself nothing. He emptied himself, right? He poured himself out. He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in the appearance of a man.

He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. You see, the apostle Paul chose this perspective.

He chose this illustration. This was his self-talk. And he chose that to keep the right perspective of poor me, not poor me, because he saw this lifestyle as just like Jesus.

And listen, the apostle Paul knew, as well as Jesus knew, that the most rewarding life, the most fulfilling life, the most joy filled life is a life where you are pouring out your own life for the glory of God and the good of other people. And that's why he chose this illustration. So, the challenge for all of us today, I want to send you with a challenge.

Here's the challenge, three-parter. I would like for you this month, would you embrace the metaphor? All right? Would you embrace the metaphor? Listen, this isn't just a sermon series. It's not just a cool illustration.

This is a lifestyle. It's a lifestyle. Look at the graphic one more time.

I love how this graphic turned out. Poor me. I want you to notice that there's a pouring in and a pouring out.

That's why Paul chose this illustration. The Lord's pouring in as you're pouring out. Poor me.

I love that. And listen, listen, if you're open to this concept, if you're willing to embrace this metaphor, if you're open and willing, I guarantee you the Lord is going to pour into you like crazy because he finally found someone who will pour out into others for the glory of God and the good of other people. He will.

Embrace the metaphor. I would love for you, especially this month, that your self-talk, your perspective of yourself is going to be, I'm just a drink offering. I'm just a drink offering.

And the Apostle Paul was like, hey, you know, my name doesn't need to be remembered. My life doesn't need to be celebrated. I'm just a drink offering.

Basically, he's just a garnish. Yeah, okay, I might cause a little sizzle and steam from time to time, but that'll disappear. The sizzle will fade.

The steam will disappear, and your eyes will only be able to see Jesus through me. Pour me. Can I get you this month, especially? Would you embrace the metaphor? A second part of the challenge, would you pray the metaphor? Would you pray the metaphor? Like, you know, I think generally your prayer ought to be something like, Lord, would you pour into me so that I can pour out for you? Lord, would you pour into me so I can pour out for you? That is a great prayer.

Pour into me, and I'll pour out for you. Now, very specifically, it might simply be, Lord, how do you want me pouring out myself today? It might be, where do you want me to serve? It might be, what do you want me to give? It might be, Lord, who needs me today? Lord, pour into me that I can pour out for you. It's a great prayer.

And the third part of the challenge, be the metaphor. Like, look for ways to just be the metaphor. Look for ways to pour yourself out.

Look for ways this week where you're going to be able to pour yourself out for the glory of God and the good of others around you. That might mean pour out encouragement instead of argument. Raise your hand if you know your default nature is to argue with everything.

Anybody? You know, I know who you are anyway. What if we pour out encouragement instead of argument? What if we recalibrate the default there? And what if we pour out gratitude instead of complaint? I can ask you right now, which one does the Lord want to hear, gratitude or you're complaining? If you said the other answer, you need help. Gratitude instead of complaint.

What if you pour out serving instead of protecting your own comfort? What if you poured out generosity instead of hoarding it for yourself? What if you poured out your life for the sake of Jesus and the gospel instead of me, me, me? Our text really just points out there's two perspectives of life. The world, pour me. Or the word, pour me.

Which of those two perspectives is going to define your life? It's one of the two. And can I just remind you the most rewarding life, the most fulfilled life, the most joyful life is a life where you're pouring out yours for the glory of God and the good of others around you. So I kept wondering this week, what would it be like if every follower at the crossing would start praying on a daily basis, Lord pour into me that I can pour into others.

Hey, you want a better marriage? You want a better family life? You want a better workplace environment? You want a healthier church? You want to experience a little bit more joy and peace in your own life? How about copying this week a pour me attitude? P-O-U-R. And I just kept wondering what if all of us adopted that prayer? I mean, what would happen to our homes? What would happen to our schools? What would happen at the job site? What would happen to our community? What really would happen? What really would happen if every follower of Jesus at the crossing would stop whining and complaining, pour me, and started praying and living out, pour me? Our world gets better. That's what happened.

I tell you what, when I come to the end of my life and I stand before the Lord on the throne, I want to be able to say, I poured it out. I poured it out. I poured it out like a drink offering.

And I bet you do too. I bet you do too.