I'll have you at this time turn to Philippians the second chapter and our text will be verses 12 through 16.

Once you do, if you're able, I'll ask you to stand. You can follow along as I read. If not, that's all right.

Where you're seated is fine. The Apostle Paul is writing and by the Holy Spirit says verse 12,

therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and

trembling.

For it is God, verse 13, who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or

arguing so that you may become blameless and pure. Children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.

Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the Word of Life.

And then I will be able to boast on that day, the day of Christ,

that I did not run or labor in vain. Let's pray and we'll ask God's blessing on our understanding,

if you would join with me.

Loving Heavenly Father, would you at this time settle and quiet our hearts and our minds so that we can give you our undivided attention.

Lord, we want to, without any distractions, hear you very clearly speak into our lives, in and through your word. So Lord, will you? We ask you in Jesus

name amen. And amen, you can be seated. Thank you. So we're going to talk about

something today that is kind of an issue.

This is what I love about teaching God's word expositionally. You have to teach passages

like the one that's before us this morning.

When you teach topically, you can just very, you know, easily skip over passages like this

that deal with complaining. Why are you looking at me like that? I know none of you complain.

So this is for me. So just indulge me. And for you, it'll just be in theory as we talk about

this matter of complaining. That's what I want to talk about, and I've titled

the teaching why we complain, why we as Christians are prone to complain.

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