The document emphasizes the importance of living a life free from complaining and arguing, as instructed in several biblical passages. It highlights that true submission to God's will involves both external actions and internal attitudes, reflecting on how believers should shine as lights in a morally corrupt world. Additionally, it stresses the significance of prayer and acceptance among fellow believers to foster unity and encourage a positive witness to others.

1. Philippians 2:14-15

2. Do everything without complaining
and arguing, 15so that no one can
criticize you. Live clean, innocent
lives as children of God, shining
like bright lights in a world full of
crooked and perverse people. NLT

3. I. Don’t Complain and Argue

4. Matthew 20:11-12 – When they
received their pay, they protested
to the owner, 12‘Those people
worked only one hour, and yet
you’ve paid them just as much as
you paid us who worked all day in
the scorching heat.’ NLT

5. Luke 5:29-30 - …Levi held a
banquet in his home with Jesus as
the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s
fellow tax collectors and other
guests also ate with them.

6. 30But the Pharisees and their
teachers of religious law complained
bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do
you eat and drink with such scum?”
NLT

7. John 6:53 - …“I tell you the truth,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son
of Man and drink his blood, you
cannot have eternal life within you.
NLT

8. 1 Corinthians 10:10-11 - And don’t
grumble as some of them did, and
then were destroyed by the angel of
death. 11These things happened to
them as examples for us. They were
written down to warn us who live at
the end of the age. NLT

9. Submitting to God’s will must
not only be external but internal.
Externally submitting to God’s will
with internal
complaining or arguing is sin.

10. Matthew 15:19 - For from the
heart come evil thoughts, murder,
adultery, all sexual immorality,
theft, lying, and slander. NLT

11. Romans 14:1 – Accept other
believers who are weak in faith,
and don’t argue with them about
what they think is right or
wrong.
NLT

12. 1 Timothy 2:8 - In every place of
worship, I want men to pray with
holy hands lifted up to God, free
from anger and controversy. NLT

13. II. Why not Complain and Argue?

14. First Issue
Sovereignty of God

15. Matthew 5:16 - In the same way,
let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good
works and give glory to your
Father who is in heaven. ESV

16. Second Issue
A Problem in Our Hearts

17. Ephesians 5:1 - Imitate God,
therefore, in everything you do,
because you are his dear children.
NLT

18. 2 Corinthians 4:5 - You see, we
don’t go around preaching about
ourselves. We preach that Jesus
Christ is Lord, and we ourselves
are your servants for Jesus’
sake. NLT

19. Shine
among the
crooked and perverse people.

20. Acts 2:40 – Then Peter
continued preaching for a long
time, strongly urging all his
listeners, “Save yourselves from
this crooked generation!” NLT

21. Matthew 17:17 – And Jesus
answered, “O faithless and
twisted generation, how long am
I to be with you? … ESV

22. Crocked is what people are
Perverse is the way they act

23. III. Meditation and Application

24. Genesis 1:14-15 - Then God said,
“Let lights appear in the sky to
separate the day from the night. Let
them mark off the seasons, days,
and years. 15Let these lights in the
sky shine down on the earth.” And
that is what happened. NLT

25. John 17:17-18 – Make them
holy by your truth; teach them
your word, which is truth. 18Just
as you sent me into the world, I
am sending them into the world.
NLT

26. John 17:14 & 16 – I have given
them your word. And the world
hates them because they do not
belong to the world, just as I do
not belong to the world. 16They
do not belong to this world any
more than I do. NLT

27. Not complain or argue about
God’s choices for your life.

28. Darkness only exists where light
is not present.
The reason we have darkness is
because there is an absence of
light.

29. Shine like Stars
to extinguish the darkness in
that place.