The Gospel for the Pharisee
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--- Title Slide
Scripture Intro:
Scripture Intro:
“Gospel Reset”
What is the Gospel?
The Good News?
What happens when we forget the Gospel?
We begin to live like certain characters.
Today, the Gospel for the Pharisee
The Gospel for...
Jan 8 - The Pharisee
Jan 15 – The Orphan
Jan 22 – The Slave
Jan 29 – The P.O.W.
Feb 5 – The Hermit
Feb 12 – The Control Freak
Feb 19 – For Eeyore
Feb 26 – For Mr. Scrooge
--- Title Slide
Today, The Gospel for the Pharisee
Scripture Reading (“Please stand…”)
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Philippians 3:2–4 (ESV)
Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also.
Philippians 3:4–6 (ESV)
If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
---
Pray...
Intro:
Intro:
ILL. Enniskillen, Ireland.
Hosted the G8 conference in 2013.
The world's most influential leaders gather together.
The town had gone through terrible economic times
about a year prior to the conference.
So they spent 3 million dollars
placed photos in the closed storefronts to make it appear
that the stores were flourishing and operational.
1) Butcher Shop
2) Office Supplies store
3) Cafe
Bookstore
4) Deli
5) High-End Shoe Store
The outward appearance was magnificent to the person that drove by in a car.
But the inside, was run down, empty,
and only a lifeless store wrapped in a beautiful photograph.
“The Pharisee”
C.S. Lewis -
“Of all the bad men, religious bad men are the worst.” (C.S. Lewis)
"Good People" Put Confidence in Themselves
"Good People" Put Confidence in Themselves
(v. 2)
Paul is warning God's people against these dogs...
evildoers,
mutilators of the flesh.
Wow. What is he talking about?
"Good People" Put on Appearances
"Good People" Put on Appearances
Dogs - the lowest of low.
In Jewish culture, dogs were unclean.
So for Paul to term these people as dogs,
would be staggering for anyone to hear.
B/c as we will see if a little bit,
these men are probably the most pious and rule-abiding of all the people.
That's why "evildoers" is so ironic in these verses.
B/c outwardly, they look the part,
and are doing everything they should... even more.
Mutilators of the flesh
It's a reference to circumcision.
So that's why Paul in v.3 says, "We are the circumcision."
Meaning, "we (as those who have Christ) are the ones
who are truly defined by what circumcision marks."
But these guys, though they are outwardly circumcised and require others to do the same,
Paul is calling them "mutilators of the flesh".
They do the things required by God,
but they miss the heart behind them.
So "circumcision without faith"...
is simply an elaborate form of cutting yourself.
And has no value before God.
"Good People" Seek to Justify Themselves
"Good People" Seek to Justify Themselves
These people mislead God's people by making Following God's Law to the essence of faith.
What I can do
Follow the rules
Adhere to the Law, but not by faith.
Your attempt to get it right and follow the rules...
is all about you (not Jesus).
You are trying to get control of your life...
Through God's law.
But YOU are still at the center of your life.
And YOU are still god.
B/c you are using God's law to get to where you want.
(v. 4-6) If you think you have reason for confidence,
Paul says, I kind of have the corner on the "confidence market".
Philippians 3:4–6 (ESV)
If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Paul’s reasons for confidence in the flesh:
circumcised on the eighth day - check
of the people of Israel - check
of the tribe of Benjamin - check
a Hebrew of Hebrews;
as to the law, a Pharisee - check
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church - check
as to righteousness under the law, blameless. - check.
He had the right family... the right heritage.
He obeyed the law to the letter.
He opposed those who questioned the law of God (persecuting the church).
"Blameless under the law"
We demand perfection from other people,
b/c we demand it of ourselves as well.
When the ref blows a call in a football game,
you don’t say, "That's ok. Everyone makes mistakes."
"He'll get it right next time."
Of course not. We demand justice.
And so if God is just,
how could God let people off so easily?
App. And so this seeking of righteousness could be completely exhausting.
If we are not finding the justification for our lives in Jesus...
Then you are on the hampster wheel of proving yourself.
So you go to work to prove to everyone that we are worthwhile.
We talk about SAT scores and GPA's...
For the most part, we are trying to let everyone around us know that we matter.
We can easily create a scorecard of all the things we are doing for God's kingdom.
At least I'm doing more than that guy over there.
All attempts to validate ourselves.
Modern Understanding of righteousness.
Even though the world seems to not care about God's principles,
everyone is still seeking after righteousness of their own.
Sure, it might not be through obedience to God.
people are seeking to define their worth, value, and credibility.
I work hard...
I look good...
I have my life in order...
Everyone is seeking some form of "righteousness".
It's the thing that we feel that we need (or are chasing)...
that will make us feel good about ourselves.
That will be the thing we fall back on to calm the doubts about ourselves.
The pursuit of our own righteousness or validity...
Miserable existence.
God's People Put No Confidence in the Flesh
God's People Put No Confidence in the Flesh
But the true circumcision (not those who mutilate the flesh)...
Worship by the Spirit of God,
and glory in Christ Jesus.
Meaning... that worship ought to be led by the Spirit.
Following God isn't about getting your personal life in order (just with godly principles).
It is recognizing the 2nd phrase...
"glory in Christ Jesus".
When you glory in Jesus (and not in your ability),
you boast in him.
You brag about him, not yourself.
Then, shift your boast to Jesus,
all you have left is walking in the Spirit.
Your glory fades.
His glory is pursued.
God's People Freely Admit Their Sin
God's People Freely Admit Their Sin
Now, we tend to think about sin as bad behavior.
Obvious things that are against the will of God.
However, often times our sin shows up in our obedience...
B/c our motives are not for the glory of God, but ourselves.
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
“whatever gain I had, I counted as loss”
Paul looks at his life and sees it all as a waste.
Chasing after the wrong things.
Chasing after that which gave him nothing...
Yet, he pursued it as if it was life.
ESV Study Bible -
“What formerly went into the gain column—his power, prestige, and “obedience”—now goes into the loss column.” (ESV Study Bible)
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
(v. 8) "Indeed, I counted everything as loss"
“suffered the loss of all things”
“count them as rubbish”
Paul is saying he abandoned these things.
What he counted as gain...
He now counts as loss.
What he built his life on before,
he realized was a hollow shell.
"to abandon something"...
We often think it's about putting something away or out of our lives.
In all reality, it is not simply to throw it away.
Or to move away from it.
To effectively abandon something,
we must replace it.
ILL. Growing up, my favorite show what "Electric Company"
"Hey, you guys!!!"
As I got a few years older,
I didn't declare that "Electric Company" was no longer my favorite.
No, it was replaced.
It was pushed aside by the age of 5.
By a tie, between "Emergency" (fire trucks, firefighters)
and "Chips" (Ponch and Jon, riding motorcycles and solving California's problems).
*** My new love for First Responders
with pearly white teeth and groomed, flowing hair...
It pushed aside my love for a gorilla swinging in yelling "Hey, You Guys!"
But then, even "Chips" was pushed aside...
By baseball, basketball, and football games.
It's not that I declared "No more" to those former shows.
It's that my love for them was replaced by something even more compelling.
(v. 8) Paul writes, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of
Knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."
"because of"...
He counts all those things in his life "as loss"...
"because of"
The surpassing worth of Jesus.
And that new affection for Jesus drives out other things.
God's People are Justified by Faith in Christ
God's People are Justified by Faith in Christ
As ESV Study Bible points out...
(v. 9) Justified - "righteousness"
(v. 10) sanctified - "becoming like him"
(v. 11) glorified - "attain the resurrection from the dead"
Justification and Righteousness are interchangeable.
Righteousness is a legal standing that is the result of perfect behavior.
Or "a performance record that opens doors".
To be brought into great blessing b/c you performed perfectly.
Justification - to be treated "as if"...
we had a perfect record.
Justification is a judicial act of God pardoning sinners,
and accepting them as righteous.
and permanently right their previously estranged relationship with himself.
After saying that all his accomplishments are worthless,
Paul goes on to say...
Phil 3:8 - "surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord"
Phil 3:10 - "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection"
Phil 3:10 goes on...
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection
AND the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."
Now we are going somewhere.
That our highest and best might more readily come
through suffering, hardship, and loss.
Rather than, us accomplishing what we want with God's help tacked on.
Why do we know Christ in suffering?
When we walk through suffering and loss,
we see the beauty of redemption.
Redemption is the part of God that most of us wish to avoid.
Creation -- Fall -- Redemption
Most us of desire:
Creation -- Fall -- back to Creation w/o enduring Redemption.
But if we just reset things to their rightful place ("do over").
We miss knowing Christ as the Suffering Servant.
The God who suffers in order to bring about Redemption.
App. The Gospel offers Freedom, Joy, etc...
It's given.
It's been paid.
I'm made right
I'm accepted
There's nothing left to be done.
So I can enjoy, run, breathe.
I have freedom...
From my sin, from my constant pursuit to prove myself, from my need for worth.
Rich Villodas (Vee-yod-us)
“Sabbath is one of the clearest signs of the gospel of grace. You intentionally accomplish nothing and God still loves you. Such good news.” (Rich Villodas)
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Close in Prayer
Close in Prayer
Closing Song:
Closing Song:
“Man of Sorrows”
“Now my debt is paid, It is paid in full”
“By the precious blood” of Jesus
“Whom the Son sets free, Oh is free indeed”
Benediction:
Benediction:
Extra Stuff:
Extra Stuff: