Joyfull Surender

Introduction/Scripture

Philippians 3:1–14 NIV

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put 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; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Pray.

I dont actually know what it means to be a follower of Christ. Wait before you run away, let me explain. I know the biblical and pastoral answer. I can talk about the ordo salutis. I can walk someone through the process of salvation. I can give you the answer of surrendering your life to Christ: repent of sins, turn to God, follow Jesus. I can prescribe practices for the journey. But what does it even mean to surrender?

In my own life it has been a layered journey to surrender.

give my life to Christ…. mental attempt of surrender.

Prayer of confession

Give my actions to Christ.... reorientation. friend groups, speech, stop watching rated R movies

discipleship

But it is still a little bit of sin management

Giving God access to every aspect of my life….

dying to self

Lordship and friendship, I think

I suspect I am learning about the dying part every day. I recently have been watching the Chosen.

Paul’s declaration of new priorities

Paul begins his letter with a prayer that introduces where he is headed. This prayer is our Scripture for the week, notice again:

Philippians 1:3–6 NIV

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

This prayer is in typical format of letters in ancient antiquity. They are genuine prayers and acknowledgement of affirmative things Paul wants to encourage them with. These prayers are often chalked up in our minds as something nice he is saying about the church he is writing to, but they are more than that. They begin to introduce critical parts of the future writing.

When he says “being confident that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion....he is beginning to establish the means through which God will complete this good work in you.

This good work requires a shift. It requires a specific mindset and it requires a particular position we put ourselves in. The mindset is in alignment with Jesus

2. Paul has an encounter with Jesus that alters everything:

Philippians 2:6–11 NIV

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as 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, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This great hymn of Paul tells of the humble journey of the 2nd person of the trinity down to the depths, even the depths of death, a death that carries with it everything that can be found on the path leading to death.... sin, addiction, selfish autonomy, pursuit of power, fantasy of fame, and yes even ministry centered on the called one instead of the one who calls.... Jesus descends through it all and then is exalted to rule and reign above any platform, power, person, or principality that might stand in the way.

This praise of Paul probably only rivaled by his proclamation in the letter to the Colossians:

Colossians 1:15–20 NIV

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

This juxtaposition is central to Paul’s Christology, holding both realities together.... the supreme, all sufficient Christ, the ruler of the cosmos, the one who sustains life, the fullness of God....

is also the one who made peace and salvation possible through his blood shed on the cross.

Yall what the church needs from us is not another well organized program. We need, especially now and in this season, to stop being so busy for Jesus

instead of joining ourself with this all sufficient, supreme, crucified one on the throne.

As a friend of mine puts it: “the bride is so busy doing things for the groom that she doesent spend any time with the groom. She is more of a self-made servant than a spouse.”

We in the GMC. claim a high historical Christology that orders our soteriology, ecclesiology, catechesim, accountable discipleship....it is time we put our money where our mouth is. It is time we walk in the high Christology we proclaim.

Paul’s accomplishments are put into perspective.

This what leads to Paul’s reordering of his accomplishments and what he brings to the table. He has a holy discontent at this point.

Right before Paul’s great charge to us that we read just a moment ago, he goes through a reflection of holy discontent.

Paul is speaking to a community that appears to be suffering from Judaizers twisting up what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

There are these people in Macedonian community of Philippi that would say that to be Christian is to conform to all of the Jewish customs.

circumcision

food laws

festivals

sabbath

etc.

What does it mean to be Christian? Close your eyes for a second and imagine it.

Now, it is not that Paul has a problem with these, he still practices them and believes that they are important. It is more likely though that Paul is infuriated at the continued works-righteousness of these Judaizers. The continued teaching that it is religious practices that save you.

In his own life and the degree that this teaching existed in the churches, Paul wants people to see that these activities were always and are still an means to an end....not the end of itself.

In other words, your church activity, your response, your service, is always in response to and a means to Jesus.

and church attendance, giving, even scripture reading, prayer, mission work....they can be activities that inoculate but never satisfy.

Don’t let what we do for Christ get in the way of who we are in Christ and who we are becoming in Christ.....

To prove it, Paul lays out his resume:

From people of Israel, God’s people from the beginning

of the tribe of Benjamin, whom Deut says they are blessed and loved by the Lord

Hebrew of Hebrews. pure from the beginning

in regard to the law, the most prestigious

zeal and passion....the ones smashing out challengers

Righteousness based on the law....to the T

He is the pride of the village, he is the bright star. The celebrity we love to follow without the scandal or blemish. As far as “measurables,” “religion,” “Doing things the right way”

He is batting 1000.

But none of it saves. on its own it is exhausting. In many ways it is human strength in isolation and it is not sustainable or life-giving.

This is the holy discontent acknowledgement that so many of us still must face.

Salvation…Wesley and the house of God. I think many of us hang out in the front room.

and the joy today is you see the disposition that is on the otherside of it for Paul, let’s hear it again:

Philippians 3:7–11 NIV

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

This is a man in prison that knows nothing else matters other than attaining what has been accomplished in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Oh church that we would have a holy discontent for the status quo and the way things have been....an honest evaluation of our own lives and surrender to Jesus again and thereby how we are leading others to Him.

Our resumes, our church profiles, our degrees, our affiliations even, will not tell the story of how we are introducing people to the Jesus that reveals to us God.

Disciplined practice of Paul

Let me highlight something in the language here in hopes of sharing something very practical for us.

Philippians 3:7–8 NIV

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

Past tense: I did consider them gain

Same verb the next three times but with different tenses:

Perfect tense: “I have considered them loss for the sake of Christ”

Present tense: “I consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”

Present tense: “I consider them refuse (garbage) that I may gain Christ”

There is a progression, almost like he is practicing what he is preaching right here. I dont think this is insignificant. Paul is even now highlighting the mental, emotional, disciplined formation that is ongoing. This is a daily formation and one that we must submit to accountable community for. It is a daily dying to self. This is the work of sanctifying grace in our life, dont forget our joining work in it.

Object of pursuit must be Jesus

Paul understood that knowing Jesus Christ as Lord is in passing through death and into resurrection.

And we may not choose the parts of the story we like and leave out the rest. For the surpassing [worth] of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I not only must abandon every attempt to gain an advantage with God on the basis of giftings and achievements. But I must also be prepared to discover anew that truly knowing Christ means simultaneously knowing the power of his resurrection (the part I like) and sharing in his sufferings (the part I like less) so as to be conformed to the likeness of Christ’s own death (2:8) and thus to gain the resurrection.1

1 Fee, G. D. (1999). Philippians (Vol. 11, p. 137). Westmont, IL: IVP Academic.

Closing

I spent this past week in Phoenix with other pastors from around the country. They have become dear friends. We started an order…. it is called the Order of the Holy Fire. And I know when I say this you are thinking 1 of 2 things: Gosh that sounds like a cult. or 2.. Wow my pastor is a super nerd.

It is called an order because we are trying to establish a monastic type of community in 2025 for younger Methodist Clergy that desire the fullness of God. The fullness of God personally and for their churches. (Shouldnt that be every pastor….uh yeah, you would think).

It became evident to me this week, once again, how broken I am. How prideful, selfish, and prone to wonder that I am. Listen I have taken captive much and surrendered much to Christ. But I still have a ways to go to know the depth of God’s love for me and that I dont have to perform for God to love me. That is a twisted oldest child mentality. I learned that my intimacy with God (or lack thereof) has direct impact on my family and you all.

There are still desires of my heart that have not been crucified and need to be.

Why do I share this? It isnt so that you can come see me after the service and pat me on the back and tell me I am too harsh on myself.

I share as honestly as I can because if I am going to meddle in your stuff, I want you to know I am journeying with you.

This week we spent days on our hands and knees, and praying for one another. It was nothing special. Helpful to get out of town, yes. But there was nothing flashy. Just brothers and sisters praying for one another.

Jesus met with us. This might sound odd to some of you and normal to some others. But Jesus truly met with us. Brought healing to wounds that have been long forgotten, brought clarity of calling, brought abundant love to those who were lonely. Brought victory and breakthrough to folks that have been suffering. Spirit and Truth weekend was the same.

Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will really be yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in. - C.S. Lewis