Philippians 3:15-21

Philippians 3:15-21

By Samuel Sorenson

5/25/2025

Introduction

Getting Attention

     In this day and age, where are we at as a church body?  When looking at what is going on in the world, there is a lot of distraction, a lot of attention is going towards social media, the entertainment business, politics, and the job market.  There are a lot of social influencers who are taking the place of movie stars and musicians, there is a lot of attention being focused on the legal battles that some famous musicians are caught up in, and in all the noise have we lost sight of seeking our Lord’s face?  Are we thinking about what’s going on in God’s kingdom?  Are we thinking about the calling that He has placed on us to be His hands and feet in the local church body? 

Does the church seek to have the mind of Christ? Meaning are we seeking to be His hands and feet?  Are we seeking to reach the lost and make disciples of Christ?  Or are we focused on ourselves?  During Covid we saw some crazy things happen with people, we saw everyone out for themselves.  Many were saying I’m going to make sure my family has toilet paper.  I’m not getting sick.  We saw people moving from some states into other states.  We saw the true character of those who put their faith in man, and of those who put their faith in God.  We began to see the true character of humanity.  Where did we put our trust?  Did we set our minds on earthly things?  Was our god our belly?

Have we forgotten who we serve?  Has our intimacy with the Lord grown stale?  I can remember when I was in my early twenties trying to wrap my head around who God was, what He was, and how I should respond to Him.  I remember this thought coming to mind, “how can a created being comprehend an uncreated being?”  How can one know and be like this uncreated, perfect, holy, and infinite God.  The Psalmists speaks of God breathing out stars.  And what does God say about His most beloved creation, mankind?  Psalm 40:4-5 says this, “Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.”

This is how our Lord speaks of us, and yet we still have a hard time trusting Him.  Trusting Him in our health, our finances, our relationships, our spiritual needs, and our emotional needs.  How are we seeking the Lord’s face?  How are we growing in intimacy with Him, and above all are we trusting Him? What is our first thought when someone yells, insults, or disrespects us?  Are we thinking we need justice, or are we giving it over to the Lord? 

We see so many examples in scripture of the Lord blessing those who choose to trust in Him.  In the book of Judges, we see Gideon trusting the Lord to go against an army of thousands with just 300 men.  God received the glory, however because Gideon trusted God he was seen as a great man of God.  When we choose to give God the glory and not try to glorify ourselves than God delivers and we gain trust and a deeper intimacy with Him.  

Purpose: My purpose in speaking to you today, is for you to see that trusting in the Lord during difficult times will create a deeper faith and love for Him and for your fellow man.

Text: Philippians 3:15-21, Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already [a]attained, let us walk by the same [b]rule, let us be of the same mind. Our Citizenship is in Heaven

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Context

In the last sermon I spoke about putting our faith into action.  We looked at two key principles to putting your faith into action. First principle; excellent faith is being willing to give up to go up. Second principle in order to take steps of faith you must learn and understand the will of God.

Paul has been exhorting the Philippians through his example to put their faith in knowing Christ, in seeking His face, and not putting all their faith in the things of the flesh, what their ancestry is in, how much education they have, following the laws of the Jews and the Pharisees.  For he states that is all but rubbish in comparison to knowing Christ and His finished work on the cross.

Paul is now instructing the Philippians on how to lead other believers by following his example. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul states, “Imitate me as I also imitate Christ.” Paul said that he had learned the secret of being content in any situation, and he told them about his situation in prison. He expressed joy that more people were hearing about Christ even if some were proclaiming the gospel with bad motives. Wanting the Christians in Philippi to be unified, he challenged them to be servants just as Jesus was when he “emptied himself” and became a man rather than clinging to the rights of his divine nature (2:1–11).[1]

Body

Today I want to look at two assurances for trusting God’s plan for your life.

1. The first assurance for trusting in God’s plan is seeing how God raises up mature believers in His church.

2. The second assurance for trusting in God’s plan is the fulfillment of prophecy being played out in scripture.

The first assurance for trusting in God’s plan is seeing how God raises up mature believers in His church.

Paul places obedience to Christ and spiritual maturity over anything else.  He exhorts the Philippians to be mature, and to be of the same attitude.  He is repeating himself from chapter 2:2, where Paul states, “fulfill my joy by being like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  In verse 16, he says, “Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”  As I was studying this, I was thinking I have already preached on this, however if Paul reiterates this then it’s important to cover it again.  So, I ask this question, “Why is it important to have the mind of Christ?” 

If we as a church want to grow spiritually, we must have a close walk with the Lord.  James 4:8 states, “Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you.”  And what does Jesus say about how to have deeper relationship with Him?  John 14:15-24 says this, ““If you love Me, [d]keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [e]Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and [f]manifest Myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”

I used to think that if I had all the knowledge that the bible offered, all the eloquence that the best preaches spoke with, and all the charisma if the best speakers in the world than I would experience greater intimacy with God but that is not what scripture states Jesus says that the key word to maturity is obedience.

Walking in obedience is crucial to having a deeper intimacy with Jesus. Obedience helps us be in tune with the Holy Spirit and not grieve the Holy Spirit.  How do we grieve the Holy Spirit?  By disobeying the word of God.  Paul talks about walking in the Spirit in Galatians 5:16, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  Being of the same mind as Christ means walking in obedience to Christs commands that is why Paul reiterates that command to be of the same mind.  When we choose to walk in obedience God blesses that and in turn the church is blessed.

Look with me again at text Philippians 3:18-19, “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”

Paul is warning about false teachers in the church here.  He is weeping over those who are enemies of the cross of Christ.  Those counterfeits who slip in unaware and pretend to be followers of Christ but in reality, their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is their shame, because they set their mind on earthly things.  Counterfeits are the scariest things, because they don’t tell you who they are until they are tried and tested and by that time, they have corrupted many who are immature and do not have the ability to discern between those spirits that are of God and those that are of the kingdom of darkness.  This is another reason why Paul is so adamant about those who are mature being of the same mind and following after Paul’s example.

I love action movies, my wife and I have been watching the Mission Impossible movies since the last installment of the series came out last Friday.  For me this is the second time I have watched these movies, but for her it’s the first time so it’s been fun watching her get into these movies.  The action is top notch, the story line is good, and it is stimulating, however there is one thing that is missing from all of the movies, do you know what that one thing is, it’s any mention of God.  In the movies Tom Cruise is always asking his love interest and his team this, “I need you to trust me.”  Now they do say they trust him, and he delivers on his promises.  In the 6th Mission Impossible there is a scene where he is pulling off an impossible feat in disarming a nuclear bomb, his team member Luther says he will get it done, and at the last second Tom Cruise’s character gets the detonator and disarms the bomb.

I realized that in the movies Tom Cruise is seen as the person who is in complete control, has the ability to do impossible things, and is seen as almost a godlike figure.  Tom Cruise is now 63 years old and still doing these action movies, it’s interesting that Tom Cruise has never professed faith in Christ.  He is an open member of the church of Scientology which promotes self and going clear or being clear of any wrongdoing, trauma, and so a person can see the world and be effective in the world.  In rewatching these movies, I am seeing his worldview played out.  It deeply saddens me that Tom Cruise is being used as a distraction for Satan’s kingdom rather than a change agent for the kingdom of heaven.  Many people follow him and there are many who would choose to look to men like him rather than to put their trust in God.

God wants us to put our trust in Him by being obedient to His commands and so we can walk in step with His plans and purposes for our lives. When we go into a church and see mature believers then we know that we can trust that God is vibrant and active in that church.  We can feel the Holy Spirit move and we can be confident and assured that we can trust in God’s promises.  Mature believers are the key to unlocking the presence of the Holy Spirit’s power.  

I recently visited a church like this, and the Pastor gave this illustration.  He took a sharp cooking knife and started cutting butter with it, and though we love butter if continue cutting butter with that knife, that knife will lose it’s edge and become dull.  So we must sharpen that knife on a knife sharpener, the knife needs to be sharpened in order to stay sharp.  Likewise we as believers must spend time around those who can sharpen us and spur us on in the faith.  If we hang out with nonbelievers that have no interest in the things of God than we become dull.  Even though it can be fun for awhile eventually it will lose it’s edge and we will be in need of a fresh anointing from the Lord. Proverbs 27:17 states this, “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

The second assurance for trusting in God’s plan is the fulfillment of prophecy being played out in scripture.

Look with me again at the text, Philippians 3:20-2120 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

How many of us in here today have seen God answer prayer in the last few months?  How many in the last few weeks?  How many in the last few days?

It is estimated by scholars that there are roughly 2,500 prophecies in the bible. And of those prophecies about 2,000 prophecies have come to pass.  A large amount of those prophecies relate to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  That is astounding.  What does Jesus say about prayer in scripture?  John 14:13-14, “

13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you [a]ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

Now I would not recommend asking the Lord for something that is contrary to His character, but part of trusting the Lord is believing that He means what He says.  Just like when Peter was being restored to ministry by Jesus and Jesus asks him Peter do you love me, He asks Peter that question 3 times.  God may be asking you today do you trust me?  Do you trust me?  Do you trust me?

Conclusion

Some of us in here today may have some heavy things they are experiencing, the loss of a relationship, the loss of a job, or a loved one due to death or illness.  Some of us may have been betrayed by someone they thought was loyal. 

In desperate times it is hard to trust, let me encourage you today to put your trust in Jesus.

Some may say so I need Jesus to save me from hells fire, friend I need Jesus to go to Walmart. 

Today if you are in here and are struggling to trust in Jesus, I want to pray for you, pray that you would have a fresh anointing, a fresh sense of love and acceptance, and a deep desire to draw close to the Lord and be matured in Him.

God bless you all, let’s close in prayer.

[1]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version(Php). (2016). Crossway Bibles.