08-Paul2

Paul

How Can I?

 “Four Spiritual Secrets”

Introduction – How can I do God’s will

A.   Review

1.    Saul Before

a.     He is in charge

b.    God uses him generally

2.    Saul After

a.     God is in charge

b.    God uses him personally

B.   Contextual Setting

1.    Paul is speaking about Judaisers

a.     They believe in Faith plus keeping the Law

b.    They boast in their own righteousness

2.    Paul answers their boasts

a.     He presents his worldly credentials

b.    He presents his Godly credentials

C.   Reading – Philippians

1.    3:1-11

2.    3:12-4:1

3.    4:4-14

I.     Paul’s Confidence (3:1-14)

A.   Flesh (3:4-6)

1.    Paul’s Credentials

a.     Child of Israel

b.    Tribe of Benjamin

c.     Pharisee

d.    Persecutor of the Church

e.     Blameless under the law

2.    What Does Paul think of his credentials

a.     More than others – 3

b.    Gains are counted as loss – 7, 8

B.   What is of value to Paul? (8-11)

1.    Knowing Christ – 8

2.    Righteousness – 9

a.     Not his own

b.    From God

c.     Through faith in Christ

3.    Power of His resurrection

4.    Fellowship of His suffering

5.    Like Him in death

6.    Attain resurrection from death

C.   What is Paul’s reaction to all this? (12-14)

1.    Hasn’t got it yet (12)

2.    Presses on (12)

3.    Forgetting the past (13)

4.    Straining toward the future (13)

5.    Press toward the prize (14)

II.   What should we be striving toward? (3:15-4:1)

A.   Live up to what we have attained (15, 16)

1.    What have we attained? – Righteousness of God

2.    How have we attained it? – By grace through faith

B.   Examples (17-4:1)

1.    Paul’s example (17)

2.    Negative example (18, 19)

a.     Enemies of the cross

b.    Mind on earthly things

C.   Our Citizenship (20-4:1)

1.    Heaven

2.    Awaiting our Savior

3.    Glorification

4.    Stand firm

III.         How do we do this? (4:4-14)

A.   Traits of a citizen of heaven (4-9)

1.    Rejoice (4)

2.    Be Gentle (5)

3.    Do not be anxious (6, 7)

a.     Prayer

b.    Peace

4.    Things to dwell on (8)

5.    Practice (9)

B.   Practical Application (10-14)

1.    Have concern for one another (10)

2.    Learn to be content (11, 12)

3.    Learn where our strength comes from (13)

4.    Share in one another’s troubles (14)

Conclusion

A.   Who was Paul

1.    Somebody who became nobody

2.    Nobody who God made somebody

3.    Went from his own to God’s

a.     Righteousness

b.    Strength

B.   Assignment – Abraham - Genesis 11: 27 – 25: 10