Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction: Paul and Silas first visited Philippi in Greece during Paul's second missionary journey, which occurred between approximately 49 and 51 AD.

Philippi was the location of the first Christian community established in Europe.

He wrote the epistle, or letter, from Rome, which would make the date of the letter around 62 AD, about 10 years after Paul's first visit to Philippi.

Paul sends word to the Philippians through Epaphroditus of his upcoming sentence in Rome and of his optimism in the face of death (1:18b–26).

He wants to share one last testimony with them...

What I Was (vv.

7-8.a)

His Profit

What was his profit we can find in verses four through six.

I'm going to read it from the new living translation: (NLT) though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could.

Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

I was circumcised when I was eight days old.

I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one!

I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.

I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church.

And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

The first three things he speaks of pertain to his position:

He was circumcised when he was eight days old according to law.

Next he asserts that he is a pure-blooded citizen of Israel.

One could come to Judaism and be considered a person of God but you would never, by virtue of following Judaism, become a person of Israel or as the NLT translates it a pure-blooded citizen of Israel.

His last positional assertion is that he is is a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

The tribe of Benjamin's inheritance of the promise land includes the city of Jerusalem.

The next three speak of the choices he made:

I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.

I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church.

And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

Segue, so why is he telling us all this?

If one reads the book of Philippians to this point one realizes that he is actually condemning many of the things that he is now claiming his credentials as we read on however testimony to point out the amazing difference that Jesus Christ made in shifting his perspective.

His Perspective

He describes his shift in perspective in verses 7–8 (ESV) 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.

Whatever gain he had he considers a loss for the sake of Christ.

His perfect heritage he considers a loss for Christ sake.

His life dedicated to the study of the law and obedience to the law he considers inconsequential when compared to Christ.

This is an amazing statement!

For Paul, as an Orthodox Pharisee, his education would have started in the synagogue very young at around the age of five.

Paul was born approximately 5 AD so, when he met Jesus on the Damascus road, his work to become a Pharisee consumed almost 30 years of his life and yet, in the face of who and what Jesus Christ is, is willing to throw it away!

His hard earned righteousness according to the law has no meaning when held up next to Jesus Christ.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

This also is an amazing statement because the everything includes, according to evidence in Scripture:

Coming from a wealthy family.

Working in a wealth generating trade.

An inheritance that included Roman citizenship.

Segue, next we see it does not base his testimony just on his wants, desires, and feelings but also on the price that he paid.

His Price

(ESV) 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

waste n. — any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted; especially solid animal waste.

He states that for Jesus sake he has lost all things.

But this is not a complaint but a statement of truth.

We know it's not a complaint for he goes on to claim that all the things he lost he considers "rubbish" or in the Greek: σκύβαλον skubalon.

waste n. — any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted; especially solid animal waste.

Segue, how can a man throw away wealth, position, power, and the life's work?

Not just throw them away but consider them animal feces?

Paul addresses this next by describing what he wants or hopes to get out of his relationship with Jesus Christ.

What I Want (vv.

8.b-10)

Found in Him

To Paul being found in Christ or to be in Christ is a powerful position that carries many connotations.

It is a statement he uses in his writings often to describe the theological, spiritual, and emotional position of one who is following Christ.

It includes:

To Paul being found in Christ or to be in Christ is a powerful position that carries many connotations.

It is a statement he uses in his writings often to describe the theological, spiritual, and emotional position of one who is following Christ.

It includes the phrases ‘in Christ’, ‘fellowship with Christ’ and ‘belonging to Christ’.

The idea appears in different ways about two hundred and sixteen times in his writing.

It includes:

Speaks of a disciple's salvation: ‘A is in Christ’: for example, Paul speaks of the saints ‘in Christ Jesus’ (), of ‘those who are in Christ Jesus’ () and of himself as ‘a man inChrist’ ().

To Paul being found in Christ or to be in Christ is a powerful position that carries many connotations.

It is a statement he uses in his writings often to describe the theological, spiritual, and emotional position of one who is following Christ.

It includes:

Speaks of a disciple's motivation: ‘A does something to B in Christ’: the apostle urges the Thessalonians ‘in the Lord Jesus’ (; cf ). 3 ‘A does something in the Lord’: in thisway Paul exhorts the Philippians to ‘rejoice in the Lord’ (; ; cf ).

To Paul being found in Christ or to be in Christ is a powerful position that carries many connotations.

It is a statement he uses in his writings often to describe the theological, spiritual, and emotional position of one who is following Christ.

It includes the phrases ‘in Christ’, ‘fellowship with Christ’ and ‘belonging to Christ’.

The idea appears in different ways about two hundred and sixteen times in his writing.

It includes:

Speaks of God's behavior towards the disciple: ‘God gives us (does to us) something in Christ’: eg he forgave us in Christ (; cf 1:6).

Speaks of a disciple's salvation: ‘A is in Christ’: for example, Paul speaks of the saints ‘in Christ Jesus’ (), of ‘those who are in Christ Jesus’ () and of himself as ‘a man inChrist’ ().

Speaks of a disciple's motivation: ‘A does something to B in Christ’: the apostle urges the Thessalonians ‘in the Lord Jesus’ (; cf ). 3 ‘A does something in the Lord’: in thisway Paul exhorts the Philippians to ‘rejoice in the Lord’ (; ; cf ).

Speaks of God's behavior towards the disciple: ‘God gives us (does to us) something in Christ’: eg he forgave us in Christ (; cf 1:6).

Speaks of God's availability to the disciple (power, peace etc.): ‘For in Christ all the fulness of the deity lives’.

Speaks of God's availability to the disciple (power, peace etc.): ‘For in Christ all the fulness of the deity lives’.

Segue, next Paul speaks of something he desires that can only be found with faith in Jesus the Christ.

Faith in Him

Segue, next Paul speaks of something he desires that can only be found with faith in Jesus the Christ.

Faith in Him

I love the NLT’s rendering of I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.

For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

I love the NLT’s rendering of I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.

For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

He tried the Law thing and was better at it then most yet it failed him

He tried the Law thing and was better at it then most yet it failed him

The real righteousness, that is the “righteousness from God that depends on faith”

From God, Doesn’t depend on me...