Jesus Is Better
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Introduction
Introduction
If you have your Bibles and I hope you do, we will be in tonight
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 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; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 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 9 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— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Human achievement and human righteousness seems to be all around us. We see people around us that succeed, and they get the praise of those around you. Maybe you tonight have done something that received the praise of those around you. From leading your team to victory in baseball or whatever sport you are playing. You did all the work in your group project, and your group members owe you their life. It could have been a job promotion because of hard work and dedication. Whatever the case, you have seen those achieve and then they can get proud. They become people who think they deserve this human applause. Then there can be this mindset that “I have done all these good works that I can get to heaven. There is no way that i could go to hell compared to that guy.” This mindset the Bible declares as self-righteousness, and there is not enough self-righteous enough to get yourself to heaven. And Paul is going to remind this church about this. And as we do this series “living on mission” this passage reminds us that our righteousness does not come from our works, but faith in Christ.
Context of this passage is that we know Paul wrote this, and we know that he wrote this from prison. We know that the beginnings of this church came from the most unlikely of people, and Paul loved this church. The reading of this first chapter we know that Paul loved this church. Verse one we see him about to wrap up the letter. He has discussed what it looks like to live in Christ. He has discussed the humility of Christ, and how that pushes us to be humble. We can be people of the Book that hold fast to the Word in this dark world.
Look at verse one
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Paul who is starting to close this letter commands to rejoice in the Lord. This is not a suggestion. This is to be a regular practice in their life.
To rejoice in the Lord. Their joy is to be based on the Lord. On their understanding of the love of Christ. Their identity being rooted in him. Their connection.
He is telling them to have joy in light of what he is about to discuss with them.
He commands them to have joy, and now there are three more commands.
Look at verse 2
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
Philippians
He is warning them of false teachers. You ask what are these false teachers teaching about. This time against Jewish Christians who were telling Gentiles that they had to be circumcised. They were teaching that this gospel they believed in is not enough but they also had to do this thing of circumcision.
The Gospel + Works = Salvation. This is not what Paul teaches them, and he wants them to look out. Look out for the dogs.
Then look out for the evildoers. Those who do not live out their relationship with Christ.
Look out for those who mutilate the flesh. Alright word picture. The Greek word for circumcision is περιτομή. This meaning ‘cut around’ but the word for mutilate ‘ κατατομήν’ meaning cut to pieces.
Why is this so important?
Verse 3
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
What is Paul talking about when he says ‘the circumcision.’ Like Brendan this is making no sense, and I do not like you are saying circumcision so much. Well I had to get use to it reading it this week so you are just going to have to get use to it.
A Bible history lesson here. Old Testament when God made a people for himself in the Israelites they were to be distinct from the people around them. There were laws concerning how they were not to do certain things, and not have certain things as they were His people. Some things were things like tattoos. The Israelites could not have tattoos because the people around Israel who were not Jews had tattoos.
Physical circumcision was used to identify someone as the Jewish nation and had value for purposes of ministry.
But when Paul says that we are the circumcision he is not talking about physical circumcision. He is talking about spiritually being circumcised.
To say he was apart of the circumcised is relating himself to both Jews and Gentiles who believed and relied on Christ rather than religious practice.
The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Describing the True (3:3–6)
The three characteristics involve worship, glory, and confidence.
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
The first thing Paul says is that true believers worship by the Spirit of God. He is contrasting these two ideas between inward worship, and outward conformity to the law. He is attacking this legalism of looking good on the outside but not inwardly.
We Christians all in this room today have been sitting through this series living on mission. We make the most of the time. We desire God’s glory to be made known in the world. We understand that when we became believers we became apart of the body and were given gifts to serve the body. We worship inwardly from the heart.
2nd is glory. Glory in Christ Jesus. What Paul is saying is boast. We boast in the work of Christ.
3rd we have have no confidence in the flesh. These Jewish Christians who want these Gentile believers to get circumcised are trusting in human tradition. Human initiative to gain spiritual blessing. And you keep reading and you see that Paul was one of these false teachers here.
He himself use to be like them, but he came to a place where he was wrong. They are not to have confidence in the flesh, but now Paul appeals to them. And that is where we get our first point.
Old Set of Values
Old Set of Values
Old Set of Values
Old Set of Values
Than Your Accomplishments
Than Your Accomplishments
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
Paul before Christ was dependent on himself. Dependent on his self-righteousness. He is looking at these Judaizers straight in the face. He is wanting them to see why he had confidence in the flesh. He is going to lay it all down and say “top that”
I love sports so lets say you love basketball. There is more baseball people and football people in the room thought so lets do that. Football you make the claim that best football player ever is Tom Brady. You lay every stat out every good thing that shows Tom Brady is the best. Another guy says Brett Farve is the best, and he lays out all the evidence. And then someone comes out and says ‘top this’ and you lay out Joe Montana
Than Your Accomplishments
Than Your Accomplishments
He’s Better Than
He’s Better Than
The point being you lay out all your evidence why.
Well Paul is saying I had confidence in the flesh. In fact, I had so much let I will spill it all and you can judge for yourself.
This is the time you see Paul get into some smack talk. Some recess, “you think you’re cool, I will put you in your place.”
5 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;
That was the tradition. 8 days after you were born and you were circumcised. This is a strong Jewish family tradition.
‘of the people of Israel’
These people who wanted to make Gentiles circumcised also wanted to make these people members of Israel. Paul already had this.
of the tribe of Benjamin
Paul’s family origins could be traced back to this. This tribe was THE tribe. Israel’s first king came from this tribe. This tribe was blessed by Moses. When all the tribes were turning against King David, it was the Tribe of Benjamin that stayed faithful.
Your average person who has this much to boast about would be letting everyone know.
A Hebrew of Hebrews
This is just to force this fact that he was a born a pure Hebrew. It was not like what Harry Potter would say half-blood or muggles but pure blood Hebrew.
as to the law, a Pharisee
He kept the law. He had given himself to the study of the law. He had knowledge.
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church
Paul gave himself to the law. And because he was dedicated, he was against these Christians who were not keeping the law like he thought they should be keeping it. Christians knew that if Paul, at this point, Saul showed up in their town he was gathering them up to be thrown in prison or stoned. He was dedicated
as to righteousness under the law, blameless
This sums it all up. Paul as a practicing Jew is one who can boast in their eyes. He has all the accomplishments. He is from the best place you can be from. He has everything. He has a perfect record.
He has a great family heritage.
He has social status.
He had biblical knowledge.
He had religious activity.
The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Describing the True (3:3–6)
These seven characteristics of heredity and achievement reveal that Paul’s accepting Christ did not occur because he was marginally Jewish. He had not failed in his own religion. He had seen a better way and had chosen to follow it.
He had seen a better way and let’s look at that better way.
There are the old set of values. And now there are these
New Set of Values
New Set of Values
He is Worth Everything
He is Worth Everything
Look at verse 7
New Set of Values
New Set of Values
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
We just looked that Paul had all the gain. All the accomplishments. All the stuff he needed to be the guy in this world. He had everything, and then everything changes for him. He has an encounter with Christ. Christ meets him where he is at on the road. He is doing what he does best. He is being a passionately devoted Jew on his way to stamp out these Christians. These people who are not keeping the law like they should.
And he encounters Christ. He becomes blind. He cannot rely on himself, but he needs the help of others. God sends him Ananias to open his eyes.
From that moment on, Paul’s old values are gone. His new values. All the gain he had is gone. He counts it as loss for the sake of Christ. ALL OF IT....loss
Like he said earlier in this letter
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
These false teachers were evil, yet Paul sees how he related with them. When we are on mission living for the glory of God we will run into people that are evil. People who are living for themselves. We can look down at them. We may play the comparison game, “I am not as bad as them” but in all reality we were there with them. We had the same outlook on life as they do. People before Christ have these values and we did as well.
Paul understood this truth. His future was not in the past. His old values was not th
And these next few verses. Verses 7 through 11 makes clear.
The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon True Values (3:7–11)
theology and life go together and that the antidote to poor living is proper theology.
Our theology that we understand and believe will be played out in the life we live. This life that we want to live on mission plays out from the theology we come to understand. If we read our Bibles a few times a week and have enough to make a tweet, then that is the life that lives out. If we read consistently and are applying what we are reading, then the life we live is one pleasing to God.
The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon True Values (3:7–11)
If the Philippians understood the richness of Paul’s life, they would not follow the false teachers.
Paul’s life was an example for this church, and it is an example for us to follow.
Verse 7 he ‘counted’ or he ‘considered’ it loss. He thought hard about his former life. His former values, and it was good for him to count it as loss.
You may experience this when you see that you are on social media too much. Or you are eating too much food and you are gaining weight. You make adjustments. You set up restrictions or you delete social media. You make adjustments to your diet. And at the end you consider it good.
Paul who has thought about this he affirms it good.
8 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
He affirms everything. He looks at that blinding moment on the Damascus road and realizes how his old values do not compare. Christ is greater.
You have a list of every good thing you have in life. A list that any person in the world would say this was a great list, but it is one great loss. One great loss, because Christ is better. He is everything.
Paul met Christ on the Damascus road.
Preaching the Word: Philippians—The Fellowship of the Gospel Paul’s Accounting Reversal
There the grace of the Lord Jesus found Paul the terrorist
This is personal for Paul. His relationship with God is personal. This is the only place where find Paul says ‘Christ Jesus MY Lord” Jesus is Everything to Paul. His relationship with Christ is personal, and is above everything.
Paul went on to say everything to him is rubbish. Rubbish, the word idea is dung. Everything!
He lost his status, friendships, wealth, position in life, his view of himself. Everything for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus as His Lord. And he had no regrets.
Paul, life for an example of the Philippian church, is an example for us tonight.
Is Christ worth everything to you?
Paul counts everything in his life as rubbish. Do we look at Christ to everything else in our life and say ‘Christ is better!’
Our friends, rubbish. Our family, rubbish. Our status, rubbish. Our knowledge, rubbish. Our job, rubbish. Jesus is Better!
Did we come to Christ and leave our old values behind. Are we living on mission with these new values in mind. Or are we looking back? Looking back at what we use to cherish.
Cause here’s the truth tonight: We cannot come to Christ, and cherish our former ways. We cannot live on mission if we are going to cherish our former life. Our former desires. Our former way of doing life.
Paul’s statements here are repentance of his former life and attitudes. He turned from his past to gain Christ.
Then the last few verses show three doctrines that every believer goes through.
Justification
Sanctification
Glorification
Look at verse 9
9 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—
Two parallels. “Gain Christ” and “Found in Him”
The whole purpose of counting everything loss. Everything in this life you and I may cherish and consider it loss compared to Christ. Why? Why is it worth it?
To Gain Christ. To be found in Christ. To be known by Christ
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Everything as loss in this life, that we may be spiritually wealthy. To gain Christ. Be found in Christ. And to know him.
Paul saw everyone two different ways. In Adam or in Christ. In Adam that they were enslaved to sin. Enslaved to this world. And then people who had been freed in Christ.
We see people either in Christ or in Adam. Are the people at work followers of Jesus or do they belong to the world. When we are living on mission, we see people as one of these two, and when our friends or co-workers are in Adam we do what we can to show them how they can be in Christ.
Paul has renounced his self righteousness because being found in Christ is being clothe in God’s righteousness rather than his. We as believers here tonight are clothed in righteousness that only comes from God. Everyone here the basic question is
Are you clothe in righteousness?
Have you taken that step to make Jesus Christ Lord over your life. Is your life one where you are dependent on God and not yourself.
Righteousness that is brought by Christ’s faithfulness and then we have faith. The saving faith that we abandon all those things that we could credit ourselves righteous. We rely on the faithful work of Christ.
This message is so powerful. It strikes the heart of legalism. That you have to do this and this and this in order to be saved. You have to wear certain things. You have to do so much good. You have to be this type of person in order to be a follower of Christ.
Paul was the most blameless person under the law, yet he saw Christ on the Damascus road and he said, that is loss.
Preaching the Word: Philippians—The Fellowship of the Gospel Paul’s New Dependence
Our only boast, our only confidence, our only hope must be in Christ. Paul went on to say, “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” (3:10, 11). That’s the passion that flows through this entire passage. We must emulate those whose constant confidence and boast is in Christ Jesus and in nothing else. He is our only hope.
