Focused and Firm
Joy in Jesus • Sermon • Submitted
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Review
Review
Quick Review of Philippians and where we have been thus far in our study. The epistle was written by the Apostle Paul around AD 62. Paul is imprisoned in Rome awaiting trail before Caesar. Philippi was a part of the Roman empire and the place where Octavian and Mark Antony defeated and killed Brutus. The surrounding region at that time was known as Macedonia. We read in of Lydia’s conversion which was the first recorded conversion to take place on European soil.
The church was founded under Paul and as we can gather from this letter, a church was near and dear to Paul’s heart. There is very little in the way or rebuke as we see in other NT epistles i.e. Galatians, 1-2 Corinthians. It is a very warm-hearted letter.
In chapter 1 Paul gives a ministry update if you will on his ministry in Rome. Paul expresses his uncertainty as to what will happen to him (Philippians 1:20)
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
In verse 27 of chapter 1 Paul exhorts the Philippians church to ‘stand firm in one spirit’. Unity is most definitely a central theme in this letter.
Chapter 2 is one of the most profound chapters in all the Bible as Paul’s reference’s Christ’s incarnation and humiliation in ‘being born in the likeness of men.’ Also his obedience to the father to the point of dying on the cross.
Chapter 3 Paul contrasts his self righteousness with the righteousness of Christ. His own righteousness being regarded as ‘Rubbish’. He counts everything as a loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus.
The other central theme in the book is Paul’s joy in Jesus. The satisfaction for his soul that can only be known and experienced through a personal relationship through faith with Christ.
At the begining of chapter 3 Paul issues a warning against false teachers and does so again in our text for today.
Read from 3:1-4:1
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
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.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Our text for today is 3:17-4:1.
Introduction
Introduction
So Paul in verse 17 brings back into view false teachers and pagan/hedonistic living. Paul’s focus in these verses is of a pastor’s heart. His pastoral concerns for Philippi would be consistent with any faithful pastor.
We have seen multiple times in this epistle both Paul’s concern and affection for the Church at Philippi.
Our text today is really a call to perseverance. 4:1 Paul admonishes them to stand firm in the Lord.
Focus
Focus
Paul starts verse 17 and addresses them as brothers. Another affectionate term that Paul uses to express his love and concern for the have mentioned before but as I read this epistle one thing that has stood out to me more than before is an increase or a heightened intensity in Paul’s emotion. I think Paul’s emotions are intensified as he draws nearer to the end of his ministry on earth.
Paul just finished telling them that he is not perfect (3:12) and now tells them to imitate him. This is important and Paul says similarly many times in his NT writings.
6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.
16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
Question: What should we make of this?
Aren’t we to follow Christ? Certainly Christ is the ultimate example for us yet there is much benefit for us in surrounding ourselves with other godly saints.
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
We can follow others and go by their example so far as it is consistent with Christ’s life and teaching.
Again, this is Paul expressing a pastoral concern and as such seeks to not only tell them how to live but show them by his own life.
We must realize that at this time they would not have had a complete copy of the NT. They may have had very little and so both the instruction that Paul has personally given them in conjunction with his example and personal life would have been massively important in their day to day lives.
Paul says (ESV) to keep your eyes on those who walking according to the example you have in us. The NASB says “observe those who walk”. The idea here is about focus.
To keep your eyes on something or to observe is to stay focused on it. This is very practical and we can certainly identify with this. What we focus on will shape our attitudes, our interests, our desires. It’s impossible to focus on ungodly endeavors and expect to produce fruitful lives before God.
I mentioned before I believe but in horse racing the trainers actually put blinders on the horses. This is to keep them looking forward at the race track and to prevent them from becoming distracted by looking around at other things.
Focus is most definitely a spiritual discipline we must learn. I think we can take inventory of our own lives and see how we are affected by what we focus our time, energy, and affections on. We discussed before how our progressive sanctification is both God’s work and our work.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Focus is a discipline we must learn and exercise in our ‘working out’ of our own salvation. We, like the horse trainers, want to remove potential distractions that would slow us in our pursuit of the finish line, Christ-likeness.
And again just a quick restatement, Paul is telling them to focus on, or observe, those who walk according to the example they have seen and known in Paul and those close to him.
Hard truths and Holy Tears
Hard truths and Holy Tears
Verse 18 starts with a “For” indicating a purpose clause. In others words it provides a “here’s why I just said what I said.”
Paul indicates that there are many, whom he has spoken of before, who walk in opposition to Paul's life and teaching and ultimately in opposition to the cross.
Who exactly Paul is referring to is unclear. In chapter 1 he mentions those who preach Christ out of rivalry.
15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.
Also, he cautions them here in chapter 3 against the Judaizers.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
This is those who are teaching circumcision as a necessary work for salvation. Basically salvation through OT law keeping.
Certainly the warning from false teachers is here but perhaps it includes the general pagan population there in Philippi as well.
The culture there was certainly not a Christian one. This is true in our case as well. The temptations of the world and others around us is a real concern.
He describes them as “enemies of the cross of Christ.”
SF: “The cross is the touchstone of both true doctrine and true practice. When we hear new teaching, or when a preacher or teacher is given special prominence, we must always ask: ‘What does he say (or not say) about the cross?’ ‘What place does the cross have in their lives?’
“The Cross” encompasses Christ’s sufficient substitutionary atoning work. It is the acknowledgment of our inadequacies, our utter helplessness before God and is the acknowledgment of conversely Christ’s sufficiency. In His life, death, burial and resurrection.
It is death to self and life in and through Christ. The emphasis is always on Christ as Lord and Savior.
In Paul references the ‘offense of the cross.’
11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
Galatinas 5:11
The cross is offensive because it removes mankind from having any part in salvation, any glory, any wisdom. It is all taken away from us at the cross and bestowed solely on Christ.
For our LDS friends, the cross takes away the ‘worthiness’ they are seeking and trust me the Cross is very offensive to them as it strips them of everything.
The religious pursuits of Mormonism are in complete opposition to the cross. The reason I mention Mormons specifically is because 1) they are all around us and 2) they claim they are Christians. I referenced SF’s quote where the cross is the touchstone of both true doctrine and true practice.
It is so foundational to what we believe and shapes how we live.
The cross is equally offensive to the non-religious or irreligious because it imposes they are guilty before their Holy Creator. Unsaved people find it offensive to be told they need to be saved.
Paul also says that he tells them this ‘even with tears’. We will come back to this in just a minute.
Verse 19
Here Paul has some hard truths.
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
Whoever the people Paul is concerned with our are most certainly in opposition to the cross of Christ.
John Calvin
“He adds this in order that the Philippians, appalled by the danger, may be so much the more carefully on their guard, that they may not involve themselves in the ruin of those persons."
Calvin, J., & Pringle, J. (2010). Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians (p. 108). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
I want to spend just a moment and discuss Paul’s frankness here. Paul isn’t playing slow-pitch softball with his words and he never does.
Paul doesn’t beat around the bush. And the task we have also is to never compromise or back down from the hard truths and hard teachings of the Bible for the sake of unity.
I’ll say that again, we can never compromise truth for the sake of unity, particularly unity with unbelievers.
The beautiful part of these two verses is that Paul says he writes this with tears. This is the hard part of our task as well. Paul weeps as he thinks of their destruction. There is no malice here but genuine love, humility, and concern.
Many times we will be accused of being unloving, or intolerant. And certainly we can speak truth with wrong motives, that’s those Paul refers to in chapter 1. But we must first understand that our message, the message of the cross, is offensive. We just discussed that.
But like Paul we need to have the capacity to weep about the lost. Our motivation for sharing the gospel is both to obey and glorify God and because we have a genuine desire for others to be saved. For others to know Christ. If Christ means to us what He meant to Paul we would want to tell everyone.
Paul weeps for them because he knows their end is destruction. He says their god is their belly, or it can be translated ‘appetites’. What they desire or hunger for.
And that they ‘glory in their shame’. You could say they are proud of their sin. They have lost the ability to feel shameful for their sins. Do we see this today in our nation and culture? Think of Pride Parades, that’s exactly what comes to mind when I think of this verse. They are literally parading around in their shame and by their own words proud of it. That’s a scary thought. Paul addresses this type of behavior and attitude in Romans chapter 1.
But make no mistake, God will not be mocked.
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
Paul further stats that their minds are set on earthly things.
18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
We are told in
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
We are to be heavenly minded.
Paul now moves from a description of the ungodly to the godly. The ungodly live “under the sun” as Ecclesiastes puts it. As if there is no God.
But Christians are not of the world.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
The desires or appetites of the Christian are not for earthly things, but heavenly things.
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
The NT describes Christians as sojourners and exiles.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Paul continues in verse 20 that we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our King is in heaven and He is coming back. The return of Christ and ultimately our being in His presence is our hope. It is what desire and long for.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalms
We just aren’t satisfied with what the world has to offer. We know ultimate joy is in the Lord.
Paul emphasizes the transformation of our lowly bodies to be like Christ’s glorious body.
SF Quote
“Jesus Christ will come from heaven as our Savior. But He will also come as the Lord who will exercise His authority over the whole creation. He has power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. One day He will display it universally.
Citizens of Heaven
Citizens of Heaven
Verse 20
Paul now moves from a description of the ungodly to the godly. The ungodly live “under the sun” as Ecclesiastes puts it. As if there is no God.
But Christians are not of the world.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
The desires or appetites of the Christian are not for earthly things, but heavenly things.
The NT describes Christians as sojourners and exiles.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Paul continues in verse 20 that we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our King is in heaven and He is coming back. The return of Christ and ultimately our being in His presence is our hope. It is what desire and long for.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
We just aren’t satisfied with what the world has to offer. We know ultimate joy is in the Lord.
Paul emphasizes the transformation of our lowly bodies to be like Christ’s glorious body.
SF Quote
“Jesus Christ will come from heaven as our Savior. But He will also come as the Lord who will exercise His authority over the whole creation. He has power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. One day He will display it universally.
Standing Firm
Standing Firm
Paul now moves to his ‘Therefore’. It’s the practical application or concluding statement on the matter.
He again speaks in affectionate terms; my brothers, my joy and crown, my beloved.
He wants the Philippians to know of his deep love for them. This may be in anticipation of what follows in chapter 4, continued exhortations for unity. But certainly this refers back to what he just said.
He started in verse 17 by telling the Philippians to focus on and observe those who walk according to the example they have in us.
And he concludes here by telling them to stand firm in the Lord.
The challenge to “stand firm” recalls 1:27 (where the same command occurs), and “labored side by side” in Paul’s description of Euodia and Syntyche (v. 2) represents a term with military overtones that also appeared in 1:27 (“striving side by side”). The summons to steadfast unity rests immediately upon the declaration of hope in 3:20, 21. Paul is thinking of Christ’s return when he calls his readers a “joy” and “crown” (1 Thess. 2:19, 20).
Conclusion
Conclusion
In conclusion, we are to focus on Christ, who’s return we await, but also to follow the examples we have in other godly saints, Paul included.
The destruction that awaits unbelievers is sure and like Paul should cause us to weep and thus shape our motives for sharing the gospel. A motive fueled by compassion for the lost all the while trusting in God’s sovereign decision to be compassionate on whom He will be compassionate to.
And lastly, the command to stand firm in the Lord and to live for the things that will last and remain throughout eternity.