Joy Over Complacency

Introduction

What is your goal in life?

What wakes you up? What gets you out of your sleepy state and gets you moving?

Alarm Clock

Coffee

Water

Running start from last week:

Watch out for fake gospels. (1-3)

They acted religiously.

They compared horizontally.

They focused externally.

Reject false gods. (4-7)

Identity

Social status

Biblical knowledge

Religious activity

Moral lifestyle

When a good thing becomes your God thing it ends up being a bad thing.

Takes us to today:

Philippians 3:8–11 (ESV)

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.

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Paul ripped the ‘gain’ sticker off each of those items and wrote ‘loss’ on them — not less than but LOSS

But Paul goes further:

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

Rubbish = manure

Good things became worth the worst and most wor

Why? 2 reasons:

1) was the only way to stop their draw (for the sake of — he had to let go of his idols to take hold of Christ).

2) In addition, Paul counted everything as loss when compared to Christ. . .

Paul is saying that even the good things were crap in order for him to follow Christ. And he found Christ to be worth infinitely more.

This is what it means to truly follow Christ — the true gospel. To release our idols and cling to Christ — to find in Christ alone all that we were once seeking in ourselves and in the world - even the good things.

Family (without Jesus = loss)

Job

Serving at church

Quiet time

How can I say that? Because when we make an idol to serve we really are expecting it to serve us — give us power, control, identity, pleasure, provide for us.

Using idols means abusing idols.

When you seek your identity from wife — burden she was not meant to bear — doesn’t satisfy and you become angry.

David Platt Sermon Archive They Treasure Christ above Everything This World Has to Offer

He’s telling us that it is possible to love your family and take your family to church, and take your kids to church, just like your parents took you to church. Have a good reputation in your culture and your society in the community where you live; to have biblical knowledge, to know the Word, to love the Word and even to teach the Word. On top of that, to not just be involved in church but to be active, zealous in church activity. Then, on top of all that, to be a decent moral person; it is possible to have all of those things and come to the end of your life and it be written across the top of it, “Wasted!”

Value a relationship with Christ more than everything. (8-11)

Make Christ your goal.

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

In order to have Joy Over Comparison you need to to find satisfaction in what you have versus what they have — believe what you have is worth more than what ‘they’ have.

Value salvation forever.

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—

The ultimate question we all face is, “How can I be made right with God.”

There is nothing on earth that can make us right with God.

If you have eternal life what really matters what happens in this life?

Value the power for life.

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, a

Life change

Ephesians 1:18–20 (ESV) — 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

Revival

Romans 8:11 (ESV) — 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Value satisfaction greater than suffering.

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.

Weird statement — I wouldn’t consider this a gain or desirable.

David Platt Sermon Archive They Trust in Christ to Provide Everything They Could Ever Need

Suffering is the taking away of our job. That brings suffering. Our finances. If we were to lose our home, if we were to lose our children or our spouse: Suffering. We were to lose our reputation, our esteem among our peers. We were to lose our strength, our health, our sight, our hearing. All those things would bring about suffering. It’s where suffering comes from.

However, here’s the deal: If we have written “loss” over all those things, then when God calls us to forfeit some of those things, it’s actually not a loss because you’ve already lost them.

Suffering is painful — not diminishing it, but when compared to a right understanding of the value of Jesus - the joy he brings far outweighs the sufferings we may need to endure.

World tells us to chase comfort in this life and shun suffering. Doing this inevitably leads to seeking idols and in the process we miss Jesus.

Jesus suffered — more than any of us will ever suffer — because he understood true value.

There is a sharing in the suffering - Jesus does not leave us alone.

There is a satisfaction greater than suffering when we gain Christ and know him.

If you lose everything and still have Jesus then it is still a gain.

Jesus is worth more than anything you’ve gained, and he is worth losing everything.

It is only when you find something worth losing everything for that you find anything really worth something.

Matthew 13:44–46 (ESV) — 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Step toward the goal of maturity. (12-16)

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.

Steps to Maturity:

A sanctified dissatisfaction (12-13a)

What is the “this” and “it” that Paul is talking about here?

vs 10 - Paul talks about how he longs to know Jesus fully, to know the full perfection of the human experience that happens for believers upon their resurrection from the dead.

We, as believers, live in this strange tension of experiencing the power of the resurrection currently in our lives while we wait for the full expression of the resurrection life.

Obviously, Paul has not experienced the resurrection, nor has he experienced the full perfection of the Christian life here on earth

Paul was living with a sanctified dissatisfaction - or a holy dissatisfaction

Paul states that he is not yet perfect — completely like Christ in all of his thoughts and actions

So, you’re not perfect. If you were unaware of this, simply slide your worship guide notes to your spouse and I’m sure they will be more than willing to give you an itemized list of exactly how you are NOT like Jesus.

Don’t worry, you’re in good company here.

There is a difference between contentment in our identity in Christ and attainment our sanctification in Christ.

We can be satisfied in all that we are in Christ and still be dissatisfied with the fact that we are not yet like Christ.

A sanctified dissatisfaction is the first essential step to progress in the Christian race.

Complacency is a dangerous mood for the Christian and a popular tool of the devil.

“Complacency” = a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.

ILLUST - many of the cars today have radar cruise control, emergency braking assist, lane departure assist, and hands-free parallel parking. All of this is to allow you to do as little as possible to make you as comfortable as possible.

Sadly, there are many in the church that seem to think the Christian life comes with cruise control.

Many Christians think they are ok and are simply on “cruise control.” I fear that many of us simply compare ourselves to others who are not making as much progress as we are and so we are satisfied in our discipleship.

If Paul had had this mentality, according to his resume in the first half of this chapter, he would have been doing pretty well.

The problem with calling people to holiness and discipleship is not that we have called it too difficult but that we have not called people to it at all.

Jesus called us to “Follow Him” - this implies movement. Whether you’ve been walking with Jesus for an hour or for seventy years there is always a next step.

Self-evaluation can be dangerous - we can think ourselves better than we really are or worse than we really are

This is neither legalism nor license.

Legalism states that I must do or not do certain things in order to be accepted or loved by Jesus.

License says because I am saved and accepted by the grace of Jesus, my actions don’t matter - whatever i do, Jesus will still accept me.

The only time to be satisfied in our maturity is when we are fully mature in Christ.

This doesn’t mean we are not satisfied in our relationship with Christ.

Nor does it mean you are not satisfied in your current movement to become more like Christ.

Singular devotion (13b)

(quote from Wiersbe regarding moody

V13 - “one thing I do”

> What are your distractions?

For many of us, distraction can be just as dangerous as deception - both keep us from moving forward in a Jesus-first life.

Distractions can be deadly.

ILLUST - Lady at Berskshire Mall who was distracted by texting and fell into a fountain.

She was so distracted by her virtual world that it affected the way she walked.

I think how Satan would love nothing more than to do the same for us - have us so distracted by the world around us that it affects our walk with Jesus - and we fall.

She was replying to a text from someone from her church

> What are the things that keep you from moving forward in your sanctification? From moving forward in a Jesus-first life? What are your distractions?

Heart test: Do you long to know Christ fully? Is it the most important part of your life? Seriously, would you give up your career, your accomplishments, your privileges as an American in 21st C., your income, etc.

If the answer is “no,” the affections of your heart are either deceived or distracted. You either don’t truly know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, or your heart has become distracted and your affections drawn away.

> What will you do to remove those distractions this year? Do you have a plan in place? Do you have someone to tell to walk with you? Trust me, if you try to go it alone in secret you’re most likely to fail.

Forward direction (13c)

V13 - “Forgetting what lies behind. . .” Lit. “One thing! Forgetting what lies behind.”

”to forget” does not mean failing to have the ability to remember; instead it means choosing not to remember.

You can’t move forward while looking in the past.

ILLUST - it’s like driving down the road while looking in the rear view mirror. No one plows forward while looking back.

What is Paul forgetting? He is obviously not forgetting how God has provided for him in the past. He is not forgetting those things that shaped him into the person that he is.

Paul is choosing to lay aside those things in his past which would distract him from moving forward toward a Jesus-first life. They could be failures or successes.

Usually, most of us either regret or relish the past. There are moments on which we look back and cringe - whether it is something we did or it was something done to us, and there are those moments on which we look back and smile, but either way, you cannot live there.

Events of your past do not determine your future maturity; however, a focus on the past will stunt your future maturity

You cant change the events of your past but you can change the effects of your past

Past failures

Past successes

Paul had some of the greatest successes and as one who would chase down Christians and have them killed just for following Jesus, he had some pretty bad failures.

In regards to discipleship, Jesus never said, “Learn a lot about me.” He said Follow Me — the call itself describes movement.

Passionate determination (14)

What if Christians had as much passion for pursuing Christ as they do about...

V 13b - “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.”

ILLUST - have you ever run a race? Maybe not officially but even as a kid? Ever push yourself so hard that you know about it later? You strain yourself to win?

The term “straining forward” is an athletic term describing the runner leaning forward to cross the line first. He is focusing all he has on the goal.

Christianity is NOT a spectator sport!

V. 14 “ I press on . . .”

This is not a casual pursuit. This is the same word Paul uses to describe how passionately he pursued his life before Christ.

V 6 - “As to zeal, a persecutor of the church. . . “

You don’t get much more zealous against the church than to be a persecutor of the church.

Paul uses the same word to describe his extreme zeal for the law which led to him being a persecutor (“persecutor”) as he does his pursuit of Christ now (“press on”).

> What if we were a people that pursued our walk with Jesus with the same intensity as we pursue other areas of our life (golf, career, music, etc). What would the church look like if we poured the same amount of time and energy in pursuing Jesus.

With an earthly goal the comparison is with others and the pace is slow. When Christ is the goal (as Paul states), there is a passionate pace.

It’s not the widening space between you and others that matters, it is closing the space between you and Christ that does.

“Prize”

What’s a race without a prize?

ILLUST - for some of us guys, we just need a “I bet I can beat you challenge” and even if it is over hot coals - it’s on! If you’re my wife, as she says, she’s not running even if bad men are chasing her.

The greater the prize the more we will be willing to sacrifice, the less we will let distractions keep us from the prize.

Jesus is the prize for which Paul will give up everything else. Jesus is worth it.

Paul says the prize is “The upward call of God in Christ Jesus” or as another translation calls it, “The heavenly prize.”

The prize toward which we run is heaven, the completion of all your joys, the death of all your pain, the satisfaction of all your desires.

“Goal”

ILLUST - How far would you run if the prize at the end was guaranteed money for the rest of your life. One race and your set - you don’t even need to come in first, just finish well.)

It’s for this prize that Paul says he presses on toward the goal - if he hits the goal he gets the prize.

The goal is faithfulness.

Faithful dependence (15-16)

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.

I love the irony - “Let those who are mature realize we are not yet really mature.”

I think this is what Paul is saying here:

The goal for which we strive to win the prize is faithfulness - my goal is not to beat you, it’s not to see if I can coast in with the least amount of faith and the most amount of sin, those are all distractions. My goal is faithfulness.

Stay in your lane.

The only way to be faithful is to look to Christ, the one toward whom my faith is aimed.

As I do this, I realize how immature I really am and I strive with all the passion within me toward a Jesus-first life.

The grace of God in all of this is even if I don’t fully understand it, God will reveal it to me.

If my affections are not drawn to Jesus, if I don’t really desire to make Jesus the aim of my life, God can change that!!!!

Maintain your faithfulness.

“Only” - Lit, “In light of all of this. . .”

Paul says we are to “hold true to what we have attained” - we are to move forward.

The verb “hold true” means to live a life in agreement to what we have attained.

We are to be faithful to the steps we have taken and we are to set our sights to move forward.

Walk with others looking for Jesus. (17-21)

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.

The Christian life is neither a sprint nor a lone marathon. It is instead a relay race.

Colossians 1:27–29 (ESV)

27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Conclusion

What’s your next step? Who are you walking with?