Sermon Tone Analysis

Christ Alone

Philippians 3:4b-11

 

! Introduction

·         *The perfect resume’—See attached resume’ of CEO bringing down 2.5 mil~/yr.*

·         *What kind of resume’ would you expect to see from a person on the right track to God?*

·         What would it contain?

What would it show?

·         Paul gets personal.

Lays out his own resume.

He’s got the . . .

! 1.     Right Roots

!! a) Eighth day person

·         Circumcised on the eighth day—the precisely correct day.

Not a proselyte.

A true Jew—a Jew by birth.

!! b) Israelite

·         Stresses his birth as an authentic Jew.

!! c) Benjamite

·         Born in the tribe of Benjamin—an tribe of honor.

For different reasons—for example: 1) of all tribes of Israel, only Benjamin actually born in Promised Land, 2) first lawful king (Saul) came from tribe, 3) when the monarchy split, Benjamin remained loyal to the house of David.

!! d) Hebrew of Hebrews

·         Hawthorne—May have meant he was a Hebrew born of Hebrew parents—no pagan blood.

Or could have meant that he was brought up to speak the Hebrew language and carefully observe the Jewish way of life—in the midst of Jews who had been Hellenized.

!

2.     Religious achievements

!! a) Pharisee

·         Strictest of the Jewish sects concerning observance of the Law.

Not just the Torah, but the oral traditions of the Scribes.

He was taught by the great Pharisee Gamaliel.

!! b) Zealous persecutor of the church

·         *Ac 26:9-11 (NASB95)** *“So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

“And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.

“And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.” [Testimony before King Agrippa]

·         *Terrorists. *Allah akbar.

World Trade Center.

Sudden death.

Sudden glory.

!! c) Blameless concerning the Law

·         He had kept the rules—external.

Not saying he’s sinless, but rather that he’s got a clean record concerning his observance of the law.

·         No doubt, Paul was at the top—a mover and shaker among the religious folks of his day.

But . . .

! 3.     Rubbish!

·         Does all that stuff really matter?

Right roots!

Religious accomplishments?

Good stuff.

NO! Rubbish, Paul says.

Actually uses business terms.

Add it all up—gain.

But really loss.

·         *US Economy.

*Leaders in DC—all is well.

Alan Fishman (CEO of Washington Mutual)—all is well.

Dow Jones Industrial Average.

·         Σκύβαλον—rubbish—dung, scraps, garbage, etc.

·         Paul starts heaping up words—that have Christ as their theme.

/1.       //For the sake of Christ./

/2.       //The surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord/

/3.       //That I may gain Christ—Paul already has Christ, but longs to grow—it’s a pilgrimage./

/4.       //Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ/

/5.       // I want to know Christ /

·         *Mk 8:36 (NIV)** *What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

·         Paul's confidence was in Christ alone!

Nothing else mattered.

Not only was he willing to devalue his credentials, but everything.

He had it all, but willingly gave it up.

·         In fact, as he writes this, he does so in prison.

Instead, he could have continued on his success-filled career track.

But Christ touched him—dramatically altered him—he would never be the same again!

·         His call is from Christ alone and his confidence is in Christ alone!

·         It’s not heritage!

It’s not a string of successes in religion!

It’s Christ!

·         It’s not where you’ve been—what you’ve done!

It’s who you know!

·         *Hawthorne*—Paul’s conversion experience, including the sudden and dramatic conversion experience, is not offered here as a model to be emulated.

One need not feel less Christian than Paul if, unlike Paul, the course and conduct of his life, his occupation and aspirations are not radically different from what they were before encountering the living Christ.

If, however, one's observance of religious ritual, one's status due to birth, one's outstanding accomplishments due to innate intelligence or sustained effort, and so on, should ever make that person proud or self-reliant, unaware of his need of God and of the righteousness that only Christ can provide, then, upon being made aware of this danger, he should jettison a valuable cargo to save a ship that would otherwise sink in a storm.

Paul /had/ to abandon his past advantages precisely because they were the very things that had kept him from coming to God.

They kept him from surrendering to Christ, who is the only way to God.

!

Conclusion

·         What would your resume’ look like?

Where is your confidence?

Heritage?

Hard work?

Is it in Christ alone?

·         As we come to the Lord’s Table this morning for Holy Communion, let’s remember that this observance—this sacrament is a vivid reminder that a believer’s confidence must be in Christ alone!

*/Hymn:/*  #469 /Jesus Is All the World to Me/

\\ * *

*Joshua Martins *

*CEO**~/President Major Wall Street Firm *

1234 Sunset Blvd \\ Los Angeles, CA 96521 \\ sample@hotmail.com

\\ (213)213-2134

*OBJECTIVE:*

To leverage significant executive level network and experience from the financial services industry, potentially branching into the tech and pc industry.

Interested in board directorships and~/or executive positions.

*EXPERIENCE: *

*CEO~/President \\ *11~/2003 - Present \\ Confidential Investment Bank, New York, NY \\ Industry: \\ Banking~/Finance \\ (Privately Held; 1001-2000 employees)

Chief Executive Officer of this privately-held investment bank.

*Director and Chairman of the Board* \\ 4~/2002 - Present \\ Confidential Corporation New York, NY

Industry: Sports~/Recreation \\ (Privately Held; 11-50 employees) \\ Chairman of the Board of Directors of this privately-held, independent Confidential company.

Based in California, USA, Confidential manufactures Confidential for the fast growing Confidential segment.