2022 Retreat Recap & Response

Retreat Recap

Retreat Recap: Session 1 - Levi

Retreat Recap: Session 2 - Trinity

Retreat Recap: Session 3 -Ethan

Retreat Recap: Session 4 - Tommy

Retreat Recap: Session 5 - Britney

2022 Retreat Response: Philippians 3-4

Paul wrote Philippians in the opposite of a retreat

in a disgusting, degrading prison

chained up.

&

This is Pauls most joyful book

joy 4 times

rejoice 12 times

in this 4 chapter book

Showing us that

If Paul can find find joy in the Lord in jail

then we can find joy in the Lord coming from a retreat in our lives.

in the last 2 chapters of Phil

Paul shows the Philippians how to move forward in their walk with God

as He himself is also able to move forward in His walk while in prison

so I thought this would be fitting for us to read and find the responses Paul is sharing

that we could also move forward

Sound good?

Response 1: Rejoice (Phil 3:1)

Philippians 3:1 NKJV

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

rejoice! your saved!

Response 2: Beware (Phil 3:2-11)

okay so this section may seem a little confusing to read at first.

Paul is going to address a major issue in the church

an issue that caused Paul to write the whole book of Galatians:

people who were focusing more on self-rightesouness then Christ.

specifically these people were telling people that being circumcised would

make them closer to God, and make them belong to God.

Lets look at verse 2 & know that

the false teachers in verses 2 were trying to make the believers Jewish

by getting circumcised (Gen 15)

Philippians 3:2 NKJV

2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!

3 bewares,

to dogs, evil workers, and the act of circumcision

its a build up

why dogs? not literal dogs

dogs in the ancient world were symbolic of thief's

Jesus describes thief's in John 10:9-10

John 10:9–10 NKJV

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

so what Paul is warning is to beware of people who are like Satan:

trying to rob you of God, His grace, His freedom, His joy, His blessings,

Basically all the God has made free

With false teaching dogs, evil workers, self-righteous

their relationship with God is more about what they do

then WHO their relationship is with

I wouldn't want my wife to do a bunch of things at home but not know me

God doesn't want us to do things without knowing Him

Their are people no doubt among us more focused

on the what of their relationship then the WHO

dont be a legalistic, false teaching, self righteous, people

focused on the law of God more then the love of God

when you do as the false teachers do:

these people disconnect fellowship, divide fellowships, and destroys fellowship.

For example

The self-righteous false teachers here in Philippians:

First disconnected themselves from the uncircumcised believers

then they divided the fellowship when some of the believers accepted the false teaching

then they destroyed the fellowship when the believers who accepted the false teaching left the fellowship of the uncircumcised to only be with the circumcised

the problem with circumcision or any other part of the laws of God is like

Galatians and James both teach

that if you try to follow the law in one point your guilty of the whole law

(James 2:10) (Gal 3-5)

Jesus set us free from the law, its sin, its consequences, its guilt.

So to be set free in Jesus just to take up the law again

is like a dog returning to its own vomit

In verses 3-8 Paul will call doing the law “works of the flesh “(because its self righteousness)

& Paul shows that when it comes to obeying the laws of God, and self righteousness that no one can top him.

And it all is meaning less

Philippians 3:3–8 NKJV

3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

So Paul shows that when it comes to righteousness, and doing the law

that none of them is better then him.

And Paul sees all the self- rightesouness, and his devotion to the law as meaningless.

I think Phil 3:3 in the NLT nails it

Philippians 3:3 (NLT)

3 ... We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,

Jesus was enough

Jesus is enough

Jesus will always be enough

The warning to Philippians is :

beware of the people who focus more on righteousness then Christ.

a good way to beware is remember that false teachers

first disconnect, then divide, then destroy.

When you see a brother or sister disconnect from fellowship for an usual reason

let it be a red flag and watch

the command here is beware.

so in moving forward first rejoice

second beware of the people who focus more on righteousness then Christ.

third

Response 3 Forget what is behind & press on (v.12-15)

Philippians 3:12–15 NKJV

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

you cannot change the past

when your focused on the past, regret, shame, guilt,

“Like Lots wife looking back makes you salty”

were a new creation in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Response 4: As We Wait For Our hope (Phil 3:16-Phil 4)

Philippians 3:17–21 NKJV

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

we have the hope that:

one day everything will be made right

one day their will never be sadness or pain

love, joy, peace will always be in our hearts

there will be no temptation

no guilts

We will see perfection

and while we are not in Heaven yet… you belong to it:

our citizenship is in Heaven

act like it:

how?

all of chapter 4:

Rejoice (4:4)

Gentleness (4:5)

Be anxious for nothing (4:6)

Give thanks (4:6-7)

Meditate on what is good (Phil 4:8-9)

Give (Phil 4:10-20)

So In moving forward

Rejoice (Phil 3:1)

Beware of the people who focus more on righteousness then Christ. (Phil 3:2-11)

Forget the past, and actually move forward (Phil 3:12-16)

As we wait for our hope (Phil 3:17-Phil 4)

Rejoice (Phil 4:4)

Be Gentle (Phil 4:5)

Be anxious for nothing (Phil 4:6)

Give thanks (Phil 4:6-7)

Meditate on what is good (Phil 4:8-9)

Give (Phil 4:10-20)

Now chapter 4 basically is a response to the fact we have hope:

2022 Retreat Response is:

Rejoice (v.1)

Beware of the people who focus more on righteousness then Christ. (v.2-11)

Forget what is behind & press on (v.12-15)