Against The Tide (Knowing Christ)

Background refresher

Phillipi was a very diverse place with a ton of beliefs

Culture had began to infiltrate the church and the letter was Paul’s response

Philippians 3:1–11 CSB

1 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh—4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. 7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

Call to Faith

What does it mean to mutilate?

What Paul is saying is that the men were trying to gain salvation by keeping the law and getting circumcised, but they were just mutilating the skin.

We are saved through our faith that Jesus died on the cross and rose to be the bridge between us and God.

We mutilate our faith by

Thinking we can ever do enough

Live lukewarm

Call to Holiness

Matthew 6:24 CSB

24 “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Paul calls the things of the world that he at one point strived for dung

What other masters do we often try to serve? What dung do we serve?

Status

Wealth

Sports

Phone

Did you notice anything about what I mentioned?

It is all a gift from God.

When a gift gets more glory than God, we have made that gift a god

When I was a little league baseball player. I got in trouble for misusing my gift.

God puts you in a spot for a reason. Don’t mess up that opportunity.

Call To Share the Gospel

Matthew 28:19–20 CSB

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The responsibility of a Christian is to share the gospel

There is a hell people are going through and a literal hell people are going to.

God gives you the gifts previously stated to make a kingdom impact.

A Christian is called to be a Light in a dark world.

Conclusion

Talk about not jumping off cliff and missing opportunity for shared joy.

God is calling us to know him and make him known.

Make it an emphasis this week to know Christ deeper and share Jesus with people who are in need of that hope.