09. Rubbish... Joy Stealers

Today’s passage is addressing a crucial area that as believer's need to have a firm understanding and comprehension of. It is centered around our salvation and the Joy we find in it. Paul’s words in these verses are given as “safeguards” to you and I… Today’s message is titled RUBBISH… JOY STEALERS

Often when we think of RUBBISH… the image of trash or garbage comes to mind, YET Paul’s tone and emphasis that he states these words gives us a much more intense picture of this word:

Something of worthless value

Desired no longer, even repugnant

Dung or waste matter (not just mere trash)

It is these things or areas of RUBBISH that Paul addresses that will steal our Joy of Salvation! Follow along as Paul gives us his warning… Philippians 3:1-11

Philippians 3:1–11 NASB95

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Finally!

No Paul is not concluding his letter… we still have two chapters.

Paul begins this section building on what he has already stated

He begins letting us know the great emphasis of what he is about to express

… in other words, as you and I face life’s circumstances, trials , and hardships, and do so with the Mind of Christ… you and I are to REJOICE IN THE LORD!

Rejoice in the Lord!!!

This by the way… is an IMPERATIVE!

Paul is not merely summing up all he has said…

This is imperative for the believer… Rejoicing in Christ

So often (even for believers) it is tempting to find our joy in:

Circumstances good and happy

Achievements and success

Accolades of others words

A confidence when we look at ourselves in the mirror

Paul states here it is in the Lord Jesus Christ we are to find our joy… as we do so it serves as a “safeguard” against the legalistic joy stealers!!!

Consider how Paul addresses these folks who in their pious opinion of themselves rejoice in their own accomplishments and good deeds as it pertains to the law…

Dogs, Evil Workers, & Mutilators

DOGS (emptiness)

Not cute puppies and adorable

Flee infested, sickness carrying, ravenous

Aggressive, thin, starved and pack mentality out for blood

They offer something plentiful while, sick, starved, and dying themselves

EVIL WORKERS (shame)

Promoting “good works” to attain God’s favor

These works as Isaiah 64:6 put it filthy rags (bloodied menstrual cloths)

Isaiah 64:6 NASB95

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Yet somehow these Evil workers push for these works for favor!!???

What can you and I do if even our own righteousness is stained this way with sin!?

MUTILATORS (not enough)

They declared that in order to be welcomed or accepted by God there had to be circumcision

Faith was needed, BUT it was not enough… you need to do more

Truth points to Christ… false teaching will always add to or detract from the work of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary and His resurrection that Sunday morning!

Paul had something to say about the lies of these individuals… for he too used to be of their ranks…

RUBBISH!

For those stating the need for pedigree, achievements, and “good deeds”… Paul list his:

circumcised on the eighth day as a son of the covenant (3:5)

born into the nation of Israel, not a converted Gentile (3:5)

a member of the tribe of Benjamin, an honorable people (3:5)

a true Hebrew among Hebrews, the best of the best (3:5)

a Pharisee with respect to observance of the Law (3:5)

a zealous persecutor of the church in the name of the Law (3:6)

blameless with regard to external righteousness found in the Law (3:6)

This was impressive then and even now! As a Jew you would be impressed as a gentile you would not come close… YET Paul understood that ALL HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS was as filthy rags!

He counts these things AS LOSS

Those things held no value to him… he is emphatic about this!!!

My clothes soiled by explosive poop… I gladly count it as loss and have no desire for them. Good riddance!!!

Paul similarly was saying good riddance to the striving, working, earning of God’s love and favor… There was something far greater far surpassing!

SURPASSING VALUE OF JESUS CHRIST!!!

All Paul had strived for was RELIGION… a list of do’s and don’ts… check-boxes that needed filled or checked off.

As Paul would see a fault in himself he would strive all the more, never satisfied, never enough, never to the measure of God’s standard of perfection…

THEN… Paul was introduced to RELATIONSHIP

The surpassing value of knowing Christ!

ALL God’s favor, Grace, Mercy, Love, & Relationship… Ours as we enter into relationship with Christ Jesus!!!

Verse 9 is such a beautiful description of the Doctrine of Imputation… Where all our sin and guilt is placed on Jesus Christ, and His righteousness is credited us!!!

Let me read verses 8-11 again this time in the NLT Philippians 3:8-11

Philippians 3:8–11 NLT

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

To go from RELIGION to RELATIONSHIP… WOW!!!

That is cause for rejoicing… rejoicing in the Lord!!!

What an amazing safeguard these words are as so many are drawn away to think they can earn something so great!

With that joy i mind I want us to come to our time of communion...

Rejoice In the Lord!

We don’t come today, pondering do we deserve His death, His atonement, His work at Calvary… the answer is NO WE DO NOT.

We come in remembrance… of the One who would love so deeply, so passionately, so powerful that He would take your sin and mine, and pay the price

His body broken… that we would be made whole

His Blood shed… to cover our sin so we may bear His righteousness!

As we remember today may we rejoice in the relationship He has called each of us to… and as it is with relationships, you and I have a choice!