Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Philippians

Philippians 3:1-6 07/27/03

Introduction
Illustration: ‘A man had just had his annual physical exam and was waiting for the doctor's initial report. After a few minutes the doctor came in with his charts in his hand and said, "There's no reason why you can't live a completely normal life, as long as you don't try to enjoy it.’  --James S. Hewett

Explanation: Is life like that for you? You want to live a committed Christian life…but you think you can’t do that and enjoy life at the same time. We are told in Scripture to rejoice….but we think that is only an intellectual acknowledgement of God’s presence in our life making it bearable. Why is that? Perhaps it is because we don’t have a correct understanding of what the Christian life is? Or, perhaps we are not taking the time to find out.

Illustration: ‘Many years ago, a little boy was given a priceless possession: his deceased grandfather's gold pocket watch. How he treasured it! But one day, while playing at his father's ice plant, he lost the watch amid all the ice and sawdust.
   He searched and scratched, becoming frantic, but no watch. Then he suddenly realized what to do. He stopped scurrying around and became very still. In the silence, he heard the watch ticking.
   God has given each of us a priceless gift of joy in Jesus. How easy it is to lose our joy in the busyness of life. Yet it is always there to find, if we will but pause and listen to the beautiful presence of Jesus in our hearts.’ --James S. Hewett

Rejoice! But…don’t have fun. Rejoice! But… don’t get too emotional. These are conditions to our expression that well meaning Christians place on their brothers and sisters in the church today. Scripture is clear, however, that these well meaning Christians, have an incorrect understanding of the Christian life. But, there are conditions placed on our expression of joy found in God’s Word. But, we must remember not to add to what Scripture gives us.

Transition: What conditions does Scripture place on the expression of Joy in our lives? Turn to Phil. 3:1 where the Apostle Paul makes it clear how we are to rejoice as a Christian.

Philippians 3:1a  ‘Rejoice…but  in the Lord’

Paul tells the Philippian church to rejoice. And he says that this is not the first time he has had to remind them to rejoice.
 Perhaps the circumstances in Philippi had changed and there was a lack of joy in the church fellowship. Perhaps they were saddened by Paul’s imprisonment and possible execution. Somehow, they had lost their joy. It happened to the church in Philippi and it happens in churches all over the world today. Somehow, as individual Christians or as a community of saints, we lose our joy. Often because we have taken our eyes of our true and only source of joy…the Lord because we can’t see beyond our circumstances.

But what exactly is joy..what does it mean? To rejoice, literally means to be glad, to take pleasure or be delighted in something. God’s Word, through the pen of the Apostle Paul  commands us to rejoice…but not in some thing, he tells us to rejoice in some one..the Lord Jesus Christ, and in him alone.

Have joy, rejoice, be joyful…Those who tend to be overwhelmed by their circumstances and those who believe being unemotional in the expression of their faith is more godly, may be wondering if there is any real value in expressing joy in the Christian life? Let’s see how God’s Word answers that question.

Jn. 14:23 ‘Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’
     Joy is a sign of your obedience to the Lord. Rejoice in our text, is a command.

Neh. 8:10 ‘The joy of the Lord is my strength.’
     Joy gives the Christian power for living.

Prov. 17:22 ‘A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.’
     Joy is good for you…emotionally, physically, mentally, relationally and spiritually.
 
Galatians 5:22-23a ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’
    Joy is a fruit of the Spirits presence in your life.

If joy is so valuable to the Christian life, why is it many in the church are unable to experience or to express it? Perhaps it is because they are looking for joy in all the wrong places.

Many today associate pleasure with joy, so they seek joy in the pleasure of
 a new car,
     a fabulous vacation,
         a huge home,
             a hobby
                 or a boyfriend or girlfriend.
But the pleasure these things give, although not necessarily bad or sinful, will fade in time. And we go back to searching for joy someplace else. True joy, however, will only be found when Jesus is our ultimate delight.

Hebrews 12:2a ‘Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.’

Do you want to know real, lasting joy in your life?
Do you want to be faithful and obedient to God’s Word by expressing unrestrained joy in your life?
Then be glad, take pleasure and be delighted in Jesus, and in Him alone.

Transition: Rejoice…but in the Lord! Paul, in vs 1b-2 gives us the second condition to our rejoicing as Christians.

Philippians 3:1b-2  ‘Rejoice…but watch out’

In Paul’s time there were well meaning people in the church who had a wrong idea of Christianity and they added stuff to what it took to become and live a Christian life. They were called Judaizers because they added works of Jewish Law, specifically circumcision, to the requirements of salvation and Christian living.

Paul called them dogs. Although, to some…not me, dogs are cute and cuddly today, they were not kept as pets in Paul’s day and were the lowest of all animals. Paul was not complementing the Judaizers here. In fact, he was saying that what they were telling Christians to do..was evil, even though they may have had good intentions.

You see, what they were really saying was that you had to do something to receive God’s acceptance, love and forgiveness. Get this…doing good to make yourself acceptable to God makes you an evil doer, according to Paul.

Did you hear that? And why is doing good things to be a Christian so bad?

     -Because doing good things replaces God doing a perfect thing in your life.
     -Because doing good things replaces the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

Instead of making salvation about God, the ‘good’ person doing ‘good’ things makes it about them. That was the sin in the Garden of Eden and that has always been the basis for all sin…me instead of Thee.

Transition: Rejoice…but in the Lord. Rejoice, but watch for those who would steal your joy. In vs 3 we find yet another condition of joy in the Christian life.

Philippians 3: 3     ‘Rejoice….but remember who you are’

By God’s amazing grace and faith in Christ alone, you are a child of God. Paul says rejoice…but remember who you are. Don’t listen to those who would tell you otherwise. Paul is saying that it is not circumcision of the flesh that makes you a child of God, it is the circumcision of the heart. And by placing your faith in Christ for forgiveness of your sins, you have been given the Spirit of God, who exchanges your heart of sin for a heart of love for God.

And Paul says as a child of God remember you are the true worshippers of God because you worship God in Spirit. True worship for the Christian is always a spiritual activity.

Paul is saying that a condition for joy in the Christians life is the heart/Spirit worship of God and not a dependence on religiously defined and imposed rituals. It is a letting go of you and allowing the Holy Spirit to direct your worship. That is my desire for you as well. That your worship will be Spirit filled, Spirit led and Christ centered.

Next, Paul says to rejoice but remember you are different than the Judaizers because you glory, you boast, in Jesus alone. You do not boast in your accomplishments.

Transition: Then why does Paul say what he does in vss 4-6? Well, let’s see.

Philippians 3:4-6    ‘Rejoice…but recognize the things that puff us up’

We have heard these verses a thousand times. We have heard them preached and taught as many times, so I won’t spend a lot of time here. But I do want to tell you why Paul seems to be  ‘boasting’ about himself in these verses.

In vs 3 Paul says that the Christian who experiences and expresses joy in their life does so without having any confidence in the flesh. Without clinging to or counting on your accomplishments to gain salvation and acceptance by God. Vs 4-6 is an explanation of what that means.

Paul had impeccable credentials. He surpassed everyone in intelligence, achievement and religious zeal. If anyone had what it took to be right with God, it was Paul. He was more qualified than even the Judaizers.

So what did Paul think of and do with his credentials, his life’s accomplishments? You have to come back next week to find out.

Conclusion

Illustration: Wiersbe ‘Like most religious people today, Paul had enough morality to keep him out of trouble, but not enough righteousness to get him into heaven. It was not bad things that kept Paul away from Jesus, it was good things.’

    -Do you and others consider that you are a good person?

    -Do you think God will let you into heaven because you are good and have done more good things than bad in your life?

    -Do you feel that if you fill your life with the things of God, then he will accept, love and be pleased with you?

Then you all need to come back next week as we study Phil. 3:7-11.