Joy in the Lord

Jeremiah 26:5-6

Philippians 3:4b-14         

 

  1. This is the third sermon in a series of four that Dan and I have been preaching on the book of Philippians
    1. From the beginning, we have identified Philippians as Paul’s book of JOY. The word in various forms appears more than 16 times in this short epistle. Near the end of his life Paul writes to one of his favorite congregations and strong supporters and relishes in their faith and fellowship. Most of all, Paul, who is imprisoned, rejoices in his relationship with Jesus Christ.
    2. Last week Dan did a great job of “illustrating” how vain conceit and self interest SUCK the joy out of human relationships and that in humility we work out the precious gift of faith to the surface of our lives.
    3. The first week I talked about how JOY is our portion regardless of circumstance. For our Joy springs out of our relationship with the Lord, and not our experiences. Its not that Joy is not happiness, because it often is, but it is much more than happiness, it may be peace, assurance or resolve.
    4. This week in chapter 3, we reach the height of Paul’s dialogue on joy – His JOY IN THE LORD

                                                               i.      Not that next week’s sermon will be a notch down form this week's, but this is certainly Paul’s theological pinnacle for this book ;~)

  1. Prayer
  2. 7 Sections
    1. If you will please open your bibles to Philippians Chapter 3, (Pew Bible page ______)
      I want to spend some time looking carefully at the text this morning. Paul preaches such an excellent sermon here on righteousness and his singular Joy in the Lord Jesus Christ, I am certain I can do little more than elucidate. He even includes our customary “so what!”
    2. I am breaking the passage into seven segments:

                                                              i.      Vv 1-3 The Sellers of Self Righteousness

1.      Doubles as a clever tongue-twister

                                                             ii.      Vv 4-6 A Valid Claim

                                                            iii.      Vv 7-8 Taking out the Trash

                                                           iv.      Vv 9-10 Righteousness Relocated

                                                             v.      Vv 10-11 Deeper Everyday

                                                           vi.      Vv 12-14 Pressing Toward the Goal

                                                          vii.      Vv15ff  Following My Example

    1. Don’t worry this will only take about 15 minutes…per section ;~)
  1. Vv 1-3 The Sellers of Self Righteousness   (Read all sections first)
    1. Chapter 3 begins with Paul’s exhortation to the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord!
    2. He makes it clear that he has written to them before on the following issues
    3. His concern is legalistic judaizing teachers who are interested in blending Mosaic ceremonial righteousness with Christian theology.
    4. Elegant wordplay

                                                               i.      Paul calls those who are selling circumcision as righteousness the th;n katatomhvn– the Concision – those who cut off, mutilate and separate themselves from true righteousness, and then he proclaims that they are hJ peritomhv, the true circumcision.

1.      They both mean to cut, the first just means cut-off, and the second means to cut-around and is also the clearly recognized term for association with Yahweh.

  1. Vv 4-6 A Valid Claim
    1. Paul is correcting the false teachers as one qualified to do so. He clearly demonstrates his valid claim to religious righteousness. Paul sticks it right to ‘em.  They want to brag?! Stand back.

                                                               i.      Circumcised on the eighth day as Jewish Law proscribed

1.      Circumcised as a youth, not an adult proselyte, as many of the false teachers likely were.

                                                             ii.      A national Israelite, from the tribe of Benjamin.

1.      while it would have been common to name your tribe, and all were equal the temple did reside with the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin the tribe who stood with Judah when the other tribes rebelled.

                                                            iii.      A Hebrew of Hebrews

1.      Both of his parents are Hebrews, in fact this ancient phrase denotes one who’s entire lineage is pure Israelite, with no tint of mixing.

                                                           iv.      In regard to the Law a Pharisee

1.      Heralded as the strictest of the religious sects, seeking absolute legal obedience

2.      Studied at the feet of the eminent doctor of the law Gamaliel  (ga may leell)

3.      Father was a Pharisee

                                                             v.      As for Zeal, Persecuting the Church

1.      No weak constitution. As for Paul he was willing to kill those he thought challenged Mosaic law.

                                                           vi.      As for Legalistic Righteousness, Faultless

1.      Do not talk to Paul of need to circumcise, he has obeyed every bit of the Mosaic calling. The judaizing teachers have no argument before Paul’s Valid Claim. He has silenced their protest.

  1. Vv 7-8 Taking out the Trash
    1. Having established his basis for correction, Paul declares that it is all loss to him

                                                               i.      His works of righteousness are not only neutral bygones but actually loss for the sake of Christ.

1.      They almost kept him from the surpassing knowledge of knowing Christ.

2.      Paul is not ashamed to be a Jew, he is proud, but he knows that to hope for redemption by the law is hopeless and makes one a loser.

    1. Furthermore, Paul counts everything as loss, as mere trash to be thrown aside

                                                               i.      In sophisticated Greek, he uses another great word skuvbala  which literally means offal or animal excrement

                                                             ii.      Paul has willingly cast aside all  human esteem and position for the privilege of knowing Christ. He deserves acclaim but he has chosen hardship and prison.

1.      John Calvin draws a parallel to sailors casting off all goods to reach shore in a storm. In the trial they are meaningless. But when they arrive safely at shore they bemoan their loss. Paul is saying not only do I cast off what the world values but I literally count it all rubbish, not worth having.

  1. Vv 9-10 Righteousness Relocated
    1. Herein lies Paul’s why statement.

                                                               i.      Why do I count my work of legalistic righteousness as loss, human privilege and riches as rubbish?  Because I have been shown that there is another righteousness that comes by faith in Christ!

1.      Jesus himself is our righteousness

a.       Jeremiah 23:6

                                                             ii.      Everything else is meaningless by comparison

                                                            iii.      A reason to live and have Joy in The Lord

1.      This is the only reason I can wake up many days. I can continue in this life because I have been rescued by the Lord Jesus Christ. I can accept that I will make errors, but that my adoption is based on His righteousness not my own.

a.       I had a friend in college who lived in mortal fear  that he would sin and die outside of grace

                                                                                                                                       i.      God’s constant present allows for no surprises.

b.      A seminary impression for God, following a foolish sin.

                                                                                                                                       i.      Child of the Kingdom by virtue of Christ

                                                                                                                                     ii.      Enjoyer of the gift by my own virtue. Consequence still in effect.

                                                           iv.      This is the oft repeated good news of the gospel

1.      Romans 10:4, Christ is the fullness of the Law, so that he may be righteousness for all who believe.\

  1. Vv 10-11 Deeper Everyday
    1. Having been made righteous by the free gift of faith Paul wants to know Christ more deeply everyday, to associate more fully, to understand more richly his savior. Paul recognizes that he has only begun to know Christ and that this relationship has unfathomable depth
    2. Many scholars argue why Paul, who declares so plainly in many other letters the surety of his resurrection as his hope. (I Cor. 15- if there is no resurrection, eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die) would use conditional language.
    3. He uses a peculiar term here for the resurrection, typically the term “anavstasis is used for resurrection, but Paul uses ejxanavstasin th;n ejk nekrw'n., literally the “out of the rising out of the dead.”

                                                               i.      Some suggest that Paul seeks the special resurrection for the extra obedient that seems to be suggested in Hebrews 11:35.

    1. Nevertheless, it is clear that Paul considers redemption as only the beginning of the story
  1. Vv 12-14 Pressing Toward the Goal
    1. Lest anyone think that Paul is suggesting some easy faith that is one by Christ, he makes it clear that he will press in and press on. Using a racing analogy the term he uses means to stretch out and strive completely for a goal. To strain with all you have.
    2. Paul realizes that the juridical work of the gospel is finished- Before God we are holy as we can possibly be. But as Dan showed last week there is significant messy work to be done to work that out through the rest of our lives.
    3. The one who spurns religious righteousness WORKS for obedience

                                                               i.      One work is to win salvation and is useless

                                                             ii.      The other work is for worship and builds relationship

  1. Vv15ff  Following My Example
    1. Paul completely stole our “So What” ending!
    2. Having established his authority to make the claim, Paul tells the Philippians that he has cast everything aside and takes all joy in the knowledge of Christ and constantly press into Jesus to know him more and presses on toward the goal of an obedient life and the reward of heaven, Paul ends with an exhortation for the Philippians to live likewise
    3. Likewise Paul reaches through the millennia and says to us live as I have chosen o do, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the power to over everything will bring them to the final transformation of our lowly bodies
    4. Let us as Paul, take no joy in our false religious righteousness but rather our
      full Joy in the LORD!