Preaching From Philippians #10

Illus: Three boys are in the school yard bragging of how great their fathers are.

• The first one says: "My father runs the fastest. He can fire an arrow and start to run, and he gets to the target before the arrow."

• The second one says: "Ha! You think that's fast! My father is a hunter. He can shoot his gun and be there before the bullet".

• The third one listens to the other two and shakes his head. He says: "You two know nothing about fast. My father works for the government. He is so fast that he stops working at 4:30 and he is home by 3:45!"

In this passage of scripture, Paul deals with boasting.

Look at Philippians 3:4, we read, “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I MORE.”

To put that in modern day language, Paul was saying, “IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO BOAST ABOUT, I HAVE MORE TO BOAST ABOUT THAN YOU DO!”

Paul begins to list all the things he could brag about if he so desired. For example:

(1) He could brag about his birth. Look at verse 5, we read, “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

(2) He could brag about his past. Look at verse 6, we read, “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

Illus: Dr. Odell Belger tells about a man who professed to be saved. He could be with a group of Christians and they could share with each other how God has graciously saved them. When they gave the details of their salvation, he would say, “Well, I do not want to brag about my sins,” but he would light up like a Christmas tree telling people how:

• He used to lay out all night long drinking

• He used to break his marriage vows

• He used to fight

• He always wanted to give everyone the impression that he was once the meanest sinner in town. He also wanted to give the impression he was not proud of his sinful life, BUT HE WAS PROUD OF IT! He loved to brag about the evil life he lived.

Have you ever heard some of these folks, who were in an evil gang in one of the large cities before they were saved, give their testimony?

Many of them will spend an hour telling everyone how evil they were and then take five minutes to brag on the Savior who saved them.

Something is definitely wrong with a testimony where sin is more honored than the grace of God.

Paul must have felt this way also, because look at the things that Paul wanted to BOAST in.

He started this chapter off by telling these Christians to REJOICE.

That is, he was saying you will never have joy if you spend your life REJOICING IN THE WRONG THINGS.

In the remaining verses, Paul elaborates on the previous two chapters in which he exhorted the Philippians to be joyful in the Lord, as they looked to Him as their Savior and Lord.

Let’s look at-

I. PAUL’S REMINDER TO THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH

Look at Philippians 3:7, we read, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”

Paul said he counted all the things that these folks were rejoicing in, as dung.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT DUNG IS?

Paul said that all the things that people of the world consider so important, to him were no more than a manure pile.

The lost people of this world, and many professing Christians, place a high premium on the things of this world.

Illus: They remind me of a motorist driving by a Texas ranch. He hit and killed a calf that was crossing the road.

• The driver went to the owner of the calf and explained what had happened. He then asked what the animal was worth

.

• "Oh, about $200 today," said the rancher. “But in six years it would have been worth $900. So $900 is what I want for the calf."

• The motorist sat down and wrote out a check and handed it to the farmer.

• "Here," he said, "is the check for $900. It is post-dated six years from now."

We all have a different value system.

Paul saw the things that people were placing their faith in as DUNG!

Paul was saying that the righteousness that will assure us a place in heaven can not be found in:

• Having godly parents

• Having a godly spouse

• Having observed all the rituals and ceremonies of mankind