2. When Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery returned with their report—they opened wide the opportunities of the in the American Frontier. The westward expansion encouraged many people to direct their dreams and passions toward a new land.
3. There was a young man by the name of Jedediah Smith who joined a fur-trading expedition that left St. Louis on the Missouri River in 1814. He quickly demonstrated his dependability and courage on the frontier—facing demoralized compatriots, hostile Indians, and ferocious grizzly bears. Jedidiah was a leader—his ingenuity and wisdom would rescue his friends from impossible situations and his keen insight would lead to the discovery of the South Pass—a critical component for future population expansion into the Oregon Territories.
4. But, there is one thing that even the secular textbooks and historians agree—the greatness of Jedidiah Smith rested with his unashamed relationship with God. His friends would testify in their writings of his commitment to Christ—wholeheartedly rejecting the seedier side of Frontier life.
5. Like Jedidiah Smith leaving his life in the East, and exchanging it for the uncharted territory of the frontier, the Apostle Paul left his life of Judaism and Religious ritual for a new life—a life centered on and intimately connected to Jesus Christ.
6. Like Jedidiah Smith, Paul too was a leader—and Apostle—called of God to reach the Gentile nations. But, what made Paul a great leader of the church was that he was a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
7. This morning, as we continue to journey through Philippians 3, we are going to discover critical truth of learning to follow Christ—following His leadership and placing our lives under His authority. There will be no satisfaction, no joy, no peace, unless the Follower of Christ actually follows Christ.
8. This morning we are going to zero in on Philippians 3:7-11. We are going to uncover four key “action” principles—actions we need to do—that are absolutely necessary for the Christian to successfully navigate this life.
9. Here are the four action principles: Reject, Embrace, Understand, and Desire.
First, what do we need to reject?
1. Reject the Old Life
a. Paul looks at his life before he met Christ.
b. His pedigree was impeccable—the envy of any good Jew
i. Circumcised on the eighth day
ii. Of the people of Israel
iii. Of the tribe of Benjamin
iv. A Hebrew of Hebrews
v. A Pharisee
vi. A persecutor of the Church
vii. A zealous practitioner of the Law
c. Text: But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
d. This is an amazing, almost unbelievable turnaround of events, attitude, loyalty, and priority.
e. In the ledger of Paul’s life, he places what he considered at one time to be assets in the loss column.
f. No longer viewing these things as assets, or bragging rights, or badges of honor—Paul devalues his pedigree and he gives the reason why: for the sake of Christ.
g. Obviously he has in mind that day—a day in which he was traveling to Damascus to arrest, persecute, and execute Christians. That day on the Damascus road when he was stopped dead in his tracks—and was confronted by the glorified Savior, Jesus Christ. Called by his old name, he hears these words: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
h. It was from the moment he received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior that he turned away from his old life. From the moment of repentance his whole value system radically changed. What had been important and essential to him was worthless. And, what he once rejected and held in contempt, he now embraced for the sake of Christ.
i. That decision he made on the Damascus road years before continued to affect his life to the present. And that should with us as well.
j. That conscious and personal decision we made by receiving God’s grace through faith, should have a dramatic effect concerning our values, priorities, and loyalties. For the sake of Christ we view sin and selfishness with contempt—it’s a loss because Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
k. To hold on to the past, to hold on to those things and attitudes that are contrary to God and His Word brings destruction. But to let go and let God lead us brings victory, genuine peace, and authentic joy.
l. We must reject the old life—the life we once lived apart from Christ.
m. First action principle: We must follow the Leading of Christ by Rejecting the Old Life.
n. Secondly, we need to embrace—embrace what?
2. Embrace the Surpassing Greatness of the Lordship of Christ
a. Text: What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ.
b. You can see the emotion of Paul rise intently as he takes his argument one step further. It’s not just religion and ritual that’s a loss, but anything of merit or ability or privilege—it is a complete loss as compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
c. I wonder how often we face the temptation that we are “spiritual” because of our church attendance, or how much we give in the offering, or our academic awards, or if we have “reverend” in front of our name? I wonder what we use to “prop” ourselves up before an awesome and holy God and think somehow we are acceptable to God because of our “spirituality?”
d. Paul understood that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor. He said to the church in Ephesus: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not of works, so that no one can boast.
e. We need to continually remind ourselves that apart from Christ everything we do, everything we have, and everything we are, is a loss—worthless, rubbish. For our earnest desire must be maintained—the desire to gain Christ and be found in Him.
f. I am reminded of a conversation that Jesus had with a certain rich young man: (Matthew 19:16-22) Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
g. What are you unwilling to let go and place in the “loss column” in the ledger of your life? For Paul, what he considered “loss” seemed a fleeting memory compared to the gain he found when Jesus become his Lord and Savior.
h. The second action principle: We must follow the leading of Christ by embracing the Surpassing Greatness of knowing the Lordship of Christ.
i. Third, we need to understand—understand what?
3. Understand that Righteousness of from Christ
a. Paul defined his position even further: Text: (Philippians 3:9) Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
b. Paul makes it clear that righteous requirements of God cannot be acquired by human effort in observing religious ritual.
c. Secondly Paul identifies the source of righteousness (right standing before God)—a righteousness that comes to the believer as the gift of God in Christ.
d. Third, this gift of God—being in right standing before Him—is received through faith. Our response to God’s free gift is the “grateful acknowledging of God’s provision and the acceptance of it” (TNTC).
e. Faith is the trust we have in God that is demonstrated through obedience and worship.
f. And so, our third action principle that we have discovered in Paul’s Letter to the Philippian church is to follow the leading of Christ by “Understanding that Righteousness is from Christ”
g. This naturally leads us to our fourth and final action principle: Desire—desire what?
4. Desire the Truth of Christ and His power.
a. Text: (Philippians 3:10-11) I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
b. In Paul’s transparency, he unveils his deepest desire and strongest emotion: He wants to know Christ!
i. That desire—to know Christ—goes beyond corporate activity and ritual to a deeply intimate and personal faith-relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
ii. It is more than facts and figures; more that historical knowledge; more that mere accent to His existence (like Washington, or Lincoln, or Roosevelt).
c. In knowing Christ—having that intimate relationship with Him—Paul also desired to know the power of his resurrection.
i. It is the power (dynamis) that Christ liberated through His victory over death.
ii. And, it is that power that brings victory to every believer—raising him from the dead of sin into the newness of life in Christ.
d. It is through the confident truth of Christ’s resurrection power that allows Paul to face danger and persecution and even death—declaring the desire to know the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.
i. This is where true faith is expressed—the desire not only to say we are a Christian—but following in the footsteps of Jesus, even when it brings the wrath of the world upon us.
ii. It is this fellowship—identifying with Christ. It is not just any kind of fellowship, it is koinoia fellowship—a communion with our Lord. And when that communion leads us to suffer, we are not discouraged, but we are filled with joy, because we are taking part in God’s work
iii. 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 (NIV) But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.
iv. A Christian is a Christ-like person—a person that is a living witness to the work and power of Jesus Christ.
e. Paul caries the thought even further—becoming like him in his death.
i. When Christ died, the sins of the whole world were placed upon him. He was sinless, but become sin on the Cross and died—providing the only way for a person to be set free.
ii. This conformity to Christ death is our death to sin when we received Jesus as Lord and Savior.
f. And, then Paul concludes his thought with the crowning work of Jesus—the resurrection from the dead.
i. The resurrection authenticates the power and authority of Jesus—not only then in that empty tomb near Jerusalem, but today, in your life and mine.
ii. It is the resurrection that points to the completed work of salvation and victory that we can experience—if we would only believe, and trust, and obey our Lord.
Conclusion
1. It is easy to get confused as we journey through life. We can loose our bearings, especially when the world is telling us to abandon the way of faith. We can get disoriented during difficult times—times of suffering, pain, or grief.
2. We need a leader—someone who knows the way—someone who has experienced the challenges of the trail. That person is Jesus Christ.
3. And, it is through Jesus Christ—by His living example—that we can discover and experience the action principles that will enable us to follow Him.
a. We need to reject the old life—the life apart from Jesus
b. We need to embrace the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ our Lord.
c. We need to understand that Righteousness—right standing before God—is through Christ alone.
d. And, we need to desire the truth of knowing Jesus Christ and His power.
4. Text Sunday: Part three of The Journey: Don’t Get Lost
