Not of this World
Phil. 3:17-21
Randy Aly, SC.com) Every time a boy went to his playmates house he saw his grandmother studying her Bible. Finally, he asked his friend about it. Why is your Grandmother always reading that Bible? He answered, I don’t know. But I think she is cramming for her finals."
Christianstories.com) A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip." The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It’s the same in my business."
Please turn with me to Phil. 3:17-21.
•We’ve been challenged lately to pursue Christ and press on toward the goal.
Today, we get a better glimpse of that goal/prize, what it will be like when Jesus comes.
•And will we be ready?
Prayer
In this passage on the return of Christ, Paul begins by distinguishing between true followers of Christ and enemies of Christ.
He already made that distinction in Phil. 3:2-3 WATCH OUT FOR THOSE DOGS, THOSE MEN WHO DO EVIL, THOSE MUTILATORS OF THE FLESH. 3FOR IT IS WE WHO ARE THE CIRCUMCISION, WE WHO WORSHIP BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, WHO GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS, AND WHO PUT NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH—
Here, expands on that distinction.
While he goes back and forth between the two, I’d like to look at each one separately.
I. The Enemies of Christ:
18FOR, AS I HAVE OFTEN TOLD YOU BEFORE AND NOW SAY AGAIN EVEN WITH TEARS, MANY LIVE AS ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST.
This is the first time in his letter that Paul expresses real sorrow.
•Apparently, it’s not the first time he’s shared this difficult news with them.
Why is he so passionate about this?
•First of all, this false teaching threatens to undermine the Gospel/destroy the Church.
•Secondly, those enemies are lost and deceived and they need to know the truth.
Paul demonstrates here a tenuous balance between wrath and mercy.
Why does he call them “enemies of the cross of Christ”?
What does the cross stand for? Sacrifice and suffering.
What do these people stand for? Gluttony and indulgence – self. Exact opposites.
Before we look at the characteristics of these enemies, we need to understand again their motives. We mentioned this 2 weeks ago.
There were several false teachings prevalent in those days that undermined the gospel.
•The Epicureans taught that the chief purpose in life was to pursue happiness and to live a life of pleasure. Paul confronted these people in Athens in Acts 17.
•The Gnostics mixed that with the Gospel to say that the only thing that really mattered was the spirit.
•That meant that this physical life and what we did with our bodies was irrelevant.
•Both philosophies led to the belief that we could attain perfection in this life.
•Not only that, but some taught that because we are not under the Law anymore, and because we can attain perfection, we’re free to indulge the flesh.
•“You can have your best life now”. Cf. Prosperity Gospel.
Today’s New Age movement is very much the same.
As New Age publisher Jack Underhill writes, “There are no victims in this life or any other. No mistakes. No wrong paths. No winners. No losers. Accept that and then take responsibility for making your life what you want it to be. Evil is an illusion, and salvation comes from within.” Thielman, Frank, NIV Application Commentary, NT: Philippians, 202. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1995.
Paul had warned against this teaching earlier, but he now drives the point home.
He lists 4 characteristics of these enemies of the cross of Christ.
19THEIR DESTINY IS DESTRUCTION, THEIR GOD IS THEIR STOMACH, AND THEIR GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME. THEIR MIND IS ON EARTHLY THINGS.
1. Live for the flesh THEIR GOD IS THEIR STOMACH (belly),
What does he mean by this? Perhaps he was thinking of the Cyclops in Euripides of Greek mythology: “My flocks which I sacrifice to no one but myself, and not to the gods, and to this my belly the greatest of the gods: for to eat and drink each day, and to give one’s self no trouble, this is the god for wise men” (“Cyclops,” 334-338, Vincent’s Word Studies).
These enemies indulged themselves in gratifying their earthly desires.
•Not just with food, but with drink, sex, money, and anything else their heart desires.
2. Live for self AND THEIR GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME.
They were perfect, so it didn’t matter what they did.
Illus. Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, who takes glory in his shame.
These enemies were only concerned about themselves – making themselves feel good.
3. Live for today “They set THEIR MIND ON EARTHLY THINGS
They’re so caught up in their earthly life that they neglect their eternal life.
“Live for the flesh, for self, for today. Forget about tomorrow.” It’s all about me.
There’s another characteristic about these enemies that really concerns me.
4. Live in the church
These people had infiltrated the Church and were preaching their false doctrines.
Does that happen today? You bet it does.
There are many professing believers today who are living for the flesh, for today.
Sad to say, most of them are probably in America.
•We live in a greedy, selfish, self-indulgent society. It’s all about me.
•Why do you think we’re in so much debt? We have to have it now.
•We are so caught up in enjoying this life that we neglect the other life.
There is a good possibility that there are “enemies of the cross of Christ” right here.
•That having been said, let me share 2 reasons why that may be true.
What two types of enemies of the cross can be found in the church today?
First of all, there may be believers who have simply become distracted and deceived.
•Without realizing it, you have become consumed with the stuff of today.
•You’ve fallen into a very subtle/dangerous trap; like the seed that fell among thorns.
There’s another reason for enemies of the cross in the church and this is far worse.
•The Bible speaks about deceivers and false teachers even in the church.
Acts 20:29-30 I KNOW THAT AFTER I LEAVE, SAVAGE WOLVES WILL COME IN AMONG YOU AND WILL NOT SPARE THE FLOCK. 30EVEN FROM YOUR OWN NUMBER MEN WILL ARISE AND DISTORT THE TRUTH IN ORDER TO DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES AFTER THEM.
Mt. 7:15 “WATCH OUT FOR FALSE PROPHETS. THEY COME TO YOU IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING, BUT INWARDLY THEY ARE FEROCIOUS WOLVES. Even leaders can become wolves in sheep’s clothing.
I hope/pray that there are no wolves here, and I certainly don’t have anybody in mind.
•But I’m not foolish enough to believe that could never happen here.
The truth is, there are enemies of the cross in the Church today, and it’s possible that they’re here as well.
And what’s the result of living for the flesh and self and living for today?
5. Die for eternity 19THEIR DESTINY IS DESTRUCTION,
Rather than attain perfection/nirvana, they attain eternal destruction/hell.
•What a horrible end to their selfish pursuit. Eternal death and separation from God.
That’s the bad side of the story. But there’s also a good side.
II. The Followers of Christ:
There are also several characteristics of followers of Christ.
17JOIN WITH OTHERS IN FOLLOWING MY EXAMPLE (“Be imitators together of me”), BROTHERS, AND TAKE NOTE OF (“keep your eye on”) THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WE GAVE YOU.
1. Imitate godly people
“Don’t follow the practices of these enemies; instead follow me and those like me”.
•Like Timothy and Epaphroditus, mentioned in Phil. 2:19-30.
Follow godly people as they follow Christ as revealed in His Word.
1 Cor. 4:16 THEREFORE I URGE YOU TO IMITATE ME.
Heb. 13:7 REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS, WHO SPOKE THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU. CONSIDER THE OUTCOME OF THEIR WAY OF LIFE AND IMITATE THEIR FAITH.
I’m not saying you should blindly follow your leaders no matter what.
We looked a few weeks ago about our need to examine the Word to discern the truth.
I find this passage very convicting as it urges me to live so you can follow my example.
All of us should live in such a way that people can imitate us. Can people imitate me?
Why should we imitate godly people as we follow Christ?
20BUT OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN. AND WE EAGERLY AWAIT A SAVIOR FROM THERE, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,
A second characteristic of true followers is that they…
2. Anticipate glory
We are not of this world. As followers of Christ, we belong to a Heavenly Kingdom.
This world is temporary and falling away, but there’s coming a day when our King will return to gather His subjects together with Him forever.
Notice Paul says we “EAGERLY AWAIT”. It’s earnest, patient waiting (Vincent’s).
(Wiersbe) Nothing will keep our minds more spiritual than looking for the coming of Christ.
Illus. Jordan (when he was 2 y.o.): “Is Jesus in the office? Is He coming back? I’ll probably look for Him”.
•The simple theology of a 2 year old sums up the Christian life!
Followers of Christ don’t look back. They don’t get stuck on the past.
•They don’t get sidetracked and distracted by what this world offers.
•Instead, they eagerly anticipate the return of their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Can you begin to imagine what that Day will be like when we finally see Jesus?
Illus. I always wanted to be married at 21. I waited 9 more years for my wedding day.
And then on that day, when I stood up front and waited for my bride to turn the corner.
Wow! And that’s only a drop in the bucket compared to seeing Christ turn the corner!
True followers of Christ anticipate glory.
•In fact, that anticipation is what guides their whole life.
No matter what you’re facing, no matter what your struggles and temptations are, this, too shall pass. We must never lose sight of eternity.
There’s another thing here that characterizes followers of Christ.
3. Await transformation
21WHO, BY THE POWER THAT ENABLES HIM TO BRING EVERYTHING UNDER HIS CONTROL, WILL TRANSFORM (fashion anew) OUR LOWLY BODIES (humble state) SO THAT THEY WILL BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY (the body of His glory).
We saw in Phil. 2:10-11 where God exalted Christ to the highest place, where every knee will bow and every tongue confess.
As Christ humbled Himself to death and was exalted, He’s coming again to exalt our humble state so we can be with Him and be like Him.
He’s coming to transform us, to refashion us.
1 Cor. 15:42-53 …THE BODY THAT IS SOWN IS PERISHABLE, IT IS RAISED IMPERISHABLE; 43IT IS SOWN IN DISHONOR, IT IS RAISED IN GLORY; IT IS SOWN IN WEAKNESS, IT IS RAISED IN POWER; 44IT IS SOWN A NATURAL BODY, IT IS RAISED A SPIRITUAL BODY… 51LISTEN, I TELL YOU A MYSTERY: WE WILL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE WILL ALL BE CHANGED—52IN A FLASH, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMPET. FOR THE TRUMPET WILL SOUND, THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED IMPERISHABLE, AND WE WILL BE CHANGED.
2 Cor. 5:1-5 NOW WE KNOW THAT IF THE EARTHLY TENT WE LIVE IN IS DESTROYED, WE HAVE A BUILDING FROM GOD, AN ETERNAL HOUSE IN HEAVEN, NOT BUILT BY HUMAN HANDS. 2MEANWHILE WE GROAN, LONGING TO BE CLOTHED WITH OUR HEAVENLY DWELLING, 3BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE CLOTHED, WE WILL NOT BE FOUND NAKED. 4FOR WHILE WE ARE IN THIS TENT, WE GROAN AND ARE BURDENED, BECAUSE WE DO NOT WISH TO BE UNCLOTHED BUT TO BE CLOTHED WITH OUR HEAVENLY DWELLING, SO THAT WHAT IS MORTAL MAY BE SWALLOWED UP BY LIFE. 5NOW IT IS GOD WHO HAS MADE US FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE AND HAS GIVEN US THE SPIRIT AS A DEPOSIT, GUARANTEEING WHAT IS TO COME.
Contrary to the false teaching that says we can attain perfection now, the true follower of Christ looks forward to that Wedding Day when he will be perfected in eternal life.
Paul says, “Don’t follow the enemies of the cross who only seek to gratify their selfish, earthly desires. Instead follow me and other true followers of Christ as we eagerly await the return of our glorious King and our transformation into His likeness!”
So which of these two types of people best describes you?
Are you guilty of getting caught up in earthly desires and the stuff of this life?
Have you fallen into that subtle trap of greed and indulgence?
Have you lost sight of the goal of eternity?
Or are you eagerly looking forward to the return of Christ?
Are you imitating godly men/women who are imitating Christ? Can they imitate you?
Are you anxiously awaiting that moment when Christ turns the corner?
17JOIN WITH OTHERS IN FOLLOWING MY EXAMPLE, BROTHERS, AND TAKE NOTE OF THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WE GAVE YOU. 18FOR, AS I HAVE OFTEN TOLD YOU BEFORE AND NOW SAY AGAIN EVEN WITH TEARS, MANY LIVE AS ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST. 19THEIR DESTINY IS DESTRUCTION, THEIR GOD IS THEIR STOMACH, AND THEIR GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME. THEIR MIND IS ON EARTHLY THINGS. 20BUT OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN. AND WE EAGERLY AWAIT A SAVIOR FROM THERE, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, 21WHO, BY THE POWER THAT ENABLES HIM TO BRING EVERYTHING UNDER HIS CONTROL, WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODIES SO THAT THEY WILL BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY.
Are you a follower of Christ, or an enemy of the cross?
The Bottom Line: Live for future glory, not for present greed.
Don’t get sidetracked by earthly things. Be transformed by heavenly things.
Let’s all keep cramming for our final exam!
Prayer/Reflection
Hymn 762 What a Day That Will Be
Sermon Outline and Power Point are available by emailing the author.
