The Joy In Believing
Philippians 3
1) Intro:
i) Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., was a member of the U.S. Supreme Court for 30 years. At one point in his life, Justice Holmes explained his choice of a career by saying: "I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers." So where is the joy? Where is the "always" rejoicing in the Lord? Where is the "always" giving praise with joy in our hearts for the great things He has done?
ii) I believe that there are three different type of people in this world, those who see the glass as ½ empty, those that see it as ½ full, and those who wonder why we're not using bottled water.
iii) It always amazes me to think about how we all complain about all the problems that we face, and never seem to find time to rejoice and really be full of joy on a continual basis.
iv) We all experience pitfalls in our lives but why do we live in the pit when we have the means and the reason to climb out.
v) Well Preacher what is there to rejoice about?
vi) If you are a believer in Jesus Christ you have more to rejoice about than you can imagine.
vii) Read the text.- Philippians 3
2) Background:
i) Paul had founded the church at Philippi when he traveled there with Silas and Timothy around 50 A.D.
ii) This was his 2nd trip and Paul had intended to take the Gospel into Asia but a series of events hindered him from doing that.
(a) Don’t you know that every time we plan something there is always something else that comes along and gets in the way?
iii) Paul does something here that we all should do instead of getting irate at the hindrance Paul simply saw it as God directing his steps and leading him where He wants him to be.
iv) Over Paul’s lifetime he endured a lot for the cause of Christ yet he counted all joy.
v) Look what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:22-28
(a) 2 Corinthians 11:22-28 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness-- 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
vi) Paul endured it all and the thing that made it bearable was the promises of God.
3) We have come together today to celebrate Home Coming, also known as Decoration Day.
a) We have come to remember our loved ones who have stepped out of this life and stepped into eternity.
b) Today there will be tears, and smiles but the one thing we need to remember is that a time is coming when we will be with them again. Providing we have a relationship with Christ.
c) And as such there are promises that we can hold onto that should create in us a joy that cannot be extinguished.
i) 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
d) This morning I want you to notice 3 JOYPOINTS that will help to live in the same manner Paul did.
4) JOYPOINT # 1: We have a Perfect Relationship.
i) Philippians 3:1-7
(a) We are His circumcision – vs. 3
1. The true people of God do not posses merely a symbolic need for a clean heart; they actually have been cleansed of our sin by God.
2. We are perfect because of our eternal union with the infinitely prefect Christ. When we become children we are declared ‘not guilty’ and thus righteous, because of what Christ, God’s beloved Son as done for us. This perfection is absolute and unchangeable.
i. Romans 8:17 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
3. It is this perfect relationship that guarantees that one day we will become completely whole.
(b) VS 3-7 there is No Confidence in the flesh.
1. By flesh Paul is refereeing to man unredeemed humanness, his own ability and achievements apart from God.
2. The Jews placed their confidence in being circumcised, being a descendant of Abraham, performing external ceremonies and duties of the Mosaic law, things that could not save them.
3. What do you place your confidence in?
i. Work
ii. Social Acceptance
iii. The Government
iv. Your American Citizenship
v. Good Deeds
vi. Your Church Membership
vii. Or in JESUS CHRIST
4. The true believer views his flesh as sinful without any capacity to merit salvation or to please God.
5. Apart from an intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ there is no pleasing God.
(c) Vs 8 the Knowledge of Christ
(d) To “know” Christ is not to simply have an intellectual knowledge of him.
1. Paul’s use of the word Know is the Greek verb of the Gnosis which simply means an awareness of a person.
(e) VS 9-10 that I may “Know”
1. This word is the Greek verb “Ginosko” it means a deeper knowledge of a person, an intimate knowledge like that of your spouse.
2. We may Ginosko Christ through faith which is the confident continuous confession and total dependence and trust in Him.
5) JOYPOINT # 2: We have Perfect Progress
i) Philippians 3:12-16
(a) We can grow and mature spiritually as we continue to trust Christ, learn more about Him, draw closer to Him, and obey Him.
(b) Our Progress is changeable (in contrast to our relationship) because it depends on our daily walk – at times in life we mature more than other times. But we are growing none the less,
(c) Likewise in our grow in Christianity we are growing toward perfection that if we “press on” these good works do not perfect us; rather, as God perfects us we do good works for Him.
1. Paul uses he analogy of a runner to describe a Christian’s spiritual growth.
2. The Goal of Christ Likeness , but like the runner, he must continue to runner to reach the finish line, we must continue striving toward perfection in Christ knowing that we will not reach the finish line until we reside with Him in Heaven.
3. The Goal of every believer is also made clear to us in Romans.
i. Romans 8:29 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
4. Paul goes on to say that “not that I have already attained”
i. The race toward Christ likeness begins with a sense of Honesty and dissatisfaction with our current state of being.
ii. Paul pursued perfection with all his might, straining every spiritual muscle to win the prize.
iii. “Lay Hold” – Christ has a purpose for every life.
iv. Christ chose Paul for the ultimate purpose of conforming to His glorious image, and that is the very goal Paul pursued to attain.
v. We as believers in Christ must reduce the whole sanctification process to the simple and clear goal of doing one thing!
vi. Pursuing Christ with everything we have.
vii. Becoming more like Him no matter the cost!
6) JOYPOINT # 3: We are Perfectly Complete.
i) Philippians 3:17-4:1
(a) When Christ return to take us to His eternal kingdom, we will be glorified and made completely perfect.
(b) Since all believers are imperfect we need to be examples of people who know how to deal with our imperfections and model the process of perusing God.
ii) Our Citizenship –
(a) The Greek term refers to a colony of foreigners
(b) In one secular source it is used to describe a capital city that kept the names of the citizens on a register.
(c) As we know Heaven is the Believers home where our names are registered and our inheritance awaits.
iii) We Will Be Transformed –
(a) We will receive new bodies made especially for the purpose of living in an eternal heaven.
(b) We will receives the heavenly bodies at the resurrection and rapture of the church, When the dead in Christ will ride first and then those who remain will be caught up to be forever with Him.
iv) We will be conformed to His Glorious body
(a) The believer’s new body will be like Christ after His resurrection and will be redesigned and adapted for heaven.
v) Beloved and longed for
(a) Paul reveals his deep affection for the Philippians believers.
(b) Paul longing is for His completeness in Christ.
(c) Paul did not derive his joy from circumstances around him but form the promises of His LORD and MASTER.
(d) Where do you derive your Joy.
7) STAND FAST –
i) Where do you stand? Relying on things of this world in which to find your joy or in the promises of God?
(a) You as a believer have to believe that there is a reason and a purpose behind everything that happens to you.
(b) It’s tough but it’s true.
(c) We may never find the reason but we must believe that God is sovereign and that He is in control.
(d) If we cannot believe that then what are we doing believing in God to begin with?
ii) Job lost everything he had. God asked Job 64 questions and the only answer Job could come up with is – “The lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord”
(a) You can rest in the sufficiency of God.
1. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My Grace is sufficient for thee”
(b) Corey – I’ve got God and God’s got me.
