Today is Mother’s Day! Mothers need a big God. Any and every mother would have proud to have a son like Saul of Tarsus.
Find Philippians 3 with me as we are going read Saul/Paul’s profound story. Sons and daughters that are great achievers often make their parents proud. Yet, in Saul we have someone who is embarrassed by his life of achievement and success. This is highly personal moment from Paul where he tells some of the most intimate details of life. And watch later for a moment of irony where the successful son, Saul, makes his mother miserable with startling news.
Now, Mothers love to give warnings. I found some funny warnings that mother’s love to give. Listen to these. Sharon’s mother warned, “You’re not hungry. Your mouth is bored.” A grandmother said to her daughter, a new mother: “Having a toddler is like having a permanently drunk houseguest.” Melody’s mother told her, “Don’t be impressed by a man’s car – he may be living in it.”
Today’s Scripture
“Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—“ (Philippians 3:2-3).
We have all seen a sign warning us “Beware of Dog,” but this warning is a little different. Paul warns his spiritual children in verse two: “Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh” (Philippians 3:2). There was a group in the church who were saying salvation is achieved by you rather than something you receive from God. Paul warns us about people who feel circumcision is the way to get right with God. So with this valuable warning in front of you, let’s see why he warns us.
1. Calculate The Change
The Apostle uses the word “count” three times in a matter of 2 verses.
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Philippians 3:7-9).
He’s looking over the ledger of his life. A profound change has happened in Paul’s life – a transformation. And it has to do with finding something of great value: “of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8b). When the sun comes up in the morning, the beauties of the stars are no longer seen. Why is that? Because something has appeared in the sky that is a great glory.
Paul didn’t simply switch from one religion to another; instead, he came into direct contact with the Son of God Himself.
1.1 I’m Now Ashamed Where I Used to be Proud
Paul is taking stock of his life; he’s offering the insights to us of a wise man who has carefully evaluated his accomplishments: “…though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:4-6)
He says in effect, “Everything that I thought was a profit I now consider loss.” Wherever Paul would go to plant churches and share Christ’s love, people followed after him like lampreys follow a shark in the ocean. No sooner than Paul leaves, they arrive to say, “Believing in Jesus is a good start but you need to add this other thing. Because it’s not until you add this other thing, that you can be certain you are safe and secure before God.” They were teaching that in addition to faith in Jesus you had to be circumcised and keep the law in order to be saved. We need this warning in our lives today. We are always in danger of attempting to save ourselves by our accomplishments and achievements. This goes to the very heart of how we see ourselves – our self worth. In contrast, Paul writes, “For we are the circumcision, who … put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). While his references are dated to a controversy in the first century, but the concept is very much alive.
1.1.1 Paul’s Resume
Now, a résumé is a list of your credentials, but it’s a list for the purpose of getting you in to some place where you’re outside. You can’t get into jobs, you can’t get into schools, you can’t get in, but all these maybe open to you if your résumé is great. Paul is sharing his resume with us because he wants to show how the life doesn’t work. To “put no confidence in the flesh” has to do with your credentials and achievement. This is something we are also concerned about – our credentials and achievement. There’s a generation of young students who are anxious over their SAT and ACT scores. Athletes can tell you their stats on the field. Our credentials and achievement matter to no matter what life stage we are in.
Paul begins with his family heritage and here we learn he is Hebrew royalty: “circumcised on the eighth day … of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin …” (Philippians 3:5a, c). When he says, “circumcised on the eighth day …” he means, “I wasn’t a convert to Judaism. I was a Jew from the beginning.” Israel’s first king came from the tribe of Benjamin; Paul was from the Jewish aristocracy. Next, we see something of his social status placed him in the upper echelon: “a Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5b). He’s speaking of racial purity here or, he comes from good lineage. His education was the Ivy League of ancient Israel: “as to the law, a Pharisee” (Philippians 3:5c). Who were the Pharisees? These were the strictest sect — intensely orthodox. His religious activity was second to none: “as to zeal, a persecutor of the church” (Philippians 3:6a). Lastly, his morality left everyone else feeling guilty: “as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” (Philippians 3:6c). No one could have pointed a finger at the Apostle Paul and said, “He’s a thief”; or, “He’s a liar”; or, “He’s an adulterer.” Paul would have possessed tremendous self-worth because of his achievements and background.
1.1.2 My Resume
We write our own resumes and then we trust in them. Our resumes often look like this:
- I’ve never cheated on wife or taxes;
- I walked the isle at 12, I’ve been in church my whole life;
- My kids are obedient and mostly respectful;
- I give generously and sacrificially to the church;
- Everyone who knows me says, “I’m a nice person ”;
- I treat my employees well and customers fairly;
- I’ve never done anything really bad.
Let’s pause to do a little self-assessment, can we? (see image on the screen) Hitler is on the left, Paul on the fall right, Mother Theresa in the middle – so where would you place your life’s resume?
Swimming to Hawaii
Imagine if there was a swimming contest where you were to swim from the coast of California to Hawaii. California to Hawaii is a distance in excess of 2,000 miles. Only the swim contest was tied to your personal morality. The better person you are, the father you would be able to swim. Hitler would swim out only five yards. But you swim out one hundred yards. Mother Theresa with her years of service to the poor in Calcutta, India, swims out one hundred miles from coast. The Apostle Paul swims out five hundred miles – that’s how good his morality is. Yet, in the end everyone falls short of Hawaii. Paul admits this at the early part of verse 13, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own” (Philippians 3:13a).
Everything in the world is in the loss column when Jesus is in the plus column. Have you arrived at point where you’re ashamed of what you used to be?
1.1 I’m Now Ashamed Where I Used to be Proud
1.2 I’m Now Proud Where I Used to be Ashamed
Again, he’s looking over the ledger of his life. Remember that Paul was a murderer, a blasphemer, and a persecutor of the church. He is looking back at what he was so proud of at one time.
1.2.1 Rubbish
And then he reaches a conclusion: “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish…” (Philippians 3:8b). The word “rubbish” is not a word I use everyday. I don’t say to my family, “Would someone take out the rubbish?!” This is word “garbage” but can mean either “excrement.” The old King James Versions says, “dung.” The idea is that of utter worthlessness and disgust. I consider it all as mere garbage may be rendered as, “I throw all of it into the street.” In the light of this new evaluation, he now sees everything he accomplished as mere garbage. He says in effect, “Do you know my three degrees from Harvard? Do you know my Congressional Medal of Honor? Do you know my two Pulitzer Prizes? JUNK. Garbage. Throw to the curb.”
1.2.2 Paul’s Mother
Imagine when Paul told his Jewish mother about his conversion. Imagine when his religious mother heard that her favorite son threw off all his religious accomplishments and call them “dung.” She would, no doubt, be crestfallen. Her favorite son who had made her so proud for all these years. She had told all her neighbors and friends at the synagogue about the success of Saul. But now, he goes off to follow the crucified criminal turned Messiah. She would have been so embarrassed by her son’s conversion to Jesus. After in all likelihood a night of arguing, his father would have meet his son’s announcement of following Jesus with the words, “Get out of the house! I never wanted to see you again. You are no longer my son.” Take note of the irony on mother’s day: Paul’s mother would have been ashamed at the very thing Paul took the most joy in. But this how it is with following Jesus for even He said we must hate father or mother by placing God before all human relationships.
Seeing Jesus on the street called straight was a transforming moment for Paul.
1.2.3 The Stars versus the Noon Day Sun
When the sun comes out, the beauty of the stars cannot be seen anymore. And the things that seem so beautiful and valuable in our eyes … my accomplishments, my money, my influence, and my resume … those things that shined so brightly in our eyes… … something has come out that is so brilliant he can’t see those things anymore.
A life without the Lord is a total loss and morality without God is meaningless. Paul had enough religion to take him to church but he did not have enough righteousness to take him to heaven. The worst form of badness is human goodness if it keeps you from Jesus. Mark this carefully: There’s a huge difference in knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus.
1.1 I’m Now Ashamed Where I Used to be Proud
1.2 I’m Now Proud Where I Used to be Ashamed
There is a three step process presented in verses nine through eleven that every single believer will experience: “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:9-11).
1.2.1 Justification
“and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith…” (Philippians 3:9).
The only way I can have a worthy resume, is to have Christ’s credentials, His resume in place of my own. Paul says, “I have traded all my credentials, accomplishments, and my life resume. All that is garbage. What is valuable is being ‘found in him.’” Even back in verse three, we are told that “glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:3b). A great exchange takes place when you embrace Jesus Christ and His cross by faith. He’s taking your punishment at the same moment you take His resume. After you turn away from your own morality and embrace Christ by faith, God sees you as if your accomplished the good acts of Jesus Himself.
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus says to you believer, “I am now in possession of your sin.” You say to Jesus, “I am now in possession of your perfect record.” No more payments needed to be made. You now possess my Son’s lifetime record of doing everything right – this is my gift to you.
1.2.2 Sanctification
Take note of the process for growing after you become a believer in verse 10: “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…” (Philippians 3:10). He was like that old cowboy who said, “I ain't what I ought to be and I ain't what I used to be. But praise God I ain’t what I’m gonna be”
1.2.3 Glorification
Lastly, there’s goal for every believer: “that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:11). Can you see a profound change in your and certain future in front of you?
1. Calculate The Change
2. Paralyze Your Past
“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:10-14)
Paul describes how he goes about this as if he is running a race. Notice the words “press on,” “straining forward,” “the goal,” and “the prize” – all of these are racing terms.
2.1 Repeated Amnesia
For all those who struggle with your past, note carefully the word “forgetting” in verse thirteen. And notice that verse thirteen doesn’t say “forget” but instead it says, “forgetting.” His forgetting is a continuous action: “keep forgetting.”
Bridget, an Irish lady who was a practicing Catholic, told her friend she had just come back from confession.
Her friend said, “Surely, Bridget, you didn’t have anything to confess.” Bridget replied, “I most certainly do. I confessed to him how I dropped ice onto the floor when I attempted to get some ice out of the freezer. I said some bad words and then I ran my mother-in-law out of the room with a broom.” Her friend, “Well, that took place a year ago. Surely you have been to confession since then?” Bridget, “Yes, I have confessed it and I confess it every week because I do so love to remember it.”
Paul is describing a purposeful, repeated amnesia where he continually forgets what he used to be. The kind of forgetting here is means, “I’m no longer allowing my past to define me.”
2.2 Paul’s Personal Failures
Burned into his memory was when he held Stephen’s coat while Stephen was being stoned. And Satan would try to drag up that guilt before his face. Paul had to put that behind him. Plus, Paul had been mistreated, betrayed, abused, and sold out by friends. He had to forget those things if he was going to serve God.
2.3 Faith Isn’t a Magic Eraser
Embracing Christ by faith is not a magic eraser for life’s most miserable moments. When you become a follower of Christ, the Lord doesn’t go back in your history and erase your abusive relationships. This kind of thinking plays into what is known as Alternative History: “What if Robert E. Lee had won the Battle of Gettysburg?” Or, “What if John Wilkes Booth had missed when he shot President Abraham Lincoln?” But the cross doesn’t remove Peter’s denials, Paul’s sanctioning of Stephen’s stoning, or your sinful past. He was powerless to change this but he did see a different meaning in his past. Let me show you.
Think of Joseph of the Old Testament book of Genesis. He clearly remembered his brothers sold him into slavery but year later, he held no grudge against his brothers. In one important sense, his connection to God changed the meaning of one the most horrible moments of his life. Yet, for many of us, it’s our own mistakes that bother us most.
2.4 Trophies of Grace
Instead, you become something much more influential - you become a trophy of God’s grace. We are all familiar with trophies in our day. Perhaps you high school has a cabinet full of trophies from your accomplishments. But great sinners with a past will become trophies in the cabinets of Heaven. Your messed up life will be held up high one day by Jesus Christ when He says to His Father, “Look at what the cross accomplished. See with your eyes how great an impact your grace makes in a sinner’s life.”
Conclusion
Paul was not going to be chained, conquered or corrupted by his past.
Instead, he would say, “Forgetting those things I'm now reaching forward.”
I want to let go
But I won’t let go
There are battles to fight
By day and by night
For God and the right
And I’ll never let go
I want to let go
But I won’t let go
I will never yield
What lie down on the field?
And surrender my shield
No, I’ll never let go
I want to let go
But I won’t let go
I’m sick tis true
Worried and blue
And worn through and through
But I’ll not let go
I want to let go
But I won’t let go
May this be my song
Mid legions of wrong
oh, God, keep me strong
I’ll never let go.
