WHY DID PAUL TELL THEM TO FOLLOW HIM? If anyone had examined the life of the apostle Paul, they would have discovered that he was following the Lord Jesus. Paul was giving them a PHYSICAL EXAMPLE or MODEL of what it is to follow Jesus.
Someone very wisely said, "Don't follow any leader until you know who he is following." Paul was concerned that some of these Christians of Philippi could fall into the trap of following the wrong people.
Illus: Children have a game they call, “Follow The Leader,” and whatever the leader does, they do the same.
When we grow up and become adults, we still play this game, but really it is not a game. Today’s society is a society of the BLIND LEADING THE BLIND!
Today, many people do very little thinking for themselves, they allow others to do their thinking for them.
This is why we live in a world that craves “Amusement!” But think about the word amusement for a moment. Do you know what the word really means? The word "muse" means to think. When you put an "a" in front of a word it means the opposite. "Amuse" literally means, "not to think." An amusement is something you can do without thinking.
While folks today are being amused, they are not thinking of the dangerous things they are being exposed to.
Every day, men and women are exposing themselves to the garbage called entertainment that Hollywood is producing for them to watch.
The television industry can’t seem to show anything above the belt, even in daytime. The talk shows have far outdone the soaps in their sexploitation.
Illus: TV critic Robert Feeder, of the Chicago Sun Times, notes that on one particular day:
• Oprah Winfrey was exploring the subject "Should Teens Have Sex at Home?"
• Sally Jesse Rafael was focusing on the children of “sexaholics”.
• Geraldo Rivera was doing a show titled, "If he gets out of jail, he's going to kill me."
• Joan Rivers was dishing up soap opera dirt and examining infertility.
And we wonder why the homes of this nation are in the mess they are in. Listen, our minds are like computers, if you put garbage in, garbage is what comes out.
This is why God’s Word states in Philippian 4:8-9, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
Paul was concerned about the SPIRITUAL lives of these people, and was concerned about who’s SPIRITUAL EXAMPLE they would follow.
One of the most important things we can do in this Christian life is to make sure we are following the right people’s examples.
Illus: If you get into your car, and decide it does not matter who you follow, and you pick cars at random and follow them:
• Some will lead you to the local dump
• Some will lead you to the local barrooms
• Some will drive carelessly, and you both may end up in the local graveyard
But some will lead you to a church
Much of our success and happiness depends on who we follow.
Illus: Someone said, "Education won't make us all leaders - but it can teach us which leaders to follow."
Paul was following Christ, and that is why he could say to them, "...be ye followers together of me..."
Paul knew that people could easily be deceived and led astray in their Christian walk.
• There are politicians that are saying, “Forget the Word of God - follow us”
• There are television preachers that are saying, “Follow us, we will tell you what you want to hear.”
• There are entertainers (secular and spiritual) saying, “Follow us we will amuse you.”
There are many people shouting, "Follow me!"
When we follow someone, we have to look at ...
I. THE DIRECTION
We have to be careful about who we follow. Look at Phil. 3:2, "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision."
Illus: Now I do not know about you, but when I go to someone’s home to visit them, and I drive up in front of their house and see a sign that says, “Beware of Bad dog”, I am going to beware!
Now Paul, uses that analogy when he talks about evil workers. In this short verse of scripture, Paul used the word "BEWARE," three times.
Why should we BEWARE of the evil workers? Because they are -
A. PREDATORS
Every day there are evil people preying upon other people.
Notice again, Phil. 3:2, he said, "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." This does not speak of 3 individual types of people, but a group of people. Notice, he says-
(1) BEWARE of DOGS (These are not teachable)
Isa. 56:10, “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”
Notice that Paul called this group "DOGS." The Greek word is "Kuon." This word for dog is not the same as the word used for the household pet. The "kuon" is a prowling, wild dog that is always looking for something to prey upon.
Notice, God’s word says some have chosen to follow these who are like prowling, wild, “dumb dogs”.
Now there are some dogs that are smart and you can teach them all kinds of things. But the dogs that Isaiah is talking about can’t be taught anything because they are too dumb to learn.
You can quote scripture to some folks twenty-four hours a day, but they cannot comprehend it! They are like dumb, mad dogs devouring anyone who gets in their path.
Illus: Maybe you have never seen a mad dog. They foam at the mouth, and in their rage they will attack anything in front of them, even their owner who feeds them.
Listen, there is a group out there that we cannot follow, they have chosen to be ignorant of the things of God, and now they have reached the place where they are too “dumb” to learn. Until they are willing to follow the instructions of God’s Word, they are dangerous!
But there is another group Isaiah said we have to beware of and that is we have to -
(2) BEWARE OF EVIL WORKERS
Look at 2 Tim. 3:13, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
There are evil people in our society, and we can’t follow them because they are not getting any better, they continue to, “…wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
Illus: We all have met folks that we knew:
• Who were evil, and God did a work in their heart and we met them years later, and we were amazed at the wonderful changes God had made in their lives.
• Who were evil, and they never allowed God to help them, and as the years went by, and we thought they could not get any worse…THEY DID!
Listen there are folks out there who are bad now, but if you follow them, you will find they are going to do as the Bible says, they will, “…wax worse and worse….”
But notice another group he warns us of -
(3) BEWARE of THE CONCISION (Cutting down / mutilating)
The word “concision” in Philippians 3:2, is the Greek word katatome, (kat-at-om-ay) which means a cutting down, a mutilation.
They literally tear the church up and cut it to pieces. You find very little love in them for anyone. They literally hate people, and there isn’t anything they will not say or do when they are attacking!
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHERE WE CAN FIND THESE PREDATORS. You can find them in many places.
• IN CHURCH CONGREGATIONS
Paul tells us WHO WE ARE TO FOLLOW, but he also tells us who we are NOT TO FOLLOW!
Romans 16:17, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”
We are instructed to MARK people who:
• Cause DIVISIONS (dissension)
• Cause OFFENCES (stumbling blocks)
Paul teaches that these are not the kind of people we follow, but we are to AVOID THEM.
When you see someone who is not walking in step with the Word of God, and they will not take correction, God’s Word says you do not fellowship with them, you AVOID THEM
WHY DOES PAUL EXHORT BELIEVERS TO AVOID THEM? We should avoid them for two reasons:
• Because they are dangerous people to associate with. If they will rip people apart like a vicious animal, and if you hang around them long enough, they will do the same thing to you. They are no respecter of persons, it is only a matter of time and they will be doing the same to you.
• Because if you hang out with these rebellious individuals, it will not be long before you are just like them.
In the year 2001, England had a real problem with the MAD COW disease. They had to destroy some cattle because they knew if they didn’t, they would contaminate all the others.
Illus: God’s church has always had a problem with MAD DOG disease. Some church members are vicious, and they take delight in finding someone they can rip to shreds.
• They are constantly enlisting people to join hands with them in destroying some person in the church that they dislike
• They are constantly looking for people that will listen to their complaints. When someone will listen, they will pour enough trash in their ears to corrupt them, and soon the listener will be as corrupt as they are.
Illus: Sin is like the chicken pox: if you hang out with someone that has the chicken pox, then don’t be surprised when you look in the mirror, and it looks like a flock of chickens have pecked all over you.
The people you fellowship and spend time with, will HELP or HINDER your walk with the Lord!
Illus: Someone said, "Before following a leader, it is wise to see if he is headed in the right direction."
Paul said to these Christians, "...be followers together of me..." Paul knew:
• THE PERSON HE FOLLOWED WAS JESUS
• THE PLAN HE FOLLOWED WAS GOD’S PLAN
Paul knew that we can be led in the wrong direction by PREDATORS we find in the congregation. But listen, all the predators are not in the congregation, you will find some-
• IN CHURCH PULPITS
Paul referred to the false teachers as "EVIL WORKERS". These people seek to deceive others by twisting the Word of God.
2 Pet. 3:16, “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
Look at the word “wrest”, it means to pervert or twist. They have perverted the gospel.
Illus: Watch some of these politicians. You can have a Republican and a Democrat on the same television show talking about the same issue, but they both have a different “Spin” on the issue. The listening audience has to sit there and decide who is right, or if either one of them is right.
We have men in the pulpits of churches today who can make some politicians look like they do not know a thing about “spinning!” They take the scriptures and “twist” them to fit their evil biases.
If the people knew the corruption that is in the hearts of these deceivers, they would not look to them for direction. They would do as the Bible says, and AVOID THEM!
Illus: These predators remind us of a man that was very wealthy but he was also hard of hearing. He trusted that all his family members loved him, but many times he could not hear what they were saying, to or about him. One day he decided to buy one of the modern hearing aids that fit into his ear and no one could see. After he had had it for a couple of days, he returned to the store to tell the clerk how pleased he was with it. The store clerk said, "I'll bet your family likes it too." The old man said, "Oh, they don't know about it. Boy, am I having a great time! I have already changed my will three times in the last two days!"
I believe that many people would make some changes if they really knew how these PREDATORS “twist” the scripture to accomplish their goals. There is a SPIRITUAL DECEPTION in many pulpits today.
Illus: When many folks found out about Jim Bakker, and Jimmy Swygert, they became angry. They really thought these were men of God, who loved the Lord and loved the people of God. But they found out there are some WHO LOVE THE FLOCK, and there are some WHO LOVE TO FLEECE THE FLOCK! You find good and bad in all denominations.
Paul said, "...be followers...of me..." Paul truly loved the flock and he was not trying to FLEECE THE FLOCK!
Predators can lead us in the wrong direction. Another thing that can lead us in the wrong direction is -
B. PRIDE
Phil. 3:4-8 “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: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But WHAT THINGS WERE GAIN TO ME, THOSE I COUNTED LOSS FOR CHRIST. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,"
If any man had a right to “strut his stuff,” the apostle Paul did. But Paul said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”
HUMILITY is something that is not being emphasized very often today.
Illus: You could advertise that we are going to have a seminar on HUMILITY, and very few would be there. It is not a popular topic today, even among many Christians.
This is a day when men and women want to tell you how great they are, not how great the Lord Jesus Christ is.
Illus: A national religious newspaper had featured a very prominent pastor. They printed a sermon that he recently preached in his church. For several years now, people who have heard this man preach, noticed that he has a tremendous ego problem.
• He would go broke if he had to pay taxes on what he thinks he is worth
• He's a minnow who thinks he's a whale
You get the point, when you hear this man preach you will hear many "I's" in the sermon. One preacher was going to highlight every place he made reference to himself in one of his printed sermons. He quit after the first two paragraphs because he realized his highlighter would run out of ink. In those two paragraphs, the preacher made reference to himself almost twenty times.
How different we are today compared to John the Baptist, that great man of God, who said, "He must increase, but I must decrease." Jn. 3:30
The reason Christ cannot be seen in the lives of many believers today, is because they are not willing to step aside.
Illus: When Al Gore was running for President, the political pundits mentioned frequently how it is customary when a president has a Vice President running the last year of office, he fades into oblivion. But they pointed out that to the last day, President Bill Clinton would not step aside for the Vice President to be in the spot light.
The lost world can’t see Christ in many people, because they are not willing to step aside for Christ to be seen. All they see are Christians filled with pride saying, "LOOK HOW GREAT I AM."
Evidently the false teachers of Paul's day bragged and boasted a great deal. While Paul was lifting up the Lord, they were lifting up themselves. Paul, who had so much to brag about, said in verse 8, "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:"
For Paul, knowing Christ was:
• Far greater than things
• Far greater than his own accomplishments
• Far greater than his achievements
Conclusion:
GOD HAS CALLED MINISTERS TO FOLLOW HIM. When they follow Him, they in turn can say to believers, "Follow me."
GOD HAS CALLED CHURCH MEMBERS TO FOLLOW HIM. When they follow Him, they in turn can say to others, "Follow me."
We are to exalt the Savior Who came, and died, that all mankind might be saved. It is the duty not only of the minister of the gospel to lead men to the cross, but it is the duty of every Christian to so live that men might come to know Christ.
If we cannot say, "Follow me as I follow Christ,” we are not living as we should be living."
Illus: A young man was on the witness stand in an important trial. The prosecutor was cross-examining him, and delivered what he thought was a crushing blow. He said, "Your father has been telling you how to testify, hasn't he." The young man said, "Yes." The prosecutor could just smell his victory. He said, "What did he tell you to say?" The young man said, "He told me that you would try to confuse me in my testimony, but I should be careful to tell the truth, that way I could repeat the same thing each time."
Just as that young boy trusted his father for direction, we should trust our heavenly Father. There are many directions, but if we follow the Lord, and follow others who are following the Lord, we will come out right every time.
I. THE DIRECTION (1 of 2)
A. PREDATORS
B. PRIDE
II. THE DECISION (2 of 2)
