INTRODUCTION
- As we continue with our Love Better series, this series seeks to answer two underlying questions.
- What can I do to live with Christians better?
- What can I do to love people in my community better?
- In our journey to answer those two questions, today we will see from 1 Corinthians 13:4 that love is not puffed up, or as many versions translate the word, love is not arrogant.
- The Christians in the Corinthian church struggled to love one another, in part because of the diverse backgrounds the people came from.
SLIDE #1- PUFF FISH TITLE
- To build on the thought that love is not arrogant, we will dig into a passage in Philippians 3:8-21.
- Philippians 3:8-21 is part of a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the Christian community in Philippi, a city in Macedonia.
- This letter was written while Paul was in prison, around AD 60-62, possibly in Rome or Ephesus.
- In this passage, Paul discusses the value of knowing Christ and the righteousness that comes through faith in Him, contrasting it with the worldly achievements that were once important to him.
- Let’s look at the word translated as arrogant or puffed up, which is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4.
SLIDE #2- BIBLICAL FOUNDATION
- The Greek word is only used seven times in the New Testament, all by Paul.
- The word is used six times in 1 Corinthians, usually in reference to pride and arrogance in the church.
- The word is used once in Colossians in a warning against false teachers.
- How do we define arrogance?
SLIDE #3- ARROGANCE DEFINED
- The Greek word “f?s???” (phusioó) (FOO SHEE OLE) means “to puff up” or “to inflate.”
- It derives from the root “f?s??” (phusaó), (FOO SEE CEASE) which signifies “to blow” or “to inflate,” related to breath or wind.
SLIDE #4- THE METAPHOR OF ARROGANCE.
- The word is often used metaphorically to describe arrogance or pride.
- The word's root is used metaphorically, extending to ego and pride.
SLIDE #5- PROBLEM WITH PUFFED-UP- TOO MUCH WORK.
- One problem with being puffed up is that it takes a lot of work to stay puffed up because we naturally leak.
- This is one reason that when we struggle with this problem, our ego or arrogance tends to grow larger and larger as we seek to stay ahead of the leak.
SLIDE #6- EASY TO POP
- Naturally, once a balloon is overinflated, it pops easily.
- This is part of the reason that one who is puffed up gets angry when they get popped.
SLIDE #7- TOO HARD OT LIVE WITH
- When someone is puffed up, they are hard to live with.
- People who are puffed up are hard to handle.
- When you have a bunch of inflated balloons, it is hard to get them into the car because they all want to do their own thing.
- People who are puffed up are annoying and not fun to be around.
- So, how can we avoid being puffed up?
- That is the question we will examine in our text.
- Let’s go there together.
Philippians 3:8–9 NET 2nd ed.
8 More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things—indeed, I regard them as dung!—that I may gain Christ,
9 and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.
SERMON
You can avoid being puffed up if you:
SLIDE #8- POINT 1 SLIDE
I. Remember Who You Serve.
- In the first part of chapter three, Paul warns the people about false teachers who boast about their credentials to get people to listen to them.
- In verses 4-6, Paul lists the reasons he could be puffed up about his background.
- The false teachers relied on their resumes to impress people.
- On the other hand, Paul looked at his past as meaningless because he now knew that Jesus was all he needed.
- God is the God above all, and He is our ultimate master.
- In verse 8, Paul punctuated his point by saying that no matter how great his personal accomplishments were, compared to knowing Jesus as his Lord, all those accomplishments, the impressive resume he had, were nothing but a liability compared to Jesus.
SLIDE #9- HUMBLE SERVICE
- In verse 8, Paul mentions he has willingly given up everything he once held dear “for his sake” (referring to Christ).
- This aligns with the broader context of Philippians 3, where Paul contrasts his former confidence in his Jewish heritage and observance of the Law with his present focus on Christ.
- The false teachers were all puffed up over themselves.
- They lacked humility and desired to be seen as something great and someone to be listened to.
- Paul contrasts that with a humility that said, I am nothing, Jesus is everything.
SLIDE #10- SERVANT’S HEART
- Paul goes even further, stating that he now considers these former advantages “dung” (in Greek, a strong term implying worthlessness or refuse).
- The phrase “that I may gain Christ” in verse 8 is crucial.
- It indicates Paul’s ultimate goal and the reason behind his renunciation of his past.
- He desires a deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ, which he sees as the true and ultimate gain.
- His purpose in relinquishing all of this is so that he “may gain Christ.”
- Paul wants to serve, not to be puffed up full of himself.
- Philippians 3:9 reveals Paul’s understanding that true righteousness, the kind that makes one acceptable to God, is not achieved through adherence to the Law.
- Instead, it is a gift from God received through faith in Christ (or through Christ’s faithfulness).
- Paul now seeks to possess this righteousness, valuing it far above his former accomplishments and status within Judaism, as described in the preceding verses.
- If you are puffed up with yourself, you will never get there.
- Let’s move to verses 10-16
Philippians 3:10–16 NET 2nd ed.
10 My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death,
11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already attained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead,
14 with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view. If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways.
16 Nevertheless, let us live up to the standard that we have already attained.
SLIDE #11- POINT 2 SLIDE
You can avoid being puffed up if you:
II. Remember Why You Are Here.
- Why are you here on this planet?
- If we stay grounded in the reality of WHY we are here, we can avoid puffing up.
- We have a purpose, a Divine calling!
- Look at what Paul aimed for.
- Verse 10 gives the motive from verse 8 as to why Paul wanted to know Jesus!
- Notice that Paul did not only speak of the good things he wanted to share; he was also willing to share in Jesus' sufferings.
- In Philippians 1:29, believers are granted the right to believe in Christ and to suffer for His sake.
- Paul doesn’t enjoy suffering but can rejoice in the midst of it because he knows it is incurred in the line of duty.
- We also see he was willing to suffer, which implies a willingness to suffer and even die for the sake of Christ and the gospel.
- It also connects to the idea of participating in the fellowship of Jesus’ sufferings.
SLIDE #12- SERVICE TO OTHERS.
- Jesus came to serve others; those who are puffed up with themselves will not do this.
- We are here in part to serve others, not to be waited on and served.
- Paul’s desire to know Christ includes “the fellowship of His sufferings”.
- While this initially appears personal, Christ’s suffering was ultimately for the sake of others.
- He “emptied Himself” and became obedient to death, even death on a cross, looking out for the interests of others.
- Paul’s ultimate aim in knowing Christ and sharing in His sufferings is to attain “to the resurrection from the dead,” which seemed like something that would benefit Paul only.
- The hope of future glory and eternal life can fuel present service.
- Christians who have this hope often find motivation to live lives that are pleasing to God and beneficial to others, knowing their labor is not in vain.
SLIDE #13- GROWTH
- Paul also understood the need to grow.
- In verses 12-14, he discusses his not yet reaching his goal, his need to press forward and strive to know Jesus more deeply.
- For Paul, his life was also about spiritual growth and development!
SLIDE #14-IMPACT
- Ultimately, Paul was all about making an impact for Jesus.
- When we are arrogant, we will not love others enough to seek to make a kingdom impact in their lives.
- Let’s move to verses 17-19.
Philippians 3:17–19 NET 2nd ed.
17 Be imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example.
18 For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.
You can avoid being puffed up if you:
SLIDE #15- POINT 3 SLIDE
III. Remember Others Are Learning From You.
- We can avoid being puffed up if we understand that others are watching and learning from us.
- Paul gives an open invitation for others to imitate his faith.
- He also reminds them to be careful how you live because they will become and example.
- The truth is all of us are an example, the only question is what kind of example.
- Paul touches on the example of the enemies of the cross.
- The end will not be good for them; they will be leading others to their same fate.
- Our actions speak louder than our words.
SLIDE #16- YOUR ATTITUDE
- Our attitude is also vital in what we teach others.
- Humility attracts others to Jesus; pride repels.
- People are not impressed with those who are full of themselves.
SLIDE #17- YOUR INFLUENCE
- The influence you have is more powerful than you know.
- When people see your life as you proclaim Jesus, they will either be attracted to Him by the way you deal with life or repelled because your life does not match your words.
- Let’s move to verses 20-21 for a final thought.
Philippians 3:20–21 NET 2nd ed.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven—and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.
You can avoid being puffed up if you:
SLIDE #18- POINT 4 SLIDE
IV. Remember Where You Belong.
- I will keep this one short and sweet.
- As a Christian, where is your home?
- Where are you a citizen?
- We are reminded that our citizenship is in heaven!
- If we are citizens of heaven, we do not need to be puffed up; we have an awesome eternal home awaiting us!
- Philippians 3:20 begins with “But,” indicating a stark contrast to the preceding verses (3:18-19), which describe the “enemies of the cross of Christ”.
- These individuals are characterized by having their “glory in their shame” and setting “their minds on earthly things”.
- Paul is drawing a clear distinction between their earthly focus and the heavenly orientation of believers.
- Given that Philippi was a Roman colony, whose citizens held pride in their Roman status even though Rome was far away, Paul’s words would have resonated deeply with his readers.
- He is essentially stating that their primary allegiance and identity are not tied to earthly realms but to heaven!
- “Citizenship” implies status, with all the rights and duties of a resident of a city or country.
- The implication is that the rest of verse 20 describes one of the duties of a citizen of heaven: awaiting the Savior.
- Paul, in effect, tells the Philippian Christians, “You are a colony of heaven, which is a greater honor than being a Roman colony”.
- This reinforces the idea that their conduct should reflect their heavenly citizenship.
- In Philippians 3:10-16, Christians are called to a consistent walk of faith that aligns with their identity in Christ.
CONCLUSION
LAST SLIDE
- Love is not puffed up.
- Love is not all about me and how great I think I am.
- There are many problems with being arrogant or puffed up.
- “Arrogance builds a throne for oneself on the sands of pride, only to have the next wave of truth wash it away.”
- So true.
- Also, when we are all puffed up, we are not capable of loving others or celebrating their accomplishments.
- “When we place ourselves at the center of every story, our vision narrows until we can see nothing but our own achievements.”
- Paul emphasizes that everything he once valued is worthless compared to knowing Christ.
- He humbly seeks righteousness through faith, not personal achievements.
- Acknowledging he hasn’t reached perfection, he presses on with humility, forgetting the past and striving toward his heavenly goal. He warns against those who glory in earthly things, contrasting them with believers whose citizenship is in heaven.
- Our passage reflects that love is not puffed up, as Paul models humility, dependence on Christ, and a longing for transformation rather than self-exaltation.
- How do you want to live your life?
- Puffed up, or do you want to be someone who can love others and make an eternal impact on their lives?
