(Phil. 3:4-14) "If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I MORE..."
Paul was a man of words. They said about him, "His letters are weighty..."
We understand now, that they were the very words of God. That Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God.
Unlike the uneducated fishermen that Jesus chose in His earthly ministry, Paul was an educated man.
He wrote in verse 4:
If any man has whereof to boast in the flesh, I HAVE MORE TO BOAST ABOUT:
If you think that fleshly works are what make a man great, then I am greater than all of you.
> I have a better education...
> A better pedigree...
> A better standing among my peers, than all of you combined.
But, those things are not what makes a man great...
> Knowing Jesus Christ makes a man great.
> I count all of those other things but DUNG!
> I want to know HIM; I want to all about HIM.
Notice the word "THINGS" in this passage:
> (v. 8) Yea doubtless, and I count all THINGS but loss.
> (v. 13) "forgetting those THINGS which are behind..."
> "And reaching forth unto those THINGS which are before..."
There are some THINGS that are to be left behind...
And, there are some THINGS that we are to reach for...
There are some THINGS that are but DUNG!
And, there are some THINGS worth giving up everything for!
The Most Important THINGS
I. Paul’s Credentials.
A. Peculiar Heritage - "circumcised the eighth day..."
1. He refused to trust in his ritual.
> Every loyal Jew practiced the sacred rite of circumcision on the eighth day.
2. Only a true Jew was circumcised on the eighth day.
> We might think, "So What!"
> But, every Jew that read this or heard this knew that it was a mark of their Peculiar Heritage!
B. Privileged Heritage - "the stock of Israel..."
1. Descended from the patriarch Jacob.
> His blood line was so pure he could trace it all the way back.
> Remember the importance of lineage to the Jew.
2. Being a direct descendant of Jacob added dignity to his pedigree.
> This was truly a bragging right.
PECULIAR HERITAGE.
PRIVILEGED HERITAGE...
C. Proud Heritage - "the tribe of Benjamin..."
1. The first king of Israel came from the tribe of Benjamin.
> This was the only tribe that did not revolt under Jeroboam.
> This showed that LOYALTY as well as ROYALTY was in his blood.
2. He refused to trust in his respectability.
> The tribe of Benjamin was known for its unwavering loyalty.
> When ten tribes separated to divide the kingdom, only the tribe of BENJAMIN remained loyal to the throne of David.
> The tribe of Benjamin stayed loyal to the tribe of Judah.
PECULIAR HERITAGE.
PRIVILEGED HERITAGE.
PROUD HERITAGE...
D. Pure Heritage - "an Hebrew of the Hebrews..."
1. He was so loyal a Jew that he had never lost the Hebrew speech.
> Most had learned to speak Aramaic during the Babylonian reign.
> Many had begun to speak Greek during the Grecian reign.
> Some were learning Latin now that the Romans reigned.
> But, Paul continued to use his Hebraic heritage tongue.
2. He refused to trust in his race.
> Paul traces his pedigree to the first Hebrew, Abraham.
> Though living and receiving his education at Tarsus, he never departed from Hebrew tradition.
PECULIAR HERITAGE.
PRIVILEGED HERITAGE.
PROUD HERITAGE.
PURE HERITAGE...
E. Pious Heritage - "as touching the law, a Pharisee..."
1. He was not only a religious Jew, he was a member of their strictest and the most self-disciplined sect.
> The best of the best.
> The highest religious honor!
2. A Pharisee - One who meticulously observed the whole mosaic law.
PECULIAR HERITAGE.
PRIVILEGED HERITAGE.
PROUD HERITAGE.
PURE HERITAGE.
PIOUS HERITAGE...
F. Patriotic Heritage - "Concerning zeal, persecuting the church..."
1. He had a reputation for destroying that sect that was hurting the Jewish religion.
> He had a reputation for destroying the Church!.
2. He was Zealous.
> Think about a soldier coming home from Iraq...
> Before he stands, another tells us of his bravery and sacrifice for his country...
> Then this man gets up with a missing arm, and a disfigured face, and says...
> "I love America; I would gladly give all my limbs for her!"
3. We would stand and applaud such Patriotism.
> Tears would flow from our eyes.
> We would say, "What tremendous zeal and character..."
> And, he would deserve every bit of honor we bestow upon him.
4. This is exactly what Paul is saying...
> I have been zealous for my nation
> I have risked life and limb for my country; What Patriotism!
G. Polished Heritage - "touching the righteousness of the law blameless"
1. This is not an off-the-cuff statement.
> He was saying, "Which of you can site one occasion that you can lay fault on me?"
2. He had a record in Judaism in which no man could mark a fault.
> He refused to trust in his righteousness.
3. If any man could say he was saved by works, Paul could.
> And, yet he was the most vehement apostle concerning salvation by grace apart from works.
PECULIAR HERITAGE
PRIVILEGED HERITAGE.
PROUD HERITAGE
PURE HERITAGE.
PIOUS HERITAGE
PATRIOTIC HERITAGE.
POLISHED HERITAGE:
Paul: "If any man could boast, I MORE!"
II. Paul’s Assessment of His Credentials.
A. He counted them but loss (v. 7).
1. His heritage; His pedigree; even His religion.
> Its own thing when you deny your heritage...
> But, Paul was denying his entire religious training.
2. He said they were but loss.
> Not only did I not learn anything by them, I AM DUMBER for having learned them.
B. Not only that, but I count ALL THINGS but loss (v. 8).
1. Not only my heritage and my religion, but everything else as well.
> All that I have ever done, or all that I ever will do, I count as loss.
2. I haven’t earned anything by my good works...
> I am actually more in debt now than when I started.
C. I not only count these things as a loss, but less than a loss...
1. I count them but DUNG!
> Human excrement.
2. Paul was the best of the best.
> He was the cream of the crop.
> He was educated and zealous...
3. But, he said, all of these things are less than human waste – Dung!
> I cannot over emphasize the contrast here...
> He was comparing HIS BEST with human excrement!
D. Paul is writing under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
1. Not merely Paul’s assessment, But God’s assessment of mankind’s achievements...
> This is what God thinks of our pedigree and piety.
> This is what God thinks about our honor and heritage.
> This is what God thinks of our education and endeavors.
2. [Psa. 39:5] "Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity."
> That’s when he is at his best!
3. [Psa 12:1] "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men."
> Are there are no Godly men left on earth?
> "I sought for a man among them, but I found none!"
E. All of these things are but dung.
1. There is something MORE IMPORTANT than all of these things combined.
> There is something MORE IMPORTANT than US!
2. I know that this is hard for you to grasp...
> But, there are some things in God’s kingdom that are MORE IMPORTANT than YOU!
III. God’s View of What’s Important (Phil. 1:14-18).
A. The Apostle Paul was in prison.
1. Some preachers, which were envious of Paul, used this circumstance to preach more.
> Since the Apostle was Paul not around to intimidate them, they preached more boldly.
2. Some of Paul’s friends came to him and told him how the brethren were capitalizing on his imprisonment.
> "Paul, they are using your prison story to gather crowds, and are preaching using your testimony."
> "Paul, some are even mocking you in their messages... They gather a crowd by mentioning your name."
3. Paul’s response is classic of Paul’s attitude toward the Gospel.
> (v. 18) So What? If Christ is preached; Then I do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
> I am not worried about how they are taking about me, or are using my situation; If Christ is preached, that is cause for rejoicing!
> That’s more important than I am!
B. Paul was not worried about himself, nor EVEN of his own life (v. 18-21).
1. If Christ is preached and Glorified...
> It doesn’t matter what happens to me.
2. If Christ is preached and Glorified...
> It doesn’t matter if I am mocked.
3. If Christ is preached and Glorified...
> I am willing to glorify Him with my body also!
> "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!"
4. If Christ is preached and Glorified...
> It makes no difference what happens to me!
C. This is not the attitude of the church member of today.
1. If I am not treated right...
> Who cares about the gospel?
2. If I am not pampered and coddled...
> Who cares about the glory of Christ?
3. If I have to suffer the least inconvenience...
> Then the entire kingdom of God should come to an end.
> That is the attitude of today!
D. (1 Cor. 6:3-5) "That the ministry be not blamed..."
1. Or in other words, the Ministry is more Important than you and me.
> Most have never looked beyond their own nose!
> The whole world revolves around them.
2. Look at what Paul was willing to endure so that the ministry would not suffer... (v. 4-10).
> Paul was willing to allow himself to be ridiculed and mocked, and even to die for the sake of the gospel.
3. He said, "Don’t do anything that might cause an offence and bring blame on the ministry."
> Don’t get offended when you are ridiculed or mocked...
> Take it in the chin.
> Don’t get offended.
> Don’t be offensive...
4. Do whatever you have to do...
> Take whatever you have to take.
> So that the ministry will not be hindered!
> BECAUSE THE MINISTRY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU ARE!
5. You had better wake up and smell the coffee...
> ITS ABOUT GOD, ITS NOT ABOUT YOU!
E. Paul was willing to die for the ministry.
1. He wasn’t about to let some little offence destroy the work of God...
> He wasn’t going to let jealousy hurt God’s work.
> Paul didn’t care, if it made him look bad, as long as the Ministry of the gospel continued.
2. Because the Ministry Is More Important than You and Me.
> The very best we are and do are but DUNG compared to the importance of God’s work!
IV. What is More Important Than God’s Work?
A. Its More Important than Our Fun.
1. We think that "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is a Scriptural ordinance.
> God says, "He that will love life and see good days..."
> "...let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
> ...Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it."
> GOD IS MORE INTERESTED IN HOLINESS THAN HAPPINESS!
2. Jesus said, "The lusts of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word..."
> The attraction of the world keeps us from being on fire for God.
> We have one foot in the church and the other in the world.
3. We get to thinking we are entitled to the joys of this world.
> The lusts of this world are like Eve’s apple...
> We know God forbids it, but we eat of it anyway.
4. And, the ministry suffers for our compromise.
> But, the ministry is more important than our fun.
B. Its More Important than Our Freedom.
1. Paul was in prison for the sake of the gospel.
> The prisons in Paul’s day was nothing like the Holiday Inn’s we call jail.
> No clean sheets, Color TV, etc.
> A stink hole in the ground, with a deeper hole in the corner for a toilet.
2. But, in this horrible condition, Paul writes:
> "The things that happened unto me happened for the furtherance of the gospel..."
> It is worth suffering this prison if the GOSPEL IS FURTHERED!
3. Some think God expects too much to have to give up 2-3 hours a week of our time.
> One or two church services a week is way too much already.
> We do not want anything to get in the way of our grand important lives.
> God’s work may get in the way of me watching my favorite TV show.
> I just can’t miss 90210...
4. I have an important life to live; I can’t give up my freedom...
> God’s work is more important than your Freedom.
God’s work is more important than our FUN.
God’s work is more important than our FREEDOM...
C. Its more important than our Family (Matt. 10:37-38).
1. The Lord is comparing our love for family to our love for His work.
> "Take up your cross daily, and follow me..."
2. Over and over God compares His service with the other things that attract our lives...
> And in each case God says, His work is MORE IMPORTANT.
3. Paul proved this with His life.
> So did the Apostles Peter, James and John.
4. Down through the centuries of Baptist history men and women have given their lives for the cause of Christ...
> "They suffered the loss of all things...
> "And, did count them but dung..."
The things of God are MORE IMPORTANT than our shallow lives...
