Thanks for reading Joe and Gus.
It would be great if you could keep Philippians chapter 3 open, that's what I'll be preaching from.
Hopefully you might have all received a sermon outline as you came in.
Has anyone not got a sermon outline?
Or is anyone not able to look on with a sermon outline? I think that's everyone.
Well, I trust that most people here are becoming reasonably familiar with Paul's letter to the Philippians,
as we not only have it preached to us, but also studying it in our small groups.
And if you're not in one, can I just say that you should consider joining one.
Come and have a chat with me afterward.
The most Elise and I have ever had in our lounge room for small group is about 18 people.
But if we take out some of the furniture and stand, then we could probably get 50 or something.
So there's plenty of room for you in a small group.
And Elise is looking a bit concerned, so if you come to me, then I'll actually refer you to another small group.
There's plenty of good ones going around.
But my point is that we're studying Philippians, and hopefully you're beginning to understand it
and to see why Steve chose this book to coincide with Vision Sunday two weeks ago
and with Commitment Sunday that's coming up in a few weeks' time.
Paul's vision for the Philippian church is one not of church numbers and logos
and ministry programs, as important as these things may be,
but his vision is of the glory of God and the supremacy of Christ,
the exclusivity of the gospel, the righteousness of God's people,
and the suffering of God's church.
And that should be our vision as well.
And particularly suffering.
We live in an evil age.
I'm not suggesting that it's necessarily more evil than 10 years ago
or 20 or 50 or 1,000 years ago,
but it's evil nonetheless.
And that realisation alone should convince us of the need to be ready to suffer.
But it's more than that.
The path of righteousness for God's people is costly.
If you haven't read Dietrich Bonhoeffer's wonderful book,
The Cost of Discipleship, you should.
You should read it.
And I think the title says it all.
The Cost of Discipleship.
There's no place for cheap discipleship and cheap grace.
It's costly.
But it's more than that.
The reality is,
and this is the number one reason that the church should prepare to suffer,
is that God promises that it will happen.
He promises that it will happen.
This is my first point on the sermon outline.
And our text of scripture really won't make any sense unless you believe this.
God has promised that his people will suffer,
and nothing is more certain than a promise in God's word.
And so you're a fool if you think that you can be a Christian and simply avoid it.
And you're a fool if you're a Christian and you fail to prepare for it.
And let me just give you a couple of examples from scripture.
In Acts chapter 14 verse 22,
Paul teaches that it is through many tribulations that we enter the kingdom.
In John chapter 15 verse 20,
Jesus himself says,
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
In 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 12,
the apostle tells the churches in Asia Minor,
Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you,
as though something strange were happening to you.
Don't be surprised, Christians.
It's not strange.
It's not unusual.
It's absolutely par for the course.
And as Paul himself writes in 2 Timothy,
chapter 3 verse 12,
All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Now, you'll see on the sermon outline there,
I've got a point, the prosperity gospel.
I should say the prosperity so-called gospel.
And sometimes people ask why I often mention the prosperity gospel,
if we'll call it that,
and why I preach against it and why I hate it so much.
And this is why.
I hate any suggestion that the Christian life is about earthly prosperity because it is anti-Bible,
it's anti-Gospel,
it's anti-Jesus,
and it fails to prepare God's people.
God's saints for the suffering that they will experience.
And that they will experience more of the more they desire to live a righteous life that brings glory to God in Christ Jesus.
And so, after careful consideration,
you'll be pleased to know that I've decided not to preach a prosperity message tonight,
but rather I think my job, given this passage, is to prepare you to suffer.
And our text, as I said, is particularly helpful in that regard.
So, my second point is that God graciously prepares his people to suffer.
And I want to show you that from the text.
Look with me from verse 5.
It's about Paul's life,
and it was quite a remarkable life before he became a Christian, wasn't it?
Have a look with me.
Circumcised on the eighth day,
Paul had been sealed with the outward sign of God's grace.
Of the people of Israel,
he's of the correct religion.
Of the tribe of Benjamin,
his pedigree is without equal.
He's from the tribe that King Saul came from.
A Hebrew of Hebrews.
Now, this is an amazing statement,
and I think it shows that Paul was no mere adherent
to Judaism.
His life was actually the epitome of it.
In regard to the law,
a Pharisee.
Paul was part of the highest category of law keepers that there was.
And as to zeal,
persecuting the church.
He was so zealous for Judaism,
so zealous he thought for God,
that he led the persecution of God's enemies,
namely,
the church of Jesus Christ.
And as for legalistic righteousness,
faultless.
All of the above,
as well as his meticulous keeping of the law,
resulted in him being blameless before God,
or so he thought.
It's arguably an incredible life, isn't it?
And one that he describes, I think,
without even a hint of modesty or exaggeration.
But then,
on the Damascus road,
he met the resurrected and ascended Jesus Christ,
Lord and Saviour of God's people,
Messiah of Israel,
Son of the living God.
And Jesus told him,
in Acts chapter 9, verse 16,
how much he must suffer
for Jesus' sake.
And Paul prepared himself to do so.
How did he do that?
Well, he did it in the same way that Christians
are to prepare themselves today,
in the same way that we
are to prepare ourselves to suffer.
Look at verse 7.
Whatever was to my profit,
I now consider loss
for the sake of Christ.
This, friends,
is how Paul prepares to suffer.
This is how God wants us
to prepare to suffer as well.
He takes those things
that are gains to him,
all that are benefits,
all that he bases his life on,
all that he takes joy and pride
and pleasure and fulfillment
and value in,
all that he considers profit,
but instead of counting them as profit,
he counts them as loss
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
And this is no small thing.
It's a total paradigm shift
and it turns Paul's world upside down.
It's like the financial ledger.
Do people know about financial ledgers?
One of my, in fact,
my only academic claim to fame
is that in year 12,
I came in the top 10%
of two and three unit business studies.
And I can't remember much of it now,
but I do remember that
that there's two columns happening here.
There's profit and there's loss, right?
Can we agree on that?
There's a few people nodding here
who I'm sure have just been polite
and know a lot more
about financial statements than I do.
But before Paul was a Christian,
the profit column included human glory
and Jewish citizenship
and diligent law keeping.
And the loss column,
at least for Paul,
consisted exclusively
of the church of Jesus Christ.
And he would do all that he possibly could do
to alleviate further losses.
But when Paul met the risen Christ,
everything changed.
That which was loss,
namely and exclusively Jesus Christ,
became profit.
And that which was gain and profit
and reputation became loss.
And more than that,
it's not just that which had previously been profit
that he put in the loss column.
It's everything.
Look at verse eight.
What is more,
I consider everything a loss
compared to the surpassing greatness
of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord,
for whose sake I've lost all things.
I consider them rubbish.
He considers everything rubbish
that I may gain Christ.
Paul's single-minded mission to destroy Christ
had now become a single-minded mission
to gain Christ.
And that mission is costly.
Now I think we need to be careful
about speaking of costs here.
Sometimes I hear people,
sometimes I hear ministers
who were once lawyers or doctors or bankers,
speaking about the sacrifices
that they made
to become a minister of the gospel.
And I'm not really sure that such,
I'm not really sure that such talk is appropriate
and I'm not really sure it's in accord
with God's,
the Bible's idea that
calling is the work of God.
Ministry is a calling.
It's something that comes from God.
So what I'm talking about here
is not a way to describe a particular thing
or a job or an income
that a Christian has lost
or that being a Christian has cost you.
What I'm talking about
is what actually should be normative
for all Christians.
Have a look with me in verse 17.
Paul says,
join together in following my example, brothers.
This is the Christian life.
He's calling us to follow his example
of putting that which is profit
and making it loss
and that which is loss
making it profit.
It's not that as a Christian
there is a slight chance
that you might be called
to consider everything loss
for the sake of Christ.
Rather, that is precisely
what every Christian life
should look like.
And so,
what does it mean
to join together
in following Paul's example?
Let me just suggest
a practical framework
of three things
that this might possibly mean.
In fact,
that this definitely means.
Firstly,
it means that
if ever I have to choose
between Christ
and anything else,
I need to choose Christ.
If I ever have to choose
between Christ
and anything else,
I need to choose Christ.
Secondly,
I need to deal
with the things of this world
in such a way
that they show themselves
to be a loss
and Christ
to be my only prophet.
I know a few of you
are writing them down
so I'm going to say it again.
I need to deal
with the things
of this world
in such a way
that they show themselves
to be loss
and Christ
to be my only prophet.
And thirdly,
the third thing
of this practical framework
is if and when
I lose any
or all of the things
of this world,
I need to remember
that in Paul's words,
I'm losing rubbish
and my prophet
is still in Christ.
If and when
I am called
by God
to lose
any
or all
the things
of this world,
I'm losing rubbish
and I need
to remember that.
Because Paul says,
I consider
everything loss
compared
to the surpassing
greatness
of knowing
Christ
Jesus
my Lord.
Now it's worth
reiterating here
that I'm
still on,
is it the first
or the second
point?
I think I'm still
on the second
point.
And that is
that Paul
prepared himself
to suffer
and that we must
do the same thing.
Every Christian
must count
as loss
all that is
not Christ
for he
is their
only gain.
And that
is preparation
for suffering.
How do you
prepare for
suffering?
You count
everything as
loss
and make
Christ
your only
gain.
And so
you should
count as
loss
those things
which
are pleasurable
and which
bring you
glory
and in which
you find
your identity.
Everything
is loss
apart from
Christ.
Money,
jobs,
friendships,
university
degrees,
qualifications,
marriage,
family,
children,
health,
strength,
sex,
sports,
hobbies,
possessions
or if
you like
Paul,
religion,
Anglicanism.
Not that
Paul was an
Anglican but
the traditions
here at
St. Paul's
Church,
your Bible
study group,
the church
music you
like,
you need to
count it all
as loss
for the sake
of knowing
Jesus Christ.
Now
losing some
of these
things is
never a big
deal,
it's never
a great
loss.
But losing
some of
them
really is.
And I
don't want
to in
any way
trivialise
the loss
of a
family
member
or a
friend.
I would
never
suggest
that the
end of
a marriage,
however that
end occurs,
is anything
less than
tragic.
Even
losing the
ability to
participate
in a
hobby or
a sport
that you
love,
that can
be a
painful
occasion and
an occasion
for tears.
But the
Christian should
be prepared
not only
for the
loss of
the
things of
the
world,
but also
for the
gain of
Jesus
Christ.
And we'll
look at
that shortly.
Now up to
the middle
of verse
8, it
looks like
there's a
lot of
preparation
going on,
but not a
lot of
suffering.
As I
thought about
that, it
reminded me
of this
kid at my
primary school
who was in
the Scouts
and who
took the
motto of
the Scouting
movement
very seriously.
The motto
is be
prepared,
and he
took it
very seriously
indeed.
Despite
living only
one street
away, he
never came
to school
without a
compass and
two analogue
wristwatches
so that even
if a compass
and one of
the watches
failed, he
could still
find due
north at
least in
daylight hours.
He wanted
very much to
be prepared
even if this
was to his
social detriment.
Although I
must say that
the social
detriment no
longer existed
when a few
of us worked
out that being
prepared also
included carrying
emergency flares
and an array of
hunting knives as
standard issue.
But the point
is that not
much was going
to happen to
this boy in
the bad
lands of
Neutral
Bay, not
so the
Christian life.
Being prepared
for suffering,
being prepared
for suffering
rather, is not
just an abstract
concept like
being prepared
to need to
kill your own
dinner at
Neutral Bay.
It's something
that the Bible
for the
Christian promises
will happen.
And the
Apostle Paul
experienced it.
He speaks in
more detail
elsewhere,
doesn't he,
about his
suffering.
But even in
the passage that
we're looking at
tonight, we get
a glimpse of it.
What is more, I
consider everything
a loss compared
to the surpassing
greatness of
knowing Christ
Jesus my Lord,
for whose sake I
have lost all
things.
I consider them
rubbish that I
may gain Christ.
Paul really did
suffer.
For Jesus' sake,
he lost all
things.
So friends, the
godly life is one
of suffering.
It happened to
Paul and it
happened to
Peter and it
happened to
Job.
It happened
to Stephen.
It happened
to James.
It happened
to Jesus.
And so, if
nothing else, the
Christian is in
excellent company
when he suffers
and prepares to
suffer.
But the
Christian can
also suffer
not only
prepared to
do so, but
in the knowledge
that suffering
has a goal
and a purpose.
Through our
suffering, we
know Jesus.
Jesus.
And when we
suffer as a
Christian, we
don't just
know Jesus, but
we know him in
a unique and
special way.
Think back with
me to Acts
chapter 9 when
Jesus says to
Saul, who
becomes Paul, who
wrote this letter
to the Philippians,
Saul, Saul, why
do you persecute
me, says Jesus.
Now, Jesus
wasn't personally
suffering, but his
people were.
And Jesus
identifies with
and knows his
suffering people in
a really special
and unique way.
Or in Acts
chapter 7 when
Stephen is about
to be stoned to
death for his
witness to Christ.
Verses 55 and
56 say, but
Stephen, full of
the Holy Spirit,
looked up to
heaven and saw
the glory of God
and Jesus standing
at the right hand
of God.
Look, he said,
I see heaven
open and the
son of man
standing at the
right hand of
God.
There's a special
revelation of
God's care and
comfort and
compassion to
those who
suffer.
Or in 1
Peter chapter 4
verse 14,
if you are
insulted because
of the name of
Christ, you are
blessed for the
spirit of glory
and of God
rests on you.
And in
tonight's text,
Paul makes it
clear again and
again that in
suffering we can
know Christ
more.
And that's
something that
every Christian
should want and
that's why every
Christian should
prepare.
But have a look at
Paul talking about
this deep relationship
with Jesus.
Verse 7, I now
consider loss for
the sake of
Christ.
Verse 8, the
surpassing greatness
of knowing Christ
Jesus my Lord.
Verse 8, again, I
consider all things
rubbish that I may
gain Christ.
Verse 9, Paul
suffers so as to
be found in him,
so as to be found
in Jesus.
In verse 10, Paul
suffers the loss of
all things to know
Christ.
Are you seeing a
pattern here,
friends?
It's all about
knowing Christ and
knowing him more.
And in verse 10,
Paul explains what
that means.
It's about knowing
the power of his
resurrection, knowing
the fellowship of
sharing in his
sufferings, becoming
like him in his
death, and somehow
to attain the
resurrection from
the dead.
It's only in Christ
Jesus that we may
attain the
resurrection from
the dead, and that
is Paul's goal in
suffering and God's
purpose in suffering,
to know Jesus that
he might live
forever.
And it's only by the
grace of God, through
faith in Christ, that
we are made righteous
and able to share in
Christ's resurrection,
and in any of these
things.
Just before we finish,
let's have a quick
look at verse 3, where
Paul talks about
confidence in the
flesh, which
essentially means being
saved by works.
It's ironic that we
even use the term
saved by works,
because no one's
works have ever
saved them.
The opposite, of
course, to saved by
works is the
gospel, saved by
grace.
And that's what
Paul wants you to
know in verses 1 to
4, and in verses
9 and 10.
Even your faith in
Christ is by the
grace of God.
And because it is
from God, Paul is
able to say to the
suffering Christian,
and to those who
prepare to suffer, and
I'll close with these
words from verse 13,
and then we'll pray.
Paul's able to say to
the suffering Christians,
brothers, I do not
consider myself yet to
have taken hold of it,
to have taken hold of
the resurrection, but
one thing I do,
forgetting what is
behind and straining
toward what is
ahead.
I press on toward
the goal to win the
prize for which God
has called me
heavenward in Christ
Jesus.
Dear God, we thank
you for your word,
and that it contains
not just that which is
required for salvation,
but that which you
require of those to
whom salvation has
been given.
Please, God, please,
God, prepare us to
suffer as Christians.
Help us count as loss
all that brings us
pleasure and meaning
and satisfaction and
happiness.
Help us count as loss
everything that is not
Christ.
And in doing so,
please prepare us for
the suffering that you
promise to your
people.
And help us count only
Jesus as prophet,
that we may be found
in him, knowing him
and the power of his
resurrection, and
somehow, somehow by
your grace, attaining
the resurrection of the
dead.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.