We're reading in Philippians chapter 3.
So our time we're going to look at the first three verses here in this chapter.
Philippians chapter 3, again we read at verse 1.
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.
To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers,
look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
For we are the real circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God
and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.
Are you someone who is easily distracted in these times when there's so much going on around us
and our television screens are full of what's happening around our land?
We can maybe think to ourselves, well just before I go and sit and read my Bible,
go and have my own quiet time, just for a few moments switch on the telly
and just see what's happening now.
Only an hour later, an hour and a half later, you're still sitting there watching what's happening.
It can happen so easily in our lives, not just when there's some major incident going on,
some major event, but day after day we can easily be distracted
from the main thing that we should be doing.
And as we read in the book of Philippians,
we read Paul writing to a people and to a congregation of God's people
who were often in danger of being distracted by the things that were going on around them.
And what he's doing is he's writing in a real pastoral way,
just bringing them back to what they are meant to be doing
and where their focus is meant to be.
That they are to be a people who rejoice in the Lord.
It's a recurring theme throughout this letter,
the joy of the Lord and the fact that we are to rejoice in the Lord.
So you find him saying again and again, this is what we are to be doing.
Now as you look at the beginning of chapter 3 here,
we're in the middle, very center point of the letter.
It's halfway through the letter in terms of the chapters as they are laid out before us.
But you see, Paul begins chapter 3 by saying,
finally, my brothers.
It's maybe like a bit like a minister saying in conclusion,
and you think to yourself, well, he's going to be finished early tonight.
But then he goes on and repeats everything that he said before.
And he goes on for about the same amount of time again.
Is that what Paul is doing here?
Is he just saying finally, but then just going on to repeat himself
with actually no real gain, nothing to be gained or no purpose in it?
Well, it's not at all.
Although he covers the points again,
he does so in a way where he's giving even more insight
to what the people are to be doing,
even more insight into the Lord that they are worshiping,
even more insight into the glory that there is in Christ
and the way that they are to live.
It's not just a finally in terms of we're nearly there.
It's like a finally in sense of it's just pause for a moment
and reflect on what we've heard already
before we go on and look at it again in even more depth.
There is repetition in the points he's made,
but they're profitable.
And it's no great, as he says here,
it's no trouble to me to say the same things to you
because it's of benefit to you.
It's good for you to hear these things again and again.
Let us, he's saying, focus and prepare ourselves
to go into the world in which we live,
to face up to the challenges that are around us,
to be aware of the distractions that will easily come our way
and to be focused on what we are doing, rejoicing in the Lord.
And so in these days when we can be so easily distracted,
let us always bear heed to what Paul is saying,
what the scriptures are saying to us,
that our first and main purpose is to be a people who worship God.
How many times do you have to hear something
before you understand it?
If you're like me, there's some things that almost doesn't seem to matter
how many times you hear it,
you still can't just grasp it properly.
It's like learning algebra in school.
The teacher's repeating it again and again,
telling you how to do it.
It's just not sinking in.
It's just not registering.
No matter how many times you're hearing it,
there's certain things that it really doesn't matter
how often we hear it.
It's just not sinking in.
Now maybe in our own lives,
think about how many sermons you heard
and it just wasn't registering.
The word of God wasn't penetrating.
You were hearing the word again and again,
whether it was in church, in Sunday school,
from other people around you.
You're hearing the word, but it's not penetrating.
How often do you have to hear it to understand it?
Well, the gospel is different in that sense.
It's only by God's grace and by his spirit
in opening our hearts that we begin to receive
and to understand.
But as Paul is writing to the church at Philippi,
as well as many of the other churches he wrote through
in the New Testament,
what you find is repeating the same things
again and again, prayerfully,
that that word would penetrate
and work in people's hearts.
And so we keep hearing,
we keep coming to hear,
yes, it can sound the same thing again and again,
but all the time it's working away in us
and building us up in the faith,
reminding us of who we worship.
And as we go on,
we're strengthened in our faith.
John Flavel once said,
there was a time when 3,000 souls
were born to Christ at one sermon.
Again, about the day of Pentecost.
And as Peter preached the word,
3,000 souls were saved.
But he went on to say,
it may now be 3,000 sermons may be preached
and not one soul converted.
But does that mean we lose hope?
Does that mean we lose heart?
Because every time we come under the word of God
or gather together around God's word,
that it seems to be doing little
or having no effect?
No.
Paul, as he says here,
he's just reminding them again and again
to go on in faith,
to go on in the strength of the Lord,
always rejoicing in the Lord
and always make sure that in your own heart,
your priority is first and foremost
to worship God,
not to be distracted,
not to be distracted by the devil
and the way he'll try to discourage you,
not to be distracted by things
that are going on around us.
First and foremost,
to always rejoice in the Lord.
If you put on a fire and leave it,
it's going to burn out.
If you keep feeding that fire,
it's going to keep burning.
And that's what Paul is saying here to the people.
Keep feeding your souls.
Keep coming to the Lord
and being strengthened in your faith.
Yes, you come to faith,
but unless you continue to refuel your faith
and come to the source of your faith,
it's going to burn out.
We are to be a people who again and again
approach God in worship.
And that's why there's wisdom
in gathering in the middle of the week.
Perhaps we're doing so in the midst
of a busy week.
And in a busy week,
all we're doing is giving out all the time,
giving out of our strength,
giving out of our time,
giving out in our work.
We're giving to others
as we serve in different ways.
All the time giving out.
But then there's a time when we come
to take in,
to take in what God is saying to us,
to recharge our batteries,
to refresh our souls,
to refresh ourselves among one another
and around God's word
and in singing his praise,
to delight and to worship God at all times.
Psalm 42 speaks about that
and its sense of thirsting for God.
It says that's the kind of people
that we are to be
and longing to meet with God.
I knew the psalmist says
we should long to come together
and worship God.
We should be thirsting for our God.
We all need to recharge
and to come to the source of our faith,
the Lord,
and to refresh ourselves in him.
That's what Paul was constantly doing,
no matter where he was,
whether he was on his missionary journeys,
whether he was writing from a prison cell.
He was able to rejoice in the Lord
and find his strength in him.
So here in these first three verses
of chapter three,
Paul pauses to reflect here
and he takes us back to the heart of worship
with encouragement and warnings as well.
And these we're going to look at
just for a few moments.
He's taking us back to Christ.
It's all about him.
It's not about what we do
or what we are.
It's about who he is
and what he has done.
So there's three things
I want us to take from these verses,
each verse individually.
Verse one, first of all,
tells us that we are to remember.
To remember.
They're all reminders to us
of what worship is.
First thing is to remember.
Finally, my brothers,
rejoice in the Lord.
To write the same things to you
is no trouble to me
and is safe for you.
He's just reminding the people
this is what it's about.
This is what our lives
are to be focused on.
This is where we are to look to
at all times.
Rejoice in the Lord.
It's like a command.
A command to continue
in this way.
To go forward in this way.
Otherwise,
you're going to go off track.
You're going to lose your way.
If you start getting distracted
by what's going on around you,
what other people are doing,
or what gods they are worshipping,
or how they are living their lives,
you're going to get off track.
But he's saying,
brothers,
rejoice in the Lord.
And it's no trouble
for me to say this to you.
And it's safe for you.
This is where you are to find
your salvation and your safety.
It is always in the Lord.
That is the great recurring theme
in this letter.
And what he constantly wants
the people to remember.
And what he repeats here.
And what he repeats again,
as you see in chapter 4,
where he says in verse 4
of that chapter,
rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I will say,
rejoice.
Repeating it again
and again and again.
But it's for the people's good.
And it's for our good
to hear it as well.
That we are to be a people
rejoicing in the Lord always.
He knows it for himself.
He knows the blessing
that there is in this.
In the midst of all his distractions,
his own distractions,
he finds his strength
in rejoicing in the Lord.
And so what does that mean
for ourselves tonight?
Well, again,
it's just this reminder.
Whatever circumstances
we find ourselves in,
whether it's internationally,
nationally, locally,
or just personal to ourselves,
whatever is going on
in our hearts,
whatever our troubles,
whatever our joys,
whatever our fears and worries,
we bring them to the Lord.
We bring them to him
and we rejoice in him.
That he is a God who hears.
That we are coming to a living Savior.
That we are coming
through the Holy Spirit,
as he says here,
that we worship
by the Spirit of God
and glory in Christ Jesus.
This is our great privilege
as a people of worship.
That we come to a living God.
And so we come
and we come again
and again
and again.
We come together.
We come in our own time.
We come and approach
the living God
who is able
to refresh our souls
and to bless us.
And if we don't,
what happens?
We are in danger
of falling.
We are in danger
of just slipping back
bit by bit.
We are in danger
of just our hearts
being on fire
but being quenched
little by little.
It is always the danger
that we have,
the warning we have
throughout Scripture,
do not forget the Lord.
You go back to Deuteronomy
and it's a recurring warning
in that book.
Your people,
Moses' people,
God's people
are going into
the promised land
with this warning
ringing in their ears.
Do not get distracted.
Do not lose your focus.
Do not forget the Lord.
Remember,
first and foremost,
we worship God.
What is it
to worship God?
You were asked
that question.
How would you
answer that?
What does it mean
for you to worship God?
Well,
some people have
put it down
in different ways.
But a man called
William Temple,
who was once
Archbishop of Canterbury,
he said this,
defining worship
in this way,
as quickening
the conscience
by the holiness
of God,
feeding the mind
with the truth
of God,
purging the imagination
by the beauty
of God,
opening the heart
to the love
of God,
and devoting
the will
to the purpose
of God.
There's much
in that quote,
so much in it,
but what is worship?
It's about God,
all about him,
our conscience
being crooked
by the holiness
of God,
feeding the mind
through the truth
of God,
purging the imagination
by the beauty
of God.
He becomes
more precious
to us,
opening the heart
to the love
of God
and devoting
the will
to the purpose
of God.
It affects
change in us,
not just
by sitting
and taking it in,
but by going
away with it
and putting it out.
We come in,
we refuel
so we can
put out again.
We come
to remember
the Lord
as we worship him.
Second thing
we see here
is in verse 2.
And here's just
a warning,
don't be distracted
by what's going
on around you.
Refuse to get drawn
into these things.
Look out for the dogs,
look out for the evildoers,
look out for those
who mutilate
the flesh.
What is he saying here?
Well,
he's reminding them here
that there are many
who will seek
to take them away
from what they are
meant to be doing
in worshipping God.
And in particular,
he's talking here
about those
who are saying
you have to be
circumcised.
Without circumcision,
there's no way
you can approach God.
This is almost
what's at the heart
of worship
for so many people
around in Paul's day.
Without this,
there's no way
you can approach God.
But Paul is reminding them,
refuse to be drawn
into this.
Don't be distracted
by this.
Worship isn't about
what you do,
but what I do
and what I have done
for you.
That's what he goes on
to expand on
in verse 3.
We are the real
circumcision
who worship
by the spirit
of God
and glory
in Christ Jesus.
No confidence
in the flesh.
So the warning
is there.
Don't be distracted
by those around you
who will seek
to lead you away
in another direction.
And again,
it's such a warning
to ourselves
today as well
when there are
so many things
that will distract us,
so many things
that people will tell us
are important
and how we're to live,
even how we're to worship.
What we worship
is the living God,
not man.
And so we listen
to what the word
of God says to us.
The Judea,
the Jews around
at this time
were trying to force
people to follow
the law.
the law was a big thing
for them.
And if you didn't keep
the law,
you weren't right
with God.
There was no way
you could come near
to God
and yet the law
could never be upheld.
You could never
keep it perfectly.
You were enslaved
in this way
to trying to keep
the law,
something that was
impossible to do.
But what Paul
is saying,
refuse to get
pulled into this.
you come
and worship
God freely,
not burdened
by the law,
but free in Christ
who has fulfilled
the law for you.
What we could not do,
he has done
for us.
And so we have
this freedom
to approach
God in this way.
But are we?
Or are we still
trying in our own way
to satisfy God
and to fulfill
God's law
and make sure
that we are doing
everything right
ourselves?
Human effort
plays a big part
in so many people's
religion today.
It's about
what we do.
If you try
your best,
as somebody
once said,
even though
you aren't perfect,
God will say,
I let you
into heaven
because you
tried so hard.
is that
the answer
to life's
troubles today?
Is that
the way
to heaven?
Well,
the person
went on
to say,
if that is
what the Bible
teaches,
then it is so.
But if it is
contrary
to what the Bible
teaches,
then trying
your best
to get into
heaven
is like
trying your
best
to jump
across
the Grand
Canyon.
You're not
going to make
it.
No matter
how hard
you try,
it's impossible.
We cannot
do it.
And if we
are thinking
the way
to heaven
is to try
our best,
to do
our best,
we will
not make
it.
The only
way is
through faith
in the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
And we
say,
yes,
my faith
is in
Christ.
But yet
there are
times when
we can
still be
pulled back
into a
way of
thinking,
but I've
got to
do this.
I'm
letting
the Lord
down
because I've
done this
or I haven't
done this
and feeling
this burden
of guilt.
But on the
cross he
said,
it is
finished.
It is
done.
And you
put your
trust in
me.
Let us
not be
distracted
by others
who will
say,
you have
to do
this,
that,
or the
next thing.
You need
faith in
the Lord
Jesus.
And your
faith will
lead to
works.
Not works
that will
save you,
but works
that will
fulfill you
as you
do all
to the
glory of
God.
Not adding
anything to
your salvation,
but just
doing all
for him
who gave
his all
for you.
So why
do we
do what
we do?
If someone
was going to
ask you
tonight as
you leave
the church,
what were
you doing
in there?
What
response
would you
give to
them?
we
were
worshipping
God.
We
were
together
singing
God's
praise.
We
were
hearing
God's
word.
Would
that
answer
their
questions?
You
may have
to go
a little
further,
but remember
the scripture
says you
always have a
reason for
the hope
that you
have within.
To say,
I was
coming to
worship the
Lord who
died for
my sins.
I
believe in
him,
that I
might have
life through
him.
Something as
simple as
that, but
you're giving
a response.
If you
leave here
tonight and
someone asks
you, what
were you
doing?
Well, I
was just
doing what
I do
every week.
I don't
know what
I was
doing in
there.
I don't
know why
I was
doing it.
That's
not explaining
it.
We have
to have
an answer
to give
to people.
There's a
little story
told about
a church
in Denmark.
And every
time the
worshipers
would enter
the church,
they would
turn to
the right
and they
would bow
to the
wall.
And someone
was visiting
the church
this day.
And he
was seeing
the people
coming in,
looking to
the right
and bowing
to the
wall and
then going
to their
seats.
And he
was just
so curious
as to why
they were
doing this.
He was a
visitor.
He didn't
know what
they were
doing,
but everyone
who came
in who
was local,
they'd went
through this
motion.
At the
end of
the service,
he went
to ask
some of
the people.
He said,
why were
you bowing
to the
wall as
you came
in?
He said,
the only
answer I
got was,
we've
always done
it this
way.
It's a
common
answer we
have to
things today.
We've
always done
it this
way.
We don't
actually
understand
why we're
doing it.
So the
man wasn't
going to
leave it
at that.
He decided
to go
away and
do a
little bit
of research.
And what
he found
out was
that the
church used
to be a
Catholic
church before
the time
of the
Reformation.
And in the
church on the
right-hand
wall was a
picture of
Mary, a
painting of
Mary.
Not a
painting that
we'd hang,
but just
actually on
the wall.
people would
come in.
So as people
would come in
in the days of
the Catholic
church, they
would bow to
Mary as they
were going in
and then go and
take their seats.
And for years
after the
Reformation, even
though the
painting had
been painted
over, the
ritual continued.
And over
time, people,
generations
passed, and
yet still the
people, the
only answer
they had was,
it's the way
we've always
done it.
But it was
no part of
worship.
It was just
a ritual.
And Paul is
saying here,
don't let your
worship become
just a ritual.
Don't let
anyone come to
you and ask,
what were you
doing?
And you say,
well, just
doing what we
always done.
It's the way
we've always
done it.
Our worship
is living and
active, day
after day, week
after week.
We're not just
doing it out of
habit, we're
doing it out of
love, out of
love for our
Savior.
And that is
where our
focus is to
be, to
worship the
Lord and
no other, not
to be distracted
by anything
else.
Look out, he
says, for the
dogs, look out
for the
evildoers, look
out for those
who mutilate the
flesh.
Be on your
guard against
being led
away from
anything that
isn't
worshiping God
in spirit and
in truth.
And the
third and
final thing we
see here is in
verse 3.
And again, it's
just a reminder
to us of
what we are
as a people
of worship.
We are the
real circumcision
who worship
by the
spirit of
God and
glory in
Christ Jesus
and put no
confidence in
the flesh.
Our faith
relies on
Christ Jesus
as Lord.
Not confidence
in ourselves,
not confidence
in anything that
we've done, not
confidence in the
flesh.
We are the
real circumcision.
He says,
our hearts are
circumcised.
Our hearts are
melted by the
glory of God
in the person
of Christ.
Otherwise, we're
relying on
something that
cannot save us,
ourselves.
Robert Murray
McShane, I
think I quoted
him a couple of
weeks ago, a
famous minister
in Dundee.
He died before
he was 30 and
yet he had such
a powerful
ministry in
that city.
And it was
him that wrote
the hymn
Jehovah's
and Kenyu.
And if you
hear the
words of
that hymn,
it reminds
you of what
he was and
what he became
and how it
all changed.
He was a
stranger to
grace and
to God.
Then one
day it all
changed.
And he
says in the
hymn,
when free
grace awoke
me by
light from
on high,
then legal
fear shook
me, I
trembled to
die.
No refuge,
no safety,
in self could
I see.
Jehovah's and
Kenyu my
savior must
be.
He saw
nothing in
this world
that could
save him.
He knew
only Jehovah's
and Kenyu
my savior must
be.
And he saw
everything that
he had placed
his confidence
in was just
empty.
He must have
Christ as his
hope.
And that's
what he
found.
My
terrors all
vanished before
the sweet
name.
My guilty
fears banished
with boldness
I came to
drink at the
fountain,
life giving
and free.
Jehovah's and
Kenyu is all
things to
me.
His life was
transformed by
meeting Christ,
by coming to
that living
water, to
drink at the
fountain, life
giving and
free.
that is
where he
found what
worship was.
It was to
love Christ
Jesus with
all his
heart.
Nothing else
could save
him.
What the
Lord has
done for
us, as we
look to the
cross, as we
see what he
has done for
us, it
deserves our
worship.
It
deserves our
all, all
other forms,
glory in
the flesh,
but through
worship
exalts
Christ.
It
honors God
and worship
flows from
a heart that
is redeemed
by him.
So we
come to
him.
We come
to worship
him, as he
says here,
as the real
circumcision,
who worshiped
by the spirit
of God and
glory in
Christ Jesus,
putting no
confidence in
the flesh.
Is that how
we come to
worship?
Tonight,
tomorrow,
the day
after, this
Lord's Day?
Are we
coming
distracted,
or are we
coming focused
on the one
we come to
worship, and
what he has
done for
us?
Let us not
be distracted.
let us not
lose our
focus, but
day after
day, worship
him, not
losing heart,
but living
for him, and
letting the
love of
Christ shine
in our
hearts, and
going out and
showing that
love for
others.
The more we
come and
refuel ourselves
in him, the
more we have
to go and
give out to
others.
So as the
psalmist
says,
O come,
and let
us worship
him.
May we go
on in that
way, day
after day.
Amen.
May God
bless these
thoughts.
Amen.