WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:29.260 All right, am I turned up all the way? 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:32.380 Two of y'all got that, but it's okay. 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:38.840 Let me go ahead and pray for us, and we'll jump in and get started. 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:46.480 Father, we, yeah, that is our declaration, God, that we are our worshipers. 00:00:46.659 --> 00:00:55.659 Those of us who profess you as the one true and living God, who acknowledge your son, Jesus Christ, that you sent, the power of the Holy Spirit that has regenerated and redeemed us. 00:00:56.260 --> 00:00:58.100 Yeah, God, we want to worship you. 00:00:58.100 --> 00:01:04.879 And so, Father, we have done so in song tonight, Lord, and now we have the privilege of looking at your word. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:14.719 Father, we confess that without the aiding presence and power of your spirit, Father, we are unable to apprehend the truths that are there. 00:01:14.859 --> 00:01:23.599 And so, Father, we pray that you would help us as we turn to your word tonight, that we would humbly submit ourselves to it, for you are speaking to us. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:26.000 And, Father, I pray that we would not take that for granted. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:34.760 So, God, be with us now as we seek to look at your word, particularly Philippians 3, that you would apply this word to our hearts, that we might not sin against you. 00:01:35.319 --> 00:01:39.680 We ask all these things in Christ's name, by the power of the Spirit, to the glory of you, the Father. 00:01:40.460 --> 00:01:40.780 Amen. 00:01:42.500 --> 00:01:42.819 Amen. 00:01:43.659 --> 00:01:44.420 You all doing all right? 00:01:45.659 --> 00:01:46.299 All right. 00:01:46.379 --> 00:01:47.200 I mean, you're quiet. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:51.500 Yeah, so we're going to be in Philippians chapter 3 tonight. 00:01:52.460 --> 00:01:59.420 If you've been tracking with us for the past few weeks, we've been going through the book of Philippians. 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:02.100 Tonight, we're going to be in chapter 3. 00:02:04.939 --> 00:02:09.080 I'm grateful to stand again and to share with you, as Matt did share. 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:16.360 My bride and I are celebrating the birth of our son, Jude, and sleep deprivation is real. 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:17.760 It's a real thing. 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:25.960 And so we're blessed, of course, but, yeah, still in that phase where the nights and the days are kind of mixed up. 00:02:26.420 --> 00:02:28.560 So he turns up at about 12 a.m. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:31.420 That's when he wakes up and expects everybody else to be up. 00:02:31.419 --> 00:02:39.119 But we're grateful to be here, and I'm excited to look at this particular passage, Philippians 3. 00:02:39.939 --> 00:02:44.539 And we're going to be looking at the first 11 verses of Philippians chapter 3. 00:02:45.099 --> 00:02:46.459 When you have it, say amen. 00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:49.099 If you need a moment, say wait a minute. 00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:51.500 That's cool. 00:02:51.579 --> 00:02:54.099 Or you can just keep turning, and we'll recognize that you need a moment. 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:58.939 Philippians chapter 3, verses 1 through 11, I'll read it for our hearing. 00:02:58.939 --> 00:03:02.439 And the word of God says this. 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:04.979 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. 00:03:05.699 --> 00:03:09.659 To write the same things to you is no trouble to me, and it's safe for you. 00:03:10.500 --> 00:03:11.780 Look out for the dogs. 00:03:12.859 --> 00:03:14.379 Look out for the evildoers. 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:17.000 Look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:24.020 For we are the circumcision who worship by the spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:27.520 Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:31.680 If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. 00:03:32.620 --> 00:03:33.960 Circumcised on the eighth day. 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:35.900 Of the people of Israel. 00:03:36.540 --> 00:03:38.020 Of the tribe of Benjamin. 00:03:38.740 --> 00:03:40.180 A Hebrew of Hebrews. 00:03:40.620 --> 00:03:42.420 As to the law of Pharisee. 00:03:42.580 --> 00:03:44.820 As to zeal, a persecutor of the church. 00:03:45.340 --> 00:03:47.560 As to righteousness under the law, blameless. 00:03:48.340 --> 00:03:52.100 But whatever gain I had, I counted as lost for the sake of Christ. 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:58.120 Indeed, I count everything as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:04.259 For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:06.120 And be found in him. 00:04:06.539 --> 00:04:09.699 Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law. 00:04:09.699 --> 00:04:12.419 But that which comes through faith in Christ. 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:15.780 The righteousness from God that depends on faith. 00:04:16.459 --> 00:04:20.740 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings. 00:04:21.139 --> 00:04:22.959 Becoming like him in his death. 00:04:23.899 --> 00:04:29.519 That by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 00:04:30.259 --> 00:04:32.519 Such is the reading of the word of God. 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:42.039 There is a, yeah, there is an interesting worldview that's prevalent today. 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:53.299 If you have your eye towards the culture and will consider yourself a cultural critic to any degree, you recognize, particularly as a Christian, that there are several versions of Christianity going on. 00:04:54.019 --> 00:05:01.419 One in particular that I find interesting just because of how, in my opinion, how contrary I think it is to the gospel that we see in the scriptures. 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:09.900 Is this notion that the deepest, most central problem of humanity is a self-confidence issue. 00:05:11.280 --> 00:05:17.420 In other words, that the world is done or is doing something to us as individuals. 00:05:17.420 --> 00:05:20.700 And that the world, the external world is our problem. 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:24.819 And the answer to that problem is going to be found somewhere on the inside. 00:05:24.819 --> 00:05:35.800 In other words, if you were to go to a counselor of this worldview, this quote-unquote Christian worldview, you might get some advice that says, you know, your problem is you've got low self-confidence. 00:05:36.699 --> 00:05:40.740 And what you need is you need to recognize that you're more amazing than you realize. 00:05:41.420 --> 00:05:45.819 You need to recognize that there is a king or a queen in you and that you have all this power inside. 00:05:46.459 --> 00:05:51.019 And God wants you to attain the potential, the desires and aspirations that you have for yourself. 00:05:51.019 --> 00:05:54.500 God wants to partner with you and help you reach those goals. 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:57.000 He wants you to soar like the eagles. 00:05:58.279 --> 00:05:59.859 He wants you to fly high. 00:06:00.939 --> 00:06:04.060 But you've got to realize that there's a potential that's on the inside. 00:06:04.180 --> 00:06:06.459 You have to boast up in this self-confidence. 00:06:06.599 --> 00:06:07.859 You need more self-esteem. 00:06:09.879 --> 00:06:18.180 This particular passage, that worldview would look at what Paul says in this passage and they would look at Paul and say he has self-confidence issues. 00:06:18.180 --> 00:06:28.660 And interestingly enough, this Paul who has self-confidence issues in this passage is calling us likewise to have self-confidence issues. 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:30.519 I guess misery loves company. 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:37.939 Now, Paul is calling us to see the worldview that he's presenting, the worldview that by God's grace he's come to adapt. 00:06:37.939 --> 00:06:42.740 And he's issuing this call, this charge to us to adapt that same mindset. 00:06:44.740 --> 00:06:47.319 To have self-confidence issues. 00:06:48.740 --> 00:06:53.120 To have a lowness of the confidence that you put in yourself. 00:06:53.259 --> 00:06:57.000 A lowness of the trust that you ascribe to yourself. 00:06:57.220 --> 00:07:01.079 Paul calls you and I to consider that, to reckon with that. 00:07:01.079 --> 00:07:07.479 And to see that that's what the gospel demands as those who would subscribe to its precepts. 00:07:08.039 --> 00:07:12.159 This particular passage begins with two imperatives. 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:14.539 If you have your text there, again, we're in Philippians chapter 3. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:20.680 And the first imperative is just as interesting as the second. 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:26.219 Paul says, finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. 00:07:27.019 --> 00:07:28.079 That's a command. 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:32.839 Paul issues an imperative, perhaps this transition. 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:35.240 He's going into his last thoughts with this letter. 00:07:36.039 --> 00:07:38.599 And he says, rejoice in the Lord. 00:07:40.139 --> 00:07:47.979 If you've read through the book of Philippians, you understand that this is a phrase, a word, particularly that Paul uses over and over and over again. 00:07:48.039 --> 00:07:49.439 It'll come up again in chapter 4. 00:07:49.599 --> 00:07:57.139 But he issues this imperative, this command, and he tells the church at Philippi, and by extension, he tells you and I to rejoice in the Lord. 00:07:57.139 --> 00:07:58.060 Why is that interesting? 00:07:59.459 --> 00:08:00.439 For two reasons. 00:08:00.539 --> 00:08:01.659 One, Paul's in prison. 00:08:03.599 --> 00:08:04.879 Paul's on lockdown. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:11.579 Four, doing the very things that he's always been doing ever since his conversion in Acts chapter 9. 00:08:11.899 --> 00:08:13.120 Paul is spreading the gospel. 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:14.759 Paul is sharing truths. 00:08:15.159 --> 00:08:16.879 Paul is showing no respect to persons. 00:08:17.060 --> 00:08:18.180 He's sharing it to the Jews. 00:08:18.300 --> 00:08:19.139 He's now sharing it to the Gentiles. 00:08:19.139 --> 00:08:19.699 Gentiles. 00:08:20.039 --> 00:08:25.959 Paul is spreading this gospel message that that Jesus Christ that was put on that tree, that was actually the Messiah. 00:08:27.979 --> 00:08:30.779 And Paul's under Roman imprisonment, perhaps. 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:32.699 Perhaps it's this first Roman imprisonment. 00:08:32.779 --> 00:08:38.039 He's under Roman imprisonment, awaiting, as it were, a decision for what's going to happen to him. 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:44.360 And Paul, in prison, writing this prison epistle, gives the imperative to rejoice. 00:08:45.579 --> 00:08:49.759 That'd be like you going to visit somebody in prison and them encouraging you. 00:08:50.699 --> 00:08:54.019 Like, you know, I know you got all that freedom out there, and I know how hard it can be. 00:08:54.379 --> 00:08:56.139 But, you know, don't let that get you down. 00:08:56.139 --> 00:09:12.740 Paul's in prison, and he's encouraging, he's demanding that this small group of individuals, this church that he's founded, he's demanding that they rejoice in the Lord. 00:09:14.620 --> 00:09:21.080 Many people describe this letter in its entirety as Paul's joy letter, that this Paul has joy. 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:29.460 Joy, not only, of course, being in prison as one who's been persecuted for the faith, but joy in suffering in chapter one. 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:32.100 Joy in humility, like Christ in chapter two. 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:40.120 Joy as he's commending other individuals, namely Timothy and Epaphroditus, as those who are worthy of followership. 00:09:40.220 --> 00:09:41.660 Matt shared on that last week. 00:09:41.659 --> 00:09:52.939 But as one who is bound, Paul has the liberty to command that we rejoice in the Lord. 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:56.899 It's interesting for this reason as well. 00:09:56.980 --> 00:10:01.919 Not only is it interesting because Paul's in prison, but it is interesting because it is a command. 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:11.399 That Paul sees joy, not as perhaps the contemporary culture might see joy as something that's merely to be equated with happiness. 00:10:12.439 --> 00:10:15.240 And happiness is often predicated on happenings. 00:10:15.860 --> 00:10:18.179 And when your happenings aren't happening, you're not happy. 00:10:19.219 --> 00:10:27.839 But Paul sees joy as something that can come about, something that can manifest via a decision of the will. 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:33.240 In other words, Paul says, I'm commanding you to be joyful. 00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:34.879 I'm commanding you to rejoice. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:39.320 And he's given this command as one that can actually be followed. 00:10:40.580 --> 00:10:49.519 Of course, this decision of the will, as Christians, we know that this isn't something that we come up with in our own strength, but the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. 00:10:49.519 --> 00:11:01.679 This rejoicing, this joy that we have, that despite perhaps unfavorable circumstances, that we will be glad in the Lord, that's spirit motivated. 00:11:02.299 --> 00:11:03.519 That doesn't come from you. 00:11:04.419 --> 00:11:05.279 It doesn't come from me. 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:08.379 As a matter of fact, it's not just spirit motivated. 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:10.480 It's a part of the fruit of the spirit. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:12.319 Galatians 5. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:25.920 That Paul gives this imperative because this joy is a decision of the will and he wants the people at Philippi, he wants you and I to consistently rejoice in the Lord. 00:11:26.980 --> 00:11:31.960 And he's going to give this apologetic now about why he's about to go into what he's about to go into. 00:11:32.340 --> 00:11:35.760 Namely, he's going to talk about something that he's talked about before. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:44.539 He's kind of referenced a little bit in chapter one, talking about the enemies that perhaps this church was facing in these individuals who are teaching a false gospel. 00:11:44.740 --> 00:11:49.519 But he's saying, I'm going to bring it back up again and it's no problem for me and it's for your benefit. 00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:54.279 He's going to go into the second imperative that I think is connected to the first. 00:11:55.019 --> 00:11:58.019 He wants them to rejoice in the Lord. 00:11:58.019 --> 00:12:09.139 That the object of that joy, saints, the object of our disposition of contentment, of gladness, of joy is rooted in Christ. 00:12:10.199 --> 00:12:12.299 It's rooted in the person and work of Christ. 00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:14.019 It's not rooted in circumstances. 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:17.980 It's not rooted in, you know, my day didn't go the way I thought it was going to go today. 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:19.500 So I'm just not going to be joyful today. 00:12:19.500 --> 00:12:32.120 It's rooted in, you know, Christ, my redeemer for me, that despite whatever I see horizontally, I know that vertically things have been made right between me and God because of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:33.179 --> 00:12:34.779 So he gives this second imperative. 00:12:35.299 --> 00:12:37.460 First, he tells them to rejoice in the Lord. 00:12:37.779 --> 00:12:41.539 And because I'm telling you to rejoice in the Lord, I need you to watch out for something. 00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:48.379 He says, I need you to take care, to be diligent, to be discerning about something. 00:12:48.379 --> 00:12:50.639 It's right there in verse 2. 00:12:50.740 --> 00:12:58.939 He says, look out for, you got to give these three traits of this one type of individual that he's describing. 00:12:59.139 --> 00:13:01.720 Look out for, look out for the dogs. 00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:04.439 Look out for the evildoers. 00:13:05.340 --> 00:13:08.620 Look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:29.620 So Paul's introducing this topic that he goes on at length about in other books, namely Galatians, about the role that the works of the law have in one who would call him or herself a Christian in their justification, in their salvation experience. 00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:33.680 What role do the works of the law play? 00:13:34.039 --> 00:13:36.519 Namely a particular work, namely circumcision. 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:48.059 And Paul's going to contend against these individuals because of the great danger and threat that they pose to the church at Philippi and to the same danger and threat that is posed to us today. 00:13:48.620 --> 00:13:57.100 Perhaps not circumcision, but perhaps some, any other work that you might tie to saving faith as being a requisite for salvation. 00:13:58.019 --> 00:14:00.840 Paul says, look out, watch out for the dogs. 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:08.300 This is perhaps derogatory term that Jews use to normally refer to Gentiles. 00:14:08.920 --> 00:14:15.139 Here, Paul, Jew, Hebrew is using it to refer to a particular group of Jews. 00:14:15.139 --> 00:14:30.779 That's interesting because if it is this derogatory term that Jews would use to refer to Gentiles, we know that they look down on the Gentiles, namely the people who were not the people of God, because they didn't have the law of God. 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.779 They didn't have this history and heritage with Yahweh that the Jews have. 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:39.299 They didn't have this Abraham, Isaac, and such and such to point back to. 00:14:39.299 --> 00:14:47.139 So because the Gentiles didn't have the law of God, they didn't have Torah, that they themselves, they were looked down upon by the Jews. 00:14:47.219 --> 00:14:54.479 And Paul kind of flips this around and says, okay, the Jews use this term to talk about individuals who don't have the law of God. 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:59.000 And now he flips around and uses this term to talk about individuals who don't understand the gospel of God. 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:02.559 He says, look out for the dogs. 00:15:03.700 --> 00:15:05.940 Look out for the evildoers. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:17.340 These individuals who would teach that circumcision, a work of the law, is a requisite for saving faith, is a requirement to be saved. 00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:20.159 He would say, these individuals are evildoers. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:28.039 That's not that shocking because, one, the first evil that they're doing is that they're corrupting the gospel. 00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:32.799 They're adding a work to what is a justification by faith alone. 00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:39.599 They're adding a human agency to what is a divine accomplishment. 00:15:40.699 --> 00:15:43.559 That in itself is an evil that's being done. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:52.219 But then, too, we remember that Jesus has particular words for, namely, the scribes and the Pharisees that he's contending against in the gospel accounts. 00:15:52.319 --> 00:15:55.500 And in Matthew 23, he tells them that they're like whitewashed tombs. 00:15:56.079 --> 00:15:56.539 Remember that? 00:15:56.539 --> 00:15:59.620 He says, you look nice and purdy on the outside. 00:16:00.599 --> 00:16:01.620 He doesn't say purdy. 00:16:01.699 --> 00:16:03.279 He says, you look beautiful on the outside. 00:16:04.139 --> 00:16:06.839 But on the inside, it says dead bones, right? 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:09.620 That they are hypocritical. 00:16:10.839 --> 00:16:17.419 And right here, Paul says that there's a group of individuals that are teaching this false gospel. 00:16:18.059 --> 00:16:20.259 And he refers to them as dogs, as evildoers. 00:16:20.259 --> 00:16:22.179 And he refers to them as this word. 00:16:22.779 --> 00:16:25.279 Literally, it's the concision. 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:28.639 It's just literally those who mutilate the flesh. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:48.919 So, Paul is now making a play, as it were, on this notion that there's a group of individuals who, because of their heritage with the law of God and because of their submission to that law of God in this one respect, namely circumcision, they have sought to wield that over and against Gentile Christians or Gentiles who would be Christians and say, no. 00:16:48.919 --> 00:16:52.699 In order to be a Christian, you need to come by way of Jewish custom. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:57.360 In order to be a Christian, you need to come by way of the law, like us. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:07.779 And Paul says, these individuals, these dogs, these evildoers, these individuals who cut up the flesh. 00:17:09.400 --> 00:17:11.200 He says, I want you to look out for them. 00:17:12.120 --> 00:17:13.500 I want you to look out for them. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:15.599 And here's why. 00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:20.900 He says, because we are the circumcision. 00:17:20.900 --> 00:17:27.480 And that we, of course, he's including himself in that, but he's referring to the faithful community there at Philippi. 00:17:27.600 --> 00:17:30.100 This is Paul's proposition for this section. 00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:32.680 This is Paul's main point. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:35.220 We are the circumcision. 00:17:36.800 --> 00:17:38.060 We are the ones. 00:17:39.580 --> 00:17:44.960 Just call the individuals who thought that they themselves were the circumcision, call them mutilators of the flesh. 00:17:45.140 --> 00:17:47.720 He says, we are the actual circumcision of God. 00:17:47.800 --> 00:17:50.180 We are those who have been circumcised by God. 00:17:50.180 --> 00:17:51.360 How does Paul get that? 00:17:51.420 --> 00:17:52.680 Where does he get that notion from? 00:17:52.779 --> 00:18:05.100 Well, he's conjuring this notion that was present in the Old Testament, that via the right of circumcision, physical circumcision, God was always after a circumcision of the heart. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:06.560 Was he not? 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:09.299 Let's see. 00:18:09.600 --> 00:18:11.799 I want to read this passage, Jeremiah 4.4. 00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:19.180 There are many other places where in the Old Testament you can see that this notion of circumcision of the heart existed. 00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:24.519 Deuteronomy 30 is another place where Moses is giving them the rundown of the law again. 00:18:24.600 --> 00:18:28.360 But here in Jeremiah 4, I'm going to read verses 3 and 4. 00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:36.180 For thus says the Lord to the man of Judah and Jerusalem, break up your fallow ground and sow not among thorns. 00:18:36.380 --> 00:18:39.299 Verse 4, circumcise yourselves to the Lord. 00:18:40.060 --> 00:18:44.779 Remove the foreskin of your hearts, O man of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. 00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:47.500 Lest my wrath go forth like fire. 00:18:47.500 --> 00:18:59.140 So in the Old Testament, there was already this notion that circumcision as a mere physical right, as a mere physical accomplishment was not all that God was after. 00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:17.940 And Paul now, telling to the church at Philippi, that he says that those of us who have placed our faith in Christ, who have looked upon Christ as Christ's person and work, have seen his substitutionary atonement on the cross, have accepted that as their own, those individuals, you and I, we are the true circumcision. 00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:22.580 He says, we are the circumcision. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:28.620 We worship, continuing in verse 3, by the Spirit of God. 00:19:30.980 --> 00:19:40.840 Many individuals would say that Paul, that there is a lack in Pauline literature of references to Jesus Christ and the gospel accounts. 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:47.039 And several weeks ago, here at Trinity, we went through a Sunday school class on the Pauline epistles. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:20:02.039 And one of the things I said then is that there are echoes in Pauline literature that he, no, he does not necessarily explicitly quote from a gospel account, but he's echoing these truths that were perhaps oral traditions already. 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:06.419 So he's not contradicting the Jesus of the gospels. 00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:09.079 I think this is a place here where we see an echo. 00:20:09.079 --> 00:20:14.899 Paul says, we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God. 00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:20.639 There's a conversation in John 4 that Jesus is having with the Samaritan woman. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.179 Remember that? 00:20:21.919 --> 00:20:24.799 And she's concerned about the address of worship. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:29.119 Jews say you worship in Jerusalem. 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:31.000 We say we worship here. 00:20:31.139 --> 00:20:31.899 Which one is it? 00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:34.279 Jesus says it's not in Samaria. 00:20:34.439 --> 00:20:36.139 It's not in Jerusalem, right? 00:20:36.140 --> 00:20:39.280 It's not there, but it's in spirit and in truth. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:47.840 Paul reflects that truth here where he says we are the circumcision because we worship by the Spirit of God. 00:20:47.840 --> 00:20:53.580 And glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. 00:20:53.579 --> 00:20:59.960 In other words, that word for glory there, that conjures up this notion of boasting. 00:21:00.399 --> 00:21:05.259 Our only boast, our only brag and rights is in Christ Jesus. 00:21:06.659 --> 00:21:09.159 We don't put any confidence in the flesh. 00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:11.919 We have self-confidence issues. 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:23.640 Our bragging and our boasting, the only grounds of us being certain and assure of ourselves is ourselves in Christ. 00:21:25.840 --> 00:21:28.980 On that basis, we are the true circumcision. 00:21:28.980 --> 00:21:34.299 Then Paul does several things. 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:38.140 And I want to walk through these briefly before ending our time here. 00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:48.599 The first thing that Paul does, or rather demonstrates that he has done and encourages us and invites us to do as well, 00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:52.319 is he reassigns his valuation. 00:21:53.380 --> 00:21:56.799 He reassigns his valuation. 00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:58.919 I'm looking at verses 4 through 8. 00:21:59.059 --> 00:22:00.059 Look back at the text. 00:22:01.720 --> 00:22:02.799 Look at verse 4. 00:22:04.139 --> 00:22:07.559 Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. 00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:12.019 In other words, he's just said we're the circumcision because we worship by the Spirit of God. 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:14.259 We boast only in Christ alone. 00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:16.139 We put no confidence in the flesh. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:19.879 But he says I have reason to put confidence in the flesh. 00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:22.000 He says I do. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:28.359 I have a list of things to put forward if we were going to play the list game. 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:34.480 What Paul does here is, it's interesting. 00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:40.200 He condescends and he plays their game for a second. 00:22:41.339 --> 00:22:43.640 He submits to the rules of their game. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:45.119 He plays their game. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:48.359 Only at the end make a point, right? 00:22:49.239 --> 00:22:53.299 So if you think about it in terms of a job and a resume, right? 00:22:53.619 --> 00:22:55.219 Paul submits his resume. 00:22:56.799 --> 00:23:02.919 If having the most to boast about and brag about in oneself was a job, Paul submits his resume. 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:06.919 He says, okay, this is a job everybody's going for. 00:23:07.139 --> 00:23:08.139 Let me submit my resume. 00:23:08.219 --> 00:23:09.219 Let me just see what happens. 00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:12.839 Paul submits his resume. 00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:17.059 He outshines every other applicant. 00:23:18.220 --> 00:23:19.799 He gets the job. 00:23:20.579 --> 00:23:23.079 He negotiates a compensation package. 00:23:23.700 --> 00:23:29.779 He shakes hands, kisses babies, pops champagne, and then he resigns. 00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:33.299 This is the game that Paul plays. 00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:37.419 He gets the job, and then he says, I don't want the job. 00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:49.779 Or to think of it in terms of a basketball game, he goes on their court, plays their game, beats them at their game, and then throws the trophy in the garbage on his way out. 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:53.680 This is what he's doing in this section. 00:23:53.779 --> 00:24:00.460 Look, he says, if we want to play the confidence in the flesh game, I have some things to be confident about. 00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:01.279 Look at what he says. 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:05.720 If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:08.420 Verse 5, circumcised on the eighth day. 00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:09.819 Like a good Jew. 00:24:10.059 --> 00:24:10.160 Right? 00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.180 That's Genesis 17. 00:24:11.859 --> 00:24:15.119 God has given this promise, covenantal promise to Abraham. 00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:17.139 He's ratified that covenant. 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:22.319 And then in 17, he gives this sign of the covenant, namely circumcision. 00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:25.160 Circumcised all Jewish males on the eighth day. 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:26.339 Paul says, I got that. 00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:26.720 Check. 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:26.799 Check. 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:31.140 Of the people of Israel. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:32.860 Of the tribe of Benjamin. 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:38.420 Paul says, I can trace my lineage back to the tribe of Benjamin. 00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:42.920 Which, as you know, that's the tribe where Israel's first king came out of. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:46.220 That's where tall, dark, and handsome King Saul came out of. 00:24:47.059 --> 00:24:49.279 Paul says, I'm with those people. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:58.180 And if you remember as well, Judah and Benjamin were the only two of the southern kingdom after Solomon's children split the kingdom. 00:24:58.359 --> 00:24:58.440 Right? 00:24:58.500 --> 00:25:02.680 After Solomon's child split the kingdom, Judah and Benjamin were the only two left in the southern kingdom. 00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:04.720 Paul says, I'm of that lineage. 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:08.500 I can trace my family all the way back to that tribe. 00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:12.240 Paul says, I'm a Hebrew of Hebrews. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:14.299 I'm not a proselyte. 00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:16.500 My parents are Hebrews. 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:20.480 I'm a child of Hebrew parents. 00:25:22.019 --> 00:25:26.000 As to the law, Paul says, I was a Pharisee. 00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:33.399 You can see him state that plainly in Acts 22 and 26, where he's repeating, as it were, his conversion experience. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:33.639 Right? 00:25:33.659 --> 00:25:34.879 He's in trial after trial. 00:25:35.079 --> 00:25:38.139 He repeats his conversion experience in Acts 22 and 26. 00:25:38.339 --> 00:25:40.539 He just plainly states, yeah, I was a Pharisee. 00:25:40.539 --> 00:25:46.819 As to zeal, verse 6, the persecutor of the church. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:50.819 You see that in Acts 8, beginning of Acts 9. 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:56.920 As to righteousness under the law, blameless. 00:25:58.119 --> 00:26:06.319 Paul says to those who are under this system, this, as it were, external observance of ritualistic laws. 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:13.319 To those who were under that kind of system, you were to observe my life, you would say that I was blameless. 00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:16.659 Of course, here Paul is not saying that he was sinless. 00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:19.500 We know in other places, Paul calls himself the chief among sinners. 00:26:20.159 --> 00:26:27.960 But Paul is saying under that system, the game that we were all playing as Pharisees, as to the law, I was probably considered blameless. 00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:31.859 They could look at my life and say, yeah, I was diligent for the law. 00:26:31.859 --> 00:26:35.539 But remember that passage I quoted there in Matthew, right? 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:38.679 That external beauty, but that internal rot. 00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:44.059 I think Paul would say that he himself was a prime example of that. 00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:49.679 So Paul gives this resume, as it were, I have all of these things to boast in. 00:26:50.359 --> 00:26:51.699 But then he says this. 00:26:51.700 --> 00:27:06.680 In other words, everything that this list would, I would have imagined would have afforded me. 00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:16.000 Every advantage that I would have considered these things to have afforded me, my valuation has changed. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:22.480 In other words, those things that I placed value in, I don't place value in anymore. 00:27:24.019 --> 00:27:32.700 Those things that I would have looked at and said, this is why I'm one of God's favorites, my resume. 00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:38.720 Because those things I would have listed and named and called off, they don't have any value anymore. 00:27:40.180 --> 00:27:43.000 He says, I counted them as lost. 00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:47.680 And then look at what he says, he goes on in verse 8. 00:27:47.859 --> 00:27:50.240 Indeed, I count everything as lost. 00:27:50.940 --> 00:27:56.559 Because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. 00:27:58.779 --> 00:28:04.000 Those things that were formerly considered advantages, they have lost their value. 00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:06.559 So in one sense, Paul has updated his resume. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:15.299 If you think of a resume as those things that you can come before God and on the basis of those things, seek to merit his favor. 00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:19.460 And that's since Paul has updated his resume and he's taken everything off. 00:28:21.379 --> 00:28:23.799 Because that's the truth, isn't it, friends? 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:31.480 There is nothing that we can come before God and say, okay, on the basis of these eight things, here is why I think you want me on your team, God. 00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:38.980 But Paul has recognized that all those things that he would have been boasting about, bragging about. 00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:44.319 Of course, we see perhaps the Pharisees and the scribes doing the same thing in the gospel accounts. 00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:46.559 Paul says, none of that matters. 00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:48.819 And why does none of that matter? 00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:55.620 Because none of that can merit, none of that can merit salvation before a holy and righteous God. 00:28:55.619 --> 00:28:59.879 I can't use any of that stuff. 00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:07.959 Everything that I would have used to put forward and say, okay, here is why I'm better than everybody else. 00:29:08.019 --> 00:29:12.239 Here is why I'm a prime candidate for eternal salvation. 00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:14.899 Paul says it doesn't work that way. 00:29:14.979 --> 00:29:17.179 He says, I counted these things as loss. 00:29:17.539 --> 00:29:19.519 My values have changed. 00:29:19.939 --> 00:29:20.879 I've taken value. 00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:26.000 I've divested, as it were, this list of things, and I've put that value into something else. 00:29:26.040 --> 00:29:29.800 And I've seen that I can't use the former to merit the latter. 00:29:36.440 --> 00:29:37.720 Where does he see value? 00:29:37.860 --> 00:29:38.360 Verse 8. 00:29:39.360 --> 00:29:40.640 The knowledge of Christ. 00:29:42.380 --> 00:29:43.540 Nothing else mattered. 00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:51.119 In a weighty and ultimate sense, nothing else mattered besides having Christ as Savior and Lord. 00:29:51.180 --> 00:29:53.000 He describes this as knowing Christ. 00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:55.539 This is kind of Johannine language in a sense. 00:29:55.899 --> 00:30:00.139 He describes having Christ as knowing Christ. 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:04.099 This goes beyond mere intellectual knowledge, right? 00:30:04.180 --> 00:30:06.119 This isn't, oh, yeah, I know that guy. 00:30:06.220 --> 00:30:07.059 I know about him. 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:12.779 No, but this knowing that Paul speaks of here, it's a personal knowing, isn't it? 00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:14.539 It's a relational knowing. 00:30:14.619 --> 00:30:18.519 It's a knowledge that ends up evidencing itself in the way you live. 00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:23.339 I know him, and you can see that by the way I live my life. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:33.299 I want to be counted among those who are in league with Christ, and you can see by the way I live that that's the case. 00:30:36.139 --> 00:30:38.079 He calls it knowing Christ. 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:42.279 Listen to how John talks about this as well. 00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:46.240 John chapter 10, and there are several others, but just listen to John 10, 14. 00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:49.379 I am the good shepherd. 00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:54.180 I know my own, and my own know me. 00:30:55.019 --> 00:31:00.000 Just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. 00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:01.339 John 17, 3. 00:31:01.339 --> 00:31:14.319 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.859 This is personal. 00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:17.699 This is relational. 00:31:17.919 --> 00:31:18.879 This is transformative. 00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:24.700 Back in Philippians 3, look at the last part of verse 8. 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:32.860 For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish. 00:31:33.900 --> 00:31:35.200 That's a serious word. 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:38.640 You can say garbage. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:43.000 Or you can even say dung. 00:31:44.660 --> 00:31:46.840 Paul says, this is the way I now regard. 00:31:46.980 --> 00:31:50.640 This is the value that I put in all of those things. 00:31:50.779 --> 00:31:51.640 Can you imagine? 00:31:51.799 --> 00:31:52.819 Can you imagine? 00:31:52.819 --> 00:32:07.480 Imagine now the community where perhaps in the community of individuals who's hearing this letter read, perhaps some of them were Judaizers, those who were telling the Gentile converts that you need to come by way of Jewish customs, hearing this language. 00:32:08.119 --> 00:32:15.460 Hearing Paul go through this laundry list of things, advantages that he would say that he would have, right? 00:32:15.619 --> 00:32:19.259 Wins the game, gets the job, quits, throws the trophy in the garbage. 00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:24.099 Imagine what that does to the individual who's still putting confidence in those things. 00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:25.700 Right? 00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:27.059 It's like wanting to get away, right? 00:32:28.859 --> 00:32:40.980 But Paul does this to show that all of these things, all of these things that I can look to and be boastful and that I can brag about mean nothing in relation to knowing Christ. 00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:50.279 He says, I count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. 00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:52.420 That's interesting. 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:58.039 He says, I count them as rubbish in order that I might gain Christ. 00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:01.799 That's what you call a henna clause. 00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:02.380 Send that, Malcolm. 00:33:04.440 --> 00:33:05.720 That in order that. 00:33:05.779 --> 00:33:07.380 That's a strong phrase. 00:33:07.380 --> 00:33:15.120 In other words, I've had to count all of these things as rubbish so that I might gain Christ. 00:33:15.580 --> 00:33:19.420 In other words, if you don't count them as rubbish, there is no gaining of Christ. 00:33:19.500 --> 00:33:20.020 You see that? 00:33:20.940 --> 00:33:26.840 In other words, you can't have your laundry list of things that you want to be boastful and brag about and still have Jesus. 00:33:29.540 --> 00:33:34.340 You have to count them as nothing in order that you can gain Christ. 00:33:34.339 --> 00:33:37.159 You have to lose those so you can gain. 00:33:38.039 --> 00:33:39.980 Again, that sounds just like Jesus, doesn't it? 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.240 Paul keeps echoing Jesus. 00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:43.379 What does Jesus say? 00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:45.939 Whoever will seek to save his life will lose it. 00:33:47.779 --> 00:33:55.879 Paul says, I've counted all of these things as worthless so that I might grab hold of Christ. 00:33:57.139 --> 00:34:01.699 And saints, perhaps you and I, we still have our list of things, don't we? 00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:10.300 Someone asks you, perhaps in an interview, you know, what's the thing that you're most proud of in your life? 00:34:11.659 --> 00:34:14.960 I mean, the knee jerk, we immediately go to things that we've accomplished. 00:34:16.380 --> 00:34:24.000 What is the thing that you are most proud about, that you would most want, you know, after you're gone, the people to remember that you for? 00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:25.119 What is that thing? 00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:29.400 Typically, people respond with something that we've done. 00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:33.900 Paul responds with something that has been done for him. 00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:47.099 In that question, they're asking you, give me something that you've done, something that you can brag and boast about, something that I can tell everybody and everybody be wowed about. 00:34:47.359 --> 00:34:48.500 Paul says, okay, here it is. 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:52.239 Somebody else accomplish salvation for me. 00:34:53.179 --> 00:34:54.400 It's like, is that it, Paul? 00:34:54.800 --> 00:34:56.800 That's what you want me to write down? 00:34:59.599 --> 00:35:00.239 Okay. 00:35:01.820 --> 00:35:08.820 Paul gives the accomplishment of someone else for him as the most important thing. 00:35:08.940 --> 00:35:14.940 The thing that's worth boasting and bragging about for Paul is, yeah, I couldn't do it. 00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:16.179 He had to do it for me. 00:35:16.179 --> 00:35:18.539 Isn't that great? 00:35:20.919 --> 00:35:23.960 This is the worldview, right? 00:35:24.219 --> 00:35:32.059 This is what Paul invites you and I into as those who confess and those who would desire to walk worthy of the gospel. 00:35:35.619 --> 00:35:38.219 Paul reassigns his valuation. 00:35:38.219 --> 00:35:43.119 And notice, too, before we move on, I just, I think this is interesting. 00:35:43.819 --> 00:35:51.239 The way the text reads, verse 7, he counted all of these advantages, all of these things as loss. 00:35:51.239 --> 00:36:00.159 And then in verse 8, he goes on and loses them. 00:36:00.479 --> 00:36:01.039 You see that? 00:36:01.739 --> 00:36:05.059 In verse 7, he says, I counted all of these things as loss. 00:36:05.419 --> 00:36:10.859 And then verse 8, it says, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 00:36:11.179 --> 00:36:13.859 For his sake, I have suffered the loss of everything. 00:36:15.939 --> 00:36:18.199 See, Stephen, you're making a big deal out of semantics. 00:36:18.199 --> 00:36:18.879 I don't think so. 00:36:18.980 --> 00:36:24.559 Paul says, I counted, I considered all of these things as valueless. 00:36:25.139 --> 00:36:31.359 I considered all of these things as worthless as it pertains to salvation in Christ. 00:36:31.419 --> 00:36:36.419 As it pertains to salvation for a holy and righteous God, I considered all of these things as worthless. 00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:39.199 I considered all of these things as loss. 00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:41.599 And then I actually lost them. 00:36:42.899 --> 00:36:44.119 Here's my problem. 00:36:45.139 --> 00:36:54.079 When I haven't done the work of fighting and considering all of that stuff that doesn't really matter as losses, when I actually lose them, I lose it. 00:36:54.079 --> 00:37:00.119 Paul considered all of these things as loss. 00:37:00.119 --> 00:37:16.659 He, as it were, ripped himself from an unhealthy and idolatrous attachment to these things so that, yeah, when in his following of Jesus, he had to part ways with a lot of those things, it didn't bother him much, did it? 00:37:16.659 --> 00:37:22.859 That's why you see Paul saying crazy stuff like, you know, be content. 00:37:23.319 --> 00:37:27.119 I've learned how to be a, I've learned how to be a base and I've learned how to abound. 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:28.179 Like, yeah, Paul, whatever. 00:37:30.239 --> 00:37:32.619 That's because Paul has done, he's done that work. 00:37:32.619 --> 00:37:35.900 And by God's grace, he calls you and I to do that work. 00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:46.460 All the things that we would consider things to brag about, whether that be our pedigree, our jobs, what we do, et cetera, et cetera, all that secondary, tertiary, even below that. 00:37:48.519 --> 00:37:54.299 As compared to the sake of knowing Christ, because all of those things can't get you Christ. 00:37:55.739 --> 00:38:01.500 It can get you praise from other people, but they can't get you Christ. 00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:07.199 Not only does Paul reassign his valuation, but he reassesses his validation. 00:38:07.860 --> 00:38:09.880 He reassesses his validation. 00:38:10.059 --> 00:38:10.920 Look at verse 9. 00:38:13.940 --> 00:38:15.380 So continue in verse 8. 00:38:15.579 --> 00:38:26.900 In order that I may gain Christ, verse 9, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ. 00:38:26.900 --> 00:38:30.699 The righteousness from God that depends on faith. 00:38:30.699 --> 00:38:31.719 Mm, that's good. 00:38:33.719 --> 00:38:36.500 He says to be found in him. 00:38:37.259 --> 00:38:39.639 Now, this is Pauline language. 00:38:39.819 --> 00:38:41.299 Paul loves that phrase, in him. 00:38:41.919 --> 00:38:45.879 This idea of union with Christ just runs throughout Pauline literature. 00:38:47.039 --> 00:38:51.500 That Christians are those who have been united with Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:38:51.500 --> 00:38:59.679 And our right standing before God is because of our union with the one who truly has a right standing with God, namely Jesus. 00:39:01.320 --> 00:39:04.460 Paul says, I want to be found in him. 00:39:04.460 --> 00:39:08.599 In other words, what does it mean to gain Christ? 00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:10.000 Paul used that phrase. 00:39:10.099 --> 00:39:10.699 Here's what it means. 00:39:10.740 --> 00:39:12.579 To be found in him. 00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:16.980 This verse gets at the heart of the gospel, does it not? 00:39:18.500 --> 00:39:21.920 The gospel is a righteousness issue. 00:39:21.920 --> 00:39:27.900 Eternity with God is a legal matter about righteousness. 00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:33.220 Right standing before the one true and living God. 00:39:34.099 --> 00:39:39.960 It's about a life that has been lived in complete conformity to the divine will. 00:39:39.960 --> 00:39:41.119 That's a righteous life. 00:39:42.280 --> 00:39:46.920 A life that has been lived in complete conformity to the divine will. 00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:48.079 That's a righteous life. 00:39:49.220 --> 00:39:52.139 This matter of righteousness has been complicated, though. 00:39:52.179 --> 00:39:54.320 Has it not been complicated by sin? 00:39:55.559 --> 00:39:59.960 So that the righteous life that is required, we don't have. 00:40:02.579 --> 00:40:06.199 That's the, friends, that's the heart of the gospel message. 00:40:06.199 --> 00:40:13.419 And I would say this is what distinguishes this worldview from any other worldview. 00:40:15.079 --> 00:40:20.059 Because salvation, because eternity with the one true and living God, it's a righteousness issue. 00:40:21.419 --> 00:40:25.059 And the problem that the gospel exposes is that we just don't have it. 00:40:25.839 --> 00:40:27.079 We don't have the righteousness. 00:40:28.179 --> 00:40:29.819 And therein is the dilemma. 00:40:29.820 --> 00:40:37.360 I don't have the righteousness that God demands as one who is holy and righteous. 00:40:37.519 --> 00:40:38.539 Then what do I do? 00:40:39.740 --> 00:40:43.140 Remember that worldview that I talked about earlier would say, it's in you. 00:40:43.200 --> 00:40:44.120 Don't worry about it. 00:40:45.559 --> 00:40:48.019 But the gospel of the New Testament says, no, no, no. 00:40:48.840 --> 00:40:51.260 Our problem is not external. 00:40:51.940 --> 00:40:53.260 Our problem is internal. 00:40:53.260 --> 00:40:57.360 And our solution is not internal. 00:40:57.700 --> 00:41:00.280 But our solution is an alien righteousness. 00:41:01.500 --> 00:41:11.520 In other words, what distinguishes the Christian worldview from any other worldview is that the Christian worldview acknowledges that in humanity, there is no answer. 00:41:11.519 --> 00:41:14.440 One theologian put it this way. 00:41:14.440 --> 00:41:25.119 He said, the problem of the fall with humanity is that it exposes the fact that that fall was so corrupt that humanity is in desperate need of a savior. 00:41:25.179 --> 00:41:26.179 You see that all throughout the Bible. 00:41:26.320 --> 00:41:31.280 One thing you become convinced of throughout the read through the whole Bible is that people are jacked up. 00:41:32.219 --> 00:41:33.259 You're like, oh, man. 00:41:33.340 --> 00:41:34.059 Oh, man. 00:41:34.179 --> 00:41:35.119 Oh, gosh. 00:41:37.219 --> 00:41:39.400 That's one thing you got to be convinced of. 00:41:39.400 --> 00:41:44.519 And the theologian says that humanity is in desperate need of a savior. 00:41:45.440 --> 00:41:49.139 But humanity can't produce that savior from its own ranks. 00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:53.039 He says that's how corrupt the fall was. 00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:59.079 And so now the savior is one that I said earlier is divine accomplishment. 00:41:59.300 --> 00:42:01.000 Here's what distinguishes the Christian worldview. 00:42:01.680 --> 00:42:03.420 God comes down. 00:42:05.360 --> 00:42:07.019 Malcolm preached beautifully on this. 00:42:07.019 --> 00:42:07.679 Philippians 2. 00:42:07.679 --> 00:42:09.400 God comes down. 00:42:10.980 --> 00:42:16.840 And he comes in fashion as a man and he lives an obedient life even unto death on the cross. 00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:22.159 So the gospel, this righteousness that's needed. 00:42:22.159 --> 00:42:31.379 For those of us who are trusting wholly and solely on Jesus tonight, this is what has taken place. 00:42:31.500 --> 00:42:38.159 On the cross, the father has treated the son as if he lived my life. 00:42:38.819 --> 00:42:41.920 That's the that's the testimony of a Christian on the cross. 00:42:42.039 --> 00:42:45.659 The father treats the son as if he lived my life. 00:42:45.659 --> 00:42:49.619 And when I place my faith in the son, get this. 00:42:49.699 --> 00:42:51.119 This is what's beautiful about it. 00:42:51.480 --> 00:42:56.219 When I place my faith in Jesus, the father treats me as if I live Jesus's life. 00:42:56.960 --> 00:43:02.039 So in other words, the righteous life that we need but we don't have, Jesus has it. 00:43:02.039 --> 00:43:16.900 And Paul says, my desperate desire to gain Christ is to be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own through works of the law, but the righteousness that is attained from God by faith in Christ. 00:43:16.900 --> 00:43:22.500 Christ has the righteous life that is needed. 00:43:23.340 --> 00:43:23.900 We don't. 00:43:24.940 --> 00:43:36.420 And Paul says the only way to get that righteousness applied to you, credited to your account, it comes from God and depends on faith. 00:43:38.579 --> 00:43:42.980 So Paul has reassessed, as it were, his validation. 00:43:42.980 --> 00:43:47.760 Whereas before he probably would have put, he would have probably put all of that on his resume. 00:43:48.240 --> 00:43:50.219 The way I get in is my resume. 00:43:51.539 --> 00:43:58.320 Now, Paul says, no, the way I get in is a righteousness that is from God by faith in Christ. 00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:10.420 A righteousness that he calls, I love the way he puts these in the righteousness, not a righteousness of my own, but that which comes through faith in Christ. 00:44:10.420 --> 00:44:12.440 The righteousness from God. 00:44:12.440 --> 00:44:13.659 Ooh, that's grace. 00:44:14.760 --> 00:44:18.800 The righteousness from God that depends on faith. 00:44:20.680 --> 00:44:25.260 God graciously grants the righteous standing because we can't earn it. 00:44:26.159 --> 00:44:32.800 God graciously grants the righteous standing and then also grants you the faith to believe in the Christ who earned that righteous standing. 00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:37.220 Paul reassesses his validation. 00:44:37.219 --> 00:44:42.439 He's simply echoing what he's already said in Romans 3.20, by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified. 00:44:42.739 --> 00:44:42.939 Why? 00:44:44.079 --> 00:44:47.619 Because the law reveals sin, which is his argument in Romans, right? 00:44:47.739 --> 00:44:52.659 You try to go by way of the law, you just run even more and more into your own sin. 00:44:56.980 --> 00:45:00.639 Lastly, Paul redefines his vocation. 00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:10.099 So not only does he reassign his valuation or reassess his validation, but in verses 10 and 11, he redefines his vocation. 00:45:10.259 --> 00:45:14.259 So Paul has now distilled the whole of the Christian life. 00:45:14.319 --> 00:45:18.460 The whole of his pursuit is this. 00:45:18.539 --> 00:45:19.299 Look at verse 10. 00:45:19.300 --> 00:45:30.519 The Greek actually says, sharing the fellowship of his sufferings. 00:45:33.019 --> 00:45:35.680 Becoming like him in his death. 00:45:36.400 --> 00:45:39.039 Paul says, so here's what I'm doing. 00:45:39.519 --> 00:45:41.000 Here's what my whole life is about. 00:45:41.100 --> 00:45:42.820 And he's already said this in chapter one, right? 00:45:42.840 --> 00:45:44.440 For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. 00:45:44.720 --> 00:45:45.800 This is what my whole life is about. 00:45:45.800 --> 00:45:48.280 I want to know Christ. 00:45:50.539 --> 00:45:53.240 So saints, here's the challenge for you and I. 00:45:54.460 --> 00:45:56.560 You know, I think about my plate now. 00:45:57.519 --> 00:45:59.140 I used to be busy. 00:45:59.300 --> 00:46:06.320 Now it's into like intergalactic ridiculousness now with the birth of our son. 00:46:07.019 --> 00:46:09.080 So I got, you know, I got family going on. 00:46:09.140 --> 00:46:10.700 I got a job going on. 00:46:11.140 --> 00:46:13.039 I got school going on. 00:46:13.039 --> 00:46:17.739 I want to invest and lean well into my church, you know, before they think I'm not a real Christian. 00:46:18.259 --> 00:46:20.219 You know, I got all this stuff that I want to do. 00:46:20.519 --> 00:46:22.320 I got all these things going on. 00:46:23.219 --> 00:46:26.179 The challenge for me is I need to view all of that. 00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:31.639 So when you're in your cubicle or at school in the library or at your desk for work, 00:46:31.739 --> 00:46:34.759 you need to view all of that as a means. 00:46:35.719 --> 00:46:36.759 It's not an end. 00:46:36.760 --> 00:46:41.860 So Paul isn't calling you to abandon all of these things. 00:46:42.020 --> 00:46:49.120 Paul isn't even calling you to abandon good works that spring forth from a life that has been redeemed by the Spirit of God. 00:46:49.180 --> 00:46:50.460 He's been calling you abandoning that. 00:46:51.440 --> 00:46:56.260 He's calling you to abandon salvation via those works, but he's not calling you even to abandon good works. 00:46:56.260 --> 00:47:01.480 But he says all of these things that you do, all of these perhaps accolades that you have acquired, 00:47:01.760 --> 00:47:07.180 all of the events and business that you do throughout your week, all of it is a means. 00:47:09.320 --> 00:47:11.320 That you're knowing Christ. 00:47:11.440 --> 00:47:13.080 You're experiencing Christ. 00:47:13.220 --> 00:47:15.560 You're sharing in the fellowship with Christ. 00:47:15.559 --> 00:47:22.639 Your comprehensive Christian worldview is lived out in all of those different areas. 00:47:24.380 --> 00:47:29.699 So Paul says don't use all of those different areas to try and earn the salvation that you couldn't earn in the first place. 00:47:30.519 --> 00:47:36.340 But all of those things that you do are just means by which you make much of him. 00:47:37.940 --> 00:47:41.279 He says I want to know him and the power of his resurrection. 00:47:41.440 --> 00:47:42.900 In Ephesians 1, I'm not going to turn there. 00:47:42.900 --> 00:47:53.780 Paul makes this argument that says he wants the church at Ephesus and therefore by extension us to know that that same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in believers. 00:47:54.900 --> 00:47:57.740 I think this is what Paul is referring to here, the power of his resurrection. 00:47:58.019 --> 00:48:05.700 Not just resurrection ultimately for my own sake and my own body, but resurrection power even now as I live out the Christian life. 00:48:05.699 --> 00:48:13.939 Saints, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you. 00:48:15.379 --> 00:48:16.179 Same power. 00:48:16.719 --> 00:48:17.980 Not a junior power. 00:48:18.359 --> 00:48:21.159 The same power is at work in you and I. 00:48:21.639 --> 00:48:29.199 Paul says I want to know him and the power of his resurrection and share in the fellowship of his sufferings. 00:48:29.199 --> 00:48:34.739 So no, Paul does not see suffering as contradictory to the gospel. 00:48:36.899 --> 00:48:42.879 Paul would not say that following Jesus should equal no suffering and no pain and no trial and no tribulation. 00:48:45.579 --> 00:48:49.219 Paul would say I don't know how you can get that by reading this Bible. 00:48:49.219 --> 00:48:58.839 Because in chapter one he's already said that we've not only been called for this one aspect of reigning with Christ, 00:48:58.879 --> 00:49:01.319 we think of reigning with Christ, we've been called to suffer with Christ. 00:49:03.139 --> 00:49:10.879 And Jesus, of course, in Matthew 16, 33, in this life you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. 00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:13.260 I've already overcome the world. 00:49:14.180 --> 00:49:15.579 Paul says I want to know that Jesus. 00:49:15.720 --> 00:49:17.539 I want to know that resurrection power. 00:49:17.640 --> 00:49:19.220 I want to share in that suffering. 00:49:19.280 --> 00:49:21.200 I want to become like him in his death. 00:49:22.619 --> 00:49:23.720 Paul, what does that mean? 00:49:23.860 --> 00:49:24.940 Jesus died for you. 00:49:25.019 --> 00:49:26.140 Not so you can go and die too. 00:49:26.220 --> 00:49:27.460 He died on your behalf. 00:49:28.400 --> 00:49:29.420 In one sense, true. 00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:34.340 Paul knows that he can't re, as it were, die the substitutionary death that saved him. 00:49:34.340 --> 00:49:39.599 But as Christ died for sins, Paul knows that he has to die two sins. 00:49:40.880 --> 00:49:49.099 And so you and I, Christ's death for sin, now release the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to die to sin. 00:49:50.220 --> 00:49:54.579 And in that way we'll conform to even the death of Christ. 00:49:54.660 --> 00:49:56.240 This is Romans 6 language, right? 00:49:58.380 --> 00:49:59.420 And this is how he ends it. 00:49:59.460 --> 00:50:05.640 That by any means I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 00:50:05.639 --> 00:50:13.940 All throughout Paul's writings, in very subtle ways, you can tell that one of the things that Paul is really, really looking forward to, 00:50:14.739 --> 00:50:21.599 one of the things that motivates him, one of the things that he always has his eye on, yes, of course, Christ's return and being with Christ. 00:50:21.699 --> 00:50:23.099 We see that in chapter one here. 00:50:23.759 --> 00:50:25.460 To live is Christ, to die is gain. 00:50:25.460 --> 00:50:31.079 But Paul knows that in that is also a resurrection for his own body. 00:50:32.500 --> 00:50:43.720 Paul sees Christ and the reality of Christ's resurrection as assurance that the inheritance that awaits him is that same inheritance, a resurrected and glorified body. 00:50:43.719 --> 00:50:51.279 Paul knows that right now in this present state that he was in here, he's been freed from the power of sin. 00:50:52.239 --> 00:50:55.559 But eventually he's going to be freed from the even presence of sin. 00:50:57.219 --> 00:50:59.059 And Paul says, I want to attain that. 00:50:59.219 --> 00:51:01.819 I want to attain the resurrection from the dead. 00:51:01.899 --> 00:51:03.279 This is why I lean in. 00:51:03.359 --> 00:51:04.119 I press forward. 00:51:04.239 --> 00:51:06.079 This is why I want to know Christ. 00:51:06.079 --> 00:51:15.460 We did just have the birth of our son. 00:51:16.319 --> 00:51:26.039 And it has, in my mind, just kind of in a demonstrable way, just this notion of the father sending his son. 00:51:27.860 --> 00:51:34.059 Or to use Isaiah language, it pleasing the father to crush the son, Isaiah 53, 10. 00:51:36.079 --> 00:51:38.000 Paul wants this church at Philippi. 00:51:38.099 --> 00:51:39.380 He wants us by extension. 00:51:40.559 --> 00:51:42.159 Don't corrupt that. 00:51:45.460 --> 00:51:49.860 This particular community, it was threatened because these individuals were teaching that. 00:51:49.940 --> 00:51:52.940 Yeah, the way you get that is by works of the flesh, works of the law. 00:51:54.619 --> 00:51:58.779 Paul says, don't allow that gospel of grace through faith to be corrupted. 00:51:59.380 --> 00:52:00.920 And saints, that's his word for us today. 00:52:01.019 --> 00:52:05.699 Don't allow that gospel of grace through faith to be corrupted with all of our accolades. 00:52:06.079 --> 00:52:07.639 I know you're all that in a bag of chips. 00:52:07.699 --> 00:52:08.039 I know. 00:52:09.880 --> 00:52:16.759 But Paul says, all of that stuff means nothing as it relates to your standing before a holy and righteous God. 00:52:17.159 --> 00:52:23.279 On that day, if you would be allowed to say anything on that day. 00:52:23.360 --> 00:52:25.059 I don't even think you're going to be allowed to say anything. 00:52:26.139 --> 00:52:27.000 Your honor, no. 00:52:27.059 --> 00:52:28.199 You're not going to be allowed to say anything. 00:52:28.199 --> 00:52:35.460 Well, on that day, if you were allowed to say anything, you know good and well you're not going to come with your list. 00:52:35.980 --> 00:52:37.819 Well, you know God on a high account. 00:52:37.919 --> 00:52:38.279 No. 00:52:38.280 --> 00:52:43.700 The only hope at that moment is Jesus. 00:52:45.040 --> 00:52:50.760 If you can fix your lips to say anything at that moment, it better start with G and end with the sus. 00:52:54.180 --> 00:52:55.280 He's our only hope. 00:52:56.300 --> 00:52:57.540 Saints, he's our only hope. 00:52:57.660 --> 00:53:00.180 Friends, if you're not a Christian in here, he's your only hope. 00:53:01.780 --> 00:53:02.380 Let's pray. 00:53:02.380 --> 00:53:13.480 Father, we see these words here of Paul and we are, yeah, God, reminded of the gospel of grace. 00:53:13.960 --> 00:53:22.880 We're reminded of a righteousness that comes from you, that is granted on the basis of faith. 00:53:23.000 --> 00:53:26.700 And even that faith is a gift, according to Ephesians 2. 00:53:26.699 --> 00:53:41.299 So, God, we are humbled to know that of all the great things that perhaps we would regard ourselves as having accomplished in our short lives, Lord, none of them can merit salvation. 00:53:41.699 --> 00:53:45.419 None of them can merit an eternity with you, the one true and living God. 00:53:46.179 --> 00:53:54.339 But solely because of the person and work of Christ, our faith in him has granted us a righteousness, his righteousness. 00:53:54.340 --> 00:53:57.840 You see us clothed in him. 00:53:58.559 --> 00:54:01.579 Father, we just want, our hearts just want to say thank you, Lord. 00:54:03.200 --> 00:54:08.320 We don't ever want to get to a point where that's no longer amazing to us. 00:54:09.340 --> 00:54:15.519 That the righteousness of the son of God has been credited to our accounts and you treat it as if we earned it. 00:54:15.519 --> 00:54:25.960 And Father, understanding the other side of that coin, that our sin, our guilt, you treated it like it was Jesus's. 00:54:27.840 --> 00:54:32.079 That sweet exchange, Lord, that, yeah. 00:54:32.079 --> 00:54:42.759 As the song said right before we looked at this text, we will never know how much it costs to see our sins on the cross. 00:54:44.159 --> 00:54:48.980 But, Father, we know that Jesus bore them and that, Father, you accepted that sacrifice. 00:54:49.079 --> 00:54:50.119 You accepted that payment. 00:54:50.299 --> 00:54:54.719 And he now sits at your right hand making intercession for all of us who would ever believe. 00:54:54.940 --> 00:54:56.599 God, I pray that we would never forget that. 00:54:56.599 --> 00:55:01.940 May our vocation, may our desire be to know Christ. 00:55:03.219 --> 00:55:04.779 We ask all these things in his name. 00:55:05.460 --> 00:55:05.699 Amen. 00:55:06.779 --> 00:55:07.219 Amen. 00:55:07.219 --> 00:55:07.360 Amen. 00:55:10.699 --> 00:55:12.019 Let's stand and respond. 00:55:12.500 --> 00:55:12.819 Amen. 00:55:12.819 --> 00:55:12.980 Amen. 00:55:12.980 --> 00:55:13.039 Amen. 00:55:13.039 --> 00:55:15.039 Amen. 00:55:15.039 --> 00:55:17.039 Amen. 00:55:17.039 --> 00:55:19.039 Amen. 00:55:19.039 --> 00:55:21.039 Amen. 00:55:21.039 --> 00:55:23.039 Amen. 00:55:23.039 --> 00:55:23.099 Amen. 00:55:23.099 --> 00:55:23.159 Amen. 00:55:23.159 --> 00:55:23.199 Amen.