Rev. David Holwick Book of Philippians series
First Baptist Church PALM SUNDAY 1998
Ledgewood, New Jersey
April 5, 1998
Philippians 3:1-11
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I. What makes you feel important?
A. Kids are very status conscious.
1) Used to be $150 sneakers.
2) It motivates us. Gives confidence.
B. We evaluate ourselves (and others) by stuff.
1) What we own.
2) How much we earn.
3) How much attention we receive.
C. Spiritual status.
1) A short status test...
2) How many of you are Bible-believing Christians?
a) Most have completed your taxes.
b) How many had your accountant or tax software warn you,
you might be audited because your charitable
giving was higher than the norm (2%)??
c) Not much spiritual status here!
3) Paul highlights three ways to gain spiritual confidence.
a) Only one of them produces genuine confidence before God.
II. The pitfall of legalism.
A. Paul had some rabid opponents.
1) Judaizers. (dogs)
a) "Beware the curs! Beware the criminals! Beware the
cutters!"
b) Like our neighbor's pit bull, they often ended up where
they weren't wanted.
2) Legalism is seductive.
a) Makes religion easy, by appearing to be hard.
B. Signs of the trap of legalism.
1) Rituals.
a) Circumcision.
1> Their agenda was that people had to become Jews
before they could become Christians.
2> Circumcision was their barometer of obedience.
3> But it was only a beginning for their list of rules.
b) Baptism...
2) Race: Jewish heritage, Christian past.
3) Religion: Hebrew of Hebrews.
4) Rules: Pharisee. Very strict.
5) Reputation: Blameless regarding the law.
1> They couldn't charge him with anything.
C. Christianity is not a matter of rules, rituals or regulations.
1) Live each day by grace.
III. Getting a grip on your profits and losses.
A. What really matters in life?
1) Americans can appreciate profits and losses. April 15 soon.
2) Paul had to scrap the old way of (spiritual) finances.
a) Rubbish = manure.
b) Conversion involves trade-offs.
B. You have to get rid of stuff to be a Christian.
1) What are you afraid of giving up for God?
2) If you become a Christian, get really committed to Christ,
what are you afraid is going to change in your life that
you don't want to give up?
C. Use God's finances.
1) Righteousness is a gift, not a wage.
a) We can never be righteous enough.
b) Must come from God.
2) Yet it also requires total commitment on our part.
IV. What you need to know.
A. We put a heavy stress on education.
1) Often we put more weight on diplomas and degrees than
actual smarts.
2) What is the smartest thing you can do?
B. Get to know Christ better.
1) Know is not "know about," but know intimately.
a) Sort of like Adam KNOWING Eve...
2) Seek him in a personal, life-changing way.
V. Don't let religion get in the way.
A. Maybe some of you have missed out on the great truth here.
1) You are a religious person, a good person, a moral person.
a) You go to church, but you've never put your trust in
Jesus Christ.
b) We think if our bad works are a minimum and our good
works outnumber them then we will make it.
c) To be good enough to get to God you'd have to be as
good as God.
B. Maybe you've been like Paul, trusting rituals.
1) You were baptized as a kid.
a) Never confuse the symbol with the substance.
b) That never builds a relationship with Christ.
2) Rituals are symbols, not realities.
a) Religious heritage or church membership cannot save.
b) Only a relationship with Jesus works.
3) In all of the religious accomplishments Paul mentions
in verse 4, God is not mentioned once.
a) You can be religious and not know Christ.
b) If you have religion and no relationship, you don't
have Christianity, you have churchianity.
C. We can have confidence because of what CHRIST has done!
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(parts adapted from Rev. Rick Warren, Saddleback Community Church, CA)
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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