Living Up to Code
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Community questions
1. have you had a remodel? Share your experience
Read Phil 3:1
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.
2. Learning is about repetition- what life lessons do you constantly need to be reminded about
3. Why do you think Paul often repeats the word Joy and rejoice?
4. How do you choose to have joy in trouble? Habits (examine structures)
Read Phil 3:2-4
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5. circumcision: Have you witnessed a religious activity that you did not understand? Why? Did it bring freedom or condemnation?
6. Why do you think Paul call the Judiazers (those teaching circumcision dogs?
7. Why is it wrong to have confidence in the flesh? At what point does your “confidence in the flesh” impede your confidence in God?
Read Phil 3:5-6
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Paul takes all the teachings of the Judiazers and he basically says, I’ve been there done that…He checks all the boxes.... He gives a list of accomplishments.
Which ones do you find most impressive?
What might be some of our boxes that we have or feel we need to get checked off?
◦ Best family
◦ Educated
◦ Finances
◦ Zealous
◦ Fitness
◦ Position at work
Read Phil 3:7-9
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 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, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
What is Paul Comparing his Accomplishments with?
Why do you think Paul itemizes everything and then puts it all into one column saying it’s all loss?
This morning we talked about Living up to Code. What Code do you think Paul is trying to teach us?
One take away from today’s service?
Any Prayer needs?
Good Morning, Welcome to our service, I am so glad you are with us and I am excited about todays message.
We are in our series entitled Re-Frame and we are going through Paul’s letter to the Church of Philippi. And in this letter He is challenging the church to face their circumstances with Joy.
Paul has been talking about having the right attitude and mindset during challenging times.
This mornings message is Entitled living Up to Code.
Me
Each of us have grown up with a set of values or Codes to live by.. Mos of these values are inherited... For example when I was growing up, I was taught to always be respect to my elders…always responding with politeness… look at people the eyes when they speak to you...
Another code was to always work hard and do your best and don’t let other people down.
As you go through life there are other Codes to learned...
Our Codes become our presets and the way we respond to life and they designed to protect us.
You?
When you want to renovate your house you can’t just build or tear something out. You normally, need a building permit in order to start the the work.. Then Your renovation becomes a work site.
Why do we have to go through all these hoops? The are certain building CODES and regulations that are needed to met. These are Standards or Codes that are IN PLACE to Protect and to and keep us safe…
FOR EXAMPLE
If you were remodeling your house and you wanted to open up your kitchen and have an open plan… You would have to remove a wall… but you can’t just remove the wall because it might be a supporting beam wall … and if your removed it the whole ceiling could collapse… I was reading about remodeling and the first rule of thumb is to treat every wall like supporting wall..
Paul is going to asking check what Code we are using to support our Faith.. Paul has already told us that we are to persevere faith and to work our out Salvation in fear and trembling as God works in us by his Holy Spirit...
As we build Faith we need to make sure that we have the right Codes...
Do the trellises go all the way across the building.... and will you faith hold under pressure.
Are you living up to Code?
Paul starts Chapter 3 by reminding us t that our joy is connected the Grace Code.…
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Paul begins with the word Finally....
Even though Paul uses the word Finally it is not closing out his letter....Some translations use the word Further or the word And…
Paul is expanding the theme of this letter — He wants the readers to remember the Poem in Chapter 2:5-8 That frames the whole book… Pauls that we are to have the same attitude of
Jesus.... who being the very nature of God took on the nature of man and became a servant and laid down his life to the the point of death even death on the cross..
Paul doesn’t have any problem repeating himself?
There might be some that have thought they have heard Paul's message before... . Paul makes no apologies - Because it is a safe guard… Codes are for our safety.
How many times have we heard a sermon or read a book and we forgotten.. sometimes it is immediate… Paul knows how easy and how quickly we can loose our Joy… He knows how quickly we can get discouraged..
He say I’m going to say it again Rejoice in the Lord…In case you didn’t hear it… I’ll saying it again.... Rejoice in the Lord..
We need to remember that Paul is not writing from idealic circumstances..
Paul is writing from Prison…He is not at the Hilton or the Heighte Hotel… He doesn’t have a room with a view..
Paul is not telling them to be happy..... There is a bid difference between joy and happiness.. happiness comes to us as the result of pleasant circumstances.. Happiness comes from happenings..
Joy on the other hand is something much deeper than that.. it comes from inner knowing and trusting God…
Joy can be found in the middle middle of hardship… because it is outside of ourselves and our circumstances… It’s in the Lord..
The enemy will often try and steal our joy… We need to remember that the joy of the Lord is our divine armament.
Rejoicing is an activity we choose to do; it is not an emotion. If we choose to rejoice, it means we are choosing not to do something else….
Joy is not just a good idea, it is a safeguard specifically designed by God for this purpose. How does it work?
First we need to learn through repetition and Rehearsal… Paul says when we rehearse the truth is is a means for our safety.
If I am choosing to rejoice in the Lord whatever my circumstances or situation, it will be nearly impossible to grumble and complain about them
Our Joy is going to come from the Code of Grace.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
God?
t/s How do we live up to this Code of Grace?
1. Examine Structures
1. Examine Structures
Paul in book of Philippines want us to examine and to think?
He wants us be discerning when it comes to culture and the symbols and messages that we are hearing… He wants us to have filter and not just accept everything that comes our way..
Not just accepting but asking why is this being said?
In Greco Philosophy logic meant to be in tune with the World… Paul wants us to be in tune with the Mind of Christ… and that means Examining structures.
When it comes to the Bible there are two Codes that enabled us to have a relationship with God, they were called Covenants The OT… and in the NT was New Covenant..
These were two systems — The Old Code was about keeping moral and ceremonial laws… it was merit based…God established a whole tribe the levites to maintain this structure and to provide a sacrificial system to enable Israel to have a relationship with God.
With the coming of Jesus into the world, He fulfilled all the requirements of the law… and established a New Covenant… This was a system based upon grace that allowed us to have a relationship with Jesus.
Covenant is a strong WORD in the Scriptures.. it is the act or rite of making a contract or an alliance between two partners.... Alliances and treaties have been formed from the patriarchal times (Abraham made treaties with nations surrounding him in the book of Genesis) until today... we have agreements between nations.
The aftermath of World War II
saw much of Europe devastated in a way that is now difficult to envision.
Approximately 36.5 million Europeans had died in the conflict, 19 million of them civilians. Refugee camps and rationing dominated daily life. In some areas, infant mortality rates were one in four.
Millions of orphans wandered the burnt-out shells of former metropolises. In the German city of Hamburg alone, half a million people were homeless. Europe was destabilized. In addition, Communists aided by the Soviet Union were threatening elected governments across Europe.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
In the Treaty’s renowned Article 5, the new Allies agreed “an armed attack against one or more of them… shall be considered an attack against them all”
Basically if any of US and European Allies were attacked ... they would respond as it was a personal attack..
This captures the essences of the nature of Covenant in the scriptures...In covenant.... God says to Israel... I am your God and you are my people... When people come against Israel they were taking on the God of Israel...
The Problem that Paul addresses in his letter ...Many Jews had lost sight of the true purpose of circumcision, and they had come to trust in the rite itself rather than the reason for the rite.
There was a group called the Judiazers who were insisting that Christians had to be circumscized in order to be considered Covenant people.. or true believers…
Paul uses strongest language to deal with this group of teachers.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
a. Paul warns about church of the Judiazers
Paul uses the strongest language... to warn these Christians. Look out for these dogs... We need to understand that in the first-century Israelites didn’t have pets, and they had no use for dog food. Dogs were coyote-like scavengers who fed on roadkill, and garbage—they were vivid images of the unclean.
Jews used it as a metaphor for those who did not keep Israel’s dietary laws, and thus a powerful metaphor for Gentiles and lapsed Jews.
Paul effected a stunning reversal, charging that the Judaizers were the unclean “dogs” who stood outside the covenant blessings.
Paul wanted nothing to get in the way of the simple truth that salvation for both Jews and gentiles comes through faith in Jesus alone.
Paul is saying stay away from the legal Code of the law..
Eugene Peterson says..
In the message says
“steer away from these barking dogs.. those religious busy bodies, all bark an no bite..all they're interested in is appearances.. "Knife happy cirucmcisioner". “
Paul is warning the church about this traveling group of missionaries called the Judiazers… who had invaded the churches in Galatia… an who were probably coming their way… The Judiazers taught that in order to be considered part of God's covenantal people they need to be circumcised… In Galatians Paul call the church foolish… Who has put a spell on you …
In Galatians Paul calls the foolish Galatians!! Who has bewitched you or put a spell on you.. Because the message of Christ had been clearly given to them.. Salvation by faith alone… Paul says How isn’t after receiving the freedom of the Spirit would you want to go back to depending on the law and requirements of Circumsicion.
Legalism will make you and those around you miserable… because, now of us has enough righteousness… to attain perfection.... You will put demands on yourself and others that will never be met… Paul says examine the structures… Legalism is the wrong Code...
Then Paul turns to qualification of a true believers...
c . We are the Circumsision.
Those who are included in the circumcision.. not a physical sign but rather ... who are marked by Spiritual worship -Paul deals with in the book of Roman where he tells
28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
Paul tells us the there are three commonc characteristics of true believers..
They Worship God is Spirit…
They have no confidence in the flesh.
They boast about what Jesus has done.
Paul wants the Church to Closely Examine the Structures
How do we live up to this Code of Grace?
1. Examine Structures
2 . Identify Weaknesses
2 . Identify Weaknesses
N..T Wright has this great quote ---
he tells us that
We live in a world full of people struggling to be, or at least to appear, strong in order not to be weak; and we follow a gospel which says that when I am weak, then I am strong. And this gospel is the only thing that brings healing.
phil 3:4-5
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
a. Paul looks at his own confidence in the flesh by listing his credentials
Paul was born into the right family... Born into Hebrew family circumcised on the 8th day.. part of the covenant... from the elite tribe of Benjamin.. smallest tribe but tribe that survived...
When it came to Religion he was a strict devout follower to every of the 660 commandments ... a meticulous observer to everything that God had written down
He was a zealot and persecuted the Christians on the basis of being a law follower and keeper.. Defending it to the point of persecution --- He had the very credentials that the Judiazers were waving around as having something special... Paul had those credentials plus some.
So Paul checks all the boxes.
Do you want to talk about the Law? I was a Pharisee. I was the top dog! I knew the Law.
Do you want to talk about zeal—about having a passion for God? Remember that I was the one persecuting the church!
Do you want to talk about someone who can say, "Been there, done that"? I've done it all!
Paul’s connection to Pharisaism was more than casual; it singularly directed his actions. His life characterized by strict obedience to the Pharisaic code; he lived it out blamelessly.
What are the things that you have on your trophy wall?
Each of us has our own list of ..
1. Confidence in my 401k
2. Confidence in my Spouse
3. Confidence in my Education
4. Confidence in my accomplishments (sucess)
5. Confidence in my title at work (Position)
Paul takes all the things that would be considered a Asset or a Credit... and he places it on the Debt side of the balance sheet..
What Paul is doing is he is building a straw man -- then he sets on fire.... When it came to human standards… I knew the Code… I worked it out...
Then he drops the match...
b. But I Count everything as loss for the sake of Christ
Paul hypes the value of his trophy wall to make giving them away seem all the more significant. He does not downplay the worth of these things; he increases the value of knowing Christ. What Paul considers most valuable, he is willing to exchange for knowing Christ. But wait, there’s more.
But.. the emphatic marker of contrast... Whatever he once considered Gain... accounting terms -- things that he would have put to his credit -- put in his portfolio as gains... he now sees those things as loss..
In the Greek text of these verses, the word for “gain” is plural and for “loss” singular, so a good translation of verse 7 would be “For Christ’s sake I have learned to count my former gains a loss.” In this dramatic abruptness there is a notable contrast. Each of the outward privileges in Paul’s catalog had at one time been a distinct and separate gain, individual items of profit. Now—they are all one big bundle of loss; loss because they are useless.
The word Loss means disadvantage- penalty... suffer loss, forfeit.. It is the same word that is used of Paul’s shipwreck in Acts 27 when they encounter loss.. I count everything outside of Christ a loss… nothing redeemable and nothing salvageable.
Because those very things take away from Christ. When you consider your life in the light of the Poem in Phil 2:5-8 where Jesus being God took on the role of servant and became nothing... any righteousness that I have attained becomes nothing in comparison…
How do we live up to this Code of Grace?
1. Examine Structures
2 . Identify Weaknesses
3. Find Solid Supports.
3. Find Solid Supports.
On December 3rd 2017 at 8:30 in the morning, Detroits famed Silverdome was scheduled for demolition.
Explosives were placed on each of the steel beams that support the Silverdome’s upper ring. The blasts were intended to break the beams and cause the colossal ring to come crashing down…With a crowd of onlookers …they explosives were unleashed…
A series of bright flashes chased each other around the condemned stadium, emitting dozens of plumes of smoke. And then … nothing. As the smoke cleared, Detroit’s famed Silverdome was still standing...
As the dust around the stadium settled, one Twitter user wrote,
“We’re 10 minutes post-explosion & the #Silverdome is still standing.
The place must be waiting until the 4th quarter to actually implode.”
another tweeted “One last Silverdome fumble.”
One of the officials suggested that perhaps the Silverdome "was built a little too well. The Silverdome eventually succumbed to a second demolition attempt the following morning.
There is Something about Solid Structures.. Paul telling us that if we build with the right codes....it will hold us during turblant times.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
‘
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
When you find a Solid beams it’s going to take off a heavy wait…You will discover that you don’t have to carry it all your self…
Paul tells us when you find Solid Support..
a. You will Find the Blessing Relationship over the burden of Rituals
Paul takes something that he was once proud of and says... these things he now consider as garbage... The word rubish was intendented to shock… Rubbish - refuse, litter, dung - manure
Why?
Because they are nothing in comparison to knowing Christ.... The are inferior to the Excellence, surpassing knowledge… of knowing Christ.
This is echoed in the parables parables of Jesus… when he taught about the man who found treasure in a field and he bought the whole field… Or the Merchant who who found pearl of great price and he sold everything so that he good buy the pearl…
There is nothing in this world that can surpass knowing Christ.
The gnosis speaks of the physiological part of learning through reason.. what is know about Christ (speaks of the embodiment of knowledge and truth or the application of knowledge..
Paul counts all human constructs as loss... Having this brand of Christianity.. leaves one feeling empty...
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
b. Find Solid Righteousness over self made Righteousness
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, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
In the The Message - Eugene Peterson says.
I did not want some petty inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules. when I could have a robust kind that comes from trusting in God's righteousness.
Paul has a large picture of justification… tight formula… Not having my own covenant status… righteousness.. not defined by the Torah… Jewish Law… It is good… The only way to true covenant status is through the Messiah’s faithfulness.. What is that… 2:8 Obedient to death even death to the cross..
Paul willingly gives up the inferior stuff so that he can know Christ personally.
c.Find Real Faith that is based on the power of resurrection
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Modeling the Pattern that Jesus gave...
Eugene Peterson puts it this way - be a pattern in his suffering and go all the way with him to death itself.. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead... I want to do it..
God can't clean the house of you when you're still in it.
—Anne Lamott, U.S. author (1954—)
Paul did not doubt the fact that he would be raised, but how he would experience the resurrection was within God’s plan and power and not his own..
Paul says Don’t be like those who celebrate too early… Don’t be like Cyclist who get to the last bend… and begins to celebrate and pander to the crowd… but before they to they get finish line someone else sneaks past for the win...
To Paul Salvation even though held securely and should never be doubted.. …still Requires perseverance…it is still a foot race all the way to the finish line..
Paul runs toward salvation as if he is in a marathon. He wanted to attain the finish line without quitting…
You?
What are you placing your confidence? What building Code are you using? What is supporting your life…
Jim Elliot… He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to give what he cannot lose..
Paul says he is willing to give all that up.. because Knowing Christ and being found in Him is worth more than anything and worth giving everything.
Jim Elliot echoed this sentiment when he said,
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot
We?
What would happen if we had the same servant attitude Paul … When it came to the things that we think are important...
What if we Counted everything that we thought was important... as… dull and boring and incomparable to Christ...
How would that change our lives… What would we give our lives too…
Imploration?
What to encourage you to find or