Sermon Tone Analysis

*Philippians XII: Don’t Be a Dog*

*Philippians 3:1-11*

*/February 3, 2008/*

 

 

Did you enjoy the snow this week...forgot to screw on wheel.

I am sure you’ve noticed, I start all of my sermons with a short *history lesson* relating, at least to some extent, to the sermon.

I do this for *two* *reasons*:

 

1) Give *background* to our faith and the Bible.

2) Help us understand that the Bible was written by and to *real* *people* in *real* *places*.

Several years ago, Marilyn and I went to *Israel*.

The thing that struck me more than anything else was simply how *real* it was.

Because we grow up reading the Bible right alongside our Dr. *Seuss* and *fairytales*, we *lose* sense of how *real* the *people* and *places* of the Bible were.

·         These are *people* as *real* as you and I and *places* as real as *Mt*.

*Vernon* or the *Cascade* *Mall*.

Today’s history lesson drives that home in a *poignant* way: The Philippians were just *everyday* *people*, just like us.

This is a public restroom in Philippi, located in the *market* *place*.

Last week I showed you a road that Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus all walked.

Here is a place that they all sat.

These restrooms were *co*-*ed*, however the fact that everyone basically *wore* *dresses* meant that you could take care of business without showing anything off.

These were *more* than a just *42*-*seater* outhouse: There was actually *water* *running* under the seats flushing away the offending matter.

·         And that stuff that was flushed away was called “*skubalon*,” say that with me.

·         Adds a new meaning to “Scooby Snacks.”

But how did they, um, *clean* *up*?

This is where there *sanitary* standard slip *below* ours:

There would a couple of *buckets* filled with *salt* *water*.

In these buckets would be bunch of *sticks* with *sponges* attached to the end.

You would slip the sponge end though these holes that face forward and *scrub* *away*.

Once you were done, you would *rinse* the *sponge* in these troughs, which also had *water* *running* through them.

Then you would put it back in the bucket for the next guy, or gal.

·         That gives a whole new meaning to “Getting the wrong end of the stick.”

And now that I have resorted to *toilet* *humor*, let’s get to today’s passage.

We continue our series on the book of Philippians, and we are in 3:1-11, page 831 in the pew Bibles.

You hear a real *change* in *tone* in this passage from previous.

In other passages Paul is very *encouraging* and *kind*.

In this passage, Paul goes on the *offensive*, dealing with some “*sheep* in *wolves* clothing” that were attacking the church at Philippi.

And what was this *threat*?

Paul’s old *nemesis*: *Legalism*.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord!

It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.

For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

*/Philippians 3:1-11 NIV/*

 

*Back to basics*

 

Even as Paul writes this, he knows that it is a *review*.

It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

*/Philippians 3:1 NIV/*

 

Since day one, *legalism* has threatened *Christianity*.

Paul fought it in *Galatians*, in the book of *Acts*, and in *Romans*.

It is one of the *greatest* *threats* to our faith because *legalism* undermines the very *foundation* of the Gospel.

·         *Legalism* attempts to *reach* *God* through our own efforts.

·         The *Gospel* is God *reaching* *out* to us apart from our efforts.

Christianity is the story of God taking that which is *damaged* and *destroyed* by sin, and *restoring* to better than before.

We’re completely *incapable* of restoring ourselves.

We’re far too *broken* and God is far *too* *perfect* for us to ever hope to get it right.

Any attempt on our part to reach God will end in *failure*.

·         Thousands of years of recorded human history has yet to eradicate *cruelty*, *hatred*, *self*-*centeredness*, and *ignorance*.

Which, BTW, is one of the many reasons I reject *reincarnation*: It seems like if we keep on coming back to get *better*, we should have made some *headway*, rather than getting *worse*.

If the story of Christianity is God *reaching* *down* to us and *restoring* us, then the *central* *theme* of the story is *grace*.

God didn’t reach out to us because *we* are *good*, but because *he* *is*.

·         *Grace* makes Christianity *different* than anything else.

*“It’s Grace.”*

Several years ago in *Britain* there was a *conference* on *comparative* *religions*.

At one point, several scholars were debating what made *Christianity* *unique*.

·         *Incarnation*?

Many religions have gods becoming men.

·         *Resurrection*? Other gods have come back to life.

·         *Love*?

Most modern religions highlight love.

·         *Virgin* *birth*?

That’s how some gods were born.

Then C.S. *Lewis* walked into the room, ask what all the fuss was about, and he answered, “That’s easy, it’s *grace*.”

·         The idea of God's *love* being offered *freely*, with no *requirements* on it, flies in the face of every *human* *instinct*.

The *Buddhists* have the *eightfold* *path*, the *Hindus* the doctrine of *karma*, there’s the *Jewish* *covenant*, and the *Muslim* a code of *law*.

All of these are ways to *earn* *approval*.

·         Only Christianity dares to make God's *love* *unconditional*.

·         Grace is the *soul* of *Christianity* and *legalism* its *kryptonite*.

*Ugly dogs*

 

It is no *surprise*, then, that Paul responds so *viciously* to these false teachers who are promoting *legalism*:

 

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh!

*/Philippians 3:2 NET/*

 

The word “dog” was extremely *offensive*.

It was sometimes used by *Jews* as an *insult* against *Gentiles* because dogs were not *kosher*.

And when he says “dog” he is not thinking of the cute little *puppy* in the *pet* store *window*.

·         If you have seen the *stray* *dogs* in *Mexico*, you have a better *mental* *picture* – something a little more like this.

Using this insult was particularly *ironic*, because he is attacking a group known as “*Judaizers*.”

They were legalistic teachers who taught that in order to be saved, *Gentiles* had to act like *Jews*.

·         Paul is saying that *they* are the real *Gentiles*.

And isn’t it true that sometimes people who think that they are the *best* *Christians* are the *furthest* from it?

*LIttle miss Judgment *

 

On the *blog* I showed a little video of one of the most *legalistic* and *judgmental* Christian I have ever seen.

It is both *horrifying* and *entertaining* to watch, so I just have to show it.

[Dr.

Phil video]     

 

I asked how you would *respond* to a non-Christian if they asked if this *represented* *Christianity*, and you guys wrote a lot of good answers.

I’d encourage you to take a look, tgcconline.com.

In addition to noting that this gal doesn’t *know* her *Bible* very well (the Bible has more to say about *air* *travel* than *piercings*) several you said that this gal forgot all about *grace*.