Gospel Enemies
Audio Player
First an announcement – it's good news: I've finally found a new TV show to take over from the West Wing… Friday Night Lights… story of Dillon Texas and it's high school football team – football is everything to the town, whole town stops every Friday night for matches, big men in town are the guys who were football players in the past who love to flash their state champion rings… school kids are local celebrities, always on the TV and the radio, football is topic of constant talk back, the football coach is the most important role in the town – so at the start of the season the Mayor hosts the football team at a function – and at every other function in the town the football team are the guests of honour… I know it sounds great doesn't it? But actually it is, Zoe and I are loving it. It's exciting and compelling, even the football bits. And, apart from the kids having a lot of sex it's even quite Christian – they pray before matches, they go to church, the morality of the show is obviously informed by Christian morality.
But the reason I'm telling you about it is that it illustrates the central idea of our passage tonight. Friday Night Lights shows the influence of an abiding passion – the town ofDillon Texasis unashamedly Football shaped – their passion for football shapes the whole town – they even close the shops on match days so everyone can get to the match. More than half the town travels to the away matches. It puts the Geordie Nation to shame. Football comes first, second and third – and nothing else comes even close. And that means that the whole town is shaped by that passion.
And in our passage tonight Paul opens up his heart to tell us about his abiding passion, and how it shapes his life. And he invites us to imitate him as he pursues Jesus with a passion.
And the big idea is that only by pushing forwards to heaven with Jesus as our sole focus, hope and objective – that is, our Joy, our one central abiding passion – only in doing that can we avoid the dangers of false teachers, false brothers and false saviours and so stand firm to the end, found in Christ and Christ alone.
Do you see that in the passage? It's all in the first and last verses - it ends with 'therefore – that is how you should stand firm in the Lord dear friends!' – this chapter tells us how to survive as Christians. So what's the key to our survival – verse 1 'rejoice in the Lord!'
But what does it mean to rejoice in the Lord, and how do we do it?
Well it's probably not what we'd think. I mean – what do you think when you hear that verb – 'rejoice'? Don't we tend to think of it as an emotional thing – the sort of feeling you get when your team wins, the sort of thing athletes feel as they step up onto that Olympic podium? Or perhaps we think its the sort of thing you do at a big party – like a wedding or a graduation celebration, rejoice basically means celebrate – to celebrate some great achievement or some new and wonderful state of affairs – that's rejoicing: a kind of ecstatic emotional response to something truly wonderful or exciting.
So when Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord it sounds a little bit wrong. Most of the time we don't feel like that towards Jesus, or at least not very often… but most of all we can't see how that sort of emotion is going to help us to stand firm.
So when Paul says rejoice in the Lord it sounds a bit vacuous doesn't it? As if he's one of those televangelist types with the perfect teeth, deep tan and trophy wife who say things like 'Jesus wants you to have your best life… And we just know they don't live in the real world. But Paul was no fake tanned televangelist, he was very much in the real world –he's writing from prison remember, probably on death row. And he's writing to people who are being persecuted for being Christians. He's living in the real world, and so are they – and yet this is his solution, his instruction – this is how he tells them to stand firm – rejoice in the Lord.
What does Paul mean by that? Surely he can't expect us to live all our lives as a big party to Jesus? Can he?
Well the rest of the chapter spells it out for us – what does it mean to rejoice in the Lord? It means to follow Paul's example as we read it here. And I want to point out to you at least Four ways that Paul tells us we to do it.
The first is to put Confidence or Trust in him– to rejoice in the Lord means, first and foremost to trust in him, to put your confidence in him.
Have a look with me at the first 2 verses again:
1 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. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.
Paul is writing about something that he considers to be a real and present danger. He has warned them in the past and he warns them again, he's happy to do so because they need safeguarding in this area. Look at verse 2– it's a complete change of tone – he's been all friendly and encouraging so far but suddenly he bursts out into this serious warning – Watch Out. In the original 'watch out' is actually repeated three times – he literally says 'watch out for those dogs, watch out for those men who do evil, watch out for those mutilators'. The warning couldn't be stronger, the danger must be extreme.
So what is the danger posed by these dogs, these false teachers – look at the following verses:
3 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-- 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put 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; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
It's pretty clear here that Paul is thinking of those who wanted to insist that to be followers of Jesus the gentiles had to become Jewish – to be circumcised and to worship in the Jewish religion. Verse two is ironic – the Jews called the gentiles dogs – unclean – and considered outsiders evil doers because they did not know the Law… but Paul says they are the ones who are unclean, they are the evil doers, and their precious circumcision is nothing better than pagan mutilation.
And the problem with them is similarly clear – they put their confidence, their trust – in the wrong place, they trust in the flesh, the things they do when they should be trusting in Jesus.
To make it clear he re-tells his story to the Philippians. These false teachers teach gentiles to become Jews, but Paul's gone in the direct opposite direction.
Look at Paul's story – he was the very model Jew, he inherited impeccable linage, he was pure bread Jew, from one of the two remaining tribes, Benjamin no less. And all the legal requirements – including circumcision on the eight day – were met for him. And he hadn't failed to live up to those inherited attainments – he'd been zealous in his commitment to them – to all the natural advantages of good breeding, he added a rigid focus and diligent work to achieve pharisaic, legalistic righteousness – he was zealous to a fault, no one could fault him on even a single point of the law, he kept it all. If anyone could be righteous before God on the basis of religion, it was Paul.
Verse 7:
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 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 9 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.
Mull over that for a moment - he had worked tirelessly his whole life for legalistic righteousness – he was a religious fanatic; but he'd turned his back on all that when he met Jesus. His pedigree and his hard work to be righteous – those things weren't positives, but negatives; not profit but loss. And we know why don't we? – because he knew they couldn't get him across the line. What he calls
'the righteousness of my own that comes from the Law' – that can never be enough to get any one of us into God's good books.
But what it can do is lead me to a false confidence in myself, even to an arrogance and pride that makes me think that I've achieved and that makes me look down on the rest of you as dogs and evil doers.
So Paul knew that he had inherited and all that he had attained could only ever erode his trust in Jesus, distract him from the righteousness that is through faith in Christ – that comes from God and is by faith. Instead he tells us to rejoice in the Lord – to put our full confidence and trust in him, and in him alone. If we're rejoicing in the Lord then that's where we put our confidence – in Jesus: not looking to anything else to save us, putting all our eggs in this one basket – looking to him for our righteousness.
And notice that this goes far beyond just religious things. It's not only that Paul turned his back on his biological inheritance and his religious attainments – no, verse 8 he now considered all things loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus – do you see how that expands the field dramatically.
All things that might once have provided solace or security or comfort pale into nothing next to Jesus.
Think about just how radical that is. There are people today who are consumed with religion and give their lives to keeping the most exacting religious standards - gurus and mystics and assorted religious nutters. But not like there used to be. Even the really religious people in our society are really pretty secular and non committed compared to religious nutters of the past, or of other parts of the world. We've lost our confidence in religion and religious rituals. We've transferred our trust to other things, material things.
Our society runs on money – that's where we put our confidence. We trust in money to secure our future, to protect us against the unknowns of the world, to keep us on that rainy day. And we make huge sacrifices to get it.
Not Paul, he turned his back on money (look at ch 4 when you get home). And we trust in political solutions – we demand justice, military might, a voice for all in our political systems… we look for social welfare, education, legislation… but these things can't secure our future either – and as Paul languishes in prison he's not looking for a political solution, he's not waiting to be rescued, or agitating for political upheaval.
Or we trust in hard work, diligent saving, moderate risk taking, solid careers, a good education, a good marriage or a particular relationship, a generally upwardly mobile aspect … (and if you don't think that's you let me ask you – what are you planning for your kids - university and an office job or bottom of the ladder menial jobs, or social welfare?)
We're constantly putting our trust in all sorts of things which we consider profit, things which we lean on and think this will provide for my old age, without this I'd be in trouble, of if I can just get hold of that, then I'll be set.
Do you see that? That's the exact opposite of what Paul did. And Paul's the one who's got it right. None of those other things is powerful enough to actually provide for us, protect us. There is only thing in all the universe that can deliver us from evil, provide for our futures, keep our children safe, solve our deepest riddles and answer our deepest longings, who can truly satisfy us and who can make us right with God, truly righteous before him. Jesus. So trust him – rejoice in the Lord, not in anything else. That's the first thing rejoice means – the thing you rejoice in is the thing you put your confidence in.
The second way Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord here is to
Delight in him, to Love him – (vs 7- 11)
Look at verse 7 again:
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 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 9 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. 10 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, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
look at how Paul talks about relationship with Jesus, there is deep passion here, he longs for Jesus, almost like romantic love. In fact that word 'know in verse 10 is the same word used in the OT to denote married love – Adam knew his wife and the two became one flesh. Paul is talking about a deeply intimate relationship with Jesus – he loves and longs to know him more and more and more. Paul's been a Christian 30 years or so as he writes this – he knows Jesus well, he's walked with him through prison sentences, ship wrecks, riots, beatings and all sorts. But his appetite for Jesus has only increased as he's grown to know him better.
As he's grown in relationship with Jesus he sees things more and more clearly – he knows there is nothing in this world that can offer him anything like what Jesus offers him – not just eternal life, but rich fellowship, even in suffering, intimate relationship, true righteousness, eternal reward, even a new, perfected body. Listen to him list them off again– more than anything he wants to be found in Christ Jesus - 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. 10 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, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not only has he been able to turn his back on all that he once valued, this relationship sustains him through everything. No suffering can spoil it, it only makes it richer. Paul lives a Cross Shaped Life – he doesn't live for stuff, pleasure, satisfaction or comfort now – he lives for Jesus and he expects it to hurt, but he knows it's worth it.
Do you see how this challenges us? We need to re-learn our whole value system – Jesus is supremely valuable and everything else is rubbish compared to him.
Think about two things that Jesus regularly challenges people to give up for him:
Money – Do you give sacrificially, no longer able to afford things you want or want to do, or do you give out of your extra – skimming some off your savings plan? Are you generous hearted, do you love to spend money on others, or do you resent it? Do you really love money and what it can do for you, do you think you'd be worse off if you didn't have your cash buffer or long term investments or job
Family – ever thought about that one? Jesus challenges several people to leave their family and follow him. He says no one who gives up parents or wives or husbands for me and for the gospel will fail to be rewarded; he says no one who doesn't hate his parents by comparison to Jesus will enter the Kingdom of heaven – Jesus thinks he's more valuable than our families. He calls on us to sacrifice our children's future for his kingdom, to turn against our parents if they would keep us from him, etc. etc. He says some will chose to be single and celibate for the cause of the gospel so they can dedicate their time, energies and labours to the kingdom. Think about that – is Jesus better than sex, better than life long companionship, better than growing friendship and support, better than watching your kids grow up? The answer is yes, he is. He's much better than all of those things so much better as to make them worthless by comparison. Do you feel it?
Comfort – Jesus regularly says that if we are going to follow him we will suffer for it.
Jesus wasn't joking when he said we need to lose our life for him and for the gospel… but compared to what he offers in return even our very lives are a small price to pay. Jesus is worth far more than even the best things in this world. To lose everything else and gain him is great gain.
So if we're to rejoice in him we need to set our delight on him, set our love on him to the exclusion of all else – love him like Paul does, so that all else fades into insignificance.
And the third point helps us to do just that. Thirdly Paul tells us to set our
Focus on him
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, 14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
If you're going to live for Jesus like that – all your confidence in him, with him as your great abiding passion, what you delight in and love above all else, then you need to focus on him. Set your thoughts, your hopes, your dreams on him and strain towards him.
Anyone who sat through the Olympic road race yesterday will have seen a great illustration of this – those blokes rode all day, gave everything they had, they were completely spent at the end. But the result hinged on three moments when they lost focus and concentration – once at the beginning when they let a break away group get off the front of the pack, once at the end when the break away was looking behind them and two blokes shot off the front and then finally as those two blokes rode down the mall and one of them looked back and the other shot off his wheel to take the line. Did you notice that? Just the smallest momentary loss of concentration and someone was off the front, and that was all she wrote.
Paul's using the illustration of an athlete at the games competing in a straight sprint race, straining with all his focus towards what is ahead with eyes on the prize.
And to show how important this is Paul gives us a counter example too – look at verse 17 and following:
17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Do you see the great contrast in those verses – two sets of people, both of them, it seems, claiming to live for Jesus. But only one group has their eyes set on the prize, they look to heaven and eagerly await a saviour from there. But the other group – well their focus is a little different. They've dropped their sights and they're no longer following Jesus at all. Their mind is on earthly things.
Can I stop you here and ask you to hear Paul's warning. That little phrase sums up all that's gone wrong for these people, but as a result they now live as enemies of the cross – they live for earthly things, how can they live cross shaped lives if their sights are set on the things of this earth? If they live for earthly things, they won't make sacrifices for heaven, because they want their reward now. If they live for earthly things they won't endure suffering now, why would they. If they live for earthly things in the end their stomach becomes their god – they live for their appetites, for satisfaction now. They live for houses and cars and security and comfort and there's no way they would embrace suffering as a way to know Jesus more…
But how easy it is to set our minds on earthly things. How many of us can say that we don't live for those things? I fear for us that we might find that when our lives are dissected and laid bare on that final day we might find that we're on the wrong side of this equation. This passage has been weighing on me all year as we've been getting near to it. It's got under my skin and it's challenging me. I think I've worked out why.
It's because Paul doesn't say at the end – therefore my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you become religious fanatics, dear friends. But that is how it reads to us. It read as if it's far off, completely unattainable – Paul lives in a different world to us, he gives everything for Jesus, absolutely everything, all he has. But that's not normal, that fanaticism, that's what the suicide bombers do, that's not everyday Christianity.
But Paul doesn't say this is how to be an extremist. He says this is how to stand firm. And 4.1 when Paul says that is how you stand firm – he's not giving advice, this is a command – more like, stand firm in that way. This is the way to stand firm, and we're commanded to copy him in it.
That's why its got under my skin, because I'm not a fanatic. And when I meet religious fanatics my instinct is to tell them to cool off a bit. Paul says his brand of cross shaped living is the only way to stand firm.
See I started with the good folk of Dillon Texas where football shapes a whole town. According to Friday Night Lights just about all the good folk of Dillon go to church – it's Texas after all. And the show is actually deeply influenced by Christian morality [(though the kids do have a lot of sex)]. The team pray together before their games. We often get a look in on their church services, there's even snippets of sermons in the show – I know it's a long way from the West Wing in that regard. But for all the visibility of religion in the show it's very clear that Jesus is not the deep and abiding passion of Dillon, Texas. Jesus hardly gets a look in on Sundays, no the deep and abiding passion is football. All their prayers, all their sermons – they're all about football. Their focus is on earthly things, their god is a pig skin and their glory is in their football success or failure. I've yet to hear anyone talk about heaven, or hope in eternal things, or praise Jesus for who he is and what he's done, or talk about making sacrifices for his glory… they sit in church Sunday by Sunday, but they're shaped by their passion, and their passion for football sucks up all the oxygen so there's no room for Jesus.
So let me ask you tonight – if someone was to make a show about your life, if they followed you around and they got to know you inside out – listened in on your prayers, your conversations at work, got under your skin, found out what makes you tick... Would that show be about Jesus as your deep and abiding passion, or would the show have to focus on something else? Is Jesus your deep and abiding passion, does longing for him shape your life, or are you shaped by something else?
So that leads me to the fourth way that Paul tells us to 'rejoice in the lord' – and it's this -
Up your Intensity and Passion –
I don't have a reference for this, because this is the whole passage. Read it and mull on it and think about it and pray about it when you get home tonight.
Compared to Paul we're all but disinterested in Jesus.
Paul sets an example that is painfully raw, vividly real, dramatically, profoundly unsettling -- almost manic in it's intensity.
Who of us would chase suffering for Jesus sake in order to become like him?
Who of us could really say we consider everything in our lives putrid rubbish compared to knowing Jesus?
How many of us pursues Jesus like an athlete, with discipline and focus and determination that excludes all things that don't further our goal of becoming like him?
Paul is wild eyed, crazy; he's prepared to sacrifice everything for this one thing: to know Jesus and to become like him and in the end to be with him.
And that is exactly what Jesus said we should be like – remember: the kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it he buried it and then went and sold all he had to buy that field. Or what about this one: 'what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his very soul?' And remember this one: 'He who tries to save his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.'
Jesus is that treasure, Jesus is the one thing for which we must give up all else. If we try and hold on to what we've got, we'll lose it. It's only by giving it all up in pursuit of him that we'll find life. Therefore my friends, you who I love and long for, my joy and my crown – stand firm like that, dear friends.
Rejoice in the Lord –put your whole confidence in him, set your heart on him, make him your delight, your deepest love, focus on him and up our intensity into a passion that shapes your whole life. Pursue a cross shaped life and embrace difficulty now for glory later – live with your sights set on heaven and the great delight that it will be to live with Jesus.
Let's pray