Sermons

These are days where it’s very difficult to know what or who you can count on. I remember my dad saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself!” But the truth is I have found that, at times, I am just as unreliable as anyone else.

Paul understood that the Christians in Philippi would have a tendency to put their confidence in the external rather than the supernatural that dwells within the hearts of God’s people.

If we are going to Shine Brightly in this dark world, we need to learn what we can (and cannot) put our confidence in.  Peter exhorts us to “Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us.” (1Peter 3:15) We should be a people of supreme confidence. Not in our lineage, or country, or constitution, or race, or culture, or even our creed. Our confidence is placed squarely in the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1.14) and the word of the Lord that bears witness to the Word.

Take some time to read the passage below and consider some of the questions that follow.

Remember that He conquered death so that we can be “in all these things more than conquerors.”
See you Sunday!

Danny

UNSHAKABLE CONFIDENCE

Philippians 3:1-11  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. 

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. 

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.

Small Group Questions:

Open:

• If you had to brag about what you can do better than others, what would it be?

Dig:

• In verses 4-6, Paul listed the credentials on which he could claim to be righteous if it were based on works. What are they and what do you think is significant about each one?
• What is Paul’s attitude towards his past accomplishments (vv. 7-8)?
• What do you think Paul means by: -“the power of His resurrection?” -“the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings?” -“becoming like Him in His death?”
• What were the costs to Paul and to Christ to recalculate Paul’s ‘net worth statement’?
  Who profited from the new deal? Who lost?

Reflect:

• Based on this passage, how can a person know he/she is “found in Christ”?
• On what did Paul base his confidence (v. 9)?
• On what do you tend to base your confidence?
• How can this group pray for you?