Philippians 3 with Josiah Shipley - Knowing Jesus more and more every day is worth far more

Philippians chapter three.

Guys go ahead and open up there.

Philippians chapter three.

Philippians chapter three.

Now remember guys someone put in the comments.

First one to put in the comments wins.

How many letters did Paul write.

How many letters did the Apostle Paul write of the New Testament.

There's 27 books of the New Testament Paul wrote in letters.

How many letters did Paul write.

I think the first one to get it right will

be Jenny.

Probably Sadie's.

Sadie's is first.

Sadie's.

13.

Oh look now everyone's moving in.

And he wrote more than seven.

So the way the New Testament breaks down Paul wrote 13 letters.

Unless of course you think he used all the letters.

Unless of course you think he wrote Hebrews.

Well we're not sure I don't but I could be wrong.

He wrote 13 letters.

Cuz remember John wrote five books of the New Testament and Paul wrote 13.

So those two guys combined wrote 18 of the 27 books in the New Testament.

Okay.

And Luke wrote two and you know all that kind of stuff.

Yeah he wrote 13 mmm that we have recorded

that are inspired by God and put in the New Testament.

Hey Isha Isha you answered that one.

Right.

Last time we just got through with we just got through with how many letters Paul wrote.

Okay guys now there are four ish of his

letters that we call the prison epistles.

Now when we say prison epistles obviously we mean that he was imprisoned or at least

on lockdown real lockdown with armed guards during those

whether that's on a house arrest guarded by Roman soldiers where he's not allowed to leave but he can have visitors or in an

actual prison.

Philippians is one Ephesians Colossians.

See I forget the other ones.

I don't think it was Galatians.

But anyway Philippians is one of those of Philemon.

Philemon's the other one Philippians.

One of those prison epistles probably in those you want to study this later.

Philippians was probably written during the events that took place in the

last chapter of Acts.

So acts.

I think it's 28 in the last chapter of Acts.

If you want some context in your head read the last chapter of Acts.

And during the very last part of that those events is probably when Paul wrote Philippians.

And probably even Ephesians Colossians and Philemon as best we can tell all.

Right.

A little bit of summary.

What we known so far.

So Paul writes this book to the Philippians.

He calls every one of them all believers saints.

All the believers there he calls saints.

He addresses it to all believers including the pastors and the deacons the

overseers and the deacons.

Okay.

So so he he writes to all of them and he tells them this was quoted actually this morning

in the sermon that God who started the work in them will carried on the completion till the day of Christ Jesus.

He tells them to live their life in a manner worthy of the gospel even though they were not worthy of her on their own

the court Christ has made them worthy of it by putting his righteousness on them.

We call that imputation in Philippians is really an awesome study on

progressive sanctification.

So remember with sanctification a little bit of review.

Guys for those you joining there's three stages of sanctification.

Right.

We have positional sanctification progressive sanctification and perfected or final

sanctification.

Your glorification.

Okay Philippians is mostly about that progressive sanctification.

It's though okay what do I do now that I'm in Christ that continually being made more and more holy more and more made in

the image of Christ though we'll never reach perfection this side of heaven.

Paul actually says that in this chapter.

All right 606.

One more minute until we actually start reading.

So that's kind of the baseline guys Paul is writing to the church at Philippi and he's telling them

how to continue.

He's telling they continue and keep striving and keep pushing for that sanctification.

Couple more points.

Hey.

Sure.

A couple more points on the context of chapter 3.

Hey Johnny Philippians chapter 3 guys.

So in chapter 3 Paul deals with a couple couple groups of people.

Unfortunately there are those who are teaching because remember Jesus is gone

he's in heaven now.

This is in the 60s 30 years after Jesus gone.

So a whole generation.

Okay the eyewitnesses of Jesus are starting to leave starting to die off.

And there's a group of people that are teaching that you have to be physically

circumcised in order to be saved.

And Paul is trying to tell them guys you're trying to put the law back on you as a means to

attain grace when the law is meant to show you your sin and that you can't do it without God.

He tells the Galatians who has in King James bewitched you who has fooled you and tricked you in this.

And he's trying to tell the Philippians the people that are preaching this that you have to look a

certain way and do this or you're not saved are preaching a false gospel.

Awesome pretty harsh words for them.

They're trusting in something man can do to save them instead of something that only God can do.

So that's one group of people he calls them dogs and evildoers.

So he's gonna address them in just a little bit with some pretty harsh words.

And he dresses them again at the end of the chapter.

So without further ado let's get it.

We are in Philippians chapter 3.

I'm gonna read the whole chapter first.

Now guys if you're not used to someone reading a whole chapter at the beginning listen to me for a second.

I get it.

What the Bible has to say is all that matters.

What I say doesn't really matter unless it's based off what this says.

Okay we believe at Witten we believe that the Bible is the Word of God.

When we say the Word of God we're literally saying these are God's words written to you.

Remember our example last week from Matthew chapter 22 Jesus told the Pharisees I think

was verse 31.

Have you not read what God spoke to you.

I want to reiterate this point one more time.

Forget sermon and lesson all that stuff Jesus told the Pharisees.

Have you not read what God wrote to you through Moses.

Wrap your head around the fact that Jesus quoted from a historical document

written 1500 years before

that.

But Jesus can look them dead in the eye and said did you not read what God wrote to you.

And from a human perspective you might look and say well Moses wasn't writing to them.

But God's Word is living and effective.

Okay.

And just like Jesus held the Pharisees accountable for not knowing what God wrote to them through

Moses 1500 years later even though Paul is writing this to the Saints at Philippi because we are Saints he

is writing this to us.

Does that make sense.

Y 'all follow me on that.

If I need to reiterate that put it in the comments.

I really want y 'all to hear that.

I want y 'all to hear that.

Because Paul is running to the Philippians doesn't mean it doesn't apply to us since we are Saints.

Just like it was mentioned in chapter 1 that means this is written to us as well and God will hold us accountable for knowing it

all.

Right.

Here we go Philippians chapter 3.

I'll start by reading the whole chapter.

If you don't listen to anything else what this says is infinitely more important

than is infinitely more important than anything I'll say.

Why did he say didn't you see what I wrote to you.

Oh Jim they were trying to trick him asking a question about divorce and remarriage

and Jesus answered them by saying haven't you read what God spoke to you.

It's in Matthew 22 31.

And he quotes from Moses God's view on marriage and the resurrection of the dead I think was

specifically what they were trying to trick him.

And it was the resurrection of the dead.

So Matthew 22 31 you can go check that out.

Okay very good.

Here we go Philippians chapter 3.

I'll read the whole thing.

Finally now of course Paul waits till three chapters into a book to say finally.

And then goes on for two more chapters.

Sound like a pastor.

Anybody know.

Finally my brothers rejoice in the Lord.

To write the same things to you is no trouble for me and is safe for you.

Look out for dogs.

Look out for evildoers.

Look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus.

And don't put confidence in the flesh though I once had reason for the confidence in the flesh if anyone

thinks he has reason for the confidence flesh.

I have more circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel the tribe of

Benjamin the Hebrew of Hebrews as to the law of Pharisee as to zeal a persecutor of the church as to the

righteousness under the law I was blameless verse 7.

But everything every gain I had was counted as loss

for the sake of Christ.

Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing

Christ Jesus my Lord for his sake.

I've suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish as filth as dumb in order that I may gain Christ verse 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

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share in his sufferings becoming like him in his

death that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Verse 12.

Not that I've already obtained this or I'm already perfect but I press on to make it my own because Christ

Jesus has made me his own.

Brothers.

I don't consider myself to have made it but one thing I do forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward

straining forward to what lies ahead I press on the goal for the prize of the upward call

of God in Christ Jesus.

Verse 15.

Let those of us who are mature think in this way.

And if in anything you think otherwise God will reveal that also to you.

Only let us hold true to what we have obtained.

Verse 17.

Brothers join me in imitating and imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you

have in us.

For many of whom I have often told you now tell you even with tears walk as enemy of the cross of Christ.

Their end is destruction.

Their God is their belly and they glory in their shame with their minds set on earthly things.

But our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Savior the Lord Jesus

Christ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him

to subject all things to himself.

All right.

By the way I'm sorry I should have said I'm reading out of ESV.

If you want to follow along.

I'm reading out of the English standard version.

All right.

Let's go back verse by verse.

Let's find out what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us through Paul.

Verse 1.

Finally my brothers rejoice my Lord to write the same things to you is no trouble for me and is safe for you.

Having the same things repeated over and over is safe for them.

Some of us including myself have to hear things from the Word of God more than once for it to stick right.

So fight the temptation.

If someone reads a verse like oh I've heard that one before I know it no.

Meditate it on again because to hear the same thing sometimes is safe for you.

But verse 2.

Look out for dogs.

Look out for evildoers.

Look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

Now Paul isn't talking about his dogs.

You know his friends.

He's calling these evildoers dogs.

Notice who these evildoers are guys.

These evildoers are not atheists.

They're not agnostics.

They're not people.

You know just outright saying there is no God.

These evildoers and these dogs are people that are teaching a false gospel.

People that appear to be in the church but are not really in the church.

Paul calls them dogs and evildoers.

Those who mutilate the flesh for verse 3 we are the

circumcision.

Who's the circumcision.

Paul who.

Who's the circumcision.

See these are Gentile believers non -jewish blood people.

And some of them are were converted when they were adults.

I want you to picture this now.

They were converted.

They were saved if you will in their 40s.

These men.

Okay.

And people are coming up behind him saying hey you know if you really want to be saved you got to get circumcised.

You know if you really want to be saved you got to make sure to wear a suit and tie on Sundays.

If you really want to be saved you got to make sure to go to seminary.

If you really want to be saved you got to make sure to get a haircut.

If you really want to be saved you got to do this.

This and this and a list of things not listed in the Bible.

Paul says something very similar at the end of Galatians.

I want to read to you if you want to write it down and study it later.

This is Galatians chapter 6 verse 12 through 16.

Galatians chapter 6 verse 12 through 16.

This is again addressing people who say that you have to follow man's law or follow the old

law or be circumcised order to be saved.

Galatians 6 12 through 16.

Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are the ones who would compel you to be

circumcised but only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

For even circumcised don't keep the law themselves.

But they want you to be circumcised in order to boast about your flesh.

But as for me verse 14 I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The world has been crucified to me through the cross and out of the world.

For both the circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing.

Let me say that again verse 15 of Galatians 6 circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing.

What matters instead is new creation.

If any man being Christ he is a new creation.

That's the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

May peace come to all those who follow this standard and mercy to the Israel of God.

We could spend a whole lesson on that phrase the Israel of God.

We won't go into it.

But notice this time we're not talking about the God of Israel.

We're talking about the Israel of God.

Notice they belong to God.

It's God's Israel his true Israel.

Israel not by the flesh but of the heart.

Just like he said in Matthew.

It's not circumcision of flesh but circumcision of the heart.

All right back to Philippians 3.

So again Paul is dealing with false teachers who are teaching that you still have to follow man -made

law in order to be saved.

Or that physical circumcision is what saves you not of the heart.

Paul tells them in verse 3.

We are the circumcision.

Come now.

Who's the circumcision.

Those who worship by the Spirit of God in glory in Christ Jesus or boast in

Christ Jesus.

Those who worship in and by the Spirit of God in glory boast rejoice in Christ Jesus and put

no confidence in the flesh.

Guys on my own I can do nothing for the glory of God.

But look how do we worship.

We worship in and by the Spirit of God.

I don't even worship right without the Spirit of God according to Romans 8.

I don't even know how I ought to pray without the Spirit of God.

That's why he intercedes with unspoken groanings right.

I can't serve God without God.

Grace does not stop at your conversion.

That's the first time you've ever seen.

It is that your conversion.

Grace continues on for the rest of your Christian life.

For it is by grace.

You've been saved through faith and not of yourselves.

It's the gift of God.

There's your conversion.

For we are his creation created in Christ Jesus for good works that God planned ahead of time that we should

walk in them.

So in verse 3 we worship by the Spirit of God and we glory.

We boast in Christ Jesus.

We don't boast in anything in the flesh.

Nothing church nothing constant.

John 3 30.

For our lives.

Miss Vicki.

And I love you so much miss Vicki it's good to see you.

For those of you who are gonna watch this and you're not from Witten.

I love my church family so much.

And when I see them on this it makes me long for him.

As Paul says here with the Philippians I long for them.

I can't wait till I can see him again.

We worship by the Spirit of God and we glory.

We boast.

We rejoice in Christ Jesus.

And we don't put a lick of confidence in the flesh.

Not one bit.

Every day is a constant.

He must increase and I must decrease.

John 3 30.

There is there is if you.

I don't call them life verses but look if you if you need one for a constant reminder every day.

To put on your fridge.

To write on your door post to put in your car.

Put on your rearview mirror right out.

John 3 30.

He must increase and I must decrease.

What about at work.

He must increase and I must decrease.

What about at home.

He must increase and I must decrease in any and all circumstances and whatever you do first

Corinthians 10 31.

In word or deed do it for the glory of God.

Verse 4 4 through 8 or 4 through 6.

Paul wants everyone to make sure that if confidence in the flesh if the flesh is what saved you then Paul would be the

super Christian.

Paul speaks about his unsaved past his unconverted life.

In 4 through 6 he goes guys I was the perfect Sunday school teacher.

I never missed a day at church.

I always dressed nice always had my hair cut.

I've never as pastor says cuss smoke or drank.

So Jesus is happy with me.

Paul says that he now look he says I am an Israelite but I'm of

the tribe of Benjamin.

I'm not even from the Norman tribes.

I'm from the two summer tribe southern tribes.

I'm a Hebrew born of Hebrews.

I was circumcised on the eighth day.

I persecuted the church.

I kept the law perfectly.

I was blameless.

And then verse 7 or I'm gonna read verse 7 through 11 again guys for

7 through 11 but whatever gain I had I counted it as

loss for the sake of Christ.

Verse 8.

Listen.

Indeed I count everything now what do you think the Bible means when it says everything.

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth

of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Now guys you might ask yourself what didn't Paul already know who Jesus was.

Guys when Paul speaks about knowing Jesus more and more every day he's not talking about you know who his name is or what

year he was born.

He's talking about knowing who he is and knowing that more and more every day

being made more more like him every day knowing him more and knowing his word more than you did

yesterday.

That's a passing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord knowing him as

Lord for his sake.

I've suffered the loss of all things and I count them as rubbish as filth.

King James says as dung so that I may gain Christ

and be found in him not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law

but one that comes through faith in Christ the righteousness of God that depends

on faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and share in his sufferings becoming

like him in his death.

Hey Scott those of you watching Philippians 3 7 through 11 is where we're at right now.

You count everything as a loss in view of knowing Christ more and more.

See Hebrews.

Chapter 12 says.

Lay aside every weight and sin that so easily

ensnares us.

Notice.

Lay aside every sin.

Yeah we get that every weight and sin even things that aren't even sins in and of themselves.

But that hold you back from following Jesus more and more.

Lay it aside forever forever.

Lay it aside laying aside every weight.

Hebrews 12 tells us here same thing.

I have counted everything as a loss because of the surpassing worth.

The value of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord more than you did yesterday

is worth losing everything.

I mean let me say that again read again.

He says I've suffered the loss of all things and I count them as filth as dung as rubbish

compared to knowing the surpassing worth.

The infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord

for his sake.

I've suffered loss of all things in order that I may gain Christ.

Knowing Jesus as Lord more and more is infinitely more valuable infinitely more value in

surpassing worth than everything else.

This is a great test to ask ourselves how much do we really love Jesus.

Do we love him more than anything.

Is it even close.

Do you consider everything else as filth compared to Jesus.

And when I say everything I mean everything.

Do you consider everything else no matter how much you care for it compared to Jesus Christ.

It should be as filth.

That's how much we should love Jesus.

It's how much we should love Jesus.

Everything else in the flesh should be counted as rubbish compared to knowing him.

If anything anything gets in the way of you loving Jesus

more and more cut it off.

Get rid of it of you loving Jesus more and more.

Well how do I know.

How do I know.

Well Jesus said if you love me you will keep my commandments.

In other words you will obey.

So if there is something in your life that is keeping you from obeying Jesus

it's keeping you from obeying Jesus.

Thus you are putting it above him.

We call that an idol.

And we all know what God does with idols.

Don't do that.

Don't do that to a person they don't want that don't put them in that

position.

Everything else is as filth compared to knowing Jesus more and more every day.

But it says that I may gain Christ and be found in him.

What does it mean to gain Christ and be found in him.

Not having look it tells us in order I may gain Christ to be found in him.

Verse 9.

What is that.

It's not having a righteousness of your own that comes from the law.

But having that which comes through faith in Christ.

The righteousness from God.

Excuse me.

Notice.

Yeah not even a pastor.

Vicki.

Notice.

It is not your righteousness that saves you but it's Jesus Christ righteousness imputed on you.

We've talked about the three stages of imputation before.

A lot of these doctrines have three stages.

You know Adam sin is imputed on all man.

Romans chapter 5 verse 12.

Okay then sin is imputed on Jesus.

Jesus takes on the sin in God's wrath.

And then for believers and believers only guys I'm sorry.

That's what it says right here by faith.

Whoever has faith Christ's righteousness is imputed on them.

The righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed on believers.

Notice.

In verse 9 and 10 it says the righteousness from Christ.

And then it says the righteousness from God.

Which is it.

Yes.

Yes you know why.

Because as we've discussed all throughout Philippians Jesus is God.

That's why Johnny can say no one can snatch them out of the father's hands.

And then no one can snatch them out of Jesus's hands.

Well whose hands are we in exactly.

Not having righteousness of our own that comes from the wall or anything from man.

But one that comes through faith.

The righteousness from God that depends on faith.

Faith.

How do I know if I really believe.

How do I know if I really believe.

You love God.

Do you keep his commands.

And do you feel conviction when you don't keep his commands.

Do you love your brother and sister in Christ.

Because Jesus said the summary of the entire law is to love the Lord your God

with all your heart someone in strength.

And love your neighbor as yourself.

John said the way that will know.

Or Jesus said the way the world will know that you're my disciples by the way you love each other.

Greater love has no man in this that he laid out his life for his friend.

Paul still wants to know Jesus more by human standards.

Paul knew him better than anyone he had.

Half the Old Testament memorized he knew all the answers.

Peter talks about how difficult some of Paul's letters are because they're so in -depth and so theological.

By human standards Paul would know Jesus more than any of us.

And then Paul says in verse 10 his goal is to know him.

Paul what do you mean.

Your goal is to know him.

If your goal isn't on him I'm way out in left field.

Do you know him better than I do.

Paul still wants to know him more and more.

And Paul's dimension in human standards of intellect on how well he knows Jesus.

Paul understands that knowing Jesus more than you did yesterday is of surpassing value.

So Paul on his old age can still say I want to know Jesus more just like Moses God.

I want to see more of your glory God.

I want to see more of your Lord.

Paul is saying I want to know Jesus more no matter how long you've been a believer.

You should want to know Jesus more than you did yesterday.

Love him more than you did yesterday.

Serve him serve his church more than you did yesterday.

It's of infinite value in surpassing worth.

And the power of his resurrection.

It says in verse 10 he wants to know the power of his resurrection for

believers who share in his sufferings.

That's pick up their cross daily.

Remember guys a cross is a torture device.

When we say pick up our cross daily and follow him we're saying we're ready for the slings and arrows of

the world.

We died a self every day as he did and then we'll be raised with him.

Paul wasn't sure.

Remember guys the writers of the New Testament did not know the day that Jesus would return just like we don't.

Paul wasn't sure if he'd live to see the end of the resurrection he went.

He didn't know.

But what he said is this.

He knew that when he died he would go to be with the Lord.

He said that in chapter 1 verse 23 if he departs from this world he will be with Christ.

Like 2nd Corinthians 5 8 he said to be absent from the bodies to be present with the Lord the thief on the cross.

Jesus told him today you'll be with me in paradise.

We know when we die we go to be with the Lord.

But we know our physical body stays here.

But on that day of resurrection see Paul's body is on earth somewhere right now

scattered deteriorated probably on five different countries.

Did you know.

It's been fertilized and it's decomposed.

One day guys one day

the Lord will resurrect the bodies of believers.

They'll dress like the bodies of all the dead and we'll be given a new body.

See Jesus is gonna get everything he paid for.

He paid for all of you.

He's gonna get all of it.

Paul knew that day was coming.

The resurrection from the dead.

He talks about it a lot more in other books of the Bible.

But he wants to remind the church at Philippi that just as Jesus was resurrected not just raised from the dead but he was

resurrected to a new body.

I was talking to pastor Jeff about this earlier.

So will we verse 12.

Not that I've already obtained this or I'm already perfect but I press on to make it

my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Paul knows he's not perfect in this body but he still strives.

He still strains for his sanctification.

Because listen Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Guys I heard an analogy one time that I think misses the mark.

And the analogy was you know Jesus is like a boat.

If you choose to buy a ticket and go to the destination of heaven then good for you.

But if not I guess you missed the boat.

God's salvation is way more intimate than that.

Christ Jesus has made you his own.

You're his your co -heirs with Christ.

You are sons and daughters of God.

Why can Paul walk worthy of the gospel.

Verse 12.

Because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

I'm his.

I'm his.

And he's mine.

That's why Paul says my God.

Right.

Because it's an intimate relationship.

Christ Jesus has made us his own.

We weren't his own from birth.

We weren't his own because of the flesh.

We are his own because he's made us his own.

Hey brother Marty.

Philippians 3.

Now we're in verse 13 and 14.

Verse 13 and 14.

Brothers I do not consider myself to have made it my own but this one thing I do forgetting what is behind and

straining forward to what lies ahead.

There's a lot of us here that need to hear that again.

Verse 13.

Brothers I don't consider that I've made it my own but this one thing I do

forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.

I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God and Christ Jesus.

Paul knows he hasn't reached perfection.

He's only gotten this far because of Jesus Christ.

Paul's response to being bought by the blood of Jesus is to forget everything else in the strain and strive for the upward call of

Godliness.

Because that's our goal.

Think about this guys.

Paul is saying nothing in the flesh.

None of that other stuff.

Not being the tribe of Benjamin circumcised on the eighth day doing all the right things.

You know having the right Bible study.

None of that.

Because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

I strive.

I strain.

That's the Christian life.

Straining striving picking up your cross daily for the upward call.

Now Paul is getting on up in years and he is still straining and running the

race.

He is still fighting for that.

Why.

Because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord.

All that straining and striving knowing Jesus more and more every day is worth everything.

Everything.

Now check out verse 15.

Let those of us who are mature in our Christian walk think this way.

What way.

Well about straining and striving and keep fighting not being lazy in our sanctification not taking grace for

granted as some cheap parlor trick but straining and striving for the upward call

of God and Christ Jesus.

Well how do I do that.

Just how do I strain and strive.

Love God and love each other.

Love God.

Find a fellow believer and serve them.

Because Jesus said if you've done it to the least of these you've done it to me.

Why.

Because if they have been put in the body of Christ think.

Think logically.

If a believer now I'm speaking of believers for a moment.

If a believer has been placed in Jesus Christ remember that positional sanctification in the body of Christ.

We're all different body parts.

The I can't say to you all that if they've been put in the body of Christ then if you

serve them you're serving Christ because they are part of his body.

Does that make sense.

That's why Jesus told them yeah you may have never seen me in prison or a hungry or thirsty.

But if you've done it to them you've done it to me.

Why.

Because if they're saved they're believers.

They've been placed in his body.

So if you do it to them you're doing it to him.

But let all of us who are mature think this way.

And if any of you think otherwise listen all of us who believers who are mature think this way.

And if any of you think otherwise if you have questions or doubts are on the way.

If you're straining and striving now if you're seeking him with all your heart you're straining and striving seeking him with all

your heart like pastor read this morning from Psalm 137.

What happens if you think otherwise.

God will reveal that also to you.

I have doubts on the way I have questions.

You strain and strive and seek with all your heart God will reveal it to you.

Whether he uses whatever method he decides to do it he'll reveal that to you.

And you will seek me.

And you will find me when you search for me with your whole heart not half the whole

heart God will reveal it to you because it's grace didn't stop.

And your conversion you only just begun to see it.

Only let us hold true to what we have obtained.

Excuse me all.

Right.

Verse 17.

Brothers join in imitating me.

And keep your eyes on those who walk according to example you have in us.

Okay.

Continue holding on the truth you've obtained.

Now once you think about this Paul says join in imitating me.

He said it differently in Corinthians.

I think it's 1st Corinthians 11.

Imitate me because I'm imitating Christ.

Or follow me because I'm following Christ.

Can you say that.

Can you look at a younger believer.

I don't mean younger in age I mean a new believer.

And can you tell them follow me because I'm following Jesus.

You should be able to.

Paul is saying brothers join in imitating me.

Imitate me because I'm following Jesus Christ.

So if you're following me you're following Jesus.

I'm going that way.

That's what a pastor supposed to do supposed to lead supposed to point everyone in Christ.

And and show by example what following Christ looks like.

Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

Okay.

Watch them imitate the faith of the leaders God has put in your life.

But test everything they say to what the Bible says.

Test everything your leaders say to what the Bible says.

If it matches up.

Great.

If it matches up then you can follow that example.

But Paul weeps.

Verse 18.

For many there's that word again.

Scariest word in the Bible for many of whom I've told you.

Now tell you give me walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Their end is destruction.

Their God is their belly and they glory in their shame with minds set on

earthly things.

Guys when we at Witten we say unbelievers.

We're not talking just about atheists and agnostics.

Guys there are unbelievers that attend church services.

There are unbelievers who have been going to church for 50 years.

There are unbelievers that say say they love Jesus.

Many will come saying that Matthew 7.

They say they do.

You know.

Paul calls those people look again.

Not my words.

Paul's verse 18.

They are enemies of the cross of Christ.

They're in this destruction.

Their God is their belly.

And this is why.

Listen.

They glory they rejoice.

They boast in their shame because their minds

are set on earthly things.

Listen again.

Some of us need to really hear this warning from Paul.

Not for me.

From the Bible.

Their minds are set on earthly things.

Set your minds on things above not on things below.

Is your mind set on earthly things.

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

And then all these things will be added to you.

Paul cries for those who say they love Jesus but really they're in his enemies because they preach this different gospel in

their mind is set on earthly things.

Ask yourself where's your mindset.

I don't know about you guys.

My mind needs a constant readjustment back to the cross.

Hey brother Rodney.

Guys my mind needs a constant readjustment back to the cross.

If you're not constantly readjusting your mind back to the cross back to the Bible

back to God's Word back to things in heaven.

On things below you're gonna be out in left field.

Their minds are set on earthly things.

But our citizenship.

Verse 20 is in heaven and from it we await a Savior

the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body to be

like his glorious body by the power that enables him to subject

all things to himself.

Guys this is not our home.

This is our workplace.

This is our job.

This is where we're straining and striving.

I want to think about this world these earthly things.

This is our workplace this is our job.

The weekend is coming.

We're in our work right now or work week.

We are striving.

We are straining for the cause of Christ.

But our home is not here.

Our citizenship is in heaven.

That's our home.

We're at our job right now.

We're at our work week.

We're on our nine -to -five right now.

We are working striving straining

for the cause of Christ.

Our home is in heaven.

That's where our citizenship is.

Hey brother Hunter.

I'm sorry guys.

I got distracted.

I saw Hunter and I smiled.

I love you Hunter.

And from heaven we await a Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly

body be like his glorious body by the power that enables him to subject

all things to himself.

What do you think the Bible means when it says all things.

The power that enables him to subject all things to himself.

What do you think that means.

Is that the type of Lord that you serve do you serve that type of God

who subjects all things to himself who works all things

according to the counsel of his will.

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God

and are called according to his purpose.

Guys that's the God we serve.

That's the God we serve.

We serve a God.

We serve a God that subjects all things to himself.

He's waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool.

Well why is he waiting.

Because that's his plan.

He has a purpose behind it and at the appointed time he will come back

and subject finally all things to himself.

Okay that's chapter 3 guys so a little bit

of a hey Micah a little bit of a summary here

guys.

And then a couple leading thoughts.

So we're three chapters in and so far this is what we've covered.

Paul is writing from prison and he's telling people to live worthy of the gospel

even though they're not but they were made worthy by the righteousness of Christ through faith not through

works.

Through faith.

Everybody faith.

Abraham believed had faith and was credited to him.

Paul believed that had faith.

Let's print that we believe and have faith and it was credit to us as righteousness accounted imputed.

Paul's writing to the Saints of Philippi and saying the same thing.

Now he tells them to be unified in chapter 2.

At the end of chapter 1 chapter 2 he tells them to be unified.

Unified in what.

How are they supposed to be unified.

By living worthy of the gospel and by loving Jesus more than they love anything else.

And by having that common goal they come closer together.

See guys that's the thing about team sports.

The teams that are the most functional together are the ones that are all focused on the same goal and

all moving that direction and moving that direction they come closer together.

It's the same thing with God.

The more we all are one -minded and focused on glorifying God the more we join

closer together.

I love my church family.

I'm seeing their names.

I get distracted when their names pop up here.

I love my church family guys what binds us is

there is what binds us is not a football team.

What binds us is not chemical reactions in the brain that make us like some people.

More than that guys my best friends in the world.

I don't have a lot in common with by human standards.

They're my best friends in the world because we all have the one thing that matters the most in life in common.

And that's we love Jesus.

We love his word.

And it's more important than any of our individual opinions any of our individual differences any of our individual

that's most important.

And we all follow that strive for that strain.

For that we come closer together.

Chapter 4 will start next week.

Now chapter 4 guys if you want to read ahead.

It's funny how Paul went about this.

He goes three chapters talking about people being unified by loving Jesus one more every day and not worrying about

things behind but reaching forward to things that are ahead.

Chapter 4 he names names.

There are two women at the Church of Philippi.

It's love which is Christ.

That's right.

God is love.

There are two women at the Church of Philippi that are causing division.

They're arguing amongst themselves and they're causing division in the whole church.

Okay now once you think about this Paul from hundreds of miles away

let's see.

I got to get a map out from a long way away is writing to

them.

And he names names because that's how big of a division they're causing.

Okay.

So Paul spends all this time telling them how to be unified.

How do they unify.

Quit focusing on yourself.

Start focusing on Jesus now.

So in chapter 4 make sure you read ahead and see what Paul has now.

Paul says something very key in chapter 4.

He talks about the secret to being content.

Read ahead for that all.

Right guys look there we are with that going through Philippians.

We might be able to get through all chapter 4 next week I'm not sure.

And then gotta figure out what book we're doing next.

That'll be fun.

I'll let you guys help me pick.

So next week we might be able to finish.

We got one more chapter guys remember those you just joining in or anything like that.

Please remember the next day or sometimes that night Andrew

Andrew cook our music minister always goes back and uploads these to the YouTube page.

That's Witten Media Ministry.

Witten Media Ministry.

Thanks Jim.

Thanks Bill.

Thanks Scott.

Witten Media Ministry now that's a YouTube channel.

Now you just go to YouTube and in the search bar type in Witten Media Ministry.

Go ahead and like and subscribe to that.

And Andrew has done a great job.

He has titled all the videos so literally guys you can go to Witten Media Ministry

and the titles of the videos tell you what scripture was covered.

So whether it's Pastor Ben's timeouts or Brother Jeff's sermons or Vicki and Mercedes and

Deborah's wow moments or whatever it may be Jeremiah and Hunter's Wednesday nights you can see what was

covered.

Really useful tool.

Andrew's also on the Facebook page been making playlists so you can see old videos.

But I think YouTube Witten Media Ministries and the public Facebook page the video section

has all these lessons we've been doing including the question -and -answer thing we did Saturday night which

was pretty fun.

The questions for those you didn't hear and they're on Facebook and I think they're on YouTube.

Now speaking of God's justice.

God's judgment.

How is God fair.

What will judgment day look like for believers.

Stuff like that.

So all that we want.

Ava.

Yeah.

Thanks Johnny.

I love all you guys.

Oh and Andrew's hymn histories.

Be thou.

My vision was one of the night that was cool.

Okay I can't think of anything else I need to mention.

Pastor Jeff will be on shortly.

Those you don't know by the way that I've noticed some names that I don't recognize.

My name is Josiah Shipley.

I love my church at Witten and I do this so we can continue learning more and more

about Jesus.

More and more about God and his Word.

Marty I'm glad you like Saturday night.

We're gonna keep doing that.

We've got some more things coming with that kind of stuff.

Guys look here's a here's our method at Witten.

Here's how we read.

We don't do Bible studies just to tell opinions.

We do Bible studies if we go verse by verse we don't skip a single word.

That way we can find out what God intends to tell us because God holds us accountable for knowing this word.

So our job is to know this word so that we can follow it and hold each other accountable to it.

I love all you guys so much.

I really do.

And I know this is a public live video but I don't care.

I love my family.

I want you guys to know that again.

For those of you just joining on remember you can go back and play it and watch it

also don't forget all the old videos are on Witten Media Ministry on YouTube and

Andrew also puts them in a playlist on Facebook.

So again you can go back and watch this.

You can catch back up on all the Philippians.

We've done four or five lessons on Philippians.

We've got one or two more.

Hey Paul.

Good to see you.

Man we're about to sign off but text me rewatch this and or wait till tomorrow when it's on

YouTube but rewatch it.

Man good to see you Paul.

Love you brother.

Okay I love all you guys.

I can't think of anything else.

It's not here if anything out.

Anyone got anything else for me.

I'll sign off if not anything else

all right.

Well I hope you guys got something out of it.

I hope it was edifying for you.

I love you all and I'll see you all next week.