Sermon Cloud

How to Grow Up in Your Faith
Philippians 3:15-4:3 (TNIV, p. 805)
Ray Befus August 31, 2008

1. Ever had stitches? On your head? When I was in grade school, I decided to take my dog sledding. He didn't want to go, but I insisted so he came along reluctantly. All it took was one run down the hill and my dog got his foot caught in one of the runners of the sled. He was yelping in pain, so I tried to get his leg loose and he bit me-on the chin. I'm pretty sure he did it on purpose.

So, I was hurting and bleeding and my dog was feeling pretty smug when my Mom took me to the doctor to get stitches in my chin. I hate stitches. I remember screaming and the doctor telling my mom to lay across my body to hold me down. Stitches are supposed to help you get better, but they hurt like fire-at least they did that day. Anything that can hurt that bad but be that good for you has to be counter intuitive-some kind of stupid lesson in life. How can anything as difficult or painful as stitches be right or good or help you heal? Since then, I've learned something shocking but true: some of life's best lessons really can be counter-intuitive.

2. We're reading through Paul's letter to the Philippians where he is giving them some counter-intuitive advice on how life in God's world works, how following Jesus can call you to do the very opposite of what you feel like doing. Paul's friends in Philippi are going through some tough times in their relationships-relationships with family members and friends and neighbors who don't understand their faith . . . and relationships among themselves within the church.

I don't know about you but when I'm feeling misunderstood, put down, beat up, or wronged by someone, I get angry and take up a fighting posture (in my mind, at least). I start forming arguments in my mind. I start making decisions to make these people pay. I look for ways to prove them wrong. I feel like pulling back and letting them know I'm offended and hurt. Occasionally I say and do mean things to try to put them in their place.

3. In Philippians 2-3, the heart of this letter, Paul calls these frustrated friends to adopt a different mindset. Instead of withdrawing, making judgments, criticising, pulling out, Paul calls them to adopt a more mature mindset. We ended last week at 3:15, where Paul urges us all to adopt a mature mindset when we go through difficult seasons in our walk with God and other people.

I. MATURE CHRISTIANS SHARE A DISTINCT OUTLOOK ON LIFE (3:15-16)

v. 15-Mindset (a mental grid, a perspective on life, a process for moving through painful circumstances): Cf. 2:2, 5; 3:19; 4:2. Mature Christians-men and women who are making substantial progress toward the goal of knowing and becoming like Jesus-think similarly about the challenges they face, the pressures they endure, the conflicts they experience in relationship with others, the weariness they feel, and the decisions they're going to make when they come to personal crossroads.

A. They demonstrate their commitment to unity by humbly putting others ahead of themselves-serving them and even sacrificing for them-as Jesus did for us all (2:1-30).

1. They don't withdraw, isolate, and do their own thing. Mature Christians demonstrate their maturity in staying involved, staying committed, loving-really loving-through hard seasons. They forgive and join back in. They make decisions and plans with others in mind. They actually put others ahead of themselves (not just family and friends-even non-Christians do that).

2. Why do they live this way? Because this what real humility does and this is what Jesus did for them. They get it. The Christian life is living Jesus' life together-not just going to Sunday meetings and trying to be good during the week.

3. Do you think of yourself as a mature Christian? The longest that any of these people have been Christians is 10 years. They could be mature in their faith by now. It' doesn't take a lifetime. But no one reaches spiritual maturity . . . just by going to church meetings for 10 years . . . by getting familiar with the Bible . . . by taking missions trips . . . giving up bad habits . . . or staying out of trouble. Those are all good, but they aren't really hallmarks of spiritual maturity . . . the kind of maturity that will pull a marriage, or a family, or a church through hard times. Not the kind of maturity that will catch the attention of co-workers or give you a voice when it's time to talk about your faith.

B. Through every hardship they stay focused on Jesus and deepening their relationship with him (3:1-14).

1. In times of stress or hardship, we're all tempted to look around for other people-someone to blame, someone to complain to, someone who can fix our situation or at least offer us some comfort. The enemy whispers . . . if you just had a lover, things would be better. If you just walked out of your marriage things would improve. If you'd just let those people have it and walk out on them, that would teach them a lesson. If you'd just move to Boston or Boise, there are plenty of parties and bars where really happy people would introduce you to real living. Your problem is that you're an eagle, stuck on the ground with a bunch of turkeys!

2. Mature Christians refocus on Jesus, take their sorrow and pain to him, push past distractions in prayer and worship, and press into his heart. They press into a real friendship that involves talking and listening, interacting, and partnering in advancing with the Father's kingdom. Their lives and moods and attitudes and decisions are all about Jesus.

3. Maturity is as maturity does: We're here to SERVE you and to LOVE him! (THAT'S A MISSION STATEMENT!)

Frankly, I've been feeling pretty immature over the past few weeks of thinking about this letter. It's inspiring stuff to think about on Sundays, but it challenges the core of my faith when I think about applying it to the stresses of my marriage and family life, when I think about serving or sacrificing for some of the people around me who just seem to be users, when I am looking for someone to blame or someone to comfort me.

No one becomes a mature Christian just because they're getting older. You've got to have a target you're aiming for and people around you who can challenge and support you, and warn you when you're missing the mark. Mature Christians don't withdraw or isolate, don't avoid probing questions or personal counsel, don't chart their own course away from the rest of the family. They intentionally look for other maturing Christians who can support them on the journey.

TRANS: They join together with other mature Christians (v. 17). They talk about their target. They invite prayer and counsel and even correction. They are aware of how much they need brothers and sisters in the faith to help them stay on the path to greater maturity.

II. MATURE CHRISTIANS LOCK ARMS AND STAND FIRM (3:17-4:1)

A. Not everyone in the church makes a solid traveling companion. You and I need to look for other men and women who are making progress toward maturity-and these people may not be our old friends. They may not be in our age group. They may not be right in front of us. They may not throw the best parties or have the best toys or have the best taste in wine or designer beers.

B. Some of the folks you know, enjoy hanging out with, and think of as Christians are actually enemies of the cross. It's heart-breaking. What does Paul mean by that? There are some people whose personal jewelry includes crosses, but they don't demonstrate any humility toward others, they don't serve and sacrifice for anyone other than their children and close friends (like everyone does), the main pursuit of their lives isn't knowing Jesus better, and their focus isn't on eternity. The come to church with their Bibles and sing the songs, but their lives are all about them being as happy and fulfilled as they can be right now. Their lives are all about them, and all about having a good time now. The cross isn't a part of their thinking, their lifestyle, or their daily decision-making. The cross just jewelry. Jesus is more of a mascot than Lord and Savior. It's heart-breaking. Some of them are home school students. They attend Kuyper College or Cornerstone University. They are life long members of churches like Calvary and Vineyard and Sunshine. They have been elders and deacons and even pastors. They're destiny is destruction. There here with us, but they aren't headed where we're headed. This world is their real home.

C. You need to look for men and women who are living like this world is not their home. This world-what they can get, what they can buy, what they can experience, where they can travel, how much they'll be able to amass for retirement-isn't what they live for, stress out about, pour their lives into, or find their greatest joy in. Their hearts are in heaven, their focus is on eternity, their lives are all about Jesus . . . like people who grew up in Hawaii and drive their W MI friends nuts by talking about the beaches and forests and food and flowers and how they can't wait to get back there.

D. Look around the church for maturing men and women who talk a little more about Jesus than you do, who sacrifice a little more for others than you do, who seem more genuinely jazzed about heaven than you are right now. They're the ones who can really help you mature in your faith. Lock arms with them. A great place to start looking is a home group. When you feel a wobble coming on this fall or winter, they'll help steady you. Together, you'll be able to stand firm until Jesus returns for us all . . . or at least until Spring comes to Michigan once again!

III. YES YOU'RE SPECIAL, BUT IF YOU ASK FOR AN EXEMPTION YOU AREN'T MATURE (4:2-3)

A. It's part of our sinfulness to think that this is all well and good, but I deserve an exception . . . because I'm married to a ________; my boss is a __________; I've been beaten down by loser parents; I've been hurt by the church; I struggle with my health; my finances stress me out; I'm an extreme case. Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, how unfairly I've been treated, how stessed out I am. I'm different than the rest of you. I'm special. Certainly you're not asking me to humble myself, value others and their pain ahead of myself and my pain and my dreams. I'm the one others should be serving and sacrificing for. I need Jesus (and you) to focus on me and help me and heal me and make my dreams come true. I came to Jesus and this church because I thought he (and you) would be a good people to have on my team, to be meeting my needs.

B. Paul mentions two women leaders in the church, whom he evidently respects, but wants to call to join in the journey toward maturity. Euodia and Syntyche are not dimwitted, gossipy busy-bodies who Paul is singling out for correction (typical of women everywhere). They were respected female church leaders (with Dorcas, the church's founder) whom he's calling to stay on course, to press ahead, to push through disappointments and conflicts, and make good on the great start that characterized their journey toward maturity.

1. These women have Greek names, names given them by non-Christian parents. Translating their names, we could call them Success and Lucky. Their non-believing parents evidently wanted these girls to get ahead, to be successful, to get good breaks, to have fun, and to enjoy their lives. Their parents probably weren't thinking about servanthood and self-sacrifice and love for Jesus as the path to success or the secret to good luck.

2. But now these two women, together with Dorcas, have started a journey of faith in Jesus and have led the way in establishing a strong and healthy church. Paul doesn't seem angry with them. He seems eager to see them stay on course in the midst of this current conflict, frustration, breakdown.

3. LESSONS FOR MALE AND FEMALE LEADERS.

a. Having a track record of growth in the past doesn't guarantee that you're going to make it all the way to maturity.

b. Having a leadership position in a church doesn't give you and exemption from taking up your cross and pursuing Jesus through the pain and suffering your experiencing as a leader.

c. Ministry leaders need as much support and encouragement and even public exhortation to keep pressing on to maturity as the rest of us do!

C. Philippians is probably the most encouraging, friendly letter in all the NT. And, it's two exhortations to maturity (chapters 2-3) are foundational to living as an ordinary Christian. If you ask for an exemption from Philippians 2-3, you aren't mature. You're stuck in some kind of spiritual adolescence. In fact, if you're asking for an exemption from these two chapters, you may be making a left turn onto a different path altogether. You don't want to wake up some day and discover that though you went to church and sang the songs and gave your money, that you actually lived pretty much your whole life as an enemy of the cross-an enemy of unity and servanthood and self-sacrifice and genuine devotion to the real Jesus who died on a cross for us all. You don't want to life with the personal deception that your faith and spirituality was always really just about you and your happiness, and never really about him and his mission.

CONCLUSION: Like Luke (my true companion) and Clement and the rest of Paul's co-workers in Philippi, VN's pastors and home group leaders are here to help you get up after you've taken a fall, help you get back in the race, and stay on course to win the prize of your high calling. We want you to be successful and lucky in your growth toward maturity! It's not too late for you to get up, dust yourself off, and run full tilt to the finish line. The race isn't over. Don't settle for anything less than a gold medal.

ILLUS: One of the greatest Olympic victories for Great Britain was not 2008 in Bejing, but 1924 in Paris in men's track. Some of you have seen the Academy Awards Best Picture of 1981, Chariots of Fire-the story of Eric Liddell a Scottish Christian who ran in those Olympics and went on to become a missionary in China (like his parents before him). His best event was the men's 100 meters but he refused to run the race because it was held on a Sunday. His next race was the men's 400 meters. Because of a lack of experience and a morning schedule that compromised his readiness for his final race, few thought that Eric Liddell had a chance to win. But he did win . . . a gold medal . . . and he set a new world's record. Because Eric Liddell was born in China and died there, he has sometimes been called China's first Olympic champion.

DVD Clip-Chariots of Fire (1:52.15) Bring volume up to a relatively high level
(1:56.00) Lower the volume (it's just background music) Ray will read Hebrews 12:1-2
When Ray has finished reading, fade the volume out and then cut the video.

Questions for Small Group Discussion

1. Think back to the time before you met Jesus, or when you were new to the Christian faith. How would you have defined spiritual maturity back then? Back then, how would you have described the essentials of mature, Christian thinking or behavior?

2. Having come this far in our study of Paul's letter to the Philippians, how would you now, in your own words, describe the chief characteristics of spiritual maturity that Paul describes in chapters 2 and 3:1-14?

3. What relationship(s) in your life are most challenging right now? What parts of a mature Christian mindset are most challenging for you right now?

4. Let's read Philippians 3:15-4:3. What statements in this passage catch your attention? Have any of Ray's statements from his talk last Sunday been stirring in you this week?

5. Do you have any mature Christians in your life who you've invited to mentor you? How did you first spot the characteristics of maturity in their lives? What strengths do they have that you are asking them to help you develop?

6. Like Euodia and Syntyche, do you feel that you may be stuck right now in your journey toward spiritual maturity? Being stuck at the moment doesn't mean you are a loser. These women were respected leaders. Paul doesn't call them out because they're stupid; he calls them out because he respects them and believes in them. How can we pray for you?