Sermon Cloud

How to Overcome Suffering
Philippians 3:1-14 (TNIV, p. 805)
Ray Befus August 24, 2008

Did you have a good week or a bad week? Bad week? What was the worst day? What are you like on a really bad day? Silent and icy cold? Moody and short tempered? Do you keep your head down and stay busy? Do you become critical and negative in your conversations? Do you become quietly depressed and withdraw? Do you isolate yourself from others? Do you swear or cry or shout or pound your fist (pick one or all four)?

I had an exceptionally good week with some very hard experiences along the way. The Bible invites us to be honest about life's hardships. Our favorite OT Bible stories tell us about storms, set backs, and suffering among the men and women who trusted and followed God. And, Jesus was pretty clear when he told his followers, "In this world you will have trouble".

I. REALITY CHECK: WE ALL GO THROUGH HARD-REALLY HARD-TIMES.

A. In the Bible passage we're looking at today, the Apostle Paul tells us that in our decision to trust and follow Jesus, we will experiences both the resurrection power of Jesus and Jesus' sufferings. Jesus' resurrection was pretty amazing; his suffering was truly horrible (got an R-rating!).

B. Paul wrote this short letter to some of his best friends-a church like Vineyard North in the ancient Greek city of Philippi. It's a friendly letter, but Paul knows that his friends are in some trouble. They are facing some pressures from outside, just for being Christians (in a strongly non-Christian culture-such as Indonesia or Packistan today). There are also some big disagreements and relational tensions inside the church-disagreements that could cause the people to split into different factions and destroy the progress they've made over the past 10 years.

C. Paul is in the perfect position to give these folks some advice on how to make it through hard times. Paul himself is in prison in Rome as he writes this letter. He knows what suffering is like. The prison he is in is literally an open sewer. The government doesn't provide food, clothing, or medical care. No one is promised a speedy trial. Paul expects to be released from prison eventually, but he wakes up each morning and goes to bed every night facing a death sentence. That qualities as a hard time. Paul is using his own experience of suffering to help the Philippians through their experience. READ v. 15. Chapter two Paul has talked about how to handle difficult relationships; in chapter three he seems to focus in on the difficult feelings and attitudes that accompany suffering.

D. READ vv.1-14. Paul is giving these troubled Christians piece of his heart-some passionate advice on how to overcome suffering. You can't escape it. Suffering will find you. Peter writes, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you as through something stranger were happening to you (I Peter 4:12). If we can't escape suffering, how can you and I press through it and overcome it,? PRAY.

TRANS: As long as there has been religion, there have been people who have whispered into the ears of suffering men and women, the same bad advice Job's friends whispered to Job. If you had worked a little harder, been a little more careful, invested a little more, and done more to get on God's good side, this wouldn't be happening to you. In other words, bad things happen to bad people. You need to repent and work your religious mojo a little harder!

II. DOGSPEAK: THINGS MIGHT IMPROVE IF YOU WORK YOUR RELIGIOUS MOJO A LITTLE HARDER!

A. Paul calls this ‘dogspeak' and it's a wicked trap that is easy to fall into when we're discouraged.

1. In v.2 Paul comes unglued in a furious attack on a group of people who are a threat to his friends in Philippi. While our English translation only includes the exclamation "watch out" one time; it actually occurs three times in the Greek text. Watch out for these dogs, watch out for these evil doers, watch out for these mutilators!

2. Who is Paul talking about? Jewish Christians who were advising Gentile Christians that if they want real peace with God, God's real favor, protection from harm, and blessings in life then they need to be circumcised (or at least urge the men in their lives to be circumcised). Even through Jesus had died and rose again, people who wanted to be sure they're on the inside with God, still need to be circumcised as the OT taught the ancient Jews to do.

3. These Judaizers followed Paul everywhere he went and tried their best to make converts from Paul's converts. "Faith in Jesus is a great start" they'd say. "Grace is a great message. But the full-gospel includes a couple more steps after you decide to trust and follow Jesus: for instance, you still need to be circumcised! Circumcision will prove to everyone-even God-that you are a real believer. Circumcision will give you, your wife, and your children real peace of mind, real favor with God, real protection from suffering. If you're wondering why your life is filled with so much pain and confusion, my friend, could it just be that you haven't obeyed God in getting circumcised? Pray about it".

4. This is dogspeak. Ancient Jewish religious leaders commonly called non-Jewish people dogs. Dogs were not used as pets in the Middle East 2000 years ago; they were regarded as pests, sort of like rats and mice are regarded in our culture. Paul says that these legalists are the real dogs. And you don't want to step in the -bleep-they are teaching (v. 8, garbage = shit; KJV translates is dung).

5. Men and women who have decided to trust and follow Jesus are the real insiders with God. All it takes is a personal relationship with Jesus, and you become an insider with God. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that there is no earning anything with God. Power Point: Romans 6:23. God offers eternal life-full pardon for sin, complete acceptance, heavenly blessing, and eternal reward-as gift to all who will put their faith in Jesus, his death and resurrection.

B. If a person could earn God's favor through circumcision or any outward show of religious duty, Paul writes, "I would have had it made. I went down that road. As a Jewish man living a Jewish religion, I was the Michael Phelps of my synagogue. My status was gold medal all the way. My scores in every event were perfect". But, after meeting Jesus, I discovered that everything people do and encourage each other to do to get on God's good side, is nothing but a pile of religious bleep-dog bleep.

1. You don't want to go down that road. Religion-any kind of religion-is a dead end. The problem with the Jewish religion and every other religion is that no matter how much you do to earn God's favor . . . no matter how well you do in comparison to everyone else you know . . . when you lay your head down on your pillow tonight, you will never know if you have done enough to be fully forgiven, completely accepted, fully redeemed, or finally secure. You might feel good about yourself today; but tomorrow may be another story.

2. Different religions are just different lists of things to do to earn God's favor. No religion can provide the kind of joy, peace, and power you need to make sense of your suffering and to overcome it. Legalism-attempts to add good works to your faith in Jesus-is worse than a dead end. It's a pile of bleep.

TRANS: Whatever you're like on one of your bad days . . .

III. A MESSAGE FROM PRISON: REFOCUS ON JESUS.

Knowing Jesus will fill your heart with joy, peace, and power. An intimate, personal, growing relationship with Jesus will carry you the distance, no matter what you're going through or what you're feeling right now. READ vv. 7-11. This passage offers three things we can do to grow in our relationship with Jesus that will bring us through our worst days.

A. Worship him and you'll experience joy.

1. "Rejoice in the Lord" is a psalm-like phrase Paul uses to begin and end this final section of his letter (cf. v. 4:4). It's an expression ofr worship. It's an invitation to refocus on Jesus' love and faithfulness, sacrifices and promises.

2. You want to shift your mood and begin to feel some hope again? "Rejoice in the Lord". There's more to rejoicing in the Lord than coming to church and listening to the band. Begin to think about Jesus (his life and death and resurrection) . . . begin to thank him for his love and his life and his death for you . . . begin to remember and rehearse his teachings and his promises . . . speak your thoughts in prayer, like you are talking to a real person who is listening . . . sing your songs like they are personal praises and prayers to someone who is listening to you. Your praying and singing and rejoicing really matter to the real Jesus who is actually listening to what you say when you pray . . . who is listening for your heart when you sing.

3. You want some joy in your life? Forget about doing something special to get God's attention or earning his favor. There is no greater source of happiness than getting to know Jesus better and better and better and better. And how do you get to know anyone better and better and better and better? You get personal. You communicate your heart. You listen for his heart. You express gratitude and love. You rejoice in the Lord. You pray and worship from the heart.

B. Trust him and you'll find peace.

1. (v. 9) Righteousness is the goal of every religion-being righteous is being right with God. To have a righteous standing with God is to be able to look up into the night sky . . . to be able to face a layoff at work . . . to be able to listen to a doctor tell you have cancer . . . to be able to sit with a child who is pregnant before marriage . . . and know that God is with you, for you, and will never leave or forsake you.

2. I did everything my religion asked me to do-and more. But, when I met Jesus-alive from the dead-and realized that his death had paid for my sin and provided a way for me to go to bed every night knowing that I was right with God and would never have to do another thing to try to get on his good side, I was ready to trade in every good work I had ever done for knowing and trusting Jesus. ILLUS: The difference between Christianity's good news and every other religion is the difference between the words do and done. Religions tell you do, do, do, do, do. The problem with every religion is that no one can ever tell you when you have done enough. Christianity's good news is summed up in the word done. Jesus was your substitute. When he died on a cross, his final words were, "It is finished". Your sins are paid for. The work or earning God's favor is done. Jesus did it all. You don't have to do anything to get on God's good side. All you have to do is decide to trust and follow Jesus. The whole focus of Paul's faith is now just getting to know Jesus better and better and better.

C. Pursue him and you'll discover power (vv. 12-14).

1. How do you know when you've met a healthy, mature Christian leader? He is deeply aware of how far he has to go in getting to know Jesus. He'll tell you he's just a beginner in this journey to trusting and following Jesus. He's just a beginner in loving and serving and sacrificing. He's just a beginner in worship and prayer. He's just a beginner in understanding Jesus' words and doing his works. And this person is just as hungry and eager and hopeful and focused as the day he first met Jesus. For him, it's all about Jesus-on good days and on bad days.

2. Christians aren't exempt from suffering. But there is resurrection power at work in our lives and in our world-breaking addictions, renewing marriages, healing minds and bodies, providing finances, saving lives, breaking poverty, bringing peace. No one can say exactly how you'll experience resurrection power in your life, but you have a resurrection future. That's why Christians don't give up, walk out, jump ship, or give in to cynicism. They've met the resurrected Jesus and they have tasted resurrection power.

3. (v. 11) When Paul says that "somehow" he hopes to experience a personal resurrection, he doesn't doubt that resurrection for him is ahead. Paul just doesn't know what kind of suffering will lead up to his resurrection. Will his traveling ministry be resurrected after a short stay in prison . . . or will he be resurrected to eternal life after being put to death? Resurrection is never in doubt. But the kind of suffering and the extent of the suffering on the path ahead is uncertain.

IV. PRESS ON: JESUS IS THE PRIZE!

A. Worship him, trust him, pursue him. Make your life about him on good days and bad days. "That's what I'm doing here in prison in Rome", Paul says. "My body is confined, but my heart is soaring. Don't sit down in self-pity. Don't stir up your disappointments by criticizing your spouse or your kids or your boss or your church or the presidential candidates. You can tell me all your complaints and disappointments and frustrations and hurts. You can even attack me. But I'm just going to point you back to Jesus".

B. Don't look back. Press on in this journey of getting to know Jesus better and better and better and better. Ultimately, the prize is spending eternity with Jesus-like Mac in The Shack, laying out on the dock with Jesus, watching the starts fill the night sky. Hanging out with Jesus, learning from Jesus, fishing with Jesus, walking on water with Jesus, serving Papa with Jesus forever. Nothing that waits for you in heaven will hold a candle to the wonder of just being with Jesus.

C. Are you pressing ahead at this point in your spiritual journey? What would pressing on look like in your worship and serving and growing? Can you think of one area in your life in which you're straining to get to know Jesus better, straining to hear his voice, straining to touch his heart, straining to follow his ways?

What would you sound like praying . . . if your heart was straining to know Jesus better? What would you look like worshipping, if you were straining with all your heart to touch Jesus' heart? How would your ministry leadership be different if you were captured by Paul's vision of meeting Jesus face-to-face at the finish line?

v. 15. Mature Christians don't settle back into an easy chair of Bible knowledge or church routine. Healthy, mature Christians don't settle for the records of what they've achieved in the past. You'll know a healthy, mature Christian when you find one. He or she will be pushing the boundaries of faith, breaking through the status quo of spirituality, straining to take hold of God's resurrection power . . . on their good days and on their bad days.

Questions for Small Group Discussion

1. Let's be a honest. What are you like on a really bad day? Where do your thoughts and feelings take you? You're not alone.

2. Let's read through Philippians 2:1-14. If these verses were a personal note emailed to you by a close friend on one of your bad days, would any of these verses stir your heart or mind? Why or why not?

3. Paul describes legalism (performing outward acts of devotion to earn God's forgiveness or favor) in pretty harsh words. It's nothing but a pile of BLEEP-dog BLEEP. Don't step in it! Circumcision was the primary expression of legalism that Paul was concerned about in his letter. What are some up-to-date expressions of legalism that we should be careful to avoid? Here's a hint: we're stepping in legal anytime we decide to do something to try to get God's attention in order to impress him.

4. Do you know Jesus better today than the day you first met him? Can you tell us how you've gotten to know him better? What do you know about him today that you didn't know back when you began this journey?

5. What do you love most about Jesus?

6. Are there any categories of your faith in which you're intentionally pressing ahead, straining into God's promises, pushing past barriers, breaking into new territory? Do you sense God calling or pulling you to take any new steps into the future? Can we pray for you?