Jesus was with his disciples. He spent time explaining to them much about the future that would entail when he left, but he also spoke about many whom they would come in contact with. He spoke of those who would, in some sense, join in with them, and yet they would not be really with them in spirit. He spoke in John chapter 10 particularly through a metaphor of false shepherds and he said in John chapter 10 verses 1 to 3, he said, I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in by some other way is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd and shepherd of his sheep, the watchman opens the gate for him and the sheep listen to his voice. And then he adds in verse 10 of this passage, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. And today, as we look in Philippians chapter three, we find ourselves in the midst of a passage in which Paul has been taking, in a sense, a parenthetical stop or pause in the midst of his letter to his Philippian friends. In fact, as you would look at the structure of Philippians, you would almost feel as though When you come to chapter 3, it seems as though it's a second letter. In fact, some scholars have insisted that that is the case, that we have two letters sandwiched together. I do not think that's true, but it appears that way because when you come to chapter 3, he starts off with this word of finally. It appears as though he's wrapping up chapters 1 and 2, and then he immediately launches into a very intense and very directive list of warnings concerning a problem that the Philippians might encounter. In addressing this problem, he goes through a description of those who would be the problem makers and his attitude as he does combat with them and what he recommends that the Philippians do in the process of preparing for those who would come and trouble them. And as we've gone down through chapter three, we've noticed Paul's attitude that he presses on toward a goal that he might receive the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, and how that he is quite willing to sacrifice everything that has been valuable to him in order that he might attain to and grasp for a true knowledge of Jesus Christ, whom he sees as the greatest prize in all of life. Now as we come down to this last segment of Chapter 3, we find the Apostle Paul stating very clearly that there are coming those who will not help the Philippians make progress. They are coming, and of course we have spoken in the past few weeks about their doctrine. They teach the necessity of practicing the Mosaic Code in order that they might experience righteousness. And here in more detail, Paul gives them somewhat of an oblique warning of how to deal with those who will come and teach them such doctrines that will hinder their progress, arrest their progress. Perhaps even like their Galatian brothers of previous years, they might stop them in their progress and completely arrest it. Paul is very concerned because in city after city, as we have said, those who would be called Judaizers, those who would enforce the use of law in order to attain to a right standing with God, have dogged his trail in city after city. And so here in Philippians 3, verse 17, Paul exhorts the Philippians with a principle And that principle is, you become like the people you spend time with. And Paul is saying, let me say that again, you become like the people you spend time with. And you can see right at the very initiation of this segment of what Paul says, he talks about being connected with other believers. Notice how he puts it, he says, join with others in following my example. And so there is immediately a challenge here that he lays out before the Philippians of with whom they ought to spend time, with whom they ought to have fellowship. And he initiates this command by, speaking of it in verse 17, he says, how to recognize those who can help you and guide you on your way to spiritual progress. When he says join with others, it's interesting because immediately what do you see? Well, when you see the word others, you recognize that Paul is not asking you to take off with him on some maverick rabbit trail of spirituality. He's not asking you to follow him as some very unique guru, but he is saying there are others. who follow Jesus Christ in the same way. And I am not asking you to be off the wall, he's saying. And I'm not asking you to be out of the mainstream. There is a mainstream of Orthodox Christianity and Paul is saying that he lies right in that mainstream. And in his challenge to follow his example, he could easily have recommended to the Philippians that they consider their own neighbors over in Thessalonica. Because in his early book to the Thessalonians, in the first chapter to them, in his first epistle to the Thessalonians, he acknowledges that the Thessalonians have been those who have imitated Paul. And he writes to them in 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 6, He says, you became imitators of us. And notice the us, Paul is not alone. You became imitators of us and of the Lord. In spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. So perhaps Paul is even obliquely speaking of their Thessalonian neighbors, Because you see, 10 years earlier, they, according to the testimony of Paul, had become a model, an example for all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Of course, Philippi was in the province of Macedonia. And Paul has no hesitation here in urging them to follow his example. Paul is the kind who says, not just what I say, but what I do. And so he has no hesitation to say, look at my life. You have seen my life. You have known me for over 10 years. You have read about my activities. And now you see the consequences of my commitment. I do not flag in the press. I do not cave in under the pressure of the Judaizers. And look at my situation here in Rome. It is simply the consequences of diligence and commitment. So he says, follow my example. And earlier, as he ministered and he wrote to the Corinthians, he said the same thing. He said to them, without any hesitation or without any fear of sounding pompous, he says in 1 Corinthians 11, in verse 1 of the chapter, be imitators of me. as I am of Christ. And so what Paul is arguing here is it's not that I'm just asking you to follow me. Follow me as I follow Christ. And so the issue is as the Philippians evaluate Paul's track record, is it the kind of track record that seems to be running toward Jesus Christ? And of course he's arguing in the earlier parts of chapter three that that's precisely his goal, the high calling or the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. And Paul moves on to describe that there are others, of course, who are worthy guides. And this is why he says in verse 17, follow my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. So evidently in Philippi, There must have been those who were faithful. And what Paul is recommending is that they take note of them, that they scope them out. It's the same word that Paul used for the goal back in last week's passage when he says that he keeps his eyes fixed on the goal. He scopes out the goal, skopos is the word, and here he is arguing that they scope out or that they keep their sights on, it's the same thing as a rifle scope, that's where we get that word, that they fix the crosshairs of their rifle scope right on those type of people who are following his example and by implication there are, as I say, others evidently who are practicing and of course he has already told us in chapter 2 that two others are coming whose example is worthy for them to follow, Timothy and Epaphroditus, worthy fellow workers, worthy brothers, those who are worthy of their reception. Now, what was the pattern? You notice how Paul says in verse 17, take note of those who live according to the pattern that you have in us, or as the New International says, that we gave you. There really isn't so much a pattern that Paul handed to them. Really, it's more clearly spoken of as a pattern which they were to observe in the life of Paul. But nevertheless, what is the pattern that Paul is recommending to them? Well, all you do is you go right back into chapter 3 and what he has spoken of. And you remember how he talked about counting the knowledge of Christ in verse 7. The knowledge of Christ as life's greatest value. That is the pattern that Paul provided them. What is your value? And we've spoken about that. What are your priorities? Jesus Christ, pursuit of him. And also he spoke of, as he passed through this portion of his letter, pursuing righteousness through Christ by faith and not by works. That's the pattern that Paul set. Paul also said that regarding perfection, he acknowledged you cannot achieve perfection in this life. However, He recommends heartily that you pursue after it, for without holiness no man will see the Lord. And Paul lives the pursuit of righteousness in his life and has a track record that demonstrates that. And he also, as he said in chapter 3, the way he pursues after righteousness is by forgetting the things that lie behind and pressing on. What is the real nature of Paul's example? Well, Paul's example is that of one who has a focus on Jesus Christ. And so he recommends to us, keep your eyes fixed on those who live like Paul. Keep your eyes focused on people who are focused on Jesus Christ. And then he moves on into a second segment, taking him down through verse 18 and 19, where he says, how do you recognize those who are not going to be helpful in your pursuit after spiritual growth? How are you going to recognize those who are going to hinder your spiritual progress? And in verses 18 and 19, he explains, first of all, through a warning and then through a description of those who are coming to Philippi, he gives us an idea and some guidelines as to how to detect those who will trip you up in your running the race and your spiritual progress. You notice in verse 18 Paul begins by giving a warning and he says, for as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears and what he is acknowledging right at the outset of this section of warning is that this is not the first time that the Philippians have had to be told. And it suggests that there are often warnings in the Bible that you can hear once, you can hear twice, sometimes there are warnings that we need to hear over and over again. And if the Bible sounds repetitive, that's because we're thick-headed people and God oftentimes has to remind us many, many times in order for us to get the message. how often it feels like he is hitting me in the head with a 2x4 and probably he has used very light sticks many times previous to that. We seem to be a little bit dull headed and Paul says the Philippians had the same problem and so he says, I have often told you before but now I say again, the test is coming. You have been told what to expect. and now it's coming. So Paul had warned them before and often and it's significant here that the time seems to be coming closely. But now he says again and the question would arise who is it that Paul as he warns the believers in Philippians he says I say again to you now even with tears What is the sentiment behind that statement? Here are those who he is identifying as enemies later on in verse 18. Enemies of the cross of Christ? He's crying about enemies of the cross of Christ? Maybe this helps us to have a clearer confidence of who he's talking about and who the Philippians ought to be aware of. Who had Paul issued tears over in a previous letter? Well, in the letter to the city in which he was imprisoned, he had once written, and he had spoken about his brothers in the city in Rome, or those who were crowding around the church in the city in Rome. He spoke about the Jews. And he said in chapter 9 of Romans, in verse 1, I speak the truth in Christ. I am not lying. My conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit. I have great sorrow. and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel." And he goes on to describe the privileges and prerogatives that all of the people of Israel had, and yet they do not believe in the Messiah. And so Paul, I believe, is shedding tears over the prospect of the Judaizers, those who would seem to be zealous for the law of Moses, those who would seem to bear in their behavior the right practice of righteousness. But he says, no, they are bound for destruction. They are enemies of the cross of Christ. And he weeps not in indignation over their hostility, but he weeps in sadness because he knows that their destiny is destruction. And of course that's what he speaks of after he pursues or follows through from his warning and gives a description of these unworthy guides and he says in verse 18 as he continues, I've often told you many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their lifestyle is hostile to the cross of Christ. Now, what is it about the cross of Christ that they would be hostile to? Well, the cross of Christ, as Paul proclaimed it, was an instrument of death, and yet it was an instrument of life. It was an instrument through which God accomplished once and for all, completely, adequately, the redemption and deliverance of sinners from the curse of the law. Once and for all it was accomplished through the cross. And these who would come to Philippi, these who Paul saw would be upsetters of the church's progress, these who would be unworthy guides would be those who would claim, not enough. The cross is not enough. they would deny its effectiveness in accomplishing once and for all complete salvation. Oh, they would claim to accept Jesus. Oh, yes. He is a fabulous and probably the greatest of all rabbis. Oh, his teachings are wonderful. His moral lessons inspire us. His example of sacrifice inspires us and yet Paul's interpretation of Jesus and his work on the cross, no, no, no, it's not correct and so they would deny that the cross represents all that is necessary for salvation and spiritual progress and they would intimidate the people of Philippi into pursuing a false spirituality, a spirituality that would be based on their obedience to the Mosaic Code. And Paul's whole argument in the book of Romans and in other epistles earlier written to such places as Galatia was that the very practice of the law was intended that you would be exposed to your inadequacies, your inabilities, The whole presence of the law was there to challenge you to trust God for your salvation and not yourself. But they teach you to follow them. They teach you that they ought to be the example. Their obedience to the Mosaic Code ought to be your hope of righteousness. And so they undercut the law. They would insist, as we've said, that they had the adequacy that they were competent to fulfill the law and yet Jesus over and over again argued that anyone who would believe that was a liar because all you had to do was watch their life and you would see daily failure. That was the whole purpose for the law was to expose people to their need and so Paul says watch my life Oh yes, I fail, but my victory is not in my accomplishment. It's in what Christ has already accomplished. Look at their lives. Look at their track record. Do you see consistency in what they claim? No. They do not consistently obey the law. They fail too. And probably the Judaizers were the greatest at masking it by all of the rigmarole that they would attach to their guidance. And notice how Paul says in verse 19, their destiny is destruction. He does not hesitate to clarify for anyone who would be enamored by their piety, by their amazing ability to teach the law and knowledge of the intricacies of the Old Testament law. He says that they are still headed for destruction. These are those who, if you were to tell them that they're on the wrong road, they would be offended. Who? Me? On the wrong road? That would be their response. But they are on the wrong road. And they are those whose God is their stomach, Paul says. And basically, as Lee Schaeffer had explained to us a couple of weeks before, quite cryptically, Paul is saying, they have taken the dietary code of Moses, and they have so elevated it that it has become an idol for them and it has become like a god to them. They worship the Mosaic dietary code in such a way, they are so preoccupied with it that it has almost become a god such that their stomach has become their god, an idol, preoccupation with the laws and ceremonies. So there is a misunderstanding of the law amongst these people, there is no humility There is a preoccupation with law and external ceremony, and their glory is in their shame. In a sense, shame is another way in the Hebrew vernacular of speaking of nakedness. And so in another oblique manner, Paul is speaking about their constant references to what would be immodest, constant speaking about this practice of the surgery of circumcision, almost to the point where their preoccupation with it has made it nauseating, shameful. And so their glory, that which they boast about, that which they want to use their converts as a boast for, this is a shame. Their glory is in their shame. They have no modesty. And their mind is on earthly things, Paul says. This is their focus. It's on this earth. And at the baseline, as false teachers, that really is their MO, their modus operandi. It's their own earthly comfort, because that's what a false teacher is ultimately applying his trade for, is that he might, off of those that he speaks to, obtain financial support. And so their focus is not on eternal values. Their focus is on the temporal and this world and the external. And so Paul has said, basically, this is how you recognize those who are coming. And these are the kinds of characteristics that are true in their behavior. They do not comprehend the law. even though they sound very articulate. They are not humble. They are preoccupied with law and ceremony. They are not modest. And they put a high value on the here and the now. And they are not going to motivate you to have your priorities fixed on eternal values. And so that is the red flag that Paul puts before the Philippian believers. And then he concludes his warnings to them about spiritual progress in verses 20 and 21 where he speaks about the mindset that they need to have in order to continue effectively on the road to spiritual progress. And you know, the road of spiritual progress was even described by Jesus as being a road that has many detours coming into it. Remember what Jesus said about the road that leads to destruction? The road that these would-be teachers were traveling on? It is what? Very broad, isn't it? You know how I think it's broad? If you were to take the cumulative number of detours that come to the road to righteousness, you would add up all those opportunities to get off the track and to detour away from the main road to righteousness, the main road to growth and progress, and you would add up all those opportunities, it would be as though it was a huge wide road. And Jesus said, many. He said the majority travel on that road. Many there be that go that way. And so Paul, recognizing that this is the case, recognizing how easy it is for those who are simple, those who are desirous of being taught, how easy it is for them to be distracted. He says, I want you to focus in now. And notice what he says in verse 20, but, or our citizenship is in heaven. Now the Philippians being very proud of their citizenship as colonists of the Roman empire, this probably would have immediately struck them in a positive way. Of course, they were very glad that they had the prerogative of being Roman citizens. Although they lived in a Macedonian colony in Macedonia in Philippi, which was a Roman jurisdiction, they had all the benefits and all the prerogatives of being just like those who lived in the great imperial city of Rome. And so, naturally, it behooved them to act very Roman. And Paul is saying to them, you have a citizenship too, only it is so much greater than your citizenship in Rome, in the empire, that it almost eclipses and takes the place of that. Your citizenship is in heaven. So Paul is arguing that they are citizens of heaven. In fact, you remember that Jesus had said that ultimately that was the destiny. He said, I am going away. When he spoke to the disciples on the night before he died. He said, I'm going away, but don't be disturbed. Don't be perplexed. Don't be troubled. I'm coming again. And the reason I'm coming again is to come and get you and bring you to be where I am. Where I am is in a place where, and he metaphorically describes the Father's heaven as a house. In my Father's house, there are many dwelling places. And I'm going to come and bring you to that mansion. But you see, that mansion is in a most marvelous and beautiful city. And the Apostle John, besides having recorded what Jesus said about coming back to receive the disciples to himself, also wrote about the amazing character and the amazing beauty of the future city in which the Father's house would be. And in Revelation chapter 21, John the Apostle describes again the prospective dwelling place for all those who are disciples in truth. And he says, I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had passed away. There was no longer any sea. And then he says, I saw a holy city. a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away. So Paul urges them to remember and to consider that they have another place and that they are just like pilgrims in a transition to this new place. In fact, the author to the Hebrews also wrote about the fact that the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others, they looked forward to a place that was much better than anything that they had had on this earth. And the author of Hebrews writes very clearly about their attitude as they, by faith, looked forward to what had been promised to them, and yet something, though it was promised to them, they had not yet received. And he writes in chapter 11, all these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised, they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And I think Paul would say that those who are of faith and those who are following his example wouldn't be in the same way. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, if they had been thinking about Reading, if they had been thinking about Philippi, they would have had an opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." This is the prospect of the future, the prospect of another city. The citizens of Philippi, as citizens of Rome, would appreciate the fact that they ought to act like citizens. They ought to act like citizens of heaven, though they live on the earth. And the adage is true. We are on the earth, but we are not of the earth. And then Paul goes on beyond describing their citizenship. He says, there is going to be a completion to the process of your spiritual progress. It is coming. He says, this is what you look forward to ultimately. And he speaks in the last part of verse 20 and he says, We eagerly await a Savior from there. From where? From heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ. And this is one place in which the full title name of the Lord Jesus is given. We wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Savior, the one who fits us for glory. The Lord, the one who is the governor, the exalted governor. Jesus, the one who is fully God and fully man. Christ, the anointed one. who has the privilege of inheriting all the promises. The question is, are we eagerly waiting for the Savior? Is our mindset like that which Paul would urge the Philippians to have? Are we focused in on Jesus Christ? Will he find us ready when he comes? Or have we decided that he probably isn't coming soon? He says, do not be deceived. What will Jesus do when he comes? Paul concludes this admonition in verse 21 by giving them again a very clear picture of what will happen. He says, Jesus will transform our lowly bodies, and then he concludes, so that they will be like his glorious body. And that simply means that we will be glorified. That simply means that this body, which is the mechanical mechanism that Houses our souls will be made completely new, no sickness, no disability, no pain, no hunger, no sin, no remorse, no fears, and for all erstwhile theologians, full heads of hair. So this is the final order, this is the final consummation and of course Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 fully lays this out. It's a wonderful chapter to study on what will take place as we are transformed when Jesus comes. And so Paul in this passage has warned the Philippians and he has argued that they need to keep their focus. He said that before and he says it again and he will probably say it again when he arrives in Philippi. Because you see those who do not understand grace are all around you. Those who would like you to have a phantom sitting on your shoulder always saying that you need to work harder, you need to do this, you need to do that to be pleasing to God. They are all around us. Those who misunderstand the nature of grace, that it is free. And yet, they also misunderstand that when one obtains free grace, something happens inside the heart. There is a brand new love for Jesus Christ. And that pulses within your heart and creates within you a drive that is inexplicable. to devote yourself to Jesus Christ. And it is those who are hung up on the externals, those who are earthbound in their thinking, who cannot comprehend what is happening on the inside of those who really have received grace and love Jesus Christ. And so Paul would warn us, the best way to keep from getting sidetracked in your spiritual progress is stick around those who are pursuing after Jesus Christ. Those who have tasted of grace and you can see it because they love Jesus Christ, they want to know him. It is not a duty for them, they are compelled in that way. The more you are around them, the more your progress will be helped. I guess we could say to one another, are we good role models for one another? We could say to ourselves as parents, can our kids be encouraged to look at us and say, well, there's my role model. You young people, can you say to your brother or to your sister, watch my life and I'll show you Jesus Christ. Oops, now I've gotten into convicting people. Well, let's close with a word of prayer. Our Father, we do thank you that there are role models. We know that Jesus Christ is our ultimate model. It is so helpful, though, to have those walking along the path who we can follow. And we do pray, Father, that those who have encouraged us, that we might in turn encourage them by our prayers and our words of encouragement. And we thank you for them. In his name we pray. Amen.