Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church · Sermon study sheet

Rejoice! - Philippians 3:1-11

Bryan Schneider · December 1, 2018

Philippians 3:1-11

sharonrpc.org/sermons/rejoice-philippians-3-1-11

Summary

The gospel is God's great gift, so repeated reminders of grace and Christ should renew Christian joy rather than become empty routine.
Paul commands believers to beware because false teachers seek to rob that joy by adding circumcision and law-keeping to the finished work of Jesus.
He calls the Judaizers dogs, evil workers, and mutilators because their claim to righteousness reverses the gospel and burdens consciences.
Holiness matters, but Christians love and obey God's law because they love the Lawgiver and Lawkeeper, not as an addition to Christ's saving work.
The true circumcision consists of God's covenant people whose hearts are renewed by the Spirit, who worship by the Spirit, glory in Christ, and reject confidence in the flesh.
Believers should test themselves by asking whether their worship is Spirit-given and whether Christ—not ancestry, signs, practices, or accomplishments—is their joy and boast.

Has repeated exposure to the gospel deepened my joy or become mere routine?
Why does Paul use such severe language for teachers who add circumcision and works to Christ?
Where do modern forms of "Jesus plus something" appear in Christian teaching or practice?
How can I pursue holiness without turning obedience into a ground of acceptance with God?
What is the difference between possessing an outward covenant sign and having a heart renewed by the Spirit?
Am I worshiping God by the Spirit, or merely participating in familiar forms?
Is Christ truly my confidence and joy when life is painful and when it is successful?
Which fleshly confidence do I need to renounce in order to cling more firmly to Jesus?

Rejoice in the Lord: The command to receive and respond to God's grace in Christ with renewed confidence, gratitude, and joy.
Judaizers: Teachers who professed Christ but required Gentile believers to adopt circumcision and Jewish law observance as necessary for salvation.
Confidence in the flesh: Reliance on human ancestry, outward signs, law-keeping, or achievement instead of Christ's finished work.
True circumcision: God's covenant people marked by inward renewal of the heart through the Spirit rather than by an external sign alone.
Worship by the Spirit: Service and adoration produced by the Holy Spirit in hearts drawn to God through Christ and truth.
Boast in Christ: To treat Jesus as one's confidence, glory, joy, and only ground of acceptance with God.
Regeneration: The Spirit's work of replacing spiritual deadness and hardness with a new heart that responds to God.