Philippians – Pt 5
Big Idea: Biblical rejoicing is embraced by the follower of Jesus who lives by faith in Christ alone… whatever happens.
FIRST BASE: One way we come to grow as followers of Jesus is by rejoicing, regardless of our circumstances, as we choose to face whatever happens with Him.
Philippians 3:1 (NLT)
1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.
– The meaning of the word rejoice here is essential. It means to be “favorably disposed to God’s grace.”
SECOND BASE: God’s Word is your Anchor. Commit to His Word, especially when trouble knocks, and, by so doing, flee from deceiving spirits.
Philippians 3:2-3 (NLT)
2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,
– Our good works – those works that stroke our egos – Isaiah calls filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Good works are the fruit of our faith, not the basis for it.
Philippians 3:4-9 (NLT)
4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
THIRD BASE: God declares the one who has faith in Jesus to be righteous by Christ’s sacrifice alone. Period.
Philippians 3:10-11 NLT
10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
HOME RUN: The Holy Spirit lives in us by faith to know Him, grant us mighty power for miracles, suffer with Him, and ultimately experience resurrection.
SMALL GROUP MEETING OUTLINE
Where your faith intersects with real life!
Reconnect:
Each person shares a recent high and low from their life.
Explore:
Review the message notes.
Big Idea: Biblical rejoicing is embraced by the follower of Jesus who lives by faith in Christ alone… whatever happens.
Consider:
Choose one or two questions for your Group to discuss as time allows.
▶ Share with your group, or someone you trust, if your group is not meeting right now, a challenge you are facing where you know you need God’s grace to make it through.
▶ Read Philippians 3:1. Why do you think rejoicing in the Lord safeguards your faith? Bonus: Have you experienced this sense of being safeguarded through rejoicing in the Lord?
▶ Read Philippians 3:7-9. What have you “hung your hat on” concerning who you are that you, now, in comparison to faith in Jesus, call garbage as Paul did?
Activate:
Spend a moment in silence to consider your response, then share with the Group.
Read Philippians 3:10-11. Of these desires Paul longs for, which one most resonates with you? And because this resonates with you through the Holy Spirit, how will you make this desire something you pursue in the days ahead?
Prayer:
Thank God for the highs and lift up the lows.
Pray that Paul’s desire becomes our desire and that we dare to rejoice in “whatever happens” in our lives.