Rejoice in the Lord!
Introduction
Every person has two basic needs. First is the need to be loved and accepted. Second is the need to feel valuable and of great worth.
The Judaizers taught the Philippians that they needed to do more than trust Jesus to become Christians. Paul warns them to beware of them. This false teaching probably led to the dissension between Euodius, Syntyche, and Clement.
Thesis: God wants you to experience the joy of the cross. How?
Stop Living in the Flesh, vv. 2, 4-7
A. Definition of flesh = the way you meet your needs for love and acceptance, and value and worth in your own resources.
B. Anything, even good things, like preaching, witnessing, going to church, being the best father or mother, the best husband or wife, can be flesh patterns if you are using them to meet your needs and to find life and identity apart from Christ, vv. 4-7.
C. Illustration: Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42.
Start Living in Christ, vv. 1, 8-14
A. Christ is your life, “be found in Him,” v. 9.
B. Christ makes you acceptable to God, “the righteousness which is of God by faith,” v. 9.
C. The Joy of the Lord is “to know Him,” v. 10.
- “the power of His resurrection”;
- “the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings,”; and
- “being made conformable unto His death,” in order to
- “attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”