A Life Like No Other A Study in Philippians

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2 A Life Like No Other A Study in Philippians Life Group Study Guide that compliments the sermon series by Rev Dr. Drew Sams Study by Jerrold Launer Week 5: May 14, 2017 For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. --Philippians 3:8b 9 OPEN Begin your group time with prayer. Ask God to help still our hearts and our minds as we reflect on the truth of just who Jesus really is and to set aside this time to receive the truth of His Word. SHARE How was this past week? Were you able to hear Pastor Drew s sermon on Philippians 2:1 11? What is your reaction when you hear that Jesus Christ emptied Himself of His eternally existent glory to become human on our behalf? READ Philippians 3:1 11 Breaking with the Past 1 To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, and for you it is a safeguard. 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh 4 even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to

3 righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like Him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. RESPOND 1. Circumcision was a rite that God mandated in the Old Testament for all Jewish males and was a way of physically marking them as His chosen people, the nation of Israel. In verse 2 Paul gives a three-fold warning about the Judaizers, a group of Jewish teachers who taught that Jesus was indeed the Messiah but that salvation required adhering to Old Testament Jewish customs as well. Have you ever felt you needed to clean yourself up before God would love you? 2. In verse 3 Paul says that he has no confidence in the flesh. What do you think he means by this? (See Ephesians 2:8 9.) Why would this be so important? 3. In verses 4 6 Paul lays out his rather impressive resume as a religious man; he had even attained the title of a Jewish Pharisee. What makes someone appear religious today? 4. This passage of scripture opens up a dialog on how we define our identity and ourselves. It also brings up the question of where we derive our validation, worth, and status. The statement I am somebody because would be another way to express this. How have you finished this statement in the past? How do you finish it today? 5. In verse 7, Paul introduces financial accounting language to say that all his accomplishments that would have been credits to his moral account before God are actually a complete loss. He goes further in verse 8 to actually describe them as human waste compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ! Have you ever had something in your life that suddenly lost its former value to you?

4 6. In Verse 9 Paul talks about a new Christ-based identity that is in contrast to what we would call religion. By being found in Him (Christ), Paul says that we now have permanent right standing with God that is completely disconnected with our performance. In Him, we are declared by God to be righteous in His sight as a permanent verdict. What is it that made this possible? How do other religions of the world solve the issue of our sin before a holy God? 7. What do you think it is that stops people from receiving this free gift of grace? 8. In verses we see that Paul is talking about more than just learning about Jesus as a person from history, but discovering a daily intimacy with the risen Christ. God calls us to believe in His authority over both the physical and spiritual worlds, as well as His deep understanding of the hardships we go through. If you dared to believe this, what issues or challenges might you choose to place in His hands today? REFLECT As we try to comprehend the fullness of knowing Christ and the true gift that was provided for us on the cross, we can see that God is calling us to adopt a completely new identity! In another letter Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, he explains it in another way. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17 21: The Ministry of Reconciliation 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He (the father) made Him (Christ) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God TAKE IT WITH YOU This week, take a prayerful look at who you have always thought yourself to be, and who God says you are. It may help to copy the following passages onto an index card and read them throughout the day to remind you. Philippians 3:8b 9 2 Corinthians 5:17 21 Ephesians 2:8 9 John 3:16 21 John 1:12 Galatians 2:16

5 CLOSE IN PRAYER Pray for specific needs in your group and ask God to reveal to you ways He has provided that you can choose to be grateful for. Continue to journal what prayers and needs are brought up and how God shows up in the experience. --