We’re focusing this year on making disciples by first going back to the basics of being disciples. The journey of walking with Christ is one of continually coming back to the basic steps of what is means to follow Jesus. Throughout this year we will focus on what Jesus is calling us to in our personal walk with him, as a community of believers, and as those he sends into the world. I want to encourage you to make plans this year to take steps in your walk with Christ toward growth in three key areas: toward God, toward one another, and toward the world.
This Sunday our focus will be on Philippians 3. To prepare for the lesson on Sunday, spend time reflecting on this chapter of Paul’s letter.
3:1-6 – What does it mean to boast in Christ? What does a life look like that is centered in boasting in Christ? We celebrate a conquered Messiah from the world’s point of view, but we know he is victorious. If we celebrate one who allowed himself to lose, what does boasting in this Messiah look like for us?
Paul lists off his credentials for confidence in v4-6. He has a lot of identity markers he could add to this list that make him great. He was a Roman. He was visited by the Resurrected Christ. He has an even longer list in 2 Corinthians 11. Take a moment to list off some of your identity markers that give you status in the world. I’ll give a disclaimer that none of these markers are bad things. Paul didn’t stop being a Jew, a Pharisee, or a Roman. Keep your list handy as we move to the next section.
3:7-11 – What does it mean to know Christ in such a way that your other identities take a back seat? In the understanding of the world, these identities draw tighter and tighter circles for you to live within. Paul was a Roman, a Jew, and a Pharisee. His circles of exclusion get smaller and smaller. The world places value on these circles but Christ calls us to move freely from them. In 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, Paul freely moves throughout the various circles of the world because he let Christ redefine how his circles worked. In what ways does knowing Christ allow you to draw a bigger circle that includes others? How does your identity look different when following Christ?
3:12-14 – Perfection has not yet come. This means you must keep moving forward with Christ. You must keep walking toward the resurrection. Christ has called us forward. What identities of the world are holding us back?
3:15-21 – Paul calls the church in Philippi to step into maturity. What does maturity look like based on all we’ve discussed up to this point? We’ve already obtained our identity in God through Christ. Now, let’s live up to that identity. What steps do you need to make this year to further be transformed into this identity in Christ?
Paul says that those who focus on earthly things have a destiny with destruction. He contrasts this with citizenship being from heaven. How does this contrast reorient your identity here in the world? Does it challenge the value of your other identities in this world? Look back at your list. Which identities get in the way of you fully knowing Christ? Another way of wrestling with this question – which identities get in the way of you seeing Christ in others who do not share that same identity?