EXPERIENCING JOY BY FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PATTERN
In the 80s there was a popular television show called Diff’rent Strokes. It was a comedy about two boys named Arnold and Willis whose mother had been a maid for a wealthy man named Mr. Drummond. After she died, not wanting those boys to return to the streets from which they came, Mr. Drummond decided that he would adopt them and raise them in his penthouse.
The show revolved around these two boys trying to learn how to live in the penthouse after having growing up in poverty. The whole show was about how difficult it is for people to rid themselves of old patterns and follow the right ones.
When God found us, we were in spiritual poverty and though he has now seated us in the penthouse, many of us are still learning to live the way we should in this new situation. Often times a lot of the old patterns from our old neighborhood resurface and the question for us today is the same as that of Arnold and Willis; "Can we rid ourselves of our old patterns and instead follow the right ones?”
EXPERIENCING JOY BY FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PATTERN
I. IMITATE THE PATTERNS OF FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
Throughout this book, Paul has put forth several helpful patterns for the Christians at Philippi to follow. He puts forth Jesus as a pattern for humility and Timothy and Epaproditus as examples of what it means to live full and faithful lives for God.
In v. 17, Paul calls for the Christians at Philippi to be imitators of Him and others like Him. He says, "Join in imitating me" and "Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us." In other words, Paul is calling for believers to find and follow the patterns of the faithful.
SO WE ARE TO IMITATE HIM AND OTHERS LIKE HIM
II. AVOID THE PATTERNS OF ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame,
After putting forth good godly examples for the Christians at Philippi to follow, Paul goes on to warn against those he calls "enemies of the cross of Christ." Unlike the godly examples in v. 17, Paul is clear that the pattern of behavior for those mentioned in vv. 18-19 are to be avoided at all cost.
And below are the reasons why...
A)THEY ARE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST
Paul says,
For many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Commentators have different opinions on who this group was because Paul doesn't say specifically. They can, however, be narrowed down to one of two groups. There are two groups that Paul warns against in the first century when it comes to beliefs and teachings about salvation.
The first were those who added to the Gospel. The Judaizers fall into this group. They believed that Jesus though significant was not sufficient. They taught that along with believing in Christ one had to be circumcised and abide by Jewish law to be made right with God.
The second group Paul is often critical of in the Scriptures are those who subtract from the Gospel—those who take away from it. There was a certain group of Gentiles who reasoned that, once a person is saved, they can live however they want and still be right with God.
Even though we are far removed from the first century, those beliefs are still evident in our world today. We have those who believe that their works can make them right with God—which is adding to the Gospel—and others who believe that once you are in, your in. As a result, you can now live the way you want—as sinful, immoral and unrepentant as you want and still be on good terms with God.
Guess what Paul says about these groups? He says that they are “enemies of the cross.” This just means that they have rejected the biblical view of salvation. In other words, what they believe and teach is not salvation.
SO PAUL WARN US TO BE ON GUARD AGAINST ENEMIES OF THE CROSS AND AVOID THEIR PATTERNS OF DECEIT.
B) THEIR BELIEFS DO NOT SAVE
Paul says,
Their end is destruction,
The reason Paul warns against the influence of these false teachers is because their system of belief does not save. The word destruction refers to eternal destruction, torment and punishment in hell.
Paul is informing the Christians at Philippi here that in order for them to press on and be what God has called them to be, they have to avoid these futile beliefs and practices that do not save—that are contrary to the cross of Christ.
C) THEY ARE DRIVEN BY THEIR OWN PLEASURE
Paul says,
Their god is their belly,
In other words, they are worshipers of themselves. They don’t go by what is right and wrong but make decisions based upon what will bring them the most pleasure in life. This was especially the case with the Gentile group. They wanted to have their cake and eat it too. They believed that they could live as worldly as they wanted to live and still be right with God.
Paul urges the Christians at Philippi to avoid following this pattern.
D) THEY CELEBRATE THEIR SINFUL BEHAVIOR
Paul says,
They glory in their shame.
In other words, “They are proud of what they should be ashamed of.” Paul viewed this as being the most extreme form of wickedness.
It’s also important for us to realize that this is not simply an idea that is out there in the world, although it is. It can happen within the church and is a battle that is raging within the human heart. Paul knows that all believers struggle with this desire to want to rebel and leave the right path and to go out and live and do what they want and to enjoy it.
Paul is saying that this is the pattern of enemies of the cross of Christ, is the worst kind of wickedness and is to be avoided at all costs.
E) THEIR MINDS ARE ON EARTHLY THINGS
Paul says,
Their minds are set on earthly things.
Paul is making the point here that enemies of the cross have their minds so set on the “here and now” that they have no eternal perspective. Jesus warns against this pattern in Mark 8:36 when he says, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” In this verse, Jesus is talking about those who are so earthly focused that they are of no heavenly good.
The point HE is making here is “What good is it for you to be so focused on the "here and now" that you forfeit all things that matter for eternity?”
Paul encourages us to avoid this pattern. Which brings us to our third and final point. Not only are we to imitate the patterns of faithful followers of Christ and avoid the patterns of enemies of the cross of Christ, but we are also to…
III. LIVE AS CITIZENS OF HEAVEN AS WE LONG FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST
Instead of setting our minds on the things of this world and living for the “here and now,” Paul encourages us to set our minds on heavenly things and live for the time when our Savior will return.
He says,
Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Paul has already used the concept of citizenship once in this book and here he uses it again. This point would have meant a lot to the people of Philippi because they were a Roman colony and were proud of it. They lived, dressed and talked like citizens of Rome even though they lived 800 miles away and many of them had never been to Rome.
Paul, knowing this is the case, makes the point here, “In a similar way, though you are a ways away, live right now in the present as citizens of Heaven.” He then says, “Out of which we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body.”
So after calling for the Christians at Philippi to "live as citizens of heaven," Paul gives them the proper motivation to do so. He says, “A time is coming when Christ will return and it’s something to live for and look forward to because it’s going be good.”
He tells them, “When Christ returns he is going to ‘transform this lowly body to be like his glorified body.’” In other words, when Christ returns, what you are striving for and pressing on to be will be completed.
What’s so tragic about those living for the “hear and now” and trying to find happiness in the things of this world is that the enjoyments to be had in this life do not compare to the joy that comes from knowing God and living for Him. Scripture is clear that those whose ‘minds are set on earthly things’ are settling for far less than what God intends.
CONCLUSION
The reason why resisting the wrong pattern and following the right ones are difficult is because these wrong patterns are what come naturally to us. They are things we just inherently and naturally do because we are fallen—because we are sinners. If these patterns continue they will lead to an absence of joy in life and will ultimately lead to death and destruction.
Though we have this sin condition that causes us to be driven by pleasure, to celebrate sin and to live for this life only; the good news is that God offers us another way—a different pattern—a divine design. And joy is possible in this world if we can learn to follow this pattern, or design. But the only way to follow the right pattern or design is to know the designer and the only way to know Him is through the person and work of Christ.
