PHILIPPIANS 3:1-15

BACKGROUND

• The church in Philipi was a newly formed church.
• Paul was in prison believed to be in Rome.

OBSERVATION

• Compare- vs. (3:12;3:14)
• "Not that I have already obtained all this or have arrived at my goal."
• "I press on to the goal to win the prize..."
• Repetition- vs. (3:8, 13)
• Consider

OBSERVATION PT. 2

• Purpose statements- vs. (3:14)
• For which God has called me heavenward in Christ."

STEP ONE:

• What did the text mean to the original audience?
• ~ It was an encouragement to the early church.
• ~ It was a warning of false prophets to come.
• ~ It was an explanation of why we suffer for Christ.

STEP TWO:

• What are differences between the biblical audience and us?
• ~ They were amidst the exact conditions that were mentioned.
• ~ The letter was specified to them and not to us.
• ~ We had the group of letter and they had the one only.

STEP THREE:

• What is a theological principle of the text?
• Vs. 10- By becoming like Christ "in his death" we are living out the love
• that he is the forgiveness and redemption he gave to us.
• Relevant then, to the new church, and now, to the growing church
• becoming like Christ is obeying what God asks of us.

STEP FOUR:

• Modern application:Living like Christ in his death
• ~showing love or forgiveness when others don't deserve it, like to an
• annoying sibling or peer in class.
• ~sacrificing for another even when there is no benefit in it for us,
• like helping a friend or even someone unknown in little ways.

THE END