St Theodore's

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1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.

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 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. (NRSV)

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(By Rev. David Bassett)

I've always been a fan of musicals. I love to watch them and I love to sing them. It is always a thrill to see them live but they also make great movies. And what can surpass the all time favorite of The Sound of Music? One scene that kept coming to mind as I thought through this passage is when Maria is heading off to the von Trap home for the first time. As she travels she sings to herself "I have confidence in confidence alone." She certainly convinces herself of this confidence. That is up until she sees the austere house and grounds. Then meekly she repeats the phrase "I have confidence … in confidence alone"

Well, another great week in Olympic land. Tuesday was a particular highlight for me. The winning of Gold for the three day equestrian event (Andrew Hoy winning three successive gold in the same event), Susie O'Neil's 200m freestyle, and then Bill Kirkby, Todd Pearson, Michael Klim and Ian 'Thorpedo' Thorpe taking the 4x200m freestyle relay.

And one thing that strikes you as you watch these events is the confidence the competitors have as they focus ready to begin their event. A confidence in their ability. A confidence in their preparation. A confidence in winning gold.

In today's passage from Philippians chapter 3, Paul takes about the confidence we have as Christians. And this confidence is in stark contrast to the type of confidence we see in our Olympians or the confidence that Maria sang about. For, this confidence does not come from us. This confidence is not based on our physical ability. This confidence is not based on our track record. Indeed, the very reason we can have this confidence is because it comes from God and not form ourselves. As it comes from God, it can be trusted and relied upon. For, like God it is pure, holy and trustworthy. It is not corrupt like our human nature.

Let's look at the passage together. (Philippians 3:1-4)

Paul writes to the church in Philippi to warn them against people who would want to add conditions to salvation. Here, the specific example is those Jews who say that unless you fulfil the law of the Old Testament you cannot be a true Christian. That is, unless you become a Jew by being circumcised, you are not a Christian. What these people have done is to say God's grace is not enough. There is a legal obligation in following a law that enables God's grace to work - That comes before God can save you.

But as Paul has said before, it is the work of God that has brought all people to God, Jew and Gentile, no longer a human ritual, but faith. From Ephesians 2 verses 11 – 13 we read:

11 So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision" -- a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands -- 12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

But now in Christ Jesus we have been given this new life. It is a gift of grace through the blood of Jesus. Grace with any add on is no grace at all.

A helpful acrostic for grace is God's Riches At Christ's Expense.

For our salvation is the free gift of God through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as Paul says, to say this again is no trouble. For our salvation is the free gift of God through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. 'And as Paul says, to say this again is no trouble.' And the people who would add on to God's grace are to be feared. They are as wild dogs, evil.

And just in case we think Paul's anger is because it is a slur on him, he gives us his credentials. From verse 4 (Philippians 3:4-6)

It's like the introduction of the swimmers before the final race – where their passed achievements are read out. From Israel, Paul, circumcised on the eighth day (Hooray), from the tribe of Benjamin (Hooray), both parents Jewish (Hooray), a meticulous follower of the letter of the law (Hooray), a sincere persecutor of the church (Hooray –o, Boo), and a life record that says "I'm perfect thank you". (Hooray).

You'd want to give Paul the gold before he's even dived in. But, these are nothing - Counted as loss. In Paul, we have a great example of someone who, if we were to look at things from an earthly perspective should have had confidence in confidence before God. But no, we need to see things, not from an earthly perspective, but from a heavenly perspective. - From the eyes of God. And we see God's perspective in the next few verses. (Philippians 3:7-9)

We need to understand that under the old system there was value in Paul being obedient under the law – but even under the old covenant it needed to flow from a relationship with God. But, when contrasted to the true righteousness that comes from God it was as nothing.

It is in some ways like the other amazing event on Tuesday at the Olympics. Eric the swimmer from Equatorial Guinea in the 100m Freestyle heats. In a time of 1min 52.72 seconds (more than double the world record) Eric Moussambani swam alone. The first time he had swam in a 50m pool. A hero indeed. But, when we compare him to Thorpe in terms of Olympic records he becomes insignificant. It does not take his credit away, it just does not match up.

See, Paul's life before he found Christ fades into insignificance in the light of God's grace. The sinful life of Paul is forgiven. The self effort to make himself right with God failed. As he reminds us in Romans 3:23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is no doubt that Paul was sincere. But, especially in terms of him persecuting Christians, we know that Paul was sincerely wrong.

Being right with God is not based on our sincerity. It is the object of our faith that sets us right with God. That is faith in what Jesus has done for us.

For, as Christians, we cannot accept the postmodern view that is so popular that as long as your faithful it does not matter what God you believe in. This is wrong. It does matter. It mattered so much to God that he sent his only Son to die. On the cross God yells to the world …"it matters" As Jesus said. I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.

Friends, the hard truth is those who trust other than in Christ are lost, enemies of God and without hope. Therefore it is important that we make Christ known to them. And in our making Christ known to them we need to heed the warning of Paul. Just preach Christ. Grace alone. We cannot put obstacles in the way of God's grace. And, as churches we are can be quite good at doing this. We can even think it is exactly what God wants. Yet, if our message or actions puts any thing extra we become like those evil dogs.

What sort of extras might we add to faith? Have you stopped to think about the subtle difference in saying something is a response action to saying something is a prerequisite? That is, take for example, praying and reading the Bible. We would say as Christians that it is an essential to read the Bible and to pray. An essential because it is what feeds our relationship with God. However, it is not a prerequisite. All that is needed for someone to be saved is faith in God.

What emphasis do we put on church attendance? Or going to bible study?

Is it something more as in other traditions that you must be baptized, confirmed, and regularly receive the Eucharist? Or do you need to speak in tongues? Do you have to do a tour as a Missionary? Or have a leather cover NIV study bible with butterflies (that's another story)?

Do we preach the true gospel? Christ alone. Grace alone. Is our confidence based on God and not something imposed by humanity? I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I wonder if we can say that sentence truthfully? I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

For, I think, when I am truthful to myself, there are things I want to cling to as a kind of life buoy. I think it is part of human nature. Like the confidence in the training and preparation of the athletes, we naturally rely on what we know and what we have control over. Yet, this is a reaction of the natural person, the corrupt flesh. Paul, urges us to move beyond our sinful nature and accept a new order. To humble ourselves and accept the work that has been done for us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is the mark of the true believer. This is the mark of the faithful. One who humbles themselves and accepts what has been done on their behalf.

One who has a confidence to call God their father, not based on what they have done. Not based on years at church. Not based on number of cakes sold at the market. Not based on degrees or graduation from Sunday school.

Not based on what they deserve. But based on their faith in what Jesus has done. Based on their faith in what Jesus deserves. And with such faith, having a righteousness that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God. In the spiritual Olympics, the race of faith, we are victors. And we will receive the victors crown because of what Christ has done for us. This is not an arrogance. Rather, this is the confidence that God gives us.

And having this confidence, we are bale to live life well. This faith gives us the confidence to be different from the world around us and live lives that reflect our faith in God. It gives us a confidence to die well, knowing we have eternal life. It gives us confidence to call God our Father.

Where is your confidence? Where is your faith? I pray that, like Paul, it is based only on Christ and his righteousness.

Let's pray. Gracious God. Thank you for the grace you give us in Christ Jesus our Lord. We thank you that you give us true righteousness. Help us to accept your free gift and then to respond with love and obedience. Help us to keep the right perspective of faith alone for salvation. Help us as a church not to impose hurdles that are not of you. Help us to be a church that clearly preaches the true gospel of Jesus Christ. And help us as individuals to appropriately respond to the eternal life you

have given us in your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Let me finish then by reading from Hebrews chapter 10

19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NRSV)

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