To Live Is Christ: Paul in Christ

Sermon Series: To Live Is Christ

Message 6: Paul in Christ

Gene Smillie

Lombard Bible Church

Philippians 3

Your Own Sermon Notes:

Discussion Questions on Philippians 3, for Life Groups & other discussion venues

1. Why do you think Paul writes in vs.1  “It’s no bother for me, to keep repeating this same phrase, ‘Rejoice in the Lord’!” ?

2. Though he calls for unity and harmony several times throughout the letter to the Philippians, in Phil 3:2 he warns the church to avoid and beware of people whom he harshly calls “dogs, evil doers, false-circumcision.”  Why the change?
   How might we apply such differentiation in our own dealings with different kinds of people?  Should we “treat everyone the same”?

3. How might we make contemporary for ourselves Paul’s urgent prohibition against “having confidence in the flesh”?      What does that expression mean – in his day;  in ours?  What kinds of secondary requirements do we add to ‘mere Christianity’ ?

4. After listing his own “resume” of qualifications in which he could take pride, if he wanted to (vss 4-6),      what does he say about them ‘now’ (Phil 3:7-9)? To what end? (Phil 3:10-11)

5. Continuing:  how does Paul summarize his past, present, and future (Phil 3:12-14) ?

6. Does Paul expect others to do as he does (Phil 3:12-17) ?    Do the “others” include you?

7. What, precisely, does Paul focus upon as his–and OUR–future goal point? (Phil 3:20-4:1)    What do we have to look forward to?    How does that affect how we live now?