April 6, 2025

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Sermon Text: Philippians 3:4b-14

Other Readings: Isaiah 43:16-21 and Luke 20:9-19

 

  1. In the opening verses, Paul talks about how he was a sort of “poster boy” for Judaism at his time, and he lists all sorts of things he used to put his confidence in. List some of the works and characteristics that Americans are tempted to put their spiritual confidence in.

 

  1. How does a Christian “participate in [Christ’s] sufferings”? Consult…
    1. Mark 8:34,35 –  [Jesus] said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
       
    2. Romans 8:13 -- For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live (NIV)
       
    3. Romans 6:1-8 -- What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

 

  1. “And so, somehow, [attain] to the resurrection from the dead” (v. 11). Perhaps the word “somehow” catches you off-guard there. Why does Paul use that word?
     
    1. Paul is not that confident that he actually will be part of the resurrection of the dead.
       
    2. Paul knows he will get the resurrection, but he’s not sure what the resurrection will look like.
       
    3. Paul knows he will get the resurrection, he knows what the resurrection will look like, but he’s not sure how God will call him out of this life.
       
    4. Paul knows he will rise, knows how it will happen, and is overwhelmed at God’s power and grace behind it all.
       
    5. Some other option. Explain.

 

  1. The Greek word for “persecuting” in verse 6 is the same Greek word for “press on” in verses 12 and 14. Comment on that word choice. How does it hit you?

 

  1. Paul makes it clear that the goal for a Christian is to enjoy the resurrection of the dead in heaven with God. What are some specific things that Living Water does to help people press on towards that goal? What are some new ideas that we might possibly try to help people press on?

 

  1. Answers will vary. But perhaps we can observe for now things like: work ethic, clean criminal record, civic volunteering, offerings given to church, Sunday School attendance, how one votes, etc. To rely on those things is to to have “a righteousness of [our] own that comes from the law” (v. 9), and that ultimately rejects Christ as the cornerstone of our faith (Luke 19:17).

 

  1. Paul might be saying that Christians will suffer persecution and that physical persecution will be like what Christ went through. Even if he is saying that, he is probably more so emphasizing another fact. Paul is probably emphasizing that Christians daily battle with the old sinful flesh and put it to death as they daily live out their baptisms. As Martin Luther explained, “Baptism means that the Old Adam in us should be drowned by daily contrition and repentance.”

 

  1. Options “C” and “D” are the best explanations. Pastor Voss personally sees option D the most at play here.

 

  1. As zealous as Paul was against Christ and his church (and he was very zealous!), now he is that much zealous for Christ and his church. As much as his persecution against the church was a way of life, now his work for the church is a way of life. Similarly, for us, the faith becomes an ever-present way of living life (note the present tense of “press on”). It is not something that was just turn off and on at various points through the week or even the day.
     
  2. Answers will vary, but they all ultimately come back to the same principles—sharing the gospel in word and sacrament and enjoying the fellowship of fellow saints who can admonish us, encourage us, and pray for us