A CHRISTIAN IN A MAYDAY
Philippians 3:1-11
November 4, 2018 @4pm
A mayday is a distress call that is internationally recognized in communications and is used
especially by ships and aircraft. It comes from the French word “m’aidez” which is pronounced mayday
that literally means “help me”.
Apostle Paul gave a stern warning to the believers in the Philippian church regarding the things
that will hinder the progress of their Christian life. And we will understand later that when we do not pay
attention to what Paul warns to them, we will be calling mayday (verses 18-19).
What are the things that we must keep in ourselves?
1. Joy – vs.1
How many people ended their lives because they don’t have joy? But for those who are saved,
Jesus gave us the privilege to experience the fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11, John 15:11).
And now, Paul reminds the believers to rejoice in the Lord because the problems in family,
business, work, our community, ministry, the pressure of this materialistic world, the news of local and
international scandals, the envy of social media, the envy of becoming rich – these are the things that will
steal the real joy in your heart. That’s why Paul said, “rejoice in the Lord”, don’t lose your joy, because the
real joy comes from your relationship with the Lord – not from the world, it is not a humanly produced
emotion (Galatians 5:22, Romans 14:17). So only the believers can experience true joy that comes from
the Lord (Luke 10:20, John 17:13).
Happiness is what the happenings of this world could offer to you, it is the happiness that the
material things this world will give you – and it won’t last for long. Buy joy comes only from God. Whether
you have problems, big problems, hard trials, hard life, pain, misery, woe, death, – but there is joy in your
heart that you cannot explain – where that come from? It comes from your relationship with the Lord
(Hebrews 12:2).
Why don’t I have joy?
 Less word of God – Nehemiah 8:10
 Unconfessed sins – Psalm 51:12
 Negative mind – James 1:2, Philippians 4:8
2. Judgment – vss.2-3
The judgment were talking is all about the discernment to make the right choices in life. Paul was
a church planter, but he has enemies following him behind, infiltrating the churches, corrupting the
teachings of Jesus (Acts 20:28-31). And these enemies are the Jewish Judaizers which teach the people
that salvation is not by faith only but also by works through rituals, circumcision and anything that is said
in the Law of Moses. And this problem was very serious because it was taught in the church, to the point
that the elders and apostles made a meeting to discuss the matter (Acts 15:1-11).
Circumcision is a big deal for the Jews because it identifies them to their forefather, Abraham. But
Paul made it clear that circumcision and the law cannot save you (Galatians 5:1-6). No circumcised man
can fulfill the law (Galatians 6:12-15). Only one circumcision that can bring you to heaven, and that’s the
circumcision of Jesus in your heart through faith when you trust Him as your savior (Colossians 2:11).
Going back to Philippians 2:2, Paul calls these false teachers dogs. These are not pet dogs, but
wild scavengers that feeds on garbage, and attacks humans. That’s why Gentiles are referred to as dogs.
These dogs are despised, avoided, vicious, and dangerous.
Not only dogs but they are evil workers and concision (it’s just the same word for circumcision).
Paul wants us to know that false teachers are very dangerous.
If there’s anyone that deviates from the true doctrine of Christ – he must be avoided (2 John 911)
Paul also warns them of the true worship in verse 3. Not every worshipper and not every church
worships the true God (John 4:21-24). True and acceptable worship is based on the truths of salvation
that is revealed in the Bible, which were given to the Jewish people. True worship can only be rendered
by the saved people.
What are the examples of the false teachings by the false teachers?
a. Salvation by good works or faith plus good works (keeping the law, church, baptism, sacraments, etc.)
b. Evolution
c. Soul sleep
d. Speaking in tongues
e. Calvinism (TULIP)
f. Jesus Christ is only a man
g. Jesus Christ is less powerful than the Father
h. There is no literal place called hell and heaven
i. The doctrine of purgatory
j. Rapture won’t take place before 7 years tribulation period
k. The doctrine of mother God
l. The doctrine of reincarnation
m. The doctrine of losing your salvation
n. The doctrine that Mary is the mediator of the souls of men
i. The doctrine of priest confession for sins
3. Jesus vs.3
Don’t exchange Jesus with the confidence in your flesh. Apostle Paul made it clear that he left
everything, every inch of human achievement, every glory of humanity – he left it all just to gain for himself
the Lord Jesus Christ, just to receive salvation, the righteousness of God by faith. Look up verses 4-11.
Folks, you will never get saved, you will never be righteous before God by trusting in your flesh, by trusting
in your own good works, good merits, good life, good behavior, good attitude. You can only be saved
when you put aside all the good fleshly works and the good life that you think you deserve to go to heaven,
and trust wholly, completely, fully, alone the Lord Jesus Christ that what He did on the cross was for your
way of salvation (Acts 13:38-39).
Now, if there’s nothing we can do to be saved, then why do we sometimes think that we can live
from day to day without Jesus Christ? Why do we trust our flesh in our day to day living? If we need Christ
in our salvation, how much more do we need Christ in our everyday life? That’s why, Paul said, don’t be
confident in your flesh but be confident in the Lord Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 17:5-8, Romans 7:18).