- [00:00:00] Several years ago, when I was a very new pastor, a man walked into my office. He was not from our church and was seeking counsel. He had been a very successful Silicon Valley businessperson. He had attended top schools, held a PhD in engineering, and an MBA from one of the best business schools. He was on the board of several companies. When he invited me to his home, I noticed it was filled with several awards like \"Top Inventor\" and \"Star Employee,\" all lining the walls. Yet, despite all these achievements, he said his life was empty. There was no one else living in his house; even the company that had honored him had let him go. - [00:00:42] His question to me was, \"What is happening in my life? I am lost.\" How could someone who had been so successful, who had climbed the corporate ladder and had the dream everyone desires, now have no joy in life? He owned three homes in Silicon Valley—one for himself, one for his wife, and one for his son—but they lived separately. He asked, \"Pastor, what has happened to my life? I have no joy.\" What shook him was not just the change in his job or family dynamics; it was the loss of his identity. If he was not successful in his family life or work, and no one wanted to hire him, then who was he? He didn\'t just lose his job; he lost his version of himself, something he trusted. His joy was fragile and attached to things that could be taken away. - [00:02:19] Each one of us carries something tightly—some achievement, identity, or role we believe will bring us joy if only we can hold on to it long enough. For some, it\'s performance; for others, their children\'s future, education, resume, looks, reputation, culture, or family name. Others cling to the life they imagined having by now. But sooner or later, some of these things will be taken away. And when that happens, what will be left? - [00:02:57] We are reading one of the most epic chapters in the New Testament, written by Paul to the Philippians. Paul was living through the collapse of everything he used to define himself by. He was in prison, having lost his status, reputation, freedom, and future. He had nothing left that the world celebrates. Roman prisons were inhumane and brutal, unlike modern prisons. Yet, look at the opening line of this chapter, which culminates in Philippians 4:4: \"Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.\" Paul repeats, \"Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, rejoice.\" - [00:04:20] Is Paul giving a pep talk? Is he saying, \"Don\'t worry, everything will be alright\"? No, he is not telling them to rejoice in achievements, plans, or good circumstances. He says rejoice in the Lord. Later, he uses two key words: \"Press on. Press on.\" That is the title of my sermon today: Press On. - [00:04:59] How can we press on even when something dear to us is taken away? How can we press on if our dreams are shattered? How can we press on if our faith in something evaporates? We will look at three things from this passage: challenges to joyful living (joy killers), the secret to joyful living (Paul’s secret), and the pathway to joyful living (how to press on). - [00:05:34] First, the challenges to joyful living. Paul warns about the joy killers. Verse 2 says, \"Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.\" At first, this sounds harsh, but these are technical terms used by a group in the early church called the Judaizers—the religious right who insisted that faith alone was not enough; people needed to do more to be accepted. They excluded anyone unlike them from the community and called non-Jews \"dogs\" and evildoers. - [00:06:51] The Judaizers used religious rituals like circumcision and baptism to distinguish themselves. Paul challenges this by saying, \"No, that’s not the sign.\" He turns their language against them, saying those who think they are outside are actually inside, and those who think they are inside are outside. This is the good news of the gospel. - [00:08:05] Paul then lists seven things that cannot give you joy—four things he inherited by birth and three things he personally chose. In verse 4, he says, \"Though I have reason for confidence in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more.\" He was circumcised on the eighth day, from the tribe of Benjamin—a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, zealous, a persecutor of the church, blameless under the law. - [00:09:28] These first four categories are inherited—religious heritage, nationality, ethnicity, and birthright. The last three are choices—Pharisaical lifestyle, zeal, and personal righteousness under the law. All of these, Paul says, are joy killers. - [00:10:42] We, too, are bombarded by messages that our value depends on performance, education, passion, appearance, GPA, children’s success, or resume. Whether we are parents, students, professionals, or pastors, we may fall into the trap of defining ourselves by these things. But these are all false identities, false religions, and false sources of joy. - [00:12:30] What happens when you can’t perform? What if your children reject you? What if your dreams for them are not fulfilled? Religious observances, nationality, family pride, or achievements cannot guarantee joy. So, what then is the secret to joy? - [00:13:53] The secret to joyful living is found in verses 7 to 11, one of Paul’s richest statements. Paul contrasts two things, repeatedly using the words loss and gain. He says, \"Whatever gain I had, I count as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord.\" - [00:15:00] Paul describes what he loses and gains. On the loss side, he gives a vivid progression—from commercial loss (like losing money in business), to suffering loss (a deep personal loss that affects life), to the ultimate loss described with a word meaning \"dung\" or worthless garbage. On the gain side, he gains Christ, and the scope and intensity increase as he goes on. - [00:18:47] Paul’s words echo that what the world values is worthless compared to Christ. The famous Nietzsche phrase, \"What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,\" is a humanistic philosophy. Paul counters that \"What kills you makes you joyful\"—a gospel-driven truth. - [00:19:59] Paul’s testimony is one of spiritual bankruptcy. He emptied himself of everything: religious heritage, intellectual pursuits, family, and worldly achievements. This is the first step in spiritual journey—emptying oneself before being filled. - [00:21:11] Emptying ourselves is hard. We cling to old things, memories, or identities like old toys or books. But to be filled, we must first empty—not just of things but the self-righteousness that says we can earn acceptance before God through our own righteousness. - [00:23:29] Paul’s gospel is not \"Jesus helped me succeed.\" It is \"Jesus is better than anything I have ever succeeded at.\" Confidence in the flesh leads to fragility; confidence in Christ leads to true gain, even when all else is lost. - [00:24:22] Paul uniquely addresses Jesus as \"my Lord\" here, showing intimacy and deep connection. Knowing Christ as Lord is the secret of Paul’s joy. This relationship cannot be taken away, regardless of circumstances. - [00:25:33] Jim Elliot famously said, \"He is no fool who gives away what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.\" Paul echoes this truth, showing that gaining Christ is infinitely more valuable than any worldly possession. - [00:27:30] The next verses (9-11) summarize justification, sanctification, and glorification. Paul explains that he desires to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness but the righteousness from God through faith. - [00:28:55] This union with Christ gives Paul joy despite imprisonment and suffering. Believers are united with Christ covenantally, not superficially. This relationship is powerful and eternal. - [00:30:56] The relationship with Christ is likened to a child receiving a jersey from a basketball superstar—the child will forever be inspired, connected, and identified with the player. Similarly, believers receive the righteousness of Christ, not their own, enabling them to stand before God. - [00:32:43] Paul emphasizes the joy of this union with Christ—being able to enter the presence of God anytime, anywhere, in any circumstance. - [00:33:58] Verse 10 focuses on sanctification—knowing Christ more deeply, experiencing the power of his resurrection, and sharing in his sufferings. Paul recognizes that sanctification involves suffering and transformation to become more like Christ. - [00:34:32] Knowing Christ is an ongoing, lifelong process. Like marriage, knowing someone deeply takes time and reveals both beauty and flaws. But with Christ, everything known is beautiful and will bring eternal joy. - [00:36:52] Sanctification is the work of God’s power within believers to transform them through suffering into the image of Christ. - [00:37:32] Verse 11 speaks of glorification—attaining resurrection from the dead and being made perfect. Paul’s joy is rooted in this hope. - [00:38:14] Paul lost reputation, community, and citizenship on earth, but gained righteousness, brotherhood, and citizenship in heaven. This fills him with joy, even in prison, because knowing Christ surpasses all earthly gains. - [00:38:52] Finally, Paul talks about the pathway to joyful living: pressing on. He uses the image of an athlete straining toward the finish line, forgetting what lies behind and focusing on what lies ahead. - [00:39:35] Paul urges believers to imitate his experience of emptying and filling. We must empty ourselves of self-righteousness, bitterness, disappointment, or any false source of joy and allow Christ to fill us. - [00:40:07] He warns against those who live as enemies of the cross, whose end is destruction because their minds are set on earthly things. - [00:40:50] Paul concludes with hope: our citizenship is in heaven, not just someday, but right now. We await the Savior who will transform us and keep us forever. - [00:41:30] In conclusion, I cannot give you five steps to joyful living, but I give you more: Christ Himself. Joy is not a method or formula; joy is a person—Jesus Christ. He sees you, clothes you, justifies you, sanctifies you, glorifies you, and will keep you forever. - [00:41:50] So, whatever you are carrying—pressure to perform, fear of disappointment, anxiety, wounds, exhaustion, insecurity, or hidden tears—let them go. Empty yourself of all that cannot hold your joy, so you can be filled by Christ. Press on and truly rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice, because Jesus Christ has made you His.