Walking with Jesus | Part 6 | Matt Johnson

A vivid start with home-life anecdotes leads into a study of Philippians 3, tracing the birth of the church at Philippi and the theological call to reorient trust from ritual to the risen Christ. Acts 16 supplies the backdrop: converts from diverse backgrounds—Lydia the merchant, a possessed slave girl, and a jailer—illustrate that the gospel breaks social barriers and forms a multi-ethnic, multi-status body. The covenantal marker of circumcision receives a theological reinterpretation as a “circumcision of the heart”: worship now flows from the Spirit indwelling believers, not from external rites. Confidence in the flesh—even impeccable religious credentials—loses its value when weighed against knowing Christ. Paul’s own résumé of pedigree, zeal, and blamelessness serves not as a trophy but as a foil to the surpassing worth of Christ, since true righteousness now comes by faith in Christ’s obedience, not human performance.

Two conversion stories—Paul’s encounter with the risen Lord and a modern testimony of a man named Rian—underscore the same pattern: encounters with Christ displace misplaced trust and reorder loyalties. Both converts leave lucrative, identity-defining pursuits behind because the person of Christ presents a more reliable foundation than wealth, status, or occult power. The letter to Philippi presses believers beyond initial conversion into persevering discipleship: sanctification unfolds as a forward motion—forgetting what lies behind, pressing on toward the upward call, and allowing the Spirit to reshape desires and practices. Practical implications emerge clearly: surrender what still vies for ultimate allegiance, expect loss at times for the sake of Christ, and lean into community and testimony as tools of spiritual formation and witness. The narrative closes by urging persistent dependence on the Spirit, using personal stories to reach others, and trusting that the pursuit of Christ, even through cost and refinement, yields a resurrection-shaped hope and an ever-deepening knowledge of the power of Christ’s life and love.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Do not misplace your trust True faith repudiates trust in external rituals, social pedigree, or performance and places ultimate reliance on the Spirit’s work in Christ. The Spirit reorients desires so worship flows from inward transformation rather than outward conformity. This shift demands a continual re-evaluation of what captures the heart and leads to decisive surrender. [40:38]
• 2. Gaining Christ outweighs all losses Knowing Christ eclipses any worldly advantage or reputation; what once counted as gain becomes “rubbish” compared to union with Jesus. The claim of resurrection power reframes suffering and dispossession as exchangeable for participation in Christ’s life. This reorientation calls for readiness to lose status, income, or relationships when they conflict with faithful allegiance. [51:12]
• 3. Press on toward the prize Sanctification functions as pursuit, not arrival: forgetting the past and straining forward reflects ongoing dependence on God’s transforming work. Maturity requires humility about imperfection while committing to forward movement toward Christ’s upward call. Expect seasons of heavy sanding and gentle refinement as God shapes character. [60:03]
• 4. Let testimony redeem past mistakes Personal story becomes a missionary tool when honesty about former failures meets the gospel’s power to redeem. Scars, tattoos, and ruined reputations can become bridges to those who would not otherwise listen. Sharing how Christ displaced former idols invites others into a trustworthy foundation. [65:41]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [33:08] - World Baseball Classic anecdote
• [33:30] - Youth sports and family life
• [34:38] - Series introduction: Walking with Jesus
• [35:14] - Philippi background: Lydia
• [36:40] - Demonized slave girl and its fallout
• [37:45] - Jail earthquake and jailer conversion
• [40:38] - Warning: don’t misplace your trust
• [44:12] - Paul’s credentials and conversion
• [51:12] - Counting all as loss for Christ
• [60:03] - Pursue the prize: sanctification
• [65:41] - Testimony, redemption, and outreach
• [68:00] - Closing prayer and invitation

Based on the sermon summary and transcript, the primary text for the sermon was Philippians 3. Therefore, the Bible reading section will focus on that passage.

Bible Reading
* Philippians 3:1-16 (ESV): Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Observation questions

1. According to Philippians 3:3, what are the three defining marks of the true people of God ("the circumcision")?
2. In verses 5-6, Paul lists seven reasons he could have had "confidence in the flesh." What are they?
3. What drastic change does Paul describe in verse 7 regarding his view of all his previous accomplishments and status?
4. In the story from the sermon, what was Rian deeply involved in before he met Jesus, and what did he lose when he decided to follow Christ? [49:10]

Interpretation questions

1. Why do you think Paul uses such strong language ("rubbish" or "dung") to describe his impressive religious credentials? What does this reveal about the comparative value of knowing Christ?
2. Paul says the goal is to "be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own... but that which comes through faith in Christ" (v. 9). What is the difference between a righteousness we try to earn and a righteousness we receive by faith?
3. The sermon mentioned that "sanctification functions as pursuit, not arrival." [01:00:03] How do Paul's own words in verses 12-14 support this idea that the Christian life is an ongoing process?
4. In both Paul's and Rian's stories, encountering Jesus meant leaving behind things that were once central to their identity and source of income. [46:29] Why is this kind of loss often a necessary part of truly placing faith in Christ?

Application questions

1. "We put no confidence in the flesh." What are some things people—including yourself—are often tempted to place their confidence in instead of Christ (e.g., family background, moral behavior, career success, religious activity)? What does it look like to actively transfer that confidence onto Jesus this week?
2. "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ." [51:50] Is there anything in your life that you are currently valuing more than knowing Jesus? What would it mean to consciously count that thing as "loss" or "rubbish" in comparison to Him?
3. "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead." Are you holding onto any past failures, sins, or successes that are keeping you from pressing on toward Christ today? What is one practical step you can take to "forget" what lies behind?
4. God can use our past stories, even the messy and broken parts, as a bridge to reach others. [01:05:41] Is there a part of your story—a past mistake, a former way of life, a struggle—that you have been hesitant to share? How could surrendering that part of your story to God become a tool for someone else to find a "trustworthy foundation"?
5. The process of sanctification involves God "sanding down the rough edges," which can sometimes feel difficult. [01:02:41] What is one area where you are currently feeling God's "sanding," and how can you cooperate with His Spirit in that process this week instead of resisting it?
6. The call is to press on toward the goal. What does "pressing on" look like in the mundane routines of your daily life—at work, at home, in your relationships? What is one specific "upward" goal you can strain toward this week?