Psalm 22 Lesson Plan 66a6733efe3345ba03d7-82b2324fe35dff478b72a91d04c278b6.r74.cf2.rackcdn.co


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Leader Guide Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018

Psalm 22 Sermon Text:​ Psalm 22 Study Texts:​ Philippians 3:7-11 Sermon Recap​: Psalm 22 is considered an individual lament Psalm, meaning that it is portraying the especially anguished suffering of an innocent individual. In its immediate context, the suffering in view is King David’s. The cause of David’s suffering is not apparently clear, but the context shows that it is unjust. As we consider Psalm 22’s placement and usage in the rest of the Bible, we see that although it initially applied to David, the Holy Spirit used this Psalm to prophesy the suffering of God’s Messiah King, Jesus Christ. All of the gospel writers pick up on Psalm 22’s importance and apply it to the suffering of King Jesus on the cross. Furthermore, the writer of Hebrews also references this Psalm and applies it the sufferings of King Jesus. In the end, the Psalm leaves us with grief over the innocent suffering of Christ but with the hopeful expectation of God’s vindication, which we see in the resurrection of King Jesus! Therefore, ​the nations rejoice and remember that the forsaken King has been delivered, and in the King’s deliverance, the people find their salvation. Sermon Connection: ​As we have considered these Royal Psalms over the last few weeks, it is important to see how the glory of King Jesus is the foundation of the gospel and of our salvation in and through the gospel. In Philippians 3, Paul offers his own reflections on his experience of salvation and how it radically changed, not only his view of himself, but his view of life itself. In these few short verses, we read how King Jesus has totally changed Paul. No longer is Paul seeking salvation through religious practice and obedience. Rather, seeing that the hope of salvation through his own efforts is loss, he praises the glory of Jesus through the gospel. And as Paul is doing this, we see that Paul’s sense of identity has shifted. No longer is he a Jew or a Pharisee. Rather, we see that Paul is now totally consumed with ​knowing Christ and ​being found​ in Him alone.

Lesson Plan Lesson Goal: ​To see that our ​identity as Christ-followers is found totally in King Jesus and His gospel work.

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Lesson Points: Point 1: Rejecting Worldly Identity​ (vv. 7-8) Point 2: Treasuring Godly Identity​ (vv. 9-11) The Context: ​In this section of Philippians, Paul has already developed the idea that Church is to be a unified people because of and for the sake of the gospel. It is God Who began the gospel work of salvation in us, and He Himself will complete the work (1:6). Paul has also reminded us that we ultimately find our true picture of the gospel in the submissive and sacrificial work of Christ on the cross (2:5-11). Thus, in chapter 3, Paul shows us how true Christian identity, which is found in King Jesus alone, works itself out in our everyday lives. Opening Question: ​Where do you find your identity? Have you ever thought about it? What do you hope in? Transition Statement: ​As we will see, being a follower of Jesus means rejecting a worldly identity and gaining a new identity in Jesus alone... Point 1 - Rejecting Worldly Identity​ ​(vv. 7-8) What is the “gain” Paul speaks of in v. 7? Look back at 3:3-6. Paul here is speaking of all that he had gained in a worldly sense. He had been born into the right religious group of his day; his parents made sure that he went through all the necessary religious ceremonies; he could boast in his religious obedience, and furthermore, in his joy in doing so; and he was a zealous member of his religious community, going even so far as to prosecute what he thought to be false religions. To say it in a modern wordly way, Paul had everything going for him. When Paul says these things are “loss,” he means “they are damaging; they are disadvantages.” Why would Paul say this about his former life? What are some modern applications of this truth? See also Mark 8:36. It is odd for us to think about the gains that Paul speaks of as “damaging” or “disadvantages,” because these are often the types of things we tend to value in our own lives. The things that Paul lists in vv. 3-6 are not inherently bad—its not bad to have a good family, to be religious or to be zealous. But, Paul calls these things “loss” and “damaging,” because they kept him from seeing what was true, namely, Jesus Christ. According to Paul, these things, these efforts, were distracting him from Christ, and thus keeping him from Christ. One commentator says it this way, “Paul views his previous gains, not simply as indifferent or unimportant, but as positively harmful, as liabilities that were working to destroy him.”1 What two types of hope do we see Paul give evidence of in vv. 7-8? 1

Joseph Hellerman, ​Philippians, Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament​, 181.

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We see both Paul’s hope in what Christ has done for him and his hope in what Christ will do! Paul has come to grips with the fact that apart from Jesus he stands hopeless. Nothing about his life would/could save him. All of his religious practice and honor as a Jew not only could not save him, but as we saw earlier, he actually says it was a damaging distraction from the gospel of true salvation. Thus, the first type of hope is Paul’s hope in what Christ has done for him. The second is Paul’s hope for what Christ is doing and will continue to do. Paul says that knowing Christ is of​ surpassing worth​, meaning that ​knowing Christ​ through the gospel ​puts the world into right perspective​. Paul is now able to see the glory of a gospel-centered and gospel-purposed life. No longer is he living for himself and for his own gain. Rather, Paul now lives as unto Christ in all things, because not only has Jesus saved him from his sin, Jesus has promised eternal salvation and glorification2 to Paul (and all who believe) forever. How does Paul speak of “​knowing Christ​” in v. 8? What does he mean? Our modern culture often thinks of “knowing” as purely having to do with the mind. We know facts, we know the weather will be good or bad, and we know this and that, etc. And this is one sense of what Paul is getting at but only minimally. We also know people. We know things about people, their characteristics and personality quirks. But, even this is not exactly what Paul means. Paul has in mind the “knowing” that takes place inside of marriage. When a man and a woman come together in marriage, they ​know​ one another in a special, covenantal way. In choosing to know one another in marriage, they are rejecting the knowing of any other person in the same way. This is the idea Paul gets at here: the special, intimate knowledge of Christ through the gospel. Paul is not merely concerned with knowing about Jesus, Paul wants to know​ Jesus personally and covenantally. How should we understand Paul’s statement “​...in order that I may gain Christ...​”? He begins this portion of the verse by saying, “​For His sake, I have suffered the loss of all things…”​ If we pay attention to the way Paul words the verse, he is not saying “I am willing to suffer this loss…” Rather, he is intentional in saying “I have already lost everything.” And as we have noted, Paul’s losing of everything he had previously was a good thing as his former life was a disadvantage to him because it distanced him from the gospel. Therefore, Paul is saying, “I’m rid of everything, and this is good, because I have gained Christ!” Transition Statement: ​Seeing that Paul has rejected the worldly hope of salvation and identity, let’s look at where he finds his true identity... 2

This theological term refers to God’s finishing the sanctification process when we go to be with Him; in glorifying us He rids us finally and completely of sin forever.

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Point 2 - Treasuring Godly Identity​ ​(vv. 9-11) Read the text again, vv. 7-11, and note how many times Paul references Jesus. What should this show us? Throughout this short passage, 5 verses, Paul references Jesus 10 times. Paul’s life and ministry is completely consumed with Jesus in every way. Because of the gospel, Paul now understands his life before salvation through the lens of King Jesus. And now and going forward, Paul’s life is entirely Jesus-centered. Paul does not and cannot understand himself apart from King Jesus and His gospel of salvation. What does Paul mean when he says “​...and be found in Him [Christ]...”​ ? (v. 9) This is a continuation of the thought he began in v. 8 saying, ​“...in order that I may gain Christ..​.” The goal of gaining Christ in the way Paul is speaking of results in “...​and be found in Him...​ ” Literally, the idea means “being incorporated into Jesus.” It is tied to Paul’s earlier statement in Phil 1:6 and emphasizes the fact that salvation is the work of God. As we think of salvation, we can often stop short of this and focus only on the knowing aspect. But as Paul shows, the gain of salvation through the gospel is the “being incorporated” into King Jesus, literally becoming identified with Him in every way. No aspect of our life is left out. Having gained righteousness through Christ, how is Paul thinking differently about his own identity and standing before God? There has been a clear transition is Paul’s thinking between vv. 3-6 and v. 9. Before Jesus, Paul was totally consumed with earning his standing before God; his identity was in his religious behavior. But now, through the gospel, his only hope is being found in Christ alone. What does Paul mean is saying, “​...share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death…​”? For Paul, identifying with the sufferings and death of Christ are the fruits of knowing Him and being incorporated into Him. Recall Psalm 22. The death of the King is what brings life to the people. This is the idea Paul is explaining here. If we are to know Jesus truly, if we are to be found in Him truly, it will come by means of participating in His sufferings and death. Here is the idea Paul is developing: That because we die with Christ in the gospel, we also live with Him in faith. Jesus’ resurrection power is what empowers Paul (and all Christians) to live a life of faith and endure sufferings. This is why, in Phil. 1:29, Paul says that suffering for Christ is a gift from God. Because through suffering comes the resurrection power of Christ; and in that resurrection power we find true life and true identity.

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The Big Picture​ - Paul and Jesus It is no understatement to say that Jesus absolutely wrecked Paul’s life, but this was the best thing that could have ever happened to Paul. Philippians 3 contains the reflections of a grateful man whose life was turned upside down for the better. Paul (then Saul) was living his life hoping in himself, hoping in his own efforts, and boasting in his earthly successes. His hope, while religious, was taking him further and further from truth. It was not until Jesus confronted Paul and brought salvation (Acts 9) that Paul began to truly see true salvation in Christ alone. And as we have seen, Paul understood that salvation is not simply a head knowledge of Who Jesus is and what He did. On the contrary, the gospel of Jesus Christ requires the rejecting of the world because the ways of the world only lead us away from Christ. Even when things seem good—as they did for Paul—anything that is not gospel is harmful because it teaches us to seek our identity in the world. Praise be to God, that through Christ, we are freed from the death of sin and given new life in Christ. As Paul says it, we are “incorporated into Jesus.” Therefore, we celebrate the death of Christ that Psalm 22 so clearly foreshadowed, and we rejoice in the resurrection of Christ, because through the resurrection, we are raised to new life! Application Questions ● Where do I put my hope? ● How can I know? What are the evidences? ● What areas do I need to repent of false hope? ● How am I leading my family to pursue life in Christ alone? ● How is our growth group leading others to pursue life in Christ alone?

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