ALL THESE THINGS! (3 OF 4)
by Jerry Vines
Scripture: PHILIPPIANS 3:1-21
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ALL THESE THINGS!
Philippians 3
Jerry Vines
8/23/95
In 1900 a major company in America did a survey and asked people how many things they
would have to have in order to be happy. In 1900 people said that in order to be happy they had to
have a minimum of 72 things. In 1950 the same company did the same survey and asked the same
question. In 1950 people said in order to be happy they had to have a minimum of 496 things. I
wonder when the year 2000 rolls around, if they do the survey again, how many things people will say it
takes in order to really be happy.
A lot of people have the idea that the whole purpose of life is the accumulation of things. They
think that's what it's all about. Why we are here. They think the whole purpose of living and the whole
meaning of existence is just to accumulate a whole variety of things. Have you seen the bumper sticker
that says "and when we die the one with the most toys wins?" Have you seen the new one? "But the
one with the most toys still dies." It's not just the accumulation of things, there is more than just things in
life.
We are looking in Philippians at the thieves of joy. Those thieves would rob us of our joy. The
book of Philippians is the book about the joyful Christian mind - how to have it. Along the way the
Lord gives us in these chapters some things that rob us of our joy.
In chapter 1, circumstances are dealt with because circumstances of life can cause us to lose
our joy. Victory over the thief of circumstances is found in the single mind - the mind that is focused
upon exalting Jesus and extending the Gospel.
In chapter 2 he talks about the thief of people and points out to us that people can rob us of our
joy. But the victory over people robbing us from our joy is found in the submissive mind - the mind that
...
Philippians 3
Jerry Vines
8/23/95
In 1900 a major company in America did a survey and asked people how many things they
would have to have in order to be happy. In 1900 people said that in order to be happy they had to
have a minimum of 72 things. In 1950 the same company did the same survey and asked the same
question. In 1950 people said in order to be happy they had to have a minimum of 496 things. I
wonder when the year 2000 rolls around, if they do the survey again, how many things people will say it
takes in order to really be happy.
A lot of people have the idea that the whole purpose of life is the accumulation of things. They
think that's what it's all about. Why we are here. They think the whole purpose of living and the whole
meaning of existence is just to accumulate a whole variety of things. Have you seen the bumper sticker
that says "and when we die the one with the most toys wins?" Have you seen the new one? "But the
one with the most toys still dies." It's not just the accumulation of things, there is more than just things in
life.
We are looking in Philippians at the thieves of joy. Those thieves would rob us of our joy. The
book of Philippians is the book about the joyful Christian mind - how to have it. Along the way the
Lord gives us in these chapters some things that rob us of our joy.
In chapter 1, circumstances are dealt with because circumstances of life can cause us to lose
our joy. Victory over the thief of circumstances is found in the single mind - the mind that is focused
upon exalting Jesus and extending the Gospel.
In chapter 2 he talks about the thief of people and points out to us that people can rob us of our
joy. But the victory over people robbing us from our joy is found in the submissive mind - the mind that
...
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