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This month we have focused on the Study of Christ Jesus. What it means when the Bible says, “The Word became flesh…and dwelt amongst us.” We’ve focused on the why.

God with us.

God became us.

God showed us.

God completes us.

Last week we talked about how Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension was to complete us.

Jesus started the Great Reversal!

Taking us back to God’s original intent in creating humanity.

Jesus accomplished it for us.

Through Him and the power of the Holy Spirit we are in the process of perfection.

Process = Maturity

Perfection = Glorification

Last week was part 1. This week, as we close the year and this sermon series, we finish with part 2.

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What is the End Goal of our faith?

What is our Destiny?

Many have preached about destiny in light of this side of eternity.

Equating destiny with success here on earth.

Destiny being looked at as becoming rich, famous, achieving what is unreachable in this life.

I’m not trying to sound pessimistic.

As if being an entrepreneur, or pursuing success is somewhat evil, because it isn’t.

But, many have been lured to believe a false gospel.

A Gospel that promises financial prosperity.

A Gospel that makes our life here on earth of utter importance.

A Gospel that doesn’t talk about sin, the result of sin, the wrath of God, the truth of God’s Word, etc.

A Gospel that has elevated self and not Christ Jesus!

A Gospel that has focused on self-help hacks and not confirming our lives in the image and likeness of Jesus.

Last week, I spoke about how the Apostle Paul considered the treasures he amounted on earth as rubbish in comparison to knowing Christ.

Paul matured as a believer in Christ Jesus and was able to be useful for the Lord.

Paul’s desires were transformed and it evidently transformed his way of living.

Paul does mention radical ideas and paints the picture of what it looks like when someone wants to know Christ.

Such mindset and attitude affected positively his life here on earth, but the be-all and end-all was his life hereafter.

He said he wanted to know the resurrection…

What was Paul alluding to? Why did he want to know the resurrection?

Because, Paul believed what the prophets believed.

What Jesus taught and preached.

Paul believed in teaching of resurrection.

The Bible says we will resurrect…some to eternal life and others to eternal shame.

Daniel 12:2 ESV And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

“Awake” is referring to resurrection in this OT passage.

In the context, it is closely connected to God’s redemptive plan with His people Israel.

Jesus, when He was living here on earth, caused some dead people to rise up back to life in His ministry,

Jesus, when He was living here on earth, told His disciples how He needed to die, but He would resurrect!

This is what should motivate us to live for Christ Jesus here on earth:

Looking ahead with confidence to our destiny, eternal life!

What will happen?

The nature of a Glorified Body.

The Word of God teaches us what to expect as believers in Christ Jesus! There is a “lively hope” as the Apostle Peter mentions (1 Pet 1:3-5). This lively hope is that we one day will see God face to face. We will behold the Glory of God for who He really is. It is clear that no one can see the face of God and live (Ex. 33-34), but there is the hope that we will behold the glory of God (1 Jn 3:1-3; Rev 21:1-4; 22:4). In order to behold or see the glory of God we will need to possess a glorified body (1 Cor 15:50). This mortal body will not inherit the Kingdom of God as the Apostle Paul teaches. The doctrine of the Glorified Body reveals the final stage of the Redemptive Plan of God. It reveals the original intention of God creating humanity. The fact that we will possess a spiritual body that will be: imperishable, glorious, and powerful! We will possess a glorified body like Jesus, when He revealed Himself to His disciples after the resurrection. This doctrine gives us a lively hope, an aspiration, an end goal for the believer in Christ Jesus! I walk away from this study desiring more of God and wanting to press on forward to be like God in Christ Jesus. Jesus once said in Matt. 5:8 that those who are pure in heart will see God. The author of Hebrews encourages us to pursue peace so that we can see God. John mentions that those who look forward to such things are being purified just as He [God] is pure. There is a hope that we will see God, be like Christ, and be in His presence for all eternity in our Glorified Body!

WHAT WAS PAUL'S MINDSET?

HE VIEWED HIS LIFE URE A MARATHON.

HE HAD GOALS

HE HAD ASPIRATIONS

HE HAD DESIRES THERE WAS AN END-GOAL FOR HIM! X

THERE WERE THINGS HE WANTED TO ACHIEVE. * WHAT'S

REMARKABLE AND DISTINCT ABOUT His GOALS, ASPIRATIONS, AND DESIRES WERE THAT THEY WERE

CHRIST-CENTRIC.

IT REVOLVED AROUND THE PERSON OF JESUS.

PAUL SAYS FOUR THINGS THAT SOUND SO FAR REMOVED

FROM A NEW YEAR RESOLUTION.

IT WASN'T NECESSARILY A YEARLY GOAL.

IT WASN'T NECESSARILY SOMETHING WE HEAR From

people."THAT I MAY KNOW HIM." "THE POWER OF HIS

RESURRECTION! "MAY SHARE HIS SUFFERINGS

BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH." 11 THAT BY ANY

MEANS POSSIBLE I MAY ATTAIN THE RESURRECTION

FROM THE DEAD."

"THAT I MAY KNOW HIM."

HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.

THIS REQUIRES TOTAL TRUST/CONFIDENCE IN Him.THIS

REQUIRES INVESTMENT: YOUR TIME

YOUR ENERGY

YOUR Focus

Your All!"THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION! THE SAME

POWER THAT RESURRECTED CHRIST JESUS (RO. 8:11) IS

THE SAME POWER THAT PAUL WANTED TO CONSISTENTLY

Know IN His UFE. "PAUL WANTED TO EXPERIENCE THAT

SAME SPIRITUALLY RENEWING, LIFE-TRANSFORMING, MIRAGE-WORKING, SIN-CRUSHING POWER IN HIS OWN

LIFE AND MINISTRY (RO. 6: 4; Eph 2: 5-6) . - "FIRE

BIBLE'"MAY SHARE HIS SUFFERINGS BECOMING LIKE HIM

IN HIS DEATH."THAT-HE COMD LIVE HIS IFE TO BE A

WITNESS EVEN IF IT LED HIM TO DEATH.- SUFFERING FOR

CHRIST AND HIS CAUSE. ALSO, A SELF-DENIAL WFE... DYING TO SELF

MK. 8:34: GA. 2:20

PHIL 1:29; I PET 4:13, 19Y THAT BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE I

MAY ATTAIN THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD."

PAM HAD A GLIMPSED OF WHAT HEAVEN WOULD BE UKE (2

COR 12: 1-4).

PAUL HAD A TASTE, A PREVIEW OF WHAT HE WOULD

ENJOY FOR All ETERNITY. WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE BUT WE

HAVE THE SCRIPTURES THAT PROCLAIM SUCH PROMISES!

AS THE APOSTLE PETER KOMA SAN, A PET 1:3-5