Philippians 3:15-16

Dale

have this mind

he has repeated before

having an example

a mind to follow

have this mind.

therefore - what is it therefore.

its a cause and effect word.

look ag v.12-15

i havent arrived yet. but i press on that i may lay hold

God got ahold of me for a reason

same is true for me

I want to lay holdoff it

God didnt save us to put us on a shelf

He saved to restore that orginal design

That relationship

a whole knowing of Him

a growing in Him

and purposes built into that

v. 13

Paul was a one thing person.

all his past is junk.

One thing is no longer giving the past the power

no longer letting the past descide who we are

the past doesnt define who we are

He is not walking around looking back

v.14

here is a healing purpose for our lives

press on i want to lay hold of what He had lay hold of me

I want to lay hold of what He laid hold of me

I want to work out what He has

being a pressing on person

He is the drivers seat.

what He has for us

so then verse 15.

then therefore let us

not me

this is for all of us

so let me and you

as many are mature have this mind

dont let the word mature throw you

it doesnt mean perfection

its not speaking of those that have arrived

Paul didnt arrive

But we are growing

there is a result

If we are spiritually mature we have this mind

and if not God is going to show you.

He not saying it mean

If were teachable

Who God is

and Who I am.

If your open He will show you

even you, with mistakes, hang ups,

be free

God will grow you in this whole thing

The point here is have this mind

a way of thinking

to think a certain way

the mind

the line our thiking with what He said

line our thiking of the truth :

to be a pressing on people

a forgetting whags behind people

a reaaching towards people

a one thing people

lets be opf that that mind

lets be all free of the past

Lets be a one thing people

He will show you

God has been showing you

v.16

none of us have arrived

but we are accountable for what we know

were in different place what we have learned

but we are growing

but whatever place you are at

you are now accountable for it

if verse 13-14 touched you

your acountable for it

walk means a manner of living

choices

what you are about.

have the same mind

Paul is big on unity

there is to be a same mind

what kind of mind

- being a one thing people

we are to all have the same mind.

v.15 basically says think a certain a way

v.16 now says now live it.

put feet what he shows us

put action to the words to the knowledge

and He will teach us the rest as we grow.

walk by these truth.

so what is the christian life aabout

why are they so freing

no longer looking back ni longer giving the power.

reaching for what He has for us

press toward.

Thats the mind thats what He is trying to drive

So how do we mature?

- go to verse 17

Verse 17

Follow my example

Watch me

to help us to define what this mind look like

we can look at what Paul says and what he did

Paul is not saying he is a perfect example he hasnt arrived

but h is a good example

Paul im among you

Where have you seen me abut my prioriries what I am about

but not just me

but others for a pettern

Paul is not being exlusive to this

he is not the only one

not the others who are laying hold of hold and pressing on

as you have a pattern.

think of the 3 most influential people in your life

be past or present

take a moment

who have been

that have been influential personally to your life

- Puased to think

Your probably not thinking joe biden

or donald trumo

you probably didnt name a movie star

or any one famous

you probably picked

a personal impact

a person that was personal to you

Why do we pick the people we pick

this person influeced they were a mentor a teacher to me

why do we pick?

there was probably a personal impact they had on you

they encouaged you in some way

they held you accountable

they were an example of how you wanted to be.

Maybe you picked a well known pastor

but typically we pick the people who were

perosnally to me

people ued as example in our lives

Ephesians 4:11–16 NKJV

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

were all to be growing each other up

we al have a part in helping each other grow what that passage shows us

We all have a part in helping each other grow

and build each other up.

someone being a mentor

dale - an aexample

someone took the time to care

it wasnt always easy with the mentor but they are an example to us.

its okay to have to have those that are mentors to us.

No one mentors me

no one disciples me

look for one

there are those that would want to go with

their probeably is some who wants that

Paul points to himself as a role model

can we do the same?

I cant be a role model.

You would be suprised

You have learned something because of that trial

even that failure can that brother or sister in their struggle

Even those things that took you over a decade to lay hold of

someone else needs to hear that and know that..

being a mentor is not about how much intelligance

its abut love and caring

and sharing

coming alonggside someone

you have something to offer to someoe.

not just come to church not what I can get from the message

but what can I give out in love and in care.

Would we make it onto someones list

as a mentor?

be open to it

were not to look to mentors as persect

and never in the place of God

but there is a place for it

know people that walk like this

and note it and follow it

and you be that example to someone else

and you can be.

their is kids, theirs youths, theirs newer believers.

scripture says older wman to minister to the younger.

Wives to wive, husbands to husbands

Look for people following that example

and be that example to somebody else

Have you been passing on what you have been given.

that counsel you may give

my mentor

sometimes i couldnt get it

it was something right then or it was something for later on

he gives gold nuggets

oh he was talking about that.

be open to pass on what you have gone through

maybe a word or encouragement

hey how did that thing goe

how did that thing go

hey glad your fine

is their anything not fine we can pray about

we can go the next step

because then we can encourage to not let the past beat you up

or hold you back

press on

we can be mentors with this message

If you been, keep it up

and dont think that word didnt mean anything

it may have meant something to someone

care for someone coming alongside

to apply the things we know (ginosoko)

we can demnatrate to someone

care for someone

going to lunch

being a fellow pilgrim wtih them

Right after the life changeing ov v.12-14

one - walk in it may it be in the drivers seat of our lives

two - follow example go live it and live it out towards others. pass it on

he is taking what he is saying from verses 12-14

and saying this inner change should become an outer change.

v.18 -19

note those that walk a certain way.

so now the Lord through Paul sets a contrast.

and he is broken hearted thinking of these people

this type of people

he is weeping writing about them

there is a debate on who they are

whoever they are whther judaizers or whatever

it comes down

Paul says here is how to know them

the enemies of the cross have these charachteristics

their end is their destruction

their selfi appetite is

what they glory in they sould be ashemed

and they set their mind on

which what are we to set our minds on

they set their mind on earthyly things

We dont know who the enemies of the cross are but this is how they live.

so follow his example

because their are those who dont

who live in the opposiute

they will say name it and claim its about them

they live after the flesh

vs those who live in the Spirit with our scripture thing

but dont let them be a destruxtion because their end is destruction

vs. our end which is:

vs 20 - 21

they mind earthy things

we mind heanly things

ourcitzienship in heaven

our focus should be heaven

the philippians know what Paul was talking about

they knew all about citizenship

these people were romans in a foreign city but romans check

but were citizenship is in heaven

we are pilgrims passing through

they lived in philippi but lived as romans

we live on earth but our citizenship in heaven

how will that look have the same mind.

the pressing on. forgetting the pass

keep the pilgrim mindset the passing through

i am not home yet i am a citzen of heaven

he shows a bnig contrast of citize of earth and citizen of heaven doesnt he?

their citizenship marked their behavior

so it will look lke the verses we were looking at

live in this mind

the pilgrim mind set is i am not home yet

he shows a significant contrast.

a mind that reolves the truth.

let our focus be on Jesus

let us be the pressing on mind

let us be pressing on pilgrims.

citizens of heaven

will one day reign with Jesus one day

e will be home and it will fee like it

we are strangers here we dont fit

dont try to make it fit

and set your mind on earhthly things

encourage each other with it

these are contrasting verses here

its whats to mark our lives vs what marks their lives.

bottom line

they are enemies of the corss

lets be lovers of the cross

be a one thing people

follow the godly people around us

and