Aim Higher

Introduction

Two year olds are special beings. theyre still fresh to the world and everything is exciting for them. They need much care and caution because their exploratory nature can make for dangerous situations, but all in all they are growing. Here are some developmental markers for two-year olds.

From the CDC’s 2022 study: Social/Emotional Milestones: Notices when others are hurt or upset, like pausing or looking sad when someone is crying. Looks at your face to see how to react in a new situation

Language/Communication Milestones: Points to things in a book when you ask, like “Where is the bear?” Says at least two words together, like “More milk.” Points to at least two body parts when you ask him to show you Uses more gestures than just waving and pointing, like blowing a kiss or nodding yes

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving): Holds something in one hand while using the other hand; for example, holding a container and taking the lid off Tries to use switches, knobs, or buttons on a toy. Plays with more than one toy at the same time, like putting toy food on a toy plate

Movement/Physical Development Milestones: Kicks a ball. Runs Walks (not climbs) up a few stairs with or without help. Eats with a spoon

A lot can happen in two years. For these babies tey are learning how to communicate and how to observe. The same is for the church. In two years, you have accomplished much and you are still navigating what it means to communicate and observe in this community in which God has strategically placed you. But another thing is important to understand about this season. Because everything is enticing and shiny to them, they have to be guided into focus to accomplish tasks. Such is the same for the church, such is the same for you.

In this text Paul, whle imprisoned, writes this joyful book to the Philippian church to remind them to not become enticed with worldly things, but to remain focused on their goal of Christ-likeness. His point is made in chapter 2 verses 6-11 in which he clarifies that Jesus is the Messiah, the one true God in the midst of all the gods brought brought before the Philippians in the patriotic Roman colony of Philippi.

Focus: This text is tailored to teach us about the focused life of those called by God towards the fruitful life of maturity in Christ Jesus.

Function: We should center our focus on God’s prize that lies ahead of us as we move past what is behind us.

Big Idea: Going higher requires our focus on God’s heavenly prize, not our earthly perfection.

The power of pursuit

Pursuit (διώκω (diōkō)) is an action word that describes the intention of someone or something to get somewhere or something in haste. Cambridge defines “pursue” as to follow someone or something, usually to try to catch him, her, or it. Pursuit has a perspective of possession.

As we aim higher, the verosity of our desire for God should increase.

The pursuit of the goal is in response to Christ’s pursuit of us. (verse 12)

The simple definition of the word “Christian” would be one that follows after Christ. In this simplistic definition, if we identify ourselves as such, our goal is to see what Jesus did and do likewise.

As prophesied by the Old Testament prophets and recorded by the New Testament gospel writers, Jesus Christ exits His seat on the throne in Heaven to be born of a impoverished teenage virgin here on earth, in order to passionately pursue you and I through a intense and tangible love and redemption. As Christ followers, we leave our areas of comfortability and carnality so that we might not only expereince the tangible love of Christ, but we might embody that for others as well. For example, the old song says “Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me. The song’s message is that I can love Jesus as a direct result of His love for me. The old adage says “It’s ok to be a copy cat when you’ve got the right cat to copy”. But if we are honest in this room all of us have had moments in our lives where we copied the wrong cat. The wrong people can cause us to pursue the wrong things which produces problems in our lives.

During this NFL season there are a lot of men that sit around their television sets on Sundays, reminicing over their years back in college and high school probably saying to themselves “I may still have it.” But if they tried to moved they saw by the professional on Sunday they could end up in the hospital on Monday because they werent supposed to copy that cat. But that’s if the cat is doing something great. There’s another group of us in this room that have had expereinces where we copied some cats that were doing wrong. For example, you in the car with the person who’s got some stuff in the car. You dont have it but they do. But you love being around this person. You like being associated with the lifestyle and because youre in the car, when the cops pull up, everyone gets searched, everyone gets booked, and everyone has ad time wasted. Pursuing the wrong prize. Someone once said play foolish games, win foolish prizes. The prize that God has for us is a high calling. The good news is that our mistakes in the past dont disqualify us from God’s calling for our future. Our attitude toward the calling of Christ is what compells us to our pursuit of Christ. Our attitude determines our altitude, yes. But on the way to our altitude we may need to make some adjustments. *use the pilot analogy*

We have to pursue the prize.

The promise of the prize

What is the prize?

Paul tells us in verse 10 that his goal is to “know Christ and the power of his ressurection and the fellowship of his sufferings...”

What does it mean to know Christ?

“They tell me he is a refiner, that he cleanses from spots; he has washed me in his precious blood, and to that extent I know him. They tell me that he clothes the naked; he hath covered me with a garment of righteousness, and to that extent I know him. They tell me that he is a breaker, and that he breaks fetters, he has set my soul at liberty, and therefore I know him. They tell me that he is a king and that he reigns over sin; he hath subdued my enemies beneath his feet, and I know him in that character. They tell me he is a shepherd: I know him for I am his sheep. They say he is a door: I have entered in through him, and I know him as a door. They say he is food: my spirit feeds on him as on the bread of heaven, and, therefore, I know him as such.” (Spurgeon)

What is the power of his resurrection? One theologian says The power of His resurrection is an evidencing power. It is the evidence and seal that everything Jesus did and said was true. The power of His resurrection is a justifying power. It is the receipt and proof that the sacrifice of the cross was accepted as payment in full. The power of His resurrection is a life-giving power. It means that those who are connected with Jesus Christ receive the same resurrection life. The power of His resurrection is a consoling and comforting power. It promises that our friends and loved ones who are dead in Christ live with Him.

What is the fellowship of his suffering? It is the joining in the act of dying to ourselves as Christ died on the cross that we may also be raised to a new life in Christ as Christ was bodily raised from the dead. According to Romans 8:17 “and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.”

Relationships that endure some sacrifice and suffering develop fortitude that cultivate longevity. Christians that endure hardships and sacrifice are able to develop longevity in the fath and reap the reward of eternal life.

Paul tells us what his goal is and the prize he wants to receive is wrapped up in thsi Greek word, τέλειος (teleios)

Perfect in verse 12, τελειόω (teleioō)

Mature in verse 15, τέλειος (teleios)

The goal for those pursuing Christ and pursued by Christ is not perfection in the sense that we dont have any issues or flaws, but it is that we would grow in maturity.

Close

Being two is hard. You can say some things but you can’t say everything. You can understand some things, but you can’t understand everything. You can do some things but you can’t do everythhing. It comes with the innocence of being new to the task of living, but it has the frustration of not always being understood. People tell you what you can and cannot do all the time and you can feel boxed in. But the goal is to not stay two forever. I want to encourage you church and pastor today to enjoy this season but strive for maturity. Strive to be instant in season and out of season. Strive to know that the suffering of this present time doesnt compare to the glory that’s to come. Strive to love in unlovable situations, forgive the unforgiveable, and serve the ungrateful. Strive to be a church that shines as a light in a dark world with one central focused mesage that there s a God in Heaven that loves us so much that God came down in for of our Messiah Jesus Christ, died for us, was resurrected, and is coming back. Strive for the higher calling of maturity that recognizes that there is a season of laying that develops into a season of crawling that develops into a season of walking that develops into a season of running. And when you get running remember the words of Isaiah 40:31 “but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.”