Parkland Lodge Service (2)

Philippians 3:17-21

When I was in my twenties, I lived in Northwestern Ontario. For a while, I could see Minnesota directly across the river from my house. It was against the law to get in a boat and cross the river because you need permission to enter a foreign country.

At one time, as long as you had photo ID, you could cross into the States, but now you can’t legally pass into the States without a passport.

Today, I want to take a few minutes and talk about our citizenship. Paul wanted people to look upward, and not to make plans only for this life, but our life that is to come.

Let’s read

Philippians 3:17–21 NLT

17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

In these verses Paul talks about two kinds of people. We’ll take a quick look at each: Enemies of the cross of Christ and Citizens of Heaven.

First, let’s look at

Enemies of the cross of Christ...

C.S. Lewis said, "Aim at heaven and you’ll get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you’ll get neither." (SC)

It broke Paul’s heart to see people that only lived for this life. “They live as enemies…Their conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.”

Paul makes it pretty clear that not everybody goes to heaven. This isn’t God’s desire, but our own choices will determine our destiny.”

(Sermon Central)

In the late 1800’s there were two trappers that trapped muskrat and beavers all summer, and as they neared winter, they decided that it was time to head for home.

Big John and Little Joe headed up stream for home, and after a few hours of paddling their canoes, Big John decided to take a rest and just allow his canoe to drift back. He fell asleep and drifted back far enough that he had to paddle hard just to get to where he had been. Exhausted he rested. He fell asleep.

Little Joe kept paddling for his destination. Even though he was tired, he pressed in and arrived safe at home to the smell of fresh bread and baked beans.

Big John awoke to his canoe rocking. He was in the worst rapids he had ever seen. He had always used his strength to get out of trouble but the harder he paddled, the faster the canoe headed backwards. “John’s eyes caught the glimpse of a sign on the bank , it says “Point of no Return” John’s drifting has led him to the place of his doom. Terror filled his eyes as the canoe falls over Fall Creek Falls , the highest water fall this side of the Rocky Mountains.”

Last time, we talked about forgetting what is behind and pressing towards the goal. Little Joe kept his eye on the prize.

Too many fix their eyes on the wrong prize. Their god is their appetite.

What does Paul mean by this? Does he mean that they like to eat lots?

Appetite = Desire

What do we long for? What do we desire?

Enemies of the cross of Christ desire only earthly things.

Their god is only money, possessions, pleasure, lust, greed, and things that are only temporary.

Earthly desires aren’t necessarily wrong. Misplaced earthly desires are. Desires that take God’s place in our lives are wrong.

Trying to get to heaven any other way than placing our faith in Jesus just ends up blowing up in our face. It just doesn’t work.

1 John 2:15–17 NIV

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Let’s look at

Our citizenship...

Philippians 3:20–21 NIV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Because we have given our lives to Christ, our home is heaven. We have true life because Jesus lives in us. Are you waiting for Jesus to return?

This is what he’s going to do. He’s going to take our bodies that are have pain, that are weak, that have their problems and He is going to give us new bodies in heaven that have no pain, weakness. They won’t wobble. We won’t need glasses. We won’t have issues with our weight, and we will be like Jesus because we will see Him as He is.

He wants us to follow Him all the days of our lives and He promises in

Psalm 23:6 NLT

6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Let’s pray!