Untitled Sermon

Running the Race

Pressing On

Introduction:

Do you know that you are in a race? Do you know your a Runner?

Bulk of Christianity today has no idea that they are in a race; they think that XN life is:

Believing in God; or Jesus as the Christ

Living their best life, living a “good” life

Life is a gingerly stroll ...

choose to engage … or NOT

Opposite of what Paul teaches and consistently writes about in his Epistles

Constantly uses references from athletic events

athletes, training, physique, straining of muscles...

Teaches all Believers a Timeless Truth; Timeless Reality

That EVERY (bel.) is in a race

we cannot choose to sit out

JMAC— Runner sat down…

“When I was in college, I was a member of our school's track and field team. I performed best in the sprints, and occasionally the quarter mile. One of my favorite races was the mile relay. Of all the races we ran, the one I remember best is one we didn't win. The race started wonderfully—our first runner ran such a great opening quarter-mile leg that as he passed the baton to me, we were tied for the lead. I ran as hard as I could, and as I passed the baton to our third runner, we were in first place. I thought we had an excellent chance to win—our fourth runner was especially fast.

Our third runner took off like lightening around the first curve and down the back stretch. And then the unthinkable happened. He stopped suddenly, walked off the track, and sat down on the grass. I ran over to him, thinking he must have pulled a muscle. When I reached him, he didn't look like he was in pain, so I asked what was wrong. I'll never forget his reply. All he said was, "I don't know—I just didn't feel like running today." — John MacArthur, (Grace to You, Article, “Running the Race.”)

The devastation from someone sitting out is real

the blow back to the team is significant

-effects ( to team) temporary

-not much is lost

speaks more to character of the Runner; than Team

thats the part that Paul is concerned with Bc

Lord is ...

See REF PAGE

Maturing and growing in Christ is NOT Optional

Yes, (bel.) can sit idle in growth for periods of time

consequence of somewhat rebellious even lazy nature

... but Bel. WILL grow... so this ONLY temp condition

Everything the Lord puts his hand to comes to fruition

Yes, God is sovereign; Yes the Bel will grow (grace)

But that doesn't relieve the Bel. from putting his hand to the plow

--SEE REF PAGE

So as we always say: there's always the necessity for mans respons alongside Gods Sover.

-The Divine Paradox

So, we will look at the passage to see the

3 Main REASONS we need to pursue the task of growth.

Reason #1: -

"Press on to Perfection"

[v.12] -- READ

Paul is on the defensive here

objection from the Legalist / Antinomian (anti -law)

Legalist says - (Judaizer's)... gain perfection by law keeping

Antinomian says ... (Gnostic) just gain more knowledge

Both fit into one category: Perfectionist

Both are equally as bad -

b/c each essentially feels that their (SP) condition is such that

--they 've arrived -(as one commentator put it)

--they're made perfect by their profession

there's nothing more they need to do (spiritually speaking)

Spend the rest of their lives trying to convince others that they're good to go, and others aren't so convinced

ILL- Q-Ball --watching last few years as a friend of mine has gone from Viking worship (Odin) to Christianity (pentecostalism) and now back into an Esoteric (Gnostism) consulting modern mystic teachers claiming he's one with the "I AM"

Spends his days now convincing us that he's achieved a level we should all aspire to be at (spiritually)

Thinking you've arrived at (SP) perfectionism is deadly

Admittedly, EXTREME (ex)

Number 1 argument Paul makes is right here --[v.12] --

against either form of Perfectionism...

Legalistic or Antinomian position ... threat is the same

Philippians are getting it from both angles, Judaizers, Gnostics

likewise we get it from both sides;

legalistic - baptists and charismatics

antinomian - baptist, charismatic, or even liberal progressive XN's

Interdenominational issue

Legalistic standpoint -- have to cling to rules to KEEP perfection, this is why so heavy involved in traditions, customs, laws ... cant show they are then hypocrisy is known/ shown

Antinomian standpoint --they must be rendered free to sin because they've declared their confession and lest sin show them to be a hypocrit too they bend the definition of sin to be something other than falling short of (sp) perfection, but rather something that they didn't INTEND to do by their will.

SEE REF PAGE -- John Wesley who said of sin

Wesley's definition strikes at the heart of the law/ gospel distinction when it says: "sin is only a willful transgression of the known law. if it's not deliberate and known, its not sin."

If we take Wesleys statement to its fullest conclusions:

NOT preaching the gospel then to those who aren't aware they are breaking Gods commandments would be the BEST thing we could do

worse yet, it makes God a criminal for prosecuting those poor souls who are as of yet uniformed

All this stands in stark contrast to scripture

which affirms that we are NOT perfect and fits squarely into the doctrinal awareness Paul always makes clear to all growing believers.

So He says I am not perfect, yet I strive for the goal

Even though we CANNOT obtain it, not that i have already... Read [V.12]

I PRESS ON...

why?

--B/c it is Christ who has made us His own -- SEE REF PAGE (workman)

Paul says he strives FOR PERFECTION

not that it can be obtained but we keep reaching for the goal

Think about this... whats the first commandment..?

to love your God with all your heart mind soul .... do we do that...? neglect the reading and the pouring into His word.Reason #2

"Press on for the Prize"

[read vv. 13-14]

The second reason to Press on is for the Prize

This takes an act of focused concentration

The one who comes out with the most concentrated focus walks away the winner; the champion;

Micheal Jordan; Tiger Woods; Tom Brady

ILL- Bryson/ Rory not speaking Press thought issue between

contests between the best often even their wardrobe (uniform) can be critical to performance

When I Drag Race my best times were when i focused on my perf

guy in the next lane....

Notice -- NO distinction between positive or negative looks backward

It really makes no difference good or bad

focus in key;

ILL - SIgnal/ Noise Ratio --- Steve Jobs was 80/20 - Elon Musk - 100%

How many ministries/ churches look back over their shoulder at min of the past...

the church used to be full/

Remember all the ppl who got saved/ baptized..?

How many ministries or individuals become paralyzed by fear or guilt?

grieved over sin of own/ caused by others -

crippled by feelings- useless - inactive; ineffective to ministry to God

Distraction causes you to stagnate or even to fall behind

Anyone who know about backing up with a motorcycle KNOWS the best way is to remained focused ahead.

focusing behind cause - lose balance

to be effective and to grow you must remain focused on what lies ahead

can we celebrate faithfulness of the past - sure but don't live there - move

ILL-- the Christian world just lost JMAC last this week,

everyone is taking time to reflect

but the question is being asked -- (rightly) what about the future..

See REF PAGE -JAMES 1

Focus on what lies ahead, this was the issue Israel had.

someone who is focused on the past becomes a complainer

always missing out on what was...

NOT what God is doing now

[v.14] -" I press on toward the goal..." Press on toward double emphasis

[Gk] - means, “I exert myself to the uttermost, stretch out, strain”

underscore this idea in our minds

straining every muscle to reach the goal

Its not in arrogance we strive for the PRIZE, but because we are CALLED TO

Someone says striving for a prize is not humility...we are saved by GRACE not by works...!?

This confuses Justification with Sanctification

Justification is we are Justified by Christ who bled and died on our behalf and His righteousness is applied to us. We are not working toward JUSTIFICATION in Self-Righteousness.

Now we are striving toward our glorification (Eternal -afterlife)

NOW while we are still in our Sanctification ... in process

Paul says that HE does this very thing and commends it to us to follow Scripture References

Introduction:

Romans 8:29 -- Gods Interest in growth

"For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers."

Galatians 4:19 -- Pastors Deep longing

"My little children, for whom i am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!"

Colossians 1:28-29

"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling w/ all his energy that he powerfully works within me."

Ephesians 4:13-15

"...until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ... we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ."

Reasons to Put our hand to the work of Growth

Luke 9:62

"Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Reason 1: Press on to Perfection

"A willful transgression of a known law of God." --John Wesley (Theological Founder of Methodism)

Ephesians 2:10-

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

Reason 2: Press on to the Prize

James 1:5-7

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Reason 3: Press on for the Privilege