The Joy of Philippians (2)
Notes
Transcript
The Joy of GOD’s Goal
The Joy of GOD’s Goal
Pray
The joy of knowing Christ
Rejoice (Chairō)
12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
300 Sermon Illustrations from Charles Spurgeon (The Passion of the Soul-Winner (John 21:15; Romans 9:3))
The Passion of the Soul-Winner
John 21:15; Romans 9:3
Preaching Themes: Discipleship, Evangelism
A bird when it is sitting on its eggs, or when the little ones are newly hatched, has about it a mother-spirit, so that it devotes all its life to the feeding of its little ones. Other birds may be taking their pleasure on the wing, but this bird sits still the life-long day and night, or else its only flights are to provide for gaping mouths that seem to be never filled.
A passion has taken possession of the bird, and something like it comes over the true soul winner. He could gladly die to win souls. He pines, he pleads, he plods to bless those on whom his heart is set. If these could only be saved he would pawn half his heaven for it. Indeed, and sometimes in moments of enthusiasm he is ready to barter heaven altogether to win souls, and, like Paul, he could wish himself accursed so that they were only saved (Rom 9:3).
Have you let go in such a way to let Jesus take over?
Are you only consumed be your wants and dreams?
Do you want and dream for the Kingdom of God?
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Are we living in such a way that it is how we will live in Heaven?
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,
Paul is telling us step one, forget the past look to your future in Christ.
This is apart of what we spoke of last week.
Paul said that all he had before Christ was dung.
14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
What promise is Paul talking about?
14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 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.
“Spirit of adoption”
I don’t know about you but I know that I don’t deserve to be a coheir with Christ.
This is why we are to be more passionate about serving the LORD!
15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
To be mature in Christ is to think this way.
So if you don’t think this way your not mature in Christ.
16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.
You have heard the truth now live your life by it.
I have had someone say to me “Your teach is trying to effect my life”
Follow me as I follow Christ.
What would it look like to follow Paul example.
18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
They are enemies of the sacrifice of Christ.
They didn’t think there was any need to repent.
Think of it like this if you was to save a child from being hit by a car. They thank you and immediately head back out to the road and start playing in the traffic again.
Do they truly appreciate what you have done for them?
The circus and the tight rope walk.
They have a net at the bottom but the goal is to not use it. The goal is to stay on the tight rope.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things,
Whatever feels good do it.
20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.
As Christian we are foreigners here on earth.
What is it like to be in a foreign country?
As citizen of Heaven Christ is going to transform your body to be like HIS.
Do you believe this “subject everything to himself”
So He is able to help you with the thing in your life that you feel can not be helped!
