Untitled Sermon (9)

“Though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more.” (Philippians 3:4, NLT)

The things we grip the tightest are usually the things that are closest to our hearts

“Whatever were gains to me, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7)

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.”

skubalon

What are we still holding onto?

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me… No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:12–14)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”

choose control over surrender,

choose being right over being like Jesus,

choose power instead of practicing humility

Because we don’t always realize we’re doing it

And because it’s hard to admit that the things we think are helping us may actually be hollowing us out inside

Let go

Be willing to be pruned

Remember who you belong to

“Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about life here on earth.”

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.”

“We are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 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.”