I AM A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN

OPENING

SCRIPTURE READING

PRAYER

CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP

SCRIPTURE PASSAGE

PURPOSE STATEMENT

Because our true citizenship is in heaven, we must live like citizens of that kingdom now by chasing Christ, fixing our minds on Him, and ordering our lives in light of His coming.

INTRODUCTION

I’d like for you to take the Word of God with me, please, and turn to Philippians 3:13-21. Today we come to the capstone of our identity with Christ. This is the final piece of the puzzle, if you will on our identity in Christ. You and I are citizens of heaven.

One of the greatest challenges of this life is the recognition of this truth. We are citizens of heaven. While we may be Americans, and while we may be Ohioans, these other earthly titles of position must be subservient to our kingdom position, which is that we are citizens of heaven.

ILLUSTRATION

Philippi was not just any city in Paul’s day. It was a Roman colony. That meant that even though Philippi was located in Macedonia, far from the city of Rome itself, the people of Philippi enjoyed the rights and privileges of Roman citizenship. Roman law was honored there, Roman customs were practiced there, and the coins they used carried the image of the Roman emperor.

Historians tell us that Roman colonies like Philippi were little outposts of Rome scattered throughout the empire. The people might live hundreds of miles from Rome, but they dressed like Romans, they talked like Romans, and they lived under Roman rule. Their citizenship shaped their conduct.

TRANSITION

So when Paul wrote, “For our conversation is in heaven,” the believers in Philippi understood. Just as they were Roman citizens living in Philippi, they were now heavenly citizens living on earth. Their real home and their real allegiance were somewhere else, and that reality was supposed to shape how they lived every single day.

You and I may be Americans, and many of us may be Ohioans, but above all of that, in Christ, we are citizens of heaven. We are to be a little outpost of heaven right here on earth.

If that is true, then we cannot drift through life chasing what everyone else chases. The very first way we live as citizens of heaven is this:

CHASE CHRIST, NOT THE WORLD | VV. 13-14

This deals with our pursuit. Paul is not drifting toward Christ; he is chasing Him with intentional effort, energy, and priority. This is the pursuit of Christ over the world.

Philippians 3:13–14 KJV 1900

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

LET GO OF WHAT’S BEHIND | VS. 13A

If we are going to chase Christ and not the world, then we must let go of what is behind. Paul says we are to forget those things which are behind.

Let me give you some practical items we need to let go of.

PAST SINS THAT ARE FORGIVEN

Attached to past sins are guilt, shame, and regret. Each of these hold us back from chasing Christ. Psalm 103:12,

Psalm 103:12 KJV 1900

12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Clinging to forgiven sin keeps you chained to what Christ already paid for.

BITTER MEMORIES AND UNFORGIVEN WRONGS

Then there are those sins that were committed against you. Bitter memories and unforgiven wrongs need to be cast off from our lives. We hold on to resentments, hurts, and betrayals as a coping mechanism in this life, which hinders our pursuit of Christ.

QUOTE: I love what one preacher said, “Bitterness looks backward, forgiveness frees you to move forward.

PAST SUCCESSES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

We also need to let go of past successes and achievements. These may be spiritual accomplishments or personal credentials. Success in this life will make us comfortable, not Christlike.

OLD IDENTITIES AND LABELS

We must also let go of old identities and labels. Statements such as, “That’s just who I am,” have no place in the life of a Christian. Family baggage and cultural expectations must not define us. Christ does.

WORLDY ATTACHMENTS

Lastly, we need to let go of wordly attachments. Comfort, possessions, status, and more need to be dropped from our lives. Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:1-2,

Colossians 3:1–2 KJV 1900

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

You can’t chase Christ and clutch the world at the same time.

REACH FOR WHAT’S AHEAD | VS. 13B

Instead of clinging to the past, we need to reach for what is ahead. To reach implies an active stretch, and stretching can be painful at times. Spiritually, it means leaning forward into what God has for you, rather than sitting back in what you used to be.

RUN HARD TOWARD THE GOAL | VS. 14

Then we run hard toward the goal. God says we are to press toward the mark. We are to live with a holy urgency. This is to be our pursuit. Nothing else should be holding us back.

What are you pressing into today? What drives and motivates you? If it is something of this world, let it go. If it is something of the past, release it and chase Christ with all that is within you.

FOCUS ON CHRIST, NOT YOURSELF | VV. 15-19

In order to chase Christ and not the world, it will require the right focus. This deals with our mindset. Look at verse 15 to begin,

Philippians 3:15 KJV 1900

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

ADOPT THE RIGHT MINDSET | VS. 15

Because of sin, our minds have a natural bent toward ourselves. So we must adjust our focus and put our eyes on Christ. The true battle for your life is not first in your actions, but in your mind.

Romans 12:2 KJV 1900

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Our minds need renewed. We need to adopt the right mindset, a Christ focused mindset.

FOLLOW CHRIST-LIKE EXAMPLES | VV. 17-18

To help with this, God has given us both positive examples and negative examples to look toward. We must follow Christ-like examples. Look at verses 17 and 18,

Philippians 3:17–18 KJV 1900

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

God has given us Christlike examples to help us.

There are living examples. God has placed people in our lives who can guide and encourage us. They are not perfect, but they can help us walk with Christ.

There are past examples. Hebrews 12:1 speaks of a “great cloud of witnesses” and urges us to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” Christian biographies and testimonies remind us that others have run this race before us.

There are biblical examples. Hebrews 11:8–10 tells us that Abraham “sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country” and “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” He lived as a citizen of heaven while walking on earth.

AVOID EARTH-BOUND THINKING | VS. 19

Earth bound thinking is seeing life only in terms of right now. It makes decisions based on comfort, pleasure, and desire. It treats earth like home and treats heaven like it does not matter.

Paul describes people who live this way. Their god is their belly, they are ruled by their appetites. They glory in what God calls shameful. They mind earthly things. This is the opposite of living as a citizen of heaven.

This can even happen in religious ways. We may put our focus on good things instead of Christ Himself. Holiness, Bible knowledge, love, rules, serving, even personal growth, all of these are good and biblical, but if any of them becomes our primary focus, we lose sight of Christ. We have truth, but not fellowship. We have activity, but not abiding. Christ must remain the focus in our mind’s eye.

LIVE FOR CHRIST’S RETURN, NOT THIS MOMENT | VV. 20-21

And to help with this, Paul brings the thought to a close in verses 20 and 21. We are to live for Christ’s return, not this moment. God brings this portion of teaching to a close in verses 20 and 21 with the expectation of eternity before us.

Philippians 3:20–21 KJV 1900

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Why must we mature as Christians? Because we are not of this world.

Why should we follow the examples of godly men and women around us? Because we look for the Savior.

Why must we be on guard against the enemies that surround us? Because this vile body must be likened unto His glorious body.

We have the expectation of eternity before us my friends.

These verses deal with our future.

REMEMBER WHERE YOU BELONG | VS. 20A

For us, our citizenship, our conversation is in heaven. Remember where you belong my friends. We have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Titus 2:13 tells us,

Titus 2:13 KJV 1900

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

The Christian’s life should reflect that his citizenship is in Heaven. We ought to not feel at home in this world. Live like you belong there.

LOOK FOR YOUR RETURNING KING | VS. 20B

Because, our Savior will soon return and rapture His bride. Look for Him my friends. Does your life anticipate the return of Jesus?

The return of Jesus is that blessed hope. If you were to study out the theme of the second coming of the Savior, you would find it in almost every book of the New Testament, and the majority of the Old Testament as well. Though He has not returned yet, He will return my friends.

When God says that “we look” for the Savior, it is the idea that our lives are completely shaped by this truth.

ILLUSTRATION: Have you ever prepared for a special night with a special someone. Perhaps your husband is coming home from a work trip and you want him to know he was missed. You prepare dinner and the mood of the room. You prepare yourself and make sure everything is right for his return. Nothing else matters. Your focus is on seeing him again. That is how we need to live each day for Jesus for today could be the day.

PREPARE FOR YOUR TRANSFORMATION | VS. 21

And when our Savior returns this vile body will be fashioned like unto His glorious body. We must live and prepare for a glorious transformation. The pain and suffering and difficulties we face in this life will be nothin in relation to what awaits.

This change is the completion of the redemption that was begun at salvation. We don’t know exactly how our bodies will be changed in that glorious day, we do know the limitations we suffer in these bodies will be done away. They will be forever gone.

CONCLUSION

Paul began this section by saying, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” and he ended it by reminding us, “For our conversation is in heaven.” From beginning to end, the message is clear. This world is not our home. We are citizens of another country, and that citizenship ought to show in our daily life.

So the question is very simple. Are you living like earth is your home, or like heaven is your home?

For those who do not know Christ as Savior, you cannot live as a citizen of heaven until you have been born into that kingdom. You need to come to Christ, to repent of your sin, and to trust His death and resurrection for your salvation. Only then can you say, “My citizenship is in heaven.”

For those who are saved, this passage is a loving wake up call. You do not belong to this world. You belong to Christ. Your home is in heaven. Your King is coming.

So today, by the grace of God, decide that you will no longer live like a permanent resident of earth. Run after Christ. Fix your eyes on Christ. Live ready to meet Christ. You are a citizen of heaven. With God’s help, live like it.