Hope: Together We Win

I had the scariest thing ever happen to me when I was 14 years old. God calling down from heaven, speaking into my heart and soul to tell me I was to be a preacher of the gospel and a pastor of His people. Exciting. Horrifying.

My preaching and pastoral ministries professor in College was called at 16, began preaching and pastoring at 16. H. B. Charles, Jr. - 17 in LA church.

“I really don’t want to but I can’t stand being a Christian and hate coming to church. I don’t want to feel that way, but that is how I have been made to feel. So many people are already look at us to criticize us. Several people hear already judge us. The experiences here of how some have treated us, the people I love dearly, have just ruined church for me. I just can’t stand coming anymore or trying to be a Christian because I know I am not that good, but these other people, man. You know we have a standard to live up to. People in other groups they are not acting this

Not me......called at 14......lived as a prodigal son for the next 10 yrs because it was the scariest thing ever. The first few months I was excited, but soon I began to think, “I have been a Christian for 5 yrs now, and I am not doing a very good job at being one.” I also began to think, “if I am letting my parents down with all this behavior and lack of good grades then surely God is mad at me.” “If I cannot be a good Christian, then I sure will never become a good pastor.” You know how church members are about pastors, their wives and kids......way up here as to the standards......everyone else......way down here. I looked at my pastor as perfect, because I thought that is what he was and what I would have to become. I knew there was no way I could ever be perfect enough to be a pastor let alone please God, so I gave up and kept up appearance at church, but turned to worldly living.

Doubt is a normal part of being human and being a believer, but for some Christians it goes beyond that. In the area of Spiritual growth, it goes from doubt to depression. You possibly have felt the pressure. The expectations are way too high. The goals are too far away. The church asks too much. Peer pressure is too tough. You feel you just cannot do it. No hope.

When I read this passage my hope is renewed because it lets me see me how God sees me. It lets me love me how God loves me. It motivates me the way God wants to motivate me. It lets me know that no matter how many times I make a mistake or fail as a Christian and as a pastor, Jesus will pick me back up, because His hand never lets go of me. My prayer is as we read it you will find the same kind of Hope because Together We Win

STAND AND GET THE BLOOD FLOWING. STAND AND HONOR OUR HOLY GOD.

Philippians 3:12–16 CSB

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. 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, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. 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. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.

Philippians 3:12–16 CSB

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. 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, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. 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. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.

Hope: Together We Win

Philippians

Hope: Together We Win

Hope: Together We Win

Do you get that sense of hope Paul has as he seeks to finish his time on earth well, in living for Jesus?

There are several different approaches that people take in living out their Christianity and spiritual growth, besides what Paul does here. Their approach is just that, theirs, not God’s intention for all of us. Some people deal with their struggle for spiritual growth by:

Faking It

You have heard the phrase “fake it until you make it.” In the psychological world it relates to imitating competence or having a positive mindset until a change in one’s behavior. In the spiritual world it does not accomplish the goal Paul speaks of here because sanctification/spiritual growth is about heart transformation not behavior modification.

For these people what God and people don’t know won’t hurt them

this is pretending to have it all together,

pretending to have it all together, no problems in your home, in your head or in your heart. Literally projecting the persona of perfection.

Churches can encourage this when they gather when they do not practice the “one anothers” No one shares because no one wants to be seen as having a problem or burden to bare.

Preachers create this culture in the church by perpetuating the persona of perfection, a holier than thou attitude. Preachers, without that attitude, and their families can get burnout in the ministry by falling prey to the pressure of thinking they have to put up a good front to keep people from talking about them or trying to please everyone.

Paul was not a people pleaser. He only sought to do what God asked of him. We see in v. 14 he kept his eyes on the prize, Jesus Christ, which freed him from the worry of what others thought about him. He kept a daily remembrance of his salvation experience - saying in v. 12 - “I make an effort for a reason”

Paul was not a people pleaser. He only sought to do what God asked of him. We see in v. 14 he kept his eyes on the prize, Jesus Christ, which freed him from the worry of what others thought about him. He kept a daily remembrance of his salvation experience - saying in v. 12 - “I make an effort for a reason”

The best way to overcome this struggle is to pray, asking God to open your eyes so you can see spiritually. You need humility to be honest about your current reality. When we try to fake it we are the only ones being fooled. We need God to remove our rose colored glasses of hypocrisy, and tear down our grandiose illusions of perfection. His reason should be our reason - Jesus has taken hold of you in salvation - you have not forgotten the wonder of the gospel and God’s amazing Grace - your growth will be the outflow of His grace.

Maybe that is not you. Do you struggle with your spiritual growth by trying to:

Force It

These people become super religiously organized

For these people, God and others (parents, spouses, bosses) have extremely high expectations and won’t be happy if all are not met.

They have several prayer plans and times. Do at least two Bible reading plans a day, and they are a part of SS class and 2 other small groups.

Someone who is trying to force their growth as a Christian will become emotionally and spiritually OCD - compulsively controling their lives and trying very hard to control the lives of their loved ones and friends, to the point of overshadowing them to almost silence and non-existence.

They judge all other Christians as imperfect and not meeting the standards they think others should meet

These people are looking to keep things nice and neat. They need order in their life so they have many plates to spin and chain saws to juggle. They dare themselves and others to let something go wrong.

Parental or Personal - unrealistic expectations lead to unmerciful self-deprecation, where they express disapproval on themselves and belittle themselves habitually. Those unrealistic expectations also lead to ungraceful self-deprivation, where they take this monk like attitude in treatment of themselves.

He began to study the NT and God opened his eyes to experience His grace.

Paul could accept his own imperfections because he understood Jesus had already over come them on the cross were Jesus cried out “Tel Telesti” - It is finished, Already but not yet.

Paul in v. 12 - is not beating himself up for anything he feels he failed God in. He just pressed forward, in the power of the resurrection, v. 10, to reach the level he wanted.

Look in v. 16 at the word “mature” or “perfect” (KJV) - the Greek Word has the prefix - tele - The word here is not the sense of “free from flaws” but rather a sense of completion, and carries with it the idea of something at a distance -Telephone, Telescope - the process of covering the distance. Spiritual Perfection is a process of already but not yet.

To overcome this struggle, pray and ask God to open your eyes to see the depths of Amazing Grace the way Scripture says He gives it. Salvation/Redemption is The Amazing Grace of Love, reconciliation with God, and receiving His power for your transformation.

Begin to see you as God sees you. Begin to love you as God loves you - unconditionally.

Replace your fear of failing with faith in the power of God’s grace to finish his work in you. -

Philippians 1:6 ESV

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

When you sin ask His forgiveness and forgive yourself. When you make an unintentional mistake or stumble ask Him to help you back up and keep reaching for the goal.

Replace you struggle for perfection with steadfastness in the process.

One of the issues that lead to the Protestant Reformation through Martin Luther was his despair over his spiritual condition, then being told by a Bishop to climb the high stairs at a Roman cathedral. He thought is this it!

Immaturity is constantly saying - “Am I there yet?”

He began to study the NT and God opened his eyes to experience His grace.

Maturity is just enjoying the journey of arriving.

Okay, so your not the perfectionist. Are you one who struggles with your spiritual growth by simply:

To overcome this struggle, pray and ask God to open your eyes to see the depths of Amazing Grace the way Scripture says He gives it. Begin to see you as God sees you. Replace

Christianity is not about perfection but the process of arriving.

Forgetting It

These Christians just gave up a long time ago, or they at least become the spiritual procrastinator.

To these people, they think God and others believe they won’t ever amount to anything so no need to bother him or others in asking for help.

I was voted most likely to....... by my Senior classmates and teachers.

Not much self motivation for trying among these people

They feel the Biblical principles and values of Christianity are to impossible. Or they feel they came from either their parents, church, or peers and not something they should really try to live by.

They use the excuse of being human like everyone else.

They use the excuse of being human like everyone else.

They easily judge others who are trying to follow Jesus biblically as just being hypocrites while they do not want to be held accountable themselves.

They exhibit a false humility saying, “Well at least I am real.”

A prevailing thought of hopelessness at growing turns into self-pity thinking, “Well if they see how helpless and hopeless I am then maybe they will just accept me for me instead of hold me accountable.”

Paul says in v. 16 The truth/gospel is our motivation to live up to Christ. He says the fact of grace is our motivation.

The gospel is our motivation.

Keep looking to Jesus and loving him bc of His grace

Keep looking to Jesus

Keep treasuring His grace

Keep relying on His power and singing His praises

To overcome this struggle pray and ask God to help you forget. Forget your bad experiences with other Christians. Forget your past sins and failures. Forget the consequences you have already suffered. That is the good news of the gospel - you repent and he forgives and helps your forget.

There is no such thing as a damaged Christian just a destined one.

Determine to make one change in one area and it will affect the other areas of your life. What are you doing with your time, your money, your mind? Growth comes from knowledge, knowledge comes from learning and its all discipleship.

Determine to make one change in one area and it will affect the other areas of your life. What are you doing with your time, your money, your mind? Growth comes from knowledge, knowledge comes from learning and its all discipleship.

Determine to make one change in one area and it will affect the other areas of your life. What are you doing with your time, your money, your mind? Growth comes from knowledge, knowledge comes from learning and its all discipleship.

Decide to trust Jesus’ hand - even if your hold on him becomes loose - his hold on you never will.

Conclusion: Remember the promised prize is the call of God in Christ Jesus. The gospel. The good news. This means

You don’t need to play sports well or a band instrument perfectly for Jesus to love you

Even if you make less than straight A’s or even if you make an F in conduct - Jesus will still love you

You do not have to have the best clothes or nicest ride or be the best looking for Jesus to love you.

You don’t need to make a million dollars or work yourself to death for Jesus to love you.

Paul gives us here in these few verses, the means to Hopeful living. Our gratitude, His grace and growth.

Roger Staubach who led the Dallas Cowboys to the World Championship in ‘71 admitted that his position as a quarterback who didn’t call his own signals was a source of trial for him. Coach Landry sent in every play. He told Roger when to pass, when to run and only in emergency situations could he change the play (and he had better be right!). Even though Roger considered coach Landry to have a “genius mind” when it came to football strategy, pride said that he should be able to run his own team. Roger later said, “I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory.”

You and Jesus together win, that’s hope.

Several years ago there was an Olympics held in Seattle Washington. And the special event that was talked about for years afterward was the 100 yard dash. Lined up on the starting line were 9 contestants, waiting for the gun to go off. At the gun, the started their run, kind of. For this was the Special Olympics a competition for physically or mentally handicapped people. The nine young men and women were filled with excitement as they ran and laughed and raced to the finish line. But one little boy stumbled on the asphalt. He tumbled over a couple of times and fell on his face and lay there crying. The other eight heard him and slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back - every one of them. One girl with Down's syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, ''This will make it better.'' Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. And everyone in the stadium stood, and the applause went on for what seemed like forever.

Paul makes this pursuit of the goal a plural pursuit. Christianity is about togetherness. Church is intended by Christ to be done together. Some times others around you may not be running as well as you are, but God tells us we are not to leave others behind. If you or I fall behind there is Hope knowing together we win.

Jesus

Time of Decision and Call to Prayer

The gospel is clear and easy. Sin keeps you out of heaven and condemns you to hell. You cannot do anything about sin. Jesus did. You repent. He forgives. You submit in faith. He sanctifies you in faith. Do you need to do that today?

How is your spiritual growth? Are you faking it, forcing it or forgetting it? God is faithful and forgiving. Do you need to do something today to make things right?