Traveling Together Pt 3, (Intentionality)

ME (orientation) This past summer I started this Traveling Together Series focusing in on Four Principles that help us see who we are in Christ and as a result how to help each other walk with Him. If I can phrase it differently I would simply say this is a series that shows we need each other and hopefully helps us help each other grow in Christ. The things we are talking about are not earth shattering but if we choose to follow Christ in these things they will be life changing.

The goal of this series is to helps us see what it takes to do life together well by helping each other know Jesus and share Him with those who do not know Him.

The first principle we covered was the need to be accountable to one another for the purpose of helping each other take steps of faith in our relationships with Christ. The second was the ambassador principle. This is the principle that comes out of where Paul states that we are ambassadors for Christ and calls those who have chosen to follow Christ to no longer live for themselves but for Him. This is essential becuase it is defining. Paul’s message is that this not an option it is part of who we are by our recreation in Christ. If I had to do it all over again I would probably reverse the two just to show the need to adopt the ambassador role is part of the believers essential DNA, but the good thing is if you ever go back and listen to them you can listen to them in any order you want.

ME (orientation)

The Ambassador Principle - We are ambassadors of Christ, therefore His priorities are our priorities.

The Accountability Principle - We lovingly act to help each other remove barriers in our relationship with God and others.

We lovingly act to help each other remove barriers in our relationship with God and others.

WE (identification) As we come to our third principle of traveling together I want to emphasis something important. Like many things in the Christian life these principles are not complicated. However they take a willingness to engage in Jesus’ mission and to trust Him with the results. They are born out of the reality that He does nothing by accident and we need to be willing to follow Him in His example. This brings us to this weeks principle.

WE (identification)

The Intentionality Principle - seeking to follow Christ by ordering our time, resources and attention on our relationship with Him and others.

Being intentional is simply seeking to follow Christ by ordering our time, resources and attention on our relationship with Him and others.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

That sounds like a lot to me, but if you think about it, this is the call God places on our lives when we decide to follow Him. In the OT we see verses like where Moses says

God (illumination)

Deuteronomy 6:4–7 NASB95

4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

and

Psalm 145:5 NASB95

5 On the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.

and Notice what Jesus says in .

That sounds like a lot to me, but if you think about it, this is the call God places on our lives when we decide to follow Him. Notice what Jesus says in

Psalm 145:4 NASB95

4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.

Jump to the NT and we see what Jesus says in .

Luke 9:23 NASB95

23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

Luke 9:37 NASB95

37 On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.

Or what Paul tells Timothy in

2 Timothy 2:2 NIV84

2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

Through these four passages along with many others show us the need to walk intentionally with Christ. To faithfully order our time, energy and resources for His purposes and to travel with those around us to encourage them in their relationship with Christ or share with them if they do not yet have one. Being intentional is simple. It is ultimately a choice that we have to make as we walk in the Holy Spirit, but it is not easy. So how do we do it. Do we just pull ourselves up by our boot straps and tell Jesus we are going to be faithful? I think it is a little different. As I prayed about what passage to speak on for this principle Paul’s words from came to mind. So lets take a look at that passage.

As you turn there it is important to understand the Philippian church. The city of Philippi was a retirement town for former Roman soldiers and their families. They were commited Roman Citizens, which is important for our passage, that was immersed in Emperor worship. There were temples and alters set up for him. The city as a whole saw this as their religion so to leave this religion to follow Christ would have been an act of treason in many peoples’ mind.

Knowing what these people were going through as they were rejecting the religions of Rome and their areas helps us see the power of Paul’s call for their lives to forsake not only the patterns of their immediate context but also the patterns of the world and embrace Jesus’ pattern of loving intentionality. So if you haven’t turn to .

Philippians 3:12–4:1 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. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, 20 but 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. 1 So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.

God (illumination)

This passage gives us insight into Paul’s intentional pursuit of Jesus and in helping the Philippians to do the same thing. The first things we see is that he doesn't forget that Jesus is still not done working in Him. Paul probably had one of the most dramatic salvation experiences in all of Christian history. You can read about it in , but to put it simply the dude was a persecutor. He sought to end the lives of Jesus followers and to make the lives of those who did not crumble before him awful, but Jesus intervened and showed Paul his sin of rebellion against the God who made him and he repented and recieved Jesus into His life. Jesus offers this gift to all of us, it is not just for the extremely bad people. Jesus is clear it is our sin that separates us from God and He came to heal that separation by paying the penalty for our rebellion by accepting the God’s wrath for us by dying on the cross. But becuase He was sinless He could not stay dead and rose from the grave three days later to offer us this gift of knowing Him. All this happened for Paul in what we know as , it can happen for you also. You simply have to admit you have rebelled against God, believe that Jesus is who He said He is and commit your life to Him. Back to Paul. His dramatic salvation experience was not the end of his Christian walk but the beginning. Notice what he says in verse 12.

He doesn't forget that He is not done.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

Colossians 3:12 CSB

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

Philippians 3:12 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.

Colossians 3:13–14 CSB

13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

In 3:1 - 11 Paul has just shown how he has the Jewish pedigree, the education and the opportunity that many of the false religious leaders he talks about in this letter strive for, but that he saw all that as stuff as worthless compared to knowing Christ. His deepest desire was to be known by and to know his King. That overflowed into his outward ministry. His phrase here is also an explanation that he is a work in progress. He understands that while he is still on earth he is going to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior and that ultimately it will only be at the resurrection where he reaches his goal. This brings us to our first point about being intentional.

Humility is a prerequisite to intentionality. (Phil 3:12)

Colossians 3:15–17 CSB

15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

We can be intentional and be proud, but godly intentionality where we seek to follow our King requires a clear understanding that we have not arrived. To live this out we understand that we need a continuing supply of Biblical wisdom, we need others to help us thrive and we need to rest in the fact that Jesus calls the shots for our lives. By the way that doesn’t mean we do not plan or budget etc. It simply means we submit everything to Him and in humility follow as He leads. This is often the hardest thing to do becuase it means we let go of control, and recognize we are really stewards of what God has given us. So it is at His discretion as to how it is used not ours. To give you hope though living a life of humility frees us from the junk that often wraps us up in bitterness, rage and frustration. It is not weakness, but is more like power under control. Andrew Murray put it this way,

“Humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is, from the very nature of things, the first duty and the highest virtue of the creature, and the root of every virtue.” Andrew Murray

If humility is where we start then were do we go next? Conventional portrayal of a humble life would say we just sit there and take whatever is thrown at us. However I think God gives us a very different next step. It is to pursue, the question then is what. Lets take a look at verse 13 - 14.

Murray, Andrew. Humility (pp. 1-2). Fig. Kindle Edition.

Philippians 3:13–14 CSB

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.

Intentional living happens when we focus on the finish line.

The next key to living intentionally is to recognizes where we are going. Paul again acknowledges the fact that he has not yet reached his goal, but then he says something very important. “But one thing I do:” This phrase shows his single-mindedness. There is no better way to express intentionality then to express it as saying this is the “one thing” I do. Check out how He expresses this. He uses two word pictures to show a runner who refuses to look over his shoulder in a competition. His goal is the finish line, which is to be with Jesus physically, so his focus is there and not on who or what is behind him. To look back would slow him down, cause him to loose focus or even cause him to stumble. Looking back is a no-no in a race, especially at the end of the race. Paul then uses the words “reaching forward” other translations use the word “straining”. We have all see races where athletes are neck and neck and the only thing that gets them to the line first is the fact that they strained to cross the line, they stretched a lit farther at the right time to cross the line first.

I was a thrower in track so I didn’t have to worry about who was behind me, but the principles I had to compete with were the same. As a thrower your goal is to throw your implement far, so you focus on what needs to happen to do that. In practice you check your steps over and over again, you go through your release, over and over again, you practice exploding from your hips over and over again becuase you know that is where your power is, and you do this so that you can step into the ring for 6 throws in a qualifier aiming to get 6 more in the finals, with goal of getting it as far as you can so that you might just win.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things,

We can only speculate what he is talking about when he says forgetting what is behind him. It might be the things he list earlier in the chapter, or things he has done since he became a believer, it might even be something overarching. Whatever it is it will not define him and cause him to either stall or cause him to rest. Looking behind has dangerous consequences. Paul understood this so t he gives the remedy. To strain, to pursue his goal, “the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” To forget and strain only serve to reinforce the need to purse Christ. Having this mindset is an absolute necessity in living a life of intentionality. Without it we can easily get distracted or sidetracked by the enemy, the world or our flesh. Here is the reality: If we are going to follow Christ intentionally, it will be hard. People will expect more and less of you at the same time. Your family will not understand why you raise your children the way you do. Your bosses will get frustrated that you won’t cut corners. Sometime your believing friends will even misconstrue what you are doing. There will be pressures to conform to the popular lifestyles and beliefs of our time. It is not easy, but it is freeing, its restful, its beautiful, the way you look at life becomes more clear, the way you do life will not become easy but will be more simple and will be more satisfying. You will see the fruit God is bearing through you as your family and friends see the life change in you and comment on how different you are. Pauls example of pressing on/pursuing was not easy, but it was rewarding and it will be that way for us. The challenge will be can we do it? The answer is yes absolutely, but it will take denying your self and taking up your cross and following Jesus. And once we do we can take the next step of intentionality. Check out .

Colossians 3:18–19 NASB95

18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

Philippians 3:15–17 CSB

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. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.

Establishing the heart of intentionality is humility and focus, Paul now turns to the collective function of intentionality. He calls people to join him in pursing Christ. Paul does this in three ways, first he calls them to unity. Using the same verb as he does in , “adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus.” Paul calls these believers to think the same way he does. “Which is to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead he presses on.” To call people to this we have be willing to do this first. People who value intentionality, live intentionally and help others do the same thing. This varies the degree of our availability, but when we make Christ our priority we begin to see what needs to be done and let go of the less important so that we can press on to what Christ calls us to. The next thing he does it to exhort them for their protection. This is not a popular thing to do in most churches/organizations, but to call people to think as he thinks on matters serves as a challenge to false belief that is setting in and is also as a loving mental challenge to check what they believe. Finally Paul calls them to follow the examples of those who are living like Paul and his crew. This is essential. Intentionally multiplies. People who are intentional do not live passive lives with their neighbors, children, friends and family. They wisely seek to pass on the things they are learning from Jesus so that those who are around them are hearing the gospel, are trusting Christ in daily life and are in-turn sharing the life of Christ and their lives with others. That is ultimately what this series is about right? To live as ambassadors we help each other (accountability) no matter where we are at (intentionality). We travel together and we travel with others.

Paul is also challenging those who “think differently”. Apparently there are group of believers who might have been “mature” in their thinking about behavior who failed to live out the action of focusing on Christ. Paul is not calling them out to shame them but to help warn them that they are missing the finish line. This group of people are advocating for a perfectionism in line with the Jewish law. Paul has already debunked that belief in , now he turns it on its head. To grow toward perfection, one has to humble accept that he or she is not and will not be in this life and thus rely on Christ. Then

Three movements occur in this command to the church: a call to unity, a warning of misconduct, and an exhortation to continue.[1]

First, Paul called the Philippians to unity. The words “take such a view of things” use the verb “be minded” which characterized 2:1–11. Paul is making a concisous effort

Paul is making a concisous effort

First, Paul called the Philippians to unity. The words “take such a view of things” use the verb “be minded” which characterized 2:1–11. Paul is making a concisous effort

[1] Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 139–140.Paul is making a concisous effort

Living intentionally we do life with others.

Philippians 3:18–19 CSB

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

4 So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.

Becuase of time I am not going to spend a lot of time here, but I would also don’t want to completely skip it becuase it is important. Paul takes a moment to remind them that there are people who seek to derail or distract believers. His reminder serves as a warning to not follow bad examples. I know this can be mean sounding but Paul is clear. Many will try to distract using fear, manipulation, anger, arrogance and even intelligence to get us to stop following Jesus. I have seen people get really hurt because they follow the example of the world and those who may or may not be followers of Christ but are harming the church because they think what they have to say is more important then what Jesus has to say. To live intentionally we have to be careful to not let the things people are doing distract or derail us. Paul intentionally describes these people in very raw terms because he wants the reader to see them for what they are, enemies of Jesus, they live to satisfy the temporary body and they what all the glory. Paul sums it up well. “They focus on earthly things.” I’d encourage you to evaluate what you are taking in. It may be loved ones are encouraging you to adopt something contrary to scripture, or you are reading things and you are subtely adopting thier views, or it might be you are watching a sitcom about families and you begin to adopt the values they portray. I do not know and honestly the options are pretty limitless, but Christ makes it clear through Paul.

Phil 3:

do not have the same attitude as Paul and those who follow his example. He is aware of the dangers of false teaching and distraction - look at 3:2

Living intentionally avoids distraction and destruction.

Philippians 3:20–4:1 CSB

20 but 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. 1 So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.

In the last section

Living intentionally embraces our citizenship.

Paul finishes this section of his letter by contradicting what the false teachers live for compared to what we are to live for. This would have been a beautiful statement to the Philippians. They loved being Romans, they fought for their empire, and now being in this colony they have recieved Jesus. Understanding that He is greater the Ceaser, greater than Rome He is King and He is Lord. They embraced this reality and to live intentionally this has to always be our reality, this is how are made. He created and we have the opportunity to live out of that creation to impact the world around us through our intentional prayers, lifestyle and words.

So what are going to do?

You (Application)

Intentional with Family - Spouse, Children and Parents (Give example)

Intentional with Family - Spouse, Children and Parents

Colosians

Intentional with Friends - Willing to look foolish not to be a fool.

- Might use this with Loyalty next week.

Intentional with Church

Intentional with Friends - Willing to look foolish not to be a fool. (Give example)_

Intentional with Church (Give opportunity of D-group sign up next week.)

We (Reiteration) Pass the baton, - Fat man relay story - story of Strap passing it on to me.

Pray

[1] Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 139–140

[1] Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 139–140.

Related Media

Related Sermons