Focusing on the Goal

12 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. 13 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, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. 17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 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.

INTRODUCTION:

I- ACCEPT AND ADMIT YOUR NEED TO GROW (Philippians 3:12-13a).

Philippians 3:12–13a NLT

A- The Christian life is a continual growth process.

1- Paul knew that he had not reached spiritual maturity.

a- He used himself as an example to those in Philippi who thought that they had arrived!

2- There are three stages to the growth process:

a- Regeneration: The new birth.

b- Sanctification: Growing in Christ-likeness, the process of being continually

set-apart for service to Him.

c- Glorification: When we (body, soul, and spirit) will be made like Him.

3- The Christian's life on Earth is bound up in stage 2.

4- The first step to real growth is to admit that you have not arrived!

II- ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE TO PURSUE CHRIST'S GOAL FOR YOUR LIFE (Philippians 3:13-16).

Philippians 3:13–16 NLT

13 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, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

A- Forget the past (Philippians 3:13b).

Philippians 3:13b NLT

13 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,

1- Living in the past leads to problems for the believer, all of which will hinder the believer from living above their circumstances.

a. Pride in self and a spirit if self-sufficiency instead of a trustful dependence upon God.

* Like the Laodicean Christians (Revelation 3:14-22).

Revelation 3:14–22 NLT

14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: 15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. 20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. 22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”

b. Bondage to past attitudes and patterns of behavior that makes us reluctant to

follow the Holy Spirit's leadership.

* Like the Pharisees in Jesus' time. (Matthew 15:1-9).

Matthew 15:1–9 NLT

1 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”

c. Spiritual petrification that produces deadness and coldness instead of love and zeal

for Christ.

* Like Lot's Wife (Genesis 19:17-26)

Genesis 19:17–26 NLT

17 When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” 18 “Oh no, my lord!” Lot begged. 19 “You have been so gracious to me and saved my life, and you have shown such great kindness. But I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die. 20 See, there is a small village nearby. Please let me go there instead; don’t you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved.” 21 “All right,” the angel said, “I will grant your request. I will not destroy the little village. 22 But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there.” (This explains why that village was known as Zoar, which means “little place.”) 23 Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon. 24 Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. 25 He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. 26 But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.

* Illustration:

"Don't Vegetate" (MKTI p. 131)

B- Forge ahead with a focus on God's goal for your life. (Philippians 3:13c-14)

Philippians 3:13c–14 NLT

1- The Lord has a specific goal for your life.

a. Salvation is not the end, it is the new beginning!

(1) There is a purpose beyond the new birth!

(a) The first purpose is to become like Jesus! (Romans 8:29)

Romans 8:29 NLT

29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

(b) Growth is necessary in order to become like Him! (Ephesians 4:15)

Ephesians 4:15 NLT

15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

2- The pursuit of this goal is to be the primary vocation of the child of God.

(Philippians 3:14a)

Philippians 3:14a NLT

14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

a. Paul uses the picture of the runner - stretching every muscle in order to reach the finish line and win the race.

(1) The one focus for the believer is to be what Christ created us to become.

(2) The believer is to strive for growth and never to allow himself to regress (Philippians 3:15-16)

Philippians 3:15–16 NLT

15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

C- Follow the examples of those who demonstrate godly lifestyles. (Philippians 3: 17-19)

Philippians 3:17–19 NLT

17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.

1- Truly godly people provide models (patterns) that we can follow.

a. Paul urge the Philippians to be “fellow-imitators” (Συμμιμηταί ) of himself. They were to pattern their behavior (περιπατοῦντας) after himself and others who provided positive examples.

2- A good question for us to answer: “What kind of example are we providing for those who might use us as a pattern?”

3- We need to exercise caution:

a. There are many who do not provide good examples for us to follow.

(1) Such are enemies of the cross of Christ (ἐχθροὺς τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ·)

(2) They are headed to destruction (ἀπώλεια= loss of well-being, waste, ruin).

(3) They are focused on the fulfillment of this world (ἐπίγεια) and their fleshly appetites. (ὧν ὁ θεὸς ἡ κοιλία καὶ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ αἰσχύνῃ αὐτῶν)

III- ALWAYS REMEMBER WHERE YOUR ALLEGIANCE REALLY LIES (Philippians 3:20-21).

Philippians 3:20–21 NLT

20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 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.

Philippians 3:20–21 NLT

A- The believer’s citizenship and allegiance is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Philippians 3:20 NLT

20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

1- We have a higher citizenship than Earth can offer. (ἡμων το πολιτευμα ἐν οὐρανοῖς).

2- We have so much to anticipate, as we live for Christ!

a. We eagerly wait for His return. (ἀπεκδέχομαι = “to await or expect eagerly,”

B- The believer has the assurance of an amazing transformation after this life ends. (Philippians 3:21).

Philippians 3:21 NLT

21 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.

1- We will receive new, glorified bodies.

( 1 Corinthians 15:50-57)

50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.

51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!

52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.

53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die,* this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.*

55 O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?*”

56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. [1]