Philippians Sermon Week 8 - Growing in Jesus

Intro/Welcome

I am terrible a running

In fact I hate running.

But I admire those who run races and stuff.

There’s one thing you can never do in a running race:

Look behind you.

If you look behind you are going down.

[PIC of Girls running]

I mean this quite literally and physically.

But I also mean it in the sense that your past success cannot hinder your future progress.

If you think you have arrived you are in trouble.

Christian Maturity

Today we are talking about Christian Maturity.

And here’s the most important point.

Christian maturity is admitting that you are not yet fully mature.

A mature Christian says I am not yet mature.

We have another word or this: Humility

Today we are going to look at what it means to be progressing in maturity.

Now some of you may want me to directly address current events.

We will get there.

Some of you may not want to go there b/c you are tired of it.

I would say that all THEOLOGICAL TRUTH has SOCIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

As John Frame said, “All Theology is Application.”

We’ll be in Phil 3:12-21

Good bye BLUES and COYS, ELISA HORNING

Let me pray.

Pray

Justice. Compassion. Understanding. Empathy. Responsibility. Change. police brutality?

Christian Maturity - A Ripening Fruit

Last week we talked about what it meant to Know Christ

We said that this was a deeply personal knowledge — a relationship.

Then we saw that grow in knowing Christ in this way would entail

experiencing the power of His Resurrection in the midst of a Broken world.

that it precisely in our pain that christ power is experienced

This would then result in conformity — transformity into the image of Jesus.

This is Paul’s Goal. That he may grow in his personal relationship with Jesus until final resurrection comes.

Today he gives a glimpse of how you know you are growing in this way.

The Short answer is: Humility.

Let’s look at Phil 3

Phil 3:12-14 “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.

Paul’s Goal: Knowing to Christ through in power and pain that transforms him.

First thing he says:

I am not there yet. I have not arrived. I have not ‘already’ reached this goal

I am not already perfect (or complete, or fully mature).

A Ripening Process

It’s no accident that Jesus talked about fruit a lot.

This was a metaphor by which we can understand spiritual growth.

A tree is known by its Fruit. (Luke 6:43)

I am the vine you are the branches, you can bear no fruit without me. (John 15)

Paul in Galatians the fruit of the spirit. (Gal 5)

Jesus as the first fruits of the resurrection. (1 Cor 15)

Why?

How does a fruit grow? How does it ripen?

[PIC of TOMATOES]

Through a process.

It’s important for a fruit to know where it is in the process?

Has it just germinated?

Is it a green tomato?

Paul of all people would have been ripe right?

I mean he is a couple years from his death.

They way we have seen him talk in this letter. “To live is Christ, to die is Gain”

Surely he is ripe!

No, he is not. He realizes he still has much work to do.

Maybe he is showing hints of the red ripeness of a tomato but he is not there yet.

Christian maturity is admitting that you are not yet fully mature.

Brutal honesty

True Humility — not about us, but about Jesus.

DRAX — It’s like nobody can say “I am a very humble person” saying that immediately negates the statement b/c it is a prideful self exalting statement.

John the Baptist “Jesus must increase, i must decrease” (John 3:30)

Humility is not thinking less of oneself, but thinking about one self less”

This is the mark of Christian maturity.

Degrees Maturity

But it also indicates that people are at different stages of maturity

Just like a tomato goes through different stages of ripening.

Those who are more ripe should encourage and teach those who are less ripe.

This is the process ‘discipleship’

becoming more like Christ, both in his heart and in his life.

Important to know where you are at in the process

Do you think you are further along than you are? Are you less ripe than you think you are?

We need Spiritual Community to address Spiritual Pride

Are you further along than you think you are?

God will convince

Paul so humble, he knows that He doesn’t have to convince anyone of this.

Walk with God long enough and you too will see.

Philippians 3:15“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.

And then he says

Philippians 3:16 “In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.”

Everyone should live up to whatever their current stage of ripening is.

it’s ok to be where you are at … it’s a process

but don’t stay there…keep moving.

What now?

So, how do we move forward then you might ask?

Here the answer might surprise you.

I have not arrived, but I still strive

How did he do this?

“I make every every effort to pursue the goal”

ANNOTATION

Phil 3:12-14“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.

“Make every effort”

Maybe you thought being a Christian meant you didn’t have to do anything.

Saved by grace, not by works.

This is not we see in the life of Paul, who clearly believed that.

What we see in the life of Paul, as we do in all true believers, is grace empowered works.

It means once you have been saved by grace, grace then controls your life.

Ephesians 2:8-10, Phil 2:12-13

All true believers, have grace at work in them, in the form of the Holy Spirit.

Looks what Pauls says,

ANNOTATION

Phil 3:12-14“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.

Paul ‘makes every effort to take hold of the prize BECAUSE he has been taken hold of by Christ Jesus’

I LOVE THIS

Paul’s heart has been captured by Christ so that Christ now compels his heart to action.

This is Love of God in action.

If you are not moving forward...

What has taken a hold of your heart that is not Christ?

What have your taken a hold of that is not from Christ?

We can confess whatever that is and repent.

and turn back to God and be captured by his grace

taken hold of by his grace.

Personal Illustration: time at Mars Hill, I thought I knew a lot more than I did about being a Pastor.

Do you know what the greatest barrier to spiritual growth is?

Spiritual Pride

which is what Paul addresses next.

“Forgetting what lies behind”

ANNOTATION

Phil 3:12-14“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.

Let’s talk about what this verses means.

It is not about past sins, personal hurts or previous wounds

It is not ‘forgive and forget’

The context here is in this discussion of reaching perfection or maturity — Spiritual Growth

He’s not talking about forgetting his PAST SINS & SUFFERING but his PAST SUCCESSES

In other words, whatever has God has accomplished through me

I’m not going to focus on, rather I’m going to press onward the heavenly call.

He’s combatting spiritual pride

the greatest barrier to future success is past success.

You get comfortable.

It’s why it’s so hard to win multiple championships

People get complacent. Get comfortable.

Our past successes shouldn’t hinder our future processes (progress).

Where in your life are you battling spiritual pride?

Where are you resting on past accomplishments?

Personal Illustration: battling racial justice, it’s uncomfortable

Guess what? It’s tough battle

This language is akin to running a race — its intentional athletic language

The best chance of crossing a finish line not looking behind you, but looking ahead.

Like a runner who knows that a backward glance at ground already covered will only slow his progress toward the finish

It is particularly graphic, bringing to mind the straining muscles, clear focus, and complete dedication of the runner in his race to the prize. Both mental and physical discipline were necessary.

APP: CIVIL RIGHTS

There has been tremendous progress in our country in regards to racial injustice.

Over the last 400 years, black men and women are no longer taken from their homeland, said across the middle passage and sold as property.

We fought a civil war to end slavery and preserve the union.

We legislated civil rights 50 years ago.

But let’s not let our (country’s) past successes hinder the future progress that still needs to take place.

There is still much work to be done to strive towards a more perfect union.

A more just nation.

The Gettysburg Address:

“this nation was conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”

to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us

that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

We are called to continue this great work into ever our own day in the sight of God and by his power.

This is what our hearts long for, perfection, justice completion, peace

It’s why we fight. It’s the prize we are running after.

Follow Humble Leadership

The next thing he says is these are the kinds of leaders you want to follow

These times desperately need leadership

Philippians 3:17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.

It demonstrates that it is truly Christ that is leading through them.

Are your leaders humble? Are they pursuing humility? Do they confess their limitations?

How do you know?

Are they taking credit? Are they resting on Past success?

Or are they moving you forward according to God’s call and God’s mission?

Enemies of the Cross of Christ

the reason?

The opposite — Prideful leaders are enemies of the cross of Christ

Philippians 3:18–19 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

Pride results in destruction, of their soul

Their God is their desires

What they revel in, glory in, is their shame.

This brings Paul to tears!

It means that they actively opposed the message of the cross and hindered those who would take advantage of its work.

This was organized, active opposition to the gospel.

Why?

The gospel is based on grace

everything else is based on human works and therefore human pride.

Don’t HEAR what Paul is not saying.

This is not salvation by works

This is not keeping God’s love by works.

This is not proving your worth by works.

God has loved us and does love us apart from our works.

that was what the cross was all about.

But it is precisely God’s love that changes us

from the inside out.

Live a life worthy of the gospel

Philippians 1:27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Become what God has already called you to be

Live in light of what Christ has done.

Life from the Cross — motivation is Christ has taken hold of me / the heavenly call.

What is the prize?

The heavenly call of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

This is the Final Resurrection, The 2nd Coming, the Consummation of all things.

They day when sin, suffering, and evil will be eradicated

When Justice will be fully and finally enacted, and peace will finally reign forever

In truth this is what is burning in every human heart.

We are all striving for the day when peace will reign at last.

It’s why we cry out for justice so fervently

we cry out for Justice (especially when we have personally experienced injustice)

B/C embedded deep in our soul is a knowledge that this is how it should be.

It is because we bear God’s Image, and our God is a God of righteousness and Justice.

It’s why we protest against violence and injustice b/c we long for the Kingdom of God

It’s why one of the first phrases learn is “that’s not fair”

We have a God of Justice.

He will one day bring it swiftly and decisively.

We need to remember this when justice fails, and wherever justice falls short.

One Day, God will right every wrong.

A great day of reckoning is coming.

Revelation 20:11–15 “Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it...12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books...15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

“nobody is getting away with anything.”

Justice will be satisfied and Sin will be paid for in one of two places for every single human being: Either at the Cross of Christ or before the final judgment.

2 Peter 3:9 CSB

9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

We have a God of Mercy

Mercy is given at the Cross of Christ.

For those who believe: Jesus Christ became all sin on that cross.

he absorbed all the evil that has ever been done.

On the Cross:

Jesus became a racist, a sexist, a pedophile, an abuser, a rapist.

He became to darkest and most sinister of evils

That sinners might be made righteous in Him.

This is the glory of the Gospel.

This is the Hope with which we fight.

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is precisely WHY we fight.

We believe in a God who has the power to transform people, places and whole societies.

Recognizing that we too have not arrived, but by grace we will continue to strive for the sake of the gospel.

Promised Transformation — God will do it

A final word of hope

Philippians 3:20-21 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.

God will do it.

Our final hope, our only hope, our ultimate hope is in the power of God

He will bring transformity, through our efforts, but ultimately through his grace

Application

Christian maturity is admitting that you are not yet fully mature.

It’s ok to be where you are at, but it’s not ok to stay there.

God always keeps us moving, he is always working

We are in the process of ripening

Are you still moving forward?

Do you think you are further along than you are? Are you less ripe than you think you are?

Where might you need to address Spiritual Pride in your life?

We need Spiritual Community to address Spiritual Pride

Guys we need to be having the hard conversations right now.

Are you further along than you think you are?

Some of us need to be pushed to the next level.

What has taken a hold of your heart that is not Christ?

What have your taken a hold of that is not from Christ?

his gospel, his power, his mission.

live a life for others.

Let’s Pray