Goals In Lieu Of Resolutions

Introduction

Good Morning Church Family! It’s awesome to be back after the new year. And! It’s wonderful to see you all this morning. It is my hope that each of you had a blessed Christmas and wonderful time bringing in the new year. Wow — can you believe it?! We’re starting a brand new year! Usually with the start of a whole new year, lots of people like to make resolutions. I think that’s great! They help us to put our focus on something. When you read stuff online about setting resolutions for the new year, you can always find people talking about how new year resolutions never really stick. There was a time in my life when I would set resolutions for the new year. I would be just like most people, getting excited and revved-up, with the thoughts that I’m going to do this and do that this year (and there is nothing that is going to change my mind or push me off course). Have you been there? Then just weeks later, I was back into my usual routine. I’m not going to make the claim that I’ve got it all figured our, because I don’t. But! I’ve learned a thing or two along the way. One of those things, was not to set unrealistic expectations or link the past to the future.

As we look forward to 2021, some could be really looking forward to this next year. Others might be feeling, will this next year be better than 2020. It all comes down to our outlook which springs from our attitude. Have you all heard of a cryptarithim? If you haven’t, a cryptarithim is where you assign a number value to specific letter. A equals 1, B equals 2 and so on. So when you spell out a word you are given a numeric value. A couple words I looked at had the following values:

“Skills” (19+11+9+12+12+19) amounted to 82

“Knowledge” amounted to 96

“Hard Work” amounted to 98, and

“Attitude” amounted to 100

Having the right attitude can give us the fuel we need to look on the brighter side of things, which can enable us to focus on the victory Jesus Christ has already achieved. Paul is a person who is know to have gone through a few life trials. On the other side, Paul is also known as a person who didn’t allow the trials of life to win by conquering him. Paul was able to keep his determination and focus on Jesus Christ. It came down to a mind set. This morning, I’d like to talk to you all, as we begin another new year together, that we look toward “goals in lieu of resolutions.” Join me by opening your bibles to the letter of Philippians, Chapter 3. Let’s begin our discussion in verse 12.

Philippians 3:12 ESV

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Philippians 3:13 ESV

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

Philippians 3:14 ESV

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Pastoral Prayer

Philippians is one of my favorite letters that Paul wrote. We are just starting to round the corner from the highlight of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, that is verses 10 and 11 (but can stretch back to verse 7). Paul said in those verses, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I attain the resurrection from the dead.” These two verses deserve their own sermon. If you’re seeking something to study this week in your quite time with the Lord, consider these two verses. For Paul, these two verses contain a passionate announcement that shows Paul’s pursuit was widening and deepening to keep seeking after Jesus on a very intimate level. This is quite a unique piece of scripture, there’s nothing quite like that we see there with a reason of spiritual longing. This spiritual longing is meant to serve as an example, not just for the Philippians, but for all Christians.

[Display Verse 12]

In many of Paul’s writings, he often used different illustrations to help get his point across. Paul’s used illustrations from military to architecture to agriculture to athletics. Our passage bring us to Paul the athlete. We get yet another glimpse of Paul’s run in life. Notice what he says here in the first half of verse number 12, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect.” The first point we can pick up from this is Paul’s humble nature. That’s an important aspect to pick up on. In Paul’s day, he could have been likely been considers as a person who had it all. If we were stacking up resume points, Paul could have pulled away from the pack. If you’re taking notes, you can see how Paul begins to out line his resume, beginning in the middle of verse 4 through verse 6. What’s important to draw from this is where Paul’s motivation rested. Paul’s life was a purpose-centered life. His life was not a self-centered life. Herein verse, we come to the evaluation of a purpose-centered life in Jesus Christ. Part of that is evaluating our life. If you want to know where you need to be, you have to find out where you are right now.

Back in my 20’s, I remember listening to this preacher talk about a Christ centered life. I want to be honest with you, I was like Paul in much regard. Was this on the resume - yes, ok there’s a check mark. Did I have that skill - yes, ok there’s another check mark. I thought I had it all. Till the old guy, and I say old guy. Because at that time he was “old.” Only to realize now, age is just a stepping stone. Well, he asked the question, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing, he asked, “are you satisfied with you life today.” I immediately through, yeah of course I’m satisfied. I remember sitting at my desk doing this inventory in my head, like scrolling through a rolodex. Now, I’m telling my age. If you don’t know what this is, you can look that up on Goolge. The preacher then said, “no growing Christian is ever satisfied.” I thought , this guy is crazy. He fell off his rocker! But here’s the thing. Looking back at what all I had and all that was achieved, none of that comes close to growing in Jesus Christ. Those things did not prefect. That includes all that seminary paper hanging on the walls in the office. I count them as blessings. But as tools to serve Jesus. If you would like a devotional passage to start your Monday, check out Luke 12:48. Let’s get back on point. Paul understands he’s not there yet. He still has a way go. There’s still room for growth. It’s been said that an ‘ol cowboy once said, “I ain’t what I ought to be; and I ain’t what I’m going to be; but, thank God, I ain’t what I was.” Many of us can agree with that statement. We know that we need to grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Many of you ladies know this about the man in your life, or just us guys in general, is that we can be single-minded sometimes. Many guys are this way. There are times when we can focus on different things; this of course requires us to take out more boxes. That not a bad thing, but it can cause things to get a bit cluttered. When most guys have that one box out, they can do really well and focus with precision. You heard earlier about a brief note of mind-set. Paul’s old mind set had a single-mind pursuit. That pursuit was persecuting the church. That all changed with his new birth. That new birth brought a new mind-set. The precision focus of a single mind-set to persecute the church changed to a sharp focus pursuit to know Jesus Christ at attain the resurrection. But notice here in the latter half of verse 12, how Paul describes this pursuit in humble terms. Paul is giving credit to Jesus Christ because, “Christ Jesus has made me his own.” You have been grasped by grace! That was one of the points of the series we finished a short time back. God is speaking. Do you hear him? Pursue Him! Seize Him! Take hold of Jesus as He takes hold of you. Folks, that’s the only way to live!

When I was giving you a short view into my testimony, I said I was “looking back to all that was achieved.” As an individual and a church body, I believe it’s important to reflect back on how and where God worked, areas where we failed, our hopes, etc. This helps us see again where we came from and how we got to where we are today. As a person here this morning, or viewing online, when you look back does your look back include salvation? If it does, Praise Jesus that you’re saved and rejoicing in your new life in Christ Jesus! If not, this is your call to come to belief in Jesus Christ. This is your call to do something about it! When we look back on our past, for some of us it can hard. And how about us as a church body — when we look back, what do we see. We might see areas that need some attention. We might see areas of missed opportunity that the Lord set right out there for us. Did we miss some low hanging fruit? These might be some hard reminders, but they are the first steps on healing from the wounds of the past.

[Display Verse 13]

That a look at what Paul says right in the middle of verse 13. He gives two circumstances for the “one thing” he does. The first circumstance is “forgetting what lies behind.” Paul could have very well been reflecting on his past. Although that could be true, we have some wise words from a wise man. The wise person and a wise church body will look back on that past, not in the light of continuing to reflect on the negative aspects, but as a way to learn from them. We do our best to see that we never are guilt of repeating the mistakes. Of course we all do wrong things. The thing is, we ought to be wise enough not to keep returning to that sin Jesus pulled us from! This means to let it go. It’s in the past. When was the last time you committed a sin before the throne of God? Was it last week? Was it yesterday? Was it this morning? Whenever it was, and you realized there was sin, most likely you confessed that sin, and asked God for forgiveness. We don’t expect God to keep bringing that sine forward to keep reminding us of he. He leaves it in the past. This is a special kind of forgetfulness. It can be the same for us as a church. We can look back have the those conversations — we use to do this, or we use to have that. That’s the thing about a goal in lieu of a resolution, goals liberate us from the past. For Paul, there was no way he would allow the past to keep him down. We all have things in our past.

We’ve been set free. The shackles are off and broken. God has given you a new future. It’s in the past, leave it there. Our focus needs to be on Jesus Christ. That brings us to Paul’s second circumstance, “and straining forward to what lies ahead.” Paul looked forward, and said:

Philippians 3:14 ESV

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Have you ever tried running forward while looking back. In short, it can be done, but not very well. When you’re running forward and looking forward, the run is a whole lot more coordinated. Some have referred to the prize being the prize of resurrection power. It’s doesn't work that way! There is no way anyone could ever run for the prize of resurrection; we’d never make it. Resurrection is a gift from God in heaven. The “prize” Paul is referring to are all the attributes of a close intimate relationship with Jesus Christ; a fellowship that he shares with our Lord.

Application

Do you need to grow? Perhaps the past year has awoken you to some complacency in your intimate relationship with Jesus. Perhaps you’ve had the thought from year-to-year, I’m going to read my Bible more, or I want to get closer to Jesus. I want to challenge you with the goal, that Paul not only challenged himself, but also the church, seek after that closeness with Jesus. But! Seek after it with passion! What’s stopping you from seeking that intimate relationship with Christ Jesus, from the glories to His sufferings? Will this year be the year your relationship with Jesus grows to new levels? I’d like to invite you up to the cross of our Lord and Savior and make that commitment today. Perhaps you need prayer on something else. I invite you to come, and let me know how I can pray with you.

Closing Prayer