Keeping the Main thing the Main thing
Notes
Transcript
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Paul writes to Philippi:
He writes because they are dear to his heart
He shed his blood for them
Acts 16 - Paul began preaching there
He attracted both critics and converts
The critics - seized him and whipped him
The converts - prayed him through the pain and persecution
Not only did Paul suffer but Silas did also.
Silas suffered in prison with Paul but the believed the church was worth the beating
Paul revealed the deepest longing of his heart and revealed his personal mission statement - focus of his life.
Follow God’s deepest desire
Follow God’s deepest desire
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
God desires us to grow in the image of Jesus Christ. Paul understood this and made this the advice to the Phillipians.
God has an individual plan for our lives.
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.
We must grow in the image of Jesus Christ
How will I glorufy God in the midst of all of this?
“Your spiritual transformation - becoming like Jesus will take the rest of your life won’t be completed here on earth, finished when we get to Heaven or when Jesus returns”.
Rick Warren
God looks at us and evaluates us:
we are to become more like Him, more like Christ
we are to follow Him closely
we are to emulate His life so that Christ is seen in us more and more
How? Focus on Him
Seeing life through God’s eyes
Seeing life through God’s eyes
Paul talks about looking at life through God’s eyes
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
Paul speaks about the past here also and talks about how it is not worth focusing on.
I cannot help but think about Lot’s wife in this reminder of looking back. When she looked back she turned to a pillar of salt.
Paul spoke of “Forgetting” the things that are behind us.
Phil 3:13 uses the word forget let’s take a look at this word.
Forget:
gives a sense of minimalmizing the negative impact of our past
we need to stop allowing things from the past to control the present or hinder the future
Do not cling to past experiences like anchors and allow them to pull you down.
Forget past successes
Forget past successes
I know, I know there is nothing wrong with success but when you only live in the past on the memories of the things that were done right how is that successful for present or future?
Paul was a great apostle who accomplished much more in his lifetime than most could accomplish in ten lifetimes.
But he still said “I have not yet arrived”.
He believed that despite all his successes there were still room to improve and still room to grow.
This is amazing!
Paul’s life:
level of influence is breathtaking
his letters occupy fewer than 80 pages
his letters have generated more sermons, seminars, monographs, dissertations than any other writings from the ancient world
Paul’s epistles only make up part of his ministry
Paul founded most of the churches in Asia Minor
He was an intellectual giant
He was considered the greatest man who ever lived a part from Jesus Christ of course
Despite all of this in the twilight of his life he is looking back through his life - he is retrospective - and he says “I am not there yet”.
We are to stive for better - constantly yearning for better
Paul reminds us that we are not yet perfected and that we need to continue to strive for that which God has called us.
Paul did not keep turning over in his mind thinking on the good old days of active service before he was put in prison
He did not constantly dwell on or remind himself of all his acheivements or recount high points of his intimate relationship with Christ.
What we are reminded us here is don’t be distracted by the trophies of the past.
Forget your past mistakes
Forget your past mistakes
Dwelling on the past trophies or mistakes causes us to stall and stop moving forward.
Ruth Bell Graham:
“Every cat knows somethings need to be buried”.
What things in your past could you choose to forget?
Guilt
Bitterness
Bad decisions
Discouragements
Reliving events
All these things can haunt us with failure, stress and shame.
Discouragement is letting the last setback become a roadblock
GIVE THE PAST TO GOD!!!
If you know Christ as your Savior there is absolutely no reason to obsess over the past failures.
The blood of Jesus Christ frees you from beating yourself up with regrets.
Satan the Blood of Jesus is against you!
Satan loves to remind us of our history with all its failure but that is when you speak the words of Jesus:
“Get behind me SATAN!!!!”
I speak Jesus!
Look at Paul’s life:
He had a wicked past
He cruelly persecuted Christians
He attraked the church
He helped condemn Stephen
Stephen became the first martyr for Christ
His dramatic Damascus road conversion
But Christians still feared him because they could not forget the past
What if Paul continued to live in the past?
What if he kept beating himself up for what he had done?
He would have lost his level of influence.
Instead:
He acknowledged his past BUT
was full of gratitude to God for
GRACE which brought total forgiveness!
So here is the equation:
Acknowledge past + gratitude to God = Total Forgiveness!
Do not let your past destroy your future!
Do not let past hurts keep you from eternity!
Some of us get stuck on our successes and rest on their laurels.
Some are left high and dry by their failures. Then post traumatic fear grips our hearts.
But we are not meant to be people stuckl and stalled out but people of victory and joy!
Why?
Because we serve the victor!
I know whom I have believed
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day!
So my friends glance back and learn lessons from the past, celebrate the successes with humility.
Don’t glance back and get maroones with memories
The pat lends perspective for future.
But if you linger too long your recollections will obliterate your dreams and hinder moving forward
Focus on God’s Plan
Focus on God’s Plan
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,
Reach forward!
He has a plan for you
It is tailor made for you and you alone
But you have to follow Him into unknown territory - to future - walk in faith!
The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
We are not good in ourselves. But we are good in Christ.
it is His influence it His infusion of good into our lives that brings change, that brings goodness.
I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
It is God’s prize we are working toward attaining.
Which is this:
Fix your attention on heaven and the reward that awaits you there.
As Phil. 3:13 states it press on towards the goal!
Keep the main thing, the main thing!
Conclusion:
For Paul the goal and the prize were one and the same.
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Paul was motivated to hear God’s comendation.
The crown of righteousness - the crown of glory that will not fade away
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
The prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus is eternal!
and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
Here is the challenge - keep your eyes focused on the prize motivation to keep going.
Stay Focused!
Eyes on the Prize!
Be someone who never looses focus
Be someone who runs to win
Be someone who’s life is defined by one thing
One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
Here we are reminded of one thing - which means - consecration!
Which means this:
Dedicate yourself and everyday to the wonderful will of God!
Focus on Christ
Stay committed to your passion
To your one thing!
Focus on:
His Purpose
His Perspective
His Plan
His Prize
He will guide you on the journey forward.
Commit yourself to following the Lord to the best ability and soon your will enjoy the adventure of discovering and living for your one thing - the main thing!
Step by step - Day by day!
More than anything in my life I’ve got to make it
I’ve got to know my name’s inscribed in the lambs great book of life
I’ve got to hear him say well done
Enter in my child you’ve won
More than anything in my life
I’ve got to make it