Moving Forward
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
In case some of you weren’t here last week, we had the honor of voting on and affirming Jeremy Tuiolosega as our new Lead Pastor here at EBC. Today is his last day at Mt. Zion, He is preaching both of their services, and he will be “sent out” officially with their Blessing to come here and be our new Pastor. I have been so thankful for all of the people from both Mt. Zion and EBC for the way that you all have encouraged Him, and His family, and will continue to do so for years to come.
With that, This will begin a new season for all of us, an exciting season, and that is what i want us to talk about this morning.
The title of my message is“Moving Forward”
And before we begin, i want you to ask yourself a question.
What am I holding onto this morning?
and is it worth holding on to?
I read somewhere that in the early days of the Alaska Highway, tractor-trailer trucks would make deep ruts in the gravel as they carried construction equipment to boomtowns up north. Someone posted this sign at the beginning of the road: CHOOSE YOUR RUT CAREFULLY, YOU’LL BE IN IT FOR THE NEXT 200 MILES.
And while i don’t believe that we as a church are in a “rut”. Hear me when i say this, I have found that if we are not careful, we, as individuals, will harden our hearts to the Blessings of the Lord, in the present and in the future, because we are still holding onto the Past.
In our text this morning, Philippians Ch 3 is you want to go ahead and turn there, we find the apostle Paul in a Roman Prison, because He wouldn’t stop telling people about Jesus. He’s writing to encourage and motivate the believers at Philippi.
and it’s important for us to know that Paul was a man who had been a prodigy in the Jewish faith. He had been highly respected by his fellow jews, and highly feared by the Disciples as a Christian Hunter. But He had been radically saved by Jesus and had in his salvation realized that none of the “trophies” that he had earned as a Jew amounted to anything, but that He had to surrender everything.
He has just finished telling the Philippian believers that no amount of education, skills, social status, or money will bring you closer to Jesus.
The Goal that Paul talks about here is Christlikeness, to be more like Christ. so pay close attention as we read Philippians 3:13-16 together.
Body
Body
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.
The other night, i was talking to my dad. We were talking about the new pastor and honestly just ministry in general. He’s not in ministry, but he is very interested in the way that things work behind the scenes. And i made the comment, i’m excited to get everything rolling again. He doesn’t live around here, but he said “It doesn’t seem like ya’ll ever stopped moving?” and we haven’t. Church I have been so proud of you over the past 10 months. You have stepped up time and time again! Well, I said to my dad, “You’re right, but it does feel like we’ve had to downshift a few times to a lower gear. (I know how much of a hick that makes us sound like, but that’s just how he and I communicate lol) And in that moment, My Heavenly Father spoke through my earthly father and said, “Son, you always have to downshift when you’re going up a mountain.”
Church, this season has been full of ups and downs. We’ve gone through some tough transitions here, and we’ve all gone through things in our homes and lives that we could never have imagined nor prepared for.
So, what do we do when we feel like we are in danger? What do we do when we don’t know who to trust? We build walls, don’t we?
And it would have been easy for Paul to have done just that. He could have chosen to bunker down, He could have chosen to wait for the storm to pass, He could have waited for someone else to lead.
Think about it, At every turn, Paul’s ministry faced obstacles.
When he was first saved, the disciples had a hard time believing it because of his past.
It seems like he spent more time in prison, than out of prison for the Gospel.
He is often faced with having the difficult conversations that no-one else wanted to have.
But with the Power of the Holy Spirit, He moved forward!
But with the Power of the Holy Spirit, He moved forward!
He told the Philippian Church that in order to move forward, we must:
Let Go of the Past
Let Go of the Past
“Forgetting what’s Behind” vs. 13
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,
Remember: the “It” is Christlikeness
We have to let go of that thing, that event, that mistake that we are holding onto. No matter whom the guilty party was.
We tell ourselves that our experiences will protect us in the future, and there is wisdom in that, but do we “Prefer the safety of our experiences over the Sovereign Promises of God”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
There’s a reason that the rear view mirror in smaller than the windshield church. If we allow ourselves to dwell in the past, then not only can we not move forward, but we are that much more likely to crash.
Paul tells us not to hold onto the past, but to:
Long for what’s Next
Long for what’s Next
“Reaching forward to what is ahead” vs. 13
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.
When talking about salvation, C.S. Lewis posed a powerful question. He asked : “Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret?”
Basically, Is this world so good to you, that you would rather stay here than go to be with God in Heaven.”
The answer is obviously no. Our world is full of pain, uncertainty, and brokenness.
But do we live with a sense of Longing for the things of God?!
Lewis goes on to say, “There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
The same thing is true about our time here on earth. The future we can have in Christ, is so much brighter than anything that this world can offer.
Paul’s heart is so excited for what the Lord is doing, that his mind doesn’t dwell on his past, or even the sufferings that he was presently experiencing. Because to Him there were only two outcomes.
21 For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Either He lives, and gets to be a part of what’s next in the life of Christ’s Church
or He dies, and gets to begin his eternity with Jesus!
There was no pandemic that would come between Him and Christ’s Church, There was no disagreement that would come between Him and Christ’s Church, there was no resentment that would come between Him and Christ’s Church.
Church, I’m excited for us to move Forward together, unified under the banner of Christ, working together as the Church is meant to do.
but before we can do that: we must ask ourselves
Are the things that we are Holding onto , preventing us from truly longing for the things of God?
But Matt, i’ve been hurt by the church!
But Matt, the person that i looked up to let me down!
But Matt, I honestly don’t know how to move on.
i feel stuck
I’m angry
i’m just faking it until i make it.
Can i tell you this morning, that there is Hope.
Can I tell you this morning, that you can move past the pain of your past, and find true Joy!
How? By:
Lean into the Promises of God
Lean into the Promises of God
“Hold true to what we have attained” vs. 16 ESV
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. In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.
God’s has given us Hope through His word!
The Lord has promised us:
33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
31 but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.
14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Have you been leaning into the promises of God, or in the understanding of man?
Have you been leaning into the promises of God, or in the understanding of man?
Invitation
Invitation
In a moment, we’re going to invite anyone who feels like they have something holding them back, anyone who feels like they haven’t been able to move forward for some time, anyone who wants to leave their past behind to come and leave it here at the Altar.
Of course, Moving forward can mean different things for all of us.
Of course, Moving forward can mean different things for all of us.
Maybe there’s a particular sin has kept you in chains for years?
Maybe you’ve been harboring resentment and anger toward someone?
Maybe you’ve become complacent in your walk with Christ, and haven’t been growing or serving in the Church?
Maybe you’ve never become a Christian. you’ve never asked the Lord Jesus to forgive you of your sins and surrendered your life to Him? you can do that this morning!
We would love to Pray with you, and walk alongside of you in whatever decision you need to make!
What are you holding on to that is Keeping you from Moving Forward?
What are you holding on to that is Keeping you from Moving Forward?
and whatever it is, Is it worth it?
and whatever it is, Is it worth it?
If not, this is your opportunity to lay it down at the feet of Jesus.
If not, this is your opportunity to lay it down at the feet of Jesus.
Will you pray with me?
Will you pray with me?
