The Quest For Tomorrow
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“The Quest For Tomorrow”
Philippians 3:8-16
Open: “We Have Come Into This House”
Prayer
Call To Worship
Psalm 136:1–3 (ESV)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
Song: “Victory In Jesus”
Testimonies:
Song: “My Tribute”
Message: “The Quest For Tomorrow” Philippians 3:8-16
We are going to go straight to Scripture this evening, Philippians 3:8-16
I want to say the main focus will be on vv. 12-16 and vv. 8-11 are a setup, BUT that is probably backwards. The first 4 verses are the goal while the last 5 are the how to.
Philippians 3:8–16 (ESV)
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Straining Toward the Goal
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. 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, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
PRAY
We have spent almost an entire year talking about Righteousness.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
As Paul is setting us up for this passage of Scripture, he points to his own righteousness as a person…as a good Jew…
Philippians 3:3–7 (ESV)
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Paul said, as far as being “GOOD” is concerned, “I am among the best.”
As far as righteousness and cultural purity, as for everything the law says, I look good on paper, BUT…..
But that’s not good enough!
That’s why he says in verse 7, whatever I gained I counted as loss…IN FACT, I count everything as loss just to know Christ. Because He is so great, because he is the pearl of great worth, because salvation in Him is so important…NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!
So, the context of all of this is the righteousness that we have in Jesus.
It’s about putting aside everything we think we care about or
Everything we think about, or
Everything we get hung up on,
JUST TO KNOW HIM AND RECEIVE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!
… “that be any means possible I may attain the resurrection form the dead.”
In verse 12 Paul says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect…”
That’s where we get to tonight…
How many people here can say, “I have arrived.” “I have achieved perfection.”
The reality is most of us have moments through the year where we do some self reflection. We have milestones where we stop and we look back at what we have done, or what we have achieved, and we make plans for what lies ahead.
We do this as a nation…
4th of July
Thanksgiving
9/11 etc.
December 7th
December 16th
And we do this as individuals
Birthdays
Significant anniversaries (wedding, retirement, birthdays, deaths…)
New Years Eve…
Resolutions to change…
I. Honest Evaluation of Present Position
a. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfected.”
i. This statement requires a judgment or an inventory.
b. Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
c. Acknowledge that we are not complete
d. Acknowledge the Fight Must Go On
i. 1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
ii. 1 Timothy 6:19
thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
II. Conscious Closure of Previous Failures
a. “forgetting what lies behind”
b. As Far as the East is from the West Psalm 103:11-13
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
i. Everyone can gain this!
c. Repent
d. Forgive and be forgiven
e. Reject Complacency
i. Eric Hayden said, “The Letter to the Philippians is one of the last Paul wrote. He had been a Christian for over thirty years. He looked back and realized some of the dangers and setbacks. He could see some of his failures: failure to win more converts; failure to seize opportunities of witness and service. To look back and dwell on past success is to rest on our laurels and become satisfied and complacent. The church must never dwell on the great successful periods of the past, the revivals of history, for instance. We must look back to learn from our mistakes so that the future might be more glorious than the past.[1]
III. Concentrated Effort for Future Success
a. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
i. V. 13 indicates a “Straining”
ii. It isn’t easy, but there is a prize awaiting us.
b. 5 Crowns
i. Paul mentions 3
1. Imperishable Crown 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
2. Crown of rejoicing 1 Thessalonians 2:19
For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
3. Crown of Righteousness 2 Timothy 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
ii. Peter
1. The Crown of Glory 1 Peter 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
iii. John
1. Crown of Life Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
iv. Keep our eye on the prize
1. Lives changed
2. People saved
The easiest way to keep ourselves motivated is to remember what Jesus did for us.
Communion:
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Song: “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power”
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Song: “Goodness of God”
[1] Eric Hayden, Complete Sermon Outlines, Dollar Sermon Library Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1974), 45.