Sermon Tone Analysis

Today starts the new year 2023… fresh??? exciting??? new adventures??? unknowns??? fear???

Regardless of what 2023 looks like right now… TODAY IS DAY 1

POWER!!!

You and I serve a powerful God!

If you and I forget this fact… nothing else we look at today will really make sense.

Paul speaks to our MAGNIFICENT GOD and His MAGNIFICENT POWER in our passage today:

The Power God has to subject ALL things to Himself!

Isaiah 45:23 speaks to this power

Paul writes these things to the Romans 14:11 church as well

Paul has already stated this to the Philippians 2:10 as well

All too quickly we place God in a comfortable corner of our lives, wanting His power when it suits us like a genie in a bottle, and we fail to realize He has the power to subject ALL THINGS to Himself.

Soooo what does His Power have to do with “Our Walk”…

I can think of no better passage of scripture to kick off our new year than the one we are looking at today in Philippians 3:17-21, it offers us an excellent challenge as we begin this new year…

Orienteering...

If I was allowed to only teach one outdoor skill I would choose orienteering.

The correlations to life, God,our walk, and personal choices is endless!

Orienteering is the skill-set of using a map and compass to navigate your way.

(display compass slide)

Everyone do me a favor and hold up your compass… (raise bible) … and hold up your piece of paper with a compass on it!

God word is our compass and like a ordinary compass we need to know its parts and how it functions on basic levels to make it useful in our lives

COMPASS PARTS:

Magnetic Needle… always points magnetic north, this is your constant

Orienteering Arrow… keep the magnetic needle in this arrow to maintain an accurate heading

Degree Dial… this is able to turn in order for you to set your course or heading

Direction of Travel Arrow… this points to the direction you are wanting to go

COMPASS RULES:

Use it!

learn how and then use it

so many pull it out when they are in an emergency rather than use it faithfully

Choose the right direction (travel Arrow)

Keep your eyes on the goal or destination NOT LOOKING DOWN!!!

Keep checking your Orientation Arrow… make sure you have not got off course

Turn your body… NOT THE COMPASS (adjust your direction of travel)

In orienteering a good “walk” takes intentional effort and thought process to get to the desired end result.

If you were to trust a compass and map I would highly recommend learning from someone and working with someone a while first before taking a random hike in the woods.

Paul encourages his readers to:

Foremost, follow good examples

Avoid an earthly walk

Pursue a heavenly walk

Follow My Example

What a bold statement!

“Follow Me” !!!

Paul has given them an example to follow (as he follows Christ!)

As your pastor you should be able to follow me as well or any of the elders

BUT… Paul also uses the word OBSERVE or LEARN FROM...

close observation, notice

Careful consideration

Do they live up with the PATTERN you and I see in scripture!?

Even Paul would sin, fail, … we need to be checking our compass!

Not just follow a guy because he holds a compass in his hand

Not only should we strive to find and follow people like this, BUT… you and I should strive to walk, to live in such a way to be followed!

Avoid an Earthly Walk

Paul is brought to tears by those who have set aside what God has given and offered for this life to pursue an earthly MINDSET

Even considering them “enemy’s of the cross!”… an earthly MINDSET opposes God and the work of the CROSS!!!

Paul describes their state:

Their END… is destruction

Their god is their appetite

Desires, passions, pleasures of this world

They fail to realize God’s Power and make themselves god

Their glory is their shame

They brag about shameful things

Rather than like Paul who glories in Christ, brags about the work He did at Calvary for you and me!

These folks have set that direction of travel arrow at this world, its desires, and wants.

They find themselves always for want.

WHY DO THEY DO THIS… they set their mind on earthly things… they are looking down nose buried in this world this life.

But we are all tempted in this way… so Paul would tell the saints in Rome that their is a need to “RENEW OUR THINKING”…

Pursue A Heavenly Walk

This does not mean a blissful walk.

Remember Pau;l was NOT in a blissful situation.

BUT he had learned how to use his compass!

Paul had learned to set his sights on eternity (looking out, keeping eyes on goal)

Paul had learned his citizenship was in Heaven (a child of God)

Paul had learned to live this life as such citizens

Paul had learned to have a renewed mind about WHO HE WAS

Paul had learned that this weak body he had now would one day be transformed at Christ coming!

Paul was taking one step at a time,

Walking toward the goal,

Encouraging others to follow,

All while relying on, recognizing the POWER OF GOD TO WORK! God does not ask you and I to follow Him, and then leave us, no he is the One who empowers us to walk this way, with a mind set on Christ, set on Heaven, set on eternity… so we can avoid the temptations of this world.

Day 1 of 2023… ALL OF US ARE WALKING…

some here need to adjust the direction of travel,

some need to recognize the power of God in their lives

some here need to remember their citizenship

some just need to remember rule number one of the compass… USE IT!