Press On
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· 8 viewsPaul had at one time had confidence in his ability.....Now knowing the price Christ has paid - He presses on as should we
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Press On
Press On
Intro:
Congratulate Ray and Gail on the accomplishments
Ray recall him chatting about becoming a paramedic at HFFS and it seeming so far away
Gail overcoming the many family challenges and remaining continued to her sobriety
Commitment
It has taken commitment to get to where you both are and at the beginning of the journey. that goal must have been so far away and so obscure that it was barely even recognizable. Very proud of both of you for what you are accomplishing in your lives.
There are these times in our lives when we make a decision - we commit to something
I can imagine that it was not likely the first time in your life that you committed to follow these dreams of yours.
You have overcome obstacles
Stood up in the face of fear
Remained steadfast beat the odds
I know that although you are both doing fabulous that you are not finished - Ray lots more training and experience - Gail many more days of sobriety to get though ! Keep up the hard work !
We all set goals and work toward them with differing levels of success
I bet that there are those who would as well
Sometimes we do ok and other times we fail miserably
Press On
Press On
Our message tonight comes out of the book of Philippians and was written by the apostle Paul
Paul, The Apostle. Known as Saul of Tarsus before his conversion to Christianity and the most influential leader in the early days of the Christian church. Through his missionary journeys to Asia Minor and Europe, Paul was the primary driving force that brought the gospel to the Gentiles.
Conversation on the road to Damascus
He was a Jew Raised as a Roman Citizen
Well educated and he became a pharisee and was really good at it!
Paul was not a half measure kind of guy - before he met Jesus and definitely not after he met Jesus
Context of tonights passage
Paul is relating his own experience in coming to understand the perfection that is in Christ and how all of his own efforts and successes pale in comparison to striving toward this perfection.
Philippians 3:8-14
Philippians 3:8-14
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. 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.
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.
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.
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—
I count everything as loss and consider it rubbish
I count everything as loss and consider it rubbish
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Print.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.
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Paul had at one time been a very powerful and respected Pharisee
11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
He was a teacher of the law and wore fancy robes
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,
Well educated and likely had VIP status wherever he went
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Just consider for a moment a value system that sees everything prior to knowing Christ as loss
accomplishments - possessions - goals and aspirations - people “I count everything as loss”
Knowing Christ
Knowing Christ
In Paul was heading out to gather up Christians and take them into custody and he met Jesus face to face!
Jesus met Paul on the road about 3-4 years after his resurrection
Witnesses heard the sound of Christ’s voice but saw nothing - Paul on the other hand saw a light from heaven
Turning Point
Nothing was the same for Paul after this encounter with Jesus
Everything he knew was shattered
Paul likely thought that he was doing the will of God prior to his conversion - He knew the Old Testament
He went from believing that he had it all figured out to knowing nothing - starting all over and just wanting to know Jesus
Paul had seen Christ crucified on the cross and now the risen Christ was before him in all of his heavenly glorious perfection and from that point on Paul knew that Jesus was the Christ
Paul wanted to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection
for me to live is Christ and to die is gain
All of Paul’s studies training religious effort and personal righteousness was worthless it was all broken down to faith in the risen Jesus
Righteousness of God depends on faith
There is no righteousness possible in our own strength
Only comes through the resurrection of Jesus
Paul so desperately wanted to know Jesus because he recognizes that without Christ there is no hope at all - no eternal hope
Death was death but he had witness something beyond death - Life in Christ - a radiant glorious life beyond the grave
Perfection to be strived for
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.
He again states that it is not his own efforts that have accomplished anything
Forgetting
Our life before Christ is of no value - we are perishing with no hope
There are some things that come through
We have been given new life in Christ - It will continue to come through and develop and grow in our walk with Him.
This is Pressing on - Our personal walk with Jesus is the same as Pauls
Body Soul and Spirit
Body Soul and Spirit
Body - Flesh
Body - Flesh
Barrey Mason - “This bag of meat”
Flesh bones blood - all perishing
The natural man lives to please the desires of the physical body
Lives to fulfill and accomplish his own goals
Paul directs believers to offer this body to God
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1
God has given us life in this body for us to get to know him but he has as well given us the freedom to choose how we will live this life - For God or for ourselves
Soul - Self Conscience
Soul - Self Conscience
Personality - Your heart and mind - what you want(desire) and think (believe)
Mind
Conscious mind - Thinking, reasoning and memories
Subconscious mind- Beliefs, attitudes, feelings
Choices - all of the information collected is put together and directs our choices
Pauls choices before Christ where directed by and for himself
His zeal and pride was all about his own self importance and accomplishment
In his efforts he was
Something supernatural happened on the road to Damascus
Spirit - God Conscience
Spirit - God Conscience
Paul was religious but not spiritual
When he believed on the road to Damascus he became spirit filled and therefore spiritually connected to God.
Spirit is our
Through faith in Christ’s resurrection the Holy Spirit take us residence inside of us
Our doing becomes believing - We become spiritually aware
Spiritual Awareness: Knowing God’s yes or no intuitively and consciously through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.
Our Spirit is: our conscience - Intuition and connection with God
Press on toward the goal
Press on toward the goal
Our natural tendency is to do life our way for our benefit
God has given is Body, Soul and Spirit
To do with as we please and experience the consequence of those choices
What we can accomplish pails in comparison to what God has in store for both our daily life and our eternal life
On the Cross
Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” And having said this he breathed his last.
Jesus had taken his body and soul and lived it as an offering to God
His life lived in perfection paid the price for our short comings
Our reward through Christ just as Paul’s is our Spirit being connected and committed to God
Resurrection - Life after death - We Press on and strive toward that!