A Passionate Pursuit of Christ
Philippians - Partners in the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted
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· 33 views5 Marks of A Passionate Pursuit of Christ
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Welcome
Good Morning, New Hope! It’s a joy to be back with you again. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Andrew and I’m engaged to the most beautiful girl in world. Kalie and I are just 98 days away from our wedding. This is exciting, busy, and expensive, but we wanted to say a special thank you for your prayers and support.
Introduction
Not much of a Runner
Amazed by what it takes to run a marathon
portrays a different kind of race
MIT - Paul shows us 5 Marks of a Passionate Pursuit of Christ
Reading
Our text this morning is . If you have your bibles, please join with me it the reading of God’s word.
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. 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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
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. 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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Prayer
Exposition (Exegesis)
Refresher
, “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I might gain Christ and be found in him.”
Holy Discontentment -
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.
Admitting Imperfection
Referring back to
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 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— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Paul says, “I’m not there yet.”
Paul - Apostle, Missionary, Church Planter, Author of 13 NT Letters. Acts 19:11
Here, Paul’s referring back to what he just said in verses 8-10. He says, “Not that I have already obtained Christ, being found in him, knowing him perfectly.” In , he writes, “I want to know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” But Paul hadn’t done that yet. He was still looking for a greater unity, a greater intimacy, a greater conformity to Christ.
Some believe that Paul is talking about the resurrection here
For Paul and for us, every situation is an opportunity to know Jesus better and to model the cruciform life.
In , Paul lists his spiritual pedigree and his progress under the law,
In , Paul declares, “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” At this point in his life, Paul’s single focus was to pursue intimacy with Christ. Earlier in the chapter, he reminds us of his spiritual pedigree and his performance under the law, to show us this, that our pedigree and our performance can do absolutely nothing to make us right with God. Paul tells us that if we’re to find righteousness, it’s not coming from us but from Christ.
Here, Paul’s referring back to what he just said in verses 8-10. He says, “Not that I have already obtained Christ, being found in him,” or am already perfect. This is what he means in when he writes, “That I might know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” For Paul and for us, every situation is an opportunity to know Jesus better and to model the cruciform life.
When Paul says that he hasn’t obtained “this or am already perfect” he’s saying that he hasn’t reached this state of perfect union with Christ (i.e. “being found in him...”). In other words, he’s saying, “I’m not there yet.” That must have been an incredibly encouraging thing to hear.
For Paul and for us, every situation is an opportunity to know Jesus better and to model the cruciform life.
Paul - the apostle, the missionary, the church planter, the author of 13 New Testament letters. says this about Paul:
And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
We can say, “I’m not there yet.”
Now, I want to try something real quick. I want everyone, on the count of three, to say, “I’m not there yet.” That’s an important thing for us to say and remember. We’re not there yet. No one here today can claim perfection. For some of you, that might be a hard thing to admit. For others, that might be the most obvious thing about your life. But I want you to take a look around the room. No one is there yet.
But no matter where you think you stand today, Paul has these words for you: Press on.
Holy Discontentment and a Pursuit of Christ.
Paul continues, “But I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
Paul continues, “But I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
Coasting Christians
Paul gives us the why behind his continued pursuit of Christ. Paul says, “I will press on, I will pursue, I will continue the hunt, until I make it my own.” Why? “Because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
What Paul says here about pressing on begs the question why?
A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
“How tragic that we in this dark day have had our seeking done for us by our teachers. Everything is made to center upon the initial act of “accepting” Christ (a term, incidentally, which is not found in the Bible) and we are not expected thereafter to crave any further revelation of God to our souls. We have been snared in the coils of a spurious logic which insists that if we have found Him, we need no more seek Him.”
How tragic that we in this dark day have had our seeking done for us by our teachers. Everything is made to center upon the initial act of “accepting” Christ (a term, incidentally, which is not found in the Bible) and we are not expected thereafter to crave any further revelation of God to our souls. We have been snared in the coils of a spurious logic which insists that if we have found Him, we need no more seek Him.
Holy Discontentment and the Pursuit of Christ
Something that happens when we get saved
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread, 2006), 16.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Pursuit of Christ
Quote from Augustine:
who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
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.
“How sweet all at once it was for me to be rid of those fruitless joys which I had once feared to lose..! You drove them from me, you who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place.... O Lord my God, my Light, my Wealth, and my Salvation.”
“How sweet all at once it was for me to be rid of those fruitless joys which I had once feared to lose..! You drove them from me, you who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place.... O Lord my God, my Light, my Wealth, and my Salvation.”
Forgetting the Past,
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,
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,
Not that I have already obtained this.... Obtained what? What is Paul talking about?
Forgetting what lies behind
Forgetting what lies behind
Forgetting our accomplishments
Forgetting our failures
Focusing on the future, Philippians 3:13-14
Picture a runner, leaning forward, reaching out to lay hold of something
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Is obtaining and being made perfect the same?
Set your sights on the finish
How are we to understand “Prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”?
Olympic imagery?
Prize is the Upward Call?
Call to salvation coming at the end of the race
Prize concerning the upward call of God in Christ
Seeking God’s Correction,
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
God will reveal immaturity
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
A Commitment to Consistent Practice,
What is this “it” that Paul is trying to make his own?
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
In what way did Christ make Paul his own?
How does grace serve as the basis for what we do?
A passionate pursuit of Christ
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Closing/Application
Prayer