Jesus Has Called You Forward

Notes
Transcript

Philippians 3:13-21

Paul has placed his life on display to teach us a very important truth; We can clearly see that when we yield our minds upward to Christ, we will yield our lives FORWARD for Christ.
The Apostle Paul will be speaking of three things: Unity, Direction and Reward.

1) Paul’s Call To Unity

Once again, Paul is making sure a certain people understand the direction God would have them to go.

2) Paul’s Call To The Right Direction

A. We see a shift in VALUE
There was an extreme shift in Paul’s mind of what was MOST VALUABLE!
Notice vv.7-8
The earthly means of righteousness, the religious recognition, the arrogance of his education...... Paul considered them as of NO VALUE when compared to obtaining the knowledge of Jesus, the power of His resurrection, the connection to His sufferings, and being shaped into a dead man toward the world’s best.
DON’T MISS THIS — This reckoning of value began at his conversion and continue on into his new life for Jesus.
Paul speaks not only of what needs to happen within one’s heart to receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ, but also how this “counting all things as loss” must continue to be reckoned in the heart of the believer.
B. We see a shift in POSSESSION
Before Paul’s conversion, he took hold of his own life, for his own purposes, for his own glory.
IT CHANGED!!! — Jesus has apprehended me!
12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold e of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. (HCSB)
Illustration — In order to apprehend a person of interest, the police officer must PURSUE them with all of his means.
God’s hands are both loving and purposeful!
What you are witnessing of the Apostle Paul is a love for maturing for Christ in order to faithfully live only for the HIGH CALLING of Christ on his life.
One person, one purpose, one calling, one direction, one prize, all to the glory of one God.
C. We see a shift in DIRECTION
This NEW DIRECTION is materialized due to him understanding that Jesus had taken hold of his soul and his life.
Jesus takes a hold of you at conversion, you are now to take hold of him.
Let’s break this down:
“not myself to have apprehended”
Paul admits that even now, he has yet to acquire perfect maturity or have reached the final goal God has set before him.
Paul does however clearly testify of his unity to Christ’s mind; advancing the gospel.
Paul is in no way suggesting that any believer will ever achieve the fullest maturity in this life, but rather ever believer MUST live a life in continued effort to REACH IT.
“this one thing I do”
He is continually bringing us back to single-mindedness.
“forgetting those things which are behind”
Luke 9:62 “62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Hebrews 6:1 “1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,”
Example: Lot’s wife
Example: Peter’s denial of Jesus
Relatable examples: passed pleasures, passed regrets (raising your children, hurt or pain you caused someone, pursuing your spouse)
“reaching forth unto those things which are before”
Illustration: Henry reaching for things / not everything near him is safe for him / we set things in front of him to advance him.
1 Corinthians 9:24-26 “24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:”
In Paul’s pre-conversion life, he had achieved many accolades.
What he reached for brought about an empty gain of man’s acknowledgement.
The value of something is determined by what “end” it brings you too.
“prize of the high calling of God”
Paul says that God makes the target visible by which one obtains heavenly rewards.
Illustration: Targets are clear (hoop, hind catcher’s glove, archery or firearm target, golf green), YOU must make the adjustments.
1 Corinthians 9:26 “26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:”
So, who receives this prize????
Those who continue running in the “Gospel Race” (not to obtain, but because of it)
“pressing toward”
“in Christ Jesus”
Even though we are the one’s reaching forward, it is Jesus alone who enables us to reach!!!

3) Paul’s Call To Truth

A. God’s truth for every believer
He has not given us all different “truth” to fit multiple preferences.
He has given us His divine truth to bring us to NEW LIFE, NEW PURPOSE and to live a life preferring Him above all else.
“same rule....same thing”
Live for His standards and His truth.
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