Okay.
Please turn with me to Philippians chapter 3, verses 12 to 21.
Let me seek God's help as we read and preach.
God, we ask you again, we seek you,
because without your power,
without you speaking to us through your word,
I myself can accomplish nothing.
Lord, we want to,
in just the same way that
immigrants, foreigners, when they just arrive
to this country,
stand out.
It's obvious they're not from here.
Lord, we want to be Christians
who are so heavenly-minded,
who live according to our citizenship in heaven,
so it is obvious to the world
we're not from here.
This is not our home.
We belong to another kingdom.
God, with your word,
our charter,
our constitution,
our founding document,
we pray that you would reorient us this evening.
and fix
our minds,
our eyes,
on Christ Jesus,
our heavenly price.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Philippians chapter 3,
verses 12 to 21.
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.
This is God's holy and authoritative word.
After winning his fourth NBA championship
and his fourth finals MVP trophy last season
with the Los Angeles Lakers,
LeBron James,
one of the greatest basketball players of all time,
entered his 18th season
as a 36-year-old,
which makes him ancient
by professional athlete standards.
And what's amazing is that he is still
arguably one of the best players in the NBA.
His feats of athleticism are incredible,
but his longevity,
his endurance is what's even more impressive.
And this is because of the way
he completely dedicates himself to the sport.
He spends $1.5 million per year
in order to maintain his body
and prevent injuries.
He regularly uses creotherapy,
meaning he intentionally subjects his body
to freezing temperatures
in order to relieve muscle pain,
sprains, and swelling.
He also uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy,
where he intentionally subjects himself
to high atmospheric pressures
in order to oxygenate his body
and reduce inflammation.
And he also adheres to a...
I mean, I don't know the merits
of all those therapies,
but he does these things.
He also adheres to a strict diet,
avoiding sugar and dairy altogether,
and following the lowest possible carb diet.
And of course,
he subjects himself daily
to the grueling workouts.
And all of these are unpleasant,
uncomfortable,
even painful experiences.
And yet LeBron James subjects himself to these
because to him,
winning an NBA championship
and becoming the greatest basketball player
of all time
outweighs these pains,
these expenses.
His eyes are set on a greater prize.
And that focus is the key to his perseverance.
And in this passage,
Paul uses the metaphor
of an athletic competition,
a race,
one of his favorite metaphors,
which he uses in at least six places
to teach us that,
like a runner in a race,
we should press on with our minds
set on the heavenly prize
in Christ Jesus.
So first, we're going to talk about
setting our minds on our heavenly prize,
verses 12 to 16.
And then we'll talk about
keeping our eyes on heavenly people.
We'll just go to the end of the chapter,
chapter 3, verse 17 to 21.
So let's first talk about
setting our minds on our heavenly prize,
verses 12 to 16.
In the preceding passage,
Paul just said that he was,
he has suffered the loss of all things
and counted them as rubbish
in order that he might gain Christ.
So in order that he might know Christ
and the power of his resurrection,
Paul says he's forsaken all things
in order to do that.
Now he's qualifying that statement
in verse 12.
He says,
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.
This is the already but not yet reality
of the Christian salvation.
On the one hand,
Paul says Christ Jesus has made me his own.
It's already happened.
But on the other hand,
he says,
Paul's Christ,
I have not yet obtained this.
So he presses on to make it his own.
Already, but not yet.
If you are a Christian,
then you know Christ truly,
but you do not yet know him fully.
We know the power of his resurrection truly,
but we do not yet know it fully.
So let this be an encouragement to you.
If you have lamented that you do not know the Lord
as you ought to,
if you have wept at the slow progress
of your own sanctification,
if you have longed to see Christ face to face
and not as in a dim reflection,
then you can take heart,
because you have not yet arrived.
What you have in your possession now,
what you experience now,
is not all there is.
There's so much more in store.
And so we ought to press on
to make it our own.
But for those of us who are complacent,
for those of us who are living like
we have already attained the fullness of Christ,
let this be a warning.
You have not arrived.
If you're coasting now
like you're on a victory lap,
you are badly mistaken.
You're like the Slovenian cyclist,
Luca Pibernic,
who raises his arm
and pumps his fist in celebration
at the Tour of Italy
when there's still one lap left to go.
And consequently loses the race
going from first place to 148th place.
The race isn't over.
We have not yet arrived.
And Paul was motivated
to press on by this great reality.
He says in verse 12,
Because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
That's the reason why Paul presses on.
He says something similar
in 1 Corinthians 6, 19.
You are not your own,
for you were bought with a price.
1 Peter 2, 14-19 says,
Do not be conformed to the passions
of your former ignorance,
but as he who called you is holy,
you also be holy in all your conduct,
knowing that you were ransomed
from the futile ways
inherited from your forefathers,
not with perishable things,
such as silver or gold,
but with the precious blood of Christ.
You establish ownership over something
by paying for it.
Christ owns us because he purchased us
with his own blood.
This was Paul's reason for pressing on.
He's saying,
I was worthless,
a damaged good,
an undeserving sinner,
incapable of fulfilling my God-given purpose,
and yet for some inexplicable reason,
Christ paid the highest price
to make me his own.
Me, the chief of sinners.
I'm his own.
I'm no longer my own man.
I belong to another.
If Christ died to make me his own,
I will live to make him my own.
He is my master,
and I shall do his bidding
until the day I die
and eternity thereafter.
That's Paul's mindset.
We don't strive in order
to belong to Christ.
No, we strive
because we already belong to Christ.
He has paid the highest price for us.
And this is very important
because if you strive
in your own strength,
out of your own willpower
and character,
you will surely fail.
Paul was able to press on
till the very end
only because he was spurred on
by what Christ did for him.
Christ was his impetus
and his goal.
We are not our own.
We are Christ's.
But we have not yet fully
made Christ our own.
And that's our lifelong pursuit.
As those who already belong to Christ,
we press on toward that day
when Christ will be our all in all.
And so Paul says in verses 13 to 14,
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.
Paul lived with this singular focus
in his life.
He was only concerned
about one thing.
Paul accomplished many things
during his time on earth,
as we know.
He was instrumentally in establishing
or helping to establish
more than a dozen churches.
He says in Romans 15, 19,
from Jerusalem
and all the way around to Illyricum,
I have fulfilled the ministry
of the gospel of Christ.
That's from modern-day Israel
up north through Lebanon and Syria
across Turkey
and westward toward Greece
all the way to Albania,
where our,
where Mr. Bishop,
our resident missionary,
is serving.
That covers a distance
of more than 1,500 miles
in days before cars and planes.
Paul wrote 13 of the 24 books
in the New Testament,
more than half.
And he did all of this
as a bivocational minister
while working as a tent maker
in order not to be
a financial burden
to those whom he ministered to.
In short,
Paul was a man
of prodigious productivity,
and yet Paul says,
one thing I do.
In his mind,
Paul wasn't doing
a hundred different things.
He wasn't busy
doing a lot of different things.
Paul was doing one thing
in a hundred different ways.
He made tents
so that he might
preach Christ.
He ate and drank
so that he might
preach Christ.
He planted churches
so that he might
preach Christ.
He wrote letters
so that he might
preach Christ.
For him to live
was Christ
and to die
was gain.
And his goal
was Christ
and nothing else.
What will people
put on your epitaph?
What will people
say on your gravestone?
When people
examine your life,
what will they say
was your purpose,
your calling?
For the Christian,
the answer
should always be
Christ.
And this entails
forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward
to what lies ahead.
In a race,
all that matters
is what's ahead of you.
It doesn't matter
how far you've come
or how little
you've come
if you don't
finish the race.
It doesn't matter
what kind of
blistering pace
you have kept up.
It's all for nothing
if you don't
finish the race.
Early in chapter 3,
Paul spoke of all
the things that he
used to put his
confidence in.
Circumcised on the
eighth day,
of the people of Israel,
of the tribe of Benjamin,
Hebrew of Hebrews,
as to the law of Pharisee,
as to zeal,
a persecutor of the church,
as to righteousness
under the law,
blameless.
But, he said in verse 8,
he counts all those
things as trash.
In order that he
might gain Christ.
We must forget
all that we used
to put our confidence in
for our right standing
with God.
We must forget about them.
Being successful,
beautiful,
intelligent,
rich,
or famous
gets us places
in this world,
but not with God.
We must put our
former ways
behind us.
This is good news
for those of us
who have been
struggling also.
No matter what kind
of sin is in your past,
no matter what kind
of pain,
brokenness,
hardness,
is in your past,
in your life now,
you can forget it.
Leave it behind
and strain forward
toward what is ahead
because of what
Christ has done.
2 Corinthians 5,
17 says,
If anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation.
The old has passed away.
Behold,
the new has come.
A little earlier,
a little before that
in the same chapter,
it says,
Christ died for all
that those who live
might no longer
live for themselves,
but for him
who for their sake
died and was raised.
Before Christ called us
and purchased us,
we live for ourselves.
We follow the rebellious
patterns of this world.
We gratify the sinful
desires of the flesh.
But now that we belong
to Christ,
we must forget
what lies behind
and strain forward
to what lies ahead.
One of the most famous
races in modern history
was the One Mile Race
at the 1954
British Empire Games
in Vancouver, Canada.
Earlier that year,
England's Roger Bannister
had become the first man
to run the mile
under four minutes,
which previously seemed
to be an impossible barrier.
But just 46 days later,
his great rival,
the Australian John Landy,
beat his world record
by 1.5 seconds,
which is not a small amount
in a mile race.
And this drama
created a great buildup
toward the 1954
British Empire Games
where Roger Bannister
and John Landy
would compete together.
The race between
world's two fastest
mile runners
was billed by the press
as the race of the century
or the miracle mile.
Over 100 million people
tuned in by radio
and millions more
saw it on TV.
You can actually see
the whole race on YouTube.
By the third
of the four laps,
it became a two-man race
between Roger Bannister
and John Landy
who were far outpacing
the rest of the field.
John Landy
had been ahead
of Roger Bannister
for the entirety
of the race
and for most
of the final lap
remained about
eight feet or so ahead.
But there's a dramatic
moment in that
final stretch
of the final lap
where Bannister
starts to make his move
trying to pass Landy.
And at that point,
the crowd is roaring
and as they see
that both men
are on pace
to break
the four-minute barrier
again,
second time,
and no longer
able to hear
the footfalls
behind him
due to the crowd,
Landy looks over
his left shoulder
to see how close
Bannister is
behind him.
And during that
exact moment,
to his great dismay,
Roger Bannister
passes him
on his right.
And there's a
perfect,
iconic
picture
of that exact
moment
with John Landy
looking back
and Roger Bannister
looking straight ahead
and soaring
past him.
It was made
into a statue.
And looking
at the bronze
sculpture
of that moment,
John Landy
said one time,
while Lot's wife
was turned
into a pillar
of salt
for looking back,
I am probably
the only one
ever turned
into bronze
for looking back.
At least he was
a good sport.
In his later
recollections,
Bannister said
that seeing
Landy glance back
gave him
great confidence
that he could
beat him
because it
exposes uncertainty
and doubt.
When you're
running the race
as a Christian,
you're not
supposed to
look back.
Jesus says
in Luke 9,
62,
no one
who puts
his hand
to the plow
and looks
back
is fit
for the
kingdom of
God.
If you're
looking back,
you cannot
press on.
You cannot
strain forward.
Twice,
Paul says,
I press on.
Verse 12,
verse 14,
the word means
to pursue,
run after
something.
And in verse 13,
he speaks of
straining forward
to what lies ahead.
that word recalls
how the runner
lurches forward
at the finish line
with all his might
to get ahead,
cross the line
before everyone else.
There should be
a direction
in the Christian's
life.
Our lives should be
directed heavenward.
Every aspect of our lives
should be stretched out
toward the heavenly prize
that lies before us.
And Paul describes
that heavenly prize
in verse 14,
I press on
toward the goal
for the prize
of the upward call
of God
in Christ Jesus.
Paul's talking
about the day
when his knowledge
of Christ,
his union with Christ
will be consummated.
When having shared
in Christ's sufferings,
he will finally
get to share
in Christ's
resurrection glory.
It's tragic
that many Christians
live like the rest
of the world,
trying to make
this life last forever.
We live in a culture
that is perpetually
trying to defy age
and delay death.
We pluck our white hairs,
fill in our wrinkles,
get facelifts.
We exercise,
eat organic.
Some call millennials,
those born between
1981 and 1996,
the wellness generation,
because so many of them
claim that health
and wellness
are an important factor
in their lives,
one of the most important
factors in their lives.
And because they eat
healthier and exercise
more than previous generations.
Of course,
it's good for us
to eat healthy
and exercise,
but our goal
in those things
shouldn't be
to perpetuate
this life.
That's like
wanting to stay
in the race
without ever
finishing the race.
Why would you
want that?
Our lives
should be characterized
by straining
forward
toward eternity.
That's where
our prize is.
But Paul understands
that not everybody
has the same level
of spiritual maturity.
He says in verses 15 to 16,
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.
Mature Christians,
Paul says,
think this way.
Paul repeats
that verb twice
in verse 15.
This is the same word
that Paul used
earlier in Philippians
chapter 2,
verse 2,
when he exhorted
the Philippian believers
to have the same mind,
one mind.
It's the same word
that he used
in chapter 2,
verse 5,
to say,
have this mind
among yourselves,
which is yours
in Christ Jesus.
Namely,
the mindset
of Christ
in which he endured
humiliation
and suffering
in obedience
to his Father
and was subsequently
glorified because of it.
Paul uses
the same word
in verse 19
to denounce
those who have
their minds
set on earthly things.
In short,
then the mindset
that Paul is
commending to us
is the mindset
of Christ,
the mindset
that embraces
sharing in
Christ's suffering,
sharing in
the death of Christ,
dying to ourselves
daily
in order
to attain
to the resurrection
of the dead.
The mind
that is set
on the heavenly
prize,
Christ Jesus,
and not on
earthly things.
This is
very important,
our mindset,
not what we
claim to think.
There are many
things we claim
to think,
but Paul's
talking about
what we
actually think,
what we
actually believe.
We might say
what we believe
in our hearts.
If you actually
have this mindset,
it governs,
it controls
the way we live.
That's why
Paul says
in Romans 12
verse 2,
do not be
conformed
to this world
but be
transformed
by the
renewal
of your
mind.
Paul
trusts
that
even
for
believers,
however,
who have
not attained
a mature
mindset,
that God
will eventually
reveal that
also to
them.
Paul's
faith in
God here
is exemplary.
It's
very helpful
and instructive
for me.
If you
have ever
tried to
disciple
someone
or minister
to someone,
you know
what it
feels like
to be
disappointed,
and even
exasperated
by a
person's
dullness,
slowness,
or lack
of progress.
But Paul
has an
incredible
capacity for
patience
because he
really believes
what he said
earlier in
chapter 1
verse 6,
that,
and I am
sure of
this,
that he
who began
a good work
in you
will bring
it to
completion
at the
day of
Jesus
Christ.
Not only
in his
own life,
but also
with regard
to the
lives of
other
believers,
Paul had
the long
view,
a lifetime
of discipleship
in light
of eternity.
That's an
encouragement,
that should be
an encouragement
to us,
brothers and
sisters,
you have
not yet
arrived,
but you
will
arrive
because Christ
promises
to take
us there.
You just
need to
hold on,
stand
firm,
persevere.
Brothers and
sisters,
I am
burdened
daily as
I think
about some
people who
might not
persevere to
the end.
We need
to hold
on.
what matters
is that we
hold true,
Paul says,
to what we
have attained.
Whatever the
level of faith
God has
granted to
us,
we should
live in
proportion
to that
faith,
following the
pattern of
Christ's
death and
resurrection,
dying to
selfish,
sinful desires
and living
to Christ.
The phrase
hold true
is a
translation of
the Greek
term that
originally meant
to be drawn
up in a
line,
especially in
a military
context.
It's used
here in a
figurative
sense.
We are to
hold the
lines,
so to
speak.
However far
along we
have advanced
in our
Christian walk,
make every
aspect of
your life
down the
line conformed
to that
line.
We are
comrades in
arms.
And whenever
by God's
grace we
advance another
step in our
knowledge of
Him,
in our faith
in Him,
then we
bring every
aspect of
our lives
once again
into conformity
with that
line.
Hold
true.
Then take
another step.
Then take
another step
until that
day when
finally we
arrive in
our heavenly
kingdom.
Until that
day when
we're finally
home.
that's the
first half of
our passage,
setting our
minds on
our heavenly
prize.
In the
second half,
Paul tells
us to keep
our eyes on
heaven-minded
Christians,
keeping our
eyes on
heavenly
people.
He says
in verse
17,
brothers,
join in
imitating
me and
keep your
eyes on
those who
walk according
to the
example you
have in
us.
many
Christians are
uneasy about
such language
of imitation.
It strikes
us as
brash and
boastful
perhaps.
Imitate
you?
Why should
I do
that?
Why should
I imitate
you?
But this
attitude
simultaneously
exposes
one, our
ignorance,
and two,
our lack
of humility
and teachability.
First, it
exposes our
ignorance of
the fact that
whether we
like it or
not, we
are already
imitating
someone.
We're social
creatures.
We are
always imitating
somebody in
one way or
another.
There's not a
single person
on earth who
is not
influenced by
other people.
If you say,
well, I'm
going to be
my own
person, I'm
going to be
different,
unique, a
non-conformist,
well, then
you're imitating
thousands of
other non-conformists
that have gone
before you.
It might be
our parents,
siblings,
colleagues,
professors,
celebrities,
politicians,
or friends,
but we are
already imitating
someone.
Second, it
exposes our
lack of
humility and
teachability.
We don't
like the
idea of
imitating
someone because
we think more
highly of
ourselves than
others.
our pride
expresses itself
in rugged
individualism
and self-sufficiency.
But imitation
is an
essential part
of discipleship
that we find
all over
Scripture.
Paul says
this no less
than seven
times throughout
his letters.
1 Corinthians
chapter 4,
15 to 7,
he says,
I urge you
then,
be imitators
of me.
1 Corinthians
11,
1,
be imitators
of me as
I am of
Christ.
Philippians
4,
9,
what you
have heard
and seen
in me,
practice
these things.
1 Thessalonians
1,
6,
you became
imitators
of us
and of
the Lord.
2 Thessalonians
3,
7,
and 9,
you yourselves
know how
you ought
to imitate
us.
Whenever
Paul says
imitate me,
he is
saying,
imitate me
as I
imitate
Christ.
He is
concerned
with making
Christ
followers,
not Paul
followers.
And that is
why he adds,
keep your
eyes on
those who
walk according
to the
example you
have in
us.
Paul is
just one
example among
many.
And he
wants the
Philippian
believers to
imitate those
whose lives
follow the
pattern of
Christ and
his gospel.
Like
Timothy
and Epaphroditus
that Paul
commended earlier
in chapter
2.
This pattern
of instruction
and imitation
was modeled
by Christ
himself.
In Mark
chapter 3
verse 14,
perhaps a
paradigmatic
verse for
discipleship,
when Jesus
chooses his
twelve
disciples,
it says that
he appointed
them so
that they
might be
with him
and he
might send
them out
to preach
and have
authority to
cast out
demons.
This verse
encapsulates
what we
might call
the three
ingredients
of discipling.
One,
presence.
Two,
preaching.
Three,
power.
Jesus
teaches them
to preach
the word,
to proclaim
the gospel,
but he
also imparts
them with
spiritual
authority,
spiritual
power.
But that's
not all.
he spends
time with
them.
They do
life together.
He offers
them his
presence
and invites
them to
watch and
imitate his
life.
To put it
another way,
discipling requires
three things,
the church,
the word,
and the
spirit.
God is
the
God.
The
church, the
gathering of
Christians,
supplies the
presence, the
body of in
the flesh
believers who
are covenanted
together and
accountable to
each other,
whose examples
we can
imitate.
The word of
God is what we
must be taught to
obey and
proclaim.
Then the
spirit of God is
the one who
imparts the
authority, the
power necessary
for us to
fulfill God's,
the commission that
God has given.
So the
church, the
word, the
spirit, the
presence, the
preaching, the
power, and I
want to challenge
all of our
members to be
involved in
discipling someone.
You can call it
beating together,
you could call it
accountability, you
can call it
discipling, whatever
you call it.
You need to be in
intentional relationships
with other members
of the church in
which you are being
helped and
helping others
to follow Jesus
and become more
like him.
On the one
hand, if you
don't think there
is anyone mature
enough or
suitable enough to
disciple you,
remember that
there is no
perfect discipler
and that God
uses imperfect
human vessels
to fulfill his
perfect purpose.
The more mature
and humble you
are, the more
you will find that
you can learn
from others.
I'm regularly
challenged by
men I disciple
and I learn
from them.
On the other
hand, if you
think you're
not mature
enough to
disciple people,
remember that
any true
follower of
Christ can
disciple
because at
the very least
you know the
gospel of
Jesus Christ.
That's what it
means to be a
Christian.
So that means
you can share
the gospel with
unbelievers around
you and you can
disciple them.
And when it
comes to other
church members,
you can initiate
spiritual conversations
instead of just
talking about the
latest TV show
or the NFL
playoffs, talk
about last week's
sermon.
Ask them about
what God has been
teaching them.
Share what you
have been learning
from God.
Ask them how
they are doing
spiritually.
What has been
hard in their
lives.
Ask them how
you can pray
for them.
Our own
discipleship
following Christ
entails
discipling
others.
So if we're
not following
Christ well,
we're not doing
our own
discipleship if
we're not
discipling others.
You don't have
to be perfect
in order to
disciple others.
Paul himself
says, I have
not obtained
this.
I'm not already
perfect.
The important
part of
discipling relations
is confessing
your own sins
and weaknesses.
And showing
people that
you can lean
on Christ
through them.
So then
another helpful
practice is to
invite correction
and feedback.
Usually it
will be the
case in
these discipling
relations that
older believers
will disciple
younger believers.
That's usually
the case.
1 Timothy 5,
1-2 says,
Do not rebuke
an older man,
but encourage
him as you
would a father.
Younger men
as brothers,
older women
as mothers,
younger women
as sisters
in all
purity.
But scripture
also has
numerous examples
in the Old
and New
Testament of
the younger
teaching the
older.
And the
older we
get,
thankfully,
most of us
have long
ways to go.
The older
we get,
the more we
will also
have to
grow in
humility
and learn
from our
peers and
those who
are younger
than us.
Because if we
don't,
we won't have
any teachers
left.
Let's try
to make
verse 17
more common
in our church.
Brothers,
join in imitating
me and keep
your eyes on
those who walk
according to
the example
you have
in us.
We're a
small and
young church,
but there's
still plenty
of people
here who
are carrying
their cross
and following
Jesus,
whose examples
you should
aspire to.
Since we're
in the process
of evaluating
our deacon
candidates,
let me just
highlight some
of the deacon
candidates.
You will,
you probably
will not be
able to
imitate
John So's
dry sense
of humor,
but you
should
imitate the
way he
invests
intentionally
in relationships,
in people,
pours into
their lives
with the
word of
God.
You might
not be
able to
imitate
Lauren
Miller's
delicious
cooking,
but you
should
imitate
the way
she uses
her home
as a
base
to
integrate
people
into the
church,
bring them
into the
fold,
welcome
them,
to
counsel
them.
You
should
imitate
that.
you
might
never
give
birth
to
and
raise
six
children
like
Cheryl's
doing,
but you
should
imitate
the
humility,
the
gentleness,
and the
warm,
nurturing
love with
which Cheryl
has showered
many people
in her
church.
imitate
such
people.
There
are many
others in
the church
I can
point to.
Keep
your eyes
on heaven
minded
Christians.
Good
godly
examples
of others
are
especially
important
because
sometimes
well not
sometimes
all the
time
we are
bombarded
by the
world
with bad
examples.
Paul says
in verses
18 to
19
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.
Paul
implores the
Philippians
even with
tears
because he's
concerned for
them because
there's so
many bad
examples that
might lead
them astray
so that
people don't
make it to
the end.
Don't follow
such people.
he says
they live
as enemies
of the
cross of
Christ
because
their
lives
contradict
the
pattern
of
Christ's
death
and
resurrection
instead
of
modeling
a
cross
shaped
life
a
life
characterized
by
sharing
in the
suffering
of
Christ
dying
to
our
sinful
desires
counting
what the
world
considers
gain
as
loss
because
of
the
surpassing
worth
of
knowing
Christ
instead
of
doing
that
these
enemies
of
the
cross
of
Christ
considered
worldly
and
fleshly
things
their
gain
this is a
broad description
that fits
many people
the Judaizers
that we talked
about last
week were
such people
Paul uses
very similar
language to
describe them
in Galatians
6
12-15
he says
it is those
who want
to make
a good
showing
in the
flesh
who would
force
you to
be
circumcised
and only
in order
that they
may not
be
persecuted
for the
cross
of
Christ
for
even
those
who
are
circumcised
do not
themselves
keep
the
law
but
they
desire
to
have
you
circumcised
that
they
may
boast
in
your
flesh
but
far
be it
from
me
to
boast
except
in
the
cross
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
by
which
the
world
has
been
crucified
to
me
and
I
to
the
world
for
neither
circumcision
counts
for
anything
nor
uncircumcision
but a
new
creation
don't
follow
those
who
would
take
your
eyes
off
of
the
cross
of
Christ
don't
follow
those
who
would
tell
you
that
there's
another
way
to
be
saved
don't
follow
those
who
would
say
that
there's
this
other
criteria
you
have
to
meet
apart
from
Christ
the
description
of these
enemies
of the
cross
of
Christ
in
verse
19
is
intentionally
contrasted
with
verse
20
and
21
which
describes
Paul
and
the
Philippian
believers
they are
the
bearers
of
the
cross
of
Christ
verse
19
says
of the
enemies
their
end
is
destruction
the
end
of the
enemies
of the
cross
stand
in
stark
contrast
to
the
word
goal
Paul
used
in
verse
14
to
describe
how
he's
pressing
on
toward
the
goal
the
end
the
price
the
end
of
those
who
oppose
the
cross
and
the
cross
shaped
life
will
be
destruction
ironically
but
the
end
of
those
who
embrace
the
cross
and
the
suffering
the
cross
shaped
life
will
have
eternal
life
and
glory
with
Christ
it
says
in
verse
20
from
it
we
await
a
savior
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
verse
19
says
of the
enemies
of the
cross
their
God
is
their
belly
Paul
uses
that
same
word
belly
in
Romans
16
17
to
18
I
appeal
to
you
brothers
to
watch
out
for
those
who
cause
divisions
and
create
obstacles
contrary
to the
doctrine
that
you
have
been
taught
avoid
them
for
such
persons
do
not
serve
our
Lord
Christ
but
their
own
appetites
the
same
word
literally
belly
and
by
smooth
talk
and
flattery
they
deceive
the
hearts
of
the
naive
their
God
is
their
belly
that
means
that
they
do
not
submit
to
the
lordship
of
Christ
but
live
instead
selfishly
to
indulge
their
own
appetites
and
to
advance
their
own
interests
this
is
contrasted
again
with
verse
20
we
await
a
savior
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
we
do
not
serve
our
bellies
we
serve
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
verse
19
says
that
the
enemies
of
the
cross
glory
in
their
shame
this
is
contrasted
with
verse
21
which
says
that
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
will
transform
our
lowly
body
to be
like
his
glorious
body
by
the
power
that
enables
him
even
to
subject
all
things
to
himself
all
that
the
enemies
of
the
cross
glory
in
their
confidence
in
the
flesh
their
worldly
accomplishments
their
reliance
on
religious
credentials
rather
than
on
Christ
all
of
these
things
are
actually
their
shame
because
they are
cut off
from
Christ
on account
of
these
things
that
they
put
their
trust
in
as
John
Tillerson
an
Anglican
bishop
from the
1700s
once
said
he who
provides
for
this
life
but
takes
no
care
for
eternity
is
wise
for
a
moment
but
a
fool
forever
but
Christians
who
have
shame
in
this
world
because
of
their
lowly
bodies
because
of
their
infirmities
because
of
their
weaknesses
because
of
their
sufferings
because
of
their
deaths
to
self
those
who
put
no
confidence
in
the
flesh
but
put
all
their
trust
in
Jesus
Christ
they
will
be
conformed
to
the
suffering
in
the
future
they
will
be
conformed
to
the
glorious
body
of
Jesus
Christ
they
will
be
transformed
and
finally
verse 19
describes
the enemies
of the
cross
as those
whose
minds
are set
on
earthly
things
in
contrast
verse 20
says
our
citizenship
is
in
heaven
Philippi
was a
colony
of
Rome
but
the
Philippian
church
was a
colony
of
heaven
and
they
needed
to
live
appropriately
in
accordance
with
their
citizenship
Paul
uses
very
similar
language
in
Colossians
3
2
5
he
says
set
your
minds
on
things
that
are
above
not
on
things
that
are
on
earth
for
you
have
died
and
your
life
is
hidden
with
Christ
in
God
when
Christ
who
is
your
life
appears
then
you
also
will
appear
with
him
in
glory
put
to
death
therefore
what is
earthly
in
you
sexual
immorality
impurity
passion
evil
desire
and
covetousness
which is
idolatry
worldly
success
money
fame
sex
these
are all
earthly
things
only
the
enemies
of the
cross
of
Christ
fix
their
eyes
on
these
things
but
we
are
citizens
of
heaven
we
are
aliens
we're
foreigners
the
way
we
study
the
way
we
work
the
way
we
spend
our
money
the
way
we
treat
people
the
way
we
relate
to
people
of
the
opposite
gender
the
way
we
do
marriage
the
way
we
raise
our
children
all
of
these
things
should
make
the
people
of
this
world
raise
their
eyebrows
and
say
you're
not
from
here
are
you
the
word
savior
was
commonly
used
in
the
greco-roman
world
to
refer
to
Caesar
but
Paul
declares
here
that
our
only
savior
is
Jesus
Christ
the
Philippians
ultimate
citizenship
was not
in the
Roman
empire
and
likewise
our
ultimate
citizenship
is not
in the
United
States
of
America
or
any
other
kingdom
this
is
why
even
when
kingdoms
totter
even
when
democracies
falter
we
are
not
shaken
because
our
king
is
still
on
the
throne
we
need
to
press
on
with
our
minds
set
on
the
heavenly
prize
in
Christ
Jesus
brothers
and
sisters
we
march
by
the
bead
of
Christ
our
king
our
battle
is
not
yet
over
our
race
is
not
yet
over
so
let's
set
our
minds
on
our
heavenly
prize
and
keep
our
eyes
on
heavenly
people
lord
it
belongs
not
to
my
care
whether
I
die
or
live
to
love
and
serve
thee
is
my
share
and
this
thy
grace
must
give
if
life
be
long
I
will
be
glad
that
I
may
long
obey
if
short
yet
why
should
I
be
sad
to
welcome
endless
day
Christ
leads
me
through
no
darker
rooms
than
he
went
through
before
he
that
unto
God's
kingdom
comes
must
enter
by
this
door
come
lord
when
grace
hath
made
me
meet
thy
blessed
face
to
see
for
if
thy
work
on
earth
be
sweet
what
will
thy
glory
be
then
I
shall
end
my
sad
complaints
and
weary
sinful
days
and
join
with
the
triumphant
saints
that
sing
my
saviour's
praise
my
knowledge
of that
life
is
small
the
eye
of
faith
is
dim
but
tis
enough
that
Christ
knows
all
and
I
shall
be
with
him
amen
so
man
to
have
to
him