WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.380 Okay, good morning, Christchurch. How are we doing? Sweet. I'm Michael, most of you know that. 00:00:12.460 --> 00:00:23.120 ! So we're going to be going through, we're going to continue our teaching. We've been going through the book of Philippians. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:34.960 So today's passage that we're going through today is Philippians chapter 3, verses 12 through 21. 00:00:36.179 --> 00:00:47.200 And then we've got one verse to end it in chapter 4, verse 1. So that's our scripture we're going through. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:53.620 If you want to just have your Bibles there, we're going to be kind of, we're going to be looking at it here and there and revisiting it. 00:00:55.260 --> 00:01:00.219 So yeah, that's what we're getting into this morning. I'm just going to start off and just pray real quick. 00:01:00.580 --> 00:01:09.620 Thank you, Lord, for this morning. Thank you for your word. Thank you for your spirit that you left us a helper to help us. 00:01:09.620 --> 00:01:16.400 You've not left us alone. And everything you've commanded us to do, Lord, you have not left us alone. 00:01:16.500 --> 00:01:20.939 And I thank you for that. You have been so good to us. 00:01:22.700 --> 00:01:32.320 And we just, as we're remembering, just recently, just remembering your resurrection, you did not stay in the grave. 00:01:32.320 --> 00:01:39.400 You rose again. And when you ascended on high, you left us with your spirit. And I just thank you for that. 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:48.320 It's good to remember this. And we just praise you and thank you for not leaving us to our own devices and our own abilities. 00:01:48.320 --> 00:01:52.380 But you have left us your spirit. And that was very kind of you. 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:55.719 So thank you for your spirit. Thank you for your helper. 00:01:56.980 --> 00:02:03.000 I just pray that you would help me to articulate the word that you have for us this morning. 00:02:03.580 --> 00:02:05.439 Thank you for the letter of Philippians. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:11.219 Yeah, just bless our time together as we dig into this. In Jesus' name. Amen. 00:02:12.659 --> 00:02:18.780 Okay, so just to start off, we're picking up where we left off. 00:02:19.699 --> 00:02:25.099 Philippians 3, verses 1 through 11. Seth covered that. 00:02:25.099 --> 00:02:38.519 And he gave a really sweet message on counting any gain of our own efforts and righteousness apart from the righteousness of Christ as lost for the sake of knowing Christ. 00:02:38.939 --> 00:02:40.120 That was a sweet message. 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:48.860 This theme is kind of continuing into our passage as well, but just in a little bit different flavor. 00:02:49.640 --> 00:02:51.879 But we're talking about the righteousness of Christ. 00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:53.180 We're talking about Christ-likeness. 00:02:53.180 --> 00:02:57.120 So it kind of flows into it, but just a recap on that. 00:02:57.200 --> 00:03:00.140 That's where we're going to pick up where we left off. 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:04.580 So if everyone can just read through with me. 00:03:05.540 --> 00:03:08.000 I'm going to just read through the passage that we're going to go through. 00:03:08.040 --> 00:03:10.020 We're going to read through the text, and then we'll get into it. 00:03:10.020 --> 00:03:15.640 So starting in Philippians 3, verse 12. 00:03:16.060 --> 00:03:16.840 So it says, 00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:24.780 Not that I've already obtained this, or I'm already perfect, but I press on to make it my own. 00:03:25.600 --> 00:03:28.400 Because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:33.520 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:40.560 But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 00:03:40.860 --> 00:03:47.840 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 00:03:48.920 --> 00:03:52.040 Let those of us who are mature think this way. 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:59.620 And if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:05.480 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 00:04:06.460 --> 00:04:16.579 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:26.699 For many of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 00:04:26.699 --> 00:04:32.800 Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame. 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:42.039 With minds set on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior. 00:04:43.039 --> 00:04:49.039 The Lord Jesus, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body, 00:04:49.379 --> 00:04:54.139 by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 00:04:54.139 --> 00:05:04.579 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm, thus in the Lord my beloved. 00:05:04.579 --> 00:05:14.259 So, just to kind of pan out before we dig into the text, I kind of want to pan out a little bit, 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.759 and sort of take just a big picture. 00:05:20.719 --> 00:05:25.740 We want to just think, we're just going to give some contextual ideas before we jump into this. 00:05:25.740 --> 00:05:33.519 So, thinking about Paul's calling, and how he is unwavered in his aim to fulfill his call. 00:05:33.960 --> 00:05:34.720 He's unwavering. 00:05:35.300 --> 00:05:44.579 So, we're going to pan out, and just look at, so, Paul's in prison at this point, writing this letter to the Philippians. 00:05:44.579 --> 00:05:49.800 And, that's also just kind of proof that he's pretty unwavered. 00:05:49.939 --> 00:05:52.139 He's got his eyes on the prize. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:56.519 He's doing this thing, whether it gets him in the clink or not. 00:05:56.740 --> 00:05:59.339 Like, he doesn't, he's in, he's in jail writing this. 00:05:59.740 --> 00:06:03.519 So, he's very single-minded. 00:06:04.039 --> 00:06:06.180 Nothing is going to derail him. 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:12.419 Nothing, he's like very, very, yeah, intensely focused on this thing. 00:06:12.420 --> 00:06:16.780 So, we're going to pan out, and you don't have to go there. 00:06:16.960 --> 00:06:20.699 I'm just going to read in Acts chapter 9. 00:06:21.220 --> 00:06:23.800 I'm going to read verses 10 through 15. 00:06:24.340 --> 00:06:28.080 Just to kind of just remember Paul's journey. 00:06:28.200 --> 00:06:30.900 So, Paul is on the road to Damascus doing his thing. 00:06:30.980 --> 00:06:32.300 He was on his way to kill Christians. 00:06:33.220 --> 00:06:35.980 And, the Lord gets a hold of him. 00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:40.400 But, we're going to start in Acts chapter 9, verse 10 says, 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:44.120 Now, there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. 00:06:44.599 --> 00:06:47.459 The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. 00:06:48.379 --> 00:06:49.560 And, he said, Here I am, Lord. 00:06:50.299 --> 00:06:55.599 And, the Lord said to him, Rise and go to the street called Straight. 00:06:56.459 --> 00:07:01.019 And, at the house of Judas, look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. 00:07:01.019 --> 00:07:04.259 For, behold, he is praying. 00:07:05.699 --> 00:07:11.879 And, he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come and lay hands on him, 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:15.060 so that he might regain his sight. 00:07:15.959 --> 00:07:20.719 But, Ananias answered, Lord, I've heard from many about this man, 00:07:21.459 --> 00:07:25.479 how much evil he's done to your saints at Jerusalem. 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:33.560 And, here, he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. 00:07:34.180 --> 00:07:41.140 But, the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name 00:07:41.140 --> 00:07:44.879 before the Gentiles and kings and children of Israel. 00:07:46.020 --> 00:07:51.660 For, I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. 00:07:51.660 --> 00:07:55.320 So, that's just kind of backing up a little bit. 00:07:55.400 --> 00:07:55.920 Big picture. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:57.700 This is Paul. 00:07:57.800 --> 00:07:58.900 This is where he was at. 00:07:59.080 --> 00:08:00.620 This is, I mean, we all know this. 00:08:00.740 --> 00:08:07.540 But, as we get into this scripture, I think it's helpful to remember he was on his way to kill Christians. 00:08:08.200 --> 00:08:10.520 And, even this dude's like, he's got a reputation for this. 00:08:10.580 --> 00:08:12.000 He's like, What's going on here? 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:12.740 Oh, God. 00:08:12.860 --> 00:08:16.000 Like, which shows, that speaks to the faithfulness of this dude, too. 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:16.560 Ananias. 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:17.120 He's like, Alright. 00:08:17.980 --> 00:08:19.140 That'd be, that'd be wild. 00:08:19.700 --> 00:08:20.700 The Lord tells you to do this. 00:08:20.700 --> 00:08:21.080 Hold on. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:24.020 That's, that's talk about trust. 00:08:24.660 --> 00:08:26.800 I mean, that's a wild, that's a whole other thing. 00:08:26.939 --> 00:08:31.620 But, so, it says at the end, so, I love that verbiage. 00:08:31.700 --> 00:08:39.120 It says, For he is my chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles, the kings and children of Israel. 00:08:39.540 --> 00:08:41.180 Kings of the earth and children of Israel. 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:42.019 That's awesome. 00:08:42.820 --> 00:08:44.160 So, big picture. 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:45.060 That's, that's Paul. 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:46.279 That's specific. 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:49.679 There's a unique calling on Paul. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:54.199 And, that's pretty wild and awesome. 00:08:54.439 --> 00:08:57.719 But, we can, we can kind of fast forward. 00:08:59.159 --> 00:09:03.179 And, this is, this kind of calling is still applicable to us. 00:09:03.419 --> 00:09:04.679 We can think about this. 00:09:04.679 --> 00:09:08.639 We were all, at one point, doing our own thing. 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:11.659 We were all enemies of the cross at one point. 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:15.579 We were, we were not always, we've not always served, you know. 00:09:15.579 --> 00:09:18.039 So, we were all going in one direction. 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:20.399 And, the Lord got a hold of all of us. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:22.839 One way or another, he got a hold of us. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:25.480 And, so, he's kind of course corrected us. 00:09:25.839 --> 00:09:27.679 Just like he did here with Paul, we see. 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:32.120 And, so, it's interesting. 00:09:32.299 --> 00:09:38.539 So, we see, he says, I'm going to show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. 00:09:39.299 --> 00:09:40.779 And, so, I just want to pause here. 00:09:40.919 --> 00:09:42.059 We're going to get into text here. 00:09:42.439 --> 00:09:43.819 I got a little bit of a longer intro. 00:09:44.179 --> 00:09:45.799 But, we'll get there. 00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:51.000 So, I want to pause here and think about suffering for a little bit. 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:54.259 So, yeah. 00:09:55.659 --> 00:09:59.019 Paul's written, like I said, from the perspective of in jail. 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:00.839 So, he's suffering. 00:10:00.959 --> 00:10:06.079 Then, he also, later on at the end of Philippians, he says, we all need to rejoice in our suffering. 00:10:07.019 --> 00:10:13.039 So, recently, so, it's almost like, recently, we went through a fair amount of suffering, you could say, 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:17.500 just with the surprise of we were not anticipating having a Down syndrome baby. 00:10:17.699 --> 00:10:18.039 We did. 00:10:18.699 --> 00:10:20.279 We're, hindsight's 20-20 now. 00:10:20.599 --> 00:10:23.559 Five months into it, we're very grateful for her. 00:10:23.579 --> 00:10:24.819 We love her to pieces. 00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:29.679 But, you know, it's a surprising thing when all of a sudden you're like, you don't know the gender. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:31.039 You don't know what's going on. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:34.599 All of a sudden, baby's born. 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:35.199 It's like, oh, okay. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:38.300 That's interesting. 00:10:38.540 --> 00:10:39.700 That's different than what we were thinking. 00:10:39.940 --> 00:10:45.840 So, there's a level of suffering that, you know, was involved there and just kind of adjusting. 00:10:46.340 --> 00:10:48.120 But, Lord's good. 00:10:48.640 --> 00:10:51.940 And we can suffer in good ways. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:53.940 We can suffer in not so good ways. 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:55.480 I didn't go through that very well. 00:10:55.980 --> 00:10:57.960 But the Lord is gracious. 00:10:58.379 --> 00:11:01.180 He's very faithful and patient with us. 00:11:01.320 --> 00:11:02.620 And this is a very sweet thing. 00:11:03.259 --> 00:11:07.960 So, anyway, it's a different kind of suffering. 00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:10.120 But we want to bring this all back to this. 00:11:10.679 --> 00:11:12.379 It's still all relatable. 00:11:12.700 --> 00:11:17.179 We can all think of things in our lives where it's like, how can I suffer better? 00:11:17.299 --> 00:11:21.240 Like, looking at trials and different things we're going through, we can rejoice. 00:11:22.179 --> 00:11:25.940 There's like a, if he tells us to do something, he's going to give us grace to do it. 00:11:26.259 --> 00:11:27.639 And to rejoice through it. 00:11:28.100 --> 00:11:28.980 That's a wild thought. 00:11:29.060 --> 00:11:30.460 That's not a natural thought. 00:11:30.460 --> 00:11:43.320 So, whenever the Lord gives us, like, really seemingly crazy commands, it's like, well, it takes him to do that. 00:11:44.180 --> 00:11:44.519 You know what I mean? 00:11:44.740 --> 00:11:54.280 So, it's a good, like, it's a total ditch if we try and approach God's commandments in our own strength. 00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:56.819 So, it's a supernatural thing. 00:11:56.919 --> 00:11:57.839 So, anyway, moving on. 00:11:59.319 --> 00:12:04.000 So, we too are called to suffer and advance the gospel. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:09.120 So, we want to, I want to look into this. 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:17.720 Remember back in the start of Philippians, we see Paul's love and appreciation for the Philippian believers. 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:26.040 He's really, uh, has a lot of affection towards this, this group of people and, uh, believers in Philippi. 00:12:26.620 --> 00:12:39.660 And so, he says, remember, he says, because of your partnership in the gospel, from the first day until now, I'm sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus. 00:12:39.659 --> 00:12:44.279 So, um, that's part of the kind of the context. 00:12:44.500 --> 00:12:46.100 He's, he's got a lot of love for these people. 00:12:46.839 --> 00:12:51.059 And, um, yeah, there's, they've been partnering with him. 00:12:51.139 --> 00:12:54.439 They've been financially partnering with him when he's in Thessalonica. 00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:58.240 And he's got, there's a really sweet bond that we see he has with these people. 00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:05.980 So, anyway, he goes into, uh, okay, before, one last kind of side note before we get into the text. 00:13:05.980 --> 00:13:16.560 So, for today's purpose, kind of the body of, like, our main focus, we're going to think through this text kind of in terms of, like, a race. 00:13:16.980 --> 00:13:24.060 So, the Bible, um, the Bible has a lot of language, like in the Christian life, Christian walk to a race. 00:13:24.680 --> 00:13:32.560 So, today, as we're going through this, we're going to, there's going to be, we're just going to kind of think of it as running and in a race. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:38.019 So, we've got, um, just a couple, a couple verses. 00:13:38.500 --> 00:13:42.899 I'm just going to, there's, I got four verses here I'm going to kind of go through real quick. 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:46.119 Um, so, 1 Corinthians 9, 24. 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:51.939 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:54.979 So, run that you may obtain it. 00:13:54.980 --> 00:13:59.060 Um, Hebrews 12, 1 and 2. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:13.480 Therefore, since we are surrounded by great, so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:16.980 And then we got, uh, 2 Timothy 4, 7. 00:14:16.980 --> 00:14:18.980 7, I, here we go, Dennis. 00:14:19.700 --> 00:14:21.600 Uh, I have fought the good fight. 00:14:22.019 --> 00:14:23.279 I have finished the race. 00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:24.440 I have kept the faith. 00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:27.620 Um, I love that one. 00:14:28.060 --> 00:14:33.460 It's, um, so Galatians chapter 5, verse 7. 00:14:34.460 --> 00:14:36.840 You were running well, he says to the Galatians. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:38.519 Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:43.560 So, we've got this language and this kind of imagery of running a race. 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:46.819 Um, let me see here. 00:14:46.959 --> 00:14:48.939 So, yeah. 00:14:50.359 --> 00:14:51.119 Last thought. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:54.319 Again, we were, we were running our own race. 00:14:54.579 --> 00:14:56.239 We were, we were doing our own thing. 00:14:56.739 --> 00:14:59.659 But God, being rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ. 00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:01.019 In Ephesians 2. 00:15:01.219 --> 00:15:01.979 Thank God for that. 00:15:02.319 --> 00:15:04.299 We were, we were up a creek without a paddle. 00:15:04.859 --> 00:15:06.819 We were totally dead in the water. 00:15:07.179 --> 00:15:09.519 And God was very rich in mercy towards us. 00:15:09.739 --> 00:15:11.419 So, praise him for that. 00:15:11.419 --> 00:15:14.779 This is, um, this is good imagery. 00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:16.839 This is good as we dig into this. 00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:20.879 The other thing about when we hear race, um, it's a marathon. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:21.899 Not a sprint. 00:15:22.579 --> 00:15:29.139 So, it's not like, alright, cool, I'm gonna, uh, I'm just gonna just exert all. 00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:30.919 We're, we're, we're, we're, we're gonna long road here. 00:15:30.959 --> 00:15:31.500 It's a marathon. 00:15:31.699 --> 00:15:35.620 I'm reminded, like one time me and, me and Judah were, we did a little race swimming at 00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:37.959 the, the Reta went well to center. 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:43.460 and we had, we were, there was a little dispute or a little confusion. 00:15:44.460 --> 00:15:48.360 It wasn't clear what qualifies a lap. 00:15:50.660 --> 00:15:56.240 So in his mind, he thought a lap was, I mean, you count it either way. 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:57.120 There's no right or wrong. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:59.440 But in my mind, a lap was there and back. 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:01.680 In his mind, a lap was there. 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:04.240 And then going back is two laps. 00:16:04.820 --> 00:16:07.259 So I'm going to pick on you a little bit, Julia, here. 00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:10.519 But it's just for the sake of driving this point. 00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:11.480 It's not a sprint. 00:16:11.539 --> 00:16:11.919 It's a marathon. 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:18.419 So we are, we start, we get, we start swimming and he's going for it. 00:16:18.460 --> 00:16:21.220 I was like, man, he's, he's actually a fast swimmer. 00:16:21.299 --> 00:16:21.819 Holy crap. 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:22.340 I got it. 00:16:22.580 --> 00:16:26.220 Like, man, I got my workout out here and he's going for it. 00:16:26.220 --> 00:16:27.500 He's got a pretty good lead on me. 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:29.179 Like, I don't remember. 00:16:29.500 --> 00:16:31.860 I think it was like 10, what was it? 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:32.720 10, I've done it. 00:16:34.439 --> 00:16:35.899 I think it might've been 10 laps. 00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:37.360 It was a lot. 00:16:37.439 --> 00:16:37.939 It was long. 00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:40.939 It was, it was probably way too much for both of us to try and tackle. 00:16:41.220 --> 00:16:46.679 But anyway, uh, he's, I'm going, I'm like going steady. 00:16:46.819 --> 00:16:51.279 And he's got like, he's got probably a lap, a Judah lap on me. 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:55.339 And I'm like, my gosh, I'm going to lose this. 00:16:55.419 --> 00:16:55.959 I'm going to lose. 00:16:56.100 --> 00:16:57.199 I was not expecting this. 00:16:57.199 --> 00:17:00.919 Cause I had been going, I'd been like swimming consistently for like a month or two or so. 00:17:01.339 --> 00:17:03.779 And I'm like, man, I was fully prepared to beat him. 00:17:04.399 --> 00:17:05.639 And he's got a lap on me. 00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:06.119 Half lap. 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:13.139 Um, so anyway, well, he, we get to like lap, I don't know, whatever it was halfway through 00:17:13.139 --> 00:17:13.740 in his mind. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:15.420 And I turned, he stops. 00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:17.240 And I like, no, I like keep going. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:19.019 Like he just stopped chilling there. 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:20.399 And I'm like, yeah. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:21.759 What? 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:23.299 That's weird. 00:17:23.379 --> 00:17:25.000 I just hit the wall and keep going. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:27.119 And we like yell back. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:29.039 Like, no, no, we're halfway through. 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:30.399 I'm like, oh, trap. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:34.180 Anyway, um, it's a marathon. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:35.259 It's a marathon. 00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:38.200 We got to, it's good to count the costs. 00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:39.019 It's good. 00:17:39.160 --> 00:17:44.119 It talks about, um, any builder before he starts building a house, counts the costs. 00:17:44.619 --> 00:17:46.940 He doesn't sit there and be like, yeah, I got five, two by four. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:47.599 Let's do it. 00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:48.559 No, that's it. 00:17:49.220 --> 00:17:50.160 Count the costs. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.800 It's a, it's a race. 00:17:52.019 --> 00:17:52.980 It's a marathon. 00:17:53.960 --> 00:18:00.580 So, um, yeah, we don't want to be like wood, hay and stuff and just burn up. 00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:04.240 You know, this is, it, anyway, it takes training. 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:06.460 It takes spring one another on. 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:13.480 It takes, the other thing, the other thing in this imagery I thought about, um, is the encouraging 00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:22.259 part is, like, in a marathon, runners are alone, you know, but we're, we're a bottom. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:25.160 So, like, we can spur one another on. 00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:27.980 It's not, you're not doing, we're not running this thing alone. 00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:32.240 And we get in a lot of trouble when we try to, but, okay. 00:18:32.599 --> 00:18:35.759 So, we're finally getting into the text here. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:38.099 So, verse 12. 00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:46.779 Not that I have already obtained this or reached the goal, but I press on to make it my own. 00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:56.500 It says, in CSB, Christian version says, I make every effort to take hold of it because 00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:59.319 Jesus Christ has made me his own. 00:18:59.319 --> 00:18:59.759 Okay. 00:19:00.879 --> 00:19:07.099 So, I have here, thinking about this verse, uh, what is this? 00:19:08.299 --> 00:19:10.299 Not that I've already obtained this. 00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:11.240 What is this? 00:19:11.939 --> 00:19:15.919 My understanding of this is Christlikeness or perfection. 00:19:16.139 --> 00:19:17.059 It's talking about before. 00:19:17.779 --> 00:19:18.879 It's Christlikeness. 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:26.059 It's kind of a two-fold this, but it's Christlikeness and achieving the goal of gospel advancement. 00:19:26.059 --> 00:19:33.200 So, Paul showed, one thing I noticed here, one thing I think is good to notice here is 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.899 Paul shows humility. 00:19:35.579 --> 00:19:36.679 Look at the humility showing. 00:19:36.779 --> 00:19:40.200 He's like, he's saying, I don't, he's essentially saying, I don't have it all together. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:44.940 I've not reached, I've not, like, I've not reached this thing. 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:46.079 I'm not perfect. 00:19:46.419 --> 00:19:47.599 I've not reached perfection. 00:19:48.220 --> 00:19:53.839 So, that's like an encouraging, that's just a, that shows good leadership to me. 00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:54.700 That's good leadership. 00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:57.380 That's, uh, I have not reached this. 00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:58.720 I'm not claiming to be perfect. 00:19:59.100 --> 00:20:00.080 I'm striving. 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:02.420 I'm pressing forward. 00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:05.819 Um, yeah. 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:09.180 So, anyway, same with us. 00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:11.140 I'm not, I'm not perfect. 00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:12.279 Marianna's like, amen. 00:20:12.620 --> 00:20:13.259 Amen to that. 00:20:13.779 --> 00:20:14.720 No, I'm just kidding. 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:20.319 Um, has anyone, this is just a side thought. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:30.480 Has anyone seen, um, this dude that walks around all the time on, it's like usually 87th and like Raytown Road. 00:20:30.700 --> 00:20:37.159 There's a dude that actually dresses like Jesus and like has a staff, long hair, beard. 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:38.180 No one seen him? 00:20:38.540 --> 00:20:39.580 He's walking around all the time. 00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:41.560 You know, I, I passed him the other day. 00:20:42.120 --> 00:20:49.040 And this, I, on this point, like externally, it's like I passed him and I'm like, wow. 00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:51.420 That's, that's a wild sight. 00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:53.240 That kind of just throws you off your day. 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:56.400 Like, he's like, he's like cruising on 87th. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:59.579 Like he's, it's usually around like the Philip 66 over here. 00:20:59.700 --> 00:21:00.799 Right over by Judah's mansion. 00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:01.799 Carlos's. 00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:03.460 Anyway, he's like, he's like walking. 00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:05.519 He's got a full on white robe. 00:21:05.859 --> 00:21:06.799 Like the sandals. 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:07.579 The whole ghetto. 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:09.000 He just walked around. 00:21:09.319 --> 00:21:09.480 Huh? 00:21:09.660 --> 00:21:10.259 You didn't stop. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:13.480 I snagged, I snagged a picture of him one of the times. 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:17.220 Cause I was like, that's, I got nobody, you know, I gotta have proof for this story. 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:18.980 That's good. 00:21:18.980 --> 00:21:24.519 But anyway, externally, like, you know, it's just like walking around dressing like Jesus. 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:26.240 Paul's not doing that. 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:27.579 Paul's not saying he's Jesus. 00:21:27.740 --> 00:21:30.400 He's not saying he's obtained this kind of Jesus. 00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:35.019 But it's pressing, like by God's grace, he's becoming more and more like Jesus. 00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:40.839 But in a way, like sometimes we can all kind of put on the Jesus. 00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:42.000 Yeah. 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:44.720 Like we, I look at that dude, I'm like, man, that is wild. 00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:47.319 But it's like, we do that. 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:53.220 Like sometimes, like we, we, we sometimes like puff ourselves up and think, yeah, I got it. 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:54.039 I got this. 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.259 I'm, I'm good. 00:21:55.720 --> 00:21:58.619 You know, it's like, anyway, we're all the same. 00:21:58.740 --> 00:21:59.639 We all need the Lord. 00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:04.359 So it's good to, it's good to recognize this. 00:22:04.419 --> 00:22:07.139 It's good to recognize we're not, we don't have, we've not arrived. 00:22:07.399 --> 00:22:08.919 We're all in this together. 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:10.799 We're all striving towards this. 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:16.099 And yeah, we can spur one another on in this. 00:22:16.099 --> 00:22:17.399 We can encourage one another. 00:22:18.899 --> 00:22:28.359 So anyway, thinking of examples of how, like everyone's probably met or interacted with people 00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:31.939 that like act like they do have it all together. 00:22:32.119 --> 00:22:33.599 It's really off putting, isn't it? 00:22:33.939 --> 00:22:37.779 It's like, it's like when you know, it's like, hold on. 00:22:37.779 --> 00:22:44.119 You know, there's a way, there's a way to like, imitate, later on, Paul says, imitate me. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:47.879 So there's a way to like imitate, like he can confidently say, imitate me. 00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:50.819 Because he's, you know, he's, he's, he's doing the work. 00:22:50.879 --> 00:22:52.000 He's faithfully serving the Lord. 00:22:52.399 --> 00:22:58.119 But then there's like a weird, like, it's just off putting when you, when you, when you're 00:22:58.119 --> 00:23:01.839 like interacting with someone and they're just like, I got this, I've got everything together. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:04.659 Like, we don't want anything to do with that. 00:23:05.139 --> 00:23:05.379 Right? 00:23:05.879 --> 00:23:06.459 We don't. 00:23:06.579 --> 00:23:07.659 It's, it's no good. 00:23:10.579 --> 00:23:15.119 On the contrary, we just need to, we need to continue encouraging one another onto Christ 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:19.220 likeness, knowing that we are weak and all need the Lord. 00:23:19.299 --> 00:23:21.359 So what does it look like? 00:23:21.399 --> 00:23:24.740 So moving on, he says, I press on to make it my own. 00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:27.199 What does it look like? 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:31.660 What does it look like to press on to make Christ likeness our own? 00:23:33.860 --> 00:23:37.860 Christian standard Bible says, make every effort to take hold of it. 00:23:38.380 --> 00:23:41.840 How can we, as, how can we make every effort better? 00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:43.620 How can we do better at this? 00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:50.460 How can we get better at making every effort to make Christ likeness our own, to lay hold 00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:51.440 of this prize? 00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:54.200 These are good things to think through. 00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:58.680 Um, it's good questions to ask throughout the week. 00:23:58.900 --> 00:24:01.299 Maybe how do I make every, every effort better? 00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:02.900 Am I making every effort? 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:07.240 All of us are making some kind of effort, obviously, right? 00:24:07.620 --> 00:24:08.960 We're making some kind of effort. 00:24:09.420 --> 00:24:11.340 Paul talks about making every effort to lay hold of this. 00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:15.240 How can we, uh, strive towards this more? 00:24:15.319 --> 00:24:16.640 It's a good question to ask ourselves. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:22.240 Um, what are ways in which we've gotten lazy and complacent? 00:24:23.300 --> 00:24:27.660 Um, the other thing is, where's our, where's making every effort? 00:24:28.520 --> 00:24:32.000 Uh, where is that on our priorities list? 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:32.880 Like, where is it? 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:40.540 We all have a whole bunch of priorities, kind of revolving door priorities, just like whack 00:24:40.540 --> 00:24:40.900 them all. 00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:44.940 Like, it's important for us to, and this is, I'm preaching to the crowd here, this is for 00:24:44.940 --> 00:24:47.080 me, maybe more than anyone else. 00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:51.680 The priorities, the prioritizing, making every effort. 00:24:52.040 --> 00:24:56.259 This is convicting going through this because it's, I'm thinking of the shred challenge. 00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:57.840 Like we just went through the shred challenge. 00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:05.179 Um, I started out good, but it was like a three and a half month long deal. 00:25:05.379 --> 00:25:06.579 It was a little too long in my opinion. 00:25:06.679 --> 00:25:13.899 Anyway, but, uh, I was, I was prioritizing the shred challenge for like a month and a 00:25:13.899 --> 00:25:14.899 half, two months. 00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:19.699 And then I was like, other stuff happens and life and work and whatever. 00:25:19.700 --> 00:25:24.340 And I just, it just kind of bumped down on my priorities and it dropped off. 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:30.019 Well, um, may we not treat spiritual things like this. 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:31.700 Not that that's unspiritual. 00:25:31.860 --> 00:25:35.799 I was just saying we need to, it's, priorities are important. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:37.019 We need it. 00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:42.700 And, and for the long haul, we got to spur each other on to continue to prioritize the 00:25:43.380 --> 00:25:46.000 likeness, uh, being conformed to the image and likeness of Christ. 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:48.880 Um, moving on. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:50.700 And what, why should we do this? 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:52.380 Why should we prioritize this? 00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:55.420 Why is this such a important thing to prioritize? 00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:59.520 Well, it says right here, because Christ has made me his own. 00:25:59.960 --> 00:26:01.920 So you're not, we're not even our own. 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:03.620 That's why. 00:26:04.020 --> 00:26:04.780 Really simple. 00:26:04.860 --> 00:26:08.140 It's like, it's just very little room for confusion here. 00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:09.340 Why do we do this? 00:26:09.520 --> 00:26:10.340 We aren't our own. 00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:12.180 Christ has made us his. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:18.780 So we, we actually, um, Josh talks about King Jesus and kingdom priorities. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:19.680 Shared priorities. 00:26:20.080 --> 00:26:22.060 You know, like, that's a good way to think about it. 00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:24.060 We're, he's the King and he bought us. 00:26:24.320 --> 00:26:25.260 That's why we do it. 00:26:25.380 --> 00:26:26.980 Because we don't call the shots anymore. 00:26:27.760 --> 00:26:29.360 Sometimes we try, but we shouldn't. 00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:30.200 We don't get to. 00:26:30.280 --> 00:26:31.820 We don't have that liberty anymore. 00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:33.500 We're bought with a price. 00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:40.279 So if that's why we should make it our aim to prioritize Christ-likeness in the advancement of gospel. 00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:46.240 In verse 13, we're moving on to verse 13. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:50.359 Brothers, I do not consider that I've made it my own. 00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:57.680 But one thing I do for forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. 00:26:58.079 --> 00:27:07.359 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling, of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:11.699 So let's kind of just look into this one. 00:27:11.819 --> 00:27:12.939 Verse 13 and 14. 00:27:13.979 --> 00:27:16.959 He says, I don't consider I have made it my own. 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:20.039 But one thing I do, and it's kind of weird because he kind of lists three things. 00:27:21.299 --> 00:27:24.039 Forgetting what lies behind, straining forward, and pressing on. 00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:30.959 So we're going to kind of, we're going to focus a little bit of time on forgetting this phrase, forgetting what lies behind. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:34.640 So we got, we're going to, there's three points here. 00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:37.360 Forgetting, straining, and pressing. 00:27:37.819 --> 00:27:41.079 So starting with the idea of forgetting what lies behind. 00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:52.000 So this idea with forgetting what lies behind, there's good ways and there's bad ways to forget. 00:27:52.519 --> 00:27:56.000 There's like, there's a good forgetting and there's a bad forgetting. 00:27:57.819 --> 00:28:00.059 I want to kind of dive into some of that. 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:03.940 So an example of, an example of a good way. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:06.960 Sorry. 00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:09.480 Yeah, we're going to, we're going to dive, we're at here. 00:28:11.120 --> 00:28:14.059 An example of a good way is to look back. 00:28:15.840 --> 00:28:16.200 Sorry. 00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:17.860 A good way to remember. 00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:19.600 This is a good way to remember. 00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:20.460 We shouldn't forget everything. 00:28:20.660 --> 00:28:21.720 We should remember some things. 00:28:21.819 --> 00:28:25.440 So a good way to remember is like in Revelation 2, 5. 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:28.660 It says, remember therefore from where you have fallen. 00:28:28.660 --> 00:28:31.980 Repent and do the works you did at first. 00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:35.840 So this is a good, this is, this is, we need to, we shouldn't forget that. 00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:37.120 We need to remember that. 00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:40.120 Remember from where we have fallen. 00:28:40.560 --> 00:28:43.360 Repent and do the good, do the works you did at first. 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:47.139 That's just a side note. 00:28:47.779 --> 00:28:51.599 Just a little, we need to remember this. 00:28:51.699 --> 00:28:54.240 It's always very helpful to remember where we came from. 00:28:54.699 --> 00:28:59.439 Not to focus on it, not to dwell on it, not to glorify what we used to be or anything like that. 00:28:59.859 --> 00:29:01.379 But remember where we came from. 00:29:01.639 --> 00:29:07.619 Like sometimes it can be really easy for us to be like, I was never, you know. 00:29:07.619 --> 00:29:09.919 I know, you know, we were all up a creek, like I said. 00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:11.699 We were all totally up a creek. 00:29:13.699 --> 00:29:25.639 So this idea of forgetting, forgetting what lies behind, there's a, there's kind of a humility that I kind of want to touch on here. 00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:34.800 And I want to quote, some of you have probably read this book by Tim Keller. 00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:38.060 It's called The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:40.420 Really good book. 00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:41.480 It's a little pamphlet. 00:29:41.620 --> 00:29:42.160 Really good book. 00:29:42.560 --> 00:29:45.080 But anyway, he, this is Tim Keller quoting C.S. Lewis. 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:46.860 And then he kind of talks a little bit here and there. 00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:48.200 But I'm going to read something. 00:29:48.600 --> 00:29:49.360 It's a little bit long. 00:29:49.460 --> 00:29:53.880 So just try and bear with me and focus if you're not listening. 00:29:53.880 --> 00:29:55.900 Focus in on this because it's really good. 00:29:56.520 --> 00:29:56.720 All right. 00:29:57.240 --> 00:30:06.240 C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity makes a brilliant observation about gospel humility at the very end of his chapter on pride. 00:30:07.840 --> 00:30:17.800 If we were to meet a truly humble person, Lewis says, we would never come away from meeting them thinking they were humble. 00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:33.240 They would not be always, they would not be always telling us they were a nobody because a person who keeps saying they're a nobody is actually a self-obsessed person. 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:39.000 A person that keeps talking about how I'm nothing, I'm this, I'm that, I'm that. 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:39.599 That's right. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:40.200 That's right. 00:30:40.419 --> 00:30:43.019 They're actually self-absorbed and obsessed with themselves. 00:30:43.019 --> 00:30:53.759 The thing we would remember from meeting a truly gospel humble person is how much they seem to be totally interested in us. 00:30:55.019 --> 00:30:56.039 Isn't that interesting? 00:30:56.879 --> 00:31:02.119 We have a really interesting example in Jesus and Paul. 00:31:03.339 --> 00:31:05.799 Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. 00:31:05.799 --> 00:31:07.500 Just picture this. 00:31:07.700 --> 00:31:18.440 Like, Jesus, the Son of God, he's perfectly self-sufficient, perfectly at peace with God, and the triune God up there is dwelling in perfect harmony. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:27.619 Flash forward to just him kneeling down and washing a stinky Jewish dude's feet. 00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:31.960 That's pretty interesting. 00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:32.819 Think about that. 00:31:32.859 --> 00:31:33.440 That's wild. 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:38.980 I mean, that's, he's, we need to be more like Jesus in this way, I think. 00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:42.580 We need to be, I derailed. 00:31:42.900 --> 00:31:44.039 I'm going to get back to the verse. 00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:45.559 Or I mean the, not the verse. 00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:47.900 No, the quote. 00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:48.400 All right. 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:58.320 A truly gospel humble person, the thing we would remember from meeting a truly gospel humble person is how much they seem to be totally interested in us. 00:31:58.319 --> 00:32:01.240 Because this is key. 00:32:01.240 --> 00:32:09.179 Because the essence of gospel humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself. 00:32:09.419 --> 00:32:12.460 It is thinking of myself less. 00:32:12.460 --> 00:32:14.720 That make sense? 00:32:15.319 --> 00:32:16.740 Not thinking more of yourself. 00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:18.259 Not thinking less of yourself. 00:32:18.559 --> 00:32:20.100 It's thinking about yourself less. 00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:22.279 That's true humility. 00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:26.440 Gospel humility is not needing to think about myself. 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:29.240 Not needing to connect things with myself. 00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:36.680 It is an end to thoughts such as, I am in this room with these people. 00:32:39.099 --> 00:32:39.579 Sorry. 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:41.259 I'm in this room with these people. 00:32:41.539 --> 00:32:42.880 Does that make me look good? 00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:45.200 Do I want to be here? 00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:52.680 True gospel humility means I stop connecting every experience, every conversation with myself. 00:32:52.680 --> 00:32:56.039 In fact, I stop thinking about myself. 00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:58.120 The freedom of self-forgetfulness. 00:32:59.240 --> 00:33:03.680 The blessed rest that only self-forgetfulness brings. 00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:07.060 So, forgetting what lies behind. 00:33:07.320 --> 00:33:09.799 There's a way that, I've got one more note. 00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:12.240 Peter Kreff says, take your temperature when you're sick. 00:33:12.320 --> 00:33:14.539 Otherwise, look at God and other people. 00:33:14.640 --> 00:33:15.519 They're much more interesting. 00:33:16.620 --> 00:33:17.019 Take your temperature. 00:33:17.140 --> 00:33:20.500 Like, we're not, how weird would that be if you're taking your temperature every day? 00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:23.839 That's obsessed with yourself. 00:33:24.119 --> 00:33:25.339 You're being obsessed with yourself. 00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:27.000 You're not looking to do this. 00:33:27.059 --> 00:33:29.279 You're not, like, there's like, what's that thing? 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:30.440 I can't remember. 00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:33.200 There's like that thing where, let's say, did someone help me? 00:33:33.539 --> 00:33:36.920 Let's say these where people constantly think they're sick with something. 00:33:37.259 --> 00:33:37.579 What is it? 00:33:38.859 --> 00:33:39.180 Hypocond. 00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:39.400 Yeah. 00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:42.579 That's like spiritual, being a spiritual hypochondriac. 00:33:43.079 --> 00:33:44.700 It's like, how am I doing? 00:33:44.839 --> 00:33:45.099 Am I good? 00:33:45.380 --> 00:33:45.779 Am I this? 00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:46.180 Am I that? 00:33:47.140 --> 00:33:48.500 Freedom of self-forgetfulness. 00:33:49.240 --> 00:33:50.259 Forget what lies behind. 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:53.779 There's a total freedom, I think, in Christ for us here. 00:33:54.319 --> 00:33:56.519 So what are the pitfalls of looking back? 00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:59.660 It's important to remember we have an enemy. 00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:02.000 So we're running this race. 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:05.859 We have an enemy that's going to try and come at us with different tactics. 00:34:06.579 --> 00:34:07.279 So what are these? 00:34:07.579 --> 00:34:12.659 We have an enemy who does not want us to look to Christ and depend on him every hour. 00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:20.239 He doesn't, like, he wants, we have an enemy that wants to bind us up and keep us frozen. 00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:26.799 And keep us from this aim, this calling, this thing that Paul was just gripped with. 00:34:27.459 --> 00:34:28.679 We can't let him do that. 00:34:28.839 --> 00:34:29.979 We can't let him have a heyday. 00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:34.019 We can't, we shouldn't be unaware of his schemes in this respect. 00:34:34.019 --> 00:34:37.159 So what are the pitfalls of looking back? 00:34:37.739 --> 00:34:46.860 They can keep us looking back in our past and focusing on our past and certain things we've messed up or I botched this, I messed this up, I did this. 00:34:47.300 --> 00:34:49.440 There is no condemnation for those in Christ. 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:50.420 There isn't. 00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:53.880 So if you're under condemnation, you need to get out of it. 00:34:54.980 --> 00:34:55.380 Stop. 00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:58.320 Believe the gospel and move on. 00:34:59.000 --> 00:34:59.539 Press on. 00:34:59.619 --> 00:35:01.320 You're not going to be able to strain forward. 00:35:01.659 --> 00:35:10.900 You're not going to be able to strain forward and press on if you're constantly focused with what I don't have, what I missed out. 00:35:10.900 --> 00:35:11.780 I missed this out. 00:35:12.180 --> 00:35:12.619 No, no, no. 00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:20.260 If you're focused, as long as we're dwelling on things in the past like that, we aren't fulfilling what the Lord's called us for today. 00:35:21.500 --> 00:35:21.760 You know? 00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:28.500 So we can't, we can't let that, we can't let that sneak into our thought process. 00:35:30.240 --> 00:35:31.400 So there's wounds. 00:35:31.700 --> 00:35:35.680 There's wounds in our past that can sometimes bind us up. 00:35:35.800 --> 00:35:40.800 It can freeze us up from walking in the freedom that there is in Christ. 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:42.520 We need to be delivered from those things. 00:35:42.580 --> 00:35:43.600 We need to be set free. 00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:46.620 It's freedom for, it's for freedom that Christ set us free. 00:35:46.860 --> 00:35:49.680 So we can't go back to, again, a yoke of slavery. 00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:52.359 There's shame, condemnation. 00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:58.799 There's things, there's another aspect of looking back where it's like, there's like, it's kind of a weird one. 00:35:59.500 --> 00:36:05.799 So there's like a kind of spiritual, there's kind of like a spiritual flattery. 00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:10.519 Like we can kind of flatter ourselves with the good things we've done. 00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:11.719 For God. 00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:16.679 Like we can be like, and we can kind of try and live off of that, those fumes. 00:36:16.679 --> 00:36:22.699 That gas tank, you know, maybe, sometimes it might be years, years ago. 00:36:23.179 --> 00:36:27.519 Or like, you know, if you've lived a life, I did this for so many years for God. 00:36:27.679 --> 00:36:29.799 And it's all, or it's like, that's fine. 00:36:29.859 --> 00:36:32.960 There's a way to share God's faithfulness. 00:36:33.079 --> 00:36:35.019 And there's a way to talk about those things. 00:36:35.079 --> 00:36:37.919 But then there's a way, there's like a weird spiritual flattery. 00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:41.639 I think that you can sometimes, it can be a crutch where it's like, I'm good. 00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:46.800 I don't have to do that today because I already did all this other stuff. 00:36:47.380 --> 00:36:48.840 Here's a like little example. 00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:53.539 I joke with one of my old co-workers, Adam Wilson. 00:36:53.740 --> 00:36:54.960 He makes fun of me about this. 00:36:55.160 --> 00:37:00.960 So when I was in high school, I actually, it was a little bit of like a kind of hippie, 00:37:01.059 --> 00:37:02.760 a little bit, like kind of green, whatever. 00:37:03.360 --> 00:37:08.180 And I actually started this environmental club. 00:37:08.179 --> 00:37:14.960 So this is why Adam, like, Adam is so hilarious. 00:37:15.079 --> 00:37:16.219 He makes fun of me a lot of times. 00:37:16.759 --> 00:37:20.259 Because the joke was, the joke was, I told him this. 00:37:20.619 --> 00:37:22.799 It was called, it was called SEED. 00:37:23.539 --> 00:37:25.039 S-E-E-D. 00:37:25.339 --> 00:37:26.739 Saving Earth Every Day. 00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:32.339 I think that, I actually, side note, I think the club actually still exists. 00:37:32.460 --> 00:37:34.279 And it like, maintained. 00:37:35.279 --> 00:37:38.039 The whole, the whole green thing kind of took off. 00:37:38.179 --> 00:37:38.679 A little bit. 00:37:39.799 --> 00:37:41.460 2005 or something. 00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:41.839 Anyway. 00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:46.759 So the joke is, I don't know if Sam, if you've heard us talk about this. 00:37:46.819 --> 00:37:50.440 But the joke is, I don't know. 00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:51.679 I probably did something stupid. 00:37:51.879 --> 00:37:54.000 I probably like threw like a wire net or something. 00:37:54.319 --> 00:37:56.219 Like, I don't know, off a ladder or something. 00:37:57.219 --> 00:37:59.299 And Adam makes fun of me. 00:37:59.359 --> 00:38:00.099 Like, hold on. 00:38:00.219 --> 00:38:01.460 What happened to SEED? 00:38:03.139 --> 00:38:04.039 And I'm like, yeah. 00:38:04.299 --> 00:38:06.480 I already, I already chucked that box. 00:38:06.619 --> 00:38:08.039 Like, I started, I could do that. 00:38:08.039 --> 00:38:09.000 Because I checked that box. 00:38:09.079 --> 00:38:10.079 I started, see. 00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:12.039 I could litter a little bit. 00:38:12.279 --> 00:38:12.779 You know, like. 00:38:13.659 --> 00:38:14.840 So that's kind of the joke. 00:38:14.920 --> 00:38:16.199 But there's like a spiritual. 00:38:16.800 --> 00:38:18.500 Sometimes I think we do that spiritually. 00:38:18.719 --> 00:38:19.960 Like, we're like, I did that. 00:38:20.219 --> 00:38:21.960 You know, I did this, all this other stuff. 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:22.420 I'm good. 00:38:22.659 --> 00:38:23.699 Like, I'm good. 00:38:24.420 --> 00:38:24.940 We're like, no. 00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:26.259 That's not, that's not how it works. 00:38:27.380 --> 00:38:30.199 That's a, that's a spiritual flattery. 00:38:30.619 --> 00:38:30.860 You know. 00:38:30.980 --> 00:38:32.420 That's no, that's a pitfall. 00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:33.539 We can't do that. 00:38:34.599 --> 00:38:35.700 That's, anyway. 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:36.720 Where are we at here? 00:38:36.780 --> 00:38:37.619 I gotta regroup. 00:38:39.460 --> 00:38:39.760 Okay. 00:38:40.180 --> 00:38:41.960 So, let me see. 00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:42.579 Yeah. 00:38:42.680 --> 00:38:43.220 Checking boxes. 00:38:43.460 --> 00:38:46.980 So, remember, here's an example, a biblical example. 00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:50.380 Look at the people in, true and false disciples. 00:38:50.720 --> 00:38:52.440 In Matthew 7, 21 and 23. 00:38:52.440 --> 00:39:00.300 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those, the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:05.280 Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? 00:39:06.519 --> 00:39:08.179 And in your name drive out demons? 00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:10.860 And in your name perform many miracles? 00:39:11.860 --> 00:39:17.579 Then I will say to them painfully, or plainly, I never knew you. 00:39:17.700 --> 00:39:19.880 Away from me, you evildoers. 00:39:20.280 --> 00:39:21.780 So, that's a sobering verse. 00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:25.159 But look at what they were doing. 00:39:26.079 --> 00:39:30.579 They had a talent of all the good stuff they did for God. 00:39:31.039 --> 00:39:31.740 They kept track. 00:39:31.820 --> 00:39:32.460 They knew it well. 00:39:32.960 --> 00:39:36.800 Like, remember the Keith Green song where he talked about, I think, the sheep and the goats? 00:39:39.099 --> 00:39:44.240 Where he's like, Lord, didn't we take you in, Lord? 00:39:44.460 --> 00:39:47.820 But, Lord, you know, like, and he's like, no. 00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:50.539 And then the sheep are like, hold on. 00:39:50.539 --> 00:39:52.440 The sheep are like, when did we do that? 00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:54.179 They weren't even really like a way. 00:39:54.259 --> 00:39:56.800 They weren't, it was not in the forefront of their mind. 00:39:57.039 --> 00:39:58.179 They were unaware of it. 00:39:58.239 --> 00:39:59.940 They were like, Lord, when did we take you in? 00:40:00.559 --> 00:40:02.000 When did we feed you, Lord? 00:40:02.139 --> 00:40:06.659 Like, there's like a, there's God's work that he can do in us. 00:40:06.659 --> 00:40:14.279 And when we're doing it for him and through him, by his power, it's like we don't matter that much. 00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:16.779 It's like, they're like, when did we do that? 00:40:16.899 --> 00:40:17.219 I don't know. 00:40:17.379 --> 00:40:18.139 We did that? 00:40:18.779 --> 00:40:20.279 And it's like, he says, yeah. 00:40:20.539 --> 00:40:23.039 Whatever you've done until Lisa, my brother, you've done it unto me. 00:40:23.800 --> 00:40:25.739 So anyway, I got to keep going here. 00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:30.179 But straight, point to a straining forward to what lies ahead. 00:40:30.779 --> 00:40:35.360 So this, I kind of, straining forward is kind of an interesting phrase. 00:40:35.500 --> 00:40:36.840 I want to look it up. 00:40:37.300 --> 00:40:43.279 So the Greek, to strain forward in Greek, it means to stretch yourself out towards something. 00:40:44.099 --> 00:40:46.559 To stretch yourself out towards something. 00:40:46.559 --> 00:40:52.340 And it says, you know, that can be uncomfortable at times. 00:40:52.340 --> 00:40:56.759 Like, we were just talking about, like, stretching and flexibility and stuff. 00:40:57.019 --> 00:41:00.739 And, yeah, stretching can be painful sometimes. 00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:03.079 Like, I don't want to reach that far. 00:41:03.159 --> 00:41:04.320 It hurts, you know. 00:41:04.900 --> 00:41:08.139 But straining forward to what lies ahead. 00:41:08.259 --> 00:41:09.539 This is what we need to do. 00:41:10.159 --> 00:41:14.940 Like, sometimes, we don't always want, feel like, we don't need to be slaves to our feelings. 00:41:14.940 --> 00:41:17.740 We don't, we're not always going to want to strain forward. 00:41:18.940 --> 00:41:19.980 That's the fact of the matter. 00:41:20.079 --> 00:41:22.639 We're not always going to, this is not always going to bubble up out of our hearts. 00:41:23.240 --> 00:41:26.900 Sometimes we just kind of, it's like, all right, got to stretch this out. 00:41:26.980 --> 00:41:28.240 I got to strain forward here. 00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:31.800 To enter, but it is like a straining to enter into this rest. 00:41:32.059 --> 00:41:35.840 There is, there is, it's death unto life type thing. 00:41:39.220 --> 00:41:39.940 Let me see. 00:41:40.059 --> 00:41:41.059 So, yeah. 00:41:44.940 --> 00:41:48.420 So, moving on to pressing on toward the goal. 00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:55.519 Pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. 00:41:56.820 --> 00:41:58.760 So, press on to what? 00:41:59.740 --> 00:42:00.980 Pressing on toward the goal. 00:42:02.179 --> 00:42:03.260 What's the goal? 00:42:04.079 --> 00:42:08.119 In my understanding, the goal here is Christ-likeness and gospel advancement. 00:42:08.119 --> 00:42:12.179 So, we're pressing on toward the goal. 00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:26.059 As, it's good to think of it, again, remembering back on Paul being called God's chosen instrument for advancing the gospel. 00:42:27.420 --> 00:42:27.940 Paraphrase. 00:42:27.940 --> 00:42:30.000 But, we're pressing on towards that end. 00:42:32.760 --> 00:42:33.559 What is it? 00:42:33.619 --> 00:42:37.320 So, it says right here, toward the upward call. 00:42:37.559 --> 00:42:41.860 So, I want to think for a second here on our calling, Christ-likeness in our calling. 00:42:42.360 --> 00:42:44.280 So, in Romans 8, 28 through 30. 00:42:44.280 --> 00:42:50.840 And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. 00:42:51.440 --> 00:42:53.920 For those who are called according to his purpose. 00:42:55.680 --> 00:43:00.900 For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. 00:43:00.900 --> 00:43:06.519 In order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:10.280 And those whom he predestined, he also called. 00:43:10.820 --> 00:43:13.639 And those whom he called, he also justified. 00:43:14.139 --> 00:43:16.400 And those whom he justified, he also glorified. 00:43:16.920 --> 00:43:18.119 So, this idea. 00:43:18.380 --> 00:43:20.099 So, the verse we're looking at. 00:43:20.460 --> 00:43:21.519 Again, we're looking at. 00:43:21.740 --> 00:43:27.360 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 00:43:27.360 --> 00:43:31.000 So, let's think about this idea of calling for a second. 00:43:32.400 --> 00:43:35.900 Are we, are we, sometimes we can wonder what our calling is. 00:43:36.720 --> 00:43:40.180 We can, we can think and say, God, what am I called to? 00:43:40.340 --> 00:43:41.000 What is my calling? 00:43:41.039 --> 00:43:41.920 What are you calling me to? 00:43:42.660 --> 00:43:49.980 And, the big picture, the short answer, and the really simple answer is Christ-likeness. 00:43:50.640 --> 00:43:51.840 That's what he calls us to. 00:43:52.980 --> 00:43:54.940 Called according to his purpose. 00:43:54.940 --> 00:43:57.380 It's to be conformed to the image of the likeness of his Son. 00:43:58.119 --> 00:44:02.059 We also call, again, in those whom he predestined, he also called. 00:44:02.179 --> 00:44:04.940 And those whom he called, he also justified. 00:44:05.519 --> 00:44:09.360 So, the broad stroke here is you're called to Christ-likeness. 00:44:09.880 --> 00:44:12.800 You're called to be conformed to the image of the likeness of Christ. 00:44:13.500 --> 00:44:15.780 So, that's kind of the rolling theme here. 00:44:15.980 --> 00:44:16.920 We're set flesh off. 00:44:17.440 --> 00:44:20.940 It's we don't put confidence in the flesh. 00:44:21.079 --> 00:44:22.500 We're called to Christ-likeness. 00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:23.219 By faith. 00:44:23.300 --> 00:44:24.440 It's all by faith, remember. 00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:28.659 It's all trusting in him to do it in us. 00:44:31.139 --> 00:44:37.280 And, as far as specific callings, we just have to trust him to show us along the way, I think. 00:44:37.840 --> 00:44:39.579 That's between you and him, kind of. 00:44:40.219 --> 00:44:42.579 And, you can give prophetic insight and stuff like that. 00:44:42.579 --> 00:44:46.840 But, as a general broad stroke, we're called to Christ-likeness. 00:44:47.380 --> 00:44:50.500 So, let's kind of apply this to us, Christ Church. 00:44:52.039 --> 00:44:59.199 We're a mixture of old, young, single, married, mothers, fathers, kids. 00:44:59.880 --> 00:45:02.699 So, how does this calling apply to us? 00:45:02.699 --> 00:45:06.539 This is going to look different. 00:45:06.759 --> 00:45:08.739 It's just going to look different for everyone. 00:45:09.299 --> 00:45:11.199 But, the theme is still the same. 00:45:11.939 --> 00:45:20.339 It's, in our decision-making processes, life is full of decisions as moms, dads, employees, employers. 00:45:20.340 --> 00:45:26.980 As we think about how to go about this race, we're going to have a bunch of decisions before us. 00:45:27.660 --> 00:45:34.820 And, a simple kind of radar is, a simple question to ask, is this going to be conducive to Christ-likeness? 00:45:35.140 --> 00:45:37.400 And, me being conformed to the image and likeness of Christ? 00:45:37.559 --> 00:45:38.820 Or, is it going to detract from it? 00:45:38.820 --> 00:45:42.700 So, these are some of the things, very simple. 00:45:43.100 --> 00:45:45.100 Very simple kind of practice, question to ask. 00:45:47.039 --> 00:45:51.960 Because, our calling is not going to look like, exactly, like, let me just try and think here. 00:45:52.360 --> 00:45:57.440 I was going to go through examples of, like, I'm going to go, I'm going to jump forward, actually. 00:45:57.440 --> 00:46:08.880 Like, in 2 Corinthians 11, 23, Paul kind of goes through, I'll jump forward to 24. 00:46:09.039 --> 00:46:12.740 Five times I've received at the hands of Jews, 40 lashes less one. 00:46:12.820 --> 00:46:14.579 Three times I was beaten with rods. 00:46:15.179 --> 00:46:16.039 Once I was stoned. 00:46:16.139 --> 00:46:17.440 Three times I was shipwrecked. 00:46:18.720 --> 00:46:23.039 A night and a day I was drifted to sea on frequent journeys in danger of rivers, danger of robbers. 00:46:23.480 --> 00:46:25.159 I'm actually going to skip the rest of that. 00:46:25.240 --> 00:46:26.139 You get the point here. 00:46:26.139 --> 00:46:28.099 I had it all typed up. 00:46:28.299 --> 00:46:40.219 But, the point is, Paul's calling and Paul's sufferings, in a way, kind of look different. 00:46:40.339 --> 00:46:41.599 But, we can still apply. 00:46:42.359 --> 00:46:43.819 There are ways that we can suffer. 00:46:45.299 --> 00:46:52.059 There are ways that we are called to suffering and called to rejoice in our sufferings that aren't going to look like, 00:46:52.059 --> 00:46:58.539 That's a pretty wild set of sufferings and experience. 00:46:58.860 --> 00:47:02.199 But, like, when we read that, it's like, you look back, it's like, oh, man. 00:47:02.900 --> 00:47:05.699 My problems are not the same. 00:47:05.699 --> 00:47:09.659 But, we do have, let me see. 00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:13.079 I'm going to try and, I'm going to continue reading here. 00:47:13.480 --> 00:47:19.199 In verse 15, so I'm going to go through verse 15, 16, and 17. 00:47:19.199 --> 00:47:21.319 It says, 00:47:21.319 --> 00:47:24.179 Let those of us who are mature think this way. 00:47:25.139 --> 00:47:30.879 And if anything, if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that to you also. 00:47:32.039 --> 00:47:35.279 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 00:47:36.000 --> 00:47:45.359 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 00:47:45.360 --> 00:47:50.120 So, what's the example we have in the Apostle Paul? 00:47:50.260 --> 00:47:53.099 Well, he's writing, again, he's writing this letter from jail. 00:47:53.820 --> 00:47:57.340 And then later on, he's telling us to rejoice in our sufferings. 00:47:57.720 --> 00:48:01.039 So, he's not telling us all this stuff without, like, living it. 00:48:01.720 --> 00:48:09.500 You know, this is like a very, this testimony we have is proof that God's grace is enough. 00:48:09.800 --> 00:48:11.099 His grace is sufficient. 00:48:11.360 --> 00:48:15.280 For anything and everything that we're going through, his grace is enough. 00:48:15.360 --> 00:48:15.900 Look at it. 00:48:15.980 --> 00:48:17.280 Look at that example we have. 00:48:17.680 --> 00:48:18.260 He literally says, 00:48:18.380 --> 00:48:19.360 Join in imitating me. 00:48:19.700 --> 00:48:23.079 Keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 00:48:23.840 --> 00:48:25.460 That's a pretty killer example. 00:48:26.420 --> 00:48:35.640 That's a pretty killer, that's a pretty incredible testimony of God's ability and God's grace that he can pour out on someone. 00:48:36.820 --> 00:48:37.860 That's supernatural. 00:48:38.660 --> 00:48:40.400 Nobody rejoices in jail. 00:48:41.099 --> 00:48:41.880 Nobody does that. 00:48:42.140 --> 00:48:43.280 Like, that's wild. 00:48:43.280 --> 00:48:45.380 So, he's suffering. 00:48:45.519 --> 00:48:46.160 He's been shipwrecked. 00:48:46.240 --> 00:48:47.260 He did all this other stuff. 00:48:47.380 --> 00:48:48.400 And he's rejoicing through it. 00:48:49.040 --> 00:48:54.660 So, in our trials, in our sufferings, we can rejoice in our sufferings. 00:48:54.740 --> 00:48:58.780 We can do this because he literally says, look at it. 00:48:59.180 --> 00:49:00.360 It's right there, you know. 00:49:00.540 --> 00:49:01.960 And there's a bunch of other examples. 00:49:01.960 --> 00:49:03.480 But I like this. 00:49:04.280 --> 00:49:05.179 Check it down here. 00:49:05.840 --> 00:49:06.800 Oh, my goodness. 00:49:07.880 --> 00:49:09.340 I'm not even close to finishing. 00:49:09.920 --> 00:49:10.460 I'm sorry. 00:49:11.460 --> 00:49:12.300 49 minutes. 00:49:13.119 --> 00:49:14.300 I got to wrap this up. 00:49:14.340 --> 00:49:15.039 I'm going to bag it. 00:49:15.599 --> 00:49:16.139 All right. 00:49:16.199 --> 00:49:17.720 So, what do I do here? 00:49:19.720 --> 00:49:20.220 All right. 00:49:20.220 --> 00:49:21.519 I'm going to cruise through this really quick. 00:49:21.639 --> 00:49:23.220 Give me like five more minutes. 00:49:23.860 --> 00:49:24.119 All right. 00:49:24.119 --> 00:49:26.179 God is faithful. 00:49:26.639 --> 00:49:27.259 Point here. 00:49:28.599 --> 00:49:30.599 He's, if we're, we should be mature. 00:49:31.179 --> 00:49:32.940 We should think maturely about this stuff. 00:49:34.400 --> 00:49:36.500 God's faithful to reveal it to us. 00:49:36.599 --> 00:49:38.279 He's faithful to walk us through all of this. 00:49:39.460 --> 00:49:41.159 Next section is 18. 00:49:41.159 --> 00:49:47.920 For many of those whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 00:49:48.960 --> 00:49:49.940 Their end is destruction. 00:49:50.079 --> 00:49:50.960 Their God is their belly. 00:49:50.960 --> 00:49:56.019 And they glory in their shame with mindset on earthly things. 00:49:56.139 --> 00:49:58.400 We need to not have our mindset on earthly things. 00:49:58.500 --> 00:49:59.940 There's a temptation I feel all the time. 00:50:00.940 --> 00:50:03.380 So, we can't have our mindset on earthly things. 00:50:04.579 --> 00:50:05.960 God will help us through this. 00:50:10.039 --> 00:50:11.820 There's a whole bunch of earthly things. 00:50:12.240 --> 00:50:13.300 There's a long list. 00:50:13.639 --> 00:50:15.420 The enemy is always trying to come at us. 00:50:16.199 --> 00:50:17.659 There's all kinds of temptations. 00:50:18.920 --> 00:50:20.619 We just need to pray for grace. 00:50:20.960 --> 00:50:24.039 That the Lord would give us grace to set our minds on things of office. 00:50:25.220 --> 00:50:25.980 Verse 20. 00:50:27.240 --> 00:50:31.420 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:50:31.500 --> 00:50:31.840 21. 00:50:33.360 --> 00:50:38.139 Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body. 00:50:39.340 --> 00:50:44.260 By the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 00:50:45.460 --> 00:50:46.820 This is a really sweet verse. 00:50:46.900 --> 00:50:48.179 There's some really sweet stuff in here. 00:50:48.179 --> 00:50:50.480 Our citizenship is in heaven. 00:50:50.899 --> 00:50:51.679 It's present tense. 00:50:52.199 --> 00:50:53.859 It's present tense. 00:50:53.960 --> 00:50:55.299 That's an important distinction. 00:50:55.440 --> 00:50:56.419 We need to think about this. 00:50:57.279 --> 00:50:58.339 We're citizens of heaven. 00:50:58.679 --> 00:51:00.859 We're not first and foremost American citizens. 00:51:01.460 --> 00:51:04.579 We're not first and foremost of the Cherokee Nation or whatever. 00:51:04.899 --> 00:51:10.119 Or like identifying with ethnicity, nation, whatever. 00:51:10.119 --> 00:51:12.539 We're sons and dogs of the king. 00:51:12.920 --> 00:51:13.759 Citizens of heaven. 00:51:14.179 --> 00:51:14.819 Moving on. 00:51:17.400 --> 00:51:18.579 Verse 4. 00:51:19.579 --> 00:51:20.179 Sorry. 00:51:20.299 --> 00:51:21.859 Verse 1, chapter 4. 00:51:22.519 --> 00:51:27.739 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown stand firm. 00:51:27.739 --> 00:51:30.639 Thus, in the Lord, my beloved. 00:51:33.579 --> 00:51:35.619 There's a crown before us. 00:51:36.500 --> 00:51:37.919 There's a crown before us. 00:51:38.339 --> 00:51:40.099 If we don't give up, we keep going. 00:51:40.739 --> 00:51:46.699 And he talks about his joy and crown being the people he's, by God's grace, disciple. 00:51:46.699 --> 00:51:53.159 So, these are earthly, or these are heavenly values here. 00:51:53.239 --> 00:51:56.579 This is a heavenly value system. 00:51:57.480 --> 00:52:02.799 And he kind of ends up, he kind of wraps it up with this idea. 00:52:03.500 --> 00:52:04.579 I got a quote and stuff. 00:52:05.059 --> 00:52:06.299 I'm going to do this quote. 00:52:06.419 --> 00:52:07.159 We'll end it with a quote. 00:52:07.819 --> 00:52:09.239 So, this is Spurgeon. 00:52:09.239 --> 00:52:10.099 He says, 00:52:10.179 --> 00:52:16.859 How intimately is the whole of our life interwoven with the life of Christ? 00:52:18.039 --> 00:52:21.439 His first coming has been to us salvation. 00:52:22.439 --> 00:52:25.579 And we are delivered from the wrath of God through him. 00:52:26.479 --> 00:52:28.659 We live because he lives. 00:52:28.659 --> 00:52:41.359 And never is our life more glorious, more joyous, than when we look to him most steadily. 00:52:43.119 --> 00:52:44.839 I'm going to read that last one again. 00:52:45.539 --> 00:52:50.019 Never is our life more joyous than when we look most steadily to him. 00:52:52.259 --> 00:52:53.079 Last thought. 00:52:53.559 --> 00:52:54.519 Adam, you can come up. 00:52:54.519 --> 00:52:58.639 We're going to end in some prayer. 00:52:58.960 --> 00:53:02.440 But last thought is to kind of recap all these thoughts and ideas. 00:53:03.880 --> 00:53:06.300 Very simply, we need God for all of this. 00:53:06.840 --> 00:53:08.219 We need the Spirit of God. 00:53:08.519 --> 00:53:09.739 We are desperately needy. 00:53:10.179 --> 00:53:13.920 We're totally dead in the water. 00:53:14.320 --> 00:53:17.780 So, we need the Spirit of God to do all of this in us. 00:53:17.780 --> 00:53:18.539 So, 00:53:18.539 --> 00:53:48.519 We'll be right back.