READ MATTHEW 5:20, LUKE 18:10-11 Pressing On Toward the Goal Following Paul's example: "Join with others

in following my example, brothers and sisters, and take note of those who lives according to the pattern we gave you." (Phil. 3:17) TEXT: Philippians 3:12-21 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already obtained. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Introduction: Living for the Future. Paul, a man oriented to the future. A future-oriented life is one which has certain characteristics: The present is dominated and given purpose by the future goal and is subordinated to that future goal. Until the goal is reached, there's always "more to come", hence purpose, drive, expectancy continue. Such an orientation means that "it's not over 'til it's over." Keep going until the end. To reach the goal is what redeems and sustains the present, and gives meaning to present sufferings and sacrifices. Human life without hope beyond the grave, without a goal which transcends it, is bound by time: the best can come and go before the end, and as time runs out, so the

look is backwards, towards the past. We can fall into the power of inner enemies of our journey with the Lord: stagnation, which means that we stop moving forward, stop growing, stop "pressing on toward the goal"; despair, which means that we lose hope, give up, feel all is lost, there's no point to "press on towards the goal"; and fears, which can paralyze and bind us to what we are, to where we are, to what is, because of the fear of "what if...." Paul urges us and invites us to join with him in pressing on toward the goal, just as God has called him. He still looks and moves forward, not backwards. A. Paul Shares His Way of Following After Christ.(3:12-16) 1. Satisfied and yet not content: not that I have already obtained all this...but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. God can still work in and through him; there still is more of Christ ahead. 2. One thing I do: concentrated on what matters, willing to let go what is secondary and to stick to what is primary. Life is not so much reduced or narrowed as it is centred and oriented around the "one thing". 3. "Forgetting what is behind": not bound by or to his past; forgets hurts and injustices, failures, and even triumphs. 4. I press on ...to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. He knows he has been taken hold of, and has been called...by Christ Jesus and by God. Hence he runs with confidence of finishing well. To press on is primarily inward in his circumstances and his situation, which are not beneath his control. Also, the race is individualized--called me--and each of us will need to be open to God's path for us (remember Jesus' words to Peter "What is that to you ....you follow me." 5. The "prize" is to gain more of Christ, as Paul has already made clear: 1:21, 3:8-10. What this means is given in the whole letter: Christ glorified in the body, here and now as always, the mind of Christ in seeing and serving others, knowing Christ in his grace and his way of the cross, finding Christ sufficient to give contentment in all circumstances, rejoicing always in the Lord. Summary: To follow Christ as Paul, is to keep pressing on toward the goal, knowing that God in Christ has taken hold of us and that we are always to look to what He yet has to give us of Christ and to orient our lives toward His future for us. B. Looking Beyond the Race to the End of All Races and the Final Triumph. (3:17-21)

1. The Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord, will consummate by His power which is already at work in us, transforming us, His purpose and work, triumphing over history and death. History as we know it will be changed and overcome--'swallowed up'. As Paul we too need to look beyond the now and this present age, to dwell on the Coming Triumph and all that it will mean. 2. For now, only partial fullness and enjoyment. We are obsessed with the presentwe have lost a sense of history, of a past from whence we come and from which we receive, and a future, to which we move and to which we must contribute. We want to have it all NOW. The Enemy of the cross says "Rest and take your ease now. Be good to yourself....This is all there is to it...You don't get a second chance." 3. The future which belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ, because it is certain--His power and His triumph--needs to become determinative for our past and our present. Our past is in His hands, and only His evaluation counts, and nothing given to him is lost. The present can be filled with the future and reflect it and be governed by it, patterned after it. 4. We already know of that future, for it is the same resurrection power we know now and the Lord who went to the cross for us who will be the Lord of the future. We expect to go home. Summary: God's call for us extends beyond death and beyond history as we know it. We need to learn to live with the tension of what is, and what will be, and to increasingly fix our eyes and our mind on the final triumph and live in its light and power. CONCLUSION To be oriented to God's future in Christ and to press on towards that future is first of all an inner "mind-set", an inner disposition (note words about thinking or attitude repeated by Paul). It is openness to Christ here and now, eagerness for Christ, here and now, and looking forward eagerly, expectantly to His final work, when this story ends, the last battle is fought, the last chapter written, and the new story begins, in new bodies, a new world, and new people... As C.S. Lewis says, at the end of The Last Battle: All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. Let us, then run with patience the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Forgetting Those Things

Philippians 3:4-14 By Dr. Mark E. Hardgrove

INTRODUCTION I remember an old song sang by Barbra Streisand called, Memories. The words said, It is the good times we will remember, whenever we remember, the way we were. In other words, we choose to forget some things, and to remember others. The truth is that sometimes we fail to forget what we ought to forget, and we fail to remember the things we should remember. My grandmother was like a second mother to me. My father left our family when I was a young teenager and grandma lived next door, so when my mom was at work, she was like another mother. Grandma is 96 years old now and while she can remember many details of her past, and the people she loves, her short-term memory is almost gone. She can't remember what she's just said, or what she's just done and so she reads the same page over and over, and asks the same question over and over. It can be a little humorous. Mom, who stays with her now, said that grandma has a bad habit of taking a bite out of cookies and laying them down. Then she comes back later and finds them and complains, I wish whoever keeps taking bites out of these cookies would stop leaving them all over the house. Mom will tell her, Mommy, you're the one who's doing it. And grandma says, Well I get blamed for everything. If you were writing a list of the things you should forget, that is, to emotionally, spiritually, and practically, leave behind so that you could move on, what would you put on that list? You probably would not list any of your successes. The Apostle Paul in our text gives us a list of some of the things he intends to forget so that he can press on.

The occasion of this text is Paul's response to a group of people called Judaizers, these were Jewish people who attempted to mix elements of the law of Moses with the grace of God given through Christ. They were trying to get Gentile believers to adopt various elements of the Jewish lifestyle in order to insure their salvation. The Apostle Paul, however, consistently confronts these men and declares that you cannot add anything to what God through Christ has done for us. Calvary covers it all! I) JEWISH CLAIMS OF PRIDE Apparently these Judaizers claimed a certain superiority over the Gentiles, probably even pointing out that Jesus Himself was a Jew. Further, they often tried to cast Paul in a negative light to make themselves look better. Paul, however, is ready to pull out his resume and place it up against anything these men had to offer. Look at Paul's resume in verses 4 and 5, it would be enough to make any Jewish man boast. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless (Phil 3:4-5). Let's break it down a little bit.
A. Circumcised on the eighth day. In other words, I was born into the Jewish faith

and my parents scrupulously saw to it from my birth that I was nurtured in the law. Abraham. Edomites could trace their lineage to Abraham through Esau, but Paul could trace his lineage through Jacob, whom God renamed Israel. Paul was saying, I serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Benjamin was the youngest son, born to his favored wife, Rachel. Of all the twelve patriarchs, Benjamin was the only one born in the Promised Land. And it was from the tribe of Benjamin that the first king was chosen.

B. Of the people of Israel. Ishmaelites could trace their lineage through Ishmael to

C. Of the tribe of Benjamin. This was a tribe that was favored by father Jacob.

D. A Hebrew of Hebrews. This means that Paul spoke the Hebrew language. For

the most part Jews spoke Aramaic or even Greek. In fact, the most commonly used source of Scripture among the Jews of Jesus and Paul's day was the Greek translation of the Scriptures called the Septuagint. But the devoutly religious people of Israel learned the original language of the Torah. Paul was one of those who had taken the time to learn the language of his forefathers. spiritual elite among the pious Jews of Paul's day. They were, as Jesus noted, stricter than the Law. They went beyond the law in attempting to separate themselves from the average religious Jews of their day. Their very name, Pharisee, means, The Separated Ones. challenges these Judaizers by reminding them that he had very zealously defended the Law of Moses, even to the point of persecuting the Church. In fact, Paul held the coats of the men who stoned Stephen, the Church's first martyr.

E. A Pharisee. At the peak there were no more than 6,000. But these were the

F. Zealous in defending the law against perceived challengers. In addition, Paul

G. Without fault in striving to obtain righteousness through the law. Paul claims

that when it came to observing the letter of the Law no one could find fault with his lifestyle. He almost challenges them to charge him with an impropriety concerning the Law of Moses.

II) MOVING FROM GOOD TO BETTER (VV 7-11) 7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. After laying out a resume that would have made any Jewish mother proud, and a resume that it is doubtful that the Judaizers could match, Paul says, I consider it all but loss for Christ sake. Paul said, I consider them rubbish, as waste, as refuse compared to what I have gained, and will gain in Christ.

God gave the Law of Moses and the Law is good, but God gave something better when He sent His Only Begotten Son. It's no longer about trying to make myself acceptable, it is now about being accepted through Christ. It's about being something I could never achieve in the flesh. It is about righteousness obtained by faith, and not by works, by love and not by law, by fellowship and not by formality. It is righteousness obtained by relationship and not by ritual, religion, or race. Paul said, It's not more law I want to learn. It's not more religion I want to practice. It's not more favor in the eyes of man that I desire. But I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him [even] in his death. And nothing I desire compares to that!
I.

FORGETTING THOSE THINGS (VV 12-14)

12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Paul admits that the Christian faith is a journey and he hasn't arrived yet. I have a saying that I like to remind myself of from time to time. I say, Mark, you haven't arrived until you get there. Paul said, I've haven't obtained all this yet. I'm not perfect, but I'm in the press. Paul said, This one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize . . .. What is that prize? It is to live and die as a reflection of the character of Christ so that you may obtain the resurrection unto eternal life, of which Jesus was the firstfruits, the example for us to follow. If you don't obtain that, then nothing else matters. Jesus asked, What is a man profited if he gains the whole world and yet loses his soul?

But Paul tells us that in order to press on to the prize, we're going to have to be willing to leave some things behind. What are going to leave behind Paul? Paul said, Those things, those things that once mattered most. Those things that he once took pride in. Those things that once defined him as a man. Those things that others bragged about but Paul considered as dung. Paul said, I'm leaving those things behind so that I can press on to something even better. IV) LEAVING THOSE THINGS BEHIND May I tell you that if we intend to obtain God's blessings, God's provision, God's favor in our lives this year, it may just be that we will have to leave some things behind. If we're not careful we can become so entangled and so encumbered with everything that has happened to us over the course of our life, or even just over the course of the last year, that we fail to move forward? This happens to individuals and to local churches. But we need to make up our minds tonight that we are not going to drag our mistakes, our hurts, our wounds, or our pride into the New Year. Because if we refuse to let go, then all we're going to have is another version of last year. We'll write 2002 on our checks and forms, but we'll be reliving every hurtful word, every wrong turn, and every bad decision simply because we refuse to leave the past behind and move on to the destiny that God has before us. What you going to leave behind?

A. Paul said he was leaving behind those things that he once treasured. Paul

was going to leave behind the good ole days. He had once been proud of his religion, but then he found something better in Jesus. We could sit around and talk about the way it used to be, and the things we used to do, but until we release the past, we can never embrace the future. There is nothing sadder than to meet a minister, or a lay leader, whose entire story

is about what they used to do, who they used to know, where they used to go. I'm not going to dwell on where I've been, I'm looking forward to where God is taking me. I believe God is going to anoint me with fresh oil!
B. Paul said he was going to leave behind tradition. He had been brought up

in the Jewish religion and tradition. As an adult he sought to elevate himself from among his fellows by pursuing a devoutly religious life. But what Paul tells us is that he never found life and until he died. He said, I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. If we're not careful we simply fall into a rut and run in religious circles that lead us back to where we started. Paul was willing to leave behind everything he thought he knew about being religious so that he could enter into relationship. It's not about which version of the Bible we use, or which songbook we sing out of. It's not about doing things the way grandma did it, or the way the denomination has always done it. But leaving behind tradition means that we are willing to honor our past without forsaking our future. We are willing to be grateful for where our fore parents in the faith have brought us, but also being willing to grab the baton and continue the race, and being willing to pass it one to the next generation as well. If we fail in this we'll die in one generation. C. Paul was willing to leave behind his mistakes. Paul testifies in a couple places that he had been guilty of persecuting the Church. I believe Paul would confess that he had been mistaken in this. Paul lists this as one of

those things that he is willing leave behind. If we allow him, Satan will keep us tied to our mistakes, to our guilt and condemnation.

But when you believe that Calvary covers it all, then you are

prepared to move forward. If I didn't believe in the healing balm of Gilead, if I did not believe that His grace is sufficient, if I didn't believe in the blood of Christ that cleanses white as snow, then I would never be able to move forward. But thank God, now I sing, I am free, free, free, I am free. Jesus broke the bands that held me I am free. Life has meaning now for me, I've been given liberty, by the blood of Calvary, I am living, I am free. I've knelt at an altar where the blood was applied. I received forgiveness and I now I can move forward.

A. Finally, Paul was willing to leave behind hatred against any who had wronged him. Paul said, concerning the law, I was blameless. Contrary to those challenging Paul's credentials to preach the Gospel of Grace, Paul declares that he had upheld the highest standards of the law and still decided that God was doing something in Christ that was even better. He could have held anger and malice in his heart toward those who tried to elevate themselves by putting Paul down. But Paul said, I'm leaving those things behind.

Chances are that if you've been serving God for any length of

time, someone has wronged you. I've been lied to, and lied on. I've been talked about and stabbed in the back by people that I thought I could trust. I've had people in the highest levels of church government lie to me. There have been people here who have stood in the parking lot and

attacked my leadership and my vision. I could hold bitterness in my heart. I could return evil for evil, but I've decided to simply leave it in the past and move on.

Not everything, or everyone in life is fair. That's life. I challenge

anyone to show where the Bible tells us that everyone and everything will be fair. It doesn't say that. But what it does say is that God will balance the books someday. Vengence is mine, saith the Lord, I will repay.

I choose to leave all the hurts and wounds in the past and move

on. People who want to attack and talk about others will be stuck in the past with red face and green eyes of jealousy while I walk on with Jesus.

Can you leave the hurts in the past? If you believe that Calvary

covers it all, then it covers even the sins of those who have wronged you, hurt you, deserted, or wounded you. Place them in Jesus' hands and keep on keeping on. You have a God given destiny that awaits you. You have a future filled with God's favour in front of you, but you cannot obtain the prize, until you are willing to release the past and run with patience that race that is before you. I will not allow my yesterdays to rob me of my tomorrows. The prize is too precious to forfeit simply because I would not leave behind those things that have kept me from moving forward. CONCLUSION Is there anything in your life that is keeping you from the prize? The writer of Hebrews said to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doeth so easily beset you and run with patience the race that is before you.

There are people here tonight who have been sabotaging their own future simply because you refuse to let go and move forward in faith. I challenge you not to drag your failure into your future. Leave in the past and let it die. Burry it at the cross and move on with Jesus.