Sunday Sermon

19th August 2007

Philippians 3: 10 - 14    I Press On Toward The Goal

V 12 - 13. Paul, the great apostle, if anybody, could have felt he had arrived. But no! Rather he is deeply aware of his weakness andfrailty and how far he has to go. (2 Cor.)

His circumstances are not promising. He is in prison, waiting to be executed.

However his eyes are fixed on a goal and a prize.

Paul speaks with urgency. Straining towards = "Going flat out". Wm. Barclay.

What is your goal?

What is important to you? What do you give your time and money to? Is it rubbish? Does your goal match God's goal for you? Are you making progress? Going flat out?

Paul's old goals were rubbish!

V 1 - 8. Confidence in the flash. Things that were sear to him. Things that made him feel important or superior. Things that gave him status, pride and self righteousness.

V 13. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind - - - He was really focused. Are we?

What was Paul's new goal?

V 14. Ultimately - Heaven. This life is just a stepping stone to eternity.

V 10. Four things he wants to know. Know = personal experience and relationship.

A. I want to know Christ.

This for Paul was "surpassing greatness" - not to knaw about Christ but to know Him.

"God's aquaintance is not made hurriedly. To be much alone with God is the secret of knowing Him and of influence with Him"  E. M. Bounds.

Catherine Marshall's experience of Christ at her husband's heart attack and death.

Knowing who He is for us. He is our righteousness. 3:9.

B. And the power of His resurrection.

"A dynamic power (dunamis = dynamite) which operated in the life of the individual christian." Barclay.

An overflowing of Christ's resurrection life is in us through the Holy Spirit. Resurrection power blasting in our minds, hearts and lives.

 C. And the fellowship of sharing His sufferings.

"Christ and His cross are never parted." Thomas Watson. 1 Peter 4: 12 - 13.

D. Becoming like Him in His death.

"To know Christ means that we share in the way He walked, we share in the cross He bore and we share in the death He died."  Wm. Barclay. Mark 8: 34. Col. 3:5.

I press on to take hold of that - V 12.

God has taken hold of us. We are "in His grip."

What is yout "that" - God's purpose for you which He is calling you to grasp hold of?

Forgetting what lies behind - V 13.

Past failures, disappointments, successes. Press on!

Some of my personal goals that I am going flat out for.

1. To be a good husband and father.

2. Christlikeness. Reading the Bible and heart penetrating books looking for God to speak to my

     heart about actions, speech, attitudes. Thomas Watson "Beatitudes." Psalm 139 23 - 24.

3. To become increasingly a channel for the Holy Spirit. To enable Him to move freely and in power.

     To grow in spiritual gifts and words of knowledge. To catch the wind of the Spirit. To live under His

     hovering presence. Building faith for this continually - "God's Generals." by R. Liardon.

Willaim Booth was asked the secret of his spiritual power.

He answered "God has every bit of me."