Are You Still In The Race?

ARE YOU STILL IN THE RACE?

Philippians 3:12-14

December 31, 2006

Broadway Baptist Church

Rev Dan Bauder

INTRODUCTION

At the end of every year retailers take an end of the year inventory. It’s good for God’s people to do the same thing and take a spiritual inventory. This morning I’d like for each one of us to think of our spiritual walk as a race. When we repented of our sin and asked Jesus to forgive us and be our Savior and Lord we entered a race that ends at the gates of Heaven. As long as we are still breathing God expects us to be active participants in that race. Paul understood this and that’s why he said what he did in verse 13 and 14 of our text. (Read Phil 3:13-14) To determine if we are truly pressing toward the goal lets ask ourselves some questions.

I. WHY ARE WE HERE? (Why did God place Broadway here?)

A. Was it so we could have a place to worship and fellowship?

1. To many believers treat the church as a member’s only club

a. They see the building as a place only for worship and fellowship of its members. Other than Sunday school, morning worship, Bible study, and VBS, the only activities center on food. (Funeral, baptismal, birthday, and holiday dinners)

i. They care more about the building and who uses it than what it was really intended for. (Tell about Riverview and the paper placed under table legs)

b. God blessed us with a beautiful facility so we can use it to reach out to the community with the Gospel. Are we doing that?

II. WHAT HAS GOD ACCOMPLISHED THRU YOU?

A. Are you running forward or are you just running in place? Track meets would be extremely boring if the runners just ran in place. In the same way our lives as Christians are meaningless if God doesn’t accomplish anything thru us.

1. Thru your prayer life

2. Thru personal evangelism

III. ARE YOU REGULARLY PRAYING FOR AND SUPPORTING YOUR PASTOR AND HIS WIFE?

A. The Pastor can’t do everything by himself. Not only does he need prayer support but he also needs people to get involved in ministry instead of just talking about it.

1. The average stay for a Southern Baptist Pastor is about 2.5 years. The main reason is lack of involvement of members

B. A pastor’s wife shares in their husband’s burden and deserves the same support.

CONCLUSION

No matter how much God does thru us we should never reach the place where we think our job is done. Paul relized this and spent the rest of his life serving Jesus. We’ve asked these questions so we can see in black and white where we are in our walk with the Lord. The question before us now is how are we going to respond.