TOPIC: MOVING ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Text: Philippians 3:12-14
"12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, 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, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Introduction:
(ILL. Sid the Caterpillar – Moving to the next level). Sid did not just believed but he made a DECISION to act on it. (90% decision/choice & 10 % event). “Success is not a matter of chance, it’s a choice.” We have a saying, “Huwag tayong tumanda ng paurong!” This truth is also true with Christian Life. We either keep on growing and move to the next level of our faith or we stop from growing and stagnate. And many Christians starts well but do not finish well. Our theme for today is MOVING ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL. Let’s open our Bible in Filipos 3:12-14 (read). The book of Philippians is one of the letters that was being written by Paul inside the prison cell and yet the theme of this book is joy. In fact, the most joyous book in the Bible comes from the pen of an author chained to a Roman guard. Prison offers Paul one precious commodity: Time to think and reflect. And from our text today I want to give you at least Three DECISIONS we need to make to move on to the next level.
1. Paul’s DESIRE
Paul who is a spiritual giant to many desires to grow more in Christ, to move forward to the next level. Here Paul repeatedly said the statement, v. 12a, “12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,…” v. 13a, “13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.…” This shows Paul’s desires to grow even more in Christ compare to what he already accomplished – vv. 7-11, “7 But whatever was to my profit (vv. 3-6) I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What 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 9 and 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. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” God gave us the desires and it is for us to decide Filipos 2:13, “13 Sapagkat ang Diyos ang nagbibigay sa inyo ng pagnanasa at kakayahang maisagawa ang kaniyang kalooban.” Many Christians once they became one stop to grow in their Christian life simply because they taught they are already a Christian. Many people don’t have any more the desire to grow more in Christ because of who they are and what they already accomplished. Especially if they already have a lot of title in their names such as Deacon, Elder, Pastor, Reverend, Bishops, Dr/PhD, etc. Many people have a calling card with all those titles. “Marami may calling card pero wala naming calling!” I am not saying that this is wrong but it should not make our desires to grow even more stop. In Mateo 28:19-20a, “19 Kaya, humayo kayo at gawin ninyong alagad ko ang lahat ng bansa. Bautismuhan ninyo sila sa ngalan ng Ama at n Anak at ng Espiritu Santo, 20 at turuang sumunod sa lahat ng ipinag-uutos ko sa inyo." Here we can see that growing in Christian life is not an option it is a command. What Jesus wants is a disciple, not just a member and a disciple is a learner. (ILL. Jolo said – “Bakit pa ako papasok, magtatrabaho na ako, kasi hindi ba nga graduate na ako!”) Paul’s desires burn even more as he grows in Christ! Do we have that kind of desires?
2. Paul’s DETERMINATION
Twice in our text Paul after he declared the misconceptions that people might think when it comes to continuous growing in Christ he said v. 12b, “…but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ” v. 13, “But one thing I do…” From this verses Paul’s reason of his determination to grow even more was clearly stated – v. 12b, “but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.” (AMPV). First Paul Knew HIS POSITION before God – That he belongs to God, he sees himself as God sees himself, remember Paul called himself the chief of the sinners and yet this things doesn’t bother him anymore because he knows his position before the one who gave Himself to the cross for him – Galatia 2:20, “At kung ako ma’y buhay hindi na ako ang nabubuhay kundi si Cristo ang nabubuhay sa akin. At habang ako’y nasa daigdig, namumuhay ako sa pananalig sa Anak ng Diyos na umibig sa akin at nag-alay ng kaniyang buhay para sa akin” Second Paul Lived HIS PURPOSE from God – Roma 8:28, “28 Alam nating sa lahat ng bagay, ang Diyos ay gumagawang kasama ang mga nagmamahal sa kaniya, ang mga tinawag ayon sa kaniyang panukala, sa kanilang ikabubuti.” that Christ laid for him a divine purpose, Jesus set for him a journey, a race to finish. (ILL. Eagle vs. Chicken) Third Paul Understood HIS PROGRESS with God – position and purpose will be nothing if we do not act on it and moving on forward – “Ang ginagawa ko ngayo’y…Nagpapatuloy nga ako…” Paul was able to move on , to progress because he is so focus in his life – first he forget what is behind, then he strained or reach out, to go for what is ahead then he press on toward the goal. All this is has to do with race, in order for a runner to progress he need to know his position, then his purpose, then he need to run, there is no runner who runs that his concerns is what people is saying, or what he looks like, etc but his eyes is focus on the finish line. And to Paul nothing can stop him from finishing it; even imprisonment cannot stop him to grow in Christ. He is so determined to go to the next level. (ILL. Running & John Akwari). What stop you from going to the next level, from growing?
3. Paul’s DEVOTION
v. 14, “14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.".” Paul is so devoted, dedicated, committed, loyal and faithful to Jesus Christ. He is not running his race for himself or for his friend or for anybody, nor for anything he do it because of Jesus. His eyes is totally focus, devoted to Jesus – Hebreo 12:1-3, “1 Yamang naliligid tayo ng makapal na saksi, iwaksi natin ang kasalanan, at ang anumang balakid na pumipigil sa atin, at tayo’y buong tiyagang magpatuloy sa takbuhing nasa ating harapan. 2 Ituon natin ang ating paningin kay Jesus na siyang pinagmulan ng ating pananampalataya, at siya ring nagpapasakdal nito. Dahil sa kagalakang naghihintay sa kaniya, hindi niya ikinahiya ang mamatay sa krus, at siya ngayo’y nakaluklok sa kanan ng trono ng Diyos. 3 Isip-isipin ninyo kung gaano ang tiniis niyang paglaban sa mga makasalanan upang hindi kayo manlupaypay o panghinaan ng loob.” (ILL. A man giving himself just for his wife – the wife even the king is so handsome didn’t notice it because his eyes is on his husband who is willing to give himself for her.) Paul is totally devoted to Jesus and to the authority, the lordship of Jesus Christ! Why do we do things, what motivate us from doing things, from pressing on, from growing?
Conclusion:
Are we still moving forward? DESIRE, DETERMINATION & DEVOTION is what we need to go forward to the next level of our faith.
(ILL. Between an airplane and every other form of locomotion and transportation there is one great contrast. The horse and wagon, the automobile, the bicycle, the locomotive, the speedboat, and the great battleship—all can come to a standstill without danger, and they can all reverse their engines, or their power, and go back. But there is no reverse about the engine of an airplane. It cannot back up. It dare not stand still. If it loses its momentum and forward-drives, then it crashes. The only safety for the airplane is in its forward and upward motion. The only safe direction for the Christian to take is forward and upward. If he stops, or if he begins to slip and go backward, that moment he is in danger.)
