REMEMBERING OUR HOPE AS BELIEVERS
Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
INTRODUCTION: JESUS WAS VERY DIRECT WHEN HE TOLD US IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT TO BE PRESENT MINDED, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING ANXIETY ABOUT TOMORROW. HE REMINDED US OF GOD’S CARE AND CONCERN FOR US. PAUL ALSO REITERATED THIS THOUGHT WHEN HE SPOKE TO THE CHURCH OF THESSALONICA AND EXHORTED THEM THAT THEY NEEDED TO WORK IF THEY WANTED TO EAT. IN ESSENCE, SOME IN THAT CHURCH WERE TOO HEAVENLY MINDED TO BE ANY EARTHLY GOOD.
WELL, THIS PASSAGE THIS MORNING ENCOURAGES US TO TAKE SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT OUR FUTURE, OUR BLESSED HOPE.
TRANSITION: JUST AS THIS WEEKEND CELEBRATES AMERICA’S HOPE FOR INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM, SO THE CHRISTIAN HAS A HOPE AS WELL.
PROPOSITION: THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST CANNOT FORGET WHERE HE IS HEADED!
I. THE REALITY OF OUR CITIZENSHIP IN HEAVEN
a. IT HAS A DEFINED PLACE – HEAVEN
i. HEAVEN IS THE PLACE OF GOD’S RESIDENCE
ii. HEAVEN IS THE PLACE OF CHRIST’S PREPARATION FOR US
b. IT HAS A DEFINED RESPONSIBILITY
i. CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED PROMOTION
1. CITIZENS OF ROME PROMOTED THEIR CITY
2. THEY SPOKE POSITIVELY OF ROME
ii. CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED DIGNITY
1. CITIZENS ACTED AND BEHAVED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO DEFINE THEMSELVES AS ROMANS
2. SINCE CITIZENSHIP WAS EARNED EITHER BY BIRTH OR DEED, IT WAS VALUABLE
3. ROMAN CITIZENSHIP BROUGHT WITH IT CERTAIN RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES
c. OUR CITIZENSHIP
i. IT IS IN HEAVEN
ii. IT CARRIES WITH IT THE SAME RESPONSIBILITIES OF ROMAN CITIZENSHIP
1. PROMOTION
2. DIGNITY
iii. FAILURE OF TRANSFER
1. JUST LIKE WHEN WE MOVE INTO A DIFFERENT STATE, WE NEED TO TRANSFER OUR RESIDENCE
a. DRIVERS LICENSE
b. ADDRESS
c. BILLS
d. SUBMIT TO A NEW COMMUNITY
2. TRANSFERRING OUR CITIZENSHIP TO HEAVEN IS SIMILAR
a. HAVING A RETURN OF CHRIST MINDSET AND MANNER
b. AFFECTS HOW WE VIEW OTHERS
c. AFFECTS HOW WE VIEW SIN
d. AFFECTS HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES
e. MOTIVATE US TOWARDS PURITY
1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
IF WE ARE MOTIVATED BY THE RETURN OF CHRIST, THEN WE ARE TO BE MOTIVATED TOWARDS PURITY AND THAT SHOULD AFFECT OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS, TOWARD SIN, AND TOWARDS OUR OWN PERSONAL CONDUCT
II. THE ANTICIPATION OF THE RETURN OF CHRIST
a. “EAGERLY WAIT”
i. MEANS TO BE ON YOUR TIPTOES
ii. MEASURE OF EXCITEMENT
iii. CONTROLLED, YET EVIDENT
b. WAITING FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST
i. FOCUSED ON THE PERSON OF CHRIST
ii. BASED ON THE VALIDITY OF HIS RESURRECTION
1. RESURRECTION REVEALED THE EQUALITY OF CHRIST
Romans 1:4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,
2. RESURRECTION REVEALED OUR JUSTIFICATION BEFORE GOD
Romans 4:25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
3. RESURRECTION REVEALED OUR SUPERNATURAL VICTORY OVER SIN
Hebrews 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
4. RESURRECTION REVEALED THE EVIDENCE OF OUR OWN FUTURE RESURRECTION
Philippians 3:21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
a. CHRIST IS LIVING
b. BECAUSE CHRIST IS LIVING, WE WILL LIVE
c. BECAUSE CHRIST WAS TRANSFORMED, WE WILL BE TRANSFORMED
III. THE TRANSFORMATION AT CHRIST’S RETURN
a. WE WILL BE TRANSFORMED
i. WORD MEANS TO CHANGE THE OUTWARD FORM OF
ii. WE ARE TRANSFORMED FROM SOMETHING AND INTO SOMETHING
b. WE ARE TRANSFORMED FROM OUR HUMBLE STATE
i. HUMBLED BY DISEASE
ii. HUMBLED BY AGE
iii. HUMBLED BY EMOTION
iv. HUMBLED BY SIN
c. WE ARE TRANSFORMED INTO SOMETHING
i. WE ARE TRANSFORMED INTO CONFORMITY WITH THE GLORIFIED BODY OF CHRIST
ii. IDENTICAL IN ESSENCE
iii. IDENTICAL IN CHARACTER
iv. IT COMPLETES MY PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
d. THE TRANSFER OF CONTROL
i. ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY CHRIST
ii. ALL THINGS WILL NOW COME UNDER THE SUBJECT OR CONTROL OF CHRIST
iii. NO SIN
iv. NO EVIL
v. NO PERSECUTION OF BELIEVERS
vi. ALSO, EVERYTHING WE PRIZE WILL COME UNDER HIS CONTROL.
THE RETURN OF CHRIST IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TOWARDS, ENGAGED IN DAILY, AND PREPARING FOR CONTINUALLY.
IT BEGINS WITH THE WORLD AND THOSE AROUND ME. IF CHRIST IS RETURNING, IT SHOULD AFFECT WHAT I DO NOW.
IF I DO NOT EXPECT CHRIST TO RETURN, THEN THERE IS NO REASON TO WORRY ABOUT THE LOST
IF I EXPECT CHRIST TO RETURN, THEN I NEED TO HAVE A LIFE ALTERING CONCERN FOR THOSE AROUND ME WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST AS SAVIOR
IF I EXPECT CHRIST TO RETURN, IT SHOULD BE EVIDENT IN MY PRIORITIES, AND IN MY ACTIVITIES,
AM I PREPARED FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST?
