Press On
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Tim Chang
Philippians 3:12-16 (ESV)
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
Sermon Outline
The Christian life is not meant to be stagnant, but it’s meant to be a journey of an intimate relationship with Jesus that grows and matures over time.
1. Christian maturity is marked by humility (v 12-13).
v12: “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect”
v13: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own”
2. Christian maturity is marked by effort (v 12-14).
v12: “but I press on to make it my own”
v14: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”
v13: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”
3. Christian maturity is marked by being in community (v15-16).
v15-16: “Let those of us who are mature think this way... Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”
Prayer of Confession
Lord God, we have given more weight to our successes and our happiness than to your will. We have eaten without a thought for the hungry. We have spoken without an effort to understand others. We have kept silence instead of telling the truth. We have judged others, forgetful that you alone are the Judge. We have acted in accordance with our opinions rather than according to your commands. Within your church we have been slow to practice love of our neighbors. And in the world, we have not been your faithful servants. Forgive us and help us to live as disciples of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What connected with you from the sermon or the passage?
Describe your journey of Christian maturity. How did it begin? How is it now? What have you needed to mature over time?
In what ways is the call to humility counter intuitive? Whose opinions of you have mattered the most? Why do you think that’s the case?
When have you seen Christian humility modeled well?
In what ways do you need to “forget what lies behind” (v13)? When has this been challenging to do? When have you experienced the freedom and power to do this?
How might God be calling you to offer sneak peaks of heaven just where you are? What might this look like for you?
When have you experienced the beauty and power of community when you’ve been limping along? When have you experienced the power of Jesus by your side when you needed it?