Heaven's Agenda: Press On

August 9th, 2020/Nevei Kodesh Broadcast

Big Idea: What I want us to see in our time together is that guilt will cripple every area of your life, but grace will set you free.

Personal Story: Jess’s Tattoo

I am blessed to have the most wonderful and loving wife on the planet. She is the sweetest and most genuine person that I know. She had grown up in an environment that placed a lot of emphasis on looking and playing the part of a Christian. Showing up at all the church events, wearing the right clothes, and saying the right things. We had many conversations about our pasts and how it was hard to overcome some of the tendencies and habits we learned through these experiences.

It wasn’t until later in our marriage that the reality of our past was beginning to take a toll on our lives. It was in our second year of marriage that we began to foster a 16 month old little boy. We had no idea what we were doing, but we dove head first in loving this little boy like he was our own. Around 9 months in we were faced with a tough decision where we would ultimately have to reunite him back to his birth mom. This tore us apart. I remember loading him in the car and waving goodbye wondering if we’d ever see him again. We spent many nights weeping over the pain of losing this boy that we loved so much. We didn’t know how to handle these types of emotions. Where do you even put that?

Over the next several months we mourned and grieved together. But due to my wife’s upbringing, she quickly began playing the part and would say, “God is in control.” While yes, that is true, the pain and suffering of the loss was never truly dealt with. Guilt and grief not dealt with is like shrapnel to the brain and eventually it begins to tear you apart from the inside out.

In the months that followed her health began to decline as she started having severe heart palpitations and breathing issues. This led to countless doctor visits, trips to the ER, wearing a heart monitor, and many scary nights. It was in this season that God began to reveal that His grace was enough. She didn’t have to carry the weight of guilt, fear, and shame. It was a hard lesson that it was ok to not be ok. That God had a plan much greater in store if she would just surrender the past, surrender the pain, surrender what anyone else thought of her, and fully let go. Let go. Easier said than done right?

God taught my wife and I many valuable lessons throughout this journey, but the one that stands above the rest is that His grace carried us through, and that His grace will carry her on. Not by works, not by our past, not her influence, but His grace! You will never be fully set free if you are carrying the weight of the past.

Background: Paul writing to the church at Philippi

The church at Philippi was founded by the apostle Paul on his second missionary journey, recorded in Acts 16. We are unsure as to the length of time Paul stayed there on his first visit, but we do know that he had a deep love for the people. Paul writes this letter to the church while in prison.

Passage: Philippians 3:12-21 NKJV (Say it 3x)

Pray: (Pause 3-5 seconds)

3 Main Points:

1. The Past is Forgiven (12-13)

   1. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

   2. This passage is preceded by Paul describing in great detail his deepest longing and desire to know Christ “and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” - Phil. 3:10.

      1. He goes on to say here that “I haven’t arrived…” or “I haven’t perfected this…” I believe we can all acknowledge this truth over our lives. I’m making every effort, but I haven’t arrived.

      2. I’m in pursuit over perfection! It’s my deepest pursuit, my deepest longing...

         3. “But ONE thing I do… forgetting the past”

      3. Paul is leaving behind his old credentials and the ground he has already covered. Here’s how I’d apply that: we cannot live out God’s purpose today if we are consumed by our guilt, shame, and regret from the past

      4. Guilt can take on many different forms including both our past failures and successes. Guilt can come in great poverty and prestige. Guilt can show up in your darkest hour or in your shining moment.
      5. Guilt over failure says, “Christ could never use me because I’ve _________” You fill in the blank. Been selfish, wasted my life, made too many mistakes, hurt too many people, neglected my faith...
      6. Grace says, “You are a new creation in Christ, nothing is impossible with God.”
      7. Guilt over success says, “I worked so hard, yet I’ll never truly be good enough.”

      8. Grace says, “Come to me just the way that you are, I’m all you need.”

         4. You are not meant to live with the weight of guilt, but the weight of grace. What weight are you carrying today?

      9. It is not about us having laid hold of Christ, but Christ having laid hold of us!

      10. but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
      11. “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:9-10

      12. The weight of grace is the weight of God’s never ending, never failing, overwhelming love lavished on your life.

          5. Paul writes this letter as someone who had approved of murder and persecuted the same people he is now reaching.

      13. No matter what you’ve done, God’s grace is enough! You are never too far, too bad, or too guilty for God’s grace.

      14. “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:10-12
      15. My Story: If God dealt with me according to my sin then I would come up short every day! I would be hopeless today! He doesn’t meet you in your perfection, but in your doubt, struggle, and despair.

      16. Because of His grace in my life I’m not who I used to be, I’m forgiven, I’m transformed, I’m hope filled, and I’m made new!

          6. As you press on in Christ you press on in purpose!

      17. In Christ your purpose is in front of you.

      18. Illust: rearview mirror vs. windshield

          1. There’s a reason your rearview mirror is smaller than your windshield.
          2. Your rearview mirror is meant to both reveal where you came from, but also to alert you of any potential threats. The windshield on the other hand is much larger and reveals where you are going! It reveals your destination. Pressing on in Christ reveals your destiny!

2. The Present is a Journey (14-16)

   1. 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

   2. Let’s put in the work!

      1. Growth comes through hard work, dedication, and pain…
      2. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I want to run the race, but I don’t want to experience any pain! I don’t want to have to adjust my life or work hard.

      3. Discipline yourself, do the necessary preparation so that you are ready to compete at the highest level.

         3. Let’s run the right race!

      4. The race is not a sprint, it’s the course of your life

      5. “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.” Colossians 1:28-29 ESV
      6. Run the race with Heaven’s Agenda! You have been called to a race, what race are you running?

      7. Question: Is your wisdom, energy, and resources running after proclaiming and maturing others in Christ?

         4. Let’s give it all we have!

      8. Satan is going to say each day…

         1. You’ve made too many mistakes
         2. You can do this on your own
         3. You’re not enough
         4. You’ll end up failing just like before

         5. Give up 2. We run from victory, not toward victory.

         6. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” and “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:31 and 37

         7. “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6
         8. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
         9. The Crucifixion has been applied to your life! The victory has been settled. He came, He died, and He rose, HALLELUJAH, we’ve WON!
         10. My sins are forgiven, I don’t have to walk in guilt or shame, I claim victory over my life, victory over my circumstance, victory over my marriage, victory over my job, because you have a plan and a purpose for my life!
             5. Let’s finish strong!

      9. “You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition.” - 1 Corinthians 9:24-26 MSG

         6. Let’s run together!

      10. “Let us walk” & “Let us be”

      11. We run this race as a team, unified together as the body of Christ. We aren’t against other churches, other believers, other efforts, we are in this thing together!
      12. As a brother and sister in the faith, you will never walk/run alone! We are in it together. We are better together! When we fall, we pick each other back up. When we’re down, we speak truth and life over your circumstances. When you are isolated and lonely, we bring you back into the race!

3. The Future Is Secure (17-21)

   1. 17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

   2. Citizens “citizenship is in heaven…”

      1. As citizens of heaven we live, work, and breathe a different language, values, and mission. As citizens of heaven we are called and adopted to a higher perspective and lifestyle. Follow “my example” and those that live with this “pattern”.
      2. A citizen of heaven should confuse everybody! Why?! Here’s how I’d apply that. A citizen of heaven takes what the enemy and the world wants you to feel guilty over, and uses it to declare the grace of God on our lives! A citizen of heaven lives with endless hope, purpose, and mission.

Back to the Big Idea: You press on toward the mark of the high calling because grace has carried you here, and by grace you will press on! The love I never deserved will carry me on today, tomorrow, and to eternity.

3 Walking Point:

Someone tonight needs to commit to one or maybe all of these walking points.

1. Surrender The Past

   1. Let go of the past hang ups and hurts
   2. Stop holding on to past failures and successes
   3. Unload the weight of guilt and give it to God

   4. Receive His Grace

   5. He wants to carry you through this season

   6. He wants to wrap his arms of love around you today
   7. True freedom is found in Christ alone

   8. Run the race

   9. Run to win

   10. Run with certainty
   11. Finish strong