Partners for Eternity
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 13th November 2010
Passage: Philippians 3:12-4:1
00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 Good morning friends, I'd like to echo that from Sam, if you'd like to grab your Bibles,
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 Philippians chapter 3, and let's pray.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:17 Father God, we ask as we do open your word now, we do pray that you would help us to
00:00:17 --> 00:00:25 heed the warning of this passage, but also rejoice in the promise, and I ask Father that
00:00:25 --> 00:00:29 you would enable us to pursue you, to go hard after you, and we ask it for your sake.
00:00:29 --> 00:00:29 Amen.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:38 This is a radio conversation between the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln
00:00:38 --> 00:00:44 and Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1995.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 Canadians, come on first.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 Please divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid collision.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:59 Americans, I recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the north to avoid collision.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 Canadians, negative.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:06 You'll have to divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid collision.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:11 Americans, this is the captain of a US Navy warship.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 I say again, divert your course.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 Canadians, no.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:29 Americans, this is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, the second largest ship in the
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 United States Atlantic fleet.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:35 We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers and numerous support vessels.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:39 I demand that you change your course 15 degrees north.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 I say again, that's one five degrees north.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:47 Or countermeasures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 There's a bit of a pause in the radio conversation at this point.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 And the Canadians come on.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:55 This is a lighthouse.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:56 Your call.
00:01:56 --> 00:02:08 There are a number of points in the Bible where we get similar warnings in order to change course
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 in view of what is up ahead in the future.
00:02:11 --> 00:02:18 And Philippians 3 is one of those passages which has a clear warning in there.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 Amongst the encouragement, there is a clear warning.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:26 This is the fourth installment in our commitment series, Partners for Life.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 The title of this talk is Partners for Eternity.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 However, late last night I decided to change it.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 And I've called it Partners in Going Hard After God.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:42 From Philippians 3, I want to show you why we must go hard after God.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 And I want to encourage you to go hard after God.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:55 And I want to persuade you that the pursuit of God is not optional, even after conversion.
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 For this passage is written to Christians.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 The warning is to Christians.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:12 I take it those Paul describes in verse 18 as living as enemies of the cross of Christ
00:03:12 --> 00:03:16 are those who have given up going hard after God.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:20 They are the ones who have given up, pressing forward, pursuing God.
00:03:21 --> 00:03:25 You see, this is a warning that Paul has issued before and he does it here again.
00:03:25 --> 00:03:33 He says it with tears because verse 19 says that the destiny of the enemy of the cross of Christ
00:03:33 --> 00:03:34 is destruction.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:40 He could not have used stronger language in issuing this warning.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 The destruction that he has in mind here is eternal destruction.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:48 And that is why we must go hard after God.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 Because the warning is clear.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 The destiny you don't want to mess with.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 Paul says three things about the enemy of the cross of Jesus.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 He says their lives are characterized by three things.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:07 It says here that they have their mind on earthly things.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 Literally, their mind is set on earthly things.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:13 It's not just they think about them, but they're actually set on earthly things.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 At the very center of their life is the world and its thinking and its priorities.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 They think like the world thinks.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 Their thinking is not directed by the word of God, the Bible,
00:04:24 --> 00:04:31 but by popular culture, by social trends, by what everyone else is doing and thinking.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:36 When there is a clash between the scriptures and popular influences,
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 the Bible loses out every time for these people.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 Do you remember what Jesus said to Peter?
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 Very strong warning.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:53 When Peter had his mind on earthly things and tried to discourage Jesus from going to the cross.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 You remember that encounter?
00:04:55 --> 00:05:00 Jesus turned to his best mate and called him the name of his worst enemy.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 Get behind me, Satan.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:04 Why?
00:05:04 --> 00:05:12 Because you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 Your mind is on earthly things.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 You are thinking like everyone else thinks.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:25 Peter wanted Jesus without a cross, but a Jesus without a cross is no savior and he's no lord.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:29 The enemy of the cross has their mind set on earthly things.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:33 It also says that they glory in their shame.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:39 The very sins that Jesus died for on the cross are the very things that they continue to do and they continue to delight in.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:45 They may even call themselves Christians, but they don't live it.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 It's like as if those sins don't matter.
00:05:48 --> 00:05:54 To glory in shame is to keep doing the very things that God hates and think it doesn't matter.
00:05:54 --> 00:06:03 It's even to have a strong confidence in that I am saved by grace alone and Jesus is just going to keep forgiving me.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 And my sin doesn't matter.
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 It is a blasé approach to holiness.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 The technical term for it is cheap grace.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 It's a blasé approach to the mortification of sin.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 It's to glory in shame.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:25 Of course these people would tick the box on the big sins and go, well, you know, I don't do those things.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:30 List off the Ten Commandments, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, all fine and dandy.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 But what about the acceptable sins?
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 God wants to deal with those things that we find acceptable amongst us.
00:06:38 --> 00:07:01 God wants to deal with those things.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:07 When you go hard after God, those stones get turned over and God wants to deal with them.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:17 It is painful and it is raw to allow God to weed around in those closely held sins because the life of sin is so easy.
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 It is so attractive.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 It feels so good.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 But be warned.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 Destiny is destruction.
00:07:28 --> 00:07:35 It also says that the enemy of God has their stomach as their God.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 That is, their gut is their God.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 What that means is they pander their physical desires and urges.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 What I feel like doing is what I do.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 What I want to do is what I do.
00:07:48 --> 00:07:58 And so the words of Jesus for these people, where he says, deny yourself, take up your cross and come follow me, those words have been forgotten.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:04 They have come to Christ, but don't want to keep denying themselves.
00:08:06 --> 00:08:12 The enemy of the cross of Christ has destruction as their destiny.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:17 Friends, the cross of Christ is where the war on God ended.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:23 It is where Jesus dealt with our sin, forgave our sin, forgave our rebellion.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:30 And it is only, only through Jesus that we are ever able to escape the destiny of destruction.
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 So why go hard after God in Christ?
00:08:36 --> 00:08:42 Because destruction is the destiny of those who don't.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 And do you hear the warning of this passage?
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 It's not just saying, yeah, I trust in Jesus, I believe in Jesus.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 And leaving it at that.
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 It is going hard after God because he's gone hard after me.
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 Moment by moment, day by day, week after week, month after month, year after year.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:09 We also get another reason why we should go hard after God in verse 20.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:15 But our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:09:15 --> 00:09:19 who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control,
00:09:19 --> 00:09:23 will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:31 The alternative destination is citizenship of heaven, where the Lord Jesus reigns.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 And that is why we should go hard after God.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 Because it is where Jesus is.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 Citizenship is crucial.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 It is very important.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:43 And by and large, it is something that most of us take for granted.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:47 It's something we didn't take for granted at the end of last year,
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 when we were pursuing citizenship for some of our members.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 Life and death were at stake.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 That is how important citizenship is.
00:09:57 --> 00:10:02 But when you're born in a country like Australia, you just take it for granted.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 Until you go to the United States and then you appreciate it a little bit more.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:14 Citizenship is crucial because it provides protection and care and significance.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 If you are a refugee, a citizen of no country,
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 and there is no one to protect you,
00:10:21 --> 00:10:26 all of a sudden life becomes very, very nervous.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 For instance, over 100 years ago,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:39 a Spanish court condemned to death a man for a crime that he apparently committed.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:44 However, this man was an American citizen and he was British by birth.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:49 And the two ambassadors of those respective countries said,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 you cannot condemn this man to death.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 The Spanish basically ignored that.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:59 And they marched him out to put him up against the wall
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 to kill him by firing squad.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 Right behind the firing squad
00:11:05 --> 00:11:09 came the ambassadors of those two countries.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 They walked out with them
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 and they each had a flag
00:11:13 --> 00:11:17 and they wrapped the man in one of their respective country flags
00:11:17 --> 00:11:21 as he stood there on the wall of the firing squad.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 And the two ambassadors said,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 we dare you to fire a shot.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 If you fire a shot,
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 we will bring both of our empires down on top of Spain.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 And the guns were lowered
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 and they all walked away.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:43 That is what citizenship does for you.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 There he was standing in front of a bunch of guys
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 with guns aimed at him
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 and he was wrapped in simple cotton
00:11:52 --> 00:11:56 and yet he might as well have been wearing armour plating.
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 He was impervious to destruction.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 As a friend of the cross,
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 you are impervious to destruction.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:10 Trusting Jesus means that your citizenship is in heaven
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 and your destiny is not destruction.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 Instead of destruction,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 in fact, it's a new body fit for eternity
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 is what it says there.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 Did you see that?
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 He's not just changing us on the inside,
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 that's what he's doing now,
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 but he's actually going to give us bodies
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 which are completely new,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 fit for eternity in heaven.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 Bodies that don't need to cry.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 Bodies that won't feel unloved.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 Bodies that won't feel lonely.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 Bodies that won't feel sad.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 Bodies that will never grow tired.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 Bodies that won't break down on you.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 Notice too that Paul didn't say
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 that your citizenship will be in heaven.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 It is because Christ has already grabbed hold of you,
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 your citizenship is in heaven.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 If you're a Christian,
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 you are already a citizen of heaven.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 You are already impervious to destruction.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 That is the home that you are heading for.
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 And that is why the citizen of heaven,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:14 who understands that they are a citizen of heaven,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 don't just wait.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 They eagerly wait.
00:13:18 --> 00:13:23 They eagerly wait for their saviour to come.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 We are eagerly busting to be there
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 because it's where Jesus is.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:33 Verses 12 to 16 show us
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 what this eagerly waiting looks like.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 And let me say that these verses
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 explode the false logic
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 that says if Christ has found us,
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 we don't need to find him anymore.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 We no longer need to seek him
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 if we have been found by Christ.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 Paul's reasoning is in fact the exact opposite.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 I press on in order to gain Christ
00:13:59 --> 00:14:02 because Christ has already gained me.
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 Verse 12,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 not that I've already obtained all this
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 or have already been made perfect,
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 but I press on to take hold of that
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 Brothers, I do not consider myself
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 yet to have taken hold of it.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 One thing I do,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 forgetting what is behind
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 and straining towards what is ahead,
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 I press on towards the goal
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 to win the prize
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 which God has called me heavenward
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 in Christ Jesus.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 All of us who are mature
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 should take such a view of things
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 and if on some point you think differently,
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 that too God will make clear to you.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 Only let us live up
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 to what we have already attained.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 You see,
00:14:46 --> 00:14:50 Paul did not see his conversion to Christ
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 as a cage to hold him back
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 but as a catapult to pursue righteousness.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:02 The irresistible grace of Christ
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 overcoming Paul's rebellion
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 did not make Paul passive.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:10 It made him powerful
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 in pursuing holiness.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 The best commentary on these verses
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 I think is back in chapter 2,
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 verses 12 and 13
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 which says,
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 work out your salvation.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 Work at it,
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 work at it,
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 work at it.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 Why?
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 Because it is God who is working in you.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:33 In calling Christians
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 to go hard after God,
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 Paul in no way
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 undermines salvation by grace alone.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 He simply confirms it.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 Twice in these verses
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 he affirms it is God
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 who has taken hold of him.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 But in the very same verses
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 he calls us to take hold of Christ,
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 to pursue,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 to press on,
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 go hard after God.
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 You see what Paul's saying here?
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 Our work
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 in pursuing God
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 is his work
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 for his glory
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 when done
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 in dependence
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 on his sovereign grace.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:21 I'll say that again.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 Our work
00:16:24 --> 00:16:27 is his work
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 for his glory
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 when done
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 in dependence
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 on his
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 sovereign grace.
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 The most fundamental reason
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 why the Christian
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 must go hard
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 after Christ
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 is that Christ
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 is in them
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 moving them
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 to go hard
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 after him.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 And it's in this
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 that Paul sets himself up
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 as a model to follow
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 in verse 17.
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 He says,
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 follow my example,
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 brothers,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 and take note
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 of those who live
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 according to the pattern
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 that we gave you.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 What was the pattern
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 of life for Paul?
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 Verse 10,
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 I want to know Christ
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 and the power
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 of his resurrection
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 and the fellowship
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 of sharing
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 in his sufferings,
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 becoming like him
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 in his death,
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 and so somehow
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 to attain
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 the resurrection
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 from the dead.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 What was Paul's
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 pattern of life?
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 I just want to know
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 Jesus
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 and I want to be
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 like Jesus.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 His whole focus
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 in life
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 was being made
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 more and more
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 like Jesus
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 until the day
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 he meets Jesus
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 face to face.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 For me to live
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 is Christ
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 and to die
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 is gain
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 is what he said
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 in chapter 1
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 verse 21.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 It is a spurious
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 logic
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 which insists
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 that if we
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 have found Christ
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 we no more
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 need to seek Christ.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 As one writer
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 put it last century,
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 to have found God
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 and still
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 to pursue him
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 is the soul's
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 paradox
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 of love.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 Scorned
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 indeed
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 by the two
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 easily satisfied
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 religiousists
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 but justified
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 in happy
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 experience
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 by the children
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 with a burning
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 heart.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 Or
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 put probably
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 more simply
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 by another guy
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 who was even
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 older than him
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 wherever
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 there is
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 true grace
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 there is a
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 desire
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 for more
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 grace.
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 grace.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 Wherever
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 there is
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 true grace
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 there is
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 a desire
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 for more
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 grace.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 The evidence
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 that you
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 have Christ
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 is that you
00:18:45 --> 00:18:45 want more
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 of Christ.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 Continued
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 indifference
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 to growth
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 in grace
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 is a sign
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 of no
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 grace
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 and that
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 my friends
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 is why
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 we need
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 to go
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 hard
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 after God.
00:18:56 --> 00:19:00 Because
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 either
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 you're a
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 citizen
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 of heaven
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 or the
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 warning
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 is
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 destruction
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 is your
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 destiny.
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 So
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 what can
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 we learn
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 from Paul's
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 example?
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 How do
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 we go
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 hard
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 after God?
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 I think
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 there's
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 at least
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 three things
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 in this
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 passage.
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 Firstly
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 develop
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 holy
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 dissatisfaction.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 That's
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 the first
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 thing.
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 Paul says
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 here,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 brothers,
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 I do
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 not consider
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 myself
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 yet to
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 have
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 taken
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 hold
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 of it.
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 Paul's
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 pursuit
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 of Christ
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 rises
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 out of
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 a profound
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 dissatisfaction
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 with the
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 way he
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 is.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 And I
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 just
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 ponder
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 this.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 Could
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 it be
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 that there
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 is a
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 connection
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 between
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 how
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 little
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 earnest
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 pursuit
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 of God
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 there is
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 today
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 and how
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 much
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 we are
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 told to
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 think
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 well of
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 ourselves?
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 It's
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 not a
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 topic
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 that I
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 haven't
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 raised
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 before.
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 It is
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 a wonderful
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 thing to
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 have been
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 taken
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 possession
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 by
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 Christ
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 but it
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 is a
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 thousand
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 times
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 more
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 wonderful
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 when we
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 realise
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 that he
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 has taken
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 possession
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 of people
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 who remain
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 sinful.
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 people.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 The first
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 step in
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 going hard
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 after the
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 holy God
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 then is
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 to develop
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 a holy
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 dissatisfaction
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 with your
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 spiritual
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 life.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 What
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 comes more
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 naturally to
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 us however
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 is a
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 dissatisfaction
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 with other
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 people's
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 spiritual
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 life.
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 That is
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 a more
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 natural
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 thing.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 It is
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 very easy
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 to point
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 the finger
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 and say
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 well that
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 person
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 doesn't
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 come to
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 church
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 very often
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 and that
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 person's
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 never
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 involved
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 and that
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 person's
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 always got
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 excuses and
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 that person
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 doesn't pray
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 so clearly
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 and
00:20:45 --> 00:20:52 dissatisfaction
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 dissatisfaction
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 dissatisfaction
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 all around
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 me.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 Disappointment
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 all around
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 me.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 Being able
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 to point
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 out others
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 lack of
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 pursuit of
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 God doesn't
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 actually mean
00:21:05 --> 00:21:05 that I am
00:21:05 --> 00:21:07 pursuing God.
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 Just thought
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 I want to
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 make that
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 clear.
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 It is not
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 a sign of
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 maturity to
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 be able
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 to identify
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 other
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 people's
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 immaturity.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 Stand in
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 front of
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 the mirror
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 of the
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 word and
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 recognize
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 that you
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 have not
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 yet
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 arrived.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 The
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 hearty
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 admission
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 of our
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 spiritual
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 imperfections
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 is the
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 starting
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 point for
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 the
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 pursuit
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 of
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 God.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 The
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 mortification
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 of pride
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 friends.
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 I think
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 I have
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 spoken about
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 that a
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 few
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 times.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 That is
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 where it
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 begins.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 I think
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 that real
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 humbling
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 guilt is
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 extraordinarily
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 rare.
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 And I
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 think that
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 99% of
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 our bad
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 feelings about
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 ourselves is
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 actually rooted
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 in pride.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 For example,
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 suppose you go to
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 a dinner party
00:21:55 --> 00:21:57 and you discover
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 that you've turned
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 up with the
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 wrong gear on.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 You haven't
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 dressed appropriately
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 for the occasion.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 You then knock
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 your coffee over
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 on the table.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 The joke you
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 attempt to make
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 falls flat.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 you call your
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 host by the
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 wrong name,
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 you tread on
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 his dog's
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 tail and
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 you make
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 the kids
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 cry.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 You go away
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 from that
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 and how do
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 you feel?
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 You feel
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 rotten.
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 You feel
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 rotten.
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 Who's ever
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 done that,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 by the way?
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 Anyone?
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 Yeah.
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 A few
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 people.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 Yeah, you
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 feel rotten.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 You hate
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 yourself, you're
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 depressed, you
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 don't want to
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 show your
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 face.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 Where do
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 all these
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 depressing,
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 immobilizing,
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 self-denouncing
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 feelings come
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 from?
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 Is the
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 answer God's
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 offended glory or
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 your offended
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 pride?
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 People who
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 are depressed
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 and immobilized
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 and angry
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 because their
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 behavior has
00:22:53 --> 00:22:55 injured, has
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 actually injured
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 the glory of
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 God are
00:22:59 --> 00:23:01 very, very,
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 very rare.
00:23:03 --> 00:23:07 But people
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 who are
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 depressed and
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 immobilized and
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 angry because
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 their behavior has
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 prevented them from
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 having a reputation
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 of being social,
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 intelligent and
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18 competent are
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 very, very,
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 very common.
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 When I call us
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 to develop a
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 holy dissatisfaction
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 with our spiritual
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 life, I am
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 asking for
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 something rare,
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 not something
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 common.
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 I am asking
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 us to feel
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 worse that we
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 possess so
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 little of
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 Christ that
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 we have such
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 little communion
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 with God.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 The first
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 step in going
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 hard after God
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 is to feel
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 bad about the
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 right things.
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 Friends,
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 develop a
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 holy dissatisfaction
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 with your
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 spiritual life.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 The second
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 step is going
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 hard after God,
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 I think,
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 is in verse
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 13, to
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 forget those
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 things which
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 lie behind.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 I take this
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 to mean that
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 anything in
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 your or our
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 collectively as
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 a church,
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 our background
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 which hinders
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 the pursuit
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 of God
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 should be put
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 out of our
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 minds.
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 The point
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 is this.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 The point
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 is don't
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 ever look
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 back.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 The point
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 is only
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 look back
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 for the sake
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 of pressing
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 forward.
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 And generally
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 churches are not
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 good at that.
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 We like
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 looking back.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 And the longer
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 we look back,
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 the more likely
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 we will
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 become a
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 museum.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 We
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 ought only
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 ever look
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 back for
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 the sake
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 of pressing
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 forward.
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 Never,
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 ever substitute
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 nostalgia for
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 hope.
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 Individually
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 and corporately,
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 we must be
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 careful of
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 looking back,
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 my friends.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 Memories of
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 successes in
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 the past can
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 make us smug
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 and self-satisfied.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 Memories of
00:24:55 --> 00:24:57 failures in
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 the past can
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 make us
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 hopeless and
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 paralyzed in
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 the pursuit
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 of God in
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 the present.
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 Never look
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 back like
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 that.
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 Give
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 humble thanks
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 for the
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 successes from
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 the past.
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 Rejoice that
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 God has done
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 some great
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 stuff in the
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 past.
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 But friends,
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 it's in the
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 past.
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 We ought not
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 take comfort
00:25:20 --> 00:25:20 that my
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 current pursuit
00:25:21 --> 00:25:23 of God is
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 somehow wrapped
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 up with
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 something that
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 I did 20
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 years ago.
00:25:27 --> 00:25:29 God wants
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 it now.
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 He wants
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 the pursuit
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 now.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 Never make,
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 and also
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 linked with
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 that, make
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 humble confession
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 for failure.
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 But then
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 turn to the
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 future and
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 go hard after
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 God now.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 Which brings
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 me to my
00:25:49 --> 00:25:51 final step in
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 going hard
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 after God.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 Verse 13,
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 strain forward
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 to what lies
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 ahead.
00:25:55 --> 00:25:57 strain forward.
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 It is
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 hard work
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 is the
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 idea.
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 You are
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 straining to
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 move forward.
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 And Paul
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 provides his
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 own illustration
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 of straining
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 forward in
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 1 Corinthians
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 9.
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 Let me read
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 it to you.
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 Everyone who
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 competes in
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 the games
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 goes into
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 strict training.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 They do it
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 to get a
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 crown that
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 will not
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 last, but
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 we do it
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 to get a
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 crown that
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 will last
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 forever.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 Therefore,
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 I do not
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 run like a
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 man running
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 aimlessly.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 I do not
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 fight like a
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 man beating
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 the air.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 No, I
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 beat my
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 body and
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 make it my
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 slave, so
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 that after I
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 have preached
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 to others, I
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 myself will
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 not be
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 disqualified for
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 the prize.
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 During the
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 marathon in
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 the 1968
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 Mexican
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 Olympics,
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 a Tanzanian
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 runner,
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 Stephen
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 Akwari, fell
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 and badly
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 hurt his
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 leg.
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 He had
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 blood coming
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 out everywhere
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 and they
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 bandaged it
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 up and all
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 that.
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 he actually
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 got up and
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 he limped
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 the rest of
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 the race.
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 And he
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 finally finished
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 one and a
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 half hours
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 after the
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 last person
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 had crossed
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 the finish
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 line.
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 And there
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 was virtually
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 no one in
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 the stands.
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 They were
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 packing up
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 for the
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 day.
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 Marathon's
00:27:11 --> 00:27:14 over, the
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 lights are
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 getting turned
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 off, there's
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 a guy
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 sweeping the
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 floors, they
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 put the
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 cat out, all
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 that sort
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 of stuff.
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 It's time
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 to shut
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 the shop
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 down for
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 the day.
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 There's a
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 reporter
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 packing up.
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 He sees
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 what's
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 happened because
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 there's a few
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 people that
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 are left in
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 the stands
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 are actually
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 standing and
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 applauding this
00:27:28 --> 00:27:30 guy, limping
00:27:30 --> 00:27:32 around in
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 the twilight.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 And this
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 reporter runs
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 down to the
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 finish line and
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 sticks a
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 microphone in
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 his face and
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 said, why
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 don't you
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 just give
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 up?
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 My
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 goodness, it's
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 all over.
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 Look at your
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 leg.
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 You've still got
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 blood coming
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 out of it.
00:27:48 --> 00:27:50 And he
00:27:50 --> 00:27:53 said this, I
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 imagine with a
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 bit of puffing
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 and panning,
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 you don't
00:27:56 --> 00:27:58 understand, my
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 country did not
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 send me 5
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 miles to start
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 a race.
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 They sent me
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 to finish it.
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 They sent me
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 to finish it.
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 The way to go
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 hard after God
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 is with all the
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 discipline and
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 self-denial of an
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 athlete.
00:28:16 --> 00:28:20 I doubt that
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 there has ever
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 been a Christian
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 who reached the
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 heights of
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 knowledge and
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 joy and
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 obedience and
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 communion with
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 God without a
00:28:28 --> 00:28:30 plan and
00:28:30 --> 00:28:32 discipline and
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 self-denial.
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 God does not
00:28:38 --> 00:28:38 promise his
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 riches to
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 aimless,
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 apathetic,
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 lazy servants.
00:28:43 --> 00:28:46 Paul did not
00:28:46 --> 00:28:48 run aimlessly or
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 beat the air.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 He lived with
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 spiritual goals in
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 view and
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 controlled his
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 passions for the
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 sake of those
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 goals.
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 Can you see the
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 difference?
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 The destiny of
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 destruction are
00:29:00 --> 00:29:04 those who glory in
00:29:04 --> 00:29:06 their shame, who
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 have their minds
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 set on earthly
00:29:07 --> 00:29:09 things and give
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 themselves over to
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 worldly passions.
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 nations.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 The citizen of
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 heaven is like an
00:29:15 --> 00:29:17 athlete, focused,
00:29:18 --> 00:29:20 aiming towards the
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 goal.
00:29:22 --> 00:29:22 So I would
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 encourage you, my
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 friends, I would
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 urge you, in fact I
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 would plead with you
00:29:25 --> 00:29:27 to be athletes, in
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 spiritual athletes, to
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 set yourself a goal to
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 know more of the
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 word of God, to
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 grasp more of the
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 will of God and to
00:29:33 --> 00:29:35 love more of the
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 wonder of God.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:39 God, make a plan
00:29:39 --> 00:29:42 right now as you
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 look into the next
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 year, make a plan
00:29:44 --> 00:29:46 right now, a plan of
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 prayer and study and
00:29:47 --> 00:29:49 worship and service
00:29:49 --> 00:29:51 and go for it with
00:29:51 --> 00:29:53 all of your might
00:29:53 --> 00:29:56 because it is Christ
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 working in you,
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 dragging you
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 heavenward.
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 Heed the warning
00:30:00 --> 00:30:02 this morning, develop a
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 holy dissatisfaction with
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 your spiritual
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 attainments.
00:30:04 --> 00:30:06 put out of your
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 mind anything from
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 the past which
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 hinders your pursuit
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 of God in the
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 present.
00:30:11 --> 00:30:13 Strain forward like
00:30:13 --> 00:30:16 an athlete, for it
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 is God who is work
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 in you.
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 We do not run in
00:30:21 --> 00:30:23 our own strength and
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 all the more,
00:30:24 --> 00:30:26 therefore, we can be
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 assured that going
00:30:27 --> 00:30:29 after, hard after the
00:30:29 --> 00:30:31 holy God will bring
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 us to know him
00:30:32 --> 00:30:34 deeply and enjoy
00:30:34 --> 00:30:37 the sweet, sweet
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 confirmation of our
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 citizenship in heaven.
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 Let's pray.
00:30:44 --> 00:30:46 Father God, again,
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 your word is so
00:30:48 --> 00:30:50 clear and yet
00:30:50 --> 00:30:52 without your spirit
00:30:52 --> 00:30:54 enlightening, Father,
00:30:54 --> 00:30:57 it just does not make
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 sense.
00:30:58 --> 00:31:00 our hearts are
00:31:00 --> 00:31:02 darkened to the
00:31:02 --> 00:31:04 glorious truth of
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 citizenship in heaven
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 where the Lord Jesus
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 rules.
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 Father, our hearts are
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 weak and they are
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 feeble.
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 There are many things
00:31:11 --> 00:31:14 that we just, it's
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 just so much easier,
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 Lord, just to be able
00:31:16 --> 00:31:18 to sit and to be
00:31:18 --> 00:31:20 comfortable and yet,
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 Lord, when we do it
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 for too long, we just
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 get comfortable with
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 religion and we get
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 comfortable in our
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 apathy.
00:31:25 --> 00:31:27 And so, Lord, we
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 pray that you would
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 rescue us from that.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 Father, rescue us, we
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 pray.
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 Rescue us, Father, so
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 that we might go hard
00:31:36 --> 00:31:38 after you and enjoy
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 the sweet confirmation
00:31:39 --> 00:31:41 of our citizenship in
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 heaven where the Lord
00:31:42 --> 00:31:44 Jesus Christ reigns
00:31:44 --> 00:31:46 and from where he will
00:31:46 --> 00:31:48 come to establish his
00:31:48 --> 00:31:50 rule and to take us
00:31:50 --> 00:31:53 heavenward to be with
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 him.
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 Lord, give us that
00:31:56 --> 00:31:58 focus and that desire
00:31:58 --> 00:32:00 now to go hard after
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 you.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 Amen.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 Amen.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 Amen.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 Amen.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 Amen.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 Amen.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 Amen.
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 Amen.
00:32:02 --> 00:32:02 Amen.
00:32:02 --> 00:32:02 Amen.
00:32:02 --> 00:32:02 Amen.
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 Amen.
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 Amen.
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 Amen.
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 Amen.
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 Amen.
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 Amen.