Reaching Forward Philippians 3 13 14 forgetting those

Reaching Forward

Philippians 3: 13, 14. . . forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. New King James Version

Review 1. What life in Christ is primarily about

Reaching Forward – 2 Forgetting What Is Behind

This the Hardest Part? • We seem to have special trouble with this • Help in this area especially welcome

What Forgetting Does Not Mean Forgetting does not mean never remembering What does it mean? A. Adopting a helpful way of LOOKING AT the past B. LETTING GO of the past. . . so that our main energy is available for today’s work

1. Get Rid of Unhelpful Views • Worldly Sorrow – 2 Corinthians 7: 10 • Despair – Matthew 27: 3 -5 – John 8: 11 STOP Stop these trains of thought before they leave the station!

2. Learn to Benefit from Regret doesn’t have to be a bad thing • Humility • Compassion • Longing for God 1 Corinthians 15: 9, 10 Bitter or Better?

3. Test Each Memory Does this memory help me or hurt me in the Lord’s work?

Letting Go of the Past • Must not let the past keep us from today’s work • May be held back by good memories as well as bad ones – Ecclesiastes 7: 10 • Things can’t change for the better without. . . changing! We can’t grow without letting go

We Can Choose Responsible = response + able We are able to choose our response

We Can Avoid the Bog Colossians 3: 2 1 Peter 1: 13

Reaching Forward

Philippians 3: 13, 14. . . forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. New King James Version

Review 1. What life in Christ is primarily about 2. Forgetting what is behind

Reaching Forward – 3 Reaching Forward to What Is Ahead

Strong Language Philippians 3: 13 Reaching forward – NKJV • Straining every nerve for that which lies in front – TCNT • Stretching out to the things that are before – BBE • Straining forward to what lies ahead – RSV • Struggling for what is ahead – CEV Much more than a couch-potato or a “convenient” Christian would do!

Reaching for the “End” • Culmination 2– 4– 1– 5– 3 • Consequence (result, goal) 1– 2– 3– 4– Telos (“end”) 1 Peter 4: 7 1 Peter 1: 9 5 The Christian doesn’t dread death any more than a runner dreads to reach the finish line

A Healthy Attitude Toward the Future • The next step is always the most important • For the Christian, the best is yet to come – Romans 8: 18 • Heaven is worth whatever it takes – Philippians 3: 7 -11

Let’s Not Forget Today While our THINKING must be toward the future, our DOING must be done today We must be more than “dreamers”

Forward-“oriented” 1. Putting the EMPHASIS in the right place 2. Adopting a basic PERSPECTIVE Contentment Yearning THE POWER OF PERSPECTIVE Philippians 2: 5 - Hebrews 12: 2

Choose This Day Your Outlook Already Present kingdom Earnest of inheritance Happiness now Death, end of earthly happiness Reaching backward Not yet Eternal kingdom Full inheritance Glory in eternity Death, end of earthly training Reaching forward

Do We Really Believe It? To depart and be with Christ. . . is far better Philippians 1: 23

What Is Your Honest Inward Attitude? • Desire only God’s glory? Philippians 1: 20, 21 • Yearn for God’s rule and His righteousness? Matthew 6: 33 • Long to be with Christ, face to face? John 14: 1 -3 • Groan for heaven? 2 Corinthians 5: 2

How Important Is It to Us? Will we be among those “who have loved His appearing”? 2 Timothy 4: 6 -8 Are we “straining every nerve for that which lies in front”? Philippians 3: 13

Reaching Forward