Paul’s Example of Pressing On in Philippians
In the face of hardships and challenges, pressing on in faith can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, that is exactly what we are called to do. The Christian life is one of continual self-examination and constant renewal by the Holy Spirit. In this sermon, Pastor Dwight makes application of Paul’s self-examination of his former life. Paul was a Pharisee and persecutor of the church but became someone who desired to gain Christ and be found in Christ. Listen as we seek to explain what knowing Christ really means and explore the power of His resurrection. In the end, we are encouraged and challenged to keep pressing on in faith.
Notes: Sermon available for online listening until April 12th, 2020. To view more sermons, visit our Sermon Archive.
Bulletin Message
The Past, Present, Future
I am somewhat of an historian as far as the church in the United States is concerned. Where we are right now is certainly the result of Christological thinking from the last 250 plus years. Denominationalism has infected Christianity for over two centuries. The doctrines of men have created schisms within the church. It is not uncommon today to hear people quote Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Edwards, and Campbell. These men were not necessarily wrong in their ideas, but the result of their zealousness was and is a church divided.
So the best we can do in examining the past is to not make the mistakes they made and to seek a more peaceful and unified church. Rather than highlighting our differences, we need to rejoice in our similarities. From my little corner of the world in Lake County, California where most churches are 50 members or less, it is difficult for any church to do much beyond paying the gas and electric bill, and paying for insurance on the buildings used for worship. In my lifetime I have witnessed the fellowship between denominations that did not exist 40 years ago. For that I rejoice.
Pressing On
Now about the future, I can no more predict the future than I can tell you who will win the Super Bowl today. But if we are going to leave a legacy of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control we better allow the Spirit of God to be turned loose within each of us and among the churches.
Paul wrote:
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:12-14
Let’s press on!