Grosey's Messages

 Attitude of Gratitude that Pushes Christian Progress.

Philippians 3: 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith---

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, 20 but our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself. 

 

 

What really matters to Paul?

Is it jewish regulations and laws? No.

Is it righteousness or self-righteousness? No.

It is something very relational.

Philippians 3:10 That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11. In order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect.

Relational!  To know Christ intimately: this is Paul's primary goal.

 

Did you catch that? I haven't obtained it . . . what is it that he wants to obtain; is he talking about the resurrection? In a sense yes, but more than that, we're given a clue with this verb translated perfect. I haven't . . . already become perfect.  It's the only time Paul uses this word in verb form in any of his letters (teteleiomai)  It means to reach moral and spiritual perfection. You could translate it, "not as though I were now already perfected." This is what one author called holy dissatisfaction.  Warren Wiersbe wrote on this text, Paul never permitted himself to be satisfied with his spiritual progress; he was satisfied with Jesus Christ, but he was not satisfied with his Christian life – he lived with a sense of sanctified dissatisfaction.

We Christians get self-satisfied because we tend to compare our running with other Christians – and we usually find someone slower than us to watch.  We need to avoid the danger of comparing ourselves to someone slower than us – and someone faster than us! We need to stop looking over the wrong shoulder!  Maturity, being "perfect" isn't found by looking over your shoulder.

Paul here is comparing himself to the goal of Christ-likeness and says, "I haven't arrived."  But he is also saying "I haven't given up!"

12: "but I press on, so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." But I press on – (diwkw) – which means to move decisively toward an objective, to pursue that objective.

It was a clear sunny day on August 7, 1954 – perfect weather for the British Commonwealth Empire Games.  One particular event had gripped everyone's interest and imagination. And that's because, for the first time in sporting history, two men had recently run the mile in less than 4 minutes.

Roger Bannister from England and John Landy from Australia – and they were now going to face each other, along with other runners in the 1954 British Games.  The race was being called The Miracle Mile, because everyone expected a close, exciting, record breaking match.  Roger Bannister had strategized that he would relax some on the third lap of the four lap race; he planned to kick it into high gear, saving all his energy for the last lap.  But as they began the third lap, John Landy began to stretch his lead even further – and it was already impressive. So Bannister was forced to pick up the pace just simply to have a chance to win the race and as they began the fourth and final lap, Bannister had already cut the lead in half – and he was gaining ground.  Landy began running faster and Bannister followed suit. Both men looked like they were running the 100 yard dash as they made the last turn on the track.  Then came that moment that would be played and replayed thousands of time in print and on flickering movie screens in black and white footage.  Landy was still in the lead by only a few steps. The crowd was roaring and cheering and he wondered where Bannister was – was he far back or close. And John Landy did the unthinkable.  He looked back! He looked back over his left shoulder, which automatically broke his concentration and slowed his rhythm – and in that split second, Bannister, who was at his right shoulder, swept past him and won the race.

Looking back Landy would be the caption of a thousand pictures.

 

Simplicity

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,

If Paul was the running coach of John Landy, just before the British Empire Games this would have been the perfect locker room speech: "No matter what you do, do not look back over your shoulder – keep your eye on the tape at the end of the race."

Dwelling on the past is like trying to run with a ball and chain around your ankle.

Imagine Paul's problem – had he dwelt on his past persecution of the church; his misguided passion; his cruelty toward the true children of God.

He never forgot it, but he chose to move past his past.  The problem with the nation Israel in the Exodus was that they forgot the right things and remembered the wrong things. They forgot the power and provision and promises of God and they remembered Egypt. In Numbers 11 they said, "We remember the fish which we used to eat in Egypt . . . the cucumbers and the melons." (Numbers 11:5)  We remember Egypt. Evidently we're not going to remember our escape from Egypt.

Forgetting everything about his past failures, frailty, or his fulfilments and trophies he wants to press on to know the Lord better.

Hosea 6: 1 "Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 3 Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD;…..

4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. 5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. 6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

This was the one thing for the apostle Paul.  We should wonder whether Paul's travelling companion, Dr. Luke, had not reminded him of the Lord's two friends Martha and Mary.

Luke 10: 38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

One thing!  Simplicity!  To know the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

Like the Psalmist  Psalm 27: 4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

One thing!! Is it your One Thing: to know the Lord Jesus Christ?

Forgetting what's behind, with its losses and its wins.  The One thing today is to know Him.

 

Intensity

I press on..

14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

What is God's heavenly call on your life? It is in Christ Jesus!  It's a prize!  The Prize is to know Him more perfectly.

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.

Both really point to that unbroken and complete fellowship with Christ which is attained through the power of His resurrection, that resurrection being the condition of the believer's victory over sin and death, and making it possible for him to enter the "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens". The purified life in heaven is, in a word, both the goal and the prize.

, "the prize marks the position of the goal"

 

When Spain led the world ( in the 15th century), their coins reflected their national arrogance and were inscribed Ne Plus Ultra which meant "Nothing Further" - meaning that Spain was the ultimate in all the world. After the discovery of the New World, they realized that they were not the end of the world, so they changed the inscription on their coinage to Plus Ultra meaning "More Beyond." In the same pattern, some Christian lives say, "Nothing Further" and others say "More Beyond."

This is where child-like faith meets real maturity. A child can't wait to be bigger, and always wants to be more mature.

But I press on meant that Paul had put his hand to the plow and refused to look back (Luk. 9:62).

That I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me: Paul pressed on for what Jesus wanted. His effort was put forth to do God's will, not his own.

When Paul said, "That I may lay hold," he used strong language. "The word 'apprehend' is from the same Greek word translated 'attained,' but with a preposition prefixed which means in its local force 'down.' He wants to catch hold of it and pull it down.(Wuest)

Paul began this verse with the idea that Jesus Christ had laid hold of him. This is an important idea; yet sometimes Christians react to that idea by being passive. They suppose, "Jesus got a hold of me; so that is it now. I am a Christian and I am going to heaven." Paul showed a different attitude, that he would take hold for that for which Jesus took hold of him. So one should ask, "Why did Jesus lay hold of Paul?"

Jesus laid hold of Paul to make him a new man (Rom. 6:4) - so Paul laid hold of that and wanted to see the converting work of Jesus completely carried out in himself.

Jesus laid hold of Paul to conform him into the image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29) - so Paul laid hold of that and wanted to see the nature of Jesus within himself.

Jesus laid hold of Paul to make him a witness (Act. 9:15) - so Paul laid hold of both the experience of Jesus and to testify of that experience.

Jesus laid hold of Paul to make him an instrument in the conversion of others (Act. 9:15) - so Paul laid hold of the work of bringing others to Jesus.

Jesus laid hold of Paul to bring him into suffering (Act. 9:16) - so Paul laid hold of even that work of God in his life, wanting to know Jesus in the fellowship of His sufferings.

Jesus laid hold of Paul that he might attain to the resurrection of the dead (Phi. 3:11) - so Paul laid hold of that heavenly hope.

 

"It is a high calling because it comes from above, from God; the conception of it has emanated from His heart. It is a high calling because it is worthy of God. It is a high calling because it is so much above the ideals of men. . . . And then this is a high calling because it summons us to where Christ sits at the right hand of God." (Meyer)

 

Determination: Take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of you

Persistency

I press on…. It takes Discipline 15,16 . 15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.

Sir Francis Drake to wrote stirring words to Willingham:

'There must be a beginning of a matter, but the continuing unto the end yields the true glory. If we can thoroughly believe that this which we do is in defence of our religion and  our country no doubt our merciful God for his Christ Our saviour's sake is able and will give us victory, though our sins be red'

Expectancy

17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, 20 but our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself. 

 

Paul acknowledged there were people who discouraged him.

They would say of Paul, "You are deluded! You're odd!"

You have wasted your life Paul. There you are in jail, with nothing going for you. You have no wealth, no possessions, you are poor! Look at your brothers!  They have lots of money! And you? Ha!"

Satan would say in his conscience, "you are defeated!"

Warren Wiersbe notes: "In what sense were the Judaizers the "enemies of the cross of Christ"? For one thing, the cross ended the Old Testament religion. When the veil of the temple was torn in two, God was announcing that the way to God was open through Christ (Heb. 10:19–25). When Jesus shouted, "It is finished!" He made one sacrifice for sins, and thus ended the whole sacrificial system (Heb. 10:1–14). By His death and resurrection, Jesus accomplished a "spiritual circumcision" that made ritual circumcision unnecessary (Col. 2:10–13). Everything that the Judaizers advocated had been eliminated by the death of Christ on the cross! Furthermore, everything that they lived for was condemned by the cross. Jesus had broken down the wall that stood between Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:14–16), and the Judaizers were rebuilding that wall!

They were obeying "carnal [fleshly] ordinances" (Heb. 9:10), regulations that appealed to the flesh and were not directed by the Spirit. But the true believer crucifies the flesh (Gal. 5:24). He also crucifies the world (Gal. 6:14). Yet the Judaizers were minding "earthly things." It is the cross that is central in the life of the believer. He does not glory in men, in religion, or in his own achievements; he glories in the cross (Gal. 6:14). Paul wept because he knew the future of these men: "whose end is destruction" (Phil. 3:19). This word carries with it the idea of waste and "lostness." (It is translated "waste" in Mark 14:4.) Judas is called "the son of perdition," and this is the word used (John 17:12). A wasted life and an eternity of waste! In contrast, the true child of God, whose citizenship is in heaven, has a bright future.

I think all of us experience this at times. Feelings that you have wasted your life.. nothing going for you. You have no wealth, no possessions, you are poor! Look at your brothers!  They have lots of money! And you? Ha!"

And Satan reminds us and our own conscience confirms it: "you are defeated!"

You need to remember that you have a different citizenship. This life is not all there is. If this is your "best life now," it isn't much. But it's not.  You have a citizenship in heaven.

A dear friend, Matthew K. entered bible college after being held for a long time on the Operation Mobilisation ship "Doulos." He had started on a short mission trip on the ship as a citizen of Ceylon. But Ceylon became Sri Lanka. And the government wouldn't issue him a passport. He was a man without a country!  He couldn't leave the ship to step onto land for a long time, until Australia allowed him a visa to leave the ship. For a day.  It was tough!! You are not a man without a country like Matthew was.  Matthew is now an Australian citizen , pastor of a large multicultural Baptist church in Bonnyrigg. You have a Home, but it's not here, it's Heaven. And you have a Hope, but it's not you, it's Him!

Wiersbe writes: "As the accountant in Philippians 3:1–11, Paul discovered new values. As the athlete in Philippians 3:12–16, he displayed new vigor. Now as the alien, he experiences a new vision: "We look for the Saviour." It is this anticipation of the coming of Christ that motivates the believer with the spiritual mind. There is tremendous energy in the present power of a future hope. Because Abraham looked for a city, he was content to live in a tent (Heb. 11:13–16). Because Moses looked for the rewards of heaven, he was willing to forsake the treasures of earth (Heb. 11:24–26). Because of the "joy that was set before him" (Heb. 12:2), Jesus was willing to endure the cross. The fact that Jesus Christ is returning is a powerful motive for dedicated living and devoted service today. "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (read 1 John 2:28—3:3) The citizen of heaven, living on earth, is never discouraged because he knows that his Lord is one day going to return. Paul mentioned particularly that the believer will receive a glorified body, like the body of Christ. Today we live in a "body of humiliation" (which is the meaning of the word translated "vile" in Phil. 3:21), but when we see Christ, we will receive a body of glory. It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye! (1 Cor. 15:42–53). At that moment, all the things of this world will be worthless to us—just as they ought to be, relatively, today!"

 

Sometimes I catch myself saying, when I die will I think this was worth my time and energy?

Are you Loyal to heaven's cause?

Are you  looking for Heaven's Lord?

 Sir Francis Drake, a reformed preacher who preached the gospel each day morning and evening, to his sailors wrote a prayer that sums up our hope and desire. Let's make it our own today.

"Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves,

When our dreams have come true Because we have dreamed too little,

When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when With  the abundance of things we possess

We have lost our thirst For the waters of life; Having fallen in love with life,

We have ceased to dream of eternity And in our efforts to build a new earth,

We have allowed our vision Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wider seas

Where storms will show your mastery; Where losing sight of land,

We shall find the stars. We ask You to push back The horizons of our hopes;

And to push into the future In strength, courage, hope, and  love."