“PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL” (Outline)

May 12, 2019 - Easter 4 - PHILIPPANS 3:12-16

INTRO.: Everyone has future plans. Some are simple. Some complex. May and June bring out
graduations. Speakers point the crowds to all kinds of goals for the graduates. Most of the goals for
graduates focus on earthly accomplishments. The Lord God Almighty has given us a much loftier
goal. Our loving, heavenly Father wants his children to look beyond everything earthly and right
into eternity. "Therefore, because you were raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is
seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things” (COLOSSIANS 3:1,
2). “PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL” I. God has called us. II. God will guide us.

I. GOD HAS CALLED US.

A. Verse 12a. “Not that I have already obtained this…” This is defined in previous verses.
1. Paul described knowing Christ as the most important thing. Everything else was rubbish.
2. Paul also wanted to know Jesus’ resurrection. He did know Jesus rose from the dead.
a. Wanted to know more fully God’s love. b. Wanted a more perfect faith knowledge.
B. Verse 12b. Paul pressed on toward the goal “for which Christ Jesus took hold of me”.
1. Saul (now Paul) was going to Damascus to arrest Christians. God took hold of Saul.
2. Christ persecutor Saul became Christ proclaimer Paul. God’s powerful grace.
C. Verse 13. Paul wanted to forget all the wickedness in his former life. He had opposed God.
1. Paul oppressed believers. Delivered Christians over to be mistreated. Wanted to forget.
2. Verse 14. In order to put everything behind him Paul pressed on toward the goal.
a. God called Paul upward. b. Upward call of God through Christ. c. Christ saved.

D. Grace is God’s undeserved love for the sinner. Saul who became Paul was opposed to Christ
and his followers. He was not looking to be saved. He did not make a choice to follow Jesus. It
was the divine power of Jesus that changed his life for time and eternity. Changed his heart.
Changed his goal. Only the almighty power of the Lord God can change our hearts of stone into
hearts of flesh. Rejoice believer that our eternal salvation depends entirely on the power and love of
our heavenly Father. "For the God who said, ‘Light will shine out of darkness,’ is the same one who made
light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2
CORINTHIANS 4:6). God makes his light shine in our hearts. We see God’s glory in Jesus.

E. God has called us with an upward call. Our goal is heaven. Perfect eternity. God has taken
hold of us believers with his divine call. Think of that: God grabs us from the grasp of Satan. God
holds us securely (Gospel: John 10:28, 29). This divine call of the Lord is upward. We live here on
earth with many horizontal (side to side) relationships. The Lord gives us reason to focus on our
vertical (up and down) relationship with him. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of
witnesses, let us get rid of every burden and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patient endur-
ance the race that is laid out for us” (HEBREWS 12:1). God warns us against sin that can easily trap.
We have Christian examples to remind of the race God has chosen for us. The race toward heaven.

F. Each of us have a calling in life. It is our vocation. We are called into different areas of life to
use our gifts for God’s glory. This includes our “jobs” or vocations. In our lives and living the Lord
God has also called us to be his children. Again, God’s call is entirely his own doing for us for his
own purpose. "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will
endure, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name" (JOHN 15:16). We are called to
bear eternal fruit. We know and witness: Jesus lived, died, and rose again. This is eternal fruit.

“PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL” Christ has called us upward. Heavenward.

II. GOD WILL GUIDE US.
A. Verse 14. ”I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
1. Powerful truth of God’s choice upon Saul. Upon every believer.
2. Early believers from false religions really never had had an upward calling or goal.
B. Verse 15. “…think this way.” This way was the truth of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
1. Paul had thought differently about the truth of Jesus. God took hold of him. Changed.
2. Same for believers. “God will reveal this to you too.” Grace changed. God guided in truth.
C. Verse 16. “…walk in line with what we already have attained.” Now walked as one in God’s truth.
1. Remember false gods had pointed followers in all different directions. No unity.
2. This all changed for Christ followers. United together in the goal the Lord guided them.

D. God has called us out of darkness into light. Calls us to be his children. To follow the Lord.
Guided by God. Loved by the Father. Knowing this reminds us our Savior Christ Jesus cares for us
beyond what our earthly minds can fully understand. This may also happen in understanding God’s
infinite will for our lives. We make plans. We have goals. Not all of our plans succeed. In fact,
they often fail. We are disappointed. We also are comforted. The most important plan God fulfills.
The most important goal is entirely in God’s hands. His will is done. Always for our good. “Many
are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails” (PROVERBS 19:21 NIV).

E. Rejoice believer that we are not in this world on our own. Not alone. Psalm 23 teaches us the
goodness of the Good Shepherd. Christ, the Good Shepherd, lovingly guides his sheep to quiet wa-
ters. In paths of righteousness. His rod and staff comfort us. Christ brings us to live with him for-
ever. Our earthly life is not like eternal life (Second Lesson: Revelation 716, 17). Our loving, heav-
enly Father carefully guides us through dangers. Heartaches. Sorrows. Troubles. Temptations.
On the other side of our earthly suffering we appreciate the Lord’s great love for each one of us.
“This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the LORD your God, who
teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go" (ISAIAH 48:17 NIV). Every
step we take the Lord directs. We may wander off. Our Good Shepherd lovingly leads us back.

F. Each day it is good for us to remember that our God graciously guides us to our upward calling.
Each day we are encouraged by our heavenly Father’s divine love. Even empowered. "For God did
not give us a timid spirit, but a spirit of power and love and sound judgment” (2 TIMOTHY 1:7). God gives
us “sound judgment”. This is one of the great blessings of our Christian faith. We know the differ-
ence between good and evil. Right and wrong. Our world no longer recognizes or follows what is
good and right in God’s sight. We are given sound judgment because of God’s love for us. We love
God. We love our neighbor. We do what is right in God’s sight. This is God’s spirit of power alive
and well in our hearts. In our lives. With divine power we avoid sin. Defeat the devil’s tempting.

CONC.: We know that our future is in the hands of God. Encouraging. Powerful. Comforting.
It is the Lord God of Armies who gives us faith. The Holy Spirit calls us out of darkness. Our Sav-
ior Christ Jesus gives us a perfect, eternal home in heaven. "From now on, there is reserved for me the
crown of righteousness. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will give it to me on that day, and not only to me but also
to everyone who loved his appearing" (1 TIMOTHY 4:8). This crown of righteousness is for all believ-
ers. There is no first, second, or third place. Christ won the victory for us. The race is run. Won.
The crown of glory is ours. ALL believers are champions. God calls us upward. God will guide us.
“PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL!” Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer

EASTER 4 rdgs.: ACTS 13:15-16a, 26-33; REVELATION 7:9-17; JOHN 10:22--30; (PSALM 23)
SERVICES: 7:45am @ McCook (Sun) / 10:00am @ Redeemer (Sun) / NCF 1:00 Min. (Sat) & 12:00 Med. (Sun)
BIBLE STUDIES: 11:15am @ Redeemer (SUN) / 5:45pm (Med) + 7:30pm (Min) @ NCF (TUES.)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:00am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM