Sermon Text: Phil 3:13 - 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,.
Sermon Title: Last Year Pt 1
Point 1: Leave it in last year – vs. 13 - 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
Paul was saying leave everything in last year that didn’t go well.
The way you hoped and believed. Leave what and who went wrong in your life last year. Paul said it in four little words, “forget what is behind.” The word forget as it is used in the text means to fail to become mindful at the proper time. In other words, its not that last year issues won’t come up, or that I will not remember them. Paul said it is behind you. Anything behind cannot be changed. Anything behind you is out of your control only God can work with your past. You and I are hostages of the present. God is the fixer of the past and preparer of the future. Point 2: Lean forward to the Next Year – vs. 13, 14 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
The New Year will require effort. 2011 must be leaned into. The Greek word press means to flee. The Greek word for strain means to reach forth into. Those words don’t just happen. In order to lean forward into the New Year, you must overcome the natural tendency to stand upright. Out feet are made so they keep us standing. How many of you know that standing can’t get you anywhere.
Notice something about leaning forward.
a) I had to exert some energy.
b) I had to overcome the natural tendency to stay straight.
c) I had to tip over my toes
d) I had to trust I wasn’t going to fall on my face
e) Gravity took over
Point 3: Let Jesus rebuild you. vs. 14b - 14 God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. “God Called.”
When Paul talks about being called heavenward, Paul eludes to his new life with Christ. He lived a successful life prior to Christ but the moment be became a believer, he needed to be rebuilt. He had to let Jesus rebuild him. His former life without Christ needed Jesus to rebuild him.
So it is for you and I. When we look back over 2010 life with Christ there are areas Christ needs to rebuild us.
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