Sermons
April 28th, 2024 by Pastor Solley042824AM What’s Your Aim
Sub. Paul
Theme: Paul pressing on.
Text: Phil 3:12-14
“What’s Your Aim” Phil 3:12-14
Introduction
Last Sunday both morning and evening messages asked a question. What’s your name in the morning and what’s your address in the evening. The message this morning asks another question, what’s your aim? What’s your aim in life? Most people set goals for their lives that mean nothing because they are centered in this world. Making a lot of money, having a huge house, nice cars, nice clothes, good retirement and so on. They mean nothing because all of those things will be left in this world when they die. The most famous, the richest, the most successful people leave this world and most of all they did means nothing when they die. Only one life and it soon will pass, only what’s done for the Lord will last is a saying wise to remember. It will not matter how much money one has made, where they lived, what they drove, if they were the greatest football, basketball, baseball, soccer player of all time when they stand before Jesus Christ at the great White Throne Judgment. None of those things will matter. For the believer in life none of those things will matter as we stand at the Bema Seat Judgment for works. Only one life and it soon will pass, only what’s done for the Lord will last. It is a saying wise to remember.
I. In Philippians chapter three we find one who is aiming at something: Phil 3:12-14 Here we find the apostle Paul and his goal in life, something he was aiming at. – Phil 3:14 – This goal was set the moment that Paul was born again. Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? That day Paul set this goal for his life, he aimed at something. – Phil 3:14
A. What is interesting in the time of life that Paul repeated this goal: Phil 3:14 This is one of the prison epistles the Holy Spirit used Paul to write. Paul is a prisoner of Rome because of his faith, a prisoner of Nero and a prisoner of Nero was condemned to death and it would be a violent death. The time of Paul’s departure from this world was at hand as we see in 2 Tim 4:6. Paul’s time in this world was coming to an end sooner than later. What could Paul possible do, what goals could Paul possibly set, what could Paul aim for?
1. The circumstances of Paul’s life had changed drastically: There will be no more missionary journeys, no more evangelist crusades, he would lead no more revivals, not another preacher set before Paul to train. The circumstances of Paul’s life had changed.
2. And if anybody had already attained we would say it was Paul: Phil 3:12-13 Paul was an missionary, was an evangelist, did train pastors, did lead revivals. We could say no man did more for Jesus Christ than Paul did.
3. But we find that Paul was not finished: Phil 3:14 Paul was still pressing on, Paul was aiming for something.
B. The circumstances of Paul’s life were not his concern: Paul had set a goal, Paul was aiming at something. – Phil 3:14 – For Paul to live was Christ and the circumstances of his life were not his concern. Paul was aiming at something. – Phil 3:14
II. What is your aim today? Speaking primarily to brothers and sisters in Christ this morning What’s you aim? What are you aiming for in life? Young or older our time in this world is coming to an end. At 65 years old I can tell you time passes very quickly and my time is coming to an end. In good health or poor our time in this world is coming to an end. In trials in a deep valley or standing on the mountain top of joy and blessings our time in this world is coming to an end. The circumstances of our lives set aside, our time in this world is coming quickly to an end. We may even hear the trumpet sound today.
A. So what is your aim today? What is your goal in this life? Our time is coming to an end and we should be aiming at something.
1. We ought to be laying up treasures in heaven: No matter the circumstances of our lives we should be laying up treasures in heaven where moth or rust doth corrupt.
2. Anything and everything we lay up in this world is going to stay in this would when we leave this world: Only one life and it soon will pass, only what’s done for the Lord will last.
3. What is your aim today? What are you pressing for today? – Phil 3:14
B. Like Paul, no matter the circumstances of our lives today, we need to be pressing toward the mark: Phil 3:14
PROP: Every child of God needs to see the example set before us in Paul. TS. So we can continue to be pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus no matter the circumstance of our lives.
(Three things Paul was willing and able to do) Body
I. Paul was willing and able to forget yesterday: Phil 3:13 Notice “Forgetting those things which are behind”. For Paul each and everyday was a new day in the Lord and Paul was willing and able to forget the things that were behind. Ps 118:24This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. For Paul everyday was a new day in the Lord and he would not have himself be hindered by the past. Paul knew if he did not put the past behind him it would hinder him in pressing toward the mark.
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A. Paul had a lot to forget, a lot to put behind him: That included good things as well as bad things. Paul was willing to forget both.
1. Paul was not going to allow the trials of the past to keep him from pressing on: Paul had many trials to forget, as many as any.
a. God blinded him for a time. Not just on the Damascus road but for three days Paul sat in darkness.
b. God said no in Paul’s deep prayers for himself to be healed after he was used to heal others.
c. Paul was stoned to death because he preached the truth of the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
d. Paul was beaten with rods and whipped because of his faith.
e. Paul went through a shipwreck when everyone thought they would perish in the deep.
f. Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake.
g. Paul was forsaken by family and then by friends.
h. We only know a portion of what Paul had to forget. – 2 Cor 11:23-30
i. Paul was not going to allow the trials of the past, even the ones from just yesterday, to keep him from pressing on.
2. Paul was not going to allow the success of the past to keep him from pressing on: As many trials as Paul had he had just as many successes. As was said if any had already attained we would say it was Paul.
a. If you have Bible maps in the back of your Bible most likely one of them is titled “The Missionary Journeys of Paul”. Not Peter, not John, Paul.
b. The Holy Spirit used Paul to write all those epistles to New Testament churches. Others as well, but Paul the most.
c. The Holy Spirit used Paul to write the pastoral epistles. Not Peter, not John, Paul was used to write those epistles.
d. Through the preaching of Paul entire cities turned from idols to Jesus Christ.
e. But Paul was not going to allow the success of the past to keep him from pressing on.
B. Holding onto the past, not forgetting the things that are behind, good or bad, will hinder one from pressing toward the mark: We have many examples of that in the Bible.
1. Was it past trials or past success that hindered Elijah? 1 Kings 19:3-4 No greater victory did Elijah experience in his life than is recorded in 1 Kings 18 and now a great trial in 1 Kings 19. Was it trial or success that hindered Elijah? Elijah needed to forget.
2. It was success that hindered King David: So successful was David that he no longer needed to lead Israel in battle. Or did he?
3. It was trial and failure that hindered Peter: Matt 26:75 And Peter would return to fishing for men instead of souls.
4. Holding onto the past, not forgetting the things that are behind, good or bad, will hinder one from pressing toward the mark:
C. If we want our aim to be good we need to be willing to forget the things which are behind: Phil 3:13 Both the trials and blessings we need to be willing to set behind and press for the mark. Our aim will be hindered if we are not willing to set things behind.
1. I can recite so many trials of the past, so many heartaches, so many troubles that have broken my heart and my wife’s heart: Things that have broken our spirits, things we thought we could never get over and to hold onto those things only brings bitterness and hinders our going forward in the Lord. We can’t hold onto things of the past or they will keep us from pressing on.
2. I can also recite so many victories in the Lord: There were twenty people here in 1984 in that little building with no classrooms to speak of, no kitchen, no fellowship hall. Soon souls saved, people added, one building project after another and more souls saved and more people added. No camp ministry and no church camp and no resources for either ministry or camp. God has done great things here over the years. If I just hold onto the successes of the past there will no pressing on, no aiming for the mark.
D. And if you want to aim for the mark, if you want to aim for the things that will last, you also need to forget: Both the good and the bad need to be set behind.
1. Don’t allow the trials, the sorrows, the heartaches of the past keep you from pressing on, keeping you from aiming for the mark: Some allow the trials of the past to hinder them from pressing on. What’s your aim?
2. Don’t allow the success of the past to keep you from pressing on, keeping you from aiming for the mark: God doesn’t want us to think that we have done enough, God wants us to keep on aiming for the mark, to keep on pressing on.
E. Paul was willing and able to forget yesterday: Phil 3:13 Are you willing today to set aside the things that are behind?
II. Paul was willing to look beyond today: Phil 3:13 Reaching forth unto the things which are before. What is the before? Paul was not setting before himself the things of the world, the things of the present, Paul was looking for greater things that are set before.
A. The before Paul was looking at were eternal rewards that would be his one day: 1 Cor 9:24-25 There are five crowns named in the Bible that are set before the child of God, rewards that will be handed out in heaven for those who aimed for the mark. The Holy Spirit used Paul to write about three of those five crowns. Paul was looking at things before, things that would be his one day in heaven.
1. Paul was looking for greater things than this world had to offer him: And it would not be long before they were his. – 2 Tim 4:6-8
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2. Paul had devoted his life to serving the one who saved him from hell, devoted his life to serving Jesus Christ: That was the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul knew that there were rewards to be handed out in heaven.
a. That incorruptible crown. 1 Cor 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
b. That crown of rejoicing. 1 Thess 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? This is the soul winners crown.
c. That crown of righteousness. 2 Tim 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. For those who love Jesus.
d. That pastor’s crown. 1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Paul was not a pastor but he trained pastors.
e. That crown of life. Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. For those who die for their faith and for those who stay faithful in the face of death and persecution.
3. Paul wanted to hear these words: “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” I believe Paul has all five crowns.
4. And Paul knew what he would be permitted to do with his crowns: Rev 4:10-11 Paulo would lay his crowns at the feet of Jesus.
B. Those crowns are set before every born again person in this room this morning: Every born again believer in Christ, man or woman, young or old, those five crowns are set before us today. Something is set before you today in heaven.
1. The number of those crowns tell us that every born again child of God can win them: There are five. Ever wonder why five? The number five in scripture represents two things. Study numbers in the Bible and you will five represents two things.
a. Five represents the grace of God. The number five is found in every part of the tabernacle of the Old Testament, the place that God met with man. It is only by the grace of God that God will meet with man.
b. Five also represents death. Those sacrifices brought to that tabernacle did.
c. The number five in the Bible represents both grace and death.
2. By the grace of God we can remain faithful to Jesus Christ unto death and win those five crowns: 1 Cor 15:10 That grace of God will never be taken away from us and is ours until death and I believe into eternity.
3. You can win those five crowns, all of them: All of them can be won if we aim for the mark and press toward it.
a. Incorruptible crown. Separate from sin, walk in the light as He is in the life and that crown will be yours.
b. Soul winners crown. Tell others about Jesus, hand out tracts, invite others out to church, support the gospel preaching church.
c. Crown of rejoicing. Love Jesus and His appearing more than anyone or anything else in this world.
d. Pastor’s crown. You may not be a pastor but you can support your pastor, hold him up, stand behind him.
e. Crown of life. By the grace of God stay faithful until you leave this world.
4. Those crowns are set before each of us, aim for them:
C. Paul was willing to look beyond today: Phil 3:13 Reaching forth unto the things which are before.
III. Paul was willing to be identified with Jesus Christ: Phil 3:9-11 The real Jesus, Paul was willing to be identified with Christ.
A. Paul was a Christian and he was not ashamed of the name or of his savior: Rom 1:15-16 Paul was a part of that local church at Antioch where the believers were first called Christians and as we pointed out last week it was a name given to them by the world and that was a name not to honor them but to identify them.
1. To be a Christian would often cost one their livelihood: They would lose their place of employment.
2. To be a Christian would often cost one their family: Jewish families held funerals for one who got saved because they believed them to be dead to the rest of the family and gentiles shunned family members who got saved.
3. To be a Christian would often cost one their freedom: Many were jailed.
4. To be a Christian placed one in danger of physical harm: Many were beaten and scourged.
5. Being a Christian would often carry a death sentence: Many lost their lives for their faith.
6. Paul was not ashamed of the name Christian or of his savior: Rom 1:15-16
B. And Paul stood for the real Jesus, for the true Jesus: Even at that time there were false doctrines being taught by false teachers who tried to soften Jesus and the gospel.
1. The Jesus Paul knew hated sin: Prov 6:16 These six things doth the Lord hate… God hated them in Paul’s day.
2. Jesus called the Pharisees exactly what they were: Wolves in sheep’s clothing, snakes, vipers, hypocrites.
3. Jesus divided people with His doctrine: Jesus was a divider.
4. Paul identified as a Christian, as a follower of Jesus Christ:
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C. So should we identify with Jesus Christ today: But the Christ of the Bible and not the Christ of the liberal today.
1. The universal fatherhood of God and of Jesus is a lie of Satan: God does extend His live to all, Jesus did die for all, but to come under His love and the cross demands confession of sin and repentance from sin.
2. This slogan that “Jesus gets us, all of us” is a lie: It is meant to say Jesus accepts everyone just the way they are because Jesus made everyone just the way they are.
a. No one is born a homosexual.
b. No one is born an alcoholic.
c. No one is born a murderer.
3. Jesus is not the liberal Jesus the world wants to present:
4. We need to identify with the real Jesus of the Bible: Are you willing to identify with the Jesus of the Bible?
D. Paul was willing to be identified with Jesus Christ: Phil 3:9-11 The real Jesus.
Conclusion
What is your aim this morning? I know what your aim should be, I know what my aim should be. – Phil 3:14 – If we follow the example given to us by Paul in Phil 3 we can like him press for the mark.
I. Paul was willing and able to forget yesterday: Phil 3:13 Notice “Forgetting those things which are behind”. For Paul each and everyday was a new day in the Lord and Paul was willing and able to forget the things that were behind. Ps 118:24This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. For Paul everyday was a new day in the Lord and he would not have himself be hindered by the past. Paul knew if he did not put the past behind him it would hinder him in pressing toward the mark.
II. Paul was willing to look beyond today: Phil 3:13 Reaching forth unto the things which are before. What is the before? Paul was not setting before himself the things of the world, the things of the present, Paul was looking for greater things that were before.
III. Paul was willing to be identified with Jesus Christ: Phil 3:9-11 The real Jesus, Paul was willing to be identified with Christ.