Reaching Forward

Past, Present, Future PresentPastFuture Challenge of the Christian life: To think rightly about all three

Philippians 3:13,14... forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. New King James Version

Lesson Topics 1.What life in Christ is primarily about 2.Forgetting what is behind 3.Reaching forward to what is ahead 4.The mind of the mature Christian 5.The prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus 6.Pressing toward the goal

What Life in Christ Is Primarily About Reaching Forward – 1

In the Gospel, Where Is the Emphasis? AlreadyNot Yet OR

Historic Shift Modern Christianity, in a dramatic reversal of its biblical form, promises to relieve the pain of living in a fallen world... the promise of bliss is for NOW! Larry Crabb, Inside Out

Where Did Paul Put the Emphasis? 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 –Absent from the body, present with the Lord 2 Timothy 4:8 –Crown of righteousness –Loved His appearing Philippians 3:12,13 –Not yet attained –Not yet perfected –Not yet apprehended (taken hold of it)

Today’s Emphasis Is a Misplaced Emphasis Heaven > Happiness Now Are We Guilty? 1. Misunderstand the gospel? 2. Misrepresent to others?

We Tend to Go to Extremes The Goal of Christianity We’ve already arrived Complacency The goal is impossible Discouragement

Mistakes... Discouragement Expect too much GROWTH right now Expect too much HAPPINESS right now 1 Peter 5:10

Mistakes... Complacency Get too comfortable here Think we’re farther along than we are 2 Peter 1:10,11

What About “Groaning”? In this body, we groan 2 Corinthians 5:1,2 - Romans 8:22 The more we groan, the better 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 The purpose of Christianity is not to take the groaning out of this life, but to put it there!

Creative Tension Yearning (Not Yet) Contentmen t (Already)

Joyful Longing Genesis 29:10 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her 2 Timothy 4:8... all those who have loved His appearing

The Main Thing 1 Peter 1:13

Works in Progress Right now, we are works in progress Shouldn’t see ourselves as any more... or any less!

Incomplete In this world, our fellowship with God is incomplete Job 19:25-27

The Point of Being a Christian To be found in Christ at the resurrection Philippians 3:7-11

The Goal Is Still Ahead Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. We haven’t yet received the thing that life in Christ is primarily about

Reaching Forward