00:05Pressing Toward the Goal
00:07Paul makes a humble confession in this passage.
00:10He says he has not already arrived.
00:13He has not already been made perfect.
00:16He has not already reached the fullness of Christlike maturity.
00:21This is important.
00:22Paul is teaching us that spiritual growth is not a destination.
00:27It is a pursuit.
00:28It is a journey.
00:30It is a daily decision to keep moving forward with Christ.
00:34Privilege is not only the privilege of surrender.
00:38Privilege is the privilege of pursuit.
00:41Paul says he presses on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of him.
00:46This is sanctification.
00:48Christ took hold of us with purpose.
00:50Christ took hold of us with intention.
00:53Christ took hold of us with calling.
00:56Sanctification is the Holy Spirit forming us so we can take hold of that purpose.
01:02Sanctification is the Spirit using resurrection power to raise our thinking, raise our morals,
01:08raise our joy, and raise our partnership.
01:12Sanctification is not passive.
01:14It is partnership.
01:16It is participation.
01:17It is pursuit.
01:19Paul also gives us a practical step.
01:22He says he forgets what is behind and strains toward what is ahead.
01:27Forgetting does not mean erasing memory.
01:30Forgetting means refusing to let the past define the present.
01:35Forgetting means releasing the weight of old failures, old titles, old accomplishments, and old identities.
01:42Forgetting means choosing Christ over comparison.
01:46Forgetting means choosing purpose over performance.
01:50Forgetting means choosing joy over pressure.
01:53Paul says he presses toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called him heavenward.
01:58This is not competition.
02:00This is calling.
02:02The prize is not applause.
02:04The prize is not platform.
02:06The prize is Christ himself.
02:08When we chase platforms, we lose joy.
02:12When we chase applause, we lose peace.
02:14When we chase validation, we lose purpose.
02:18But when we chase Christ, we chase purpose.
02:21When we chase Christ, we chase joy.
02:24When we chase Christ, we chase the life God designed for us.
02:28Paul also speaks to maturity.
02:30He says that those who are mature should think this way.
02:34Maturity is not perfection.
02:36Maturity is perspective.
02:39Maturity is the ability to see Christ clearly and pursue him intentionally.
02:45Maturity is the ability to let go of distractions and hold on to purpose.
02:50Maturity is the ability to trust grace instead of performance.
02:55Without grace, we are hopeless.
02:58Without grace, we are joyless.
03:00Without grace, we must rely on our own strength, and eventually we grow tired.
03:05Grace empowers pursuit.
03:07Grace strengthens maturity.
03:10Grace keeps us pressing forward.
03:12Paul ends with a simple instruction.
03:15He says to live up to what we have already attained.
03:18In other words, walk in the grace you already have.
03:22Walk in the joy you already have.
03:25Walk in the purpose God has already begun.
03:28You do not have to be perfect to pursue Christ.
03:31You simply have to be willing.
03:33You simply have to be intentional.
03:36You simply have to keep pressing forward.
03:39As you reflect on today's reading, ask God to help you pursue Christ with maturity and joy.
03:46You do not have to chase perfection.
03:49You simply have to chase Christ.
03:51Let grace empower your pursuit.
03:54Let joy steady your heart.
03:56And let the privilege of pressing forward become the pathway through which Christ continues his work in you.
04:02And let's get started.
04:02Let's give an excuse.
04:07You
