day no. 13,089: what now?

This morning I am preaching two services at Pontiac Bible Church on Philippians 3:12-21.

The big idea is focusing in on the life we live in light of Christ asking, "What now?"

I will begin by reviewing the fact that Paul traded his former goals of reglious achievement as his means of salvation for Jesus' achievements on his behalf.

We will briefly discuss that he traded this goal for the goal now of knowing and becoming more about and like Jesus.

I will then march through PHP 3:12-21 as Paul unpacks what the Christian life of pursuing the goal of becoming like Jesus should look like.

1 - Dissatisfaction = first and foremost we must admit that none of us have arrived, even on this side of the Cross.

2 - Diligence = Paul then points out the fact that this dissatisfaction doesn't lead to despair or laziness in either assuming you're in because you had an experience back in the past or because there isn't anything you could do now to earn anything before God.

3 - Dependence = Paul anchors his diligence in the dependence that Jesus had a hold of him.  He oriented his life around reaching and holding on to Jesus BECAUSE Jesus is already holding on to us.

4 - Defining Development = Paul stresses emphatically that these are the necessary ingredients of being saved and living as a saved child of God.  A combination of faith and good works is evident in everyone who truly worships Jesus.  Faith in Jesus' finished work and current devotion to good works for His glory and our and our neighbor's respective good.

5 - Destination = Paul lastly fleshes out the two different destinations of those who orient their lives the way he has previously explained and those who ignore this advice and choose to ride their own melt and live their own way.  They follow their own desires and they will end up in hell.

That is the basic format going forth this morning at Pontiac Bible Church.

Link to the audio/video to come.