Joy in Chains: Joy in a Troubled Past
Pastor Phil Burdoin
November 7, 2021
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:10-14
When you love someone, you want to know them
Notice Paul repeats the phrase “press on”
God can use our past without Him in the present for Him
You can’t change your past, but Jesus has already changed your future
Prior to this, Paul said, “I have not obtained fully knowing Christ in the way I desire, and I am pressing on to take hold of it.” Then he says, “…only let us live us live up to what we have already attained.” So there is something we don’t have yet, and that is a sinless life. But there is something we do have now. We have salvation.
And because of that, you can live differently
Freedom from your past comes from knowing your future
And if you have said yes to Jesus then your future is secure no matter how bad your past is.
November 7, 2021
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:10-14
When you love someone, you want to know them
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Romans 8:29
…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14
Notice Paul repeats the phrase “press on”
God can use our past without Him in the present for Him
You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:19
All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Philippians 3:15-19
You can’t change your past, but Jesus has already changed your future
Prior to this, Paul said, “I have not obtained fully knowing Christ in the way I desire, and I am pressing on to take hold of it.” Then he says, “…only let us live us live up to what we have already attained.” So there is something we don’t have yet, and that is a sinless life. But there is something we do have now. We have salvation.
And because of that, you can live differently
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians3:20-21
Freedom from your past comes from knowing your future
And if you have said yes to Jesus then your future is secure no matter how bad your past is.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
Small Groups Talk About It
Watch the Message Summary:
1. Share a time when it was hard for you to move forward from something bad that happened in your past.
2. Why do you think it’s so hard to move on from mistakes we have made in our past?
3. Read Philippians 3:10-14: What do you think Paul means by “know” Christ?
4. What is the difference between this knowledge and how you might know an acquaintance?
5. What is Paul pressing on to lay hold of? In your relationship with Christ, what are you pressing forward towards?
6. What actions are you taking to move forwards towards a “knowing” Christ more?
7. Read Philippians 3:15-19: What is Paul talking about that we have “already obtained?”
8. What are some specific examples of how we are to “live up to what we have already obtained?”
9. Read Philippians 3:20-21: Where does Paul say our citizenship is? How can we be sure of this?
10. Why does Paul keep bringing his readers back to the hope of the future?
Freedom from your past comes from knowing your future
2. Why do you think it’s so hard to move on from mistakes we have made in our past?
3. Read Philippians 3:10-14: What do you think Paul means by “know” Christ?
4. What is the difference between this knowledge and how you might know an acquaintance?
5. What is Paul pressing on to lay hold of? In your relationship with Christ, what are you pressing forward towards?
6. What actions are you taking to move forwards towards a “knowing” Christ more?
7. Read Philippians 3:15-19: What is Paul talking about that we have “already obtained?”
8. What are some specific examples of how we are to “live up to what we have already obtained?”
9. Read Philippians 3:20-21: Where does Paul say our citizenship is? How can we be sure of this?
10. Why does Paul keep bringing his readers back to the hope of the future?
Freedom from your past comes from knowing your future