Follow Me
February 1, 2012 4:30 AM -0600
Manuscript
Outline
Notes
Bibliography
Leadership is not just for the perfect. Paul called on believers to follow his and others' godly examples, and in doing so, he challenged all believers to make themselves an example for others to follow to godliness. Find out how you, too, can be a great and godly leader.
Thesis: Since believers are called to ardently pursue holiness by following the example set by saints who are more mature in faith than themselves, we must endeavor to become saints worth following.
Objective: Challenge believers to recognize themselves as teachers whether they carry the title or not and to embrace that task as a godly calling.
Philippians 3:12-17
Objective: Challenge believers to recognize themselves as teachers whether they carry the title or not and to embrace that task as a godly calling.
Philippians 3:12-17
- Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
- Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize
- promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. In
- any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.
- Intro
- “He’s copying me!”
- 19th century English cleric Charles Colton once said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
- The 6th practical way to deepen faith is to teach, but it’s not about being a Sunday School or Bible study teacher.
- It’s about imitation: we imitate others, and we invite others to imitate us.
- We must pursue holiness (12-14).
- “I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus” (14). That is, holiness which will qualify him for heaven.
- We’re not there yet (“Not that I have already attained the goal” (12); “I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it” (13); If the apostle Paul wasn’t at his goal of complete Christ-likeness, what makes us think we are even “good enough”?).
- We must make every effort (“...but I make every effort” (12); Holiness is not something which is just bestowed or that one stumbles into. It must be pursued diligently, faithfully, in every way.).
- We must forget quickly (“Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead” (13); There are two risks associated with remembering the past: you can be bogged down or “overwhelmed” (Ryrie) by sin, or you can become “content with past labours or present measures of grace” (Henry).).
- We must pursue holiness (“I pursue as my goal” (14); “because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus” (12); To pursue is not the same as to follow. Indeed, Paul’s language alludes repeatedly to a race, a familiar scenario for his readers. You don’t run haphazardly or lackadaisically if you really want to win! Neither can we if we want to attain holiness! And we do all this, ardently pursuing Jesus, because Jesus went to the cross so we He could attain us.).
- Pursuing holiness is not optional (15-16).
- Everyone should pursue holiness (“all who are mature should think this way” (15); Everyone who considers themselves a mature believer should adopt this commitment to pursue holiness. And since every mature believer adopts it, so should every immature believer. If you don’t have this mindset, you’re either immature or not really a Christian.).
- God will straighten you out (“And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you” (15); If you don’t think you should pursue holiness, God will ultimately convince you otherwise. Either through Scripture, prayer, a great sermon like this one, or if all else fails when you stand before the judgment seat and He turns you away because you didn’t do it.).
- We must apply truth (“In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained” (16); Whoever we are, wherever we are in faith, we will be held accountable to apply whatever level of Truth we have already received. So if we know that X is wrong, we will be expected to behave accordingly. And if we know that Y is right, we will be expected to behave accordingly.).
- We must embrace imitation (17).
- We must imitate the greats (“Join in imitating me;” We should look to people like Paul, Peter, Matthew, Calvin, Luther, Wesley, Edwards, Phoebe Palmer, Luther Lee, Boenhoffer, etc., for role models in our pursuit of holiness.).
- We must imitate the saints (“observe those who live according to the example you have in us;” We should also keep our eyes open for people much nearer who are ardently pursuing godliness, are farther along the path than we are, and emulate them as well. This is important because they will provide us with a balance point (just in case the greats messed something up), but also because they are dramatically closer and more accessible so we can see more clearly what they’re up to and why.).
- We must invite others to imitate us (If we’re to be watching other saints who are farther along than we are, then it is only logical to assume that other saints who are not as far along as we are will be watching and imitating us. Expect it. Welcome it. Foster it. Deserve it.).
- Conclusion
- It is only as we develop others, that we permanently succeed. -Harvey S Firestone
Ryrie
Reflecting God
HCSB Study Bible
Henry
- (4-14) “Paul reflected on the whole course of his life, which gave him the right to criticize Judaizers.”
- (12) “Paul makes clear that he had not ‘arrived’ but was still very much in the race of the Christian life.”
- (13) “forgetting these things which are behind. Whether sins that might overwhelm or good things that might cause one to rest on his accomplishments.”
- (15) “perfect = mature. In the latter half of the verse Paul says, in effect, ‘If you don’t agree, God will give you light on the subject.’”
- (17) “Not many believers can exhort others to imitate them (the literal meaning of follow).”
Reflecting God
- (15) “mature” is literally rendered “perfect”
- (12-16) “Paul emphasizes the need for progress in Christian living, presenting himself as one who continually reaches ahead to see God’s kingdom expanded.”
- (12) “Paul stresses that he is not already perfect - he is still involved in the struggles of life in a fallen world and hence he still sins; the full glory of the resurrection remains in the future.”
- (12) “There is a balance of faith and works, of God’s call and the believer’s response.”
- (14) “Goal (Gk skopos) could also refer to the finish line in a race or an archery target. Paul’s life is purposeful, for he constantly aims toward a heavenly goal. The prize is the fullness of blessings and rewards in the age to come, most especially being in perfect fellowship with Christ forever.”
- (17-21) “Paul calls the Philippians to imitate him, a common theme in his letters (cf 1 Cor 4:16; 11:1; 2 Thess 3:7-9).”
- (17-21) “Paul’s intent is not for the Philippians to focus on him per se but rather for them to join him in humble, radical dependence on Christ.”
- (17) “While Paul is not yet perfected, he is confident enough in his Christian walk to ask the Philippians to join in imitating me and other mature Christians.”
- (17) “Much Christian growth comes through imitation of other Christians (4:9; 1 Cor 11:1; 2 Thess 3:8-9; 1 Tim 4:12, 15-16; 2 Tim 3:10-11; Heb 13:7; 1 Pet 5:3).”
HCSB Study Bible
- (12-14) “Paul acknowledged his imperfection.”
- (12-14) “Reached the goal (lit "received") and fully mature (lit "been perfected") indicate the need for growth.”
- (12-14) “Make every effort recalls the athlete's discipline and focus. Together these reveal that Paul had not yet achieved perfection.”
- (12-14) “Take hold of it and have been taken hold translate the same Greek word, one active the other passive. Paul aspired to complete salvation through resurrection.”
- (12-14) “Because presents the substance of Paul's hope—the perfection of the resurrection.”
- (12-14) “Pursue (cp. v. 12), goal, and prize use athletic imagery of the runner's energy, focus, and reward.”
- (12-14) “"The prize" is God's heavenly call (to heaven), like a referee calling a winner to the platform to receive the prize.”
- (15-16) “Paul exhorted the mature (lit "perfect"). “
- (15-16) “The use of the same root word in verse 12 reveals that Paul addressed the false teachers who claimed perfection.”
- (15-16) “Think this way is "value" (cp. 2:1-11; 3:15).”
- (15-16) “Live up to means to walk in order, in rank like a soldier.”
- (15-16) “Whatever truth we have attained is what brought previous success in Christian living.”
- (17) “Imitating me reveals his confidence that he lived correctly before God and man.”
Henry
- Paul “forgot the things which were behind, so as not to be content with past labours or present measures of grace.”
- “He who runs a race, must never stop short of the end, but press forward to it, in holy desires and hopes, and constant endeavours.”
- “True believers, in seeking this assurance [of eternal life through Christ], as well as to glorify [Christ], will seek more nearly to resemble his sufferings and death, by dying to sin, and by crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts.”
- “Believers make Christ all in all, and set their hearts upon another world.”
- (12) “Paul’s goal is Christ’s goal for him, and Christ supplies the resources for him to ‘press on toward the goal.’”
- (12-14) “The Christian life is like a race; elsewhere Paul uses athletic imagery in a similary way (1Co 9:24-27; 1Ti 6:12; 2Ti 4:7-8; Mt 24:13; Heb 12:1).”
- (4-14) “Paul’s personal testimony, a model for every believer; one of the most significant autobiographical sections in his letters.”
- (13) “Not losing all memory of his sinful past, but leaving it behind him as done with and settled.”
- (14) “The winner of the Greek races received a wreath of leaves and sometimes a cash award; the Christian receives an award of everlasting glory.”
- (14) “Paul’s ultimate aspirations are found not in this life but in heaven, because Christ is there.”
- (15) “mature” are “those who have made reasonable progress in spiritual growth and stability.”
- (15) “There are heights yet to be scaled; do not become complacent.”
- (15) “If the readers accept the view set forth in vv 12-14 and yet fail to agree in some lesser point, God will clarify the matter for them.”
- (16) “live up to what... already attained” = “Put into practice the truth they have already comprehended. We are responsible for the truth we currently possess.”
- (17) Paul calls the Philippians to follow his example “as Paul follows the example of Christ.”
- (17) “The lifestyles Christians lead ought to be models worth following.
- Ryrie, Charles C. Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.
- Barker, Kenneth, ed. Reflecting God Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000.
- The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.
- The HCSB Study Bible. http://www.mystudybible.com
- Glo Bible. http://www.globible.com