TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal… Philippians 3:12
Listen: Philippians 3
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Paul was the one person you would describe as having spiritually “arrived” in the early days of the Jesus movement. He had no peers in his pursuit of Judaism (Philippians 3:4-6), and his resume as a leader in the early church was impeccable.
But Paul wanted to make it clear to everyone that he had, in no way, “arrived” spiritually. In fact, he was so insistent that he hadn’t arrived, he said it twice in Philippians 3:12. Paul knew there was spiritual growth that still needed to happen in his life. He wasn’t there yet.
A mark of maturity recognizes we are immature. Conversely, a mark of spiritual immaturity thinks we are spiritually mature or we’ve “arrived.” Spiritual immaturity places recreation ahead of gathering as the church, thinks there’s nothing to be gained from joining a small group or believes there’s very little anyone can teach us about the Bible because we’ve attended church for decades.
In thinking we’ve “arrived”—we only prove we haven’t.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Today answer the question Senior Pastor Jeff Manion asked this weekend, “What is the one thing I could do to pursue that ‘one goal,’ who is Christ?” Maybe it is one sin or bad habit to move away from or a positive one to move toward. Take some time and really think it through. Write your answer on page 42 in your Philippians: Choosing Joy Under Pressure journal. Then offer a prayer of commitment to God as you take your first step toward that goal.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
