THREE THINGS WE MUST REMEMBER Philippians 1:2-6 This is our last time to meet together before we cross the threshold into a new year. As 2014 becomes our past and 2015 lies before us in the future. We look with eagerness to all that God might have for us in this New Year and yet very often there can be great anxiety over the experiences of the year just past. We can dream of the bright hope of a better future, but we can also be overcome with sorrow regret and discouragement because of the failure and disappointments of the year now past. We cannot change the mistakes, disappointments, promises broken, and dreams unfulfilled of the year past, but we can decide to make the best of what lies before us and boldly move into the good future God has for us. We must become intentional about keeping our eyes on Jesus, or present enjoyment of God s grace and favor will be crowded from our lives by the nagging memories of our past failures, missteps and shortcomings. If we are to take full advantage of the blessing and opportunity God presents us with in the coming New Year we must... I. REMEMBER TO FORGET Philippians 3:12 13 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, A. It has been ten years since the Apostle Paul was with the church in Philippi and he now write to them from his captivity in Rome. 1. He is remembering the believers and writing to them to encourage and inspire them to continue on in the pursuit of what God has begun within their hearts. 2. In this passage from chapter three he begins with a humble and transparent confession. He admits that he has not yet arrived at the desired destination God has called him too, but he is on his way! 3. He was not perfect by any means, but he was living with a purpose; to lay hold of the prize. To possess everything that God had for Him! 4. He was determined to possess all Jesus had for him and was resolutely determined not to be hindered from attaining it. B. Many times the memories of our past present us with difficult obstacles to overcome in our present lives, but the Bible gives us practical advice on how we should deal with our past 1. If we have sinned, Repent, and don t do it again. 2. If we have hurt or offended others, ask for their forgiveness. 3. If we have been hurt or offended by others, forgive and release them, 4. And then, we must remember to forget those things which are behind! 1
C. The psalmist gives us great insight into the character of God which should enlighten and encourage us to remember to forget the past and move on in His goodness and grace: Psalm 103:8 17 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children s children, We have all suffered the hurt and rejection of broken relationships and been offended, but the failures and mistakes of our past don t have to cripple in this present life. We cannot change the past, but we can keep it from defining our future. 1. Our God will transform the destructive anxiety of past failures and opportunities lost, into a constructive thoughtfulness for a better future, if we will come to Him in humility, true repentance and child-like faith. D. No storm has come into lives that God has not walked beside us through. 1. We must remember to forget what is behind; forget the mistakes, disappointments and discouraging circumstances of the past year and determine to reach toward the good thing that are ahead. II. REMEMBER TO FOCUS A. What does it mean to focus? I like this acronym: Follow One Course Until Successful 1. Webster defined it as fo cus noun :a subject that is being discussed or studied : the subject on which people's attention is focused; a main purpose or interest; a point of concentration; a point at which rays of light, heat, or sound meet or from which they move apart or appear to move apart; especially : the point at which an image is formed by a mirror, a lens, etc. Hebrews 12:1 2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. B. As we go forth into this New Year with all of its distractions, challenges and opportunity we must remember to focus upon Jesus, the author and finishers of our faith. 1. Jesus alone is the source of peace, provision and protection, and the only one with true power to help us live in victory above the rubble of this world. 2
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. III. C. The world is rapidly changing before us and it would be easy to become fearful of what we see happening around us. 1. The circumstances of the present and the events of the year now past can weigh heavy upon us. 2. The future is unclear, the times are uncertain and can be very frightening, and so we must redirect our attention. If we take our eyes off the circumstances that daily surround us and lift them up once again and focus our gaze upon Jesus, we can find peace. 3. We used to sing the song often and perhaps it would serve us well to learn it again: Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. D. Paul told us that he was willfully forgetting that which was behind, but also that he was reaching for something that lay before him. but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 1. He was literally straining, struggling, and stretching himself to reach Christ. E. Life in our world has become complex. It offers us many things to enjoy and experience. But it can also be fraught with difficulties, cares, stress and worry, but when all is said and done there is only Jesus. F. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the author and the finisher of our faith. Before there was man, there was God. After man has done all that he can do, there will still be God! 1. He is our strength and protector in the present, and our living hope for the future! 2. Last week we learned that the Son of God became the Son of man so that the sons of men could become the sons of God. 3. If He was willing to do that, leaving heaven s glory and suffer the cross, how much more is He willing to help us overcome the daily struggle that befall us. G. We must learn to look to Christ for every need in our present lives and, we must also remember that we are not alone in this journey. The entire host of heaven is looking on and they are pulling for us! REMEMBER WE HAVE A FUTURE AND A HOPE 1 Peter 1:3 5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, re- 3
served in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. A. It has been said that, by the very fact that God hides the future from us is one of the greatest evidences of His love for us. 1. A dear friend of mine said to me once that, God made the earth round so that we wouldn t be able to see very far ahead. B. As the world changes rapidly in front of us if we are not leaning upon the Savior we can become consumed with fear and anxiety over the coming tomorrow, but we need to heed that advice of our Savior and leave our tomorrows to God Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. C. We have been given the promise of an eternal, incorruptible inheritance that has been reserved in heaven for us! 1. Inflation can t depreciate it. Thieves can t steal it. Moths can t eat and all the devils hoards cannot change the will of God for us to receive it. 2. This is a lively hope, a living hope in which we find the promise of eternal life in the future and strength for today to live unto God. D. This life is filled with challenges, unforeseen difficulties and situations that seem to be insurmountable, but if we have our hope placed firmly on Jesus Christ as the anchor of our soul, we will overcome and we will be victorious. 1. Looking back to our text we are reminded of something very profound. As we forget the failures and wounds of our past, as we focus our hearts in faith upon the promise of Christ and reach toward Him, we will find that our God is holding on to us. 2. And what He began within us He plans to finish and it will be glorious! Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; Philippians 1:6 (AMP) And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. 3. We quote this scripture a lot around here but it is because it contains a powerful promise for each of us. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Conclusion We live in a world that tells us that, there is only one absolute and that is the fact that there are absolutely no absolutes, but we know them to be wrong, for our savior and God the Lord Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday today and forever. 4
We all have a High Calling, in Christ. We all have a glorious future in everlasting eternity and we have a present help in time of trouble. But we also have a duty and responsibility. As look toward the New Year of 2015 that now lies before us there are three things we must remember: 1. Remember to forget what is behind. 2. Remember to focus our hearts on Jesus Christ alone and 3. Remember that we have a future and a hope in Jesus Christ alone. We have a new year before us. There is a world out there looking for a reason to believe in something. There is no circumstance of life where Christ cannot be glorified. Benediction: Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 5