Pressing Toward Our Goals

Pressing Toward Our Goals
Phil. 3:12-16

Introduction:
A. Our text talks about moving toward our goals.
a. We as people have many goals that we make through life.

B. It may be in our jobs, family, school etc.

C. What about our spiritual lives?

a. Are you making goals thinking in a spiritual mind?
b. It is a priority to make goals for our spiritual lives.
i. (II Tim. 4:7) Here Paul talks about how he has pushed toward his goals in his spiritual life to follow Christ.
D. Today let us look at three things that we goals we should push towards spiritually.

I. Home in Heaven

A. First thing we should think about is a home in Heaven.

i. Song Here I Labor and Toil.
ii. We must work as the song says and we will be rewarded for our work through Christ.

B. (Matthew 6:19-21) our treasure should be a home in heaven not earthly things.
a. If we put our goals toward heaven they can’t be destroyed compared to earthly goals.

C. (Matthew 7:13-14) The narrow way is the way we need to choose.
a. It is hard to choose this path because people seem to choose earthly things first.
b. We need to have our goals toward a home in Heaven and keep with that thought and we can achieve that goal.

D. (Matthew 19:16-22) We read here of a passage of a man who was looking for a goal of heaven.
a. However we can’t be like him and keep our earthly treasures.
b. Our goal needs to be heaven not earth!
c. This example is what we don’t do.

II. Being Baptized.

A. Obtaining that goal of Heaven we need to have another goal of being baptized.
B. Part of obtaining the goal of being Baptized is hearing the Word.
i. It is an Inspired by God (II Tim 3:16-17)
ii. (Heb. 4:12) The word that is inspired by God can separate body from spirit.
iii. We need to obtain spiritual goals so reading the Bible can help since it splits the body from spirit.

C. (Mark 16:15-16) The Bible tells us that if we hear the word and act upon we read we can be baptized.
i. It is an act upon belief.
ii. (Acts 2:38) We read of people who heard the gospel preached from the word and acted upon the belief and was baptized.

D. (Acts 8:32-40) Scripture talks about another example of a person hearing the word.
i. He needed help to understand what he was reading.
ii. Once he understood he acted upon what he heard and was baptized.
iii. This person understood his goals and wanted the home in Heaven and he obtained it by pressing toward another goal and that is Baptism.
III. Living in Christ through Life Faithfully

A. After pressing a goal of being baptized toward another goal of heaven our goal to still obtain it is continuing to live on Faithfully.
B. (II Tim 4:2) Our goal of living through Christ Faithfully means being ready and preaching the gospel of Christ.
i. Constantly doing what we can to personally evangelize.
ii. Not only pressing our goals but showing other people what goals they need to prioritize first in life.

C. (Romans 12:1) Part of pressing this goal means to being a living sacrifice.
i. (James 4:14) We don’t know how long we have so we must do everything we can to press the goal of heaven.
ii. That means to being this living sacrifice through Christ (I Cor. 11:1)

D. (Matt. 10:37-39) Pressing the goal of heaven we need to a mind of having Christ first.
i. (Lk. 9:59-62) Family, work, school, friends, funerals, etc. need to be second.
ii. We need to show everyone that our goals need to be focused first on Heaven.

Conclusion:
A. Where are your goals focused on?
a. Are you pressing the goal of heaven?

B. Do you need help of pressing toward that goal?
C. We are here to help and encourage everyone.
D. The gospel is for all
E. If you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God
F. Repenting of your sins
G. Confessing his name
H. Then you can be baptized today.
a. Or if you are a Christian and have sin on your life then you need to repent right now and get the prayers of the church right now.
I. Whatever the case may be please come while together we stand and sing.