Philippians 3: 17 – 4: 1 (The Maturity of a Christian)
I. Introduction:
- Story about my Tennis experience.
- Show picture of Tennis racket.
- Ask the questions: Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong
somewhere? Where you weren’t mature and end up paying the
price? Maybe embarrassment? Or maybe someone led you to do
something you weren’t supposed to do?
- Transition into the Scripture reading
II. Read Philippians 3:17 – 4:1
III. PURPOSE STATEMENT: Mature Christians know where they belong!
- Mature: To take the time to grow and experience knowledge of
something).
- Mature Christians know…
IV. WITH WHAT KIND OF FRIENDS, THEY BELONG: VV. 17-19
- Philippians was a letter filled with Joy, yet Paul starts this section
with high emotions; he’s crying.
- He is heartbroken because of some “Christians” were acting with
“earthly mindsets.” V. 18
- They were more concern about adding to the gospel, rather than
the gospel itself.
- They were more concern with what this world had to offer.
- This is why Paul pled for the them to follow the example of
actual believers. V.17
- To spend time and imitate those mature believers.
- The mature believers that knew…
V. WHAT KIND OF PLACE THEY BELONG. V.20
- Paul is reminding them that the place they belong is not really
Philippi, but Heaven.
- Because they were citizens of Heaven, they were supposed to be
different than the rest.
- Show my passport.
- Even though I am currently living in America, the reality is that I
will always be Dominican. I will look different, speak different,
act different, etc.
- In the same way we are citizens of Heaven, that’s where we
belong!!!
- As citizens of Heaven we need to be different!!
VI. APLICATION:
1. Make sure to hangout and to follow the example of Christians
that are mature.
2. Make sure that as citizens of heaven you act different! Maybe by
the way you talk? Or the way you dress? Or maybe the things
that you do for fun?
VII. INSPIRATION
- If we all strive to be mature Christians that know where we
belong, we will be able to make an amazing difference in our
friend groups, in our schools, in our homes, in our families, even
in this world!
VIII. PRAY
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