ALCFNow - Let's Press Our Way to the Finish Line

In today's message, Pastor Scott preaches about finishing our Christian race well. Follow along using Pastor Scott's outline below. Please help us spread the good news by sharing it with others!

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

~ Philippians 3:14

And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.

~ Matthew 11:12

1. We must find our identity in Christ alone

though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.

^{6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.}

^{8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.}

~ Philippians 3:4-9

2. We must want to know Him more than anything else

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

~ Philippians 3:10-11

3. We must admit we are not there yet

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

~ Philippians 3:12-13

4. We must forget the past

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

~ Philippians 3:13

5. We must press on

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

~ Philippians 3:14

Sermon Outline

Let's Press Our Way to the Finish Line