Rev. Justin R. Lester Summer 2014

Verse number 12. Getting at verse number 12. You've heard this and I want to talk about it. Paul says, not that I have already obtained this, I'm already perfect. But I press on to make it my own. Because Christ Jesus has made me his own brothers. I do not consider that I've made it my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal. For the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Do me a favor. If you would turn to your neighbor and preach to your neighbor. Say neighbor. Oh, come on, that was the wrong neighbor. Act like you like them. Say neighbor, you're in control. You may be seated even in the presence of the Lord. You're in control. I do solicit your prayers this afternoon. Journey, if you would, with me to about 62, 63 AD and 1st century Rome, as Paul is now sitting in a Roman prison waiting his release. Paul, who had just received the notice, the release papers, that his two year sentence in prison was nearing his end, now begins and finishes this letter to the church he planted in Philippi. The Philippian people prior to and following Paul were rather interesting people. When Paul came 10 years prior, they had been worshipping Augustus and Caesar and Claudius, or in a real sense, they had been worshiping the government because the government had taught them that checking the cash was the only way to show people that you own something. These people had been worshiping Egyptian gods and other deities. So when Paul came, Paul taught them the importance of shifting their focus. Why? Because when Paul came, he had to deal with people who such a lack of people who did not care about showing their faith or showing their Judaism. So much so that Philippi did not even have a synagogue for the Jews to worship in. So Paul, over his 10 years there, developed a love for these people. And they all knew Paul because Paul was so intentional and held onto his purpose. And everything that Paul did. For it was in Philippi, after the planning of the church that Paul experienced and had we know the story. The midnight jailhouse rock where he and Silas sang and prayed until the walls of the jail fell, their chains were loose and they were set free. So these individuals in Philippi, they knew about Paul, they had heard about Jesus because Jesus had just died 30 years before this. So when Paul writes this, they had seen Paul work, but they had not seen Jesus work.

So Paul decides, as I'm writing this.

Letter to you, I have twofold reasons. Number one, I'm shifting your mind off of me. Paul Because I, Paul, am not God, in spite of what God has done through me. Do not treat me like God.

And then secondly, Paul is placing their.

Focus on Jesus because Paul is trying to show them the only reason I made it through what I went through is not because I'm Paul, but because Jesus is operating through me. So here I want to suggest today that Philippi really becomes a showcase of Paul's personal life, lived out loud through his writings to the people at Philippi. I can show it to you because if you look at the book of Philippians, the way Paul constructs every one of Paul's letters, Paul always in the front part of the book. The first half of the book always gives you Paul's theological understanding of who God is. In the second half of Paul's book, Paul always gives you the practical application on how to live out what he tells you about God. I'll prove it to you. Chapters one and two of Philippians. Paul shows us his understanding of God. He admonishes all of those who listen the importance of holding on to one's purpose in persecution, death and life. Then Paul shares with us the importance of humility based upon the truth in Christ.

So Paul says, I know a God who can deliver you. I know a God who can give you life. I know a God who can set you free. So Paul says, here's how you practice this. When life gets rough. Here's how you practice understanding the prisons of life.

When you.

When life gets bad.

Philippians, chapter three, verse one.

Paul says, here it is, verse one of chapter three. It says, rejoice in the Lord.

I'm in the Bible.

And again I say, rejoice. Paul says, the key to unlocking your life, the key to unlocking your joy is found now. The way you act out what you know about God is chasing after joy. And Paul says, so here's how you unlock joy. I'm getting to the text. Here's how you unlock joy.

Chapter three.

Paul says, I was a Jew of Jews. I was born on the eighth day. My parents said everything for me, me. But that's not the key to my joy. Paul says, I worked hard, I fought against systems, but that's not the key to my joy. He says, I wrote, I served, I went through some things. But that's not the key to my joy. Paul says, the key to the greatest season of your life, the key to your joy. The key to a joy dacious lifestyle is found in chapter three, verses 12 through 14. Paul says this one thing I do, I. I Press on towards the mark for the prize in Christ Jesus. Paul says the key to it is this faith in God today that leads to possibility on tomorrow. I like Paul because Paul tells us, not that I've gotten joy, not that I've held on to this prize, but I'm constantly pursuing joy. I'm constantly pursuing peace. I'm constantly pursuing a joy dacious lifestyle. Paul says I'm loosing myself to unlock my future. He says this one thing I do, I press on to.

I'm arguing today.

I press on towards the mark for.

The prize of my higher calling. So no, this is not some sermon that I'm trying to give you to get some faux pas New Year's resolution.

This is not some sermon that's going.

To tell you to coddle your past.

To make it seem as if your past got you where you are. This is not some sermon to tell you to shout back where God brought you from and the same God back then and the same God right now. What the text shows us today is that real faith in God moves daily. It's the releasing daily of the good in your life. It's the releasing daily of the bad in your life. It's the removal of the good and bad in your life to see Christ fully. And Paul says that's your purpose. When you fully focus on Jesus, you'll find the best season of your life. Paul says this one thing I do, I press on towards the mark for.

The prize of the higher calling. Can I suggest. So many of us, we say we're.

Looking forward, but we look forward holding.

On to the dirt in our past.

We look forward and we think we're moving ahead. Because frankly Deacon, we like talking about where we are, good and bad, that we can never see the good that God has for us. Think about what you talk about. You talk about what your church has done. You talk about what the preacher has done. You talk about what the choir has done. You talk about what your parents have done have done. You talk about what your children have done. You talk about the life that you used to lead. And then you ask God, God, why am I not going forward? And God is looking at you today saying because you keep talking about what I used to do and you're not looking at what I'm doing today. God is looking at you through the voice of Paul saying press forward today by living today with a perspective on tomorrow. Because we say God can do exceedingly in a box abundantly. Above all we ask or think, we say if you have faith, the Size of a mustard seed. You can look at your mountain, talk to your mountain. Your mountain will get out your way. My question to you is, do you believe it? Paul is saying, I need your actions to line up with your words. In essence, be about it.

Joy this joy.

Finding joy is a difficult journey that overrules your happiness. Because all I'm trying to prove to you today is that your battle does not control you.

You control it.

How?

Prove it to you in the text. How do I control my battle, Justin? What does Paul speak to us all.

The way back in first century Rome? What does Paul speak to us about controlling our battle? Number one, Paul shows us you have to learn how to recognize your strength. Recognize your strength.

I've learned roses. Roses are very beautiful creation from God. I went to purchase some roses a.

Couple weeks ago and I noticed something about roses. You cannot have a rose develop without having some thorns around it. You cannot see a rose develop without thorns. And the beauty of this dichotomy is once the rose develops, it makes the thorns look ugly. See, all of us are sitting here and God is developing us. But God is making you develop in the presence of some thorns. Thorns of some storms and thorns of some choices and thorns of some challenges and thorns of some hellish supervisors and thorns of some bad relationships and thorns of some haters in your life. But God is saying, in order for you to become that fully bloomed flower, I need you to learn how to keep shouting in the midst of some thorns. I need you to learn how to keep giving in the midst of your thorns. Because the reason you are where you are today is because you learned how to stay rosy with some thorns around you. I'm in the text. I'm in the text. Promise you.

Promise you.

I'm in the Bible. Paul begins this text by stating, there's a goal I want to get, a goal I want to get. And Paul says in the preceding verses how to truly rejoice in the Lord. Because it was written through the resurrection and fellowship among suffering. Now, what's interesting to me, Paul reminds us, I have not gotten it yet. I'm not fully mature. But Paul says, I'm chasing after it, because here it is, I've got the strength to chase after it. Don't miss this. Paul says, I don't have everything I want yet. But what the devil doesn't understand is I got the strength to run after it. See, Paul says, I ain't got what I want yet. I ain't got my joy yet. I ain't got Everything I want in God yet. But the reason I keep on going is because I got the strength to keep on pressing. Because Paul says, I know my end goal. I know joy is possible. I know peace is possible. I know my gift is possible. I know my next level is possible. And while I don't have it yet, that's not going to stop me from pressing. Pressing. See, it's not that you can't get your goal, but before you get your goal, you need to recognize you can get it. See, so many of us get so caught up in our own self rebellion that we don't want to get where God wants us to get because we're so focused on tomorrow that we don't rest in the strength we got on today. So you sitting here caught up in tomorrow's joy and caught up in tomorrow's peace and caught up in tomorrow's love and caught up in tomorrow's shout and caught up in what God's going to tomorrow and caught up how God's gonna move on tomorrow. And God says, I need you to learn how to press today. I need you to learn how to shout today. Because the reason you can get what's in tomorrow is because you got something that's gonna let you get it in today. The reason you can get the relationship is because you are attractive. The reason you can get the job is because you are together. The reason you can get the church is because you are anointed, you are gifted, you are special, you are valuable. And Paul says, the way I'm gonna get what God has for me is because I got the strength to press and go get it. See, notice the strength is not just active, it's strategic. Paul says, I'm acknowledging what I can have in light of what I don't have. In essence, I've been chasing after joy, but I'm stuck in prison. I've been chasing after wholeness. Oh my God. But I'm stuck in prison. I'm chasing after possibility, but I'm stuck in prison. And I'm gonna keep chasing even though I don't have it. Because my lack, my situation does not stop my pressing. See, there are some things that we go after even when they're good and God doesn't let you get them. And the question God is trying to get you to wrestle with is will you stop chasing after me when you don't get something from me? Or will it force you to chase me harder? When systems around you, the prisons of.

Life, stop your progress, the question becomes.

Will you stop chasing or chasing after the good, succumbing to prison? Or will you press even harder in light of what you've seen in prison? Can I suggest.

When we pursue the good in life.

When we pursue wholeness, we often fall to the pressure of life's pains, that while we know how to press towards the good, the bad seems more comfortable. See, we know how to pursue relationships, but you, you won't get out of that jacked up relationship because you got a man. Okay, that was funny. You know how to pursue love, you know how to pursue kingdom, but yet you won't do it because you like being chained up. And the world makes it seem as if what you're pursuing is not good enough, that you can't get it. And I'm tired of living life on the brink of destiny. I'm tired of living life on the brink of next level. I'm tired of living life on the edge of destiny. And Paul says, you, you ought to learn how to press after the goal, not because you gonna get it tomorrow, but because God's giving you the strength to press today. And God is calling young people, and God is calling young adults, and God is calling leaders and seasoned saints that your next level is not waiting on you to get together. But God says, I'm waiting on you to get here, but I need you to press after me. I'm tired of hearing our community is on the brink of next level. I'm tired of hearing black folk on the brink of something. Because the same problem we had on the brink is the same problem Paul had In 1st century Rome, the same problem folk had Negroes had in the 1920s. And it's the same problem we got today because we get so comfortable sitting in the prisons of life that we don't press after the good God has for us. I ain't scared of none of y' all this morning. See, when we make the church nothing more than a place to oppress women and make men patriarchs, and we don't address the needs of all people, the rich, the poor, the mediocre. The church has stopped pressing. When church is nothing more than a place to shout high on Sunday, but walk cry crooked on Monday and nothing changes in you, you stop pressing, you stop pressing. With all the only peak time people know you know Jesus is when you check in on Facebook and when you tweet something on Sunday, but you ain't praying at work on Monday, you ain't shouting at work on Tuesday. God says, you stop pressing. And God says, the reason I need you to press is because you can press. You've got the swagger, you've got the anointing, you've got the possibility, you've got the gift. So God says, I need you to press. Cause you can press. I make it live. I make it live. I was. I like rap music. And so Kendrick Lamar about two years ago had a song, I can't say.

The whole title, but he had a.

Song that said, you know, so and so. Can't kill my vibe. And so Kendrick. Kendrick said. I was reading an article and Kendrick said, I wrote this song not to yell at some ex. I wrote this song not to yell at some people that didn't like me. But I wrote this song to tell the rap game game that you ain't going to kill Kendrick. Because Kendrick's going to be Kendrick. And no matter what you say about me, I'm going to be the same rapper. I ain't trying to be Jay Z. I ain't trying to be nobody else. But here it is. Kendrick says, I'm a rapper. I'm Kendrick. I'm going to be the best Kendrick you going to ever see. So Kendrick said, I sent a song out that said, you know what? Listen, you can't kill my vibe. And what Paul is trying to show us today is the reason you ought to press after God is because you learned to tell some stuff in your life. Prison. You can't kill my vibe. Our storms, you can't kill my vibe. Folk around me, you can't kill my vibe. Our haters, you can't kill my vibe. Our finances, you can't. Am I talking to anybody in the building? Who can say, teachers, you can't kill my vibe.

My mama, you can't kill my vibe.

A governor, you can't kill my vibe. So I am a sinner who's probably gonna sin again. Lord, forgive me sometimes I don't understand. But let me tell you something. Life ain't gonna kill my vibe. Is there anybody in the building that can say God? That's my shout this morning.

Life ain't gonna kill my vibe.

So my grandma said I'm pressing toward the upward way. New heights I'm gaining every day. God, my feet as an onward bound. Life ain't go. Is there anybody in this building who can say God?

Life ain't gonna kill my vibe. I'm gonna keep shouting.

I'm gonna keep giving. I'm gonna keep dancing. I'm gonna keep, keep preaching. I'm gonna keep lifting my hands.

Cause it can't kill.

Oh y' all caught it. Y' all know that song, too. Look at your neighbor say it gonna. It ain't gonna kill my vibe. It ain't gonna kill my vibe. That's somebody shout and I dare you look at your person. When you see somebody tick you off this week, say, listen, you ain't gonna kill my vibe. Cause I'm pressing toward the upward way. And I got too much Jesus in me. So listen, you can't kill. Y' all know that song, too. He says, I. I recognize my strength. Be seated. Y' all scaring me. I recognize my strength. But then secondly, he says, not only do I recognize my strength, but I rest in myself. Watch this. Paul says, I'm in prison and I'm writing this, and I just got my release papers. And he has the strength because he understands that while I got my release papers, I cannot control my release date. He knows release is coming, but he's resting in who he is in prison. Because he says, I'm pressing towards the goal in Christ in heaven. Because Paul says, I ain't pressing towards nobody else's goal. I ain't pressing towards the goals of society. I ain't pressing towards the goals of culture. I'm not pressing towards the goals of my parents, the goals of my pastor, the goals of the deacons. He says, I'm pressing towards the goal that Christ has put inside of me. Because Paul says, my battle, my prison, don't control me. I'm in control. He's resting in Christ and knowing the full relation in heaven. Because Paul says, I'm pressing towards joy in spite of what I can see. I'm pressing towards joy in spite of what can kill me. And what I love about Paul is his focus and development is solely concentrated on heaven and how his gifts can be made use on earth. Paul says, I ain't scared of prison, but I'm telling you this because no situation in life is so bad that it should distract you from heaven. Here's the thing. Paul shows us that this is done. This shouting, this pushing, this pressing notice where it's done. It's not done in the open. It's done in prison. Because it's your choice to develop in the prisons of life, because here it is. Pain is inevitable, but joy is a choice. That's tweetable Ya boy on Twitter, so I know it's real. Pain is inevitable, but joy is a choice. It's your choice to rest in God. When life gives you some painful circumstances, Paul tells the people, philippi, I love you, but here's my experience. I'm about to be released from prison, but my story's gonna push me forward. Because Paul deals with something that's so difficult for us to be and deal with. It's telling yourself how to be honest and humble. See, I ain't arrogant. I'm just confident. Because we love being lying and conniving.

Yeah, that's you too.

And Paul shows us true liberation. Be honest. I'm pressing because I got Jesus in me. I have some stuff in my past I don't want to talk about, but I'm letting that stuff in my past give me power. Because true liberation shows me how you learn how to be honest and humble.

Lester.

Translation. Can't nobody tell your story like you can tell your story. Yeah, see, now, here's the thing. I ain't talking about that testimony. You have that fluffy testimony where folk come up to church, that what they used to do, how they used to do it, where they used to go, and they keep on going. And, you know, folk talk about sometimes, you know, out of the place I used to go, I don't go anymore.

Yeah, because they closed.

Things I used to do, I don't do no more. Yeah, ain't nobody cranking that yank no more. I wish you talked to me. It's. He's talking about telling individual stories with universal truth. Because it causes you to ask the question, have you developed yourself in a way where people can look at you and know that you're deeper than surface level? Is there more to you than what meets the eye? See, learn to develop in your distress, because in your prison, in your pains, you learn how to see heaven fully. Because when you dissect the particulars of the evidence of your life in front of you, you understand something like this.

All. All of us have the same organs.

Yet all of us do different stuff with them. We dissect your life and invite you into a unique story that invites dissection, that says piece of the human experience represent a part of the human experience. But I've learned there's something different between an individual story and a universal truth. It's dissection versus vivisection. We have to see what's under the surface. And Paul says, listen, I'm in prison, but it's deeper than prison. I'm in prison, but it's deeper than some sermon. I'm in prison and it's deeper than this level. Paul says, I'm learning I got a particular story in prison, but I've learned about a universal God that keeps on making A way and see I can go Bible with you because all throughout the Bible we see God using people who have particular stories but a universal understanding of God. It was Noah who can testify I had a particular flood that destroyed the world but I had a universal God that delivered my family. Moses can testify I had a particular exodus that put us out but I had a universal God who kept on providing. Daniel can testify I had a particular lion's den where I thought they were gonna eat my flesh but I've learned a universal resting in God. Habakkuk can testify had a particular voice from God but a universal challenge to give God a yet praise. Amos can testify it was a particular particular bad bad worship in the temple but a universal word to the people. Malachi can testify the priests were preaching bad sermons but I have a universal bring ye all the tithes to the storehouse that might be meat in my house. I'm Baptist. Y' all will catch that later. Paul can testify I had a particular jail but I had universal deliverer and I wonder if I ain't gotta go Bible can I look at your pew getting your Kool Aid and is there anybody who can testify? You got a particular story but you learned about a universal God A particular jacked up family life but you learned there's a friend like Jesus a particular pain in your life but universal joy in God Particular tears in your life but universal hope in God. And now you can testify and my God can still do exceedingly and abundant. Am I talking to anybody in the building? You can act stuck up with me. Anybody know you got a particular story? I went through some stuff, I dealt with some stuff, but look at me now. And God kept on bringing me out. I got a universal God that keeps on making a way so he says. So I wondered how to close this and I was wrestling with this text. God kept wrestling me with this one statement and I want to give it to you. I'm done. I'm going to sit in my seat, I'm going to go to sleep tonight, I'm going to give it to you. And so God kept saying, justin, share with them. You gotta learn to tell yourself in the prisons of life where you don't seem like you're advancing and when life doesn't seem like it's getting better, you learn to tell yourself self, I'm in a good place right now. I'm in a good place right now. Can you preach to your neighbor and just say I'm in a good place right now. I need somebody to Say, I'm in a good place right now. I'm broke, but I'm in a good place right now. I'm down, but I'm in a good place right now. I'll show you in the text because Paul says I'm not in my future yet, but I forgot about my past. But while I'm in prison, I'm in a good place right now. My boss is getting on my last black nerve. I'm in a good place right now. I'm going through some stuff I can't handle, but I'm in a good place right now. I'm down, but I'm in a good place right now. I'm divorced, but I'm in a good place right now. I got the stuff, but I'm in a good place right now. I did the wrong thing, but I'm in a good place right now.

I don't know how I'm going to.

Pay my bills, but am I talking to anybody in the building? Today's the last day I'm going to talk about prison because I'm in a good place right now. Today's the last day you going to make me feel some type of way because I'm in a good place right now. Am I talking to anybody in the building who can testify? You ain't going to kill my vibe because I'm in a good place.

I'm done.

I'm done. I'm done. I wondered.

I wondered how to close this.

I'm sorry. I wonder how to close this. And so I was wondering, you know, the Bible said, Shakespeare said, sermons are written in stone. And, you know, if we don't do it, you know, the rocks will cry out.

So I decided I was at Cracker Barrel.

You know, don't judge me.

The food's good. So I was chilling on the scene at Cracker Barrel.

As I was watching, I was watching, sitting at Cracker Barrel, I saw these.

Two little girls playing checkers.

They were playing checkers, and they didn't really know what they were doing.

They were just throwing the pieces around.

And so I'm watching them, and they watching me, and I'm watching back at them, and they said, daddy, can you teach us how to play checkers? And so the daddy came over and said, let me teach you how to play checkers. So the first thing about checkers you got to recognize is that checkers is all about going forward.

Yeah, y' all missed that.

Checkers is all about going forward. See, you don't live life walking backwards.

You.

You Live life going forward. And the only way you're gonna win some stuff in your life is when you stop looking behind you and you start walking forward. He said, you can't win this game if you looking behind you, but you better keep looking how you gonna win by going forward. And then he said, not only is it about going forward, but secondly, he said, you only can control what you own. The red piece can't tell the black piece what to do and the black piece can't tell the red piece what to do. So stop trying to talk about other folks relationships and handle your own business. Stop trying to talk about other folks stuff and handle your own business. Because the reason you stagnant in your life because you worried about what the red piece is doing. And God said, you a black piece, stop worried about what the red piece is doing and handle your business. And so, so he says, it's all about going forward. You only control what you own. And then he said, and then you got to get to see your opponent's strategy.

And I.

And she said, and the young girl.

Said, what do you mean daddy?

He said, you know what your sister likes to do? He said, because you know your sister. He said, because you know your opponent, you know job. Put it like this, the devil goes to and fro, seeking whom he may devour. He's a conniving snake. And since you know the devil, don't you get caught up in your temptation and then come to church crying on the altar saying, God, why'd you let me do it? The devil said, I came and you know my temptation tendencies. And you know I know what you like to do and how you like to do it and who you like to do it with. But since you know your opponent, I'm a yield to temptation and not let stuff take over me. So he says, it's all about going forward. You, it's all about what you own. You only can control your, you can't. You got to know your opponent. And then he said, but don't you give your strategy away. See, what folk don't understand about some of you is the reason you ain't lost your mind is because your strategy is to shout in spite of, of the fact that you lost some pieces. So you can't give your strategy away. I know I'm broke and matter of fact, I'm your banker. I know you broke, but why you keep shouting? You don't know my strategy and I know you ain't got no money. And why are you giving God glory? Because you don't know my strategy. I'm gonna praise my way through some stuff because my strategy still gets me winning the game. And so at the end of it all, he said, so they started playing, they still didn't know what they were doing. And so they said, daddy, you know, come over here. How do we win the game? And Daddy looked at them and saw.

All these pieces all over the board, all jacked up.

And Daddy said, oh, I forgot to tell you.

Here's the secret. Here's a secret.

The way you win the game is after you get to the other side of the board. You learn to look at your opponent and say, when you get to the other side, the only way you gonna win is when you look your opponent in the eye and say, king me.

And they said, why? Why?

Oh my God, why do I need to king me?

And.

And Daddy said, here's the thing. When you get the king in you, I know you can go anywhere you.

Want on the board.

And that's my word to somebody this morning, while you're going through some prisons in life, I'm gonna holler my way out of here, Chris. Y' all gonna have to carry me out this church. But I wonder if there's anybody in the building that can lift up your.

Hands and say, king me. How dare somebody help me close this sermon. Stand on your feet and say king me Jesus till I live right oh king me Jesus till I talk right yeah I dare somebody to say lord, hold my hand while I run this race Guide my feet down while I run this race Cause I don't wanna run this race in vain I dare somebody if you know my Jesus did you start preaching to yourself and say self? I'm in a good place right now I'm in prison now but I'm in a good place right now I don't know how I'm gonna make it there.

But I'm in a good place right.

Now I can't pay my bills but.

I'm in a good place right now.

My mom's mad at me but I'm.

In a good place right now.

I got mom, I got money, but.

I'm in a good place right now.

I don't know how I'm gonna get out of it but I'm in a.

Good place right now I want to.

Cut that tires but I'm in a good place right now and why are.

You in a good place?

Because I know a man who died for me. Do you know my Jesus? Do you know my Lord? If you know him and you're not too mean and not too cute can you tilt your your head back and say Jesus? That's all yeah Jesus, yeah. Oh I love my Lord. Cause I'm in control and start in a good place so I'm not gonna wait until I get out of prison to start praising God. But while I'm in prison with my hands lifted up and my heart filled with praise Praise I dare somebody Close your eyes and worship God in your prison Shout unto God in your prison Won't he do it?

I said won't he do it?

Won't he do it? Yeah. I don't know what your it is but won't he do it?

Won't he do it?

If you know he will Tilt your head back, open up your mouth and give God your best shout Give God your best scream Give God your best holler and say. Sam.