Dustin Blumer Sermon 428 - Philippians 3:12-14

Million Reasons

Hey welcome to Amazing Love as we kick off our brand new series called Playlist. It’s a series where we are going to pick out some popular songs, and draw out some spiritual truths. And because it’s a series all about music, let’s talk about music. If I asked you who is the King of Rock and Roll or more simply the King. I would of course be referring to. Elvis Presley. And has anyone ever been to Graceland or toured his home in Memphis? Some of you grew up with the King, me I didn’t know him much or grow up with him but share his affinity for sideburns. But did you know he was not always considered the King of Rock in Roll. In fact in his very first performance at the Grand Ole Opry theater he was kicked off the stage, and it’s reported the manager told him “he ought to go back to driving a truck.” And what if Elvis listened to that advice. We would know nothing of Jailhouse Rock, Blue suede shoes, or sideburns. Or perhaps you heard of these guys. The Beatles. When they were looking for their first label, one told them that they wouldn’t cut it because guitar music was on the way out. Shows you what that label knew. I tell you these stories because both Elvis and The Beatles would have had enough reasons to give up, but imagine if they did? Imagine all the people, they wouldn’t have reached. I can relate to wanting to give up on a dream. The dream for me was becoming a pastor, proclaiming the message of Jesus and his love. Being an instrument in the hands of God to bring people from death to life. And there weren’t a million reasons to give up on the dream, but there were 4 identifiable ones. Namely Latin, German, Greek and Hebrew - these were the languages I needed to study to get there. Or 8 reasons, the 8 years after school it would take to get there. Or consider this church, we’re in a new day. A day of completed renovations and expansion. A great day and great season. But there have been periods in our history where we had enough reasons to give up. Outreach efforts, relational efforts, gospel sharing efforts that seemed to produce no fruit. But what if we had given up? And so welcome to this place members, guests and visitors. And though we haven’t met here is what I know about you, you also have had reasons to give up on something meaningful. Perhaps something that mattered a great deal. It could be school for some kids, a team, a relationship, a job. For you Christians it could be giving up on the strides of sanctification. In fact some of you have come in here with a laundry list of reasons. You can share all the reasons you have to call it quits. And in some cases they are justifiable reasons that maybe should ‘cause you to go a different direction. That happens. Like I quit a team once, ‘cause the coach was a jerk that’s ok. Sometimes we even have Biblical reasons to give up. But sometimes we’re prompted to quit on things that really matter. A relationship with a child, our connection with God, the difference we’re striving to make for a cause higher than ourselves, a better marriage. And it’s those things I want to talk about with you. And the first thing I want to make you aware of is a spiritual battle. See in Ephesians 6 it says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” See there is a real enemy against you for making a difference, and yes we do believe there is a real devil. And here is the first point. The devil works that we might give up on what matters most. He gives us a million reasons why things that matter, that have significance, that have long term impact, should no longer matter. And why they are not worth it. But we need to see his attacks for what they are, we need true wisdom past his reasons, and strength from God. So we’re starting this new series called Playlist. And we’ll pick out some popular songs, in order to draw out spiritual truths. Today our song is a million reasons. And we’ll listen to that song in a bit, but first let’s go to the true source of our teaching, and the power of this place. That is the powerful Word from the greatest artist our God. And while you may be new to Christianity or have some questions about this book. We do believe in a miraculous way God preserved these words so we could be guided in this and every age. And today God is riffing through the artist known as Paul, not Mccartney, but of Tarsus. And Paul is describing the one reason he has to continue to do what he’s doing. The reason he will not give up on following Christ, living for Christ, and telling people about Christ. Let’s read it as we turn to Philippians. We see Paul’s reason, and now I invite you to turn to the person next to you and say, “I’ve found a reason.” So we’re digging in to a song in which there seems to be highlighted a relationship to give up on. And I found a video produced by lifechurch same church who came up with the playlist series. And I want to share with you the song for today. So the artist talks about being stuck in a cycle, of not knowing what to believe, of it being so bad all she wants to do is run away. And in the chorus it says, the lyrics say, “I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away. But baby, I just need one good one to stay.” I know all the reasons to give up, but if you just give me one. That one may just be enough. Paul had reasons to give up, not on a relationship but on mission to share Jesus and live for him. Can I share with you some of his reasons, “24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?” He’s got some reasons to give up and call it a day. To say it’s not worth it this life for Christ, this mission to the Gentiles. He has another reason even as he writes this letter, for as he writes he is stuck in prison for his faith. You think you have reasons to give up on what matters most, he had more. And what if, what if Paul had given up? Where would we be? What would our world be like, how far would this message of Jesus have spread? I remember a conversation I had with another pastor friend of mine. He had just had a year of tremendous blessing given by God to the church he was pastor of. But right before that year he had an opportunity to leave and go somewhere else. And he was reflecting on all the things he would have missed if he had left and taken that call. And yes it is God’s kingdom and it would have still went on, but I could sense in him this acknowledgement he was glad he didn’t go at that moment. And then I look at Jesus, came down from heaven on a mission to save the world. And he had reasons not to do it. His reasons were the nails, the thorns, the spear. His reasons were the desertion of his disciples, and the mocking of the crowd. And in his foreknowledge as God he knew they were coming. And the pressure was intense. Yes, he had his reasons but what if gave up in that moment? We’d be lost. And we look at those stories with the benefit of hindsight. But what about our lives and the important matters before us that we think of giving up on. Is it possible that thing in this moment has bigger implications than we can see right now. Is it possible that the thing hanging in the balance is more significant that we can see. Is it possible we are far too short-sighted about what we’re tempted to give up on. I think so. And so today is a day of repentance over all the matters that matter to God but didn’t matter to us as much as they should of. Today we repent over the times we gave up, and gave into the million reasons instead of sticking in. Today we confess we cave all to often to our own sinful desires and the ways of this world, rather than sticking up and straining for the good. Paul realizes he too failed along the way. In verse 12 it says, “12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect.” Have you been made perfect in your striving? Me neither. We bring it to Jesus. And then see his beauty see his strength. One time he was consider the reasons why not to bear the cross, the suffering, the betrayal, his Father turning away. And look what John records, “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” (12:27) See Jesus had his reason, and he wasn’t letting go. He would not give in. But he would go to the cross to glorify the Father’s name, and for the good of mankind. He would go so we could have hope. He would go so that any and all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved. He would stick it out for our salvation. And by the Spirit of God if he didn’t give up on us, may we not give up on him. Let’s talk more about this. And our reasons to dig in. It was my sophomore year of college when I found myself driving in the worst weather imaginable. It was snowing in March in both Wisconsin and Minnesota the states I would travel. I was headed back to my college in New Ulm, MN. For 2 hours I was driving and the snow was falling, it looked like warped speed the way the snow came down. I had to play the tread game, stay on the lines of the road where there was no snow. Intense white knuckling. At La Crosse and a half an hour after hitting that area, it was a white out. Snow so heavy could see in front of you just the lines. When that ended so did the snow, which gave way to something worse ice. I’ve never seen the roads so icy, nor have since. The radio was blaring emergency announcements about blizzards and about getting off the roads, but I turned that noise off and kept head through it all. Why? ‘Cause I had a reason. I had a girlfriend for one of the first times in my life, and I was going to surprise her by being back early from Spring Break. I was bound and determined to see her that night and say surprise. And it is amazing what you can endure when you have one good reason. You and I already considered the obstacles that Paul had, the million reasons why he should give up. But consider again his reason, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (13-14) Paul says I have one thing. And it’s about what is ahead. See there is an identifiable goal line, and it isn’t New Ulm, MN. It is in heaven with the Lord. God has called me there, and there is no way I’m going to miss it. Floggings, shipwrecks, snack bites, imprisonments, crucifixion - ain’t no thang. There is no way I am going to miss looking Jesus in the face and hearing him say, “Well done.” No way. No I know my reason and nothing is stopping me. And Paul is inspiring. And Jesus, Jesus had a reason. I shared with you one, but consider this other, “For the joy set before him he endured the cross.” (Hebrews 12:2) You and I were that joy. The motivation for him enduring so much because he had found one good reason. And that reason had a name, it was named Dustin, Kathryn, Bella, Dan. You were his reason, that he considered it good to bear the cross. So what is your reason? When is the last time you wrestled with your why? Maybe there are some who at one time had given up on God, and if we heard your story and what happened or what the church did we might understand, not judging you. But I offer you a reason to come back, a reason to take a second look, a reason to dig back in. It’s love. God’s love for you. God’s work for you in Jesus. Maybe you’re a Christian but you wonder the worth of trying, Paul earlier in this letter told us to try saying, “Not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (2:12-13) One commentator said, “This urge towards sanctification and the striving after perfection is unavoidable for anyone of whom Christ has laid hold with the divine purpose that he should be holy and blameless.” And the striving gets tiring. But you Christ follower don’t give up!! We have found our reason. It is the love of Christ that named us, that bore the cross for us. If we were his reason, he is ours. Yes, we have finally found the reason, and our reason is love. The love he has for us. And now with a reason in mind we look to the future. Or as Paul put it, “I’m straining towards what is ahead.” And I don’t know about you but I like dreaming about the future. Reminds me of the book by Orson Welles 1984. Where he dreamed in 1949 of the things that would be. And he got some of them right, things like government surveillance, speakwrite speaking into a device and it documenting what you say, It’s like he knew siri was coming, or how my mom texts, he got pre-printed messages. It must have been fun looking ahead. I of course like looking at Back to the Future, and all the things they imagined, still no hover board. Or perhaps there are those who look to the Star Wars era, if that will ever be. And I like looking ahead to technology and cars. If 400 is the average horsepower right now, will the future be 800 average horsepower. If dreamloungers and Imaxes are the movie experience now, will it be virtual reality on sofa beds? And there is an excitement over the possibilities of what could be. And the thing is the past is set in stone, but the future is free. To put it a different way you and I may have ideas like Orson Welles, but the story has yet to be written of our lives. Which means we have the glorious reality of many new days yet. And mercies new every day. And the future is exciting. What will God make of my life? What will God make of this church. That as another pastor wrote, if weren’t not dead God’s not done. And though we know the end of Paul’s life, we don’t know ours and there is still time. There is still time to make a turnaround, and God gave you a reason. There is still time to make ever conform to the likeness of Christ and be about love. There is still time to continue making a great story if you just press on. Friends, I need to tell you a ministry truth that is also a life application. That we overestimate short term impacts, and who we might be tomorrow. But we underestimate long term impacts. What we can be and what God will make of us if we just stay the course and don’t give up. But a final thought. I had a chance to go over to a friends house who had boxes filled with incredible produce. My kids were able to pick tomatoes, banana peppers, green peppers, strawberries. And Bella got this vision of starting her own garden. But then we heard about the timeline, to have grown a garden of that size took this man 6 years. 6 years of soil, planting, watering, tending. And then the harvest. But you do the right things, and overtime that’s what you expect right. The harvest. What’s at stake as look to what God could make of us, and why we shouldn’t give up? The harvest. Consider what it says in Galatians, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” And what is that harvest? I don’t know. Maybe it’s the next generation, because you beat the addiction it set a new path for them. Because you didn’t give up. Maybe it’s the next generation, your children’s faith. Because you committed and showed them what it was to follow Jesus. Because you continually taught them the importance. Maybe it’s the people we haven’t met yet, but will rejoice with forever because they were brought into this ministry. Maybe just maybe it’s as simple as the reason Jesus went to the cross and bore it all. A reason he stated. Simply the Father’s glory. That our God will be more and more glorified and his name lifted higher because we simply would not give up, though we had a million reasons why. So friends set your sights on the harvest. It is a reality for those who stick in. But now let me pray for us.