What do you do when the Christian life feels overwhelming? You see the holiness God calls you to. You see the distance between where you are and where you want to be. You struggle with sin, discouragement, or suffering. In Epistle to the Philippians 3:12–16, the apostle Paul the Apostle gives us one of the most honest and encouraging pictures of the Christian life in all of Scripture. Paul admits something surprising: “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect…” Even after decades of following Christ, Paul says he has not arrived. And yet he continues to press on. In this sermon we explore: Why no Christian ever “arrives” in this life What it means to forget what lies behind How to keep pressing forward when you feel discouraged The hope of the resurrection that fuels perseverance The Christian life is not about perfection. It is about pursuing Christ because Christ has already laid hold of you.

What does it really mean to know Christ? Knowing Him means knowing His power -- the same power that emptied the tomb available to you for every temptation, every trial, every act of service. Knowing Him means knowing His pain -- not avoiding the cost but embracing the fellowship of His sufferings as the path to deeper communion. You will not be wasted by your suffering. You will be shaped by it, made more fit for glory, drawn closer to Christ than comfort could ever take you. Knowing Him means knowing His purpose -- dying to your agenda every morning and taking up His. And knowing Him means knowing His promise -- living every day of this pilgrimage with your eyes fixed on what is coming. Because this is what we are: pilgrims. We are passing through. This world is not our home. The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed.

What does it really mean to know Jesus Christ? In Philippians 3:10, the Apostle Paul writes, “That I may know Him.” But Paul already believed. He was already justified. Already saved. So what does he mean? In this sermon, we explore the crucial difference between knowing about Christ and truly knowing Christ — the difference between religious information and living communion.

What are you trusting to make you acceptable to God? In Philippians 3:4-9, the Apostle Paul takes the most impressive religious resume imaginable and calls it rubbish. Not because credentials are worthless, but because anything we use as a substitute for Christ will not hold on the last day. In this sermon, we walk through Paul's seven-point resume, his radical reclassification of everything he once counted as gain, and what it means that the only righteousness that saves is one we receive by faith, not one we build by effort. Topics covered: Why religious credentials cannot save you The meaning of "skubalon" (rubbish) in Philippians 3:8 What it means to be found in Christ The difference between knowing about Christ and knowing Christ The gospel of imputed righteousness

What are the true marks of a Christian? In Philippians 3:3, the Apostle Paul gives three defining evidences of a life transformed by grace: • Worship by the Spirit of God • Glory in Christ Jesus • Put no confidence in the flesh Christianity is not about what you add to Christ. It is about what God has done to you. Like a surgeon who cuts in order to heal, God performs sovereign surgery on the human heart—removing what is dead and diseased and leaving behind unmistakable “scars of grace.” Has God cut to your heart? Has He removed your confidence in yourself? Has He left the marks of true conversion on your life? This sermon explores the biblical meaning of “we are the circumcision,” tracing the promise of heart transformation from Deuteronomy 30:6 and Romans 2:28–29 to its fulfillment in Christ. We’ll see how true worship (John 4:23–24), spiritual discernment (1 Corinthians 2:12–14), and boasting in Christ alone define the people of God. Three marks. One Savior. No confidence in the flesh.