”Joy in Perseverance” // Philippians 3:12-4:1 // Lakeview Sermons

Okay, as we transition to what we're

going to talk about this morning out of

Philippians chapter 3, my question to

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

get you pondering the topic dour is, do

you consider yourself a persevering

person? Do you consider yourself to be

persevering? Are you the kind of person

who generally you're pretty doggedly

determined? like to get you to quit

something is pretty hard if not rare if

at all. Like you find yourself like,

"No, if I put my hand to the plow, I'm

going to continue on." Or are you the

kind of person who, you know what, yeah,

maybe I've made some progress, but I

would like to be more persevering.

In either case, I want to introduce you

to Nick Sabin.

Um, I don't really like Alabama football

to be honest with you. Sorry. Sorry for

all my friends from Tuscaloosa.

Um, and I don't really like Nick Sabin

in general. In general. However,

however, I do respect the man. Why? Uh,

he won 80% over 80% of the football

games that he coached in the college

ranks. He has the most national

championships of any college coach.

Seven. Who's number two? Bear Bryant.

Which means Alabama's won a lot of them.

Well, that stinks. unless

congratulations, you're from Alabama.

But because I respect him for what he's

done and what he's accomplished, he

obviously knows some things about

coaching and leadership and all else.

And so when I saw a video pop up where

he is talking to a room of coaches about

like what all football coaches want to

know from Nick from Nick Sabin, how'd

you do it? Right? So I can do it where I

coach. He was talking about just his

journey as a coach and and different

things that he finds important. But then

something caught my ear and it was the

Alabama

offseason workout program where they do

right get the guys in the weight room

getting them strong uh cardiovascular

fitness where they're out conditioning

as well as depending on your position uh

skill development right and what caught

my ear was what he called that program.

It was called the fourth quarter

program. He didn't call it simply the

offseason workout program. And then

Sabin started to unpack why he called it

the fourth quarter program. If you were

to ask Nick, okay, so if I'm supposed to

focus on anything as a coach at whatever

level of football, what's going to be

the differencemaker between wins and

losses? Sabin will say this, and this is

what he said to those coaches. When the

fourth quarter comes around, if your

team is able to maintain a high level of

effort, a high level of intensity and a

high level of determination more than

your opponent as they are fading away,

you are not. As a team, that's how you

win. So, he called it the fourth quarter

program. Now, um nothing about that is

revolutionary.

You're not sitting there going, "Wow, I

I would never have thought if you play

better in the fourth quarter, you're

going to win football games." Genius

G. Like, this is amazing. Um because,

you know, you've been around long

enough, perseverance is a really

important character trait to build. Yes.

You want to get an advanced degree,

guess what you're going to have to do?

Persevere. You want to build a business,

what are you going to have to do?

Persevere. You want to build a great

marriage,

you're going to have to persevere.

You want to have a great relationship

with your kids and grandkids, you're

going to have to persevere. Pretty much

all the things that you want to see

accomplished in your life, like I want

to see real change both in me and around

me. You know what? You're going to need

perseverance.

And so, it's not going to surprise you

that all through God's word, he talks

about perseverance. So, here's what

we're going to do. I just want you to

listen. This is just a like a a survey

of a number of verses. Write these down.

You can look at them. This is your

homework for the week. Romans 5. Not

only that, but we rejoice in our

sufferings, knowing that suffering

produces guess what? Perseverance. And

perseverance produces character. And

character produces hope. And hope does

not put us to shame. James 1.

Blessed is the man or woman or student

or boy or girl

who perseveres under trial. For when he

or she has stood the test, they will

receive the crown of life which God has

promised to those who love him. How

about Galatians 6:9? You're not going to

Galatians 6:9

see the word, but you are going to see

the concept.

Let us not grow weary of doing good, for

in due season we will reap if we don't

give up.

How about Hebrews 12? Therefore, since

we are surrounded by so great a cloud of

witnesses, let us also lay aside every

weight and sin which clings so closely

and let us run with perseverance the

race that is set before us. Looking to

Jesus, that's going to come up in our

passage in a little bit. The founder and

perfector of our faith, who for the joy

that was set before him, the word in

Hebrews endured, a synonym of what?

Persevered.

He endured the cross, despising the

shame, is seated at the right hand of

the throne of God. Let's go Old

Testament. This is Chronicles.

But you take courage

and listen to this phrase. And do not

let your hands be weak.

Don't fade out. Don't fade away.

Why? For your work shall be rewarded.

And then this is what Jesus said in

Matthew 10. Brother will deliver.

brother over to death and father his

child and and children will rise against

parents and have them put to death and

you will be hated by all for my name's

sake. That's a real pickme up.

But notice what Jesus says at the end of

these two verses. But the one who

perseveres to the end will be saved.

And guess what? in Philippians, a letter

on joy. What we're going to see today is

Paul, God has Paul write about

perseverance.

Now, why

why as I was wrestling through this

text, I'm like, why do we need to take

time with like, you already know that.

You already know that. Here's why I

think why it's here. Because

perseverance is hard and therefore it's

actually kind of rare.

Like, does any football player who's at

Alabama, like one of the top schools in

the country, go to their first practice

and be like, "Really? We have to play

four quarters?

Why do you have to talk about it?" Well,

because we're all human, right? You know

what you love? The same thing I love.

Fast and quick,

not long and hard. You know what I like?

I like comfort.

I don't like enduring suffering.

So what does God have to do? He's like,

"Hey, I got to bring up this issue of

perseverance. This life is going to be

hard." You already know that. The

question is, how are you persevering in

it? Now, here's the real question,

right? The life that you want to live,

is that on the near side or the far side

of persevering in some stuff?

You're gonna have to do it. So, here's

my question. Sabin has his fourth

quarter program.

What's God's? Oh, I'm so glad you asked.

Philippians chapter 3 is where we will

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

be. And we're going to look at God's

program for perseverance and how it's

actually rooted in and leads you and I

to joy. So, this the first truth that

we're going to unpack that there is joy

in persevering. And here's the the focus

to know and look like Jesus. So, you

know, the goal if you're a football

player is at the end of 60 minutes, our

score is higher than the other team.

That's what we're persevering for.

What would God say the goal is to know

and look like his son. So, this is

Philippians chapter 3 and we're going to

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

pick up in verse 12.

God has the Apostle Paul write to the

Philippians and to Lake View Bible

Church.

He says, "Not that I have already

obtained this or am already perfect, but

I underline this, press on. I persevere

to make it my own because Christ Jesus

has made me his own." Paul transitions

from the beginning of chapter 3, what we

were looking at last week, and he he

says like, "Hey, um, I I'm trying to be

this kind of person." And chapter 12 is

a trans, excuse me, verse 12 is a

transition to go like, okay, how Paul,

how are you trying to do this? So,

here's what I love about this section of

the letter. Like, of all the people that

you could pull aside and be like, hey,

hey, like all those things that Jesus

said, like all those commands in the Old

Testament, how are you doing that? Like,

practically, of all the people that you

could ask, you should ask me.

That was a joke.

Wouldn't

you like to ask Paul, Paul, how are you

doing all this stuff you're writing

about? This is where he's going to talk

about that. And he starts by saying,

this is so encouraging. Not that I've

already obtained this or I'm already

perfect, which means we need to nail

what's the this. Look back up at verse

10 of what he just said. After Paul goes

and through his resume, he's like, "Ah,

that doesn't matter anymore. That thing

was actually an impediment to what?"

Verse 10, that I may know him

and the power of his resurrection and

may share his sufferings, becoming like

him in his death. And then verse 11,

that by any means possible, I may attain

to the resurrection of the dead. What is

the goal of perseverance? Why does God

want you and I to persevere? So you can

know Jesus better? so you could look

more and more like him as you're going

to heaven and where you'll see him

forever. That's the point of

perseverance. And so what Paul is

saying, haven't already obtained it. I

don't know him like I could. I'm still

trying to press on. I'm I'm not like

him. Like I Paul would say, "No

perfection here." And then he's saying

at the end of the day, I just can't wait

to get to heaven and see him and hug him

and man have this whole thing be done.

something he said back in chapter one if

you were with us then

I find it so encouraging because of all

the people

right of all the people who could have

said I've had a pretty good run it's

Paul

could have said I've made more progress

than all y'all why why aren't you

persevering more Paul's heart it's

humble he's like I haven't gotten there

so encouraging to me Why? Cuz I haven't

gotten there either. I don't know Jesus

like I'd like to. I don't want to. I'm

I'm not like him more and more more.

Just ask my wife

and I'm looking forward to heaven.

But notice the motivation. Look back at

verse 12. This is so important to get.

He says, "Not that I've already obtained

this or I'm already made perfect, but I

press on to make it my own in this."

Because

what's your motivation, Paul, as you

persevere? What's your motivation as you

continue day by day to know and look

like Jesus says you're headed to heaven?

Because Christ Jesus has made me his

own. That little phrase is worth its

weight in gold. Why? Because here's the

gospel. Here's Christianity. You and I

are accepted first. Full stop. And then

we move on from there.

Right? You and I, when we come to faith,

you are fully accepted. You are fully

loved. You are fully And I'm I'm going

to bring in my You're fully on the team.

Nothing's going to change that. Why?

Christ Jesus verse 12 has made you his

own versus how every player at Alabama

does perseverance.

Well, if I don't persevere, I'm not

going to get playing time. If I don't

persevere and save and see it, well, I

might lose my starting position. If I

don't persevere enough, well, then I'm

not going to be whatever I'm trying to

be in the SEC and hopefully go to the

league.

Do you see the difference in motivation?

One is an anxious motivation. Oh man,

hopefully hopefully I I persevered

enough today. Hopefully coach is happy.

Hopefully God's happy with my

perseverance,

but you actually don't have to worry

about that.

Why? He's already accepted you.

>> Thank you.

When you do perseverance the world's

way, it's actually a burden.

How do I know if it's good enough? How

do I know if I have one bad day? Yank

him. He's done. Oh, don't fumble the

ball. You're out.

Not in the gospel.

Totally transforms how you persevere.

Right? Because now here's the here's the

heart of God. How far do you want to go?

How far do you want to go looking like

Jesus? How far do you want to go to know

him? How far do you want to go as a

husband or wife? How do you far do you

want to go as a mom or a dad? How far do

you want to go?

That's the question. How much progress

do you want to make? Awesome. Totally

revolutionizes it. Now, I picked up a

phrase that I'm going to share with us

now that has been super helpful to me in

my journey to help understand what this

is like. Why? Because as humans, the

only thing we really know is the Alabama

way of doing perseverance.

It's like, oh, at the end of the day

though, it's on you. So, just suck it

up, buttercup, and keep trying. Right?

That thing. And here's the phrase. If

you're taking notes, I want you to write

this down. Gracefueled

effort.

How are you persevering? Gracefueled

effort. Eric, where do you get that?

Well, back to Paul. This is 1

Corinthians 15.

But by the grace of God, I am what I am.

Another way of saying verse 12, Christ

Jesus has made me his own. And his grace

toward me was not in vain. It actually

prod that grace produces something. What

did it produce in you, Paul? He says,

"On the contrary, notice this. I worked

harder

than any of them." And here's the

tension. Here's how they blend together.

But it was not I. It was the grace of

God that was in me.

You see what this verse is about? It's

about grace.

It's about grace. Which means what? At

the end of the day, God's got you and he

wants to come alongside you and say,

"Your perseverance is persevering in me

and I will give you everything you need

to persevere." Just stay close.

Just stay close.

Press on today and then press on

tomorrow and press on the next day.

Here's the thing about Christianity.

Christianity is not opposed to effort.

Christianity is opposed to earning.

It very much requires effort.

How do I get that? Well, Paul says he

worked harder.

And now

I love Paul because now he's going to

use a sports analogy. If you like sports

analogies, congratulations. You're going

to be favorite Sunday.

So many of them coming. But I feel in

good company because Paul uses one. Look

at verse 13.

He says brothers. And here's the thing I

want you to hear about this term

brothers. It includes u male and female

even though the word is brothers. It's

like what we would say like hey guys.

Hey guys. Right. Or the way I like to

talk around here is hey family.

This word's going to come up three times

in this passage. He says hey family. I

do not consider that I have made it my

own. But one thing I do, forgetting what

lies behind and straining forward to

what lies ahead, he repeats himself.

Verse 14, I press on. I persevere toward

the goal for the prize of the upward

call of God in Christ Jesus. What sport

did Paul just reference in his analogy?

Running race. Like you, like me, there

are some of you here. I see one of you.

You're a marathon runner. Praise God for

you. I will not do that.

You realize the per first person that

ran a marathon at the end of the race

died. Like they got the I'm just saying.

Praise God for you though. But it's a

running race metaphor. Did you notice

it? He says forgetting what lies behind

and straining forward to what lies

ahead. Here's how people who run

marathons do not run.

Like that's good acting right there.

Why? What? What help is what's behind

you? I already went over that ground.

Nothing I can do about it. I'm

forgetting what lies behind as I run my

race. What are you doing?

Straining forward to what lies ahead. If

you've ever seen someone running a

marathon, you know what that looks like?

A lot of strain. I say pass.

But why are they straining? Why are they

forgetting what lies behind? Well,

there's a prize.

The goal of the prize for the upward

goal. Well, for the race runner, you

know, in the first century, it was like

a laurel wreath that you'd put around

your head. It was fading. It was,

you know, flowers and whatnot. But for

Paul, what he says is, I'm I'm not

looking behind. I'm straining forward

for the goal, the prize. I'll recall

what's the prize that he's looking for.

One day I'm going to see him.

That's why persevering is worth it to

me. You ask Paul like, "Why are you why

are you working so hard?" And here's the

thing about Paul. We don't know exactly.

He could be like within two years of his

death, maybe five.

Why are you still pressing on? Aren't

you going to coast a little bit? Like

you've made a lot of progress. Nope.

I'm pressing on. Why? Because I'm going

to see him. And here's what Paul's

saying. Here's what he's offering to you

and I. How much progress do you want to

make in this life before you see your

savior? That's the question. And we all

know what that's like. Who? Raise your

hand if you're married. All my married

folk. You know exactly what Paul's

talking about. Why? How much preparation

went into your wedding day? a lot,

right? Picking out the venue, picking

out the caterer, picking out the

videographer and the DJ,

right? For me, my favorite day, cake

testing.

Like, can't we do that again? That was

awesome.

You prepared what you were going to

wear, did you not? Ladies, it took you

probably a long time to figure that out.

Guys were like, that's black. It fits.

I'll wear that.

And then you realize like your bride was

like, "No, no, no. It's got to be all

color coordinated." So

why all the preparation?

Because you were going to stand up in

front of all your family and friends

and in front of your future spouse

and you were preparing for them.

And just think about it. all the things

that you went through in order to get

married, how much more

one day you're going to stand before

Jesus.

What Paul's saying is make as much

progress as you can.

That's what this life is for. The reason

why like two seconds after you came to

faith, God didn't just go and pluck you

right back out of this place and right

to heaven.

so that you and I could grow as much

here like Jesus help others to do the

same, which is exactly where Paul's

going to go in a second, and persevere

in that. Do you see it?

And here's my promise to you. Here's

what Paul would say. It's better than

any running race, wreath.

And then he says this, look at verse 15.

Because not everyone buys in. Verse 15,

he says, ' Let those of us who are

mature think this way. And if in

anything you think otherwise,

God will reveal that also to you. Only

let us hold true, another way of saying

persevere

to what we have attained. What's he

saying? Well, in the first century, what

probably happened is Paul's in Roman

prison. He writes the letter to the

Philippians. He hands it to Apaproditis.

Apapraditis delivers it to the church in

Philippi. So what they did the Sunday

that Apapraditis showed up is the the

message was just reading Paul's letter.

Like what are we going to do for a

sermon today? We're going to read Paul's

letter. Okay. So as he gets to this

section, did you hear what he just did?

Here's what he did. Hey uh some in

Philippi, you guys are mature. You guys

are getting after it. You guys are

pressing on. Some of you not.

But I'll leave that to God and God will

reveal that to you. That's just what he

said.

Why would he have to say that in the

context of persevering?

Well, because

some people are persevering and some

people are not.

Again, this is where football's helpful.

If you get to the fourth quarter of the

game and 75% of your team is persevering

and 25% of your team is not, what

happens?

You lose.

What's Paul's heart?

Maximum number of y'all persevering.

Why?

Let me just

here's my hope and prayer as your

pastor.

You'd be a persevering person.

All y'all,

right? Because if there's 25% of us that

are right here now, I'm loafing. I'm a

pew sitter. I'm not really doing all the

things that the word says. like all the

things that hopefully I'm doing kindly

and encouragingly and lovingly but

firmly

like, hey, we're going after this

together. Why? Because if 25% of us

aren't, we're going to accomplish less

than what God has for us.

Why does Nick Sabin and every college

coach being like, "We need everyone

persevering.

We need everyone full effort 60 minutes

because he knows I need I need all my

players there right for us right if

you're going to call layw home I'm going

to be lovingly annoying

you're not going to get to loaf

this is all play every day and we're all

going to persevere none of us are

perfect please don't hear don't hear

what I'm not saying

but I'm also not going to let us be

like, "Yeah, you know, we have a nice

little church and yeah, maybe we're

doing some stuff that is good." Like,

no,

no. We are going to advance the kingdom

of God. Why? Cuz he's worth it. And

we're going to try to get as many people

introduced to Jesus as possible.

Whatever it takes, bringing back our

running uh analogy, you and I are going

to break the tape, chest out, pressing

for a time. Yes.

Yes.

Yeah, you got that right.

Now, this is actually helpful to me

because I want to tell you about someone

who I'm really impressed with and she

was in first service, so I was a little

awkward when I was talking about her and

she's looking at me. Um, there's a lady

here who uh she has a full head of gray

hair.

She has been walking with Jesus a long,

long time. Uh, I won't call her old.

She's advanced in years.

And every time I talk to her,

it's like, "Hey, this is what the Lord

is showing me in his word. This is what

I'm growing in right now." Every time I

talk to her, she goes, "I love my

husband.

I am so grateful. I am not making this

up. That God gave him to me and it is a

pleasure 50 plus years into marriage

that I get to call him mine

because she has persevered. And here's

the thing, she is still pressing on.

She is helping our ladies grow in

spiritual maturity

long after of all the people be like,

"You can take a break. Good job. You've

done great." She's like, "No."

And that's what the Lord has for you.

Do you want to persevere? How far do you

want to go?

No one can do it for you.

You and the Lord day by day pressing on

with gracefueled

effort. Does that make sense? All right.

That's the first part of God's program,

so to speak, for perseverance. Here's

the one thing I'm going to leave us with

on this point.

I invite you to pray this prayer from

now on. Lord, make me the kind of man,

woman, student, boy, girl who perseveres

by gracefueled effort.

Lord, on the basis of Philippians

Philippians 3:12–16

3:12-16,

just make me a persevering person. I

guarantee he answers that prayer.

Guaranteed. Second, persevere by

imitating the right examples around you.

How do you do it, Paul? Well, do some

imitation. Verse 17,

he says, "Brothers," he says, "family,

join in imitating me and keep your eyes

on those who walk according to the

example you have in us." Verse 18, for

many of whom I have often told you, and

now tell you, even with tears,

walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Their end is destruction. Their god is

their belly and they glory in their

shame with minds set on earthly things.

So in this section, Paul gives us a

contrast. He goes, "Hey, there's

basically two camps of people out there,

and you got to look out for the two

camps. The first camp are those people

who are worth imitating, right?" Paul

says, "I'm in that camp. Hey, if you're

looking for a model of how to do this

whole pressing on, persevering thing,"

he says, "Look at me." But then he says

because he knows the Philippians, he

goes, "Man, basically there's some

people around there, man. Just keep your

eyes on them. Do what they do. Do their

marriage the way they do their marriage.

Do their parenting the way they do their

parenting. How are they walking with

Jesus? Just copy what they're doing.

And

watch out for the other camp.

Why? What are they doing?" Well, look at

verse 18 again.

There are many.

They're all over who I'm at. I've awful

and told you he's warned them and now

tell you even with tears. Why would he

have tears?

Well, because some people get glombmed

on to the wrong model.

And it doesn't end well. Watch out who

you're following. Watch out who you're

imitating.

What do these people do? They walk as

enemies of the cross of Christ.

And then this description in verse 19,

here's how you'll know them. He says,

"Their end is destruction. You don't

want to go there."

Then this phrase, "Their god is their

belly." Um, what do they live for? They

live for their appetites.

They live for what they want.

They live for what their belly, what

their appetite is, is pushing them to

pursue. They're about the things of the

flesh. They are thing about the things

of the world. That's how you'll

recognize them.

And notice this. And they glory in their

shame. So you'll notice these people

because instead of being ashamed of

things that are shameful, they glory in

them.

They're proud of them.

Right? There are people in our world who

right now are on their way to

destruction absent the grace of God

intervening

and you know them because they are proud

about things that they should be ashamed

of.

Don't follow them.

Don't follow them. Don't pay attention

to them. Don't let your eyes

land on the things that they're doing.

I um I saw the latest stat this week.

This will depress you. Um

average American number of hours on

their phone in a week.

Any guesses?

49.

Are you kidding me?

But then everywhere you go, this is

the phone is not evil. It's a tool.

Maybe it's evil. Um,

but it's a conduit

and you and I are being influenced by it

every time we put it in front of our

face and what we're watching. Yes. Can I

just make an observation? What are the

people called who are on social media

trying to persuade you? Influencers.

They're not even hiding it.

Watch who you're following.

You cannot put your face in front of a

screen and not be changed.

If it's 49 hours here and let's say you

do an hour a day and you got seven here,

ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I put

it to you. Who wins?

It's obvious.

What does Paul say? He says, "Look out.

Their end is destruction. Their God is

their belly, and they glory in their

shame." And then here's the last clue.

with minds set on earthly things. So you

have someone in front of you and you're

like, "Hey, is this person's mind on

heavenly things or earthly things?"

Heavenly. Okay, give him the time of day

and make sure that's true. If it's

earthly things, move on.

Just notice his heart with tears. He's

like, "Please watch out. You're going to

imitate something." Here's the

encouragement for you and me, right? You

and I were not meant to do this

Christian life alone. You're actually we

belong to one another. Your decision to

follow Jesus is personal, but your walk

with him is not private.

No more can you do your life with Jesus

than a quarterback can do football

absent the 10 other guys on the offense.

Yes.

And here's the encouragement implicit in

what Paul is saying. Do you want to be a

man or a woman worth imitating?

Do you?

I hope your answer is yes.

So that like for me as a dad with four

kids, I can look at my sons and say be

like that man.

Boys, marry a woman like that. To my

daughter, I can say be like that lady.

Marry a man like that.

God says to you, he's like, "Do you want

to be someone worth imitating?"

Persevere.

Persevere. Press on.

This week, you saw the video earlier of

uh Lakeview Kids Club. It's a perfect

example of what Paul's talking about.

What do those kids do naturally?

Imitate.

The adult leaders poured into the

student leaders and the student leaders

and the adult leaders poured into the

kids. I love this picture

as they're singing to the Lord, minds

set on heavenly things, not earthly

things. But you want to see my favorite

picture?

Tell me they're not watching.

They're wa They're watching you.

Is it worth it to you to persevere for

him?

That's the point he's trying to make.

That's the point. Your progress in the

faith is not just affecting you.

It's affecting everyone around you. So,

here at Lake View, again, I'm going to

be lovingly annoying. I'm not gonna let

you sit and soak.

We are going to press on together. Is

that okay?

>> If Nick Sabin is allowed to do it,

what does a national championship amount

to?

It's fading.

here one. Oh, now the championship's on

a Monday night. It's here one Monday

night and what happens the next Monday?

I forgot who played.

Persevere. Find the right examples

around you and be that kind of person

last.

Perseverance is the joyful reward

together. This is where Paul lands the

plane.

He says verse 20, "But our citizenship

is in heaven and from it we await a

savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will

transform our lowly body to be like his

glorious body by the power that enables

him even to subject all things to

himself." Well, Paul says, he goes like,

"Okay, now I'm going to give you my last

argument for why you should do that is

because you are a citizen of heaven. If

you know Jesus, your citizenship has

changed. If I could give out heavenly

passports, I would." Because although we

are all situated in a country or an

ethnicity or whatever human demography

we can say, those all become secondary

to your heavenly citizenship, which

means what? that we have a total change

in what we value, what we think is

important, and what we're going after,

right? The culture that we all come from

has an answer to all of those. And when

you become a citizen of heaven, all

those change.

And what we do is we are like, man, I'm

about building the citizenship values

that Jesus says are important, like

being like him and knowing him

as we notice as we wait for Jesus to

come. And then verse 21, who will

transform, he's going to transform

everything. One of those things is our

lowly body to be like his glorious body.

So congratulations. You're going to look

great one day.

But his point is the transformation in

total because really, you know what you

want transformed by your body? This

sinful flesh that you're still trapped

in. I want that transformed. I want to

be exactly like him and who he says I'm

to be. That's what I want to be.

And he's got the power to do it. That's

the the last thing he says. And then

verse one of chapter 4. Therefore,

family,

notice his heart whom I love and long

for. I'm not trying to call you out on

the carpet. I'm like, really, it's from

a heart of love. I want this for you.

And then what does he say? my joy

and crown.

And then he says it again, stand firm.

In other words, persevere.

Thus in the Lord, my beloved.

The last thing that Paul's going to say,

and he's going to finish up his last

thoughts in chapter 4 as we press on the

next couple weeks. He says, "I want you

to stand firm in doing all the things

that we talked about.

But family, you got to do it together.

You have got to do it together. The

reason why he put us in the family, why

we're brothers and sisters, is because

we have to do this together." Now,

here's my last sports analogy for the

day. Have you been watching the World

Cup? Yes. Love it. I played soccer

growing up, so I'm a big fan as my

sport. That and baseball. Um, have you

noticed the different countries and how

they cheer and do their deal? I love me

the Scottish folks got their bag pipers

walking through Boston. I saw a video.

They're bag piping their way through

Boston. So fun. And then the other thing

I love is like the the joy around every

time they do the uh particular national

anthems before the games and not only

the players but all their fans in their

sections are singing. So like it's just

beautiful, so joyful.

Have you seen Have you seen the

Norwegians?

Ah,

my Viking friends,

they have some of the best like together

cheering. You're like, I haven't seen

it. I got you covered.

>> That's their head coach.

Love the horn.

Glory, glory, glory, glory, glory,

glory, glory, glor glor glor glor glor

glor glor glor glor glor glor glor glor

g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g glor glor glor glor glor glor glor glor

glor glor glor g

You're fired up right now.

How joyful were they?

You have been placed at Lake View Bible

Church so that we could row together.

That's why you're here.

Here's my ask. Will you row hard?

Will you row hard?

All of us together.

Like, you can't watch that and not be

like, "Heck yeah."

Winning the World Cup's great.

What we have is way better.

So, whatever the Lord asks of you

individually and us together, it's worth

it.

Promise you, it's worth it. Will you

press on in that?

Will you persevere in that?

Last thing, if you're taking notes,

where do you need to persevere?

Is there something right now in your

life where it's like, you know what, the

Lord's been talking to me. I need to

persevere in this area. I need to

persevere as a husband, as a wife, as a

dad, as a mom, as a grandma, as a

grandpa. I need to persevere in my work

right now. I need to persevere in a

relationship. I need to pers Where do

you need to persevere right now?

Second, who's the person you're going to

imitate?

Look around. Just take just take the

Bible at its word. Paul says, "Imitate

me." Look around.

Plenty of men and women here worth

imitating. And then last, are you rowing

together?

Are you rowing together?

I'm excited about where we're going.

And when we all get to heaven and we all

see Jesus,

whatever he asks of us is worth it.

Are you in for that? Let's pray. Father,

thank you for your goodness and your

kindness to us this morning. Thank you

that the cross is finished, the tomb is

empty, and our king lives.

Thank you for all that you've done in

each of our individual lives and how

you've brought us to this day. I pray

that you would make us by grace

with gracefueled effort,

a people who persevere. And King Jesus,

will you

do immeasurably more than we ask or

think because your name and your fame is

worth it. We pray in his name and

everyone's sin.