“Am I Thriving?"

Personally, I have a hard time applying sermons from church – simply because I don’t reflect on them after that morning. I can just listen, be convicted, and move on without change. Indeed, this is not the way it ought to be.

This past Sunday, Dave Harvey, our Sr. Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA, gave a message on Philippians 3:1-16, explaining what it means to "thrive" as a single. His main point was this: Thriving is the fruit of a singular pursuit - that we know Christ.

He supported this by offering three points.

1) I know I am thriving when my confidence is less in me and more in Jesus Christ.

2) I know I am thriving when my focus is less on where I’ve come from and more on where I am going.

3) I know I am thriving when I resist standing still and resolve to always move forward.

In an attempt to apply the message, I printed out the passage, got a read pen, and tried to figure out what the passage was saying (Dave Harvey obviously brought much clarity to this).

My thoughts when reading and meditating on Philippians 3: 7-11

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

The question that I have for myself is, do I long for Christ like Paul does? Do I want to gain Christ (vs.8)? Do I want to be found in him (vs.9)? Do I want to know him and the power of his resurrection (vs.10)? Do I want to become like him in his death (vs.10)? Do I want to attain the resurrection from the dead (vs.11)?

My immediate answer is an emphatic, “YES!”

However, am I (are we) willing to do whatever it takes to get there; to gain Christ?

Am I willing to count whatever gain I have (I have no gain) as loss? Indeed, am I willing to count everything as loss? Am I willing to suffer the loss of all things? Count them as rubbish? Have all my faith in Christ? Am I willing to share his sufferings?

When you interpret this passage looking through the eyes of what Paul did “in order that...” you realize that striving for Christ is not easy. Thanks be to God that there is grace available to gain Christ! "6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

Why did Paul do all this? For the sake of Christ (vs.7), because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ (vs.8), and for his sake (vs.8)! Indeed, the Christian life is worth “press[ing] on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

For more application listen to John Piper’s “Don’t Waste Your Life” sermon, since he expounds Philippians 3 in his message.

What did you guys take away from the sermon/Philippians?

Click here in case you're interested in downloading the sermon. Covenant Fellowship Church also offers application questions following each message, which can be downloaded here.