WINTER QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2012-2013

“THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST’S LORDSHIP REVEALED FROM ROME”

UNIT TWO: PHILIPPIANS…REVELATION OF CHRIST’S PATTERN TO THE CHURCH

“THE JOY OF BEING YOUR PERSONAL BEST!”

Sunday School Lesson No. IX January 27, 2013

Presented by Rev. Frank Davis, III Pastor-Teacher

Lesson Text: Philippians 3:12-16

Required Reading: Philippians 3: 12 – 4:1

Motto Text: Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the

prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Reliable Resources: Precepts for Living (UMI); Union Gospel Press

Expositor and Illuminator; Libronix Electronic

Library; MacArthur Study Bible; Thomas Nelson

Open Bible Notes; Word Search 9 and 10 Electronic

Library; Notes on the New Testament by Albert

Barnes; Turning Toward Joy-The Book of

Philippians by Dr. David Jeremiah

LESSON INTRODUCTION

No two individuals are exactly alike, even twins or snowflakes. But one thing is a fact, when anyone is given the privilege of participating in life, God expects their personal best! There is no joy in quitting, but in pursuing and finishing our endeavors. I am reminded of my youngest son who ran the 220 race as an eighth grader. His school had no track on which to practice, but they would simulate the run by running around inner-city blocks. On the day of the competition he, along with other runners who had good training and facilities, began the race in a great stadium. As the runners began the second lap, my son fell further behind, but in the back side of the tack, he found his second wind. He realized there were no other races left and gave it all he had, passing other runners to come in second. We were very amazed at his accomplishment as he gave his personal best!

Our lesson this week encourages us to not look behind but leave it all on the field. Tomorrow is not promised, and all we have to present to the Lord must be presented today! Then we will know the joy of being our personal best. Remember, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!” Isaac Watts wrote: “Sure I must fight if I would reign, Increase my courage, Lord! I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy Word.”

Let us view my Anticipated Power Points for the lesson and pursue “The Joy of Being Our Personal Best!”

·  Reflecting on our Personal Best. Philippians 3:10-11

·  Reaching for our Personal Best. Philippians 3:12-14

·  Rallying others to Pursue their Personal Best. Philippians 3:15-16

LESSON OUTLINE

I. Reflecting on our Personal Best. Philippians 3:10-11

This is a brief look at our last lesson, in which Paul declared his personal desire to “know Him” (vs. 10). Paul had a great desire to have an intimate knowledge of our Lord. Wiersbe described it as “Knowing Christ in a Personal Experience, Powerful Experience, Painful Experience and Practical Experience.” To this I added that we should also desire to know Him in a Perfect Experience (vs. 11) where Paul sought to one day be raised to the ultimate level of resurrection from among the dead! Paul reflected on this as his goal, and this became his desire while reaching for his personal best.

Like Paul, we should have a foundation from which to move forward, a place from which we have been launched to a track on which we are running every day. But to reach our personal best, we must not only reflect on our launching, but we must continue to reach forward…

II. Reaching for our Personal Best. Philippians 3:12-14

Now we move into the center of our lesson for this week. Reaching meaning “extending, influencing, mastering, spreading…it is the opposite of limiting.” Paul’s desire was similar to that of Jude in verse 3 where he declared that we should “earnestly contend.” Philippians 3:12 (NLT), “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.”

Paul’s earnest desire was a continuing to reach, press, and lean forward in relentless pursuit of reaching God’s finish line without slowing down. I am often told that I am going too fast or I need to slow down a little, but beloved, I regard the advice of the well-meaning with a “thank you” while realizing that I am placed here on earth to fulfill God’s desire for my life even as Christ. John 9:4 tells us, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

So Paul teaches us that “He was not satisfied with comparing himself to other Christians. He had a higher standard.” (Eggart). Beloved, Paul’s desire was to reach the highest level of perfection a saved sinner could reach on earth! We, like Paul, should be steadily reaching for the three levels of Sanctification. “Positional sanctification when receive Jesus as Saviour. Perfectly sanctified when we see Jesus in the future, for we will be like Him. In the meantime, we are being progressively sanctified as we grow in our knowledge and service to Him.” If we lack in this threefold experience of sanctification, we are not reaching for our personal best.

Verse 13 declares two objectives in reaching our personal best. Paul declared that he would:

A. Find no rest in past accomplishments.

Verse13a, NLT – “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it...” This needs no commentary. He means just

what he said.

B. Focus on reaching the finish line.

Verse 13b, NLT – “…but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” This

should be done at all legal costs, playing by the rules and not bending them to our favor.

C. Forward – is the direction in which the believer leans as he seeks to reach the tape of the finish line. Nothing else is in his

sight but to “finish strong” and attain the reward that only the Lord can give! The believer’s crown, the reward at the end

of the Christian race, is not corruptible but incorruptible. (Read I Corinthians 9:25). God is the judge who will determine if

our race has been successfully run by the rules (I Corinthians 3:12-15).

Finally:

III. Rallying others to Pursue their Personal Best. Philippians 3:15-16

Paul wanted to encourage others to pursue their personal best and not become stagnant in ritual religiosity. The religious opposers of Paul claimed perfection through rules and regulations of the law. But Paul realized that “by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified.” He rallied others to pursue Christ and His righteousness. It is all of God’s grace!

The Apostle wants and strongly coerces believers at every level of maturity, “don’t become lethargic in attitude” but remember, every day given is an opportunity to grow in Christ. I have my opinion on these matters: “Yesterday’s victory is now a memory. Today’s will come as we persistently perform, and tomorrow’s is based on our consistency from day to day.”

CLOSING

Elder William E. Atkins wrote: “I have never reached perfection, But I tried…I’ve sometimes lost connection, But I tried…Sometimes right, sometimes wrong; Always hoping to be strong. I now rise and sing this song, Lord I tried.”

Bibleway Missionary Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA & Little Bethel Baptist Church, Amite, LA

Mailing Address: Post Office Box 19768, New Orleans, LA 70179

Phone: (504) 486-7876 Website: www.thestudyhour.com

Radio Broadcasts: WLNO AM 1060, Saturday 8:30 a.m.; Sunday 5:30 a.m.

WABL AM 1570 (Hammond-Amite area) Sunday 7:00 a.m.

LOOKING AHEAD: February 3, 2013 Colossians 1:15-20

Pastor Davis invites you to hear him teach the Sunday School lesson at Bibleway on Wednesday at noon.

Please visit our website, www.thestudyhour.com to see and hear Pastor teaching the lesson via Video.

Then call a friend and share the blessing.