09/06/2026
Press On
Week 3: Living A Life Worthy Of The Gospel – What Matters Most
Scripture: Philippians 3:4b-14
Write Up: Paul shares his own testimony and explains that everything he once considered valuable pales in comparison to knowing Christ. Religious achievements, personal accomplishments, and worldly status cannot compare to the surpassing worth of a relationship with Jesus. Instead of looking backward, Paul presses forward, pursuing the calling God has placed before him. This message invites believers to evaluate what they are chasing and to recognize that life's greatest treasure is not found in success, comfort, or recognition, but in knowing and becoming more like Christ.
Think: What I value determines what I pursue.
Feel: A deep desire to know Jesus more than anything else.
Do: Identify what you are pursuing, let go of what is holding you back, and press on toward Christ.
Philippians 3:4b-7 (NLT)
4 Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
POINT #1 - WHAT YOU VALUE DETERMINES WHAT YOU PURSUE
Philippians 3:8-11 (NLT)
8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
POINT #2 - KNOWING CHRIST IS WORTH MORE THAN EVERYTHING ELSE
Philippians 3:12-14 (NLT)
12 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. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
POINT #3 - FOLLOWING JESUS REQUIRES US TO KEEP PRESSING FORWARD
5 Points to Ponder
Our Pursuits Reveal Our Hearts
What you treasure will control your time, your energy, and your sacrifices. Examine your week—what does your schedule say about what you value most?
Knowing Christ Surpasses All Earthly Success
Titles, trophies, and possessions will fade, but a living relationship with Jesus will endure into eternity. Ask yourself daily: Am I chasing the temporary, or the eternal?
Pressing On Requires Letting Go
We cannot run forward while clinging to the past. Release regrets, pride, and distractions so that nothing hinders your pursuit of Christ.
Spiritual Growth Demands Intentionality
Like any relationship, knowing Jesus deeply takes time in His Word, prayer, worship, and obedience. Schedule your life to seek His presence first.
Grace Fuels Our Pursuit
We press on not to earn God’s love, but because He has already taken hold of us through Christ. Let gratitude for His grace propel you forward.
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