”Follow the Right Examples” (Philippians 3:15-21)

“Follow the Right Examples” (Philippians 3:15–21)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, November 29, 2015

Philippians 3:15–21 (NIV)

15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Before you start following someone, you ought to know where that person is heading.

1.    Follow the right examples, namely, those who are pressing on toward the goal of Jesus Christ (15–17 and previous context).

2.    Be careful to avoid the wrong examples, namely, those who are living for their own pleasure and doomed to destruction (18–19).

3.    It is important that we follow the right examples, because we belong to the kingdom of heaven not the kingdom of earth (20–21).

Main Idea: As believers, we should be following the right examples in the faith; and in order to do that we need to know where our examples are headed.