Pressing Toward the Mark: Leaving the Past Behind

• Graduation and New Beginnings [00:01:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor frames the current service as a spiritual graduation for the congregation, not just the physical graduates present, emphasizing a transition into new seasons and assignments.
• Perseverance and Growth [00:02:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor acknowledges that believers are not yet perfect ('magna cum laude') but are works in progress, relying on Christ working within them to produce testimony through hardship.
• Relentless Pursuit of Christ [00:06:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > Point number one of the sermon: Believers must pursue Jesus with everything they have, acknowledging that even apostles like Paul were not 'perfect' or 'arrived' but were pressing on.
• Spiritual Prioritization [00:12:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > Point number two: Believers must prioritize what matters spiritually rather than materially, as earthly things cannot be taken to heaven, and the soul's destination is eternal.
• Security in Salvation [00:11:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that remaining in God's family is based on God's choice and love, not human perfection or performance.
• Spiritual Prioritization [00:12:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts material pursuits with spiritual priorities, emphasizing that only godly things transcend to eternity.
• Moving Forward / Forgetting the Past [00:13:19 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using Paul's example in Philippians, the pastor urges listeners to forget past failures and mistakes to press on toward the goal of Jesus.
• Intentional Discipleship and Examples [00:21:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor discusses the importance of following godly examples within the church community and avoiding those who walk away from Christ.
• Christian Influence and Consumption [00:23:15 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of Netflix algorithms to explain that what we consume shapes our conformity, warning against following charisma over character.
• Spiritual Maturity and 'Winsomeness' [00:25:20 ▶️ 📄]
  > Defines 'winsomeness' as having an irresistible influence where one's atmosphere changes, characterized by confidence in Christ rather than self-deprecation.
• Cultural Relevance vs. Compromise [00:27:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > Argues against 'weird Christians,' advocating for being culturally relevant without being compromised, specifically citing the need to 'keep it moving' when content glorifies sin.
• Accountability and Ownership [00:30:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > Emphasizes the importance of owning mistakes ('that's on me') rather than blaming others, which builds respect in children and models integrity.
• Expectant Living and Dual Citizenship [00:31:30 ▶️ 📄]
  > Uses the analogy of preparing for company to illustrate living expectantly for Christ's return, connecting this to the concept of dual citizenship in heaven and earth.
• Heavenly Citizenship and Embassy Metaphor [00:34:37 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the concept of diplomatic embassies to explain that the church operates under the laws of Heaven while residing on earth, requiring believers to prioritize God's laws over government laws when they conflict.
• Purpose and Significance [00:38:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor challenges the congregation to reject feelings of aimlessness, asserting that their identity as kingdom citizens provides inherent purpose and significance to use God's power for breakthrough.
• Relentless Growth (1% Better) [00:40:44 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using the analogy of an Ironman athlete, the pastor encourages incremental daily improvement in spiritual disciplines rather than overwhelming perfectionism.
• Role of the Holy Spirit [00:42:55 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts a human guide with the Holy Spirit, explaining that the Spirit lives inside believers to lift them up and ensure they reach the finish line, even when they fall.

• Sermon Illustration [00:00:35 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his high school guidance counselor who doubted his college potential despite his perfect SAT score, contrasting this with his dream to be the first in his family to graduate.
• Sermon Illustration [00:10:21 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts a story about a young foster kid who, after breaking something in his new adoptive home, immediately started packing to leave, fearing rejection. The father stopped him, explaining that his place in the family was based on being chosen and loved, not on perfection or performance.
• Sermon Illustration [00:11:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses an analogy of a parent telling a child they are in the family because they were chosen, not because of performance. He also references the biblical story of Paul (formerly Saul) forgetting his past persecution of Christians to focus on his commission. Finally, he shares a personal anecdote about being pulled over by police for swerving because he was looking at the officer in his side-view mirror instead of the road ahead, using it as a metaphor for not dwelling on the past.
• Sermon Illustration [00:23:15 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts a conversation with a brother who was confused by dark content on Netflix, using it to illustrate that algorithms feed us what we click on, serving as a metaphor for spiritual consumption.
• Sermon Illustration [00:25:50 ▶️ 📄]
  > An analogy of chewing gum: taking the flavor (learning from criticism or compliments) but spitting it out (not letting it define or consume you) to maintain spiritual momentum.
• Sermon Illustration [00:26:25 ▶️ 📄]
  > A personal anecdote about being told he 'grew up with black people' due to his mannerisms, which he uses to illustrate how environment shapes character, paralleling how the disciples were recognized as having been with Jesus.
• Sermon Illustration [00:29:01 ▶️ 📄]
  > A reference to Charles Barkley stating 'I'm not a role model,' which the pastor counters by asserting that all believers are role models, either pushing people toward or away from Jesus.
• Sermon Illustration [00:30:33 ▶️ 📄]
  > An illustration of Michelangelo seeing an angel in a marble slab and chiseling away to set it free, used to describe how God sees potential in believers and is chiseling them to be set free.
• Sermon Illustration [00:31:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > A childhood memory of his deaf mother preparing new dishes and towels for company, which he uses to argue that if we prepare for human visitors, we should prepare even more for Christ's return.
• Sermon Illustration [00:39:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares the story of Chris Nikic, the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman, and his guide Dan Gribb. He highlights the tether connecting them and how Dan helped Chris up when he fell, using this to illustrate the Holy Spirit's role in lifting believers up to the finish line.

• Pastoral Charge [00:01:16 ▶️ 📄]
  > Demonstrate generosity towards the graduates.
• Pastoral Charge [00:03:02 ▶️ 📄]
  > Clap together in agreement/response.
• Pastoral Charge [00:06:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > Write down the sermon point 'Pursue Christ relentlessly'.
• Pastoral Charge [00:11:58 ▶️ 📄]
  > Write down the sermon point 'Prioritize what matters spiritually'.
• Pastoral Charge [00:13:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > Respond with 'Amen' to affirm the message about forgiveness and past regrets.
• Pastoral Charge [00:20:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > Clap in agreement and receive the message about staying in one's 'God lane'.
• Pastoral Charge [00:30:18 ▶️ 📄]
  > Take full personal responsibility for mistakes and commit to improvement.
• Pastoral Charge [00:29:54 ▶️ 📄]
  > Fall in love with Jesus, engage with the Bible, and allow the Spirit to produce character.
• Pastoral Charge [00:44:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > To give their life to Jesus Christ, call on His name, and repent for salvation.

[00:00:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:00:01] Incredible. From the north side, south side, east side, west side, broadcasting to over 4,000 incarceration facilities.
[00:00:09] We're grateful that you're here. Thank you for making your way to CBC. And we just believe in faith as we honor all of you graduates.
[00:00:16] Congratulations. Everything in me wants to sing a little Post Malone. Congratulations.
[00:00:23] We're grateful. We're grateful. Proud of you.
[00:00:26] How many of you, when you walked across that stage, you had some people along the way that were like, man, I don't know if you're going to make it. I had a guidance counselor. I had a
[00:00:35] guidance counselor that was like, I don't know if you're college material. And she was looking at my SAT score, perfect score, 1600, got a 540. You get 400 points for signing your name correctly.
[00:00:46] And with a name like Ed, that shouldn't be too hard. And I found myself going, maybe I wasn't meant for this. But deep down inside my heart was a dream to be the first one in my family to
[00:00:58] graduate from college. I'm honored to be able to say that because some people, some coaches, some teachers, come on somebody, some administrators, some friends, some family believed in me. And if you saw a graduate today, one of the things I'd love for you to do is
[00:01:16] demonstrate a little bit of generosity. If you got an unused gift card in your pocket, or maybe you got a little extra cash, I want you to be a blessing to one of these graduates.
[00:01:26] Be a blessing.
[00:01:27] Let them know.
[00:01:28] Believe in you.
[00:01:29] So proud of you.
[00:01:30] But I just had this in my heart as I was studying this week.
[00:01:34] I just felt the Holy Spirit of God just speak this over CBC that this is a graduation ceremony.
[00:01:40] If I were to be a commencement speaker, what would I say?
[00:01:45] The Lord was like, talk to the people of God this way.
[00:01:48] I got new levels for the people of CBC.
[00:01:50] I got new dimensions, new destinies, new callings, new assignment, that the calling of God, this is a graduation weekend, not just for people wearing caps and gowns that are standing amongst us, but actually this is a graduation season for you. You're stepping into a new chapter, a new
[00:02:06] beginning. Come on, somebody received this today, that God is elevating you. God is, come on, God is giving you a turn the tassel moment that you're coming into a new season, favor, blessing, anointing. And it might even be through some hardship that God's going to use a test to
[00:02:26] produce a testimony. It's not always the good thing. Sometimes it might be the difficult season that's necessary to get us ready for the next place that he has in store for us. We're all learning. Ladies and gentlemen, we're all growing. We're not where we want to be. The praise be to
[00:02:41] God. Christ in me is working on me. Ooh, God, let me say that again. I'm not where I want to be.
[00:02:46] but praise God, Christ, Christ lives inside of me and he's working on me. And I'm thankful that each and every one of us, we may not graduate magna cum laude, but we can speak and be grateful
[00:03:02] that we're thank the Lord. Amen. That God has a place and a plan for us. Come on church. Can we clap together? I want to preach a message today entitled, keep it moving. Keep it moving. I want
[00:03:18] to look at your neighbor right now. Come on, say, keep it moving. Look at your other neighbor that feels offended that you didn't pick them. Say, keep it moving. Now you're like, eh, that kind
[00:03:28] of felt a little mean. Keep it moving. I don't mean it negatively. I mean it positively. It's not negatively like, hey, my name is no, my number's no. Come on, y'all with me? I'm just
[00:03:39] making sure y'all still listening. It's not like that. It just means that where you're at today, come on, let me just speak this over you. Where you're at today is not what God has in store for
[00:03:48] you only. That God's got new dimensions. He's leading you to new spaces. And the Holy Spirit of God wants to say to you, keep it moving. Keep putting one foot right in front of the next and
[00:03:57] keep it moving to the goal and the prize of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Oh, I wish I had five people that'd be excited about this sermon today. Oh, I got more, more than five. Okay.
[00:04:09] Amen. Got the dog pound to my left over here. I love that. Got some barking over here. Amen.
[00:04:16] head. But I want to read in Philippians chapter three, verse 12. It says, not that I've already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made
[00:04:28] me his own. Brothers, me and sisters, I do not consider that I've made it my own, but one thing, not many things, not multiple things, but one thing, I forget what lies behind and I strain
[00:04:40] forward to what is lying ahead. I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of Christ Jesus. And then it goes on to say this in verse 17, brothers, once more sisters, join in
[00:04:51] imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
[00:04:56] For many of whom have often told you, and now I tell you, even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross, as to say they used to follow Jesus, but they ain't here no more. Their end is their
[00:05:08] destruction. Their God is their belly. Their glory is their shame. And they have minds set on earth he thanks. But verse 20, but our citizenship is in heaven. And from it, we await a savior,
[00:05:23] the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies and make it like his glorious body.
[00:05:30] No more sickness, no more pain, no more disease, no more death. Victory has been won by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself as to say, what's over your head is always beneath
[00:05:43] the feet of Jesus. No matter what you're facing that feels so over your head, Jesus walks on top of that situation. He's got all authority and he wants you to live in victory. Come on, can we clap
[00:05:54] to that? Would that be all right? Let's receive the word of God today. So Father God, we ask for a word from heaven. Speak to our souls in Jesus' name. And all God's people said, amen. Amen.
[00:06:07] Keep it moving. Point number one, write this down. Pursue Christ relentlessly. If I was preaching and speaking at a commencement ceremony. I've had the honor to do that a few times, but if this was our graduation ceremony and God was calling you into new levels, new dimensions,
[00:06:23] not just our graduates who have cap and gown and tassel. I'm talking about to the people of God, the sons and daughters of God. If you were stepping into a new dimension of what God's
[00:06:31] called you to leaving behind the old and moving into the new, here's what I tell you. You make sure you pursue Christ with everything you got. You pursue Jesus relentlessly. Now here's what Paul is saying. He goes, hey, listen, I'm surrounded by some people that think they got
[00:06:44] it all together. He goes, I'm not perfect. I've not arrived. Now, if anybody could actually speak with some spiritual swagger, would it not be the apostle Paul? Y'all, he had actually been able in a vision to go to the third heavens. Anybody know what I'm talking about? First Corinthians,
[00:07:01] he talks about, man, he got a vision in the third heavens. You're like, pastor, I don't even know what the third heavens are. First heaven, sky. Second heaven, universe. Third heaven, that's the house of God. And Paul got to hang out with God in a vision, but he doesn't after that vision
[00:07:17] say that he's got it all figured out. By the way, the new Testament that we hold, the old Testament, 66 books, old Testament, new Testament really breaks it down into two categories. 75% of the
[00:07:26] new Testament, the apostle Paul writes under the inspiration of the Holy spirit. And this man who writes scripture goes, Hey man, there's a lot of stuff in my life. That's got to get worked out.
[00:07:38] I've not arrived. And what I love about CBC, can I say this? I leaned over to my daughters at the last service. I leaned over to my daughters that just got home from college. And I love the fact
[00:07:48] that my kids said this, oh, it's so good to be home because I've missed this place. And let me tell you about what it means to have a daddy that loves it when their kids come back and go, I've
[00:07:59] missed this place. You know what they're saying? I can't find this kind of church where I live.
[00:08:05] why because every color every creed every tribe every tongue every nation every hair color every type of attire tattoos no tattoos scars stories suffering trial tribulation ain't nobody perfect up in here ain't nobody we are the right fit for the misfit and i'm one of them dear god
[00:08:35] I don't know about you, but I just, I love us. I love us, man. Man, I love you because here's the truth of the matter is that all of us, all of us, man, we are a product and a testimony of God's
[00:08:56] grace. And man, there's moments in our life. If we could just be real, that there are people that so many times come to churches and act like they got it all together. That this is not one of those
[00:09:08] churches. This ain't going to be a moment where the person in front of you is not going to admit that he's got struggles. I think my wife and I, my family have testified to that. I think you've
[00:09:21] seen the grit, the tenacity, but you've seen the heartbreak and the heartache. You've seen moments where I've grown in my own faith, getting more comfortable in my own skin. All that to say, I'm never going to ask you to do something that I'm not willing to do myself, which is to submit
[00:09:36] myself under the scalpel and the hammer and the chisel of the Holy spirit in my life. That's making me more like Jesus each and every day. And just like you, it's to say that you are the
[00:09:49] potter. I am the clay and I submit to the wheel and God, you, you take the broken pieces in my life and you weave it into a story that I could be a vessel used of you. And God, I might be
[00:10:02] missing a handle or two, but God, thank you that I got you. And that's what Paul is saying. And I got to illustrate it this way. Let me take a commercial break for a second, because he's
[00:10:12] saying that Christ Jesus has made me his own. And he goes, I'm not going to pretend like I got it all together. I'm still a work in progress. There's a story about a young foster kid. It's
[00:10:21] in high school that bounced around from foster family to foster family. And unfortunately what was being formed in him and shaped in him was rejection. He just felt like it was always going to be a moment where somebody looked at him and said, Hey man, you're not welcome here.
[00:10:36] But he gets adopted by this loving family and this mom and this dad adopt this young man. And there was a moment where there was an accident where this kid breaks something in the living
[00:10:45] room and immediately leaves the living room and goes into his bedroom and starts packing his stuff. And father walks in and goes, son, what are you doing? He goes, I figured I'd leave before you told me I needed to leave. He goes, excuse me? He goes, I just figured you're going to be
[00:10:58] like everybody else and tell me to leave. He goes, son, I need you to understand something. First of all, unpack your bag. He goes, I need you to know it's not your perfection or your performance that
[00:11:08] keeps you in this house. It's the fact that your mom and I picked you. We chose you and you are a part of this family. Now, come on. Can you hear this today with some spiritual ears? Is that not
[00:11:22] Jesus speaking to you right now? That you're a part of the family of God. Come on, somebody that you're part of the family of God, not because of your performance, not because of your perfection,
[00:11:32] but because Jesus died for you, loves you, chose you, saved you, forgave you. And listen to me, that he loves you way too much to leave you right there, that he is going to make you more like him
[00:11:47] each and every day. And that's what it means to be a son and daughter of a living God. Number two, write this down. If this was a graduation ceremony, come on, we're going to new level CBC.
[00:11:58] we're walking into new dimensions, new anointing, new calling, new commissions.
[00:12:03] Number two, I'd say this to you, prioritize what matters spiritually, not just pursue Christ relentlessly, but prioritize what matters spiritually. Notice what I did not say.
[00:12:13] It didn't say prioritize what matters materially, prioritize what matters spiritually. You know why?
[00:12:20] Because the things of this world, you can't take to heaven. It's only the godly things of this world that transcends into the next.
[00:12:27] Your soul, your soul's gonna live in one or two places.
[00:12:29] And listen, I love you way too much not to tell you this.
[00:12:32] It's either heaven or hell.
[00:12:35] It's A, B.
[00:12:36] There ain't no C, D, E, F.
[00:12:40] Not A, one through three.
[00:12:41] No, listen, it's A, heaven, B, hell.
[00:12:43] And it's based upon the fact that we were made for eternity and Jesus loved you way too much for you to die and be separated from him.
[00:12:51] He wants you to be in a relationship with him.
[00:12:52] He wants you to go to heaven, know your sins are forgiven and live on this earth with purpose and passion.
[00:12:57] And many of us gave our lives to Jesus later on in life and we saw some stuff, went through some stuff, wish that we could go back and erase some stuff.
[00:13:05] Can I get an amen from somebody else in the house of God?
[00:13:10] And I need you to know what Paul is saying.
[00:13:12] That is the writer of Philippians as he is in a Roman prison cell.
[00:13:18] Here's what he's saying.
[00:13:19] As I move forward, there's one thing I do.
[00:13:22] I forget what lies behind and I strain.
[00:13:26] that word strain in the Greek language literally means, and I want you to envision this, a runner that's coming across the finish line, that's pressing his body or her body across the line as to say, I'm leaning in. I'm leaning into what Christ has in store for me. For my goal is Jesus.
[00:13:44] My prize is Jesus. My pursuit is Jesus. I have a goal and it's not, yes, just to be successful, not just to be popular, not just to be influential, not just to have some material items.
[00:13:57] Those things are significant and can be used of God. My heart and my hope is that I would be completely focused on Jesus, not looking to my past that prevents me from being all that Christ
[00:14:11] has called me to be. And some of you know exactly what I'm talking about. You know that you've been forgiven, but the enemy continues to remind you of the things that you've done. And Paul goes,
[00:14:22] I can relate with that. And we may not be able to relate with Paul, but watch this before he was Paul, he was Saul. And Saul was a dude that actually applauded the death of a guy named
[00:14:33] Stephen. That was the first Christian martyr. He actually applauded this man's death. He was so zealous for the old Testament and did not believe that Jesus was the savior and the Messiah. And he had a desire to extinguish Christianity and he pursued Christians to imprison them. And Paul,
[00:14:54] who's now looking back on his life goes, I remember what it was like to be Saul, but I met Jesus, Acts nine on a Damascus road. And I saw him and he called me, commissioned me
[00:15:07] to take the gospel to the Gentiles because the good news of Jesus ain't just for the Jews, is for the whole world. And Paul, who is a Jew, would face battles, shipwrecked, snakebitten, imprisoned for the sake of the gospel and would say it's all worthy of his name. And this is what
[00:15:28] he's telling us. He goes, but in order for me to move forward, I got to forget what's behind.
[00:15:32] I got to forget my failures. I got to forget my mistakes. I got to forget what I've done that I'm regretful of, and I got to receive this grace and this mercy, and I got to keep it moving.
[00:15:43] I got to keep moving. I got to keep moving in this direction. And at the same time, I cannot sit and settle in my successes as if they define me because I got to keep it moving
[00:15:55] because there's more things God has in store for me versus living in the glory years of what used to be. Y'all with me? Come on church, receive this today. And it reminds me, let me take a
[00:16:08] commercial break. I know that felt intense right there for a second, but let me take a commercial break, man. I got pulled over by the police this past week. I know, I know. Listen, last night
[00:16:19] service, Saturday service. We have a Saturday service by the way. And brother from the front row was like, again, I was like, judge not lest you be judged my brother. All right. But I was
[00:16:31] coming home from the Spurs game. Amen. Amen. And amen. Go Spurs go. Bring on that Oklahoma city.
[00:16:39] We ready. We ready. So I was coming home from his first game and it was about 1 a.m. and I got pulled over and it escalated pretty quickly, if I could just say that out loud. I'm grateful for
[00:16:50] our SAPD and all our officers. I'm grateful for our men and women that wear the shield. I back the blue. I respect them. Our church feeds them once a month. We love them. He was just doing his
[00:17:00] job. He pulled me over and all of a sudden he's like asking for my driver's license. And I was on 281. He was like, hey man, we need to get to a place where we could talk. I was like, okay,
[00:17:07] hey, this is about to get serious.
[00:17:09] And so all of a sudden we get into a parking lot and he goes, you were swerving, have you been drinking?
[00:17:14] I was like, hey, I'm a pastor.
[00:17:16] He goes, you'd be surprised.
[00:17:20] And I go, hey man, like I don't drink at all.
[00:17:23] Like I'm a teetotaler, I don't drink at all.
[00:17:25] Like I don't dip, I don't smoke, I don't vape, I don't drink, I don't do any of that stuff.
[00:17:30] I hoop, love my family and I pastor a church, right?
[00:17:35] And love Jesus.
[00:17:35] if you're going to search my car, I carry a handgun every once in a while. Don't have it with me right now, but that just, hello. All right. Second amendment, right. And so I said,
[00:17:47] but what you're going to find in here is some sneakers for the glory of Jesus. Right? And he goes, you were changing lanes without a turn signal. And you kind of went from one lane to
[00:17:57] the next. And he goes, can you step out the vehicle? I was like, okay. He backed me up against his vehicle. Once more, just doing his job, put a blue light in front of me. All of a sudden told
[00:18:08] me just to watch the light. I'm like, I, in my mind, I'm like, I can't believe this is happening.
[00:18:16] And all of a sudden he got done. He was like, so you just changing lanes like this. I said, man, I'm going to just, I'm going to keep this 100 with you. I said, the reason why I was swerving
[00:18:27] like that is because I was looking at you. He goes, excuse me. I said, I watched you pull on 281 at bidders. He's like, you saw me? I go, oh yeah, I slowed down. He started laughing and I
[00:18:51] said, yeah, I slowed down. You were in the right lane the whole time. He said, and I moved on. I was just five miles over the speed limit. So I thought I was good. And all of a sudden the blue
[00:19:01] lights came up behind me. How many of you ever had blue lights behind you and you thought it was for somebody else. Hello. Did y'all see me twitch for a second? A little PTSD right there for a second.
[00:19:18] So, so all of a sudden I said, man, the reason why I said, I didn't even know I did this.
[00:19:24] I promise you I ain't drinking, man. I said, the reason why I did this is I was driving, looking at my side view mirror, looking at you the whole time. He goes, that's what you were
[00:19:34] doing? I said, yeah. He goes, well, that explains why you didn't use a turn signal and went from one lane to the next. Now watch this. I had to give him my autograph. That's a whole nother
[00:19:42] conversation for another day. But I'm going to tell you this right here. Can I say this out loud?
[00:19:48] Where you end up typically is based upon where you look. You with me? What you stare at, what you look at is where you will lean and swerve to. And sometimes it'll happen without without even you knowing it. Why? You were never intended to look at the side view mirror.
[00:20:10] You were intended to drive while looking ahead. Many of you are looking through the mirrors, and I'm not saying looking at the mirrors is wrong, but you can't keep staring at the mirrors of what's been behind. Come on, somebody. You've been called to drive and live through the
[00:20:25] windshield of what God has in store for you for the future, for the lane you've been called to run in. God didn't call me to run up in your lane. God's got a lane for me. God's got a lane for you.
[00:20:37] And so many times we're like, stay in your lane. No, stay in the, stay in your God lane.
[00:20:43] Stay in the God lane he's got for you and keep your eye on the prize. Can we clap to that? Would that be all right? Come on, let's clap to that. Let's receive that and use your turn signal with
[00:20:54] your drive. All right. Point number three, you got to pattern your life intentionally, not just prioritize what matters spiritually pursue Christ relentlessly pattern your life intentionally now I read this already he says join in imitating me keep your eyes on those who walk
[00:21:13] according to the example you have in us now he's talking about two groups of people he says follow those who follow Christ amen and then he says now watch this he goes but learn from those who walk
[00:21:26] away from Christ. Hello. He says, let's talk about those who follow Christ. And I want to say to somebody today that you may not have a godly example in your family that you can look to as
[00:21:39] this is what a godly man looks like and what a godly woman looks like. This is the importance of being a part of a Bible-believing, Jesus-loving, Holy Spirit-filled church like CBC. Why? Why?
[00:21:52] because the person that God has put into your life as an example could be in this community of faith that all of a sudden becomes that spiritual father, that spiritual brother, or that spiritual mother,
[00:22:04] or that spiritual sister that's just a little bit further down the road than you are that you can look at and you think that you're sitting in your row, in your seat all across our campuses by accident.
[00:22:15] Now, I know how you are.
[00:22:17] Man, you always sit in those same seats.
[00:22:18] As a matter of fact, you get frustrated when somebody's sitting in your seat.
[00:22:21] Hello. But what if I were to tell you the fact that you're a creature of habit and you keep sitting in the same section is because the Holy Spirit of God's trying to get your attention
[00:22:30] that the example that you should be looking to is sitting on that row.
[00:22:36] Could it be that God brought you to CBC for you to walk in such a way in the footsteps? Now watch this ain't nobody Jesus, but Jesus is in us. And as I pursue Jesus, then we should be examples for
[00:22:48] those that come behind us. And when you and I think about what it means to be an example in Christ, I got to ask the question, are we being a proper example for what it means to follow Jesus?
[00:22:59] It reminds me of a conversation that I was in with a brother that was talking about how Netflix just had some raunchy stuff, if I could just be a little candid about the conversation. He was like, there's some kind of dark stuff on Netflix. I was like, how do you know?
[00:23:15] He was like, man, my algorithm keeps feeding me all this stuff. I said, hey, bro, I'm going to be real with you. Netflix ain't just feeding you some stuff. It's based upon your clicks and your
[00:23:25] choices that it's sending those things. He's like, Hey man, I don't appreciate. I said, Hey brother, I'm just, I'm just trying to tell you that it's feeding what you're consuming. And this is a word
[00:23:37] for all of us, what you consume, you'll conform to. And when you and I live a life, that's been so infiltrated by the things of culture in the world. And I'm not against entertainment. I'm not
[00:23:50] against artists and musicians and actors and actresses and athletes, but there's a reason why they're called influencers. When they tell you what product to buy, what product not to buy, because they have a voice of influence in your life and nothing wrong with having influences
[00:24:12] in your life as long as they're making sure you're moving in the right direction. And I want to say this to you because I love you. For many of you, you're not spiritually mature enough to determine
[00:24:21] whether or not they're leading you in truth. That's why, that's why we preach the Bible here at CBC. That's why, whether it's popular or not, we're going to rightly handle the word of God here
[00:24:34] at CBC so that when you hear truth and you hear somebody that's actually charismatic, because here's what we have a tendency to do. We have a tendency to follow charisma more than character.
[00:24:44] We have a tendency to follow influence more than integrity. And it's not about their charm. It's about their fruit and their fruit is connected to a root. And you got to ask the question, who are the examples in your life that are modeling for you what it looks like to be a
[00:25:05] follower of Jesus? And then ask yourself a very dangerous question. Are you being an example that's pushing people away from Jesus or drawing them to Jesus.
[00:25:15] My prayer for my life and my prayer for your life is that you'll be winsome.
[00:25:20] You're like, I don't even know what that word means.
[00:25:21] It means you got irresistible influence.
[00:25:25] That when you walk in spaces, atmospheres change.
[00:25:28] That when people talk to you, you don't look like what you've been through.
[00:25:32] You don't talk like what you've been through.
[00:25:34] You've been through some stuff, but you got a spiritual swagger about yourself that's confident, not in yourself, but Christ in you. You don't self-deprecate. You don't speak negativity over yourself. You recognize everything that God brings to you is for you. You didn't sign
[00:25:50] up for it, but God, you got something in it. And God, I'm going to learn from it. It's like chewing gum. I chew it. I don't swallow it. I get the flavor out of it and I spit it out. So when somebody
[00:25:59] criticizes me, I learn from it, but I don't swallow it. I spit it out. It's just like when somebody compliments me, I receive it, but I don't swallow it. I spit it out. Why? I got to keep it
[00:26:09] moving. I got to keep it moving. Got to keep it moving. Some of my African American brothers and sisters, I hope to God you don't find this offensive. Okay. But let me just go ahead and
[00:26:25] say this. I was preaching at a, everywhere I go, when I preach as a guest preacher, some brothers and sisters, African American brothers and sisters will walk up to me and they go, Hey man, I got to ask you a question. I'm thinking it's going to be some theological
[00:26:36] school question that they walk up to me and go, you grew up with black people. I was like, yeah, sure did. They were like, I told my friend, you grew up with some black people. I could tell by
[00:26:49] the way you carry yourself. You grew up with some black people. I'm like, yeah, I had my best friend was African-American from elementary all the way to high school. And they adopted me in their
[00:26:59] family. And I learned a lot about black culture and I'm still connected to black culture. And I'm just going to say a lot of things about this is maybe I sound a little bit black to you and praise
[00:27:07] me to God that that's the way you sound. And, and, and, and I want to say this to you because I'm the product of my environment of growing up where I grew up. Does that make sense? Do you know
[00:27:18] that when the disciples spoke, Oh God, when they spoke, they said, these are unschooled, untrained men, but they've been with Jesus. How, by the way they carried themselves, how they taught, how they saw situations. They were the product of their environment. All I'm saying is we don't
[00:27:40] need any more weird Christians, y'all. I'm going to keep saying that. We don't need any more weird Christians. You could be in this world and not be of this world. You could be culturally relevant,
[00:27:50] but not be compromised by culture. You know what that looks like? The moment it starts making glory out of sin, that's the moment you go, I got to keep it moving. The moment the music,
[00:28:03] you're like, man, this is groovy. Then all of a sudden it begins to belittle woman, talk about sexuality and starts talking about drugs and alcohol and all that stuff. You're like, I got to keep it moving. Y'all with me? All of a sudden you start hanging out with some
[00:28:15] people, man. And it starts to go down a direction. You're like, all of a sudden they're telling you to try some stuff, do some stuff. You're like, I got to keep it moving. Why? My goal is different.
[00:28:24] My prize is different. It doesn't mean that I belittle you, mock you, make fun of you, or somehow disconnect from you. I'm just saying, I know where I've been, but I also know where I'm
[00:28:33] going. And I want to say this to you. My life, my life and your life can be an example for other people how to live their lives. But the problem is you don't see yourself correctly. You don't
[00:28:49] think you're an example. Some of you are not old enough to remember this, but I remember when Charles Barkley, when he played, had a moment when he spit on a fan and he was in the media.
[00:29:01] How many of you know what I'm talking about? And then he gets online, and I like Charles Barkley.
[00:29:05] I like him a lot. He said this, I'm not a role model. The culture would say something different.
[00:29:14] We all are role models. We're either pushing people in the right direction or pushing them in the wrong direction. But if we're Jesus followers, listen to me, you are a role model to somebody, my prayer is, is it leading them to Jesus or pushing them away from Jesus? And that
[00:29:34] should cause, and I'm gonna use a military term here, that should snatch the slack up out of your heart right now, going that somebody's watching you. And to put a little bit more gravitas to
[00:29:43] this, some child is watching you. And it doesn't mean that you try to perform for them. See, you just fall more in love with Jesus and let Jesus produce the fruit in your life. And you get in
[00:29:54] the word and let the word get in you and let the spirit of God produce the character necessary.
[00:30:01] And when you blow it, just own it, just own it and go, Hey, listen, no better do better.
[00:30:10] Cause dear God, we live in a world that blames their junk on everybody else.
[00:30:14] Be man enough and woman enough just to take full responsibility and go, Hey man, that's on me.
[00:30:18] And I'm going to get better about that. Can I tell you what that'll do in the heart of your kid?
[00:30:22] gain more respect. As we talk about being examples, I think about Michelangelo. He said it this way, not that I've talked to Michelangelo, but this was in a book where I read this question. He was
[00:30:33] asked the question, what do you see when you do art? And he was specifically being asked about the question of sculpting. He said, when I see a marble slab, not the ice cream, by the way,
[00:30:42] marble slab, come on, I throw stuff like that just to keep you listening, all right? Marble slab.
[00:30:48] He says, I see an angel in the marble slab and I chisel away till I set the angel free.
[00:30:57] And can I tell you what God sees?
[00:31:00] God sees a son and daughter and he's going to keep chiseling on your life so he can set you fully free.
[00:31:08] Come on, church.
[00:31:09] Receive that.
[00:31:10] I got one last point.
[00:31:12] One last point.
[00:31:13] If this was a graduation ceremony, I would be calling you up to a commencement of turning the tassel to a new dimension, a new level of anointing, a new calling, a new commission. Pursue Christ relentlessly. Pattern your life intentionally. Prepare for your savior expectantly
[00:31:30] is point number four. Christ is coming. How many of you grew up where you had company and then you got new dishes and new towels in the bathroom when company came to the house? Anybody besides me?
[00:31:41] I remember talking to my mom and with my hand, she was deaf. I said, I said, mom, I said, I've never seen these plates before. She goes, company's coming. I said, I went to the bathroom.
[00:31:53] There's new towels for my hands. I said, why do we have new towels? She says, company's coming.
[00:32:03] And all I could think about is my mama. When I kept asking the question, why you don't have to be fluent in sign language to know this. She goes, ask this. Listen, you know, you're irritating a
[00:32:15] deaf person when a deaf person can't hear you. And they're like, I just need you to stop talking.
[00:32:20] I can't even hear you. I just need you to stop talking. My mom who couldn't even hear me is like, I just need you to stop talking right now. But I need to say this to you. Can I tell you,
[00:32:36] can I tell you something? Everybody look right here. Christ. It's not company. It's coming.
[00:32:44] Christ is coming. And if we get ready for company, come on somebody. If we get ready for company, then we ought to be getting ready for Christ to come. He's coming. And Paul says we should live
[00:33:02] our lives expectantly, but he uses this term as citizens, citizens. Now, praise be to God on this particular weekend in our nation. Right now, our nation is celebrating 250 years this coming July forth as a nation, which is a big deal, y'all. It's a big deal. And I'm so grateful men and women
[00:33:22] across the aisle of Republican and Democrat have come together this weekend in our nation's capital to read scripture and pray and rededicate our country back to the Lord. It's beautiful to watch. It is so beautiful to watch. It's not a Republican thing, a Democrat thing. It's a Jesus
[00:33:42] thing and praise God for that. But when I hear this word citizenship, this is why next weekend is so important as we honor those that have paid the ultimate price laying down their life so we
[00:33:53] can live in a nation that's free, that has democracy and have religious liberty. We can never take our freedom for granted. Listen, there's a lot of things that we wish were different in our country, but the one thing that we have to continue to remember is that people paid a high price for
[00:34:08] us to live in this country as citizens of this great country. And we can never take that for granted. Never take that for granted. It doesn't mean that we don't love other countries. Come on,
[00:34:20] y'all know I'm learning Spanish. Come on, todo listo. Come on, y'all ready? And so for me, man, it's like viva Mexico. All right. So, but, but listen to me, dual citizenship is something that San Antonio is familiar with, whether it's America and also Mexico. And for many of you,
[00:34:37] you understand this, but do you know we got dual citizenship in whatever country that we reside in and also in heaven? My citizenship is in heaven. And I know some of you might be asking this
[00:34:52] question. Maybe three people might be asking this question. They're like, hey, what's the algorithm feeding you on Netflix? Anybody had that? It was three of you. That's great. Can I tell you, anything that has CIA, FBI, zero dark 30, Navy SEALs, green berets, anything where stuff
[00:35:10] blows up. That's what's on my algorithm. All right, check this out. And I've watched enough TV.
[00:35:16] I've watched enough Netflix to know this, that if I'm in another country and something crazy happens and stuff starts blowing up, get to the embassy. That's all like, I'm a professional.
[00:35:28] I know what to do. You get to the embassy. You lose your passport in a country. What do you do?
[00:35:34] You get to the embassy and you get to that gate and you go, I'm from America. And I need you to know something. That embassy is a small little plot of land that belongs to America. It's been
[00:35:52] negotiated in partnerships. We do that for other countries. Other countries do that for us, which means in that small little piece of property in those gates, that little piece of property operates by the rules, not of the land they're in, but of the rules of the land they're from.
[00:36:08] Come on, let that cook. You with me? And you and I are a part of a church called CBC that has a mission to empty hell and fill heaven. And I need you to know that we, oh God, we are an embassy
[00:36:28] of heaven on this earth. We align to the laws of our King in his word above all things.
[00:36:39] So whether it's right to obey the government or obey God, I choose to obey God. It doesn't mean that the government does have in laws that we're not supposed to respect, but when they clash and
[00:36:51] collide with the principles of God, the government can legalize something. But when the government says it's wrong, or excuse me, the Bible says it's wrong and God says it's wrong, then I side with God in the Bible. And this is an interesting conversation because if we're part of a kingdom
[00:37:10] and the church of Jesus Christ is the embassy, then we're on foreign soil, no matter where you're listening. If you could be listening in another country right here in America, we as kingdom citizens are in Babylon in this world. And we, a part of a church recognize that we are ambassadors
[00:37:29] and diplomats for a King. And his name is Jesus. I don't get to do what I want to do. I don't get to say what I want to say. I work for Jesus. I live for Jesus. My life is committed to Jesus.
[00:37:39] And so is yours. And I'll walk with an authority that Christ has given me as his ambassador. And that's who you are. So what we say and what we do points back to a king and we're part of an
[00:37:53] embassy. And why are we heaven on earth? A part of this church is when somebody comes to the gates of the church and goes, I want to be a part of this kingdom. It's not the declaration of
[00:38:05] independence. It's the declaration of dependence where you bow your knee and confess that Jesus Christ as Lord. And he makes you a son and daughter and a citizen of heaven, which means that when you die, you're welcomed into an eternal kingdom that will rule and reign forever and exist
[00:38:23] for all eternity where we get to see him face to face. And what does this mean for us? Then if this is who we are, according to what God has said about us, then why do we continue to wonder what
[00:38:36] our purpose is on this earth. Don't tell me you ain't got purpose. Don't tell me you ain't got significance. Don't tell me God can't use you. Don't tell me that God can't deliver breakthrough in the lives of those around you by a life that submitted and surrendered to Jesus. But it requires
[00:38:55] you pursuing him relentlessly, that you would not look in the rear view mirror of life, but move forward. You got to keep it moving. You got to keep growing. You got to keep stepping into what
[00:39:08] God's called you to. It might be a step backwards, but you get back up again and you run this race.
[00:39:13] Why? Because one day you're crossing a finish line. And when you see Jesus, it makes it all worth it. Now I got to close with this. I've run out of time, but I want you to hang with me. Just
[00:39:22] give me just a few more minutes. Now, how many of you under the sound of my voice all across our campuses have participated in an event called the Ironman. Anybody, it's just been a few people,
[00:39:32] but a couple of you, some of you got your hands raised. It's a big deal, y'all. For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about, this Ironman, this ain't no 5K, y'all. This ain't no
[00:39:40] 5K. An Ironman is 2.4 miles swimming that goes right into 112 mile bike ride that goes right into 26.2 miles of running. Now I've run 17 marathons in my life, 26.2 miles. That's the reason why I walk with a limp. All right. But I could not imagine having to swim 2.4 miles and
[00:40:01] get on a bike for 112 miles and then run 26.2 miles. I couldn't imagine, but these Ironmen and Ironwomen, when they cross the finish line, they hear their name. And this is what's said about
[00:40:11] them. You are an Ironman. Now the first Down syndrome athlete to complete an Ironman, his name is Chris Nikic. And I want you to see this picture of Chris. Chris had Down syndrome. He's the first
[00:40:28] Down syndrome athlete to complete the Ironman. As he is running, I want you to take your eyes off me and I want you to look to the picture. I want you to look at his shirt. 1% better.
[00:40:44] He had a goal every day of his life. I just want to go farther today than yesterday.
[00:40:51] Can I speak this over you today?
[00:40:53] That sometimes you can come to church and this whole thing of Christianity could feel so overwhelming.
[00:40:58] 1% better today than yesterday.
[00:41:01] 1% better in commitment.
[00:41:03] 1% better in Bible reading.
[00:41:06] 1% better in prayer.
[00:41:07] And you're like, that's not a whole lot.
[00:41:09] You're not raising the bar.
[00:41:10] No, no, no.
[00:41:10] Just 1% better today than yesterday.
[00:41:14] Just lean in.
[00:41:16] And then all of a sudden, I want you to notice something about the person running next to him.
[00:41:21] His name is Dan Gribb.
[00:41:23] Dan was his guide.
[00:41:26] Now, when Dan crossed the finish line, can I tell you what they did not say?
[00:41:29] They did not say, Dan Gribb, you are an Ironman.
[00:41:31] They didn't even mention his name.
[00:41:34] But he did the same swim.
[00:41:36] He did the same bike ride.
[00:41:38] He did the same marathon.
[00:41:40] But he's the guide.
[00:41:41] But I wanna show you something that maybe you're not seeing in the picture.
[00:41:44] Do you see the tether between Dan and Chris?
[00:41:49] The whole time that Chris was swimming, Dan was connected to Chris the whole time that Chris was riding the bike it was a tandem bike and they were working together and all the work was yes Chris but he was there to guide him
[00:42:08] to keep him connected and when they ran there was an actual bungee cord attached to them that kept them together but the thing I want to show you that I believe is worth drawing your attention to so I want you to look to the right knee of Chris and do you see that
[00:42:23] it's bloodied, which means along the way, listen to me, when Chris fell, Dan was there to pick him up. And I need you to hear me today. Dan had one job as the guide. Every mile, every bike ride of
[00:42:43] the mile, every swim of the mile, he was there the whole time with one goal. How many goals? One, just to get Chris across the finish line.
[00:42:53] I got good news for you today.
[00:42:55] That the power of the Holy Spirit in your life is more than just the guide.
[00:43:00] The third person of the Trinity of God is not connected to you by a bungee cord.
[00:43:04] The Holy Spirit of God lives inside of you and has one job in your life.
[00:43:09] And that's to get you to the finish line, to cross a finish line and hear these words.
[00:43:18] your name. Well done, that good and faithful servant. And I'm talking to some people today that you've fallen down and you're bloody and you're bruised, but you're connected to the Holy Spirit of God that's lifting you up better today than yesterday. This is what it means
[00:43:41] to run this race with Christ as the prize and the Holy Spirit leading you to do so.
[00:43:48] So come on, can we clap today?
[00:43:50] Would that be all right?
[00:43:50] Let's receive this.
[00:43:51] You're amazing listeners.
[00:43:52] Thank you for listening.
[00:43:54] Man, what a word.
[00:43:56] Heads bowed, eyes closed.
[00:43:58] Father God, thank you for your word today, a message I needed to hear.
[00:44:02] And God, I pray you'd encourage your sons and daughters for anybody that feels so just beat up, exhausted, tired, overwhelmed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
[00:44:12] Raise them up, lift them up, help them know every day you're gonna get them.
[00:44:17] You're gonna get them to the place of looking more like Jesus each and every day.
[00:44:22] Heads bowed, eyes closed.
[00:44:23] If you've not given your life to Jesus Christ, today is the day of salvation.
[00:44:26] Call on his name.
[00:44:29] It includes faith, but yes, it's repentance.
[00:44:33] Jesus died for you.
[00:44:34] He loves you, hung on a cross for you, placed in a borrowed tomb.
[00:44:37] Three days later, he walked out the grave, gave us the power of the Holy Spirit, and one day Jesus is coming again.
[00:44:43] And meanwhile, he has given you a call on your life to live a life of significance.
[00:44:47] And my prayer for you right now is if you've not given your life to Jesus, call on his name.
[00:44:52] We're gonna pray this prayer out loud.
[00:44:54] Let's say this together.
[00:44:54] Lord Jesus, I'm not perfect, but I believe in you.
[00:44:58] Save me, change me.
[00:45:01] I give you my life.
[00:45:03] Hey, my name's Ed Newton, pastor at Community Bible Church here in San Antonio, Texas.
[00:45:07] Thank you so much for even turning on to our YouTube channel.
[00:45:11] And if you're not subscribing right now at Community Bible Church here in San Antonio, Texas, you got to subscribe.
[00:45:17] Here's the reason why.
[00:45:18] We believe that God's given us a message rooted in His Word, empowered by the Holy Spirit, that would be an encouragement to you.
[00:45:25] And if you're not subscribing right now, you've got to stop what you're doing and hit that button.
[00:45:30] Also, here's what I'd say to you.
[00:45:31] Every time you watch, would you drop some comments?
[00:45:33] Let us know where you're watching from, how the message impacted you, and how we could pray for you.
[00:45:38] And would you do us a favor?
[00:45:40] One of the things that we believe oftentimes is bless people, bless people.
[00:45:43] And if this message blesses you, how about you send it to somebody else and ask them to click the subscribe button as well.
[00:45:49] And if you are planning any trip to the state of Texas, hear me when I say this, you can't come to Texas without coming to see us in San Antonio.
[00:45:56] I'd love to meet you face-to-face.
[00:45:58] And as always, until we meet again, much love.