THE TAKEAWAY:

Letting Go of the Past (pt. 2): God is more willing to move us to the future than to dwell on our past.

MESSAGE:

Inuyasha has a crazy backstory involving a young girl, Kagome, who time-travels through a well to ancient Japan. She meets Inuyasha, a half-demon, who can sense his ex-lover, Kikyo, living through her. As time passes, Kagome and Inuyasha develop romantic feelings for each other, but Inuyasha does not know whether he loves Kagome or the spirit of Kikyo living within her. Should he dwell on the past or step into the future?

Paul had a similar debate with himself in his letter to the Philippians. While he was imprisoned for his faith, he realized he could give up the fight and be with the Lord, or keep fighting for the church. Both options seemed worthy to him. Paul is confident that, whether he lives or dies, Christ will do good through him.

Later in his letter, he reconnects the issue to how his old life made him seem righteous and prestigious. He could’ve ridden on the accolades of being a pious Jew. But it’s a no-brainer for Paul; Jesus’ suffering and resurrection are worthy of his full commitment. He can’t go back to the old life when the new life has infinite worth.

Maybe that is where you are today? Wondering if you should play it safe in a familiar job, skip the hassle of a school change, or spend your Summer at home instead of on a Mission trip. There’s no easy answer, but there is encouragement. If you do move forward, God is ready to use you in wonderful ways. Every decision comes with consequences, good and bad, but God will NEVER give up on your future if you take a leap of faith forward. The most important thing is living for the power of Christ’s death and resurrection.

FIGURE IT OUT:

10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:10-14

  1. Circle some keywords or phrases that are significant to you. What makes them important?
  2. What does Paul see in his new lifestyle that makes his old lifestyle seem unworthy?
  3. What goal does Paul now have in his new lifestyle?
  4. What does your goal to attain Christ’s suffering and resurrection look like?

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