March 2, 2025 Preaching | Bro Peter Tanchi Jr
Paul admits that he isn’t perfect (Philippians 3:12), yet he also instructed the Philippians to follow his example (Philippians 3:17). In today’s world, we are all “following” someone on social media. People follow influencers for inspiration, or because they admire something in that influencer’s life. As Christians, we are also called to follow — to be co-imitators of Christ. Paul was not being proud when he taught the Philippians to follow him. Rather, they ought to follow him as he follows Christ. Just as parents teach their children to follow their good example, we are to follow the godly example of others.
1. FOLLOW GODLY EXAMPLES (And don’t follow the wrong ones)
How did Paul live his life? Though not perfect, he pressed on (get up when you make mistakes), trying to “lay hold” of that which Jesus laid hold of him. Paul tried his best to know Jesus more and Christ’s resurrection power that transforms our lives (Philippians 3:10-14). Do you see God’s power at work in your life today?
Paul also tells us who not to follow — those who are “enemies of the cross” (Philippians 3:18-19). These are people whose appetites rule over their lives. Appetites are not necessarily wrong, but the challenge is to not make them your “god”. Pleasure, pride and power are the appetites that are most common among us that become our gods. Often, these are corrupted versions of what God legitimately gives us. Below is a comparison of examples of what to follow, and not to follow:
| Enemies of the cross | Godly example |
| End is destruction | Citizens of Heaven |
| Their appetite is their god | Jesus above all else |
| Glory is their shame | Glorify God |
| Set their mind on earthly things | “One thing I do”, look to the prize, await our Savior |
Not everyone, even in church, is a godly example; so, we must be careful who we follow (Proverbs 13:20). Be a good example for others to follow!
2. IDENTITY: Know Your Heavenly Citizenship
When Paul wrote the Philippians about our citizenship being in heaven, they understood exactly what he meant (Philippians 3:20-21). They were Roman citizens, but they lived in Philippi, not in Rome. Do we live today as citizens of Heaven? Back then, they eagerly waited for the Savior to arrive in their lifetime—and Jesus did! Today, do we live in eager anticipation of Jesus to come again? Or would you rather He postpones His return because we are having too much fun in this world? When He comes, He will transform our bodies by His power that subjects all things to Himself. That same power is at work in us today. For citizens of Heaven, we can be assured of the promise that everything will be okay someday no matter what we’re going through at the moment.
Moses experienced this promise even if he didn’t get to see the Promised Land in his lifetime (Deuteronomy 3:23-26). The Lord was displeased with Moses’ disobedience earlier in the wilderness, and so he was not allowed to enter. But God had a greater plan for Moses — at the transfiguration of Jesus, God not only granted this desire, but also answered Moses’ prayer that God would show him His glory. Moses did see the Promised Land, and more than that, he came face-to-face with Jesus, and beheld God’s glory (Matthew 17:2-3, Hebrews 1:2-3)! Many of us have unanswered prayers, and we may think that we will never receive those requests. But God can answer our prayers in ways that we cannot even imagine! We are no longer strangers or aliens, we are citizens of Heaven and children of the King of heaven and earth, and all creation (Ephesians 2:19)!
Paul considered the people he invested in as his “joy and crown” (Philippians 4:1). Some of us consider our accomplishments or possessions as our joy and crown. But someday, all things in this world will be “deleted”. The only things that will last forever are God, His word, and the people you invested in. It’s not a glitch in this world to lose things, it is a feature of this broken world. But if you invest (spiritually, etc.) in people in the community you live in, like your family, you can consider them as your joy and crown.
Paul urges two women and co-laborers in the Philippian church, Euodia and Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord and encourages the other church members to help them do so (Philippians 4:2-3). He does not even identify who’s right, or wrong, but calls on them to live in harmony, to love one another. Our example is none other than Jesus, who, while we were still His enemies, loved us and died for us.
Paul makes it clear that we don’t become righteous before God by following the law but through Christ who died for us, forgave our sins and made us righteous when we placed our faith in Him (Philippians 3:8-9). That’s what made us citizens of Heaven, with God’s power working in us, called to be like Paul, chasing after Christ and to stand firm in our faith.
Let us consider what Handley Moule said to his nephew: “I have often prayed that daily, and to the end, I may live as in a tent pitched between the Cross and the Grave of our Lord — the empty Cross, symbol and seal of His finished work of sacrifice and redemption, the empty grave, likewise the evidence and pledge of His eternal victory for us over the last enemy, death, and of our life hid with Him in God. May your tent be ever there also”. Let us live between the empty cross, and the empty grave because we have a Savior who is risen, and because of that we are citizens of heaven. Let us stand firm, let us follow godly examples and remember that our citizenship is in heaven!