What Do These Days of Unleavened Bread Symbolize?

Why are we here today? Why do we keep the days of Unleavened Bread? And what is the meaning of the last day? Why seven days? Well, we covered a lot of that at the beginning. So, we had Passover, and we went through and we talked about humility and the gratitude that we have that Jesus Christ covered our sins and forgave us. And then we had the first day of Unleavened Bread, and we learned about how Jesus Christ covers our sins, and then we throw away not only the leavening of the sin, but also the leavened bread, which is us. The old man goes away, repentance, and Jesus Christ is that unleavened bread that we are to partake of for seven days representing all of our life. And at the end of the seven days of the Days of Unleavened Bread, we are to eat leavened bread again, which symbolizes becoming a new lump, completely converted. Nothing of the old man left, and that's where we are today. So, it was an excellent introduction with that special music, where we asked for forgiveness, and at the Passover, we remembered that we received it. Okay, we repented, we received forgiveness, we're partaking of Jesus Christ. Now what? Where do we go from here? Why do we rehearse this every year? Because I can ask that question of about a hundred of us, and probably get fifty to eighty different answers. And we really should have one simple answer to that question. What do the Days of Unleavened Bread symbolize? I mean, I don't mean specific nitty-gritty stuff. I mean step back. Take a thirty thousand foot view, like from an airplane, looking down. What are we supposed to get at the end of the Days of Unleavened Bread? What are we supposed to get out of it? I'd like to start in Hebrews chapter 6. Many decades ago, when I was in college, we learned in Hebrews chapter 6 the basic doctrines of the church. And it's true, they are listed here. The fundamental elementary doctrines of Christianity, the starting point, if you will, of Christianity, is listed in Hebrews 6. Only it wasn't Paul's point to list the starting point of Christianity. His point was something completely different. And we're going to dive into the point today, Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 1.

What are elementary principles? Kindergarten. The starting point. Where we begin. Leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ. Let us go on to perfection.

That's what the Days of Unleavened Bread are about. Alright, you guys have a good start service today? So what does that mean? That's what we're going to talk about today in the remainder of the sermon. What does it mean, go on to perfection? What does it mean to go on to perfection? And then Paul, right after he says that, lists the basic doctrines. Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works. Okay, we covered that already. We covered repentance already. So Paul is saying it's not enough to just be without sin. It's not enough to just be clean. Because you're still you. And that's not enough. The foundation of repentance from dead works. It's not enough. Oh, modern Christianity says it's enough. Oh, sure. All you got to do is just come up to the stage here, profess that you love Jesus, and you're done. That's enough. Repentance from dead works. Paul calls that the elementary principles of Christianity. That's the starting point. That's not where you end up. I love these flowers, by the way. I keep looking left and right. They were gorgeous. They were last Holy Day, too. Thank you for the flowers. And then he goes on, and he says, repentance from dead works and faith towards God. Yet, you know what? Faith towards God is required. But you have to have that before you're baptized. It's a prerequisite of baptism. You have to trust God. We'll come back to faith in a minute. But it's the starting point. It's not where you end up. Faith actually endures. It lasts forever. But it's the starting point. So what does it mean to go on to perfection? Of the doctrine of baptism and laying on of hands. That's where we began our Christianity, for those of us who are baptized. For those who are considering baptism, that's where you start. You see yourself for who you are, finally. And you say, I'm sorry, like was mentioned in the Psalm today. And then you trust God, and you get baptized, and you have the laying on of hands, which means you receive the down payment. God gives you His Holy Spirit. It starts out as a mustard seed. That's what Jesus compared it to. The smallest of the seeds of all of the herbs is the mustard seed. But it grows to this huge tree.

And that's what growing in perfection or going on in perfection means. Is that we have work to do. And then He goes on, He says, of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. A lot of people get really stuck on prophecy. When will the return of Christ be? When will the resurrection of the dead be? And the judgment of the eternal? You know what Paul calls those things? They're good. They're excellent. You need to know them. It's kindergarten. That's not why we're here. If we knew when Jesus Christ was going to return and when everybody was going to be resurrected, you still wouldn't make it into the kingdom of God. Because that's not going on to perfection. That's not what the last day of Unleavened Bread is all about. So what is it all about?

We come out of sin, but we're not to be empty. We are to grow. We have a job to do, a race to run, and we are to go on to perfection. Philippians chapter 3. And by the way, this is an old message. Generations have gone by. They've come and gone. And this is the same message that was taught on the last day of Unleavened Bread.

Since I was a wee little kid. And it's going to be the same message if time goes on in this world a hundred years from now. Philippians chapter 3 verse 13. Brethren, I do not count myself as apprehended. What? Paul, the Apostle, the great teacher, the most prolific writer of the New Testament, a very converted man when he's writing this letter, has not apprehended. He's not in the kingdom yet. He's not done yet. Boy, how do you if he's not done, we're not done.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, forgetting those things which are behind. What's behind? Every sin you ever committed is behind. What does Paul say to do with that? Forget it. It's not why we're here. What else is behind? Everything everybody ever did to you. Every bad, every cheat, every harm, every hurt, every insult that anybody ever did to you. What does Paul say about that? Forget it. Why? Oh, there's a big reason why. Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. We've got a race to run. You don't have time to look back. We're looking forward.

We'll cover a lot more of this in 1 Corinthians 13 in just a minute. I press toward the goal for the prize. You know, a lot of things that Paul talks about are in athletic terms. Paul was either an athlete or he loved watching sports. Because he's always talking about winning the prize or running the race. You know, Paul loved sports. Probably would be a football fan if he was an American. Pretty sure he loved the Dallas Cowboys. I'm just saying.

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ. Press toward the goal. It means with fervor, with energy, not lax and dasical. It's not the Texas two-step, y'all. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. We're Christians. We love everybody. That is not... I mean, Paul is talking about athleticism here, and he's comparing that to Christianity. Makes me sweat just thinking about it. I'm out of shape as it is. Pressing toward the goal. Constantly working in a certain direction. There's a good reason why Paul, the Apostle, talks about it in these terms. Because it's not easy. Just like getting in shape for a race is not easy.

Verse 15, Therefore, let us, as many as are mature... Now, that word mature has a very similar context or meaning to the word perfection that Paul used in Hebrews. It means to become complete. In English, when we think of perfection... and I know I've said this before, and believe me, I will say it again. When we talk about perfection, we think of something that's without flaw. Right? Oh, it's perfect. There are no mistakes. When we play a piece of music, it's perfect if we didn't hit any wrong keys. That's not the concept of perfection that Paul was talking about. Perfection means complete.

Reached its full potential. Something that it was not before. It's grown up. The concept of mature is the same exact concept. Verse 15 in Philippians chapter 3, Therefore, let us, as many as are mature, have this mind. So, it's a way of thinking. Paul is talking about a way of thinking. And if anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

You know what that means? It means if you don't get it, God's going to help you get it, because it's important. It's important to God. So, if you don't get what I've just been talking about, buckle up. Because somewhere in your life, you will get it. Because God is going to present it to you. If you don't get it by the sermon, if you don't get it by your own Bible study, God will show it to you another way. Because this is important. You don't get into the kingdom of God without this.

Growing up, not being children, tossed about. Verse 16. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained. We've already grown some. We already get some of it. Let us walk by the same rule and let us be of the same mind.

There are rules that we have to follow in this growth process. We don't get to just make it up as we go along. And we're not to be moving backwards, we're to be moving forwards.

Let's go to the second letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians. 2 Corinthians 6.

2 Corinthians 6.

Verse 16.

Paul gets into more specifics what he's talking about to be grown up. And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? What are idols in today? You know, in today's society we don't have idols. I mean, there are still some, especially in a Catholic town like San Antonio. There are still some idols around, but for the most part, people are less religious than they are religious. And idols don't really seem to relate, but they still do. An idol is anything that you put as more important than God. That you put in your thinking as more important than God. Anything! We're going to talk about that a little bit later when we get into 1 Corinthians 13. What do we put in front of God? And you know what the reality is? Is those idols represented? Nothing. They're not real. They were made of wood or stone, overlaid with gold or other precious metal. Put some jewels on them.

And with the other half of that log, you burn it for your fire. Because it's nothing!

The things that we put in front of God are imaginary. Christianity, we're supposed to be living in reality. Reality is, this is God's universe. He has a plan for it, and He's going to make that plan happen. Do we want to be a part of it or not? Everybody in this room who's baptized chose to be part of that plan. So every year, we rehearse in the Days of Unleavened Bread what that plan is. Because life happens, as we talked about last week. And we forget, don't we, when we get trials and we get knocked down and we go, why me? We forget these things. Back to verse 16, 2 Corinthians 6, 16. What agreement has the temple of God with idols? There is no compromise.

For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. We come here to deal with reality, not some made-up way of life. Nothing should come in front of God or your participation in the church. Verse 17, Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.

I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Well-trained children is what God wants, growing up in a manner where we follow His way.

What was that? We can live without the logo.

We are to be well-trained children, like Jesus Christ. Well-behaved children. Not the kind of children you see in a local Walmart today. Walk into any Walmart about three or four in the afternoon when it's packed with little kids. Mine! Mine! I want it! Pitching a fit. There's always some kid in the parking lot screaming at Mom. Oh, be quiet, and I'll buy you some ice cream. Okay, jelly beans then.

Okay, shush, honey. Just absolutely out of control, children. You know what, brethren? That's just human nature. I don't blame those kids. We're all like that. And God's looking for us to grow up and not be that child in Walmart. Let's go to chapter 7. Just turn the page over, or look over across the page in verse 1. Therefore, Paul draws the conclusion, having these promises beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. What JJ was talking about in the sermon at, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Holiness is following God and doing what He says, being separate from the world, not putting things of the world in front of God, being holy. Fearing God isn't being afraid of God, is deep awe and respect of God mostly. Oh, there's an aspect of fear there. Fear to disobey, fear to be apart from. But it's not a trembling fear, because there's a love of God there, an affection towards God. And this kind of fear is very compatible with love.

There's a focus throughout the entire New Testament on the importance of going on to perfection, which is our training. I know I've said it before, and I'll say it quite a few times throughout the sermon. It's like getting ready for a race and running a race. We are in training. How are we to be trained? How important is this training? How precise does this training need to be? Well, Jesus said how precise it needs to be in Luke 6. Luke 6, verse 40. A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

How precisely, how completely are we to be trained? How far are we supposed to go in our Christianity? Perfectly, which means complete. Nothing left out in our training. Trained properly. And if we are, then we resemble Jesus Christ. So when you go to work, or when you go to school, or when you shop, or when you talk to your neighbors, do they see Jesus Christ reflected in you? Do they say, wow, what a neat person. Odd, but neat. Even if they don't like you, even if they're difficult people, do they rely on you?

Do they trust you? Are you like Jesus Christ? Are you a perfect reflection of Him? A lowly carpenter who was beaten to the point where nobody could recognize Him and then crucified, usually you get one or the other of those punishments. It's not common for you to be scourged and crucified. It's usually one or the other. He had both. He was humiliated, and yet, through it all, He said, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.

Is that you? Is that me? Or do you still overreact? Do you still react in anger when you're unloved or disrespected? Do you still revile back? Are you a perfect reflection of Jesus Christ? If not, you have some training to do. And that's what the Days of Unleavened Bread remind us of.

That's why we keep these days. Because life tends to knock us down, right on our rear end. And in the Days of Unleavened Bread, God is our coach, and He blows the whistle. He says, get up and run that race. And we get back up, and we don't look behind at whatever it was we tripped over. We look forward, and we start running that race again. Until we're perfectly trained, and we look like our teacher.

Until we're not selfish anymore. That's what God is doing with us. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 13. I'm going to read from a couple of different versions. The Apostle Paul is very wordy. He starts a point in one chapter and ends it two chapters later. I'm not kidding. 1 Corinthians 13 is right in the middle of a thought. Now, it's the love chapter. It's one of the most famous chapters in the New Testament. But it's actually the middle of the thought. The point isn't concluded until chapter 14. It starts in chapter 12. The gifts.

You have this gift, and I have this gift. Paul says, I'll show you a better way. And then he launches into chapter 13. Well, he's so wordy that if you read it in the New King James, you kind of get lost. So, I'll read it in another translation, which is a lot more vivid. It helps it make a lot more sense. I don't normally read from other translations like this. They're so loose. You certainly would not want to base doctrine. But I'm going to read this from the Living Bible. Because it makes a great point. First Corinthians 13, verse 8. Read along in your Bible, and you'll see how this makes sense.

All special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end. Now, remember, he just talked about gifts in chapter 12. And he says, all special gifts will come to an end.

But love goes on forever. Someday, prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge, these gifts will disappear. You know why prophecy will disappear one day? Because it'll all be fulfilled. One day, we will all be living in the time that's prophesied. Then there'll be no need for prophecy. Some people are all into prophecy, and that's good. I'm glad you have a gift. You have the gift of prophecy. Good for you. It's not your priority. It's not the number one...

it's not the reason why you're here. Some people are very good at communication. They're very good at speaking other languages. That's your gift. That's great. It's not why you're here.

Some people are good with knowledge. They're just good researchers. They can just boil something down and go, hey, that's not right. We're doing that wrong. We need to change this. They'll write papers on it. And they're right some of the time. Special knowledge. You know what? In the kingdom of God, you're not going to need the gift of languages. We're all going to speak the same language. You're not going to need special knowledge. We're all going to know everything.

Hey, did you know this about DNA? Well, yeah. Actually, I did. All of those things will go away. Verse 9. Now we know so little, even with our special gifts. Oh, we have so many special gifts. We really don't know that much at all. And the preaching of those most gifted is still so poor. Even if you're good at preaching. The word poor, probably a bad translation. Inadequate is really the term. Even our preaching doesn't set the bill. It's not the end all. It's going to go away. The very best gifts that we have are supposed to lead us in the direction of perfection. But they in and of themselves are not what we are supposed to be perfecting. And that's Paul's point here. Verse 10. But when we have been made perfect and complete, when will that be? When will you and I be perfect and complete? Not until the resurrection comes. Not until our change comes. When we're a spirit being. And we have a spirit body and a spirit mind. Won't it be fantastic? It's not just that we will be powerful and live forever.

We will have enhancements that are incomprehensible to us today, as we will see in just a minute. I mean, you'll be able to listen to multiple conversations at the same time and get them. Somebody will be able to say something to you, and you won't forget a thing. That will be amazing. Won't it? We will be perfect and complete.

God will make us far more than just turn us into spirit beings. Our minds and our abilities will far surpass what we have today. Reading on in verse 10. Then the need for these inadequate special gifts will come to an end and they will disappear.

You know, we put a lot of stock in the wrong things in this life. Things that don't matter, things that don't last, are the things that are important to us on a daily basis. Oh, we run to and fro on the earth trying to accomplish great things, and we don't accomplish the one thing we're supposed to accomplish in this life. Year after year. And in fact, some people actually quit the race and fall away. They were walking the walk with us, and they get offended, or they become bitter. Oh, it never works out for me. All you people. They start the blame game and they leave. And they become a completely different person.

And they put their gifts above that which is actually important. Your talents, your abilities, they're for you to grow, to become perfect. What does that mean? It's really simple. You've heard it before. In fact, you've heard it year after year after year. And yet, I bet you right now, some of us don't remember. We just don't. Life just comes at us so fast. We get this fog. What does it mean to be perfect? What does the Bible say? Verse 11. When I was a child, I talked as a child. I thought like a child. I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childhood behind me. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror. Then, well, we shall see face to face. Now, you've got to understand that back in the Roman days, mirrors weren't like mirrors today, with a glass front and that shiny foil in the back, which makes it actually looking like you're looking into somebody's face, and you can see pretty much everything. But back then, a mirror was polished metal. Depending on what kind of metal it was, and depending on how good the polish was, you could kind of see your reflection or kind of not. And if it was nice and flat, you had a pretty good perspective. But if it was bowed or concave, you'd have a real funny perspective on what you actually looked like. So you look into this polished metal. You don't really quite get the same image as if you meet somebody face to face. And that's what life is like right now for us. We're looking into polished metal. We're not looking into the reality, the whole scope of how we will actually be when we are perfect. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror polished metal. Then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, and let me tell you again, the Apostle Paul was highly educated, more than any of us. And if he only knew in part, we really only know in part. Then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. That's an amazing statement he tacks on at the end there. Because he's fully known by God. So what he means is that we will be like God, and we will know that much. Right now we partially understand the Kingdom of God and what it will be like. You know, to be told something and not forget it will be amazing. I will personally love that. Because I'm told something and I immediately forget it. I don't know how my memory even works. Some things I remember from years back. Tammy's like, oh, you remember that? You don't remember this about the family and this about your child and this about me, but you remember that detail? Yeah, I don't know how, but yeah. In fact, I can see it vividly right now. But there are three things that are most important to going on to perfection. And you know what? They are not the three things that we would naturally pick. They're not the three things that we focus on when we get out of bed in the morning. First thing I focus on is coffee. I love Keurig. I shouldn't, but I do. Put my little pod in, press the button, out comes the joe. Love it. It's not natural for us to think about the things that God thinks of. So Paul is leading us in that direction. What does it mean to go on to perfection? It's simple. Verse 13. Now these three remain faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

So why is it so important to trust God, look to the future, and love? Faith, hope, and love. Well, if you will recall, there was a being named Lucifer who was perfect and complete, and he lost love. And he became selfish and evil. And in Revelation 12, verse 4, it says he drew a third of the angels with him. And they became selfish and evil. And he wanted to replace God on his throne. And we don't have time to go there, but you can read that in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, where Satan said, why not me? Replace the great God. Look at my gifts, look at my abilities and my talents, look at my beauty.

He became selfish. He wanted what he wanted, not what other people wanted. He lost love. And if we don't approach life with an appreciation for other people, outgoing concern, we will end up no better than the demons. Jealousy, anger, and resentment. These things cannot reside inside a perfect Christian. They're not there. If you find yourself feeling jealous, feeling resentment, feeling animosity towards another person, you've got a race to run. You've got a job to do. You're not done yet. That's what the Days of Unleavened bread reminds us of. Make sure that no insult or slight can take you off track. I can't believe they would do that. He would do that. She would do that to me. That is not the reaction that Jesus Christ would have. People get mad and they leave. They walk a good walk and then they get offended. They're not grown up. Inside, they were just a child. They could have been in the church. They could have attended for decades. That's irrelevant. What's relevant is going on to perfection, becoming complete.

These three remain, Paul says, faith, the foundation, the starting point. Listed as one of the fundamentals of Christianity. Confidence in God. That remains and never goes away. Satan gave that up. We must hold on to it. Absolute trust in God. Whatever God says, whatever God lets happen, whatever happens to me is God's will or my own fault. But I trust God. God wants obedience for us to ask which way to go and then proceed in the way in which we were told. That's not human nature, brethren. We are the opposite of that. We go where we want to go and then we ask God to pull us out of the fire when we get into it. That's human nature. What God's looking for is for us to ask Him where to go and then proceed along that path. And then there's hope. And then there's looking to the future and not looking behind and not grumbling and complaining, which leads to that sour, selfish, bitter attitude.

Why do we have to do that? Why did this happen? Why did He do that? Why did She do that? Grumble, grumble, grumble. And that's just me. I'm not even talking about you all. Why do we do that? Because we have a race to run. We have to go on to perfection. So the Days of Unleavened Bread are about growing up. Coming out of sin is only part of the picture. Going on to perfection completes the meaning of these days. And the third thing that lasts is love. Seeing the real value in other human beings. I mean all other human beings.

I'm including the difficult ones. I'm including the ones that most people think are undeserving of love. That we who are perfectly trained love even them. We are to grow up. Ephesians 4, verse 14. Otherwise, we get thrown off track. Ephesians 4, 14. That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love, that love that will endure forever, that love that is required, that love that defines perfection, love equals perfection. Perfection equals love.

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things unto Him who is the Head, Christ. Our challenge is to become exactly, exactly like Him. Verse 16. From whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth in the body and the edifying of itself in love.

We're doing our share. For who? For other people. Not for ourselves. We're not looking out for our own self-interest. Still warming here, isn't it? You all should take your jackets off. I'll leave mine on, yes, you've already got yours off. Take them off. No sense in sweating. Edifying itself in love. You know, it all comes back to relationships. It all comes back to how we treat other people.

We want to put our priorities on our job, or on our skills, or on our crafts, or on our whatever we do. And our priorities should be on our love, on how we treat other people. That is the priority in life. That is our number one.

That's it. Going on to perfection. Loving other people. Loving God. Learning to love each other. That's what we are to grow in. Please go with me to Philippians 3, verse 8. Let's read Philippians 3, verses 8 through 12, and then we'll skip 13 through 16 because we read those at the beginning.

But at the beginning, we read Philippians chapter 3, starting in verse 13, where Paul said he did not count himself to have apprehended. He wasn't grown up yet. He hadn't finished his race. Let's start back a little bit and see how we got there. Let's go back to verse 8. Yet indeed I also count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Now, he's not saying take everything you own and throw it away. That was not his point. His point is to count it as though it's worthless if you have to give up love to keep it.

It's worthless if you have to give up caring for other people to have whatever it is you have that you're holding on to count it as nothing. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them rubbish. Anything! You name it! If it comes in between you and learning to love other people, it's trash.

That I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law. Now, let me explain that. A lot of people will jump on that. Say, the law's done away. That's not what Paul was talking about at all. Under the law of Moses, if you sinned, you had to make a sacrifice. You had to kill an animal. Blood had to be shed, and that animal symbolized taking your place so that you were forgiven. So you had to take an animal from your herd, which cost you money, which really hurt. But that wasn't enough.

You had to go to the priest. You had to put your hand on that animal, and you had to cut its throat. The priest didn't do it. You had to see the ugly side of sin. But you were the one who did it. You were the one who gained your redemption. And that's what Paul's talking about, not by my righteousness under the law. It's not that he put a goat down and cut its throat. Jesus Christ died for him and for you.

And to be found in him, not having my own righteousness, I didn't have to kill a goat, which is from the law, but that which was through faith in Christ. The righteousness, which is from God by faith. Oh, there are rules that we have to follow. You better believe there are. But they come from God, and he's the one who builds them in us, and he wants us to succeed. And he's not that kind of coach that constantly puts you down. Come on, maggot! Get up! I don't care if you vomit! Keep moving! He's not a drill sergeant in the Marine Corps. He's a loving God.

A loving God. Oh, there's trials. Oh, there's hardships. But the difference is, he's totally on your side. He cares whether or not you succeed or fail. He cares.

It's faith in Christ's sacrifice. He died for us to be forgiven. He's the unleavened bread that cleans us out. His blood covers our sins, blots it out, and it's remembered no more. Verse 10, Oh, yeah! Remember that part at the very beginning of the Day of Unleavened Bread, where we don't just throw the leavening out, that sour bowl. We also throw the bread out. The old man, you and me, got to go. We died with Christ. We laid down the old man and said, no more. And even though that was symbolic, even though the old man doesn't really die, and we have this long race to run, but symbolically, we said, my life is no longer mine, but God and Jesus Christ, it's now yours. Do with me as you will. That's important. We're going to get to why in just a minute.

If, by any means, verse 11, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead, the Apostle Paul taught that we have to attain that resurrection. Yes, grace is freely given, but there is a response that is required on our part. Verse 12, not that I have already attained. He had not yet attained the resurrection.

Paul is saying he wasn't even qualified yet. As he's writing this letter, he's saying he's not yet qualified. He has not attained the resurrection.

Or am I already perfected? But I press on that I may lay hold of that which Christ Jesus has laid up for me. That is so clear that we have a job to do. You know, you can get grief by people who believe one saved always saves. And they will pepper you and they will needle you. But the Bible is very, very clear. The Apostle Paul had not attained it yet. He was well, well past his baptism and his conversion.

Press forward. Go after it. It's the frame of mind that we are to become just like Jesus Christ. But there is another frame of mind that wars against us. It's the frame of mind that we have naturally from the day we're born. Let's skip verses 13 through 16, which we already read at the beginning of the sermon. Let's drop down to verse 17 and read about that frame of mind that we have to overcome, the thing that we need to grow out of. Verse 17, Brethren, join in following my example and note those who so walk as you have us for a pattern. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.

And listen to what he says is an enemy of the cross of Christ. It's those people who teach that you do not have to do anything. Notice the description. Whose end is destruction. Whose end is destruction? Whose God is their belly. You can eat anything and drink anything and do anything you want. Whose God is their belly.

Things of the flesh. Whose glory is their shame. Constantly seeking human glory. Look at me. Notice me. Praise me. That's the attitude that has to leave us, that we have to grow out of. Who set their mind on earthly things. Our walk is different. Now, I think we heard this in the sermon this morning. Verse 20. This is our walk.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our citizenship. You know, we get wrapped up in the elections and how bad our country is right now. And it is! I'll grant you, our country is terrible. It's in horrible shape. And I'm very patriotic. I love my country. I'm talking about America. But in reality, it's not my country. I am a foreigner here now.

And I was a foreigner the day I said to Jesus Christ, my life is yours. I am now a citizen of the kingdom of God, and I have to grow into that job. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are neither Democrat, nor Republican, nor Independent, nor Tea Party. We're monarchists.

But not any monarch. We have only one that we will follow. Verse 21, who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. And that is an incredible statement. You know what that means? There's not a single thing, not one, that you or I face in life.

That Jesus Christ is not able to subdue. Victory is ours. That's what that means. That's what Paul is trying to get across. When our citizenship is the kingdom of God, Jesus Christ is on our side. He's not a Marine Corps drill sergeant. Although I do like Marine Corps movies with drill sergeants. He's not that way. He's pulling for us. And as we'll see in just a moment, we have trials.

For very good reason we have trials. But before we talk about that, let's know that our coach, our Savior, our King can subdue all things, anything. God's got this. Stick to it. Stay on track. Jesus Christ subdues all things. But how receptive are we to His guidance? Do we grit our teeth? Do we stomp our feet? Do we say, I don't want to go that way? Yes, we do. And so we get spankings. So we get correction.

A scolding now and then. Because we're not as receptive as we must be to enter the kingdom. You know, we've said this before and we've said it for generations. But why is it when we go through trials that we ask the question and we still do it and I'm preaching it and I'm probably still going to do it, even though I know better. And we say, why me? Why me? I'm so sick of this life. I want to get off the train now.

Can I get off this train? All the people that I have to deal with and the troubles and the health and the financial and the whatever it is. And we say, why me? Slap yourself a little bit. You know why. We just need a reminder. So we have the Days of 11 Bread every year and it reminds us why. Why are we on this path? Why is the training so rigorous? Why do we stumble and fall and have to get back up again and it makes us sore and cranky? Hebrews 12.

Verse 2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. He was sacrificed and He said, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. Can you do that yet? Verse 3. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Unless you stomp your feet and pitch a little fit and say, why me? Why me? Verse 4. You have not resisted the bloodshed, striving against sin. You weren't the one nailed to the cross. You know why? Because you're reading this right now. You're still alive. It's kind of a harsh thing to say, don't you think? Paul's not being harsh. He's actually being very encouraging. Verse 5. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons. Why you? Because you're a child of God, because you're going somewhere awesome, and because He's getting you ready for that. That's why. My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him, for whom the Lord loves. He chastens. He corrects. He gives you scolding now and then, a little spanking to move you along the way. So you'll stop resisting His training, His teaching, His guidance. So you'll stop putting other things of this world in front of the most important thing that you're supposed to be learning, which is loving other people. And it's not your job, and it's not whatever you're doing with your life other than learning to become like God.

So we get these little bumps in the road. And we're not confused as to why Me. We know why. Because we're loved. Verse 6. For whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son who receives Him. And verse 7. If you endure the chastening, God deals with you as sons. For what son is there whom a father doesn't chasten? But if you are without chastening, of whom you have become partakers, you are illegitimate and not sons. If your life is cushy, and you've got every physical thing you've ever wanted, you're lost. You're not going to be in the kingdom of God. Because you're not being worked with. You're not being molded and shaped. You're not growing. You're just selfish. How receptive are we to that kind of chastening? If we're not, then we're not going on to perfection. Caring for others is the essential ingredient that God is looking for in His special children. Even treating the most difficult people to deal with, and you treat them well anyway. That's exactly what Jesus Christ did. Imagine you are the king of the entire universe, and some puny little Roman soldier slaps you, spits on you, hits you with sticks. Not only does it physically hurt, it's disrespectful. It would be disrespectful to any of us, but especially the king of kings. Right? And then they put that crown of thorns on him, and he's the king! What an insult! Not only does it hurt, it's an insult! And then they whip the flesh off of his body. Then they make him carry his own cross. Then they nail him to it. And then they shove a spear in his side. But right before that happened, he said, please forgive them. And you and I aren't there yet. Have you had an argument with somebody this past year? You're not there yet. Have you lost your cool? Have you done something a little greedy? We have to go on to perfection. Grow up. And if we're perfectly trained, then we look just like Jesus Christ. And if we don't look just like Jesus Christ, get up and start running the race. Love is not some kind of emotional feeling. It's truly caring about other people, valuing them in your heart. That is who will be in the kingdom of God. People who care and treat others well. Revelation 20, verse 6. Revelation 20, verse 6. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such, the second death has no power. Look at what you will be. Look at why it's so important to go on to perfection, to keep the feast of unleavened bread every year, and remember, we're in a race. You need to get up and you need to run.

But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him for a thousand years. You will be teaching the same thing that I'm teaching right now in the millennium, and you will teach it over and over and over again. You will say, brethren, going on to perfection is what we need to do. And what does going on to perfection mean? It means learn to love. Learn to not be selfish. And you will teach people over and over and over again the same thing we were taught over and over and over again. And we will rehearse next year. Because it's likely we'll forget a little bit here and there, going along the way. The message doesn't change. The standard is nothing short of perfection. Character, to be able to rule and teach, the character has to be developed in us today. And if that's not developed in us today, we are not going to be there. Character is tested, and it is tested thoroughly. It's a development process, and God wants us to succeed. God happens to be a very successful being, a very determined being. And that's why a lot of us go through so many trials. But some don't succeed anyway. They stomp their feet, and they pitch a fit, and they get bitter and angry, and they walk away.

And so I'm speaking this... You know, actually, I hope they do hear this, but I'm speaking this to you and I, who have not walked away. I hope they come back. But you haven't left. You and I are in the middle of the race, and it's time to get up and finish the race. When you get slapped with a trial, do you still say, Why me? You know why. James chapter 1 verse 2. James chapter 1 and verse 2. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.

How would you grade yourself in that department? How would you grade yourself in counting it joy? Oh, yippee! Another trial? Oh, goody! Well, that's not exactly what it means. It means, Oh, good. God is perfecting me a little bit more. I'm going to be a better runner today, a better Christian today, because I have a trial, and I'm going to learn the lesson I need to learn from this trial. I'm going to win. Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Why do we need patience? Why do we need patience? Well, to deal with each other, for sure. Just being serious. But to deal with thousands of people, millions of people in the millennium. Can you imagine the mess that they will be in after the world goes through what it's about to go through? But you will be there, the bride of Christ, standing right by his side, having been perfected in love and patience.

And you don't blow up when people make mistakes. It doesn't even discourage you, because you'll be there to say, Hey, get up. You've got to finish your race. It's essential to develop patience. Verse 4, but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect, complete, and lacking nothing, because nothing short of that will enter the kingdom of God. God is love, and that love is to be perfected in us. First John, Chapter 2, Verse 5. Almost done. Three more verses, and we're done. First John, Chapter 2, Verse 5. But whoever keeps his word, whose word? God's word. Whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.

And by this, we know that we are in him. Okay, it's an intense training program, and there are lots of rules that we have to follow. But Verse 6, He who says he abides in him, ought himself also to walk, just as he walked. The one who took a beating and was crucified said, forgive them. You and I must become that Christian. We must have the ability to say, I love you inside, when someone else is shaking their fist in your face. And you still think that they have value, and you love them.

Perfection. It's not the skills you have, it's not the talents you have, it's the love you have. Luke 22 and 28. This is the Passover dinner. And here is an example of one of our leaders who fell down. So I find it encouraging. Because if he fell down and got back up, we can too. Get up and finish the race. Luke 22, Verse 28. Jesus said, that you are those who have continued with me in my trials. I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as my father bestowed upon me. Now he is about to be killed in a gruesome, horrible way, and he is encouraging his followers.

And he says in verse 30, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. He was positive they were going to make it. And he knew what they were about to go through. And he knew what you and I are going through right now, all the way back then. He knew what we would go through. And he said, in verse 31, the Lord said, Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you that he may sift you like wheat.

Now, if you were Simon and you were a young cocky man, you might have felt pretty important, Mike, then. Yeah, Satan asked for me by name. But notice what Jesus Christ, in his focus at that night, said to Peter, But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail. And when you have returned to me, he predicted that he would fall, but he knew he would come back. When you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren. When you come back from your major failure, I want you to strengthen other people.

So what happened? When Jesus was killed, Peter said, I'm going fishing. He betrayed him three times in that night, and then after he was killed, he left and went to Galilee and went fishing. Why me? Well, that was a waste of three and a half years. I'm going fishing. It was all a sham. We all fail. We all fall down. We turn back. We turn our backs on Christ once in a while. Peter did, and he turned back, didn't he? Jesus Christ came back. He retrieved him. He stood him up and said, Get up! You've got a race to win. Now, let's take a look at how Peter turned out.

Here's Peter writing to us. 2 Peter 3, verse 17. 2 Peter 3, verse 17. This same Peter who failed miserably got back up, and he finished his race. And while he was on the way, he wrote this. You, therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware, lest you also fall from your own steadfastness. Hey, be careful! It's easy to fall off the path.

You know, it's a tough course. The tougher the course, the greater the reward. There's no greater reward than what we're doing. Being led away with the error of the wicked, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Well, what was Jesus Christ like? He loved unto death. And that's what we have to do. To him be the glory now and forever. Amen. Peter no longer sought glory. Peter didn't want glory for himself anymore. Peter had grown up, and he said, to God be the glory, to Jesus Christ be the glory.

That's where we are, brethren. We're at the last day of Unleavened Bread. We've gone through these days, and at Passover, we talked about humility and gratitude, and Jesus Christ covering our sins. Then we put the leaven out, we put the sin out, and we put the old man away, symbolically. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his life cleanses us as we partake of him throughout our life. And then we talked about becoming a completely converted person. More than what we are now, but ending up a new lump. And that's what we must do now. Is grow up, learn to love, learn to become a peacemaker, the kind of person that truly cares for and values other people who doesn't seek glory for him or herself, but cares for his or her fellow man. We are reminded yearly by the days of Unleavened Bread that we are to press on, not lackadaisical, but move and go on to perfection.