Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.—Philippians 3:17–21

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”—Revelation 21:1–5

Introduction: Waiting Now as Citizens and Witnesses (Philippians 3:20–21)

Definition of the Kingdom of God: God’s presence and power among his people to fulfill the purpose of the glory of God to be spread and enjoyed to the ends of the earth.

We’ve seen that, from the beginning, God created his people made in his image to advance his kingdom to the ends of the earth by their glad obedience to him and to live in sweet fellowship with each other and God—fully known and fully loved. We’ve seen how sin distorted that image and that glad obedience and that fellowship, and yet how God promised to reverse the curse of sin through an offspring of the woman. 

And then last week we took a whirlwind tour through the Bible to see how God pursues his people in covenants to restore relationship and then advance his kingdom. This culminated in Christ who fulfills the covenants and brings in the New Covenant where God ransoms sinners once-for-all by the blood of Jesus and then pours out his Spirit to renew them in his image and empower them to advance his kingdom to the ends of earth. Then we ended with the commission of the risen King to his ransomed disciples to be witnesses of the good news of his kingdom to the ends of the earth until he returns.

We are still in that age. The age where Jesus has fulfilled so many of the promises of God and delivered the definitive blow to Satan, and yet, also the age where we still groan at the sin and suffering of this life as we wait for Jesus to usher in his return. We call this the “already, not yet” reality. Listen to the apostle Paul talk about this waiting …

Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.—Philippians 3:20–21

There is a day coming when Jesus will return and transform us completely to enjoy him forever. It’s coming. Until then, our commission in this life is to see ourselves as citizens of the Kingdom and witnesses of the good news of the crucified, risen King.

So, how is the Kingdom realized now in us as citizens until the day it is realized in full?

The Kingdom Realized Now in Citizens With ...

1) New Power (Philippians 3:1–3)

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.

Paul calls the Philippians as citizens of the Kingdom to rejoice in the Lord. He says there’s safety in this joy he is calling them to.

He goes on to warn them to watch out for the “dogs” and “evildoers” who are likely a group of folks who were saying that to receive salvation you need to trust in Jesus and continue the Jewish tradition of circumcision. They were adding external requirements to the saving work of the perfect life, substitute death, and victorious resurrection of King Jesus. And then Paul says that those who are truly circumcised—a picture of the stubborn nature of sin being stripped away so that we can love God—are the ones who worship in the Spirit and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.

You can see the difference in these groups. One is putting confidence literally in the cutting of their own flesh for acceptance with God, and the other is saying, “I have no confidence in my own power. My only hope is that I worship in the power of the Spirit and boast in the work of Christ.”

So now we can see how rejoicing in Jesus keeps them safe. When our only boast is in the person and work of Christ on our behalf, and our only hope of true worship of that Christ is the Spirit of God that Christ sent to us, it keeps us from the error of thinking we can somehow earn favor from God on our own. God does the saving. God empowers the worship.

And one of the beautiful things of the New Covenant is that we no longer rely on our own power. We don’t boast in our ability to save ourselves. We don’t work to earn favor with God. And we don’t need to trust in our own ability to produce right worship. We boast in the work of Jesus alone and we walk in the power of the Spirit alone. We lean into the word of God which is the sword of the Spirit and we pray in the power of the Spirit. And the Spirit comes to help us put sin to death (Romans 8:13), manifests various gifts (1 Corinthians 12–14), bears fruit in our life (Galatians 5), and empowers our witness (Ephesians 6) all to glorify Christ (John 16:7).

So, this morning, perhaps you’re someone who has been plagued by the same sin for years, and you feel hopeless. And what most of us do with that stuff is try to manage it ourselves. We try to develop better habits and have better accountability software or groups and work harder ourselves to avoid whatever setting sets off the temptation. And all of that time we are focusing on the sin and trying to find the power to fight it as the guilt and shame builds. And that always ends in prideful self-praise or paralyzed self-pity.

And I just want to invite you right now to remember Jesus Christ. To rejoice in Jesus Christ. He has paid for your sin and covered your shame. And I want to invite you instead of managing that sin to lean into the Word and prayer and ask the Spirit to come and make Jesus more satisfying to you than that sin. Isn’t it good news that there’s new power in the kingdom of God now for ransomed citizens?

The new power of the Kingdom in the New Covenant is Spirit-driven ability to worship and boast in Christ. Nothing pulls sin out at the roots like a deeper love for Jesus. (Illustration: Thanksgiving meal fast.)

2) New Pleasures (Philippians 3:4–11) 

Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.—Philippians 3:4–6

I love what Paul does here. He says, “You want to put your confidence in the flesh? That’s silly. We boast in Jesus alone and worship by the Spirit. But, if you want to go there, let me show you how much better I am than you.”

Paul had all the power and prestige the world could offer him. Paul is saying, these people want you to put confidence in something you can do on your own, and I’ve been to the mountaintop of self-achievement. You can’t match me. It seems like it tastes good, but it’s no longer desirable to me. Why?

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.—Philippians 3:7–11

Citizens of the Kingdom have new pleasures. Before Christ, Paul found pleasure in the achievements of this life. He found pleasure in the power and prestige and perfections he could find in his own strength.

The gains he had in his power and prestige and pedigree compared to Christ? Loss. Anything else life could offer, maybe comforts or privileges or pleasures that his prestige and power and pedigree got him compared to knowing Christ? Loss. And this isn’t just hypothetical head knowledge to Paul. Not only does he consider all else as loss compared to Christ, but he says he has actually suffered the loss of all things and counts them as rubbish. He has put his money where his mouth is. God ransomed Paul to advance his kingdom and Paul so treasured Jesus that he was willing to lay down all earthly comforts and pleasures and sin to follow Jesus.

Citizens of the Kingdom have new pleasures as they worship by the Spirit and boast in Christ alone. Ask them what they want more than anything—the answer is Jesus. A big raise or Jesus? Jesus. An important position or Jesus? Jesus. A nice house or Jesus? Jesus. A comfortable life or Jesus? Jesus. Safety or Jesus? Jesus. Healthy life or Jesus? Popularity or Jesus? Jesus.

Eventually they would simply say to you, “Listen, you can have all this world. But give me Jesus. I just want to know him more. I want to be found in him. There is nothing I can do to earn favor with God on my own, and so I just want to be found in his righteousness from God that depends on faith. I want to know the power of his resurrection in my life by the Spirit to follow him more closely, I want to follow him into his sufferings if that’s what gets me more of him. I want to become like him in his self-giving death to sin if it gets me more of Jesus—because I just want to be raised to be with him some day. Don’t you get it? What would it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lost his soul? To live is Christ. To die is gain. He’s my friend. He’s my shepherd. He’s my Savior. He’s my King. He’s all I want and He’s all I need. This is a no-brainer. The math is simple. Jesus is better.”

(Illustration: Like at Thanksgiving, go back for seconds of your favorites, not waste your time with lesser things.)

3) New Pursuits (Philippians 3:12–19)

Now maybe you’re thinking, “Man, I’m not perfect in that or even close.” That’s OK.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 3:12–14

Paul admits he’s not perfect. But, then notice something interesting about the Kingdom. The new power of the Spirit of God creates new pleasures in Christ that make the citizen of the Kingdom say, “I’m not perfect yet, but I want more.” There’s Spirit-driven effort here, right?

Do you see those words? “I press on.” “Straining forward.” “I press on” again. Pressing and straining don’t give us a picture of ease. So, is Paul falling back into the old-pattern of self-achievement where he’s motivated to try to earn favor with God by his works?

No. Why does he press on to make it his own? Because Christ has made him his own. That’s the foundation. I belong to Jesus and he’s given me new power in the Spirit to long for new pleasures in him, so what else can I do besides press on for more? Where else can we go?

And notice he presses on by forgetting what’s behind him. He’s not going to fixate on his past failures. He’s going to focus on the fact that he belongs to Jesus, and then he’s going to fix his eyes on the prize of being with Jesus one day soon. So, in some sense, in your life you should always be asking yourself, “Where am I running toward Jesus and where am I running away?” “Where are my eyes fixed on him and where are they fixed on other things?” “What are things in my life that steal my joy in Jesus? What are things that deepen my joy in Jesus?” And then press on. Strain forward toward Jesus in the power of the Spirit. 

And we’re not meant to do this alone.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.—Philippians 3:17

Paul says that some have fallen away from Christ (Philippians 3:18–19), and he weeps over it. His remedy to that is “Keep your eyes on faithful brothers and sisters who have learned how to press on and strain forward in the power of the Spirit. Look at them and see how they spend their time, energy, and money. Look at them and see how they study their Bibles and pray and love others. Get around faithful citizens.”

How has Stone learned to throw a football? I’ve shown him. He’s watched me. How has Iris learned to dance? She’s watched her teacher. We’re meant to watch each other.

A sweet example from my own life: Here I am as the South Campus Lead Pastor preaching right now, and in 2011–2012 I was the pastoral assistant to the South Campus Lead Pastor, David Livingston. And you know what I did more than anything? I kept my eyes on him. I watched his example. I wanted to love Jesus like he did. And share the gospel at Subway like he did. And be faithful to my wife like he was. And so much of my own ministry has come from me fixing my eyes on someone who was following Jesus closely. And now I get the sweet privilege to partner with him in ministry, which is the ultimate goal, ultimately to walk together as a blood-bought family advancing the Kingdom together:

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.—Philippians 1:27

Ransomed citizens have new power of the Spirit to more deeply enjoy new pleasures in Christ that will ultimately lead to new pursuits and priorities in life and bring them into a blood-bought family meant to advance the Kingdom together in the power of the pleasure, fueled by the pleasures of Christ.

Do you see the Spirit changing your priorities? Are you straining toward more of Jesus? Are you walking out of your shame and fixing your eyes on Jesus? Do you see the Spirit drawing you to deeper time in the Word and prayer? Is he calling you now to lay down idols in your life? Is he calling you to change how you use your time, energy, and money? Are you getting help from other faithful citizens? Are you eager walk arm-in-arm with this blood-bought family to take the good news of the King we love to our neighborhoods and the nations?

Perhaps the Spirit is working right now show you where you can press on in new power of the Spirit toward Jesus and experience the freedom of glad obedience to your King until now until he returns.

Application: The Wait Over, the Kingdom Fully Realized (Revelation 21:21–22)

And the good news is that Jesus will return. He will come and restore perfect fellowship with us. He will come, and we will reign with him forever. He will come and do away with sin and suffering forever. He will come and let us again eat of the tree of life. He will bring his perfect kingdom of glory for us to enjoy forever. He will transform our lowly bodies to like his glorious body so that we can fully enjoy that glory. He will not only decisively but completely crush Satan. We will be restored to glad obedience and worship to our King forever. His kingdom will bring healing to all nations through Jesus—the perfect Adam, Jesus; the offspring of Abraham promised to bless the nations, Jesus; the perfectly obedient Israel, and Jesus; the perfect King on the throne of David forever. Through the blood of Jesus, God is restoring his kingdom now to the ends of the earth and, when King Jesus returns, the nations will be gathered to worship him.

Right now, we wait for the full realization of the King as citizens and witnesses with new power of the Spirit, new pleasures in Christ, and new pursuits to know Jesus and make him known to the ends of the earth, but one day soon our wait will be over, the Kingdom will come in full, and we will know it was worth it. 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.—Revelation 21:1–4

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.—Revelation 22:1–5 

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”—Revelation 7:9–10