Eduardo Negron0:01
Amen, but today we are going to be talking about the race not ending, and I am going to address the young people who are graduating, but it is also for each one of us. The race does not end. A few of the verses are in the PowerPoint, others are in your Bible. If you did not bring a Bible, I am sorry for you, but that is part of the training—you know, carry your Bible. I invite you to go to Philippians chapter 3, and let's read verses 13 and 14. Amen. Philippians chapter 3, verses 13 and 14. When you... if you haven't... it's First... but you already looked it up in your Bible, that is Philippians chapter 3, verses 13 and 14. It reads as follows: 'Brothers, 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.' Let's pray. Lord, we praise you, we bless you, God. We thank you for this morning. Thank you for the victory that you have given to these four young people. We know it is the beginning of what you have for them. Father, I place before you this word which you have given me for this your people. Your people have left their homes to gather the manna that you have for them. I ask you, Lord, in the name of Jesus, that each one gathers the portion they need, that they do not gather too much, that they do not gather too little, but the exact portion they need, in the name of Jesus. Amen. You may be seated.
Young people, the race does not end when you graduate from high school. You know, and we can tell you that many of us here are still in the race; it does not end. Now I want you to observe several things that Paul says in that passage. First, he says, 'I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.' He never reached everything he could reach; there will always be more. Therefore, do not pretend that you have already reached what you wanted because you finished high school. There is much more to conquer, much more to conquer. Then Paul says, 'But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind.' All the achievements you have reached up to today, all the goals you have achieved up to today, and all the failures you have gone through up to today—leave them behind. Leave them behind. Press forward. That is a decision that no one can make for you. You are the one who decides whether to leave the past behind or keep dragging it along. Therefore, young person, you graduated from high school. It was fun to be those three or four years in high school. Maybe you remember some mischief you did, but all that stays behind. That stays behind. Do not let anything that happened in the past stop you from moving toward the future. Leave it behind. You decide. The apostle continues, 'and straining toward what is ahead.' There is much more for each of you if you are able to forget what is behind. If you do not forget what is behind and you drag it along, you will not be able to advance to what is ahead. Therefore, forget all that because there is more to reach. Then Paul says, 'I press on toward the goal.' Notice, goals for the future. That is what will motivate you to keep moving forward. If you do not have goals, you stagnate. But if you have goals, you will keep moving forward. But each of those small goals should always guide you to the greater goal, which is to please the Lord. Do not let any of those goals divert you from the path. You have to set goals, but they must lead in one direction to the greater goal. Paul ends by saying, 'to the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.' Listen well to what I am going to tell you. The world will reward you for every goal you achieve. You know, the world will reward you for every goal you achieve. If you set out to excel in your work, the world will give you a raise, it will open doors for higher positions. It will reward you for your effort. But your eyes must always be set on the greater goal, and that is Jesus. That is where our eyes must be set, on the greater goal. The supreme calling is to be a Christian at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances. It is not being a Christian only here in church. You know, because here in church even those who do not serve the Lord look very religious. But it is out there where the challenges are, where the challenges are.
