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Never Good EnoughI.Introduction: Personal struggle.a. Life-long struggle with self-confidence.i. It’s kind of a paradox.1. On one hand, I’ve always been pretty confident in my abilities.2. But on the other hand, I’ve struggled with self-confidence in certainsituations and around some people.3. For the most part, I’ve learned to mask the lack of self-confidence prettywell.4. But I still struggle with it at times.ii. This has extended over into my spirituality.iii. I know my weaknesses.iv. And I struggle with the idea that I’m not doing enough.1. I’m not good enough.2. And it seems that the more I do, my mind keeps telling me that it’snever enough.b. This morning’s lesson.i. The title of the lesson is “Never Good Enough.”1. And we’re going to look at the apostle Paul.ii. And a contrast of two different attitudes.1. One that tells us that we haven’t made it yet.2. And one that assures that we’re going to make it.c. Texts for the lesson.i. Philippians 3:12-14, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected;but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid holdof me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; tbut one thing Ido, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to thosethings which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward callof God in Christ Jesus.”1. As much as Paul had done, it wasn’t enough yet.2. He had not made it yet.3. He was still driving; still pushing; still pressing.ii. 2 Timothy 4:7-8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I havekept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, whichthe Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me onlybut also to all who have loved His appearing.”1. He was confident.2. He was sure of his reward.
II.I know I have a reward in Heaven.a. The Christian should have confidence.i. We don’t have to wonder.ii. We don’t have to worry.iii. God doesn’t want us to feel like we’re never good enough.1. God knows our weaknesses.2. God doesn’t expect perfection.iv. He teaches us that we can be confident regarding eternity.b. 2 Timothy 4:7-8.i. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept thefaith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also toall who have loved His appearing.”ii. Notice the confidence.1. “I have fought.”2. “I have finished.”3. “I have kept.”4. “There is laid up for me.”iii. Extreme confidence.1. As if the judgment has already been made.c. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8.i. “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body weare absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident,yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with theLord.”1. Paul was confident regarding his eternal habitation.2. Letter written some 12-14 years prior to 2 Timothy.ii. This Greek word translated confident is related to courage and boldness.1. The idea is that our eternal home is secure.2. So what do we have to worry about?a. We can take courage and be bold.d. Perseverance of the Saints.i. Many hold the doctrine of once saved, always saved.1. We know that doctrine is false because the Bible warns us of fallingaway.ii. But I believe that we can be guilty of swinging the pendulum so far the otherway.1. That it robs us of our confidence of our salvation.2. The peaceful assurance we should feel knowing that one day we will liveforever with God in heaven.
iii. We don’t have to live life with a question mark.1. Am I going to heaven?a. I hope so.RI’m going to heaven!iv. John 10:27-28, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they followMe. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shallanyone snatch them out of My hand.”1. Don’t pull the power out of these verses.2. Sure, we can let go of His hand.3. But there is great comfort in knowing that as long as we hold on toJesus, no one can take away our eternal life.v. 1 John 5:13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of theSon of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”III.Keep pressing. You’re not there yet.a. Philippians 3:12-14.i. “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that Imay lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, Ido not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting thosethings which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, Ipress toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”1. “not that I have already attained.”2. “not that I am already perfected.”3. “do not count myself to have apprehended.”ii. The race is not over.1. “I press on.”2. “reaching forward.”3. “I press toward the goal.”b. “I’ve made it.”i. Ambition can be a powerful thing.1. Set goals and you work hard to achieve them.2. Almost obsessing over them.ii. But what happens when you achieve your goals?1. What should happen is that you set higher goals and you set out toachieve them.iii. Two examples.1. Business Person.a. Start at the bottom.b. Set your heights on making it to a certain level.c. Finally, after a lot of hard work, you get there.d. What happens now?
i. Set new goals.ii. Or do you become satisfied and the drive wanes?2. Athlete.a. Dream is to make it to the pros.b. Work hard and perhaps the dream comes true.c. What happens now?i. Are you able to maintain that drive?ii. Or are you satisfied with just making it there?c. Spiritual Application.i. Christians can become complacent.ii. We start out working hard.1. We set our goals.a. Better Bible student.b. Teacher.c. Godly parent.2. We put in years of hard work.a. And we accomplish a lot of our goals.3. But then what?a. Are we able to maintain that drive?b. Or do we become satisfied and retire from spiritual work?iii. Example of the apostle Paul.1. Even after he had accomplished so much.2. He was still pushing, still working.3. He realized he wasn’t there yet.d. The illustration of a Race.i. Common illustration of the apostle Paul.1. 1 Corinthians 9:24, “run in such a way that you may obtain it.”2. Galatians 5:7, “You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying thetruth.”3. Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so greata cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which soeasily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is setbefore us.”ii. Don’t stop until you cross the finish line!1. No matter how much it hurts.a. Keep pushing.2. You’re so close. Keep going.IV.How do we balance the two ideas?a. First two points.i. Keep pressing. You’re not there yet.
ii. I know I have a reward in Heaven.b. Title of the lesson.i. Never Good Enough.1. The Christian doesn’t need to have this attitude.2. That is, the Christian doesn’t have to struggle with self-confidence.3. It’s not about being good enough.a. Because if that’s what it was about, then we’re all in trouble.ii. Never Good Enough.1. The Christian needs to have this attitude.2. In the sense of never thinking that we’ve made it and we can coast intoheaven.3. We need to keep pressing, keep workingiii. Confidence but not complacency.c. How do we have confidence?i. Submit to the will of Jesus.1. Includes initial obedience.2. Includes looking to Him in everything we do.ii. Put your trust in Jesus instead of your own works.1. God doesn’t require perfect law-keeping.2. We’re never going to get everything right.iii. Confess your sins to Him.1. He has promised to forgive us.2. He knows we’re weak and we will sin; the beauty of His plan is that ittakes that into account.iv. Pick yourself up and keep pressing toward the goal.1. Don’t let sin keep you down.2. When you fall down, all you’ve got to do is get back up and start again.
Never Good Enough, Never Good Enough, I. Introduction: Personal struggle. a. Life-long struggle with self-confidence. i. It's kind of a paradox. 1. On one hand, I've always been pretty confident in my abilities. 2. ut on the other hand, I've struggled with self-confidence in certain situations and around some people. 3.
