The prize pursued (1) Sound the advance!

To live is Christ: he is the fountain, centre, and object of life. Paul's goals were Christ-centred: complete conformity to and fellowship with the Lord Jesus were the touchstone of his existence. The apostle's appetite for the Lord corrects, rebukes and instructs us.

In the first sermon in this brief series, we note firstly the Christian's realism (neither expecting nor professing present perfection). Alongside of this realism goes the Christian's determination - never despairing of nor abandoning our pursuit of Christ, but pressing on with sustained intensity. Then we consider the Christian's focus: the laying hold on that for which Christ first laid hold on him.