Christian maturity involves: 1) A humble and passionate pursuit of Jesus motivated by the gospel. 2) Imitating lives marked by the cross and pursuit of heaven. 3) Living in light of our true citizenship in heaven.

2. Christian maturity is the passionate
pursuit of Jesus where we imitate Him
and long to experience His glory.

3. 12 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. 13 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,

4. 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of
the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let those of us who are mature think this
way, and if in anything you think
otherwise, God will reveal that also to
you.16 Only let us hold true to what we have
attained.

5. 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep
your eyes on those who walk according to
the example you have in us. 18 For many, of
whom I have often told you and now tell
you even with tears, walk as enemies of the
cross of Christ. 19 Their end is
destruction, their god is their belly,
and they glory in their shame, with minds
set on earthly things.

6. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from
it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ, 21 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.

7. I.Christian maturity involves a humble and
passionate pursuit of Jesus, motivated by
the gospel (vv.12-14).

8. II. Christian maturity requires imitating
lives marked by the cross and the pursuit of
heaven (vv. 15-17).

9. III. Christian maturity consists of living in
light of your true Citizenship (vv. 20-21).

10. For we know that the whole creation has
been groaning together in the pains of
childbirth until now. And not only the
creation, but we ourselves, who have
the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan
inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption
as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
For in this hope we were saved.

11. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For
who hopes for what he sees? But if we
hope for what we do not see, we wait
for it with patience (Rom. 8:22-25).

12. “When we consider the unblushing promises
of reward and the staggering nature of the
rewards promised in the Gospels, it would
seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too
strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted
creatures, fooling about with drink and sex
and ambition when infinite joy is offered us,
like an ignorant child who wants to go

13. on making mud pies in a slum because he
cannot imagine what is meant by the offer
of a holiday at the sea. We are far too
easily pleased” (C.S. Lewis, Weight of Glory).

14. Christian maturity is a passionate pursuit
of Jesus where we imitate Him and long
to experience His glory.