Connect What is the most prominent aspect of your personality? In what way can this be expressed unhelpfully? How do you think the Spirit is shaping this aspect more in light of his fruit?

Warm-Up

1. Why is achievement so alluring? Is achievement comprehensively a bad thing?
2. Have you ever felt pressure to achieve something to prove your worth? How does this feel?

Read Philippians 3:1-6

3. Who are the ‘dogs’ that Paul writes about? What were they doing and why was Paul so cross? 
4. What does it mean to have ‘confidence in the flesh’? Is this still an issue for Christians today?
5. Where does our culture encourage us to look to be confident? Where should Christians look? 
6. Was Paul a stranger to achievement? What had he achieved in his lifetime prior to becoming a disciple?
7. In what way is the promise of achievement a ‘lie’? Have you experienced this at all?
8. When you have achieved something, how do you feel? Even if satisfying, in what way is it fleeting?

Read Philippians 3:7-14

9. Where do you think Paul’s worth had come from in the past (i.e., his past ‘gains’)? From whom does he know derive his worth? How have you known this also to be true?
10. How does Paul describe his past achievements? Does this mean all of our achievements are garbage? (Try to really work this through, considering why and why not.)
11. How does Paul describe knowing Christ? (see v.10) What do you think this means in the day-to-day?
12. What is the one thing that Paul describes as worth achieving? How does this shape your approach to one (or more) of your frontlines?
13. Why does Paul say that he hasn’t ‘attained’ this? In what way do we live between the ‘now’ and ‘not yet’?
14. Is Paul implying that we must make efforts to ‘attain’ Christ? What does he mean by ‘pressing on’ to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me? How are you reminded and encouraged to keep pressing on and strain ahead towards the prize that God has won for us?
15. How does an identity grounded in Jesus (who he is and what he’s done) liberate us from achievement addiction? How should it also prevent us from idolising or looking down on others?
16. Has following Jesus had any effect on how you view your worth or how you approach achievement?
17. Tim Keller said, “Don’t let success go to your head, nor let failure go to your heart.” How has following Jesus helped you live this out? In what ways do you still find it challenging? What would help?

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On Your Front Line this Week

Who are three people you could invite to join you for the Public Lecture (Friday 26 July)? Register here: stbarts.com.au/publiclecture 

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen: “Why is our culture so obsessed with Identity?” by Brian Rosner: https://bit.ly/3WaAiMu 
• Listen: “If any man is in Christ” by John Stott: https://www.allsouls.org/Media/AllMedia.aspx?show_media=223135&show_file=236574 
• Listen: “A Love that Compels” by Pato Oyarzún: https://stebbes.org/sermons/a-love-that-compels/ 
• Read: “Identity, Story, and Purpose” by John Beckett: https://www.seed.org.au/2020/07/29/identity-story-purpose/ 
• Listen: A New Creation. by William Taylor: https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/7744/ 

Series Resources

• Book: Brian Rosner, How to Find Yourself. Purchase online: www.stbarts.com.au/product/book-how-to-find-yourself 
• Book: Kelly Kapic, You’re Only Human. Purchase online: www.stbarts.com.au/product/book-youre-only-human 
• Book: Stephen McAlpine, Futureproof. Purchase online: https://www.stbarts.com.au/product/book-futureproof 
• Book: Mike McKinley, Friendship with God. Purchase online: https://www.stbarts.com.au/product/book-friendship-with-god 
• Talks by Christianity Today (Audio): Being Human. https://bit.ly/3Lfizxd 

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