1. PHILIPPIANS
CHAPTER 3
Verse 20
April 1, 2012
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
Announcements!
"Praying For Our Jerusalem" Acts 1:8
Praying For Our Jerusalem is a prayer effort by which we attempt to go into every
home of our church family for the sole purpose of praying with the people in that
home. No gimmicks, no signing up for something, just to pray. Prayer Warriors will visit
up to four homes and pray with our church family from April 1-30.
Maundy Thursday
Thursday, April 5th @ 6:00 p.m.
In the Chapel
Sunday, April 8 - EASTER
Worship and Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
No Evening Services
BREATH OF LIFE
What: A Sunday School Class for those with a chronic cough.
When: Sunday, April 15th @ 8 a.m.
Where: At FBCJ in the Chapel Parlor
Life of Valor
What: Men's Conference
When: Friday, April 20th From 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Madison Campus
Who: All men (age 13 and older)
Cost: $10.00 each (includes supper)
Register: Online @ www.FBCJ.org or Call 601-949-1948
Thank You for Serving
What: A banquet to honor waiters & waitresses.
When: Monday, April 23rd from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: The South, 627 East Silas Brown, Jackson, MS 39201

2. MARK THE DATE. . .
FRIEND DAY
SUNDAY, APRIL 29th
Goal: 2,500 in Sunday School
Offering warm fellowship and refreshments!
Sunday School Lesson!
Commentaries Consulted:
 The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and
John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2007.
 Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
 Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)
 J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible
 Wiersbe Expository Outlines
Philippians 3:20-21
20 “For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ; 21 Who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity
with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all
things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21
Since Christ is in Heaven, those who love Him must be preoccupied with Heaven,
longing for Christ to return and take them to be with Him (1 Thess 4:17).
1 Thessalonians 4:17
17 “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17

3. Paul had little interest in the comforts and pleasures of this world, as should we, and it
is consistent for us to have a heavenly focus since our citizenship is in Heaven.
Politeuma (citizenship) appears only here in the New Testament, though Paul used
the related verb in 1:27.
Citizenship refers to the place where one has official status, the commonwealth
where one's name is recorded on the register of citizens.
Luke 10:20
20 “ Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice
that your names are recorded in Heaven.” Luke 10:20
Revelation 21:25-27
25 “In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed;
26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing
unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it,
but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Revelation 21:25-27
 We are members of Christ's kingdom, which is not of this world (John 18).
 Though believers live in this world, we are citizens of Heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:20
20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an
appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
2 Corinthians 5:20
 We are citizens of Heaven and ambassadors for Christ in the USA.
 We presently reside on Hotel Earth but our citizenship is in Heaven.
Our names are recorded in Heaven;
our Savior is there;
our fellow saints are there;
our inheritance is there (1 Peter 1:4);
our treasure is there (Matt 6:20), and
our reward is there(Matt 5:12).
OUR INHERITAANCE
1 Peter 1:3-4
3“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His great
mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and
undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,” 1 Peter 1:3-4

4. OUR TREASURE
MATTHEW 6:19-21
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in
Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or
steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
OUR REWARD
Matthew 5:12
12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in Heaven is great!” Matthew 5:12
Our names are recorded in Heaven;
our Savior is there;
our fellow saints are there;
our inheritance, treasure and rewards are all there!
 Though we do not yet live in Heaven, we experience to some degree the
heavenly life here on earth.
 We already live in the heavenly realm (Eph 2:4-6):
Ephesians 2:4-6
4 “But God, being rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ and raised us up
with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ.” Ephesians 2:4-6
We have the life of God within us, we are under the rule of Heaven's King
(“Thy kingdom come”), and we live for Heaven's cause (the Great Co-Mission).
Paul's reference to citizenship may have been especially meaningful to the
Philippians, since Philippi was a Roman colony.
The Philippians were Roman citizens, though obviously living outside of Rome, just as
we are citizens of Heaven living here on earth.
To the disciples who watched as Christ ascended into Heaven the angels said, "Men
of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, Who has been taken up
from you into Heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go
into Heaven." Acts 1:11
In John 14:2-3 Jesus Himself promised, "In My Father's house are many dwelling places;
if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I
am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3
 The Carpenter of Nazareth knows how to prepare a place for you.
 While You Were Out – “Driver, move that bus!”
 Jesus is preparing a place for you and He is also preparing you for a place.

5. We should think daily about Jesus and about Heaven.
Satan does not want us to dwell on Heaven nor to know about Heaven because
when we know the truth about Heaven, we’ll grow to love God and as we love God,
we are emboldened to do His will.