Hey Friends,

Today’s Sermon: Elevate Your Standards: Becoming Unstoppable Standard Bearers

[Phl 3:13-17 NLT] 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. 17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.

[1Co 11:1 NLT] 1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is to raise your standards.- Tony Robbins

In most cases the level of our health, income and relationships are a reflection of our standards, connections, habits and level of deservingness

We often get what we have to Have. Turn our shoulds to musts.

We need to raise our standards. Entropy and Attrition is real and sneaky.

Purpose:Today, we embark on a journey to elevate our standards and become unstoppable standard bearers.

Questions to Answer:

What does it mean to raise our standards? What are the ideals of various philosophers? 

Who did Christ acknowledge as standards for us?

How does Christ's finished work empower us to live victoriously and impact the world?

Ideals from several philosophers

Plato's Ideal Man: Philosopher-King- - Society divided into producers (Base), auxiliaries (Thumas) and guardians (Leadership). Philosopher-kings possess deep wisdom, justice, and knowledge of the Form of the Good. Chosen from guardian class after rigorous education- Equipped with governance skills and understanding of eternal ideals

Aristotle's Ideal Man - The Great-Souled Man:- Achievement of eudaimonia, a state of flourishing.  Excellence in virtue, health, wealth, beauty, friendship, speaking, etc.

Nietzsche's Ideal Man - The Übermensch  Spiritual goal, energy, strength, risk-taking. Creates personal meaning and purpose.

Confucius' Ideal Man - The Gentleman- Cultivation of proper social conduct and virtues.

Respect for elders and teachers, humanity towards others.

Didymus' Ideal Man - The Stoic Sage: Alignment with Stoic principles and nature.Tranquil life guided by virtue, free from external disturbances. Recognition of external factors beyond control. Focus on internal qualities for happiness.

Camus' Ideal Man - The Absurd Man: Confronts the absurdity of existence with defiance. Lives authentically despite inherent meaninglessness. Embraces the void directly with passion and joy.

Kierkegaard's Ideal Man - The Knight of Faith: Maintains unwavering belief despite sacrifices. Believes in the power of faith and the infinite.

Peter Kreeft: The 3 Philosophies of Life: Three Philosophies of Life covers three books of the Bible: Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs- Life is vanities, Life is Pain and Life is Love (from God & For God and Others).

The Power of Standards & Exemplars

 Role models and prototypes ignite our mirror neurons, inspiring us to imitate their excellence and push our boundaries.

- We need living examples to challenge us to raise our standards, echoing Paul's call to imitate him as he imitates Christ.

We saw the ideals from philosophy But it doesn't end there. As we explore these ideals, we'll also learn how to walk in the authority that Christ has granted us. Our lives serve as living witnesses to Christ's transformative power, making us more than conquerors. With purposeful living, we're driven by the mission to share the victory we've found with those around us. So let's dive in, discovering how to rest in Christ's finished work, declare His promises, and actively engage in our communities as we journey towards a life of unwavering victory.

Prov 31 Woman and Man of the Gate

:Emulating John the Baptist

- **Authenticity:** John lived radically, unswayed by worldly expectations.

- **Boldness:** He fearlessly spoke truth, even to those in power.

Recognizing Faith - Centurion's Example

- **Humble Faith:** The centurion's humility and faith moved Jesus.

- **Trust:** He believed in Jesus' authority, demonstrating unwavering trust.

Standing for Truth - Stephen's Legacy

- **Courage:** Stephen displayed courage in the face of adversity.

- **Forgiveness:** Even in martyrdom, he forgave his persecutors.

CRAFT-B - Courage, Forgiveness, Authentic, Faith, Trust, Boldness.

**Elevating Standards:** Emulate John's authenticity and boldness, centurion's humble faith and trust, Stephen's courage and forgiveness. Through the power of Christ's finished work*, transformation will be realized. Rest in His victory, embrace higher vision, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Unstoppable standard bearers for His glory.

*Consider a complex puzzle you couldn't solve on your own. Jesus acts as the superhero, finishing the puzzle, making us eternal friends with God. This process fuels our growth, similar to advancing levels in a game.

* TL;DR: Striving for excellence means imitating role models like John, the centurion, and Stephen. We're not mere survivors, but we walk in Christ's victory and share His transformative power.

* Challenge: "Elevate your standards, embrace challenges, ignite change."

Remember:  As we journey onward, remember that Christ's finished work empowers us to rise above, guided by the Holy Spirit and driven by purpose. Let's go forth as unstoppable standard bearers for His glory.

* Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for guiding us on this journey today. May we walk in the authority of Christ's victory, shining His light and impacting lives. We're grateful for the Holy Spirit's presence and the community we share. In Jesus' name, amen.

* Recap: Today, we explored the philosophy of ideals, the need to raise our standards, and the triumphant reality of Christ's finished work. We learned how to rest in Him, declare His promises, and actively engage in our mission. 

As we leave, let's remember to elevate our standards, embrace challenges, and ignite change in the world around us.

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Last Week was my wife’s birthday

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