[0:00] Now let's turn to the first of those passages we read in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 10 and verse 16, the first words of verse 16.
[0:14] We may read from the middle of verse 15. Our hope is that as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you.
[0:38] I don't know if you're familiar with Star Trek, the space adventure. Perhaps you've heard the motto of Star Trek is to boldly go where no one has gone before.
[0:57] And I'm sure that the Apostle Paul would have identified with that sentiment. Because not only here, but throughout many places in his writings, he portrays that same attitude.
[1:12] To boldly go where no one has gone before. In a way, that could be taken as his motto too. He speaks here about going on to the regions beyond.
[1:27] The regions beyond Corinth. Corinth was in what is today the south part of Greece. And in speaking about going beyond Corinth, he was talking about going on to an area called Dalmatia, which was in what today would be Albania and Yugoslavia.
[1:47] He was talking about going on to Italy, to Rome. He was talking about going on to Spain. He was talking about going on further into Europe. So the Apostle Paul had this as his great vision.
[2:04] And we see it in various areas of his thinking of going on and to do things that had not been achieved before. He was always wanting to go further than ever before.
[2:21] And this was true not only geographically in terms of his missionary activity, but it was also true about every area of life.
[2:31] His whole vision was to see the kingdom of Jesus Christ extended throughout the whole of life, throughout the whole of the world.
[2:43] So that people everywhere would recognize Christ as Lord and Savior. And to see him as the Lord and King of every aspect of life in this world.
[2:54] Well, I want to look with you at three particular aspects of this. Two of them highlighted in this chapter and another aspect that we need to look elsewhere in Paul's writings for.
[3:08] The first one I want to focus on is the one that is not particularly brought into focus here in this chapter. And that is his emphasis upon progress in the Christian life.
[3:24] The Apostle Paul had a great emphasis upon moving on, upon doing new things, extending the frontiers, as it were, in Christian living.
[3:41] And for this, we need to refer to that passage that we read in Philippians. In Philippians chapter 3, the very famous passage where the Apostle talks about pressing on.
[3:57] In verse 12, we read, Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
[4:10] Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it, but one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal.